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FreightWaves Today

FreightWaves

FreightWaves NOW is your daily source for the most impactful news in logistics. We break down the complex world of freight—covering trucking, rail, air, and ocean markets—to bring you actionable insights. Whether you are a carrier, shipper, or broker, we provide the data-driven context you need to navigate a volatile market.

76 episodes
Avg 1 hr 9 min
English

Episodes 76

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Friday · 2 hr
FreightWaves Today | September 18
In this episode, Craig Fuller and Julie discuss how GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are changing consumer behavior — and why those changes could have a measurable impact on freight volumes. The conversation explores declining food and beverage consumption, shifting demand for snacks, soda, alcohol and restaurant meals, and what those trends could mean for trucking and the broader freight economy. The show also covers the latest FreightTech 100, FreightWaves’ annual list recognizing innovative companies across freight and supply chain technology. This year’s list reflects the growing influence of artificial intelligence, automation and autonomous trucking. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Friday · 3 min
Tesla Semi Europe Timeline, NS-UP Merger Removes Rail Friction, & CMT Broker Safety Platform | The Morning Minute
In this episode, we kick things off by examining Tesla's ambitious push into the European freight market as the electric vehicle giant targets late-2027 customer deliveries for the Semi after demonstrations begin in the first half of that year. The first European trucks will roll off the Reno, Nevada production line, which is designed for fifty thousand units annually, and will feature a 342-mile usable range with the ability to recover more than sixty percent of range in just thirty minutes using Tesla's new Megacharger network of over one hundred stalls across Europe. Shifting gears to the rails, we examine how Norfolk Southern is positioning its proposed combination with Union Pacific as a transformative step for intermodal freight. According to the railroad's leadership, the proposed mega-merger is central to removing structural friction from the freight network by creating single-line service for roughly ten thousand existing lanes and eliminating approximately 2,400 railcar handlings and 60,000 car-miles per day. With Norfolk Southern's intermodal volume already up nearly fourteen percent year-over-year, the railroad argues that removing friction rather than simply undercutting truck prices is the key to capturing highway freight. Finally, we cover a critical new resource for freight brokers navigating heightened liability in the wake of a recent Supreme Court ruling. Cambridge Mobile Telematics has officially launched Freight Safety Intelligence, a platform that analyzes carrier driving behavior from the previous ninety days and generates real-time carrier-level safety scores. The platform leverages data from carriers' existing telematics systems without requiring new hardware, and it arrives at a crucial moment as brokers face increased exposure to negligent-selection claims following the Supreme Court's ruling in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thursday · 2 hr
FreightWaves Today | September 17
FreightWaves Today dives into the latest forces reshaping freight markets, from rising carrier costs and cross-border trade tensions to stronger-than-expected import volumes and signs of tightening truckload capacity. Hosts Julie Van de Kamp and Zach Strickland break down J.B. Hunt’s warning that higher diesel and driver costs are outpacing pricing gains, as well as the growing challenges around recruiting, retaining and developing qualified drivers. They also examine rising rail dwell at the Los Angeles–Long Beach port complex and what the divergence between rail and truck dwell times means for intermodal reliability. Peacock Tariff Consulting principal Kyle Peacock joins the show to discuss the breakdown in U.S.-Canada trade negotiations, new Canadian tariffs and product bans, and the ongoing U.S.-Mexico talks over USMCA and automotive content requirements. The conversation explores how tariff uncertainty is reshaping freight lanes, supply chains and long-term planning for shippers and carriers. In the SONAR market update, Zach looks at rising tender rejection rates following Labor Day and a sharp post-holiday surge in truckload volumes. The data points to broad-based increases in rejection rates across major freight markets, while refrigerated freight continues its seasonal influence on the national market. The show also features Mark McEntire, the new CEO of Emerge, who discusses his shipper-focused vision for the company, the shift from episodic to continuous procurement, the growing role of AI and data in freight procurement, and Emerge’s efforts to bring truckload, LTL, intermodal and other modes together on a single platform. Finally, FreightWaves writer Stuart Chirls joins the program to examine elevated U.S. container imports, including August’s exceptionally strong volumes at major ports such as Long Beach and Charleston. The discussion looks at the forces driving import demand—from consumer goods to data-center construction—and whether elevated volumes will persist into the fall. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thursday · 3 min
J.B. Hunt Shares Plunge 12%, Private Fleet Safety Shifts, & LA-Long Beach Rail Delays | The Morning Minute
In this episode, we kick things off by examining the brutal earnings warning that triggered a sharp sell-off in one of the country's largest logistics providers. J.B. Hunt's shares sank twelve percent after executives disclosed severe third-quarter cost pressures, driven by a sharp runup in diesel fuel prices and twenty-five million dollars in incremental driver-related expenses. The company's third-quarter EPS guidance came in roughly sixteen percent below Wall Street's consensus estimate, despite management characterizing the inflation as more cyclical than structural. Next, we explore how the persistent driver shortage is fundamentally reshaping safety strategies across the private fleet sector. Private fleets are increasingly focused on developing struggling drivers rather than dismissing them, as qualified replacements remain difficult to find and accident litigation costs continue to climb. Dot Foods has shifted from a reactive safety model to one driven by data and behavior patterns, targeting the bottom ten to twenty percent of its nearly two thousand two hundred driver population with mandatory professional development plans. Finally, we shift over to the rails to discuss a troubling bottleneck developing at the nation's busiest port complex. Rail-destined cargo dwell at Los Angeles-Long Beach climbed to six point seven five days in August, even as local truck dwell remained remarkably fluid at sub-three-day levels. The divergence underscores the critical importance of intermodal rail performance to overall cargo fluidity, especially as a significant share of containers arriving at the gateway is destined for inland U.S. markets. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Wednesday · 2 hr 8 min
FreightWaves Today | September 16
FreightWaves Today digs into the latest signals from across the freight and transportation markets — from weakening freight demand and rail volumes to record diesel prices, supply chain disruptions and the evolving role of technology in trucking and procurement. The team breaks down J.B. Hunt’s latest commentary, softer consumer demand, tight capacity and what current tender rejection and truckload volume data are saying about the fall freight market. Energy advisor Tom Kloza examines the forces driving diesel and crude markets, the impact of disruptions in the Middle East and Russia, refining capacity, renewable diesel and what the next several months could mean for transportation costs. Daniel Silverfield, Head of Value and Selection for Amazon Business, explains how the B2B operation serves millions of business customers, simplifies procurement and uses AI and data to help companies consolidate purchases and find savings. Bill Stephens, Editor of Trains Magazine, joins the show to discuss the latest railroad data. North American rail traffic declined year over year, with weakness across several economically sensitive commodities, including chemicals, petroleum and autos. Michael Cainey from Highway joins the conversation on the challenges facing the brokerage and trucking markets, including fraud, carrier verification, tracking technology and how legitimate carriers can stand out in an increasingly complex freight environment. Plus, the latest SONAR data on diesel, spot rates, shipment volumes and tender rejections — and a look at what those numbers could mean as the freight market heads into peak season. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tuesday · 2 hr 11 min
FreightWaves Today | September 15
FreightWaves Today takes a deep look at where the freight market is headed, from tightening capacity and rising rates to regulation, industrial demand, global trade and the forces reshaping supply chains. Tom Albrecht of Reliance Partners joins the show to discuss the current freight cycle, drawing on decades of experience covering both trucking and rail. The conversation examines improving industrial demand, strong rail volumes, capacity constraints and the regulatory changes that could determine how long the current freight recovery lasts. Jason Miller weighs in on the demand side of the market, including the massive buildout of AI data centers and the possibility that traditional freight metrics are underestimating the amount of freight moving through the industrial economy. The discussion also looks at truck capacity, driver availability, equipment orders and the potential impact of interest rates on the freight cycle. Rush from Tabi breaks down how freight brokers are adapting to a more data-driven market. Tabi’s Pricing Pressure Index, which measures the balance of pricing power between shippers and brokers, is showing a market that remains favorable to brokers but is beginning to normalize. The conversation explores spot pricing, margins, shipper behavior and why disciplined, data-driven brokers are outperforming those still chasing volume. Lakshman Achuthan, co-founder of the Economic Cycle Research Institute, brings a macroeconomic perspective, warning that global and U.S. industrial growth may be approaching a turning point. He explains how leading indicators are signaling slower growth ahead and discusses the risk of sticky costs, higher interest rates and a potential period of stagflation. The episode closes with a wide-ranging conversation about North American trade and supply chains, including the future of USMCA, sourcing strategies, U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade relationships, reindustrialization and national security. The discussion highlights how decades of integrated North American supply chains could be affected by changing trade policies and tariffs. Also featured: a look at the role of AI data centers, energy infrastructure and the challenge of balancing technological investment with regulatory and community concerns. Watch FreightWaves Today for the latest analysis on freight markets, trucking, logistics, rail, supply chains and the economy. #FreightWaves #FreightWavesToday #Trucking #Logistics #Freight #SupplyChain #Truckload #Rail #FreightMarket Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Monday · 1 hr 50 min
FreightWaves Today | September 14
Autonomous trucking is moving from the drawing board to real-world operations — and the implications for the freight industry could be enormous. In this special edition of FreightWaves Today, we take an in-depth look at the future of automation with leaders across autonomous trucking, freight marketplaces, artificial intelligence and autonomous delivery. The episode explores how purpose-built autonomous vehicles could reshape the way freight moves, including the potential decline of traditional drop-trailer models and the rise of on-demand, dock-to-dock transportation. Industry leaders also discuss whether autonomous trucking will accelerate consolidation among carriers and brokers, and which companies could be best positioned for the transition. We also examine the business of autonomous transportation with Einride CEO Roozbeh Charafeddine, including the company's growth, its work with major customers such as Amazon, its 500-truck Tesla Semi commitment and its strategy for gradually introducing autonomous and electric vehicles into freight networks. Charafeddine also discusses Einride's defense business and how autonomous technology can remove people from dangerous transportation environments. uShip CEO Shawn Wu talks about the role of marketplaces in a changing freight environment, including the challenges of moving non-standardized and oversized freight, marketplace trust and safety, cargo security, household moves and the current market for large and bulky shipments. The conversation then expands beyond trucking to autonomous delivery. AV Ride discusses its autonomous passenger vehicles and delivery robots, the role of platforms such as Uber and Grubhub, and the challenges of bringing autonomous delivery from dense urban areas and college campuses into suburban markets. We also examine how artificial intelligence could transform global trade, with a focus on the data and operational knowledge needed to make AI agents useful in real-world supply chain operations. From autonomous trucks and electric fleets to AI, delivery robots and the potential consolidation of the freight industry, this special edition looks at the technologies and business models that could define the next decade of transportation. Subscribe to FreightWaves for more coverage of the people, companies and technologies shaping the future of freight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 11 · 2 hr 6 min
FreightWaves Today | September 11
Join Julie Van de Kamp and Malcolm Harris on FreightWaves Today as they break down major freight news, market trends, and industry insights. In this episode, industry leaders discuss small carrier financial discipline, fleet repair innovations, and regional market volatility. In our Morning Minute: Teamsters President Sean O’Brien warns UPS of potential 2028 strike risks, Delaware breaks ground on a $669M container terminal project, and a cargo ship fire in China leaves 25 dead. Then, Dave Gilbert, Founder and CEO of National Funding, discusses why a full order book doesn’t always signal expansion readiness, navigating high repair costs, and how small carriers can avoid cash flow traps. Julie has a breakdown of national tender rejections, spot rates, and headhaul vs. backhaul trends across key markets including Cincinnati, Detroit, Joliet, Miami, and Houston. And to wrap up the first hour, Andy Klobnock, COO of ServiceUp, breaks down their new partnership with Stellantis Pro One, detailing how centralized billing and AI agents are untangling fleet repair headaches. Then in our 2nd hour, Zach Strickland and economist D.J. Donahue break down the latest economic data and what it means for transportation, consumers and the broader freight economy. Zach is also joined by Thomas Wasson who helps Zach to explore the changing North American freight landscape. They discuss Mexican cross-border trucking, cabotage enforcement, falling Laredo freight volumes, shifting Mexico trade flows and the growing influence of data-center construction on freight demand. Data-center investment is generating demand for electronics, steel, concrete and open-deck capacity even as traditional consumer demand remains relatively muted. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 11 · 3 min
Teamsters Warn UPS of 2028 Strike, Delaware's $669M Terminal, & Deadly Shipyard Fire | The Morning Minute
In this episode, we kick things off with a stark warning from the Teamsters union as President Sean O'Brien puts UPS on notice for a potential strike in 2028, two full years before contract negotiations typically turn contentious. Among the key demands are protections against benefit rollbacks, restrictions on autonomous trucks, and a highly unusual provision allowing regional unions to strike mid-contract over unresolved grievances. Next, we explore major maritime infrastructure developments as construction officially begins on Delaware's massive $669 million container terminal along the Delaware River. The Delaware Container Terminal will feature a 45-foot berth depth capable of handling post-Panamax vessels up to 16,000 TEUs and is projected to create nearly 6,000 new jobs once fully operational by late 2028. Finally, we cover a devastating incident in China where a deadly fire aboard a cargo ship at a Qingdao shipyard claimed 25 lives during repair operations. The blaze erupted Thursday morning aboard the Liberia-flagged dry bulk carrier Ocean Melody, with authorities launching an investigation into the cause of the tragedy that left 42 people aboard at the time of the incident. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 10 · 2 hr
FreightWaves Today | September 10
The freight market is heading into peak season with plenty of uncertainty. On this episode of FreightWaves Today, Malcolm Harris and Zach Strickland break down the latest data shaping trucking, logistics and the broader economy. First, Eric Lemus of The Fulfillment Lab joins the show to discuss new Commerce Signal data showing operator margin cushions nearly disappearing as shipping costs rise faster than revenue. With parcel costs up sharply and peak-season surcharges approaching, retailers and 3PLs face growing pressure to control transportation spend while managing lean inventories. Lemus also explains why diversifying carrier strategies could deliver significant savings. Then, Zach dives into the latest SONAR data, including tender rejection rates, tender volumes, spot rates, diesel prices, imports and the potential for tighter capacity as retailers replenish inventory heading into Q4. Weather is also taking center stage. Ben Hershey of DTN explains how AI-powered weather intelligence and crash-risk forecasting can help fleets anticipate dangerous conditions, improve routing decisions and keep drivers moving safely. The discussion also examines what the developing El Niño pattern could mean for winter weather, freight corridors and mountain passes across the country. In the second hour, Zach is joined by FreightWaves economist D.J. Donahue to unpack the latest economic releases, consumer credit, transportation inflation, tariffs and the growing influence of AI and data-center construction on the economy and freight demand. Finally, Thomas Wasson returns to discuss major transportation and international trade issues, including U.S.-Mexico cross-border freight, cabotage enforcement, changing freight flows, maritime rates and the latest FMCSA carrier data. The conversation takes a close look at whether trucking capacity is actually growing — and what recent regulatory changes could mean for the carrier base. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 10 · 3 min
US-Mexico Trade Hits Record, FMCSA Suspends Enforcement, & ICE CDL Fraud Tip Line | The Morning Minute
In this episode, we kick things off by examining a massive milestone in cross-border commerce as US-Mexico trade smashed the monthly record at nearly $95 billion in July. Two-way trade surged 27.5% year over year, with Mexico now firmly holding its position as America's number one trading partner ahead of Canada and China. Laredo, Texas, retained its crown as the nation's busiest international trade gateway, handling nearly $37 billion in commerce while experiencing tight trucking capacity. Meanwhile, federal regulators are giving carriers some breathing room during a major technology transition. We discuss how FMCSA suspended enforcement of biennial update requirements and stopped deactivating USDOT numbers for missed filings. The relief covers deadlines on or after June 1, 2026, and remains in place while registrants transition to the agency's new MOTUS system, which launched in May. Finally, we unpack the federal government's aggressive crackdown on alleged CDL fraud as ICE launched a tip line for reporting suspected commercial driver's license fraud in partnership with the Department of Transportation. The tip line comes shortly after federal officials removed over 110 commercial driver training schools from a federal registry, with HSI already receiving more than 1,000 leads involving CDL-related businesses suspected of unsafe practices and potential connections to human smuggling, drug trafficking, and cartel activity. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 9 · 2 hr 14 min
