Prices at the grocery store and delivery fees can be affected by costs shoppers rarely see. Trucks waiting in line to enter distribution centers, for example, may burn diesel while drivers wait to check in. Those delays add to transportation costs, which can eventually make their way into the prices of everyday goods.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a national average diesel price of $6.13 per gallon for the week of Nov. 9. For companies shipping products across the country, that remains a significant expense. EAIGLE, a company that makes AI-powered camera systems, says its technology can cut truck check-in times at distribution centers from about 10 minutes to less than 30 seconds.
Many of the groceries in a home have traveled by diesel-powered truck. Produce may cover hundreds of miles before reaching a supermarket, and other products often pass through distribution centers along the way. When fuel prices climb, transportation companies may raise shipping rates or add fuel surcharges to cover their costs.
Those added expenses can affect retailers and, in turn, shoppers. A USDA-supported study of food transportation found that higher transportation costs generally increased food prices in the scenarios researchers examined. Potatoes were particularly sensitive, in part because they are often shipped long distances from growing areas to major markets. Fuel is only one influence on grocery prices, but it can matter.
EAIGLE’s system is intended to make warehouse entry more like passing through an electronic toll lane. At many distribution centers, drivers still go through manual checks, with security staff reviewing documents and confirming that the arriving truck is expected.
Those checks can lead to queues, especially during busy periods. If drivers keep their engines running while they wait, they use fuel before reaching the loading dock. EAIGLE says its Automated Vehicle Access Control system, or AVAC, uses artificial intelligence and existing security cameras to identify vehicles and compare their details with facility records.
The company says the system can capture more than 25 details about a truck and trailer in under 30 seconds, including license plate information. If the records match, an automated gate can let the vehicle through. If they do not, the system can flag the arrival for further review.
A few minutes saved for one truck may not seem like much. At a large distribution center handling hundreds of vehicles a day, though, shorter waits could reduce idling and some operating costs.
Could those savings reach shoppers? Possibly. Lower transportation expenses might give retailers more room to absorb rising costs, and reducing wasted fuel could help offset some shipping charges. But there is no evidence so far that EAIGLE’s technology has directly lowered grocery prices or delivery fees. Companies might use any savings to cover other expenses or increase profits, and check-in delays make up only a portion of overall transportation costs. To have a noticeable effect, savings would likely need to accumulate across many facilities.
Faster check-ins could also help keep products moving through distribution networks. A center that handles incoming deliveries more smoothly may be better able to send scheduled shipments on to stores. Still, quicker entry alone will not guarantee full shelves or earlier deliveries. Traffic, labor shortages and congestion at loading docks can continue to slow shipments.
EAIGLE estimates that a facility using its technology could save about $726,000 a year through more efficient gate operations and other improvements. The company also estimates that a site processing roughly 200 trucks daily could avoid around 110,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year by cutting unnecessary idling. That is about 55 U.S. tons. These figures come from the company, and actual results would depend on how each facility operates.
Cargo theft is another supply-chain cost. Criminals may pose as legitimate carriers to collect shipments they are not authorized to take. A June 2026 FBI warning put estimated cargo theft losses in the United States and Canada at nearly $725 million in 2025.
EAIGLE says its system can compare arriving truck information with shipping records and flag mismatches in identification or paperwork. The company claims the technology can reduce exposure to theft and fraud by more than 50%. Preventing stolen shipments could limit financial losses and avoid disruptions when goods disappear before reaching their destination.
EAIGLE says its technology is in use at major North American distribution facilities, including operations associated with Walmart. Loblaw Companies Limited, a large Canadian grocery and pharmacy retailer, announced in September 2026 that it plans to expand the system across multiple distribution centers. Loblaw said early results included faster processing, more accurate data and an improved experience for truck drivers.
Loblaw’s vice president of national transportation, Wael Yehia, said the company is looking for practical ways to move products more efficiently through its distribution network. That matters because grocery retailers handle enormous volumes of merchandise, and improvements at busy centers could make deliveries more dependable.
AI at a warehouse gate may not sound as dramatic as self-driving trucks or robots, but long lines have real costs when they mean engines idling and shipments waiting. EAIGLE’s approach also makes use of cameras that facilities may already have, rather than requiring new trucks or major building changes. Whether those gains extend beyond the gate—and whether any savings eventually help shoppers—remains to be seen.
