Technology

Holly Springs, N.C., hopes to be among the first spots in the United States where drones are used for package delivery.

A surge in global shipping volume is adding urgency to ­efforts to increase the efficiency of cargo handling at seaports and inland waterways.

As motor carriers enjoy the fruits of the tight freight environment, railroads are continuing their push to boost earnings while they adjust to a market that increasingly is shifting toward intermodal.

The most important factor in boosting business across the United States is a solid network of highways and rail lines that connect the community to domestic and foreign markets.

The future of rail transportation literally may be up in the air. Entrepreneurs and engineers from around the world have proposed radical concepts for hauling freight and passengers, including a multistory flying train, a supersized blimp and super-high-speed trains.

Lanehub, a collaborative transportation platform, has introduced Backhaul Assist to help shippers market excess freight-hauling capacity to other companies.

Don’t worry, you haven’t fallen, but the turnip truck is about to start driving itself.

Uber Technologies Inc. will spend more than $150 million in Toronto to support driverless car research.

Volvo Trucks, the manufacturing arm of Volvo Group, underscored its commitment to offering autonomous commercial vehicles in the near future with the announcement recently that it has developed a self-driving, battery-electric, tractor-like unit it calls Vera.

WASHINGTON — Congress needs to ensure autonomous vehicle technology operates under a national directive instead of a patchwork of guidelines from the states, a key House authorizer said Sept. 13.