FreightWaves NOW

FreightWaves Today | July 2 02.07.2026 1h 59min

The freight market heads into the Fourth of July weekend with strong momentum—and we're breaking down everything you need to know.Craig Fuller and Max Fuller are joined by Matthew Leffler to discuss the latest freight market developments, North American trade, Supreme Court decisions impacting the trucking industry, broker liability, insurance trends, and what they all mean for carriers, brokers, and shippers. In this episode: America 250 and the state of the U.S. economy Why rail data points to a major American manufacturing resurgence The latest trends in trucking demand and freight volumes USMCA, tariffs, and the future of North American supply chains The Supreme Court's Montgomery decision and its impact on broker liability Insurance, tort reform, and what carriers and brokers need to know A look inside the Volvo VISTA World Championship for elite truck technician. Special Guests: Matthew Leffler – Freight attorney and legal analyst Doug Marcello – Attorney, Saxton & Stump Chris Ingram – Service Technician, Beaver Truck Centre and Volvo VISTA World Championship finalist Lewie Pugh - Executive Vice President, OOID Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Triumph's RFP Tool Debuts, TQL Transparency Case, & USMCA Renewal Rejected | The Morning Minute 02.07.2026 3min

In this episode, we kick things off by examining a massive shift in how freight contract pricing is getting done as Triumph debuts a powerful new RFP management tool designed to help brokers keep pace with drastically compressed pricing cycles. In today's supply-constrained market, some shippers are now repricing contracts as frequently as every thirty days, a brutal acceleration from the traditional annual cycles. The platform draws on real transaction and carrier payment data tied to more than one hundred seventy thousand carriers, providing visibility into approximately seventy percent of North American brokered freight transactions. Next, we explore a major legal battle that could reshape broker disclosure requirements across the entire industry. The case involving Pink Cheetah and Total Quality Logistics heads to oral arguments before the U.S. Appeals Court for the District of Columbia on September eleventh. The dispute centers on documents revealing that the carrier received only fifty-six percent of payment for a load, with TQL extracting approximately forty percent commission rather than the customary fourteen to sixteen percent. Finally, we unpack the critical developments surrounding North America's signature trade pact after the U.S. rejected automatic renewal of USMCA in its current form, triggering annual reviews until issues are resolved or the agreement expires in twenty thirty-six. Despite North American trade reaching historic highs last year, this decision creates uncertainty for the trucking industry and the hundreds of billions of dollars in cross-border freight moving annually through major gateways like Laredo, Detroit-Windsor, and Otay Mesa. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FreightWaves Today | July 1 01.07.2026 2h

It is hump day, which means it’s the best day of the week—the release of the weekly American Association of Railroads (AAR) tonnage index! In this packed episode, we dive deep into the legal and insurance crises gripping the freight industry, analyze how extreme heatwaves are altering refrigerated shipping, track global energy volatility, and break down the massive intermodal surge redefining logistics. Featured Guests: Ted Bassett – Head of the Personal Injury Law Firm Group at Merrick Niles Openheimer – Chief Revenue Officer at CoverWell Matt Munster – Chief Economist at Breakthrough Bill Stevens – Editor and Writer at Trains Magazine / Trains Pro Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Supreme Court Bolsters Presidential Power, ZIM's New CEO, & EV Fleet Charging Strategy | The Morning Minute 01.07.2026 3min

In this episode, we kick things off in Washington with a blockbuster Supreme Court ruling that dramatically expands presidential authority over independent regulatory agencies. The six-three decision in Trump v. Slaughter overturns nearly a century of precedent and is likely to decide the fate of STB member Robert Primus, whom President Trump fired without cause last August. With the Surface Transportation Board now short-handed and facing the largest rail merger in history, the president can more easily install policy-aligned replacements at a critical moment for freight rail regulation. Next, we shift over to the ocean shipping sector where Israel's flag carrier officially transitions to new leadership today. Chen Lichtenstein takes the helm at ZIM Integrated Shipping Services following the departure of Eli Glickman, who resigned in April after Hapag-Lloyd's four point two billion dollar acquisition. Glickman is credited with an astounding turnaround that reshaped ZIM into an agile, digitally-focused global player ranked tenth in the world by capacity. Finally, we explore how the freight industry's transition to electric trucks is revealing that intelligent charging strategy may matter even more than the hardware itself. BetterFleet CEO Dan Hilson explains that managing dense electric fleets requires abandoning the diesel fueling playbook entirely due to brutal demand charges and time-of-use pricing penalties. The company's machine learning platform staggers charging across networks of slower chargers, throttling power to avoid costly spikes while capturing off-peak pricing to deliver enormous savings. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FreightWaves Today | June 30 30.06.2026 2h

The freight market is changing fast—and this episode of FreightWaves Today breaks down the biggest legal, technology, energy, and market developments shaping transportation. We kick off the show with breaking news on the Florida U-turn lawsuit and discuss why CH Robinson was named in litigation despite having no involvement in the crash. We also debate broker liability, the post-Montgomery legal landscape, Florida's CDL policy, and whether the industry should rethink barriers to entry for new drivers. In this episode, we feature interviews with: Jonah McIntire, Chief Platform Officer at Trimble How AI is transforming transportation management systems Why data—not software—is becoming the industry's biggest competitive advantage The future of AI-powered logistics platforms Will AI eliminate logistics jobs? How Trimble is modernizing legacy transportation software and expanding into the SMB market John Kingston, FreightWaves Editor-At-Large The latest on the Florida U-turn lawsuit and broker liability Global energy markets and diesel price volatility The impact of geopolitical tensions on fuel costs Ocean shipping rates, the Strait of Hormuz, and what to expect for freight markets in the second half of the year The future of EVs, decarbonization, and transportation energy David Spencer, Arrive Logistics Why trucking capacity continues to tighten What carriers and brokers should expect during the July 4 "Super Bowl" freight week Contract vs. spot market dynamics Shipper pricing expectations and routing guide challenges Where freight rates are headed through the rest of 2026 and what could drive the next leg of the market Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laredo's New Rail Park, Trimble TMS Launch, & DeSantis Vetoes CDL Bill | The Morning Minute 30.06.2026 3min

In this episode, we kick things off in South Texas, where developers are building a massive new rail infrastructure project designed to transform Laredo from purely a trucking gateway into a true multimodal freight hub. Following authorization from the Surface Transportation Board, Kraus Development and Ironhorse Resources plan to construct the two point six-mile Laredo Gateway Industrial Railway, connecting Gateway International Rail Park directly to Union Pacific's Laredo Subdivision. With capacity for more than twelve thousand railcars annually—potentially representing the equivalent of roughly sixty-two thousand truckloads—this short-line railroad will serve a sprawling industrial park in a border crossing that already processes between fourteen thousand and eighteen thousand commercial trucks every day and accounts for nearly thirty-nine percent of all U.S.-Mexico trade by value. Next, we explore the technology sector, where Trimble is aggressively expanding its product lineup with a brand-new transportation management system built directly from its massive European acquisition. The company has officially launched Trimble TMS for Shippers, a product that grew out of its twenty twenty-two acquisition of Europe's Transporeon for just under two billion dollars. Rather than forcing shippers to rip out existing systems, the new TMS offering uses a modular, cafeteria-style approach where customers can bolt on specific features like freight procurement, rate management, or carrier tendering to their current infrastructure and only pay for what they need. Finally, we cover a workforce development proposal in Florida that has hit a major roadblock as Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill that would have allowed CDL training for certain state prisoners. The bill, which passed both houses of the Florida legislature with no opposition, was part of a larger vocational training measure targeting nonviolent inmates with two years or less remaining on their sentence. In his veto letter, DeSantis cited the program would be unnecessarily burdensome to the Department of Corrections and raised significant public safety concerns about authorizing incarcerated individuals to operate commercial vehicles in public thoroughfares. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FreightWaves Today | June 29 29.06.2026 2h

The freight market is heating up—and this week's episode breaks down why. We kick off the show with a look at record-setting trucking spot rates, why the July 4 holiday is the freight industry's "Super Bowl," and what tightening capacity means for carriers, brokers, and shippers heading into the second half of the year. Then we dive into the day's biggest logistics headlines, including: A $1.3 million cargo theft recovery near Chicago Boeing's major freighter deal with China Southern Airlines A growing biometric privacy class-action lawsuit impacting the trucking industry Our featured guests include: Steve Lockington, President & CEO of Geotab Vitality, on how behavioral science, telematics, and positive incentives are improving driver safety, retention, and fleet performance. Burak Cendek, Managing Director at AutoTech Ventures, discussing the venture capital landscape and where transportation technology is headed next. Michael Farkas, Founder & CEO of NextNRG, on AI, energy infrastructure, remote fueling, and the impact of lower oil prices on freight. Gabe Ribeiro, Head of Partnerships & Marketing at Hey Bubba, on building community and innovation in trucking. Plus, Craig Fuller delivers a SONAR market deep dive covering: All-time high trucking spot rates Tender rejection trends Blue-to-Blue freight markets Fuel prices vs. freight pricing What carriers and brokers should expect in the weeks ahead Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

$1.3M Cargo Theft Recovery, China Southern Orders Boeing Freighters, & ULH Biometrics Case | The Morning Minute 29.06.2026 4min

In this episode, we kick things off by examining a massive cargo theft recovery near Chicago that reveals the sophisticated nature of organized freight crime. The Cook County Sheriff's Office recovered two stolen trailers containing over $1.3 million in copper wire and data center equipment at a truck yard in Elk Grove Township. Both trailers had been equipped with stolen license plates and were linked to the same unidentified driver, though no arrests have been announced yet. Next, we shift over to the air cargo sector where a state-owned Chinese carrier is making a landmark move that signals a major thaw in trade relations. China Southern Airlines placed an order with Boeing for seven freighter aircraft, including five of the all-new 777-8F models expected to hit the market in 2028. This represents the first purchase of the 777-8 freighter by a mainland China carrier and comes after China reopened its market to Boeing during President Trump's May visit to Beijing. Finally, we explore how a biometric privacy lawsuit filed in 2021 by an Illinois truck driver has just expanded into a potentially costly class action. A federal judge granted class status to the case against Universal Intermodal Services over fingerprint scanners used at its Harvey, Illinois facility. The broader class definition brings in workers from a Universal Logistics subsidiary and third-party staffing agencies, significantly expanding the scope of potential damages under Illinois' stringent Biometric Privacy Act. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FreightWaves Today | June 26 26.06.2026 1h 56min

In this packed episode of FreightWaves Today, Craig Fuller, Malcolm Wilson, and the FreightWaves team break down one of the most important weeks of the year for trucking: the lead-up to the July 4th freight surge — often called trucking’s “Super Bowl.” They discuss tightening capacity, rising spot rates, driver shortages, and why many large carriers believe the freight market has officially turned. The conversation also explores the future of autonomous trucks, AI in logistics, and how brokers and shippers are preparing for a potentially volatile peak season. This episode features insights from industry leaders and experts, including: Ken Adamo, Chief of Analytics at Ease Logistics and former DAT executive Dr. Jason Miller, supply chain economist and professor at Michigan State University Max Fuller, transportation industry veteran and founder of U.S. Xpress Fabrizio Alvear, Co-Founder and President of ePost Global Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ILWU Sugar Strike, FMCSA Motus Rollout Troubles, & USPS Cash Crisis | The Morning Minute 26.06.2026 4min

In this episode, we kick things off in California, where warehouse workers launched the first ILWU strike against a major sugar producer in decades. The walkout at C&H Sugar's massive Bay Area refinery involves roughly ninety to one hundred unionized employees fighting over healthcare, retiree benefits, sick leave, and overtime rules. While American Sugar Refining offered a twenty percent wage increase, workers say the company proposed slashing half their annual sick days, ending retiree medical coverage, and limiting premium overtime pay. Meanwhile, in Washington, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration quietly suspended its biennial update requirement for entities that missed their deadline since June first, a clear signal that the Motus registration portal rollout continues to struggle. Despite FMCSA leadership characterizing the technical issues as minor, industry consultants report that conflicting government data is preventing carriers from operating, creating serious compliance headaches across the sector. Finally, we examine how the U.S. Postal Service has delayed a shutdown until the early 2030s through accounting maneuvers, but the fundamental liquidity crisis remains unresolved. Postmaster General David Steiner warned senators that USPS carries nearly thirty-one billion dollars in debt against just eight point nine billion in unrestricted cash, as mail volume has plummeted by more than half since two thousand while delivery addresses continue growing by one million annually. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FreightWaves Today Live From Samara Beyond | June 24 24.06.2026 2h

FreightWaves Today hosts Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp come to you live from Samsara Beyond 2026. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FreightWaves Today | June 23 23.06.2026 49min

On today’s episode of FreightWaves Today, hosts Julie Van de Kamp and Malcolm Harris break down the latest developments shaping freight, trucking, and supply chain markets as the industry heads toward the end of Q2 and the July 4 holiday rush. We cover two major FMCSA regulatory changes that remove long-standing compliance requirements for carriers, including the elimination of CDL self-reporting requirements and the printed ELD manual mandate. We also discuss Saia’s aggressive network expansion and what it signals about confidence in the freight market. In our SONAR market update, we examine rising tender rejections, tightening capacity, spot rate expectations, and why housing could be the missing catalyst that drives the next phase of freight demand. We explore how housing starts, construction activity, and consumer spending impact truckload and flatbed markets across the country. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bendix Taps Aeva LiDAR, Echo Expands Mexico Services, & DHL Autonomous Ops Go Live | The Morning Minute 22.06.2026 3min

