Guest: Ronak Amin of HERE Technologies on preventing bridge strikes by trucks; More maritime freight fright; Are humanoid robots ready for prime time?

Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY
Guest: Ronak Amin of HERE Technologies on preventing bridge strikes by trucks; More maritime freight fright; Are humanoid robots ready for prime time?
Jan 23, 2026 Season 7 Episode 3
AGiLE Business Media

Our guest on this week's episode is Ronak Amin - global product marketing lead for fleet, mobility, and transport solutions at Here Technologies. Bridges and trucks are two elements that do not mix well. Many would be surprised to learn that an over-the-road truck strikes a bridge or an underpass every 36 minutes. Of course these accidents risk lives besides disrupting traffic flow. What can be done to prevent bridge strikes? Our guest offers some insights.

One major container ship line recently decided to resume sailings in the Red Sea but has now backed out of those plans and will instead continue sailing around Africa rather than going through the Suez Canal. In recent years the canal has been nearly empty of commercial traffic, due to violence and missiles from forces in Yemen, who were targeting Israeli and other western hemisphere ships due to the bloodshed in Israel’s war with Hamas. What does this change mean for shippers looking for some certainty in an ever-changing environment?

We’ve talked a lot about advances in humanoid robots recently, and there was more news this week. New Gartner research released on Tuesday found that the hype around humanoids is outpacing the technology’s readiness for large-scale deployment in logistics—and that means that we will probably see a lot of pilot projects over the next few years, but it’s going to be a while before these human-looking robots become commonplace on the warehouse floor.



Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com.


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This podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner


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Episode Artwork Guest: Ronak Amin of HERE Technologies on preventing bridge strikes by trucks; More maritime freight fright; Are humanoid robots ready for prime time? 18:46 Episode Artwork Guest: Tony Bradley of Arizona Trucking Association on freight fraud and non-domiciled drivers; Robots become more human; Hesitancy adopting Agentic AI 18:50 Episode Artwork Guest: Amy Dean of SC Codeworks on tariffs and Foreign Trade Zones; Mixed job reports; Safety standards for humanoid robots 18:30 Episode Artwork Guest: Jason Schenker of Prestige Economics with predictions for supply chains in 2026; Managing risks among shifting policies; Stabilizing your workforce 34:17 Episode Artwork Guest: Bill Catania of OneRail on holiday last mile delivery trends; Prospects for industrial real estate in 2026; Robots to the rescue. 14:48 Episode Artwork Guest: Marc Schaffer on the big rail merger; AI imbeds in the warehouse; The people behind the tech 23:57 Episode Artwork Guest: Kraig Foreman of DHL Supply Chain on expectations for peak season; How transportation feels about AI; The joy of robots 20:53 Episode Artwork Alex Saric from Ivalua on what is holding back tech investments; Thinking small brings agility; The AI disconnect 17:05 Episode Artwork Guest: Noel Thomas of Darkwatch on human trafficking and slave labor within supply chains; Ryder raises awareness; Cargo thieves find clever ways to steal freight 23:05 Episode Artwork Guest: Brodie Sutherland of Patriot Critical Minerals Corp. on securing a domestic supply of critical minerals; Supply chain digitalization becomes a priority; The market expands for self-driving trucks 24:05 Episode Artwork Guest: Abdil Tunca on managing robots; Trucking may get some relief; Demand for industrial real estate surges 21:20 Episode Artwork Guest: Frank Kenney of Cleo on supply chains during the government shutdown; What's in store for peak holiday season?; Trucking hits speed bumps 21:14 Episode Artwork Guest: Amanda Hedberg of Aspire on training workers with disabilities for warehouse jobs; The commercial real estate market; Turning uncertainty into an advantage 22:05 Episode Artwork Guest: Sean Daley of Sphera on shifts in EPA regulations; Creative ways to adapt to tariffs; Chinese robots are on the move 19:24 Episode Artwork Guest: Kathy Fulton of the American Logistics Aid Network on 20 years of being there for others; Tariffs force changes in sourcing; New drivers of e-commerce 27:59 Episode Artwork Guest: Doug Cantriel of Ford on the automaker's future focus; The priorities of online shoppers; Zebra earns its stripes 22:54 Episode Artwork Guest: Clete Cordero on progress on the new freight classifications; Assuring cargo safety in ocean freight: Procurement under pressure 19:59 Episode Artwork Guest: John Lash of e2open on what the end of the de minimis exemption means to shippers; Is the EV market mature; Measuring supply chain performance 21:55 Episode Artwork Guest: Scott Cornell of Travelers with tips on protecting food in transit; Hopes for the upcoming peak season; Can truckload rebound? 20:00 Episode Artwork Guest: Chris Steiner of Dematic on installing automation in brownfield facilities; Keeping our highways safe; The rise of humanoid robots 21:22 Episode Artwork Guest: Joel Wayment of Cardinal Health on securing temperature sensitive pharmaceuticals; Cargo theft plagues shippers; Our changing food supply chains 19:48 Episode Artwork Guest: James Shefelbine of PraxiChain on Union Pacific's proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern; Freight markets stuck in low gear; The health of the logistics industry 21:37 Episode Artwork Guest: Lisa Anderson of LMA Consulting on how the One Big Beautiful Bill may help manufacturers; A new transcontinental railroad; Preparing for weather extremes 21:01 Episode Artwork Guest: Manish Kapoor of Growth Catalyst Group on how supply chains are handling back-to-school season; Where Girl Scouts and supply chains intersect: Encouraging robots to get along 21:37 Episode Artwork Guest: Zac Rogers of Colorado State University on the uncertain summer for supply chains; The latest on cargo theft; CEOs still think sustainability is good for business 26:23