FreightCasts

Join host Craig Fuller and Matt Leffler on this episode of Freight Expectations as they break down the biggest stories reshaping the freight and logistics industry: A look at the rising tide of organized rail and trucking theft, how Mexico is tackling cargo crime, and where the bipartisan CORCA legislation stands in Congress. Analyzing Chris Spear's early departure from the American Trucking Associations and the long-standing debate surrounding the "driver shortage" narrative. Two tech giants clash over ELD data access and API fees—what this means for small fleets, freight brokers, and load availability. How the AI-driven data center boom is driving industrial freight demand, and why NIMBYism and political battles are heating up. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and drop your thoughts in the comments! ⁠Follow the Freight Expectations Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Labor Day is just around the corner, but is the freight market ready for the traditional fall surge? On this episode of FreightWaves Today, we break down the latest signals across trucking, rail, freight technology and the broader supply chain. We cover the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern mega-merger, a wave of freight and logistics bankruptcies, and new federal pilot programs that could give truck drivers more flexibility with hours of service.Then, we dive into the growing battle between Highway and Motive over ELD data access — and what the dispute could mean for small carriers, brokers, fraud prevention and access to freight. AVRide Chief Commercial Officer Sergei Kirillov joins the show to discuss autonomous vehicles, delivery robots, robotaxis, college-campus deliveries and what it will take for autonomous delivery to expand into more cities and suburban markets. We also examine the latest SONAR freight data heading into Labor Day, including tender rejection rates, spot rates and whether the anticipated peak-season surge is finally beginning to emerge. Plus, Trains Editor Bill Stephens joins from the North Carolina Transportation Museum to discuss Mexico's growing rail market, Grupo México's innovative rail-ferry operations and the technology and security measures being used to combat cargo theft. And in Freight Expectations with Matt Leffler, we tackle organized cargo crime, the push for the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (COCA), the legal risks surrounding double brokering, and how massive AI data-center construction is creating new demand for industrial freight. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, hosts Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent dive into top headlines and industry insights, featuring expert commentary on logistics expansion, high-stakes supply chain technology, and freight consolidation strategies. The guys discuss Arrive Logistics' plans to expand its workforce by 1,000 team members following a major capital agreement with Mubadala, alongside a look at a massive 1,800-pound marijuana interception by Georgia law enforcement. Michael Schramm, CEO and Co-Founder of Nordian, shares his journey from managing electric scooter fleets to solving connectivity and centimeter-level positioning challenges for autonomous machinery in harsh, remote environments. Phil Schmidbauer, Vice President of Solution Design at ODW Logistics, breaks down how poorly designed consolidation plans create hidden supply chain costs and offers actionable advice for shippers aiming to drive out waste. ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Visit our sponsor - GNOSIS FREIGHT⁠ ⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠ #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we kick things off by examining the heated regulatory battle over the proposed mega-merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern. The Class I railroads are aggressively defending their application, telling the Surface Transportation Board that ⁠their filing contains extensive evidence demonstrating benefits for employees, customers and the broader economy⁠. The combined company promises new single-line service across more than eighty-eight thousand county-to-county lanes and the diversion of two point one million truckloads from highway to rail. Meanwhile, a brutal wave of financial distress is hitting the freight and logistics sector as ⁠at least twenty-one transportation companies filed for bankruptcy protection between late July and August twenty-fifth⁠. The filings range from single-truck carriers to massive national distributors with hundreds of millions in assets and liabilities, underscoring how financial hardship remains uneven across the freight economy as small trucking companies struggle alongside larger logistics businesses confronting debt loads and restructuring challenges. Finally, we explore how federal regulators are moving ahead with pilot programs that could fundamentally reshape how truck drivers manage their workdays. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced Thursday that ⁠it has completed pre-tests for its Flexible Sleeper Berth and Split Duty Period pilot programs⁠ and is reviewing results ahead of a planned full launch in twenty twenty-seven. The Split Duty Period pilot would allow participating drivers to pause the critical fourteen-hour driving window for up to three hours per day, effectively giving drivers more ability to wait out heavy traffic or severe weather. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben Peterson comes on to discuss budgeting strategies for shippers heading into budget season, plus a slough of economic data to cover.  ⁠Follow the Freightonomics Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to FreightWaves Today! Host Malcolm Harris and Zach Strickland kick off today's show breaking down the latest supply chain headlines, market data, and major industry developments. Morning Minute Headlines: Kenco successfully deploys six supply chain AI agents in just three months with Deep Fabric; Canadian authorities seize nearly 850 lbs of cocaine at the Bluewater Bridge; and a deep dive into the massive global container ship order book pressuring ocean rates. State of Freight Fraud: Danielle Spinelli (Director of Partnerships at Gen Logs & "The Fraud Girl") breaks down Q2 cargo theft trends, high-value target risks, and how Gen Logs' nationwide sensor network helps catch criminals and assist law enforcement. $100M Tech Acquisition: Andrew Wimer and Mitch Mitchell join the show to discuss Descartes acquiring Ty Software. Learn how combining AI-powered brokerage workflows with global visibility tools like MacroPoint aims to streamline broker operations into a single execution layer. Driver-Led Innovation: 20-year veteran professional truck driver James Boyce, founder of Bubba Lee LLC, introduces the "Trucker Tote"—a modular console designed to eliminate cab distractions, improve safety, and help fleets prevent thermonuclear verdicts. SONAR & Freightnomics Update: Lead Economist DJ Donahue and Ben Peterson (Head of Shipper Solutions) join Zach for a deep dive into tender rejections, Q2 GDP revisions, PCE inflation figures, and strategic shipper advice for the upcoming bid season. