FreightCasts

On this fiery episode of What the Truck?!?, host Malcolm Harris is joined by two incredible guests to tackle the most pressing issues in the freight industry. First up is Bill Catania, CEO of OneRail, who dives deep into the world of AI-driven logistics, discussing the critical importance of authentication, visibility, and resilience against emerging threats like deep fake impersonations and AI-generated phishing attacks.

Then, Michael Caney, Chief Commercial Officer at Highway, joins the show in-studio to break down the complexities of cybersecurity and adaptability. Michael shares invaluable insights on combating double brokering and protecting your supply...

We analyze CSX's recent Q3 earnings, noting that while adjusted operating income fell 8% due partly to a non-cash write-down and export coal decline, the operational story shows significant strength. The railroad is running better than ever, reporting a 1% growth in overall volume fueled by a robust 5% surge in intermodal traffic, alongside key operational improvements like an 8% decrease in terminal dwell time.

Global markets continue to see chaos, as trans-Pacific container freight rates plummet due to overcapacity and worsening US-China trade friction, causing Asia-US West Coast rates to fall to pre-pandemic levels. Furthermore, the UN's International Maritime Organization...

The proposed transcontinental railroad merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern heads toward a shareholder vote on November 14th, as both companies' boards urge investors to approve the historic transaction. Simultaneously, the shipping industry is navigating major disruptions as Ocean freight rates plummet amid China chaos, causing container rates on key transpacific routes to hit two-year lows due to tariffs and declining demand.

We also detail the new legislation introduced in the Senate, which seeks to vacate sentences for mechanics convicted of tampering with heavy-duty truck diesel equipment and remove the EPA's authority over vehicle pollution rules...

Economic Innovation Group researcher Connor O'Brien discusses his research on Ohio's high-tech workforce, the role of immigration in growth, and how to reform the H1-B lottery with JP Hampstead.

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This daily market update dives into the relentless push for efficiency and adaptation across the supply chain, beginning with J.B. Hunt’s third-quarter earnings beat. The multimodal giant saw an 18% jump in earnings per share (EPS), driven not by demand, but by surgical cost control that included stripping out $20 million in costs in Q3 as part of an efficiency program aiming for annual savings greater than $100 million.

We connect this corporate efficiency focus to the road, examining the surprising resilience of owner-operators. Triumph Capital data shows the average factored invoice size for independent owner-operators actually rose by...

In this edition of 3rd and long, Adam Wingfield and Kaylee Nix tag team the mic to unpack the latest headlines shaking up the trucking world. From Trump’s 25% truck tariff to the crackdown on non-domiciled CDL holders, to viral tweets and the toll on immigrant drivers, no topic is off limits.We break down the implications for small carriers, the legal gray areas many are trapped in, and how some operators are trying to climb out of the load board cycle. And yes — we even address being labeled “woke” for standing on the side of fairness. This one’s for the...

The Department of Transportation has announced it is withholding over $40 million in Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program grants from California. This funding cut is a consequence of the state failing to place truck drivers who do not meet the Trump administration’s English Language Proficiency requirements out of service.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services saw an 18% year-over-year increase in earnings per share to $1.76 for the third quarter, a result that strongly exceeded analyst expectations. The company is scrutinizing expense lines and has already removed $20 million in costs during the period as part of a program aiming for an...

This episode of What The Truck?!? dives into major transportation headlines and features two standout guests shaping the logistics landscape.

The show opens with news updates from FreightWaves’ John Kingston, who discusses a spike in Chapter 11 filings across the transportation sector—five in the first two weeks of October alone. Kingston explains the market pressures behind these bankruptcies and highlights companies navigating reorganization rather than closure.

Next, Malcolm explores innovation and visibility in logistics with Beth Young of Velocity, who shares insights on how her company connects technology across fleets and facilities. She discusses advances in AI, auto...

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Less-Than-Truckload pricing power continues to dominate the market, drawing on insights from the latest quarterly report by AFS Logistics and TD Cowen. LTL rates are expected to remain elevated through year-end, following a third-quarter rate-per-pound index that set a record, standing 65.1% above its 2018 baseline.

The episode also reviews the higher-than-average rate of transport bankruptcy filings seen in the first half of October. Filings included five companies, ranging from small carriers like G1 Transport (five power units) and Styx Logistics (an Amazon DSP) to larger entities like GEC Transport Solutions (70 power units).

Hear about FleetWorks' efforts...

We begin with the domestic "Compliance Crunch," a sudden and significant contraction in US trucking capacity driven by intensified immigration enforcement actions causing non-citizen drivers to exit the market, independent of demand.

This rapid capacity disappearance resulted in a noticeable -6.7% decrease in unique US DOT numbers between September and October 2025, leading to intense regional volatility where spot rates in places like Gary, Indiana, skyrocketed up to 42%. The squeeze gets tighter in drayage, as ocean carriers and ports strictly enforce accessorial charges to maintain revenue, shifting higher storage and waiting costs to shippers, compounded by new rules...

U.S. rail traffic increased for a second consecutive week for the period ending Oct. 4, 2025, with overall volume up 3.6%. North American rail volume also saw gains, rising 4.7% for the week, notably boosted by substantial weekly growth in Mexican rail traffic, which saw intermodal units jump 82.9%.

Trade volatility means tariffs are serving as the "Tariffs are the wake-up call supply chains needed” for innovation, compelling savvy leaders to utilize AI to transform resource-intensive procurement tasks. Platforms like Arkestro, which uses behavioral science and AI, are now being adopted by Fortune 500 companies to move from reactive compliance to predictive st...

It’s a marvelous Monday on What The Truck?!? with your host Malcolm Harris, bringing you the latest on trends, talent, and technology shaking up the freight world.

In today’s episode:

Tim Crawford, CEO of Tenstreet, breaks down Q3 driver hiring and retention data — including why drivers are staying put, what’s next for recruiting, and how carriers can weather the storm in a tight market. 

Carly Gumby, VP of Revenue at Transfix, joins to talk about pricing automation, AI fatigue, and how brokers can win big this RFP season by using data-driven st...

Maritime trade disputes have escalated with the US and China implementing reciprocal tonnage fees effective October 14th, while the U.S. is aggressively targeting Chinese-made container cranes and intermodal chassis with staggering tariffs up to 270%.

The instability is creeping into vital cross-border operations, specifically the US-Mexico e-commerce corridor, following Mexico's mid-August move to raise duties on Chinese imports to 33.5% and roll out stricter data reporting rules. This mix of higher duties and inconsistent enforcement is creating compliance challenges, causing US sellers to reassess using Mexico as a fulfillment hub and potentially shifting inventory back north into the...

The U.S. Trade Representative has announced new tariffs on Chinese-made container cranes set to go into effect on November 9th, in response to China’s use of unfair trade practices in shipping and shipbuilding. These levies, which include 100% tariffs on ship-to-shore container cranes, could stack with existing duties, bringing the total assessed tariffs on some Chinese exports to between 125% and 270%.

Canadian mail carriers, represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, have switched from a nationwide strike to local rotating strikes. Union officials characterized the move as a compromise allowing the restart of mail and parcel se...

Host Malcolm Harris brings the energy for another jam-packed Friday edition of What The Truck?! — where freight meets fire conversation.

In This Episode:

Ian Jefferies, President & CEO of the Association of American Railroads (AAR), gives us the inside track on:

Rail safety and first responder training

How policy modernization drives innovation

Collaboration between truckers and railroads

Combatting cargo theft and organized retail crime

Kari Gonzalez, President & CEO of MXV Rail, breaks down how cutting-edge research and tech are transforming rail operations nationwide:

Real-world in...

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The trucking industry faces a major disruption as PE-backed flatbed operator Montgomery Transport LLC abruptly filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and ceased operations immediately. This sudden shutdown put approximately 1,000 employees out of work, including 600 truck drivers, highlighting the fragility of transportation companies in today’s economy.

Global trade flows are shifting as U.S. maritime gateways saw container imports drop 8.4% in September, with imports from China specifically falling 22.9% year-over-year. These declines, which included dramatic drops in goods like aluminum (43.8%) and footwear (33.9%), come amid the restructuring of U.S. trade using tariffs and other economic pressures.

Uzbekistan is...

Enforcement activities by ICE, targeting non-domiciled CDL holders in southern states, have triggered a capacity shock, rerouting trucks to the Midwest and East Coast and causing regional spot rates to spike despite overall soft national freight volume.

Globally, the macro picture confirms a rapid cooling, with new data projecting that US import container volumes will fall below the 2 million TEU mark for the remainder of 2025 due to weakening consumer spending and early peak season frontloading. This softening demand occurs as major Chinese carriers, including Cosco and OOCL, make the surprise move of announcing they will not levy...

