FreightWaves Today

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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.

  1. 22 hr ago

    FreightWaves Today | August 14

    In this episode of FreightWaves Today, hosts Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp explore key headlines and developments across the logistics, trucking, and transportation sectors. The show features discussions on the state of trailer insurance, driver recruitment and health, alongside live market analysis via FreightWaves SONAR. Andy Kuchar explains that freight brokers and logistics companies utilizing leased trailer pools are frequently exposed to unmanaged liability risks. Many traditional commercial auto policies contain exclusions for trailers when they are over the road. He points out three warning signs of coverage gaps: reliance on "contingent" coverage language, assuming a third-party driver’s Certificate of Insurance protects you, and lacking a dedicated trailer policy. In our SONAR Update, we see that tender rejections have moderated around 13.5%, overall rejection metrics and spot rates remain significantly higher compared to recent years (up ~21% year-over-year). Craig and Julie characterize explain that this is typical seasonal behavior before the late-summer and Labor Day ramp-up. Jeremy Reymer introduces Project 61, a non-profit initiative created to address the alarmingly low average lifespan of commercial truck drivers (61 years old). The program focuses on practical, free lifestyle improvements for drivers centered on food/nutrition, movement, sleep/recharge, mental health, and preventative care. The segment highlights how driver health directly correlates to highway safety and accident risk reduction. In our 2nd hour, it's return of the Matt! Matthew Leffler joins Craig for an episode of Freight Expectations. The two cover the FMCSA’s proposed rulemaking to codify English language proficiency as an out-of-service violation. They also dive deep into asymmetric warfare, drone technology, and potential vulnerabilities across U.S. logistics infrastructure, fuel refining capacity, and transport hubs. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    FreightWaves Today | August 14

  2. 1 day ago

    Gunfire on Moving BNSF Train, Acertus Buys Fisher Shipping, & Maersk's Last-Mile Strategy | The Morning Minute

    In this episode, we kick things off by examining a violent cargo-theft case that underscores the escalating danger of rail corridor crime in Southern California. After gunfire erupted from a moving BNSF freight train during a confrontation with suspected burglars, authorities arrested five men on charges ranging from attempted murder to cargo theft and conspiracy. The arrests came after task force members discovered equipment used to burglarize rail cars, highlighting how armed theft crews endanger railway employees while disrupting freight moving through critical corridors. Next, we explore how consolidation is reshaping the finished vehicle sector as Overland Park–based Acertus officially acquires Auburn, Massachusetts–based Fisher Shipping, expanding its carrier network and relationships with original equipment manufacturers and dealers. Fisher Shipping will continue to operate under its existing banner while gaining access to Acertus' expansive platform with enhanced fraud prevention and real-time shipment visibility. The deal follows another massive acquisition this week in which Proficient Auto Logistics agreed to acquire Hansen & Adkins for one hundred thirty million dollars, creating a combined entity expected to haul over four million vehicles annually. Finally, we break down how ocean carrier Maersk is betting that vertical integration from port to doorstep is the key to winning the last-mile battle in e-commerce logistics. According to Maersk executives, last-mile delivery is no longer just a cost center—it's a data intelligence engine that reveals upstream issues like inventory allocation, product development, and order response times. Rather than building its own delivery fleet, Maersk manages a pool of carriers on customers' behalf through a multi-carrier model with single API integration, creating one consistent customer experience that connects every link from vessels crossing the ocean to final doorstep delivery. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Gunfire on Moving BNSF Train, Acertus Buys Fisher Shipping, & Maersk's Last-Mile Strategy | The Morning Minute

  3. 2 days ago

    Hit Man Trial in Staged Crash Case, 7 AGs Challenge UP-NS Merger, & Mexico Leads US Trade | The Morning Minute

    In this episode, we kick things off in a New Orleans courtroom where jury selection has begun for a disbarred attorney accused of orchestrating the murder of a federal witness. Prosecutors allege Sean Alfortish conspired to kill Cornelius Garrison, a so-called "slammer" who intentionally sideswiped eighteen-wheelers in a sprawling staged truck crash scheme and later began cooperating with the FBI. The case is part of a massive federal probe that has charged sixty-three defendants in connection with an operation spanning over a decade, where participants recruited passengers and paid drivers to target big rigs carrying large commercial policies, then filed fraudulent lawsuits seeking insurance payouts. Next, we shift over to the rails where a coalition of seven Republican state attorneys general is urging the Surface Transportation Board to reject Union Pacific's proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern. In a letter filed on August eleventh, the attorneys general argued the railroads have not demonstrated the merger would serve the public interest or strengthen rail-to-rail competition. The coalition took particular aim at the proposed Committed Gateway Pricing arrangement, contending it would apply to only zero point nine percent of U.S. rail traffic and could actually result in higher rates for many shippers. Finally, we head south to examine the critical role of cross-border trade as new Census Bureau data confirms Mexico's dominant position in U.S. commerce. Laredo, Texas, remained the nation's busiest international trade gateway, handling a massive thirty-six point five billion dollars in cross-border trade during June—accounting for more than one-third of all U.S.-Mexico commerce. The port's performance highlights its critical role as the primary conduit for automotive parts, vehicles, machinery, electronics and other manufactured goods moving between the two countries. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Hit Man Trial in Staged Crash Case, 7 AGs Challenge UP-NS Merger, & Mexico Leads US Trade | The Morning Minute