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trucking says young people don't want to drive trucks. BULLSH*T. They're showing up. The real question is why we keep losing them.... With driver turnover still hammering parts of the industry, trucking keeps searching for the next generation while arguing about recruiting, CDL training, driver pay and a supposed lack of young people willing to work. What if the pipeline isn't actually the biggest problem? What if it's what happens AFTER they enter it? On this episode of Brake Check, Charles sits down with Lindsey Trent, President and Co-Founder of Next Generation in Trucking, and Tim Crawford, Co-Founder and CEO of Tenstreet, to dig into what it will actually take to recruit ... and KEEP .... trucking's next generation. We break down young truck drivers, Gen Z in trucking, CDL training, Workforce Pell, high-school CDL programs, apprenticeships, driver recruiting, onboarding, mentorship, home time and driver retention. Can small trucking companies realistically build relationships with high schools and CDL programs? Who pays the training bill? What happens to 18-to-20-year-old CDL holders who can't run interstate? What does the next generation actually expect from a carrier? And are fleets building careers young people want — or just feeding more drivers into the same turnover machine? Then we turn to the technology side. Tenstreet CEO Tim Crawford joins us to discuss small-fleet technology, carrier verification, fraud prevention, compliance, broker trust and Driver Pulse Fleet — including why legitimate carriers increasingly feel like they're being treated as guilty until proven innocent and what small fleets can do to better prove who they are. We also tackle one uncomfortable question trucking can't avoid:If changing jobs can cost a driver thousands of dollars and they're STILL willing to pay it just to leave your company...what does that say about YOU? The next generation isn't some future trucking problem. THEY'RE ALREADY HERE. Now trucking has to give them a reason to stay. #Trucking #TruckDrivers #GenZ #CDL #CDLTraining #DriverRecruiting #DriverRetention #OwnerOperator #TruckingIndustry #Freight ⁠Follow the Brake Check Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Feary runs the most powerful transportation law firm in America. Scopelitis represents the nation's largest trucking companies — when a mega-fleet gets sued, there's a good chance his firm answers the phone. He's spent four decades watching carriers get dismantled in deposition rooms, and prepping them to survive it. So I asked him to do something no guest has done on this show.Depose me. Mid-episode, we run it live. I play the owner of a nine-truck fleet after a serious crash — a fictional company, built from every real carrier I've ever coached. The 1099 drivers in company trucks. The driver files that got started and never finished. The dash cams nobody watches. The dispatch text that says push through. Greg does what the other side's lawyer would do with all of it, and I sit there and take it, so you can hear exactly what that room sounds like before you're ever in it. Then we break down where I died, what would have saved me, and the truth his four words on our intake form captured better than any regulation ever has — carrier vetting is fluid. The safety bar isn't set by the FMCSA anymore. It's set by juries, after the crash, and most small carriers are being measured against a standard they've never seen. We close with the misclassification time bomb sitting under half the small fleets in this country, and what the biggest carriers in America are doing right now that you can't see from the driver's seat. You've been told your paperwork will be used against you. Today you hear it happen. ⁠Follow the Brake Check Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we kick things off by examining a major breakthrough in the often-painful journey from AI demo to live operations. Third-party logistics provider Kenco has successfully ⁠deployed six supply chain AI agents into production with DeepFabric⁠ in just three months, a stark contrast to broader industry trends where Gartner expects more than forty percent of agentic AI projects to be canceled by the end of twenty twenty-seven. The partnership is now scaling aggressively, with twenty agents planned across North America over the next twelve months and audit-spend reductions of forty-five percent already achieved.Next, we explore the critical role of border security in cross-border supply chain integrity. Canada Border Services Agency officers ⁠seized approximately three hundred eighty-five kilograms of suspected cocaine from a commercial truck⁠ at Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward, Ontario on August thirteenth. The driver was arrested and charged with importing a controlled substance and possession for trafficking, underscoring the ongoing enforcement challenge at busy commercial border crossings.Finally, we discuss the ocean freight sector bracing for a massive wave of new capacity that could severely pressure container rates. The ⁠global containership orderbook has reached an orderbook-to-fleet ratio of roughly thirty-eight point seven percent⁠, meaning vessels on order represent nearly two-fifths of the existing fleet's capacity. With fleet growth running at about four point two percent against expected container-trade growth of only three to four percent, industry analysts warn that vessel supply is likely to outpace demand, potentially releasing significant downward pressure on freight rates once current geopolitical disruptions normalize. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of FreightWaves Today, hosts Craig Fuller and Julie Garner analyze the current trajectory of the North American economy, key supply chain news, and recent data across freight modes. Craig and Julie open with commentary on strong U.S. industrial and rail volume data, record corporate profit margins driven by technological efficiency, and the passing of country music legend Dolly Parton, highlighting her recent venture into driver-centric travel stops. They also cover a proposed $6 billion freight rail bypass around Atlanta and a major $150,000 cargo theft bust in California's Mojave Desert. Pavan Joshi, Chief Strategy Officer at E2open, breaks down ongoing trade posturing between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Joshi highlights the operational challenges of unwinding 30 years of integrated continental supply chains (particularly in auto, agriculture, and energy) and stresses the need for stable trade policies and strategic friend-shoring. Sonar Daily Market Update: A deep dive into tender rejections shows refrigerated capacity remaining tight (~20.5%) due to summer weather demand, while flatbed rejection rates have cooled off. The hosts highlight strong intermodal performance, driven by a 33% contract cost-savings advantage over truckload. Einride CEO Roozbeh Charli discusses the commercialization of autonomous and electric freight networks. He reviews recent deployments, including their partnership with Tesla, the expansion of their vehicle-agnostic software stack, and their entry into defense applications to remove human drivers from high-risk zones. Valentina Jordan, CEO and co-founder of Nada, explains why successful AI adoption requires a solid, contextual data foundation rather than just standalone AI agents. She shares details on their recent strategic funding round and how Nada's platform processes fragmented global trade data to eliminate stockouts and reduce costs. Aaron Decker, CEO of Multi-Service Fuel Card, clarifies that elevated retail diesel prices are primarily driven by historic refining crack spreads and global refining disruptions (including attacks on Russian energy infrastructure) rather than crude shortages alone. Weekly AAR Rail Report: The episode closes with the latest Association of American Railroads (AAR) data, which reveals sustained year-over-year volume growth in U.S. intermodal units (+5%) and Canadian trade traffic. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent on this packed Wednesday edition of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? as they honor a music legend and dive deep into critical industry updates with two expert guests. The guys pay a heartfelt tribute to the Queen of Country, discussing her incredible philanthropic legacy, her impact on the state of Tennessee, and her recent entry into the logistics space with her new truck stop concept A breakdown of the latest driver out-of-service violations, including why English proficiency broke into the top five, why medical card infractions skyrocketed by 117%, and how enforcement trends are shifting. Dr. Fletcher—having performed over 20,000 DOT physicals—shares key insights on driver health changes over the last several decades. He breaks down how GLP-1 weight loss medications could revolutionize trucker health, how sleep apnea impacts careers, and what really happens during crash litigation when medical histories are audited. Greg Haber, President of Babcock Fulfillment and Alarm Systems, breaks down how criminal syndicates execute fictitious pickups using fraudulent IDs. He demonstrates how modern digitizing technology and real-time app verification can instantly catch fake licenses that human gatekeepers miss. ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Visit our sponsor - GNOSIS FREIGHT⁠ ⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠ #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we kick things off by examining an ambitious infrastructure proposal that could dramatically reshape freight movement in the South. An influential coalition is leveraging the proposed Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern mega-merger to demand ⁠a massive freight rail bypass around Atlanta that would free up track for passenger trains⁠ and thin out the city's legendary traffic congestion. The six-billion-dollar project would divert eighty percent of freight trains onto a U-shaped route, opening capacity for fourteen commuter rail lines and offering a far cheaper alternative to the ninety billion dollars Georgia would otherwise need to spend on highway expansion by 2050. Next, we shift over to the rails to discuss a brazen cargo theft in California's Mojave Desert that illustrates how quickly high-value freight can disappear. San Bernardino County deputies ⁠recovered over $150,000 in New Balance shoes after reports of people breaking into BNSF boxcars⁠ near Daggett, an unincorporated community east of Barstow along I-95. Authorities arrested a suspect following a traffic stop and foot pursuit, underscoring how rail cargo theft can move high-value inventory from a railcar to a highway within minutes. Finally, we cover the passing of an American icon who made professional drivers part of her final business chapter. ⁠Country music legend Dolly Parton died peacefully Tuesday in Nashville at age 80⁠, just two months after making a surprise appearance at the grand opening of Dolly's Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville, Tennessee. The facility, located about an hour south of Nashville, was designed specifically for professional drivers and featured truck parking, fuel, showers, laundry, restaurants, and a dog park, reflecting Parton's decades spent touring the country by bus. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of FreightWaves Today covers critical shifts across truckload market dynamics, equipment remarketing, cross-border trade, software consolidation, and global energy risks. Used Truck Market Update: Chris Backeberg (President, Daimler Trucks Remarketing) discusses tight sleeper and day cab inventories, stable used-truck pricing, and fleet age/maintenance cycles. Spot Market & Bidding Dynamics: Rush Feldhacker (Tabi) details Tabi's Pricing Pressure Index and how disciplined brokers leverage spot data and automation to navigate shifting pricing power. Credit Quality & Energy Risks: John Kingston (FreightWaves) dives deeper into BMO's credit metrics, historical diesel crack spreads, and seasonal heating oil demand. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why would a truck driver spend thousands of dollars .... and an entire weekend ..... making a WORKING truck look better than some people's houses? Because this isn't really about chrome. And it damn sure isn't vanity. On this episode of Brake Check, Charles  sits down with Evan Steger of Evan's Detailing & Polishing / Time2Shine and David Lowry of Bennett Motor Express to uncover what truck pride is actually worth .... to the driver, the trucking company, the value of the equipment, and something much bigger than any trophy. We're going inside Stars, Stripes & White Lines, where working trucks aren't treated like trailer queens. Some competitors must prove tens of thousands of working miles, drive into the show under their own power, and then face serious judging to see who's really earned the shine. But that's only half the story. The weekend supports the mission of placing wreaths on veterans' graves at Andersonville National Cemetery through Wreaths Across America. We dig into the real business behind truck appearance and driver pride: Does keeping a truck show-clean increase resale value? Can pride in equipment improve driver retention? What does it actually cost an owner-operator to maintain that shine? Why do carriers invest in truck shows? And what can a fleet owner learn from drivers willing to spend their own money taking care of company equipment? Then we get to the reason this weekend exists in the first place: Remembering the Americans who served long after the trucks leave the speedway. Show trucks. Working trucks. Heavy haul. Owner-operators. Truck polishing. Driver pride. Fleet culture. Wreaths Across America. Veterans.It all comes together here. Because sometimes chrome isn't about showing off. Sometimes it reflects something worth remembering. #Trucking #TruckShow #ShowTrucks #OwnerOperator #WreathsAcrossAmerica #TruckDrivers #HeavyHaul #TruckingIndustry ⁠Follow the Brake Check Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trucking Credit Recovery: BMO's quarterly earnings show dramatic drops in distress metrics, with credit loss provisions plunging to $15 million and gross impaired loans crashing to $440 million. https://www.freightwaves.com/news/likely-bmo-swan-song-shows-trucking-credit-strengthening US-Canada Tariff Escalation: The US hits Canadian goods with 50% tariffs after negotiations stall, prompting Canada to prepare retaliatory tariffs starting September 8 https://www.freightwaves.com/news/us-canada-supply-chains-face-uncertainty-as-trade-talks-collapse Descartes Systems Group announced it has acquired Tai, an AI-powered transportation management system provider, for one hundred million dollars in cash. This marks the thirty-fourth deal for the Canadian company since twenty seventeen, following recent acquisitions of Latin American last-mile logistics tech provider Drivin and Pittsburgh-based fleet safety solutions provider Idelic. CEO Ed Ryan stated that Tai complements their strengths in carrier onboarding, compliance, fraud prevention and real-time visibility, creating significant opportunities to help freight brokers streamline operations and improve margins. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of FreightWaves Today, hosts Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp break down the major trade and regulatory shifts shaking up the freight industry—including the newly implemented 50% tariffs on Canadian imports and the sudden departure of ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. Keith Moore, CEO of Auto Scheduler AI, discusses how AI-powered warehouse orchestration software helps manage complex facility operations. He explains that by using an "operational twin" model of a warehouse, the software helps optimize inventory flow, decision-making, and labor utilization while addressing the bottlenecks created by modern automation. Eric Kulisch, Air Cargo Reporter at FreightWaves, shares updates on Amazon's expanding drone delivery program and the evolving regulatory environment surrounding drone logistics. He details how tech capabilities like detect-and-avoid features are shaping the space, as well as the long-term industry projections for urban air mobility. Russell Jones CEO of Private Fleet Net Zero, breaks down how his company functions as a digital matching platform specifically designed to unlock unused backhaul capacity for private fleets. He highlights how this approach offers freight brokers reliable, safer, and heavily discounted capacity while simultaneously cutting down on empty miles and carbon emissions. Kurt Mann, Head of Transportation at Mitsubishi HC Capital, provides a financial perspective on the current state of the freight and equipment markets following an extended economic downturn. He outlines lender strategy, equipment valuation shifts from peak bubble levels, and why fleets remain cautious about adding new capacity until overall freight demand sees a sustained rebound. Plus, we explore the latest industry headlines, deep-dive into freight market data, and feature insights from expert guests across warehouse automation, drone delivery, private fleets, and equipment financing. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, the guys unpack a bizarre $9.5M methamphetamine seizure hidden inside a Texas detergent load, discuss the sudden departure of Chris Spear from the ATA, state legal victories protecting CDL driver data, and the growing legal heat surrounding broker liability with J.B. Hunt facing summary judgment battles. Then, two expert guest segments tackle the industry's biggest modern challenges: BuyWander Co-Founder Brock Kowalchuk joins the show to discuss how billions of dollars in returned retail inventory can be saved from landfills using scalable auction technology. Megan Gabriel & Veronica Van Loon from Changemakers detail what brokers and logistics companies MUST do in the first 48 hours of a major legal or public relations crisis. ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Visit our sponsor - GNOSIS FREIGHT⁠ ⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠ #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we kick things off at the Texas border, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers uncovered a massive narcotics smuggling operation hiding in plain sight. On August eleventh at the Roma International Bridge, CBP officers directed a tractor-trailer arriving from Mexico to secondary inspection after it declared a routine commercial detergent shipment. Using nonintrusive inspection equipment and a canine team, authorities discovered over 1,000 pounds of suspected methamphetamine concealed within the detergent load, with a staggering street value exceeding $9.57 million. Port Director Andres Guerra credited advanced technology and frontline vigilance with identifying the contraband in what appeared to be routine freight. Next, we explore the intermodal sector, where RoadOne IntermodaLogistics is aggressively expanding its Port of Charleston footprint through strategic acquisition. The Randolph, Massachusetts-based provider announced it has acquired Higgins Transport Service, a Charleston-based drayage and intermodal provider, adding fifteen drivers and critical capacity to serve the Southeastern market. RoadOne recently opened a massive 384,000-square-foot facility in Summerville, South Carolina, and plans to add another 279,700-square-foot warehouse on the 100-acre property next year to support its growing Southeast global trade corridor operations. Finally, we break down major leadership upheaval rocking the trucking industry's most prominent trade organization as Chris Spear departs as president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations, effective immediately. Spear had recently observed his ten-year anniversary in the role and was just beginning an extension of his contract—a five-year deal signed in 2021 was extended in 2024 until 2029. ATA chairman Greg Hodgen said a search has begun to identify the organization's next leader, while assuring members that ATA remains strong, focused, and fully engaged in delivering results. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Best Of episode of FreightWaves Today, we are replaying top industry interviews that focus on earnings before diving into an exclusive freight market breakdown. David Parker, founder and CEO of Covenant Logistics, weighs in on the urgent necessity of federal tort reform in the face of skyrocketing insurance costs and severe "nuclear verdicts". He also breaks down Covenant's strategic shift away from one-way over-the-road freight and shares his perspective on where we stand in the current market cycle. Julie Van de Kemp breaks down the latest market trends using FreightWaves SONAR, featuring key insights on: Spot vs. Contract Rates: Tender rejections and volumes are stabilizing. Meanwhile, contract rates continue to rise, significantly narrowing the rate gap with spot market pricing. Intermodal Savings Index: Why intermodal rates have remained relatively steady compared to volatile truckload spot and contract rates, offering massive cost savings. Top Cost-Saving Lanes: Analysis of high-savings outbound routes, including key East Coast and Midwest corridors out of Atlanta and Pennsylvania. Rail Merger Impact: How current railroad merger discussions could keep intermodal contract rate increases quiet to avoid regulatory pushback from shippers. FreightWaves Finance Editor Todd Maiden shares his expert financial perspective on the public transport sector. He breaks down recent earnings reports, key Wall Street movements, and what carrier financial disclosures reveal about underlying demand and market health. Chris Versace brings a high-level macroeconomic and OEM market perspective to the show. He analyzes transportation stocks, equipment manufacturing trends, and what broader economic indicators signify for freight volumes moving forward. ArcBest President & CEO Seth Runser dives into the company's strong performance, early signals of demand recovery, and their strategic consolidation efforts. He also highlights ArcBest's latest platform technology and how LTL carriers are adapting to changing market conditions. Aaron Graft, CEO of Triumph Financial, discusses the real-world operational pressures hitting independent truckers and small fleets. He outlines how surging input costs—from insurance to equipment and fuel—are squeezing carrier margins and how tech-driven financial tools are helping operators stay afloat. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Malcolm and Mike tackle the latest headlines shaking up the freight and logistics world. From dark realities at the border to major infrastructure debate and college sports sponsorship firsts, the duo breaks down the industry's biggest news before diving into deep-dive interviews with tech and compliance leaders. Nick Dorman, Founder & CEO of Alvys, breaks down "Foundry"—their AI agent layer built natively into an order-to-cash CRM. Nick explains how hybrid architecture, in-house EDI, and guardrailed AI agents streamline complex workflows for frontline logistics operators. Joe Hurst, Co-Founder and President of Veroot Compliance, unpacks how recent White House executive orders are making C-TPAT validation essential for foreign importers of record and customs brokers ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Visit our sponsor - GNOSIS FREIGHT⁠ ⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠ #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Broadcasting live from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia, this episode of FreightWaves Today dives into major industry headlines and explores Atlanta's vital role as a global freight and logistics hub. The hosts cover crucial market trends—from regulatory impacts on capacity to rail surge data and cold chain innovations—alongside interviews with top supply chain executives. Clayton Griffin (President, OTR Solutions): Discusses the factoring industry, OTR Select's capacity and data product, fraud mitigation, non-recourse models, and market cycle predictions amid regulatory crackdowns. Tony Broyles (Head of Sales, Overdrive Logistics): Shares insights from both the shipper and broker perspectives, highlighting how market tightening, capacity shifts, and authentic networking shape modern freight relationships. Ed Elkins (EVP & Chief Commercial Officer, Norfolk Southern): Explores Atlanta's historical and modern significance in rail logistics, mode conversion in the "Golden Triangle," reshoring trends, and the strategic vision behind the pending transcontinental rail merger. Brian Dunn (SVP of Facilities & Engineering, Americold): Breaks down cold storage growth, energy efficiency, risk resiliency during extreme weather, and how AI technology optimizes thermal management across temperature-controlled facilities. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Truck driver turnover can exceed 90% at major fleets....and trucking still keeps asking what's wrong with the DRIVER. Maybe we're asking the wrong damn question. What if trucking's driver retention problem isn't really a recruiting problem? What if it's a LEADERSHIP problem? On this episode of Brake Check, Charles sits down with fleet owner Pam Polyak and Dr. Vernard "Doctor V" Jenkins, VP of Operations at Knight-Swift Warehousing & Fulfillment, to put trucking leadership under the microscope. We're digging into why truck drivers quit, what happens during the critical first 90 days, driver-manager relationships, fleet culture, onboarding, frontline leadership, driver retention, detention, employee engagement and why constantly recruiting replacement drivers may be treating the symptom instead of fixing the disease. Why do good drivers leave? Is pay really the reason? When does a new driver actually decide they're done? How much does a bad dispatcher or manager cost a trucking company What should fleets change during the first 90 days? And if your company keeps losing drivers... AT WHAT POINT DO YOU STOP INTERVIEWING THE DRIVER AND START INTERVIEWING THE BOSS? If you're a truck driver, owner-operator, fleet owner, trucking executive, dispatcher, driver manager, recruiter, safety professional or transportation leader, this conversation is for you. Because you can buy newer trucks. Raise recruiting budgets. Add bonuses. Build better onboarding technology. But if people keep walking out the door... MAYBE IT'S YOU. #Trucking #TruckDrivers #DriverRetention #TruckingIndustry #FleetManagement #TruckDriver #Transportation #Leadership ⁠Follow the Brake Check Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On May 14, the Supreme Court handed down one of the biggest trucking decisions in a generation — and most small carriers still haven't heard about it. Montgomery v. Caribe Transport. Nine to zero. Freight brokers can now be sued in every state in the country for negligently selecting an unsafe motor carrier. The federal shield that protected them for years is gone. Every headline called it a broker problem. Bryan Nelson will tell you the truth — it's about to become your problem. Because when brokers carry that kind of exposure, they don't absorb it. They push it down. Tighter vetting. Deeper background checks on your authority, your scores, your insurance. Rewritten agreements with indemnification language designed to make you hold the bag. Monitoring you've never dealt with before. And carriers with conditional ratings, rough inspection histories, or brand-new authority are about to find doors closing that were open six months ago. Bryan has spent his career on both sides of this table — years as general counsel inside a broker, a motor carrier, and a TMS, and now a partner at a transportation law firm defending trucking companies. He breaks down what the Court actually decided, what brokers are changing right now, the contract language headed for your inbox, and the exact moves that protect your authority, your assets, and your access to freight in the new landscape. Your safety scores just became your sales resume. Your paperwork just became your armor. This episode shows you how to build both. ⁠Follow The Long Haul Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of FreightWaves Today, Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp break down the latest signals from across trucking, rail, intermodal and the broader industrial economy. Thom Albrecht of Reliance Partners joins the show to discuss where the freight cycle is headed, improving demand signals and the supply-side forces reshaping trucking. Albrecht explains how English-language proficiency enforcement, non-domiciled CDL scrutiny, changes to CDL and ELD self-certification, safety enforcement and major court decisions could affect capacity and potentially extend the current freight cycle. The show also dives into what the railroads are telling us about the health of the industrial economy, including strength across commodities such as chemicals, scrap metal, steel-related freight and grain. Craig and Julie examine the continued shift of freight toward intermodal and BNSF's expanded Phoenix-to-Dallas-Fort Worth service as railroads look to capture more over-the-road truckload freight. Plus, Bloomberg Intelligence's Lee Klaskow provides his outlook for transportation and what the fourth quarter could hold, Oliver Sawbridge brings a supply chain intelligence perspective to the conversation, and Bill Stephens closes out the show with a deeper look at the rail industry and what current volumes are signaling about the economy. Craig and Julie also cover the day's biggest freight headlines, including Americold's new $80 million cold-storage hub at Port Saint John, BNSF's intermodal expansion between Phoenix and Dallas-Fort Worth, and UPS strengthening its Asia-Pacific air cargo network. Subscribe to FreightWaves for the latest news, analysis and conversations covering trucking, transportation, logistics, supply chains and the global freight economy. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Loaded and Rolling, host Thomas Wasson sits down with Greg Akselrod, Chief Technology Officer at Outpost. They dive deep into the often-overlooked world of yard management, exploring how modern technology, AI, and computer vision are revolutionizing traditional gate operations and check-in workflows. ⁠Follow the Loaded and Rolling Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent host another fast-paced episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, covering cargo theft surges, roadside enforcement sweeps, and the real math behind heavy-duty fleet decarbonization. In the top stories for today, police in Leeds arrest six individuals tied to organized cargo theft, recovering stolen goods, drugs, and weapons amid estimates that cargo crime costs the UK $88 million annually, analyzing multi-state and Canadian provincial safety sweeps targeting impaired driving, log falsification, and brake defects, while highlighting data showing 25% of U.S. commercial trucks carry immediate out-of-service violations, authorities in North Carolina arrest a suspect in possession of a stolen truck, an illegal gun, and $258,000 worth of stolen copper wire, evaluating recent WARN layoff notices—driven largely by Tyson Foods plant closures—against broader job creation figures across the logistics sector. Scott Cornell from SPG Cargo explains why official cargo theft figures only scratch the surface. While CargoNet documented $732 million in cargo losses last year, voluntary reporting and inconsistent police crime codes mean actual economic impact is roughly ten times higher. Cornell previews TAPA's upcoming university study to measure true supply chain losses, discusses the federal CORT Act, and warns of a rising "bump and run" tactic targeting high-value data center shipments valued at over $110 million since June. Former Cummins Westport President Jim Arthurs breaks down alternative fuel economics for heavy-duty trucking. With megawatt electric truck charging scaling to $0.40–$0.50 per kWh (equivalent to $7/gallon diesel) and hydrogen hovering over $20/kg, natural gas remains the most cost-effective alternative fuel. Arthurs details Westport's direct-injection technology achieving diesel-equivalent fuel efficiency (8.5 mpg) at 500 horsepower, the strength of North America's CNG pipeline system, and how Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) from dairy manure delivers net-negative carbon intensity. ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Visit our sponsor - GNOSIS FREIGHT⁠ ⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠ #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we kick things off by examining a major cold chain infrastructure investment at one of the Atlantic seaboard's fastest-growing container gateways. Americold has opened a roughly eighty million dollar import-export hub at Port Saint John, stitching together DP World and CPKC into one seamless cold chain and eliminating the inefficient routing of Canadian-bound refrigerated freight through U.S. ports. This temperature-controlled facility, which provides twenty-two thousand pallet positions, is the only one in Eastern Canada directly connected to a port without drayage, arriving just as Port Saint John's container volumes surged one hundred seventy-five percent since 2021. Shifting gears to the rails, we examine how BNSF is aggressively capturing truck freight between two of the Southwest's fastest-growing metropolitan areas. The Class I railroad has expanded its intermodal rail service between Phoenix and North Texas to six days a week, completing the route in just over three days as domestic peak shipping season approaches. The enhanced service is explicitly designed to convert over-the-road truck freight to rail as shippers face tighter highway capacity and higher rates, while BNSF simultaneously builds out Logistics Park Phoenix, its second intermodal facility in the region. Finally, we explore a major routing shift that positions UPS to strengthen its Asia-Pacific freight network as the logistics giant grows aggressively in the region. The U.S. Department of Transportation has approved UPS's transfer of six Hong Kong flying rights to Clark Airport in the Philippines, where a hub expansion project is expected to be completed later this year. The move comes as UPS's Asia-to-Asia export volume surged thirteen point six percent year over year in the second quarter, enabled by recent investments including a major expansion project for its Hong Kong hub and terminal upgrades at Incheon airport in Seoul. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp dive into the most pressing headlines and structural shifts impacting the supply chain, logistics, and transportation sectors. They discuss the escalation of organized freight fraud—including a recent raid in Armenia targeting U.S. carriers—and why the industry urgently needs coordinated law enforcement solutions like the CAUCA legislation Lakshman Achuthan, Co-Founder of the Economic Cycle Research Institute (ECRI), breaks down leading indicators signaling a potential slowdown in global industrial growth and what sticky business costs mean for freight margins. Jared Weisfeld, Chief Strategy Officer at RXO, shares why structural capacity exits and federal regulatory enforcement could pave the way for a multi-year recovery in truckload markets. Pat Dillon, CEO of Flock Freight, explains how pooling technology and shared truckload models are helping enterprise shippers optimize partial loads and reduce costs during shifting market conditions. Lainey Sibble rom Cox Automotive's Central Dispatch discusses new biometric identity verification and secure vehicle transfer technologies built to safeguard vehicle transport against bad actors. Plus, tune in for a live SONAR market update breaking down tender rejections, spot rate movements, and ocean freight rate spikes! ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cargo theft is changing fast .... and freight fraud is getting EXPENSIVE. Cargo theft incidents dropped 26% in Q2 2026, yet reported losses surged to $304.6 MILLION. Fewer thefts. More than double the money stolen. So HOW are freight thieves doing it  and who pays when they succeed? On this episode of Brake Check, Charles Gracey sits down with Jared Flinn, founder of ⁠BulkLoads.com⁠, and freight risk expert Drew Wilder to expose the new reality of cargo theft and trucking fraud. We're breaking down freight fraud, double brokering, cloned carrier identities, stolen MC numbers, fake certificates of insurance (COIs), cargo claims, broker fraud, vicarious liability and trucking insurance ... including how legitimate motor carriers can get dragged into claims involving freight they NEVER hauled. More importantly: How do you protect your trucking company before it happens? What should you verify before booking a load? How can you spot a fake COI? What happens when a broker disappears? What should you do if someone steals your carrier identity? Who actually pays for stolen cargo? And what documentation could save your company when a claim lands months later? This isn't another conversation about how bad freight fraud has become.This is how you keep somebody else's crime from becoming YOUR bill. If you're a truck driver, owner-operator, motor carrier, freight broker, dispatcher, fleet owner, shipper, insurance professional or anyone working in trucking and logistics, this episode could change what you check before your next load moves. Watch before your next load gets booked. #CargoTheft #FreightFraud #Trucking #DoubleBrokering #OwnerOperator #FreightBroker #TruckingInsurance #SupplyChain ⁠Follow the Brake Check Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we kick things off by examining a strategic bet on orchestration software as national parcel carriers continue to shed unprofitable volume. Last-mile delivery technology company Burq is wagering that enterprise retailers will pay for orchestration platforms that sit above the growing bench of regional carriers and gig courier networks. With fifty-five percent of retailers now using carriers outside FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service, and alternative carriers moving two point six billion parcels last year, the last-mile delivery duopoly is rapidly eroding. Next, we discuss a messy legal battle in the air cargo sector that has officially come to an end. Miami-based charter operator Global Crossing Airlines has dismissed its thirty-million-dollar breach-of-contract lawsuit against Ascent Global Logistics and terminated their exclusive brokerage agreement. GlobalX had alleged its former investment partner failed to honor an agreement to steer air cargo business its way, and during the second quarter, the carrier's cargo revenue dropped two point nine million dollars, or about fifty percent, year over year. Finally, we explore a sophisticated international freight fraud operation as Armenian authorities busted a Yerevan-based group that posed as American carriers and converted stolen freight proceeds into crypto. Cyber police raided commercial space inside a Yerevan hotel on July twenty-third, where suspects allegedly used specialized computer equipment to gain trust from businesses arranging transportation services, then redirected shipments to different locations instead of completing intended deliveries. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp on FreightWaves Today as they break down the critical developments shaping the freight, logistics, and supply chain markets. In the morning minute, they A look at an alarming $111 million wave of high-tech cargo thefts targeting semiconductor and data center freight, featuring coordinated "bump and run" syndicate tactics. Plus, an urgent FBI tax fraud investigation involving self-employed truck drivers in Georgia, and Mexico's surging heavy-duty truck production and export gains. Drone Warfare & Supply Chains: Analysis of Ukraine's drone strikes on Russian distribution hubs—including Wildberries facilities—and what targeting fulfillment networks means for modern logistics vulnerability. Freight Payments & Shippers of Choice: Jeff Pape (US Bank Corporate Payment Systems) stops by to discuss rising freight payment predictability, early holiday peak planning, emerging AI applications in logistics, and credit quality across the sector. SONAR Market Update: Craig and Julie break down SONAR's Tender Lead Time Index (OU.TLT), examining why shippers are tendering freight further in advance, how lead times impact tender rejections, and how to utilize the SONAR Coverage Guide to manage spot rate volatility. Real-World Tesla Semi Demo: Bob Lewis from Intercoastal Trucking shares first-hand driver feedback from testing the Tesla Semi in hard Northeast corridors, discussing range management, regenerative braking, maintenance savings, and charging infrastructure challenges. The Freight Cycle Debate: Ken Adamo (Chief Strategy Officer at Ease Logistics) and Dr. Jason Miller engage (Michigan State University) in a debate over capacity supply, driver availability, data center demand surges, and regulatory enforcement shifts. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? delivers a fast-paced mix of sports banter, logistics headlines, and industry insights, running for a tight 44 minutes out of respect for Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. Episode Highlights: FBI Tax Fraud Case: A 54-count federal indictment involving a Georgia tax preparer who targeted independent truck drivers through a word-of-mouth referral scheme. High-Tech Cargo Theft: The hosts preview an upcoming segment with Scott Cornell regarding a “bump and run” tactic used by cargo thieves targeting high-value data center shipments, detailing how stolen loads in these schemes can total tens of millions of dollars. Cross-Border Contraband: The duo breaks down a recent seizure at Ontario's Blue Water Bridge, where Canadian border officers intercepted three US semi-trucks carrying nearly $6.6 million (CAD) worth of illicit vapes and nicotine pouches. Jake Hoffman (CTO, Gnosis Freight): Jake Hoffman joins the show to discuss data fragmentation and execution in global supply chains. He highlights the history behind Auburn University's “War Eagle” tradition before explaining how Gnosis Freight aggregates ocean, satellite, and terminal data into an actionable platform. He emphasizes that clean, accurate data is an essential foundation before AI can effectively automate logistics tasks, handle load tendering, or assist with purchase order management. ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Visit our sponsor - GNOSIS FREIGHT⁠ ⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠ #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we kick things off with an alarming wave of high-tech cargo theft that's costing the freight industry a staggering fortune. Cargo thieves have stolen nearly $111 million in data center freight since early June, with individual cases ranging from $2 million to a jaw-dropping $38 million. In a disturbing new tactic, criminals deliberately crashed into security escorts protecting high-value technology shipments, then continued driving with the loads in what experts call the "bump-and-run" method. Next, we discuss a massive fraud case unfolding in Georgia where the FBI is urgently seeking truck drivers nationwide who may be victims in a 54-count tax fraud indictment. Federal prosecutors charged 62-year-old Diane Marie Poe, owner of Genuine Financial Services in Walton County, with 32 counts of bank fraud and 14 payroll-related tax offenses. Prosecutors accuse Poe of keeping money that customers provided for estimated tax obligations instead of delivering promised services, with at least 26 identified clients working as self-employed truck drivers who relied on her company for bookkeeping and tax preparation. Finally, we head south to examine how Mexico's heavy-duty truck production surged 51.8% in July as tariff tensions continue to simmer. Mexico's National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor-Trailer Producers reported that manufacturers produced 14,675 heavy-duty vehicles during July, while exports climbed 66.7% year over year to 13,117 units. With a staggering 92.4% of Mexico's truck and bus exports through July shipped to the United States, ANPACT officials are urging policymakers to preserve the USMCA's core principles and renewing their call for changes to Section 232 tariffs. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Freight Expectations, Craig Fuller and Matthew Leffler dig into the latest fight over federal trucking regulation, including the push to make English-language proficiency an out-of-service violation and the broader battle between states and the federal government over commercial driver records. But the conversation takes a much bigger turn as Craig and Matt examine the growing threat of drone warfare to supply chains. From refineries and airports to warehouses, rail yards and ports, they explore how inexpensive, widely available drone technology could create enormous disruption to critical logistics infrastructure—and why businesses may be poorly prepared for a threat that hasn't happened to them yet. Follow the Freight Expectations Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of FreightWaves Today, hosts Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp explore key headlines and developments across the logistics, trucking, and transportation sectors. The show features discussions on the state of trailer insurance, driver recruitment and health, alongside live market analysis via FreightWaves SONAR. Andy Kuchar explains that freight brokers and logistics companies utilizing leased trailer pools are frequently exposed to unmanaged liability risks. Many traditional commercial auto policies contain exclusions for trailers when they are over the road. He points out three warning signs of coverage gaps: reliance on "contingent" coverage language, assuming a third-party driver's Certificate of Insurance protects you, and lacking a dedicated trailer policy. In our SONAR Update, we see that tender rejections have moderated around 13.5%, overall rejection metrics and spot rates remain significantly higher compared to recent years (up ~21% year-over-year). Craig and Julie characterize explain that this is typical seasonal behavior before the late-summer and Labor Day ramp-up. Jeremy Reymer introduces Project 61, a non-profit initiative created to address the alarmingly low average lifespan of commercial truck drivers (61 years old). The program focuses on practical, free lifestyle improvements for drivers centered on food/nutrition, movement, sleep/recharge, mental health, and preventative care. The segment highlights how driver health directly correlates to highway safety and accident risk reduction. In our 2nd hour, it's return of the Matt! Matthew Leffler joins Craig for an episode of Freight Expectations. The two cover the FMCSA's proposed rulemaking to codify English language proficiency as an out-of-service violation. They also dive deep into asymmetric warfare, drone technology, and potential vulnerabilities across U.S. logistics infrastructure, fuel refining capacity, and transport hubs. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday edition of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, host Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent who is broadcasting live from WHAT THE TRUCK?!? West in Fort Worth, Texas) dive into crucial financial protection strategies for freight brokers and the complex, rapidly shifting landscape of trade tariffs. Ryan Frame and Ryan O'Leary from Ashford Advisors break down why disability insurance is one of the most critical—yet most ignored—pieces of financial protection in commission-driven industries. Learn how unexpected illnesses, taxable benefit traps, and base salary caps can impact your income and how to protect your line of work. Charlie Clevenger, Principal at UHY, breaks down Section 122, Section 301, and Section 232 tariffs. Discover how national defense rules, forced labor regulations, and trade policy shifts affect manufacturers, freight brokers, and consumer supply chains. ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Visit our sponsor - GNOSIS FREIGHT⁠ ⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠ #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Continued geopolitical instability is making it hard to manage expectations for both shipping and transportation markets for the rest of the year.  ⁠Follow the Freightonomics Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we kick things off by examining a violent cargo-theft case that underscores the escalating danger of rail corridor crime in Southern California. After gunfire erupted from a moving BNSF freight train during a confrontation with suspected burglars, authorities arrested five men on charges ranging from attempted murder to cargo theft and conspiracy. The arrests came after task force members discovered equipment used to burglarize rail cars, highlighting how armed theft crews endanger railway employees while disrupting freight moving through critical corridors. Next, we explore how consolidation is reshaping the finished vehicle sector as Overland Park–based Acertus officially acquires Auburn, Massachusetts–based Fisher Shipping, expanding its carrier network and relationships with original equipment manufacturers and dealers. Fisher Shipping will continue to operate under its existing banner while gaining access to Acertus' expansive platform with enhanced fraud prevention and real-time shipment visibility. The deal follows another massive acquisition this week in which Proficient Auto Logistics agreed to acquire Hansen & Adkins for one hundred thirty million dollars, creating a combined entity expected to haul over four million vehicles annually. Finally, we break down how ocean carrier Maersk is betting that vertical integration from port to doorstep is the key to winning the last-mile battle in e-commerce logistics. According to Maersk executives, last-mile delivery is no longer just a cost center—it's a data intelligence engine that reveals upstream issues like inventory allocation, product development, and order response times. Rather than building its own delivery fleet, Maersk manages a pool of carriers on customers' behalf through a multi-carrier model with single API integration, creating one consistent customer experience that connects every link from vessels crossing the ocean to final doorstep delivery. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trucking says it NEEDS truckers. So why can't drivers find a safe place to park, why does Washington keep piling on rules, and why does the industry keep screaming “driver shortage” while struggling to keep the drivers it already has? On this episode of Brake Check, Charles Gracey asks the uncomfortable question: Does trucking actually hate truckers? OOIDA's Collin Long joins us from the Washington front lines to break down the truck-parking fight, highway funding, English-proficiency enforcement, the “driver shortage” narrative and what Congress is actually doing that could hit an owner-operator's bottom line. Then Conversion Interactive's Marilyn Surber gets put through the retention gauntlet: Why do good drivers leave? When does a recruiting problem become a BAD JOB problem? Can carriers market their way out of 90% turnover? And what would she actually do to cut it? No press releases. No conference-panel answers. No fluff. Just the policies, economics and management decisions affecting the people behind the wheel. And then we trade Washington politics for horsepower, polished metal and some seriously badass trucks as Summer of Chrome rolls on. Does trucking really value truckers? Let's find out. This is Brake Check. Let's go full stop. #Trucking #TruckDrivers #OwnerOperator #TruckParking #DriverShortage #DriverRetention #Freight #OOIDA #TruckingIndustry #BrakeCheck ⁠Follow the Brake Check Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we kick things off in a New Orleans courtroom where jury selection has begun for a disbarred attorney accused of orchestrating the murder of a federal witness. Prosecutors allege Sean Alfortish conspired to kill Cornelius Garrison, a so-called "slammer" who intentionally sideswiped eighteen-wheelers in a sprawling staged truck crash scheme and later began cooperating with the FBI. The case is part of a massive federal probe that has charged sixty-three defendants in connection with an operation spanning over a decade, where participants recruited passengers and paid drivers to target big rigs carrying large commercial policies, then filed fraudulent lawsuits seeking insurance payouts. Next, we shift over to the rails where a coalition of seven Republican state attorneys general is urging the Surface Transportation Board to reject Union Pacific's proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern. In a letter filed on August eleventh, the attorneys general argued the railroads have not demonstrated the merger would serve the public interest or strengthen rail-to-rail competition. The coalition took particular aim at the proposed Committed Gateway Pricing arrangement, contending it would apply to only zero point nine percent of U.S. rail traffic and could actually result in higher rates for many shippers. Finally, we head south to examine the critical role of cross-border trade as new Census Bureau data confirms Mexico's dominant position in U.S. commerce. Laredo, Texas, remained the nation's busiest international trade gateway, handling a massive thirty-six point five billion dollars in cross-border trade during June—accounting for more than one-third of all U.S.-Mexico commerce. The port's performance highlights its critical role as the primary conduit for automotive parts, vehicles, machinery, electronics and other manufactured goods moving between the two countries. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of FreightWaves Today, hosts Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp dive into the latest industrial data, market updates, and expert interviews across the freight, logistics, energy, and rail sectors. In the morning minute we have the 3 top stories of the day including: Congress pushes to tie USPS executive bonuses directly to 95% on-time delivery metrics via the bipartisan "No Bonuses for Bad Service Act", Werner Enterprises CEO Derek Leathers addresses seasonal spot market trends, capacity tightening, and rate outlooks, and Michigan regulators suspend Northern Michigan University's CDL training program amid a nationwide fraud crackdown. Our first guest, Tom Kloza, Chief Energy Advisor at Gulf Oil, breaks down rising diesel prices, global refining capacity constraints, and how emerging drone warfare poses unprecedented risks to oil infrastructure. In the SONAR update, Julie gives a detailed look at current tender rejections sitting at 13.5%, rising import container volumes, domestic rail mode shifts, and carrier authority changes. Then Patrick Kelleher, CEO of GXO Logistics, stops by to discuss peak season expectations, rapid growth in AI data center construction, manufacturing re-shoring, and tests with humanoid robotics in the warehouse. Trains Magazine's Bill Stephens is back with the latest numbers from Association of American Railroads (AAR) weekly volume data, strong non-coal carload gains, and a federal court ruling upholding the FRA's two-person crew rule. And lastly, Jeff Dangelo, CEO of Fura, announces the acquisition of High Rise (their 7th deal) and explains how AI is streamlining operations and unlocking massive EBITDA improvements for small-to-midsize brokerages. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Cornell returns to Fraud Watch as nearly $100 million in data-center freight has been stolen since early June. Phil and Scott discuss criminals targeting security escorts, stolen cargo turning up in retail stores, and why six or seven out of every 10 stolen loads may now leave the United States. They also examine altered bills of lading, cartel involvement, drug smuggling through commercial transportation, and what companies need to do before they become the next target. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices