FreightCasts

We start with major security vulnerabilities, as authorities in the U.S. and Canada are intercepting millions in narcotics cleverly hidden within legitimate shipments, including a $16 million meth bust found in plaster vases. Tune in to hear more about these enforcement actions, where drugs have been concealed in commodities ranging from auto parts and berries to lettuce.

The conversation then shifts to the back office, where new technology is being utilized to fight freight fraud and enhance compliance. We discuss Highway’s new, optional feature that allows brokers to screen out carriers based on whether the primary ac...

Freight has faced turbulence from every direction: trade tensions, shifting regulations, and a government shutdown. Join JP Hampstead, Strategic Analyst at FreightWaves, and Zach Strickland, Head of Freight Market Intelligence at SONAR for this month's State of Freight, presented by Triumph, as they discuss: - How the capacity crunch is impacting the market for holiday shipping - The latest tariff rulings and their effect on global trade - How the government shutdown influenced freight demand

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In this Thanksgiving edition of Third & Long, Adam Wingfield and co-driver Kaylee Nix break down one of the biggest stories shaking the trucking world: California’s CDL compliance battle with the FMCSA, the threat of losing $158 million in federal funding, and the lawsuits claiming civil rights violations.

This episode goes deep into the political tension between state and federal authority, how these policies affect small carriers and owner-operators, and what the fallout could mean for the industry moving forward.

We cover:

FMCSA vs. California — federal funding, compliance failures, and courts stepping in

Ci...

The 100-year-old P Judge and Suns Trucking and Warehousing Company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New Jersey, listing both assets and liabilities between $1 million and $10 million.

The podcast covers the ongoing debate surrounding the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, which UP CEO Jim Vena advocated for at the RailTrends industry conference. Vena stressed that the United States should not be the only country in North America without seamless rail service, noting that the merger is necessary to enable railroads to compete with the trucking industry.

Strong opposition to the deal comes...

Welcome to a special Thanksgiving-week edition of WHAT THE TRUCK?! with your host, Malcolm Harris! Even though he’s out of the studio and home for the holidays, Malcolm is still delivering—like DoorDash—with a jam-packed double feature you won’t want to miss.

Today’s Lineup

John Kingston – Editor-at-Large, FreightWaves

John joins to break down his latest article on what he calls the “jobs apocalypse” hitting logistics. From AI-driven workforce disruption to what’s happening inside Trimble’s panels, he digs into:

Why AI could eliminate thousands of entry-level logistics jobs

Experts at the Trimble Insight conference are forecasting a "significant reduction" in employment levels as rapidly maturing AI tools become cheaper and more efficient than human workers.

This technological shift is already translating into measurable gains, with companies like C.H. Robinson openly connecting rising profitability directly to a shrinking workforce. However, achieving the full strategic potential of AI requires clean and comprehensive data, meaning much of the current investment is directed toward routine tasks that don't rely on perfect data, such as calling drivers or getting quotes.

Regulation is increasing alongside technological pressure where...

The container ship ONE Henry Hudson was towed out to anchorage at the Port of Los Angeles after an electrical fire that began onboard while it was berthed was substantially contained. The incident temporarily suspended port operations, closed four of the seven container terminals, and led to a mile-wide safety zone, though no injuries were reported among the 23-person crew.

Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement following over two years of bitter negotiations and strike activity by more than 50,000 mail carriers. The agreement comes as the national mail...

Malcolm Harris brings a stacked lineup diving into e-commerce logistics, fleet operations, and the growing impact of AI across the supply chain.

Headlines:

Malcolm breaks down the latest in freight, including FMCSA bond enforcement, driver shortages affecting farm labor, Maersk’s relocation to Charlotte, 3PL marketing ROI insights, and rising cargo theft trends.

Featured Guests

Carlos Barbosa — VP of E-commerce Solutions, ePost Global

Carlos shares insights from ePost Global’s new report analyzing 20 million international shipments, revealing why multi-carrier strategies outperform single-carrier setups by 37%. He explains how speed, reliability, cost s...

A preliminary investigative report has been released by the National Transportation Safety Board regarding the fatal UPS MD-11 freighter crash in Louisville. The report cited fatigue cracks in the left-wing engine mount, which separated shortly after liftoff, leading UPS to continue grounding its remaining MD-11s per FAA guidelines, a situation explored further in "NTSB links fatigue cracks to fatal crash of UPS cargo jet - FreightWaves".

The broadcast also covers Walmart’s impressive Q3 performance, which included a 27% jump in global e-commerce sales and a nearly 70% increase in sales for same-day delivery. Walmart continues to leverage it...

Freight data suggests a muted peak season from a demand perspective, but ongoing capacity reductions make it hard to say it will be a complete non-event.

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The U.S. freight market is grappling with a massive security crisis as cargo theft surges 29% in Q3 driven by organized crime targeting electronics and high-value pharmaceuticals. We analyze how carriers must implement comprehensive security measures and establish clear policies to ensure truck cameras succeed in litigation, especially regarding how crucial video retention rules are.

The logistics industry faces a dramatic regulatory shift as the FMCSA’s tighter bond enforcement looms over freight brokers in 2026, taking full effect on January 16, 2026. These new rules mandate immediate operating authority suspension for bond shortfalls and require BMC-85 trust funds to be...

Truck parking is one of the most talked-about challenges in our industry — but recently, some are claiming the problem doesn’t even exist. In this episode, Adam sits down with Andrew King, Director of Operations at OOIDA Foundation, to cut through the noise.

We dig into the flawed assumptions behind a recent parking report, break down federal data from Jason’s Law, and challenge the idea that drivers are just “bad planners.” If you’re tired of surface-level takes, this episode goes deep into policy, equity, and what real change should look like for small carriers.

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The NTSB released its findings about the container ship Dali crash from last year, determining that an improperly placed wire label caused the cargo vessel to lose power and drift out of control into the pier of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the collapse and the deaths of six construction workers.

A.P. Moller-Maersk announced that it has selected Charlotte, North Carolina, as the new location for its North American headquarters, a move that comes after decades of having offices in New Jersey. The relocation of the North American HQ to Charlotte is expected to add 500...

Malcolm Harris brings together three powerhouse guests who are shaping the future of trucking, supply chain, and transportation technology.

First up, Kenneth Hanover, Director of North American Sales & Customer Support at Fleetguard (now operating under Atmos), dives deep into the company’s Cummins-rooted heritage, its commitment to engineering-first product excellence, and how Fleetguard empowers truckers through right-to-repair advocacy, unmatched warranties, and one-stop filtration solutions. Ken also shares a fun take on how loud an 18-wheeler’s horn really should be—and why truckers deserve both a squeaker and a foghorn.

Next, Nidhi Gupta, Co-founder and CEO of Portcas...

Dive into the proposed rail mega-merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, which Republican legislators warn threatens to raise consumer costs, reduce competition, and create "captive shippers". This controversial deal would combine systems controlling nearly 45% of all U.S. rail tonnage across 43 states, raising serious questions about long-term service reliability and inflationary pressure on American households.

The trucking market remains in a recession due to a collapse in demand and a significant industrial recession, confirmed by indices like the SONAR Outbound Tender Volume Index (OTVI). Despite low demand, the market could face a radical supply shock if...

Learn how EV maker Harbinger secured significant capital and a key initial fleet order in Harbinger lands $160M Series C, inks initial FedEx deal for 53 electric trucks. The electric vehicle manufacturer raised $160 million in Series C funding, bringing its total to $358 million, and simultaneously received an initial order for 53 Class 5 and Class 6 electric vehicles from FedEx. Harbinger’s proprietary electric platform offers competitive acquisition costs and modular batteries, ranging from 140 to over 200 miles, positioning the company to lead the mass adoption of medium-duty electric trucks.

Next, we dive into the contentious rail industry merger detailed in Rail me...

In this episode of Loaded and Rolling, host Thomas Wasson sits down with the team from Dreyev to discuss how their technology distinguishes itself in a saturated market of driver safety solutions.

Thomas is joined by Maggie Stys (CEO & Co-Founder), Roberto Sicconi (CTO & Co-Founder), and Peter Smelzer (Fleet Risk Advisor) to explore how their platform detects and addresses distractions and drowsiness without relying on complex hardware installations.

Topics covered in this episode include:

Dreyev’s Differentiator: What makes this tech different from the flood of "driver monitoring" solutions currently available.

Meet Wa...

In this episode, we dive into the world of cybersecurity. Our guest, Joe Ohr, COO at the NMFTA breaks down trends in cybersecurity and how the NMFTA is positioning itself as the hub for cybersecurity reporting and calling out bad actors. For more information, subscribe to Check Call the newsletter or the podcast. 

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Starting with tech rollouts, Trimble bets big on AI to fix trucking’s workflow bottlenecks. It debuted its new cloud-native, modular, AI-powered Transportation Management System (TMS), designed as a single intelligence center for enterprise operations. New AI agents, such as the Order Intake Agent, automate administrative tasks like data extraction from emails and PDFs, potentially eliminating manual review for up to 90% of standard orders.

Efficiency is also the core strategy behind major network redesigns at FedEx, who is focused on prioritizing high-quality B2B business and sectors like high-tech freight and healthcare logistics, while using generative AI to...

A Delaware bankruptcy court has cleared the path for the final liquidation of Yellow Corp.'s estate, which will distribute as much as $700 million to creditors, but the order could face an appeal from Yellow’s largest equity holder, MFN Partners.

We discuss the poor third-quarter results for ocean carrier CMA CGM, which saw group net income fall 72.6% year-over-year and revenue drop 11.3%. The carrier attributed this downturn to geopolitics, trade tensions in the U.S., and a corresponding slowdown in maritime activity, though it noted an improvement quarter-over-quarter after trade between the U.S. and China picked ba...

Malcolm kicks off the week with energy, industry insights, and a packed lineup of guests who deliver deep expertise across transportation safety, branding, and heavy-haul logistics.

Malcolm opens with key headlines impacting the freight world — from upcoming USPS parcel price hikes to fluctuating global trade patterns, ocean carrier earnings, FMCSA’s new crash-risk study, and shifting M&A trends in the freight sector.

The episode’s interviews begin with Chris Isley, Risk Control Specialist at Travelers Transportation, who breaks down the complexities of heavy equipment transportation, load securement standards, DOT compliance, specialized permits, escort coordination, and the s...

The current intersection of federal regulation and enforcement is creating significant market risk, forcing carriers to exit and fundamentally tightening liability for both carriers and the shippers who hire them. The immediate shockwave comes from California, where the cancellation of 17,000 non-domiciled CDLs—over 9% of the state's for-hire carrier base—is expected to cause substantial capacity constraints and firm up outbound freight rates, signaling national enforcement scrutiny.

This episode unpacks the crucial precedent set by California's AB5 enforcement action, which resulted in an $868,000 penalty against three companies, including shipper Costco and 3PL Ryder Last Mile. Ryder and Costco were...

On November 13th FreightWaves Founder & CEO Craig Fuller took on DAT’s industry veteran Ken Adamo in a debate that covered everything from market forecasts and capacity crunch to tech disruption and the future of brokerage. Presiding over the debate was the one and only Armchair Attorney, Matt Leffler

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Three major companies—Mega Nice Trucking, Ryder Last Mile, and Costco Wholesale Corp—are facing what is likely the first significant enforcement action of California's AB5 regulation in the trucking industry, resulting in an $868,000 fine. The California Labor Commission cited the trio for contractor misclassification and resulting wage theft, finding that Ryder and Costco exercised both direct and indirect control over delivery drivers, thereby establishing a joint employer relationship with the carrier. 

The trucking industry continues to monitor the fight over the Department of Transportation's non-domiciled Commercial Driver's License rules following the cancellation of 17,000 CDLs in California. Altho...

The European Union is expected to revoke duty-free status for parcel imports through the elimination of the de minimis rule for small parcel imports, which is expected to be fully implemented by 2028. This significant policy change aims to level the playing field for European businesses and limit the influx of low-cost goods, especially considering that 91% of low-value shipments last year originated from China.

We also track how global trade volatility and depressed freight rates have severely impacted ocean carriers, leading to Hapag-Lloyd's nine-month profits dropping nearly 50% from $1.83 billion down to $946 million. This decline occurred despite a 9% rise...

JP Hampstead gives a presentation to shippers about what macroeconomic data tells us about production, employment, productivity, and the prospects for reindustrialization at FreightWaves' Future of Freight Festival in Chattanooga, TN. In this episode JP covers: - Why U.S. manufacturing output hasn’t recovered since the Great Recession - The surprising role of energy production in “industrial growth” - How offshoring reshaped America’s productivity curve - Why AI is now the largest driver of U.S. energy demand - Whether the big White House manufacturing announcements are real - Why nuclear power is surging back - How producti...

In this uncaged episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Sage — CDL driver, O/O, Landstar agent, broker, and commercial auto insurance pro — to tackle the freight industry’s most controversial topics. This one’s not safe for the faint of heart. We dig into broker dishonesty, insurance scams, the broker-agent world, O/O pain points, and what never gets talked about in polite circles. No fluff. Real talk. If you’re in the business and tired of half-truths, this is your episode.

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We analyze why Ocean rates tested by capacity conundrum despite carriers attempting General Rate Increases and blanked sailings, indicating continued overcapacity and weak demand on the trans-Pacific trade lane. Simultaneously, we explore the quick response from air cargo providers, detailing how FedEx plugs transport hole caused by MD-11 groundings by activating spare aircraft and diverting packages to its domestic ground network.

We examine the state of port traffic, noting that Container imports off 17.6% at leading US port in October 2025, although the Port of Long Beach remains on pace to surpass its all-time annual cargo record from 2024. Turning...

It’s hump day on WHAT THE TRUCK?!? and host Malcolm Harris is bringing the heat with a jam-packed lineup covering innovation, strategy, and the latest headlines shaking up logistics.

In this episode:

While the Port of Long Beach saw container volumes drop significantly—imports declined 17.6% and total TEUs fell 14.9% in October 2025 compared to the previous year's record-setting month—the hub remains ahead of its 2024 all-time annual cargo record pace through the first 10 months of 2025. Port officials are anticipating that American consumers will likely see ⁠price escalation⁠ on goods in the coming months as shippers are expected to pass along the costs of ongoing tariffs and trade policies.

In trucking, a major regulatory shift has been halted as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ⁠temporarily stayed the...

In today’s episode, Michael Caney, Chief Commercial Officer at Highway joins us to talk about their recent funding, how they’re fighting fraud and the new release of their Trusted Freight Exchange.

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Carrier sentiment is suppressed by a weak rate environment as the market waits for necessary fleet rationalization, highlighted by historic levels of Class 8 oversupply exceeding 90,000 units. The physical evidence of financial distress is staggering, demonstrated by the collapse in trailer prices—with 3-year-old 53-foot dry vans now trading for under $20,000—and the high volume of repossessions dominating used equipment sales, where 158 out of 162 units sold by Ritchie Bros. in Q3 2025 were repossessions.

This contraction is bleeding into the tech sector, as evidenced by the Chapter 11 filing of VC-backed freight tech startup Zuum, which listed assets and liabilities betw...

The growing list of bankruptcies in trucking has caught up a significant new participant from the freight tech part of the business, as ⁠VC-backed Zuum files for chapter 11 protection⁠ with assets and liabilities listed in the range of $10 million to $50 million.

The US Trade Representative officially announced the one-year suspension of ⁠port fees on Chinese ships⁠ docking at American ports. This suspension, effective until November 10, 2025, is part of a wide-ranging trade agreement where China simultaneously dropped retaliatory fees on U.S.-flagged vessels.

A legislative package designed to end the 40-day government shutdown includes a major ea...

This episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? features two in-depth conversations focused on how technology is reshaping trucking safety, operations, and cargo security. Host Malcolm Harris first speaks with Kiren Sakhar, Chief Product Officer at Samsara, about how AI-powered dashcams, sensors, and real-time coaching are helping fleets shift from reactive safety practices to predictive, preventative ones. They discuss improvements in driver experience, reduced accidents, and how balanced coaching and recognition can strengthen retention and culture.

In the second segment, Danny Ramon, Director of Intelligence and Response at Overhaul, breaks down the rapid rise in cargo theft, especially sophisticated fraud-bas...

Aifleet is cutting its fleet size from approximately 180 trucks down to about half and letting go of nearly 100 personnel, triggered by the abrupt termination of a contract with a key supplier.

The air cargo market is facing its own shock following a tragic crash, resulting in the temporary grounding of MD-11 freighters by both UPS (27 planes) and FedEx (28 planes) as a precautionary measure, following Boeing's recommendation. Since the MD-11 makes up about 9% of both companies' main fleets, this temporary loss of lift creates significant capacity tightness systemwide heading into peak season.

Simultaneously, U.S. tariff...

Aifleet is undergoing drastic cutbacks, ⁠reducing its fleet from about 180 trucks to a much smaller, undisclosed number⁠, following the abrupt termination of a contract with a key supplier. CEO Marc El Khoury described these fleet reductions as "drastic," but necessary to allow the company a chance to survive in the freight recession, enabling them to pivot almost entirely away from the spot market and focus on a contracted freight model.

In air cargo news, ⁠UPS and FedEx halt MD-11 flying to conduct safety review⁠ after a fatal crash in Louisville last week, following a recommendation from manufacturer Boeing t...

Host Malcolm Harris has a full house for this episode, joined by three experts to tackle the biggest stories in freight.

First, FreightWaves Editor-at-Large John Kingston joins the show to break down RXO's shocking earnings tumble. He explains what triggered Wall Street's steep negative reaction and what it signals for the rest of the brokerage and 3PL sector.

Then, Chief Product Officer at PCS, Danielle Villegas, dives into how AI and smart TMS tools are reshaping operations. She discusses why profit margins, not just volume, are the "new payload" for carriers and shippers.

...

In this episode, we dive into some of the most common problem shippers are seeing in the cold chain. Our guest, Paul Cullmann, Director, North American Sales at Sunset Transportation, joins us to examine where shippers are leaving opportunities for growth on the table as well as where common missteps are happening. For more information, subscribe to ⁠Running on Ice the newsletter⁠ or podcast.

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The FAA has mandated flight reductions—ramping up toward a 10% cut at 40 of the busiest domestic hubs due to air traffic controller shortages—which severely restricts domestic "belly cargo" capacity for high-value shipments but largely spares all-cargo carriers like FedEx and UPS.

The ground market is defined by a financial squeeze hitting 3PLs like RXO, who are struggling as locked-in, lower contractual sales rates are undercut by suddenly spiking buy rates for trucks, evidenced by the National Truckload Index climbing from $1.68 per mile to $1.80 more recently. RXO's CEO calls this structural capacity exit—driven by tighter regulations and sp...