  4. 2 days ago

    FreightWaves Today | August 12

    In this episode of FreightWaves Today, hosts Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp dive into the latest industrial data, market updates, and expert interviews across the freight, logistics, energy, and rail sectors. In the morning minute we have the 3 top stories of the day including: Congress pushes to tie USPS executive bonuses directly to 95% on-time delivery metrics via the bipartisan "No Bonuses for Bad Service Act", Werner Enterprises CEO Derek Leathers addresses seasonal spot market trends, capacity tightening, and rate outlooks, and Michigan regulators suspend Northern Michigan University's CDL training program amid a nationwide fraud crackdown. Our first guest, Tom Kloza, Chief Energy Advisor at Gulf Oil, breaks down rising diesel prices, global refining capacity constraints, and how emerging drone warfare poses unprecedented risks to oil infrastructure. In the SONAR update, Julie gives a detailed look at current tender rejections sitting at 13.5%, rising import container volumes, domestic rail mode shifts, and carrier authority changes. Then Patrick Kelleher, CEO of GXO Logistics, stops by to discuss peak season expectations, rapid growth in AI data center construction, manufacturing re-shoring, and tests with humanoid robotics in the warehouse. Trains Magazine's Bill Stephens is back with the latest numbers from Association of American Railroads (AAR) weekly volume data, strong non-coal carload gains, and a federal court ruling upholding the FRA's two-person crew rule. And lastly, Jeff Dangelo, CEO of Fura, announces the acquisition of High Rise (their 7th deal) and explains how AI is streamlining operations and unlocking massive EBITDA improvements for small-to-midsize brokerages. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    FreightWaves Today | August 12

  5. 3 days ago

    USPS Bonuses Tied to Performance, Werner Shrugs Off July Slowdown, & Michigan CDL Suspension | The Morning Minute

    In this episode, we kick things off in Washington, where lawmakers are aggressively tying executive pay to actual delivery performance at the struggling Postal Service. A bipartisan bill barring USPS executives from receiving bonuses until on-time delivery hits ninety-five percent was approved by the Senate Homeland Security Committee last week. The No Bonuses for Bad Service Act comes as the mail carrier missed its on-time target for all eight delivery categories in fiscal year 2025, lost twenty-five billion dollars over the last three years, and reported a two point five billion dollar loss for the third quarter. Next, we shift over to the truckload sector, where Werner Enterprises is shrugging off recent spot market softness and doubling down on the supply-driven recovery. Speaking at Deutsche Bank's Chicago Industrials Summit Tuesday, Chairman and CEO Derek Leathers told investors the company remains unfazed by the seasonal slowdown in July truckload spot market trends. Leathers estimates that eight hundred fifty to nine hundred CDL schools have been forced to close due to insufficient training standards, powering Werner's turnaround with the company's one-way truckload fleet seeing revenue per truck per week jump twenty-eight percent year over year in the second quarter. Finally, we cover the nationwide crackdown on fraudulent CDL training programs as state regulators in Michigan join the fight. The Michigan Department of State issued a summary suspension to Northern Michigan University Truck Driving School on August fifth following an investigation that uncovered multiple alleged violations. Among the most significant allegations, regulators said the school provided behind-the-wheel instruction to students without first verifying they possessed valid commercial learner's permits and allowed students to sign blank instructional documents that were subsequently completed. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    USPS Bonuses Tied to Performance, Werner Shrugs Off July Slowdown, & Michigan CDL Suspension | The Morning Minute

  6. 3 days ago

    FreightWaves Today | August 11

    Welcome to today’s episode of FreightWaves Today! In this episode, we explore the cutting-edge technology, Q2 financial results, supply chain strategies, and market dynamics shaping the logistics and transportation industry. Here is what we cover in today’s show: AI-Powered Freight Execution with Overroute Alex Reed, Founding CEO of Overroute, joins the show to discuss the official launch of their AI-led freight execution platform. Developed in a year-long co-design partnership with J.B. Hunt, the platform uses AI agents to automate shipment coordination, detect exceptions, and streamline customer communications directly within existing carrier systems. Alex breaks down how the technology works day-to-day, how exceptions are handled, and the role of human oversight in AI-driven logistics. RXO Q2 Earnings & Market Share Growth Drew Wilkerson, Chairman and CEO of RXO, breaks down the company’s Q2 financial performance and market strategy. RXO reported strong volume growth across its business, with truckload volume outperforming the market by growing 2%. Drew shares how a 42% spot mix drove gross profit per load, the impact of agentic AI on operational productivity, and why he believes the freight market is in the early stages of a recovery. Managing Summer Retail Surplus & Returns Amrita Bhasin, Co-Founder and CEO of Sotira, returns to discuss how retailers are navigating late-summer return spikes and excess seasonal inventory heading into fall. Amrita explains how Sotira leverages AI to match overstock inventory with secondary buyers and donation markets—helping brands protect their bottom line while keeping surplus goods out of landfills. Transportation M&A & Freight Market Capacity Craig Decker, Managing Director at Brown Gibbons Lang & Company, provides an inside look at the dealmaking environment across logistics and transportation. Craig explores how capacity leaving the system—rather than a surge in demand—is driving early signs of freight market recovery, and what buyers and sellers need to know about transportation M&A activity heading into 2026. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    FreightWaves Today | August 11

  7. 4 days ago

    Proficient Auto Logistics Hits 25%, USPS Zip Code Battle, & BNSF Q2 Earnings Surge | The Morning Minute

    In this episode, we kick things off with a massive consolidation move reshaping the finished vehicle logistics market. Jacksonville-based Proficient Auto Logistics announced a one hundred thirty million dollar agreement to acquire California-based Hansen & Adkins, a deal that will push the combined company's market share to roughly 25 percent of the new car hauling market. The acquisition will more than double Proficient's fleet to over seven hundred twenty-five company-owned units and add four hundred million dollars in annual revenue, with the deal expected to close in mid-August as the auto haul industry faces rising regulatory pressures and tightening capacity. Next, we explore a brewing battle in the parcel sector where a Senate bill aimed at solving Zip code confusion is triggering fierce pushback from postal leadership. The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee endorsed legislation requiring the U.S. Postal Service to designate unique Zip codes for eighty-three communities, but Postmaster General David Steiner is warning that the mandate would cause irreparable harm to both the organization and its customers. Steiner claims implementation would cost well over eight hundred million dollars, completely erasing last quarter's hard-fought performance gains for an agency that has lost nearly fifteen billion dollars over the past twenty-one months. Finally, we break down strong second-quarter results from one of the nation's largest freight railroads as BNSF Railway reported pre-tax earnings rising nearly fourteen percent on higher volume and revenue. Parent company Berkshire Hathaway disclosed that BNSF's earnings climbed to two point zero six billion dollars as revenue increased fourteen point six percent to six point five six billion, driven by a six and a half percent volume surge and higher revenue per unit. Consumer products traffic grew nine point three percent thanks to increased West Coast imports and tightening truck capacity, while agricultural and energy shipments jumped eleven and a half percent, though the railroad's operating ratio deteriorated slightly as fuel costs surged sixty-eight percent year over year. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Proficient Auto Logistics Hits 25%, USPS Zip Code Battle, & BNSF Q2 Earnings Surge | The Morning Minute

  8. 4 days ago

    FreightWaves Today | August 10

    On today’s show, we dive into the shifting macro landscape, major breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, and new solutions for fleet electrification:  Freight Market Shakeout: Ryan Farlow, Industrials Senior Analyst at RSM, discusses how regulatory enforcement, small-carrier cost pressures, and changing capital costs could trigger a capacity shakeout to rebalance freight pricing.  Enterprise AI at Scale: Adrian Smith, Co-Founder and CEO of Ripple, breaks down their record enterprise deployment with global freight forwarder JAS, detailing how bespoke AI automation transforms core workflows.  Autonomous Tech Milestones: Raquel Urtasun, Founder and CEO of Waabi, explains how the Waabi Driver achieved zero-retraining AI generalization by seamlessly transferring to the Volvo VNL Autonomous platform without new data.  Electrification Solutions: Pat White, VP of Commercial at OptiGrid, highlights how battery-integrated fast chargers enable fleets to bypass long utility delays and slash deployment timelines from years to weeks. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    FreightWaves Today | August 10
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    FreightWaves
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    2k
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © FreightWaves
  • Show Website
    FreightWaves Today

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