In this episode, we kick things off by examining a major advancement in commercial vehicle safety technology that's targeting mass production across the Class 8 market. Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems has officially selected Aeva to integrate 4D LiDAR sensors and perception software into its next-generation collision mitigation systems for Class 8 trucks. With roughly 300,000 new Class 8 trucks entering the North American market annually, this program is targeting mass production of one of the first LiDAR-based L2+ driver assistance solutions for commercial vehicles, marking a strategic shift toward using advanced perception technology in active safety systems rather than just higher levels of autonomy. Next, we shift to cross-border logistics, where Echo Global Logistics is making an aggressive play to dominate the entire U.S.-Mexico freight corridor. The Chicago-based third-party logistics provider has formally unveiled a new suite of intra-Mexico domestic transportation services, giving shippers a fully integrated supply chain solution spanning both sides of the border. The expansion includes city-to-city freight transportation, port drayage, domestic intermodal services, and managed transportation solutions across Mexico, all integrated with Echo's existing cross-border operations and allowing the company to capture growing freight movements tied to nearshoring trends. Finally, we explore how autonomous technology is officially moving beyond pilot programs and into full-scale daily operations at a major logistics hub. DHL has transitioned autonomous vehicles from its Fast Forward Challenge into live daily operations at its Singapore facility, partnering with Zelostech to operate fully electric, driverless vehicles for point-to-point transfers between logistics facilities on campus. Each vehicle averages 40 trips and covers 28 kilometers daily, delivering consistent performance at roughly half the operating cost of diesel trucks while cutting emissions to support customers' sustainability goals. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rates Rising, Capacity Tight: Is Your Shipping Team Ready for This Market? 18.06.2026 26min

Shippers are facing a dramatically different freight market, one many are ill-equipped to handle. With new staff lacking experience in tight capacity environments and a prolonged supply-side driven market, traditional 'post-and-pray' strategies no longer work. Learn why securing favorable rates now, evaluating routing guides, and strengthening carrier partnerships are crucial for survival. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FreightTech partnership uses AI to fix costly invoice errors 18.06.2026 27min

Trucking companies and freight brokers often face payment delays due to complex invoice audits. Upwell's CEO Charley Dehoney discusses how their AI-powered platform automates pre-invoice auditing, solving a critical 'missing link' in the supply chain. Discover how this partnership with Kleinschmidt aims to reduce invoice disputes and accelerate cash flow for carriers nationwide. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Industrial Segment 'Comes Alive': What Rail Data Predicts 18.06.2026 14min

Weekly U.S. rail traffic data just dropped, and it's confirming significant strength in the industrial segment of the economy. Total traffic is up an amazing 7.2%, with carloads rising 3.2% year-to-date, despite declines in coal and flat forest products. This is a critical indicator of future freight demand, including trucking, as manufacturers ramp up production. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why THIS Fuel Card Is the OG of Real-time Transactions 18.06.2026 13min

After being acquired by Shell USA, Multi-Service Fuel Card CEO Aaron Decker reveals how he and his management team executed a bold management buyout to regain control. Discover the fascinating journey of this pioneering fuel card provider, established in 1978, and how they help trucking companies navigate volatile fuel markets, maximize efficiency, and combat fraud. Aaron also shares his outlook on diesel prices and how fleets can protect their bottom line. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How John Ferguson Built a $50M Freight Brokerage During COVID 18.06.2026 19min

John Ferguson, CEO of Pivot Supply Chain Solutions, shares the gritty details of starting his freight brokerage during the peak of COVID. From a coat closet to a $50M company, learn the raw truth about establishing credit, covering loads, and building a robust team in a tough market. This isn't your average startup story. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

C.H. Robinson Launches BidBoardX, FedEx Vietnam Meltdown Recovery, & Teradar Sensor OEM Deal | The Morning Minute 18.06.2026 3min

In this episode, we kick things off by examining a major digital freight platform designed to eliminate the traditional back-and-forth friction between carriers and shippers hunting for committed freight. C.H. Robinson unveiled BidBoardX, a new self-service tool that gives carriers direct access to committed freight opportunities through a single digital interface. The platform allows certified carriers to search opportunities across multiple categories, submit bids for full or partial volume, and track activity without the lengthy phone calls and email exchanges that have historically pushed both sides toward spot market volatility. Next, we explore the parcel sector where FedEx is slowly clawing its way back from an operational meltdown in Vietnam that left shipments stranded and customers furious. The express logistics giant says shipping delays have eased this month after a bungled switch to a different ground delivery provider and the rollout of new technology created widespread disruption, with backlogs decreasing by nearly fifty percent compared to peak levels in early May. Finally, we cover a Boston-based sensor startup pushing its terahertz vision technology closer to automotive serialization with a crucial new partnership with a top German automaker for its flagship Summit sensor. The sensor will be tested against edge cases that continue to expose the limitations of cameras, lidar and radar, including detecting a fallen motorcyclist at a distance or identifying stopped vehicles ahead in dense fog. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trucking's Unsung Heroes: Financial Aid & Wellness for Drivers 17.06.2026 16min

When illness or injury forces a truck driver off the road, the financial fallout can be immediate and devastating. The St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund steps in as a vital safety net, offering financial aid for essential needs like rent, insurance, and vehicle payments. Beyond crisis support, they provide crucial wellness programs, from smoking cessation to cancer screenings, helping America's highway heroes stay healthy and on the job. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices