FreightCasts

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...

Join Thomas Wasson on this special episode of Truck Tech as he travels to the Michelin Proving Ground to put the all-new Volvo VNL to the ultimate test!
We explore every angle of this cutting-edge tractor, from its revolutionary aerodynamic design (including that slick, wedge-shaped nose!) to the advanced safety and driver-assist technologies.
What's in the Video:

Dr. Zac Rogers and Zach Strickland discuss the October LMI readings and how businesses are being impacted by the government shutdown and the looming tariff ruling.

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We begin with the tragic UPS cargo jet crash near Worldport in Louisville, UPS's critical global hub, which resulted in at least nine confirmed fatalities and exposed the fragility of single-point logistics assets.

This immediate physical disruption led UPS to cancel initial express and deferred operations and suspend the money-back guarantee for all US packages, even as the NTSB worked quickly to recover the flight recorders. Following the accident, night sort operations at Worldport partially resumed to enable next-day air deliveries, though delivery commitments were relaxed for Thursday.

Wall Street severely reacted to 3PL RXO’s...

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Ship Happens! SONAR's Chief Customer Officer, Julie Van de Kamp, is joined by Tim Jed, Supply Chain Leader at DPR Construction, to tackle the (frankly chaotic) world of construction logistics.
They dive into the unique challenges of managing a project-by-project supply chain, navigating market volatility caused by shifting tariffs, and using data to bring order to the chaos. Tim shares his perspective on the current freight environment and explains why, in an unstable market, true collaboration with partners is the most critical tool for when... ship happens.

Learn...

You’ve signed hundreds of rate cons, but have you ever stopped to actually read the fine print? In this eye-opening episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with transportation attorney and Armchair Attorney podcast host Matthew Leffler to dissect a real broker-carrier agreement, section by section. If you’re an owner-operator or fleet owner signing rate confirmations without understanding the liability buried inside, you cannot afford to miss this. From indemnification clauses to cargo liability to payment terms, we break it all down in plain English so you can protect your business and stay in control.

⁠F...

The episode opens with the volatile reaction on Wall Street to 3PL RXO's third-quarter earnings, which saw the ⁠stock plummet over 14.8% in pre-market trading after the 6:30 a.m⁠. The logistics provider reported performance that was largely stagnant year-over-year, including a decline in adjusted net income to $2 million and a GAAP net loss of 8 cents per share, prompting the CEO to emphasize strategic scale and cost initiatives for future profitability.

We also cover the ongoing disruption at UPS Worldport in Louisville following the deadly cargo jet crash that happened on Tuesday. Although night sorting operations resumed Wednesday evening to e...

In today’s episode, we’re diving deep into the evolving world of freight tech, automation, safety, and the future of transportation — featuring three powerhouse guests shaping the industry right now.

Guest Lineup:

1. Chris Demetroulis — Managing Director of Transportation at Gallagher
 Chris breaks down the real risk and reward behind autonomous trucking, how insurers will adapt to AVs, and why reducing human error is the key to lowering claims and premiums.

2. Angie Twardawa — CEO of Angie’s Transportation & Co-Founder of Road Lights
 Live from the AAPEX Show in Las Vegas, Angie shares her journey...

The October Logistics Managers' Index data, detailed in the article October LMI shows price increases outpacing capacity growth, shows transportation utilization (57.3) and pricing (61.7) surged, reversing the prior negative freight inversion.

This tight market prediction is worsened by the immediate air cargo capacity shock stemming from the UPS MD-11 crash on November 5th, a tragedy covered in LATEST: Death toll in UPS cargo jet crash rises to 7. This incident led to seven confirmed fatalities and resulted in the indefinite closure of the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport and the complete halt of UPS Worldport operations.

Regulatory...

Details emerge on the devastating UPS MD-11 freighter crash that occurred during takeoff from Louisville, Kentucky, while the widebody cargo jet was bound for Honolulu. The death toll has tragically risen to seven individuals, with 11 injuries reported, leading to the indefinite closure of the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport and the halt of package sorting operations at Worldport.

The Panama Canal Authority is moving full steam ahead with an $8.5 billion, 10-year modernization plan designed to maintain the canal's competitiveness as climate pressures and global trade patterns evolve. This strategy includes constructing two new container terminals, implementing a...

The freight market is living a double life. On one hand, the domestic market is hitting the brakes, defined by shrinking truckload capacity and regulatory friction. On the other, global players and specialized sectors are flooring the accelerator on massive investments.
In this episode, we dissect this "market schizophrenia". We look at how a 32% drop in new tractor builds and stricter enforcement of driver language rules are tightening the screws on capacity. We also explore the massive strategic investments happening in global air cargo, AI-driven safety tech, and specialized healthcare logistics.
But as fleets fight for volume...

For-hire trucking capacity is contracting significantly due to a 32% reduction in tractor builds (taking equipment below replacement levels) and stricter FMCSA English Language Proficiency enforcement, which could affect up to 10% of the driver pool.

Despite shrinking capacity, freight rates are only seeing marginal spot market improvements of 1-2%, failing to keep pace with 3% inflation, due to volume volatility and broader macroeconomic risks. Regulatory friction is also widespread, as a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the California Air Resources Board from enforcing its Clean Truck Partnership against major OEMs (like Daimler, PACCAR, and Volvo). This legal...

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction stopping the California Air Resources Board from enforcing the Clean Truck Partnership against truck manufacturers. This block occurred because a state court lawsuit filed by CARB seeking OEM compliance was viewed by the federal court as an attempt to enforce potentially preempted zero emissions standards, particularly since Congress withdrew the EPA waivers that allowed the Advanced Clean Truck rule to go into effect.

UPS has completed the acquisition of Canadian logistics provider Andlauer Healthcare Group for $1.6 billion in cash. Michael Andlauer, AHG's founder and CEO, will now lead UPS Canada...

FreightWaves Founder and CEO Craig Fuller joins host Malcolm Harris for an unfiltered look at what he calls “the busiest news week in trucking history.” They break down why the ATA’s so-called “driver shortage” is a myth, how unqualified drivers and lax regulations have shaken the industry, and why the freight brokerage world is facing its toughest market in years. Craig also dives into Secretary Duffy’s crackdown on noncompliant carriers, the coming shakeout in freight, and how trucking leaders can restore integrity—and profitability—to the road ahead.

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