The truckload spot market erupted this week as the Serbian news called for drivers to stay off the roads amidst ICE raids. Rates jumped despite weak demand. Dr. Zac Rogers gives the latest LMI report and the import market stabilizes.

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Ocean container rates on the ⁠eastbound Trans-Pacific are falling by double digits in a surprise move from China carriers⁠ ahead of new US port fees. The ship tax, which begins next week, charges China-owned or operated ships $80 per net tonnage for each voyage to the U.S. and could cost major players like Cosco and OOCL as much as $2.1 billion in 2026.

Autonomous trucking company ⁠Kodiak AI just debuted on the NASDAQ⁠ after successfully combining with Ares Acquisition Corporation II, resulting in a $2.5 billion valuation for the newly public company. Kodiak secured more than $275 million in funding through this de...

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Garrett Allen to talk about the one thing that brokers, shippers, and carriers say they value — but few actually use to make better decisions: data. Garrett unpacks how small fleets can use their own performance metrics to create stronger partnerships, land dedicated lanes, and rise above the noise in a market full of volatility and skepticism.

We dig into trust-building, performance proof, bid season, and why data transparency is the future of reliable freight — whether you’re a one-truck authority or scaling up to 10.

This one...

What if your reefer unit was completely silent and produced zero emissions? What if your trailer could tell you it needed a repair weeks before a breakdown ever happened? The future of transport refrigeration is here, and it's quieter, smarter, and more efficient than ever before.In this episode, Thomas Wasson sits down with a team from Thermo King to pull back the curtain on the groundbreaking technologies changing the game for fleets. We're talking about the shift to all-electric power and the incredible rise of intelligent, connected trailers that offer a 360-degree view of your assets. How can...

Host Malcolm Harris is back with another powerhouse lineup on What The Truck?!?

This episode dives deep into the latest freight market volatility, data-driven decision-making, and the innovations shaping the future of logistics.

Guests:

Dry van rates are surging nationwide, despite weak trucking volumes and low tender rejections, an inversion that points to hard supply contraction driven by behavioral reactions to immigration enforcement efforts.

We also analyze the broader, longer-term metrics from the Logistics Managers’ Index, which recorded a September reading of 57.4, marking the seventh consecutive month the index has remained below its all-time average. This confirms slow, steady growth rather than a roaring expansion, and for the third straight month, a "negative freight inversion" occurred where transportation capacity grew faster than transportation pricing.

In Washington, Derek Barrs was of...

The Suez Canal anticipates a recovery following potential Middle East resolutions, with the waterway’s chief indicating that plans to end the conflict in Gaza should pave the way for a substantial return of global shipping traffic in 2025.

Attention turns to domestic freight as the Association of American Railroads (AAR) releases its latest analysis. September rail volumes reflect the uneven pace of the US economy, prompting a guarded assessment for consistent tailwinds in rail movement..

Finally, we look at legal implications for government-backed logistics entities as the US Supreme Court is set to hear a po...

In this episode of Loaded and Rolling, we're joined by Dean Marris, Chief Data Science Officer, and Craig Marris, Chief Sustainability Officer at EROAD, to discuss the intersection of sustainability and artificial intelligence in the trucking industry. They explore how fleets can leverage technology to navigate the "messy middle" of transitioning to more sustainable practices while maintaining profitability.

Topics covered in this episode include:

Digital Twin Simulation: Learn how fleets can use digital twins to test and de-risk the transition to alternative fuels and electric vehicles before making significant investments.

AI for Efficiency...

In this episode, we dive into the cross-border landscape between the U.S. and Canada. Our guest, Keith Matthews President and CEO of NAD Logistics, breaks down trends in trade and other cross border struggles. For more information, subscribe to ⁠Check Call the newsletter⁠ or the podcast.

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Several critical developments are pointing toward a rising cost of uncertainty across the logistics landscape. Analysts are trimming expectations for the back half of the year, with Morgan Stanley significantly cutting earnings per share estimates for most truckload and less-than-truckload carriers due to high shipper uncertainty and continuing industrial contraction..

A major regulatory shift occurred when the U.S. Court of Appeals overturned a key Federal Maritime Commission rule regarding detention and demurrage fees, a ruling analyzed in Demurrage dilemma: court overturns FMC's trucking rule. Specifically, the court found the FMC rule that categorically blocked demurrage charges...

President Donald Trump’s expansion of tariffs, which includes a new ⁠25% duty on imported medium and heavy-duty trucks⁠ is set to begin November 1st. This decision follows a federal probe under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act and is aimed at protecting U.S. manufacturers like Peterbilt and Kenworth.

