Middle Mile 101: Why it matters and how tech is impacting it

The middle mile has long been one of the toughest parts of the supply chain to manage - it’s rigid, opaque, and costly to run effectively.

But that’s starting to change.

With tools like tracking software, smarter routing, and APIs, the middle mile is becoming more flexible, visible, and efficient.

To understand the middle mile better - what it is, how tech is impacting it, and how companies are adopting - I spoke with Troy Lester, co-founder of WARP.

Troy shared so much useful information that I broke it into two parts:

1. Understanding the middle mile

2. Actionable tactics to optimize it

Today, I’ll focus on #1 - understanding the middle mile.

(Part 2 out in two weeks!)

Table of Contents

1. Defining the Middle Mile

2. Evolution of the Middle Mile

3. The Impact of Technology

4. Challenges in Middle Mile

5. What’s Next

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. If you're short on time, skip to the TL;DR section for key takeaways & action steps.