FreightCasts

On this episode of FreightWaves Today, Malcolm Harris and Zach Strickland break down the latest developments shaping freight, logistics and the broader economy. The show opens with the latest headlines, including an EPA proposal that could change how diesel exhaust fluid warnings work, a series of commercial vehicle safety enforcement blitzes and rising Pacific container rates amid strong peak-season demand and port congestion. Then, Ainsley Williams, VP of Automation and Innovation at Kenco, joins the show to discuss the expansion of Kenco's Innovation Lab in Chattanooga from 10,000 to 30,000 square feet. She explains how the larger facility will allow Kenco to test interconnected warehouse robotics, automation systems and emerging technologies in a real-world environment before deploying them for customers. Zach then dives into the latest SONAR data, examining the impact of Labor Day on tender rejections, freight volumes and spot rates across van, reefer and flatbed markets. Later, Matt Pyatt, CEO and co-founder of Arrive Logistics, joins the show to discuss Mubadala Capital's majority investment in Arrive, the company's growth strategy and what the deal means for its future. Pyatt also shares his outlook on freight demand, capacity, truckload rates and why he believes the market remains highly susceptible to disruption. Finally, the FreightWaves team examines the latest JOLTS and ADP employment data with economist D.J. Donahue, looking at what the numbers reveal about the labor market and the health of the economy. Subscribe to FreightWaves for the latest news, data and analysis from across the transportation and logistics industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Zac Rogers comes on to discuss the latest LMI results from August.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who the hell gave them a CDL .... and why did it take a family paying the price before Washington started listening?This episode of Brake Check isn't an attack on professional truck drivers. It's an investigation into the systems, safeguards, bad actors and policymakers that are supposed to keep unqualified drivers from ever getting behind the wheel of a commercial truck.Professional truck driver and father Marcus Coleman joins Charles  after taking his family's story to Congress. His daughter Dalilah suffered catastrophic injuries in a crash, and Marcus is now fighting for Dalilah's Law and stronger accountability throughout the commercial driver licensing system.We dig into the questions Washington needs to answer:How does an unqualified driver get a CDL? Where can the licensing and verification process fail? Who is responsible when safeguards aren't followed? What would Dalilah's Law actually change? And why does government so often react AFTER somebody pays the price?Then Zach Meiborg, owner of Meiborg Transportation, joins the conversation.Meiborg isn't just talking about supporting Dalilah's family — they're opening their Rockford, Illinois headquarters September 26 for the Stand With Dalilah Charity Motorcycle Ride.But we also tackle another side of the same accountability problem: legitimate motor carriers spending real money to hire qualified drivers, maintain equipment, follow hours-of-service regulations and operate legally while bad actors can gain an unfair advantage by cutting corners.Running illegal isn't innovation. Cheating isn't competition. And a government-issued piece of paper shouldn't replace actual qualification.This episode is about CDL standards, trucking safety, driver qualification, hours-of-service compliance, FMCSA enforcement, bad carriers, Dalilah's Law and government accountability.Professional truckers deserve better than being lumped together with operators who never should've been on the road.Families deserve better than finding out where the system failed after the crash.And policymakers?CONGRESS, IT'S YOUR TURN.#Trucking #CDL #TruckDrivers #TruckingSafety #FMCSA #Congress #Transportation #TruckingIndustry #OwnerOperator #BrakeCheck Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a pitch aimed at truckers on every platform right now. Brokers are eating your margin. Cut out the middleman. Get your own authority. It's not hard — you just need a mentor. And there's always a mentor selling. Trent Tulloh is one of them. He runs Forever Freight Broker, a Tampa training company that teaches drivers and dispatchers to become freight brokers. His reason is personal — his father was an owner-operator who lost his business to bad brokers, and Trent built his company to make sure truckers stop getting the bad end of the stick. I respect the wound. Today we test the remedy. Because this show doesn't platform pitches — it pressure-tests them. So Trent came in knowing the format: the claim goes on trial. Is brokering actually the answer for a struggling carrier, or is it a second business bolted onto a first one that isn't working? What does it really take — the bond, the credit, the shippers who don't know your name? And how does "it's not hard" survive a world where the Supreme Court just ruled that anyone selecting carriers can be sued for choosing wrong? He gets every chance to make his case. His numbers, his students, his story. And you get what this show owes you — the pitch, cross-examined, before you pay for it. Somebody's leaving this conversation with a different opinion. Might be him. Might be me. Might be you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we kick things off in Washington, where the public comment period has just closed on a major Environmental Protection Agency proposal that could fundamentally reshape how diesel engine systems operate. Listen in to learn how the EPA's controversial plan to replace engine deratement with warning signals has drawn nearly two hundred submissions spanning industry praise and sharp environmental criticism, while the proposal also includes nonconformance penalties allowing manufacturers to pay fines and continue selling current products. Next, we explore the results of a sweeping series of state enforcement blitzes where inspectors uncovered thousands of safety violations and placed ninety-nine drivers out of service across six states. Texas authorities led with a brutal operation in the Permian Basin that posted a staggering forty-seven point six percent vehicle out-of-service rate, averaging five point five violations per inspection and signaling dramatically heightened enforcement exposure for carriers operating through major freight corridors. Finally, we examine the ocean freight market as trans-Pacific container rates climb to fresh highs on resilient peak-season demand and severe port congestion caused by typhoons hammering Chinese and regional Asian facilities since mid-July. Asia-to-U.S. West Coast spot rates increased to seven thousand six hundred twenty-one dollars per forty-foot unit, while a succession of disruptions at Shanghai and Ningbo has forced carriers to omit port calls and adjust vessel rotations, creating significant capacity constraints supporting freight rates across multiple trade lanes. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI is transforming freight operations, but how far can automation go — and what happens when location intelligence, rail networks and energy markets collide? On this episode of FreightWaves Today, Malcolm Harris and Julie Van de Kamp break down the biggest stories and trends shaping transportation and logistics. The show opens with three major headlines: an alleged Texas grain theft ring involving more than 170 loads, a federal crackdown on 110 commercial driver training schools, and the latest developments in Yellow Corp.'s bankruptcy and pension settlements. Then, EAIGLE CEO and founder Amir Hoss joins the show to explain how AI-powered computer vision is automating truck gates and yards. The discussion covers unmanned and paperless facilities, real-time yard visibility, fraud prevention, data accuracy and the path toward fully autonomous yards. HERE Technologies' Bart Coppelmans discusses the next phase of AI in logistics, including spatial reasoning, location intelligence and the importance of connecting planning, execution and analytics. He explains how AI can help fleets make better routing decisions while keeping humans in control of critical decisions. For the weekly rail segment, Trains Magazine editor Bill Stephens and Trinity Rail Chief Commercial Officer Charlie Moore break down the latest rail traffic numbers, railcar demand, intermodal growth, coal shipments, tariffs and steel costs. They also discuss the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger, rail service reliability and what could drive railcar demand into 2027. Finally, FreightWaves editor-at-large John Kingston takes a deep dive into surging diesel prices, refinery constraints, Russia-Ukraine disruptions, the Strait of Hormuz and what historically high diesel costs could mean for trucking and the broader economy. Plus, Julie breaks down the latest manufacturing and logistics data, including the August PMI and Logistics Managers' Index, with a look at transportation capacity, utilization, pricing and what the numbers could mean heading into peak season. Subscribe to FreightWaves for the latest news, analysis and data covering trucking, freight, logistics, rail and supply chain. #FreightWaves #FreightWavesToday #Trucking #Logistics #SupplyChain #AI #Rail #Diesel #Freight ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Malcolm and Michael kick off September with a jam-packed Wednesday episode celebrating driver appreciation and cutting-edge freight tech Rusty Kirby, VP of Transportation and Logistics at Pilot Flying J, breaks down the 2026 Road Warrior contest featuring a custom Kenworth truck built by the Diesel Brothers plus $50,000 in cash! Rusty also discusses Pilot's elite driver rewards program and the crucial role truck drivers play in everyday life. Nate Veeh, AVP of Business Development at Altitudes, shares surprising vehicle data analyzed across 104 World Cup matches in 16 cities. Learn how post-match exits spike traffic congestion and harsh braking, and why cities like Atlanta and Kansas City had dramatically different traffic outcomes. Sean Dehan, VP of Strategy and Corporate Development at Truckstop, pushes back on the claim that traditional load boards are outdated. He discusses how AI assistants like "Ava" are transforming load matching into an intelligent, contextual marketplace for carriers and brokers Kurtis McBride, CEO of Miovision, explains how their AI platform "Mateo" creates digital twins of intersections to modernize traffic control, reduce citizen response times, and enable real-time traffic management. ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Visit our sponsor - KOONER FLEET MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS⁠ ⁠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 a massive organized crime investigation that has rocked the agricultural sector across Texas. Authorities have linked three men to an alleged theft ring involving one hundred seventy-six grain loads valued at over eight hundred thousand dollars, spanning more than nine million pounds of stolen agricultural product. The inquiry now covers over two hundred confirmed or potentially stolen shipments, with additional arrests remaining possible as investigators unravel this elaborate network. Next, we explore a sweeping federal crackdown on substandard driver training facilities as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy orders the emergency shutdown of one hundred ten commercial driving schools nationwide. These schools collectively certified more than five thousand drivers who were later cited for failing to meet federal English-language proficiency requirements during roadside inspections, raising serious questions about the quality and integrity of commercial driver training across the country. Finally, we cover the winding down of one of trucking's most significant bankruptcies as defunct Yellow Corporation reaches settlement agreements totaling up to five hundred twenty-six million dollars to resolve remaining withdrawal liability claims with four multiemployer pension plans. If approved by the federal bankruptcy court in Delaware, the liquidating trust would finally be able to make distributions to creditors, bringing an end to a legal battle that began when the carrier filed for bankruptcy in August twenty twenty-three. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FreightWaves Today hits the road for a special episode live from ShipStation Global headquarters in Austin, Texas, as Craig Fuller and Zach Strickland break down the latest forces shaping freight, logistics and the broader economy. The show opens with a look at the current freight and economic environment, including rising transportation and warehousing costs, inventory management challenges and the growing gap between truckload and intermodal pricing. Craig and Zach discuss why shippers are becoming more selective with inventory and SKUs, how uncertainty around demand and interest rates is influencing supply chain decisions, and what elevated costs could mean for the remainder of the year. They also dive into the extraordinary investment surrounding AI and data centers. With corporate profits climbing and massive infrastructure projects driving industrial activity, Craig and Zach examine how the AI boom is affecting railroads, construction, manufacturing and blue-collar employment. They also discuss the growing community backlash against hyperscale data centers and why the technology industry's messaging around AI could become an increasingly important part of the conversation. Then, ShipStation Global CEO Tom Madine joins the show to discuss the combination of ShipStation and Worldwide Express and what the newly integrated company is building for shippers. Madine explains how ShipStation Global is bringing together ShipStation's e-commerce shipping technology with Worldwide Express' transportation and freight expertise to create a more unified logistics platform. The goal is to give small and midsized businesses the ability to manage more of their supply chain from a single place instead of jumping between different providers and systems. A major focus is ShipStation's newly launched LTL offering. Madine explains why LTL was one of the most requested additions from ShipStation customers and how integrating freight directly into the platform can simplify inbound inventory movements, middle-mile transportation and other shipping needs that previously required merchants to leave the ShipStation ecosystem. The conversation also explores why transportation decisions can't simply come down to finding the cheapest rate. Service reliability, damage risk, estimated arrival times, carrier selection and the consequences of a failed shipment can all dramatically change what "best" means for an individual shipper. Craig, Zach and Madine discuss how data and intelligence can help businesses make better transportation decisions, particularly for smaller companies that don't have dedicated logistics teams or the resources to constantly monitor freight market cycles. Madine also lays out ShipStation Global's larger vision: bringing parcel, LTL, truckload, final mile and potentially additional transportation modes together into a more unified experience. He explains why simplifying logistics could be especially valuable for entrepreneurs and SMBs already balancing everything from finance and accounting to marketing, inventory and product development. Finally, the conversation turns global. Madine discusses ShipStation's presence across North America, Europe and Australia, the company's hundreds of parcel-carrier API connections and its ambition to become a truly global shipping technology platform. Topics include: • ShipStation Global's new LTL offering • The ShipStation and Worldwide Express combination • Bringing parcel, LTL and truckload together• Freight market cyclicality and SMB shippers • Using data to improve carrier and shipping decisions • Why the lowest freight rate isn't always the best option • Rising transportation and warehousing costs • Inventory management and changing shipper behavior • Truckload versus intermodal economics • AI, data centers and industrial freight demand • Corporate efficiency and the AI investment boom • The growing economic importance of hyperscale data centers • ShipStation Global's international expansion • The future of multimodal shipping technology FreightWaves Today brings together the latest freight market intelligence, transportation news and conversations with the leaders shaping global supply chains. Subscribe to FreightWaves for more interviews, market analysis and breaking news from across trucking, logistics, technology and the global supply chain. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fuel additives. Miracle MPG claims. Injector cleaners. Cheap replacement parts. And, of course, Washington taking its cut before you burn a single gallon. So on this episode of Brake Check, we're asking one question:WHO THE HELL IS EATING YOUR GALLON? First, Jessica Crabtree, Director of Technical Services at Power Service Products, brings the chemistry. We're separating legitimate diesel fuel science from expensive snake oil and digging into fuel economy, diesel additives, injector deposits, fuel contamination, cetane, regens, DPF problems, winter fuel gelling and preventive maintenance. How do you know whether a fuel additive actually works? What should legitimate MPG testing look like? Can injector deposits really hurt fuel economy? What does an unnecessary regen actually cost? And when somebody promises a massive improvement in MPG...WHAT PROOF SHOULD YOU DEMAND BEFORE SPENDING A DOLLAR? Then we follow your diesel dollar straight to Washington.Policy veteran James Edwards of ELITE Strategic Services joins us to break down the massive surface transportation bill moving through Congress, truck parking funding, autonomous trucking policy, the Highway Trust Fund, the 24.4¢ federal diesel tax, potential alternatives to fuel taxes, and who should actually pay for America's roads. Because at today's diesel prices, fractions of a mile per gallon matter. Taxes matter. Downtime matters. And bullshit gets VERY EXPENSIVE. If you're a truck driver, owner-operator, fleet owner, carrier, maintenance professional or trucking executive, watch this before somebody promises to save you money at the pump. At $5.65 a gallon, don't buy miracles. DEMAND RECEIPTS. #Diesel #DieselFuel #Trucking #FuelPrices #OwnerOperator #TruckDrivers #FuelEconomy #DieselAdditives #TruckingIndustry #HighwayBill Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to WithSONAR! In this episode, we walk through the Intermodal Dashboard and how it brings national and lane-level market intelligence together in one place. With intermodal becoming an increasingly attractive alternative as transportation costs fluctuate, this dashboard makes it easier to understand where the savings are and how market conditions are changing. Access the Intermodal Dashboard Directly Here: https://sonar.surf/intermodal-dashboard You'll learn how to: Compare truckload and intermodal spot and contract rates Monitor domestic and international intermodal volume Track ocean import activity as a leading demand indicator Identify the top lanes with potential intermodal savings Compare lane-level truckload and intermodal rates and trends Use volume and rate data to support smarter transportation decisions