The broadcast also covers the escalating labor situation at Canada Post, which has presented a scaled-back offer to ⁠50,000 striking mail carriers⁠ that increases the likelihood of job cuts. The company's proposed collective bargaining agreement no longer includes a signing bonus due to its deteriorating financial position and plans to elimina...

In this episode of FreightWaves’ What The Truck?!?, host Malcolm Harris dives into how technology is quietly reshaping the freight world. From AI-powered visibility to smarter dock operations, this show takes you under the hood of innovation in logistics.

Guests:

Wesley Montague, CEO & Founder of ShipItPro — shares how his platform is tackling freight damage and cargo claims head-on, saving shippers billions through proactive tech and smarter communication across the supply chain.

David Mendelson, Chief Product Officer at Super Dispatch — talks scaling logistics tech, the evolution of SuperPay, and how invisible AI is making carrie...

Join Craig Fuller and freight tech veteran Prasad Gollapalli (Founder of Trucker Tools and Queued) as they dive deep into the brutal competition and market dynamics shaking up the load board ecosystem.

#FreightTech #LoadBoards #Trucking #DAT #Highway #TruckStop #Logistics #SupplyChain #FreightRecession #Entrepreneurship

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The U.S. Department of Transportation issued an emergency order on September 26th mandating that states immediately stop issuing or renewing non-domiciled commercial learner’s permits and CDLs, targeting licenses often held long after their legal authorization to be in the U.S. had expired.

This crackdown follows a nationwide Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration audit that linked at least five fatal crashes this year to improperly issued licenses. Industry analysis predicts a significant surge in bankruptcies especially among small and mid-size carriers who built their business models on skirting the law by using non-compliant labor willing to...

A U.S. Postal Service mail carrier was shot in the face by an Amazon package delivery driver during an altercation that escalated from an argument into a shoving match. Local law enforcement, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the FBI are investigating this incident, which reportedly occurred after the Amazon driver was prevented from entering an area where USPS workers had the mailboxes open. 

The U.S. Senate has confirmed former law enforcement official Derek Barrs to serve as the eighth administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Barrs, who was nominated in March, p...

In this episode, we dive into the adaptability of the food distribution industry to temperature tracking. Our guest, Per Mange, CEO and founder of Surfact, breaks down the intricacies of the food distribution network and what’s next for additional temperature-controlled industries. For more information, subscribe to ⁠Running on Ice the newsletter⁠ or podcast.

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In part 5 of Fuller Speed Ahead: Generational Grit, Craig Fuller sits down with trucking legend Max Fuller for a raw look at his career. Max shares shocking stories from his early days working for his father, Clyde Fuller, in the 1970s—including using questionable tactics to keep the business afloat and Max’s bold move to defy his father’s low-profile approach to branding.

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It’s a jam-packed Friday on WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Host Malcolm Harris is joined in the Chattanooga studio by the one and only Dr. Phil of Trucking, Charles Gracey!  They’re breaking down the biggest headlines and getting real about the state of the industry.

First up, a bombshell legal story: The Supreme Court is stepping in to clarify broker and carrier liability once and for all. FreightWaves Editor at Large John Kingston calls in to explain how this ruling could reshape how brokers are held accountable and what it means for YOU. We want to hear your...

The core issue involves whether the safety exception of the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (F4A) shields brokers, like C.H. Robinson, from negligent hiring claims, a question that has caused conflicting decisions across federal circuits. Brokers view this as fundamental to their business model and urgently need the Supreme Court to provide clarity on where the lines are drawn for their legal protection.

Turning to infrastructure, the Port of Los Angeles, the busiest U.S. import gateway, has announced plans for a massive new container terminal called the Pier 500 project. This undertaking includes two berths...

The Port of Los Angeles, which handled 10.3 million TEUs in 2024 and forms the busiest U.S. container gateway with Long Beach, plans to build a brand new terminal to accommodate the world's largest container ships. The new Pier 500 project will comprise two berths and 3,000 feet of wharf on 200 acres of land along the Pier 400 channel, with LA currently seeking proposals for a pre-development agreement regarding financial feasibility and other requirements. 

In legal news, former Surface Transportation Board member Robert Primus filed a federal lawsuit challenging his August 27th dismissal by President Trump, who removed him without giving a...

Brooks Mendenhall of Astronomy Magazine joins host JP Hampstead for a conversation about SpaceX's unique approach to manufacturing the Starship.

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