FreightWaves Today | September 9
On this episode of FreightWaves Today, Malcolm Harris and Julie Van de Kamp break down the latest developments shaping freight, transportation and global supply chains. The show leads with escalating trade tensions as Canada imposes retaliatory tariffs of up to 50% on nearly $20 billion of U.S. goods, while President Donald Trump raises the possibility of further changes to trade with Mexico, Canada and the European Union. The hosts examine what the uncertainty could mean for cross-border freight, manufacturers, shippers and transportation costs. Then, Jason Murray, CEO and co-founder of Shipium, and Penny Allen, SVP of AI Product and Engineering, join the show to discuss Shipium's new "Always-On Audit." They explain how AI-powered, continuous auditing can track shipments in real time, identify billing and data issues, catch problems before they become costly and automate freight-payment reconciliation. The team also digs into the deadly Amazon cargo jet crash at Miami International Airport with FreightWaves air and parcel expert Eric Kulisch. Eric provides an update on the NTSB investigation, the sequence of events surrounding the Boeing 767 freighter's runway overrun and the potential implications for air cargo operations at one of the country's key international gateways. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 9 · 3 min
Canada's $20B Tariff Retaliation, Amazon Freighter Crash Details, & Trump Trade Ultimatum | The Morning Minute
In this episode, we kick things off by examining the massive trade escalation adding serious costs and uncertainty across North American supply chains. Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs of up to fifty percent on nearly twenty billion dollars worth of U.S. goods following the collapse of bilateral trade negotiations in August. These duties target hundreds of American products, from steel and aluminum to dairy, clothing, furniture, and industrial equipment, impacting one of the world's largest bilateral trading relationships. Meanwhile, investigators are piecing together critical details from Sunday's deadly cargo jet crash at Miami International Airport. National Transportation Safety Board officials revealed that the Amazon Boeing 767 freighter was carrying over thirty-two thousand pounds of contact lenses and failed to deploy critical systems meant to slow the aircraft upon landing. The plane hovered well past the normal runway zone, ran off the runway at one hundred eighty-one miles per hour, and plowed into vehicles and fences, leaving five people dead. Finally, we unpack President Trump's dramatic escalation of trade rhetoric against America's largest trading partners. During a September fourth Oval Office news conference, Trump suggested the U.S. could stop trading with Mexico and other countries where it runs large trade deficits, claiming America could prosper by reducing its dependence on foreign trade. Trump singled out Mexico, Canada, and the European Union, arguing the U.S. could eliminate trade deficits simply by refusing to trade with those markets. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 8 · 2 hr
FreightWaves Today | September 8
On this episode of FreightWaves Today, the team breaks down the latest freight market developments as the industry heads into fall peak season. Topics include the deadly cargo plane accident at Miami International Airport, rising truckload tender rejections, spot and contract rate trends, strong intermodal demand and what the latest SONAR data signals for the weeks ahead. The episode also explores record-high diesel prices and their impact on carriers and brokers, along with the evolving legal and regulatory landscape facing the trucking industry. Plus, the team looks at autonomous trucking, automation and the potential for consolidation across freight and logistics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 8 · 3 min
Miami Cargo Jet Tragedy, UP-NS Labor Concerns, & Mexico B-1 Visa Dispute | The Morning Minute
In this episode, we kick things off with a tragic cargo jet accident that has crippled half of Miami International Airport's operations. An Amazon Air Boeing 767 freighter operated by 21 Air overran a runway during landing, struck multiple vehicles on a nearby road, and caught fire, leaving five people dead and five seriously injured. Listen in to learn how two of Miami's four runways remain closed following the deadly Amazon cargo jet accident, causing massive flight disruptions while the National Transportation Safety Board investigates the runway excursion that occurred at one hundred thirty miles per hour. Shifting gears to the rails, we examine a rare display of Democratic Party unity just weeks before crucial midterm elections. More than one hundred House Democrats are demanding that railroad workers come first in the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern mega-merger review by the Surface Transportation Board. The eighty-five billion dollar deal would create the first transcontinental freight railroad and the largest rail network in U.S. history, but union leaders warn that Union Pacific's lifetime employment offer does not fully protect some critical positions. Finally, we cover a critical visa enforcement dispute threatening to disrupt cross-border freight flows between Mexico and the United States. Mexican trucking industry leaders are intensifying calls for clarity after a trucker protest raised the stakes in the escalating Mexico-U.S. B-1 visa dispute with drivers blocking the Mexicali-Calexico East border crossing. Mexico's National Chamber of Freight Transportation estimates more than twenty-five thousand visas have been revoked from commercial drivers, potentially disrupting time-sensitive shipments including medical products, technology, food, and perishables. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 4 · 2 hr 1 min
Best of FreightWaves Today | September 4
FreightWaves Today takes a look back at some of the biggest conversations shaping freight and transportation in this special edition featuring a collection of standout interviews from the summer. Malcolm Harris and the FreightWaves team dig into the real-world performance of the Tesla Semi with Inter-coastal Trucking’s Bob Lewis, including driver feedback, range, charging infrastructure, maintenance savings and where electric trucks make the most sense in a fleet. The show also explores the state of the rail freight market with Telegraph’s David Correll, including rail volume forecasts, coal exports, tank car availability, AI data center construction and the growing gap between truck and intermodal pricing. Freight market strategy takes center stage with RXO Chief Strategy Officer Jared Weisfeld, who discusses the ongoing capacity correction, tightening freight markets, shipper concerns, routing guide failures, spot versus contract rates and why he believes the industry could be entering a multi-year freight recovery. Mitsubishi HC Capital America’s Kirk Mann joins the conversation to examine the equipment financing market, the impact of the freight recession on small carriers, truck values, lending conditions and what fleets are doing as the market begins to recover. Finally, Ken Adamo of EASE Logistics weighs in on current freight volumes, seasonality, intermodal growth, contract repricing and the question of whether new capacity is actually entering the trucking market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 3 · 1 hr 54 min
FreightWaves Today | September 3
On this episode of FreightWaves Today, Malcolm Harris and Zach Strickland break down the latest developments shaping freight, logistics and the broader economy. The show opens with the latest headlines, including an EPA proposal that could change how diesel exhaust fluid warnings work, a series of commercial vehicle safety enforcement blitzes and rising Pacific container rates amid strong peak-season demand and port congestion. Then, Ainsley Williams, VP of Automation and Innovation at Kenco, joins the show to discuss the expansion of Kenco’s Innovation Lab in Chattanooga from 10,000 to 30,000 square feet. She explains how the larger facility will allow Kenco to test interconnected warehouse robotics, automation systems and emerging technologies in a real-world environment before deploying them for customers. Zach then dives into the latest SONAR data, examining the impact of Labor Day on tender rejections, freight volumes and spot rates across van, reefer and flatbed markets. Later, Matt Pyatt, CEO and co-founder of Arrive Logistics, joins the show to discuss Mubadala Capital’s majority investment in Arrive, the company’s growth strategy and what the deal means for its future. Pyatt also shares his outlook on freight demand, capacity, truckload rates and why he believes the market remains highly susceptible to disruption. Finally, the FreightWaves team examines the latest JOLTS and ADP employment data with economist D.J. Donahue, looking at what the numbers reveal about the labor market and the health of the economy. Subscribe to FreightWaves for the latest news, data and analysis from across the transportation and logistics industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 3 · 3 min
EPA's DEF Rule Decision Nears, Truck Blitzes Sideline 99 Drivers, & Trans-Pacific Rates Surge | The Morning Minute
In this episode, we kick things off in Washington, where the public comment period has just closed on a major Environmental Protection Agency proposal that could fundamentally reshape how diesel engine systems operate. Listen in to learn how the EPA's controversial plan to replace engine deratement with warning signals has drawn nearly two hundred submissions spanning industry praise and sharp environmental criticism, while the proposal also includes nonconformance penalties allowing manufacturers to pay fines and continue selling current products. Next, we explore the results of a sweeping series of state enforcement blitzes where inspectors uncovered thousands of safety violations and placed ninety-nine drivers out of service across six states. Texas authorities led with a brutal operation in the Permian Basin that posted a staggering forty-seven point six percent vehicle out-of-service rate, averaging five point five violations per inspection and signaling dramatically heightened enforcement exposure for carriers operating through major freight corridors. Finally, we examine the ocean freight market as trans-Pacific container rates climb to fresh highs on resilient peak-season demand and severe port congestion caused by typhoons hammering Chinese and regional Asian facilities since mid-July. Asia-to-U.S. West Coast spot rates increased to seven thousand six hundred twenty-one dollars per forty-foot unit, while a succession of disruptions at Shanghai and Ningbo has forced carriers to omit port calls and adjust vessel rotations, creating significant capacity constraints supporting freight rates across multiple trade lanes. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 2 · 2 hr
FreightWaves Today | September 2
AI is transforming freight operations, but how far can automation go — and what happens when location intelligence, rail networks and energy markets collide? On this episode of FreightWaves Today, Malcolm Harris and Julie Van de Kamp break down the biggest stories and trends shaping transportation and logistics. The show opens with three major headlines: an alleged Texas grain theft ring involving more than 170 loads, a federal crackdown on 110 commercial driver training schools, and the latest developments in Yellow Corp.’s bankruptcy and pension settlements. Then, EAIGLE CEO and founder Amir Hoss joins the show to explain how AI-powered computer vision is automating truck gates and yards. The discussion covers unmanned and paperless facilities, real-time yard visibility, fraud prevention, data accuracy and the path toward fully autonomous yards. HERE Technologies’ Bart Coppelmans discusses the next phase of AI in logistics, including spatial reasoning, location intelligence and the importance of connecting planning, execution and analytics. He explains how AI can help fleets make better routing decisions while keeping humans in control of critical decisions. For the weekly rail segment, Trains Magazine editor Bill Stephens and Trinity Rail Chief Commercial Officer Charlie Moore break down the latest rail traffic numbers, railcar demand, intermodal growth, coal shipments, tariffs and steel costs. They also discuss the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger, rail service reliability and what could drive railcar demand into 2027. Finally, FreightWaves editor-at-large John Kingston takes a deep dive into surging diesel prices, refinery constraints, Russia-Ukraine disruptions, the Strait of Hormuz and what historically high diesel costs could mean for trucking and the broader economy. Plus, Julie breaks down the latest manufacturing and logistics data, including the August PMI and Logistics Managers’ Index, with a look at transportation capacity, utilization, pricing and what the numbers could mean heading into peak season. Subscribe to FreightWaves for the latest news, analysis and data covering trucking, freight, logistics, rail and supply chain. #FreightWaves #FreightWavesToday #Trucking #Logistics #SupplyChain #AI #Rail #Diesel #Freight Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 2 · 3 min
$800K Texas Grain Theft, 110 CDL Schools Shuttered, & Yellow's $526M Pension Deal | The Morning Minute
In this episode, we kick things off with a massive organized crime investigation that has rocked the agricultural sector across Texas. Authorities have linked three men to an alleged theft ring involving one hundred seventy-six grain loads valued at over eight hundred thousand dollars, spanning more than nine million pounds of stolen agricultural product. The inquiry now covers over two hundred confirmed or potentially stolen shipments, with additional arrests remaining possible as investigators unravel this elaborate network. Next, we explore a sweeping federal crackdown on substandard driver training facilities as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy orders the emergency shutdown of one hundred ten commercial driving schools nationwide. These schools collectively certified more than five thousand drivers who were later cited for failing to meet federal English-language proficiency requirements during roadside inspections, raising serious questions about the quality and integrity of commercial driver training across the country. Finally, we cover the winding down of one of trucking's most significant bankruptcies as defunct Yellow Corporation reaches settlement agreements totaling up to five hundred twenty-six million dollars to resolve remaining withdrawal liability claims with four multiemployer pension plans. If approved by the federal bankruptcy court in Delaware, the liquidating trust would finally be able to make distributions to creditors, bringing an end to a legal battle that began when the carrier filed for bankruptcy in August twenty twenty-three. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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