The freight industry is facing a major wave of regulatory, economic and operational changes. On this episode of FreightWaves Today, Craig and Julie breaks down the latest developments affecting trucking, freight brokers, autonomous trucks, railroads and cross-border freight. The show opens with the FMCSA crackdown on CDL schools, including the shutdown of hundreds of driving schools over concerns involving English-language proficiency, facilities and instructor qualifications. The discussion examines what tougher barriers to entry could mean for trucking safety, capacity and the broader freight market. The hosts also dive into a major Penske liability case, the future of the independent contractor model and the potential impact of new legal precedents on freight brokers and motor carriers. They discuss the latest movement on the FMCSA freight broker transparency rule, which could require brokers to maintain electronic transaction records and provide them to carriers or shippers upon request. The episode also explores California's autonomous truck regulations, including the state's million-mile testing requirement and a legal challenge from the California Teamsters. With autonomous trucking continuing to advance, the conversation looks at the growing battle over technology, regulation and trucking jobs. Joining the show is Dr. David Correll of Telegraph, who discusses his company's latest six-month freight rail outlook. Harrell shares his forecast for rail carload and intermodal volumes, the potential for coal exports, tank car availability, the impact of energy prices and the massive industrial demand being created by AI data center construction. He also explains why the widening price gap between truckload and intermodal transportation could continue shifting freight from trucks to rail. The team then examines the rapid growth of U.S.-Mexico cross-border freight, with Laredo and other border markets seeing significant increases in transportation activity amid nearshoring and changing global trade patterns. Later, Josh Lovan of J.J. Keller joins the show to discuss carrier vetting, freight broker compliance, safety management and the growing legal risks facing brokers after major nuclear verdicts. Loving outlines what companies should be doing now to create a defensible carrier-vetting process, including reviewing CSA and roadside inspection data, documenting carrier-selection decisions and consistently enforcing safety standards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join hosts Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent on this episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? as they dive into the biggest stories shaping the freight, logistics, and supply chain landscape!In this episode, we break down: $400K Cargo Theft Recovery in Arizona: How quick police coordination and cross-department communication led to back-to-back stolen load interceptions on I-40 and I-10. Freight Data Disputes (Motive vs. Highway): A look into the temporary data-sharing friction between Motive and Highway, performance guarantees, and the growing debate over who owns and monetizes carrier data. NHTSA Fuel Efficiency Regulations Update: Analyzing the Trump administration's shift toward regulating complete vehicles over individual components, and what it means for fleet costs and engine efficiency. 2027 Trailer Leasing Market Trends: Ed Benton, SVP of Sales at Premier Trailer Leasing, joins to talk about trailer availability, supply pressure, and how fleets can navigate equipment flexibility heading into 2027. High Schoolers Earning CDLs: Executive Director of Zeta CDL School, Josh Claman, discusses how their program helps high school seniors earn a CDL before graduation to create clear, high-paying career pathways. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we kick things off in California, where organized labor is aggressively challenging the state's newly implemented autonomous truck framework. The California Teamsters filed suit in Alameda County Superior Court, arguing that the DMV improperly fast-tracked driverless truck testing regulations through an expedited process reserved for minor updates. Despite the legal challenge, the permit queue continues to move forward with Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI already holding drivered testing permits. Meanwhile, two powerful trucking industry groups are sounding the alarm over a recent appellate court decision they say could fundamentally upend the entire carrier liability model. The American Trucking Associations and the Truckload Carriers of America filed a joint amicus brief requesting a full en banc hearing to reconsider a Fifth Circuit ruling that found Penske Logistics liable for a fatal crash involving a double-brokered driver the company knew nothing about. The associations warn that if the precedent stands, the entire trucking industry may have been violating federal leasing regulations for decades. Finally, we cover a long-awaited federal transparency rule for freight brokers that has cleared a critical Washington checkpoint. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sent its broker transparency rulemaking to the White House on August twenty-seventh, marking the first concrete movement since the comment period closed in March twenty twenty-five. The rule would require brokers to maintain transaction records electronically and provide copies to carriers or shippers within forty-eight hours of a request. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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