NewsBusiness NewsDaily NewsNews Commentary

FreightCasts

FreightWaves

A full trailer load of freight podcasts from FreightWaves. Enjoy shows like the award-winning WHAT THE TRUCK?!? podcast, Put That Coffee Down, Freightonomics, Fuller Speed Ahead, Great Quarter, Gals and more with one click of the subscribe button. One freight feed to rule them all!

Play

Open in

162 episodes
Avg 51 min
English

Episodes 162

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

Yesterday · 2 hr 32 min
FreightWaves Today | November 5
Join FreightWaves Today live from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at UP.Summit, where the innovators, founders, government leaders and defense industry executives shaping the future of aviation, aerospace and transportation are coming together. In this special episode, we explore how emerging technologies are transforming the way people and freight move — from autonomous aircraft and next-generation military aviation to electric cargo planes and the future of airfreight logistics. Our conversations include: Merlin: Founder Matt George discusses building an autonomous pilot, how AI-powered flight systems could improve aviation safety, and the potential to bring autonomy to military and commercial cargo aircraft. We also explore Merlin's work with the U.S. Air Force and its partnership with Textron. Sorian Aerospace: We look at the Sandman, an autonomous supersonic training aircraft designed to help prepare military pilots for the next generation of aerial warfare, including the growing role of unmanned aircraft and collaborative combat systems. REGENT / Sea glider technology: Discover how electric, wing-in-ground-effect vehicles could create a new category of coastal transportation, connecting communities, ports and offshore operations with speed and efficiency. BETA Technologies: Head of Policy Chip Palamni explains the evolution of electric aviation, the economics of electric cargo aircraft, reduced maintenance costs and the opportunity to rethink regional airfreight networks. We also discuss BETA's aircraft, medical cargo deliveries and potential hub-bypass routes. Defense, aviation and aerospace leadership: Conversations explore America's defense innovation ecosystem, the importance of domestic manufacturing, emerging drone threats and the supply chains needed to maintain U.S. technological leadership. From drone delivery and autonomous flight to military readiness, domestic manufacturing and the aerospace supply chain, this episode examines the technologies and companies that could reshape aviation and freight transportation. The future of freight isn't limited to highways, railroads and ocean shipping. A new era of aviation innovation is taking shape — and we're on the ground at UP.Summit to explore what's coming next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Yesterday · 36 min
The Green Mile — Where Small Carriers Actually Win
Most small carriers start every morning the same way. Coffee, phone, load board. They're competing with every carrier in the country for freight that's three states away, at a rate set by whoever will take the least. Meanwhile, inside twenty miles of their own front door, there are manufacturers, distribution centers, food processors, and warehouses that ship freight every single week. Some of them have trucks lined up at the gate right now, and the carriers in that line didn't find the freight on a board. Somebody picked up a phone. Somebody walked in. This is a solo masterclass on the Green Mile, the twenty-mile circle around your operating zip code, and why working your home court is one of the most durable moves a small carrier can make. It includes a live screen demo of how I use Google to find shippers in any area, then covers how to read them, how to walk in the door, how to price what you win, and how to protect it once you've got it. No guest. Just the strategy, step by step. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Yesterday · 1 hr 6 min
TRUCKING'S FUTURE IS ON TRIAL | BRAKE CHECK
Washington writes the rules. Silicon Valley wants the wheel. Regulators control the paperwork. But who's looking out for the American trucking companies keeping this country moving? The future of trucking is being decided, the question is, WHO GETS A SAY? Brake Check goes LIVE from the National Association of Small Trucking Companies (NASTC) Annual Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, bringing some of the industry's most recognizable voices together for a conversation that refuses to dodge the tough questions. Joining Charles, - David Owen — President, NASTC - Kevin Rutherford — Trucking business expert and industry voice - Ellen Voie — Trucking industry leader and advocate - Rick Gobble — Trucking industry voice ON THE DOCKET: ENFORCEMENT: Are we leveling the playing field or burying good carriers in red tape? AUTONOMOUS TRUCKING: Is technology advancing the industry or advancing past the people who built it? WASHINGTON & REGULATIONS: Who's really influencing the decisions that impact America's truckers? FMCSA & MOTUS: Modernization or another headache for the small carriers trying to do business? THE AMERICAN TRUCKING COMPANY: Can small carriers survive the pressure, politics, and promises of tomorrow? No carefully scripted corporate talking points. No pretending everyone agrees. Just real industry voices tackling the issues shaping the future of American trucking. Because the people making a living in trucking deserve more than a front-row seat to decisions about their future. They deserve a voice. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: If YOU could put Washington, trucking's biggest organizations, and the autonomous-trucking industry on the witness stand, what's the ONE question you'd demand they answer? Drop it in the comments. We might just bring your question into a future episode. LIKE if American trucking deserves a seat at the table. COMMENT with your opinion SHARE with a driver, owner-operator, or fleet owner who needs to hear this conversation. SUBSCRIBE to FreightWaves for more Brake Check episodes where we put trucking's toughest issues under the microscope. #BrakeCheck #TruckingIndustry #NASTC #FreightWaves #AutonomousTrucking #FMCSA #OwnerOperators #SmallBusiness #TruckingNews #AmericanTrucking Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Wednesday · 1 hr
FreightWaves Today | November 4
Freight markets remain tight as shippers navigate rising transportation costs, rail disruptions, and uncertainty heading into the holiday peak season. Meanwhile, the rapid growth of autonomous vehicles is raising an important question: how do we measure whether self-driving trucks and vehicles are truly safe to operate? On this episode of FreightWaves Today, Julie Van de Kamp and Zach Strickland break down the latest freight market data, examine major transportation earnings, and welcome experts to discuss autonomous vehicle safety and the latest developments across North American rail. In this episode: 🤖 The Future of Autonomous Vehicle Safety with Luc Vincent, Special Advisor at Empiric Earth: Why autonomous vehicles need more than billions of routine driving miles to prove they are safe. Vincent explains how rare real-world events—such as near misses, road debris, flooding, severe weather, and unusual driver behavior—can help train and validate autonomous systems. He also introduces APEX, Empiric Earth's developing safety-testing framework designed to measure autonomous vehicle performance across different driving scenarios and potentially provide a standardized scorecard for regulators. 📊 SONAR Market Update with Zach Strickland: A look at truckload tender rejections, spot rates, and capacity trends as the market approaches the holiday season. Zach examines why the dry van market remains tight despite some softening in rejection rates, why refrigerated capacity is especially constrained, and which markets are showing the strongest rate increases. He also highlights Los Angeles as a market to watch amid potential port disruptions and shifting intermodal volumes. 🚂 Rail Market Update with Bill Stephens, Trains Magazine Editor: The latest Association of American Railroads traffic numbers, including North American rail traffic growth, intermodal volumes, carloads, and key commodity trends. Stephens explains how severe flooding in New Mexico disrupted BNSF's Southern Transcon and how a technology outage at CSX affected train operations and interchanges. The conversation also explores the ripple effects on Los Angeles and Long Beach port operations, railcar positioning, third-quarter railroad earnings, fuel surcharge revenue, and productivity. 📈 Transportation Earnings and Freight Headlines: A closer look at Expeditors International's strong third-quarter results, growth in airfreight and ocean volumes, and the impact of AI infrastructure demand. The hosts also discuss GXO Logistics' record new business wins and sales pipeline, along with ArcBest's latest LTL and brokerage results. They examine how heavier shipments, higher fuel costs, and fuel surcharge revenue are shaping transportation company performance. ⛽ Diesel Market Volatility: The latest movement in diesel and crude oil prices, including the sharp futures selloff tied to geopolitical headlines and the rapid rebound as uncertainty surrounding negotiations continued. Plus, the latest supply chain developments: Potential labor disruption at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and what a strike could mean for peak-season freight. Flooding-related service interruptions along a major BNSF intermodal corridor. The CSX technology outage and its impact on rail network operations. Tight refrigerated capacity and changing spot market conditions across key freight markets. The transportation industry is facing a complicated mix of tight capacity, rising costs, infrastructure challenges, and rapidly evolving technology. Get the latest data, analysis, and industry perspectives on FreightWaves Today. Subscribe to FreightWaves for the latest transportation news, freight market intelligence, and supply chain insights. #FreightWaves #FreightWavesToday #FreightMarket #Trucking #AutonomousVehicles #SONAR #RailFreight #Intermodal #SupplyChain #Logistics #DieselPrices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Wednesday · 3 min
Expeditors' AI-Fueled Quarter, GXO Record Contract Wins, & Diesel Futures Whipsaw | The Morning Minute
In this episode, we kick things off by examining the stellar third-quarter performance at logistics giant Expeditors International, where revenue surged 42% year-over-year to $4.1 billion, heavily boosted by hyperscaler demand from tech giants building out AI infrastructure. The asset-light customs broker and freight forwarder saw diluted earnings per share climb 61% to $2.65, crushing Wall Street consensus by 42 cents, while airfreight volume accelerated throughout the quarter—rising 8% in July, 13% in August, and 19% in September. Next, we explore the warehousing sector where contract logistics provider GXO Logistics is riding a wave of momentum with third-quarter revenue of $3.59 billion and organic revenue growing 6.4%—the fastest pace in over three years. The company secured $375 million in new business wins during the quarter, a massive 34% year-over-year increase, while its sales pipeline swelled to a record $3.1 billion, signaling robust demand for outsourced warehousing and supply chain services. Finally, we cover the dramatic volatility gripping diesel markets as geopolitical headlines whipsaw oil traders. While the DOE's benchmark retail diesel price fell six cents to $6.29 per gallon, the December ultra low sulfur diesel futures contract plunged 25.45 cents on Monday to $4.42—the lowest level since October 6th. Brent crude crashed 10.94% on hopeful news about U.S.-Israel-Iran negotiations, only to rebound Tuesday when reports emerged that Iran and the U.S. were "far from a deal." Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tuesday · 26 min
Unlocking Fleet Readiness: Streamlining Compliance, Tolling, and Data Integration | Loaded and Rolling
Live from Trimble Insight, FreightWaves Trucking Analyst Thomas Wasson sits down with Frances Kilgour, VP of Business Development & Channel Management at Drivewyze / Fleetworthy, at the Barkcast booth.In this episode of Loaded and Rolling, Frances shares insights from her trucking roots and unpacks Fleetworthy’s expanding mission around "fleet readiness"—unifying driver compliance, weigh station bypass, and toll management under a single cohesive ecosystem. Key Discussion Points: Breaking Down Data Silos: Why carriers are tired of disconnected safety and operational reports, and how API-first integration delivers a single source of truth across dispatch and back-office teams. Continuous Compliance vs. Checklists: Shifting safety management from an annual review to real-time driver and vehicle readiness, reducing inspection anxiety at the scale house. Smarter Tolling Decisions: Balancing time vs. toll expenses, in-cab route advisory, and using automated reconciliation to identify mismatched transponders and dispute bogus toll charges. The Future of AI & Automation: How agentic AI pilots are helping fleet managers query their data directly, identify critical cost outliers, and prepare for autonomous inspections. ⁠Follow the Loaded and Rolling Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tuesday · 1 hr 1 min
FreightWaves Today | November 3
Freight markets are tightening, diesel prices are creating new challenges for carriers, and the latest economic indicators suggest stronger freight demand could be on the horizon for 2027. On this episode of FreightWaves Today, Julie Van de Kamp and Malcolm Harris break down the latest headlines and welcome an impressive lineup of industry experts to discuss what’s happening across transportation, trucking, and the broader supply chain. In this episode: Freight Market Outlook with Chris Pickett, Chief Commercial Officer at Flock Freight: How shippers and carriers are adapting to rising truckload rates, constrained capacity, and higher fuel costs. Pickett explains how shared truckload can help shippers reduce transportation costs, improve trailer utilization, and navigate an increasingly challenging freight market. He also shares his outlook for freight rates heading into 2027. SONAR Market Update with Julie Van de Kamp: A deep dive into the latest ISM Manufacturing PMI and Logistics Managers Index (LMI) reports. Julie examines manufacturing growth, transportation capacity, rising logistics costs, tender rejections, and freight volumes to explain why capacity constraints could persist into 2027. Trucking Insurance with Peter Niro of Progressive: What motor carriers need to understand about underwriting, managing risk, cargo coverage, refrigerated freight claims, and controlling insurance costs. Niro also discusses how safety technology and accurate operational data can help fleets protect their businesses. Diesel Market Update with John Kingston, FreightWaves Editor-at Large: An in-depth look at the latest diesel price movements, global oil market volatility, geopolitical uncertainty, declining fuel inventories, and what carriers and consumers could face heading into winter. Plus, the latest freight headlines: Operation Guardian and increased federal and state scrutiny of CDL eligibility. P.A.M. Transportation's third-quarter financial results and ongoing truckload cost pressures. Manufacturing growth and what improving new orders could mean for future freight demand. The freight market is changing quickly. Stay informed with the data, analysis, and conversations that matter to trucking and supply chain professionals. Subscribe to FreightWaves for the latest transportation news, market intelligence, and industry insights. #FreightWaves #FreightWavesToday #Trucking #FreightMarket #SupplyChain #SONAR #DieselPrices #Logistics #Truckload #FreightIndustry ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tuesday · 34 min
THE DEATH OF AMERICAN TRUCKING? NOT SO FAST! | BRAKE CHECK
Some say the American trucking company is becoming an endangered species. Small carriers are getting squeezed, regulations keep piling up, costs keep climbing, and apparently somebody forgot to tell the American trucker it's time to surrender. But is American trucking really dying, or are we confusing a tough industry with a dying one? On this episode of Brake Check on FreightWaves TV, Charles takes the gloves off and goes straight to the people working in the trenches.Joining the conversation are Hunter Owen, VP of Sales, and Hunter Shearer of Truck Parking Club, alongside Alex Idol of NASTC Safety & Compliance, as we separate industry doom and gloom from the realities of running a trucking business in America. We're talking survival, truck parking, regulations, compliance, the challenges facing small carriers, and why counting the American trucking company out might be the dumbest prediction in freight. Because here's the thing: The American trucking company isn't dead....but the people keeping it alive deserve a hell of a lot more than another obituary. No corporate talking points, No participation trophies.... Just real conversations about the people and businesses keeping America moving. THE BIG QUESTION: Is American trucking actually dying, or is the industry making survival harder than it needs to be? Sound off in the comments. We want to hear from the drivers, owner-operators, and carriers living it every day. LIKE | COMMENT | SUBSCRIBE for more Brake Check on FreightWaves TV. #BrakeCheck #FreightWaves #AmericanTrucking #TruckingIndustry #OwnerOperators #SmallCarriers #TruckDrivers #NASTC #TruckParkingClub ⁠Follow the Brake Check Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tuesday · 3 min
230-Plus Immigrants Arrested in CDL Crackdown, Pamt Reports Q3 Loss, & Manufacturing PMI Beats | The Morning Minute
In this episode, we kick things off by examining a massive federal immigration enforcement operation that swept through the trucking industry last month. Federal and state law enforcement agencies ⁠arrested more than 230 undocumented immigrants during a 72-hour crackdown spanning 15 states⁠, with more than 40 commercial driver's license holders detained as part of Operation Guardian. This coordinated enforcement action signals escalating federal and state scrutiny of commercial drivers' immigration status and CDL eligibility nationwide. Next, we explore the truckload sector where Pamt Corp. is struggling to dig out from under relentless cost pressures. The carrier ⁠reported a net loss of $8.1 million in the third quarter and posted a brutal 109.1% operating ratio⁠, marking twelve straight operating losses for the truckload unit. Elevated driver procurement costs and spiking diesel fuel prices continue to outpace pricing improvements despite the company's efforts to align customer rates with inflationary increases. Finally, we cover U.S. manufacturing data that is delivering some genuinely encouraging signals for freight demand. Manufacturing supply executives surveyed in October ⁠returned a 55.5 reading for the Institute for Supply Management's Manufacturing PMI, beating analyst expectations⁠ by a full percentage point. U.S. manufacturing activity remained in growth mode for a tenth straight month, with production expanding to the highest level in five years and directly supporting the modestly improving demand trends that public LTL carriers reported last week. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Monday · 1 hr 1 min
FreightWaves Today | November 2
In today’s episode of FreightWaves Today, Julie and Zach dive into the biggest stories across the supply chain, from record-breaking electric fleet orders to shifting contract rates and Q3 earnings. First, Cristiano Façanha from the Smart Freight Center joins the show to discuss the Zero Emission Truck Shipper-Carrier Alliance Leading Electrification (ZET-SCALE) program’s massive order of 2,500 Class 8 electric trucks, led by Tesla Semis. He breaks down how demand aggregation is bringing down high vehicle costs, why Tesla stood out, and how regional freight hubs are making widespread truck electrification economically viable. Then, Zach breaks down his SONAR "Chart of the Week," analyzing 25 years of Cass freight data to explain why predicting the current freight cycle is a fool’s errand, how the market remains historically volatile, and what today's 12.7% tender rejection rate tells us about market tightness heading into the holidays. Finally, FreightWaves Finance Editor Todd Maiden joins for a deep dive into Q3 earnings. They unpack why LTL carriers like Old Dominion are outpacing margin expectations despite rising diesel prices, how truckload giants like Knight-Swift are capitalizing on spot exposure, and why major carriers expect double-digit contract rate increases in 2027. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Monday · 3 min
Flexport Volumes Surge 40%, Freight Cycles Defy Forecasting, & Covenant Eyes Double-Digit Hikes | The Morning Minute
In this episode, we kick things off by examining how artificial intelligence is dramatically reshaping freight forwarding economics. Listen in to learn how ⁠Flexport's freight volumes surged 40% while headcount grew only 5%⁠, driven by AI tools deployed across customs, routing, and engineering. The company's ocean peak started early this year, fueled partly by massive tariff refunds following a Supreme Court ruling, while data center cargo now accounts for around 8% of global air freight capacity and is projected to triple next year. Next, we explore a sobering look at freight market history that reveals why ⁠each freight cycle over the past 25 years has differed dramatically from the last⁠, making it nearly impossible to forecast when cycles begin and end. The post-Great Recession period set many expectations of what "normal" looks like, but COVID was the freight market's second black-swan event in just three years. Remarkably, rates were up 10% in September while volumes rose only 2%, which is hard to reconcile with weak demand. Finally, we cover a major truckload carrier's aggressive forecast as ⁠Covenant Logistics CEO David Parker expects double-digit contract rate hikes in 2027⁠, driven by rising operating expenses, tightening driver capacity, and continued federal safety enforcement. Shippers resetting contracts in recent months are paying about 12.8% more than the rates they replaced, up from 4.1% during the same period last year. Parker also predicts regulators will eventually require third-party ELD certification, noting that 30% of trucks may be operating with manipulated hours-of-service records. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 30 · 1 hr 1 min
FreightWaves Today | October 30
The freight market is showing signs of a shift, and this episode of FreightWaves Today breaks down what the latest carrier earnings reveal about the direction of the industry. Craig and Julie examine third-quarter earnings from Werner, Landstar, Old Dominion, Saia, Schneider and C.H. Robinson, highlighting improving spot market conditions, stronger truckload pricing and continued strength in the LTL sector. The show also features an in-depth conversation with executives from Schneider and Norfolk Southern about their expanded intermodal partnership. They discuss the strategy behind the move, opportunities to convert truck freight to rail, investments in network capacity, and what the partnership could mean for customers as intermodal demand continues to grow. Plus, Premier Trailer Leasing CFO Craig Barth joins the show to explain why trailer utilization is reaching record levels, what's driving demand for newer equipment, and why fleets are increasingly turning to leasing. He also shares an important warning about fraudulent trailer rental listings and how trucking companies can protect themselves from scams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 30 · 3 min
RXO Posts Strong Q3, Amazon Shipping Costs Jump 11%, & Covenant Revenue Surges 68% | The Morning Minute
In this episode, we kick things off by examining the freight brokerage sector's remarkable turnaround as RXO delivers adjusted EBITDA of $51 million in Q3, crushing its own forecast and marking the second consecutive quarter of profitability after years of spotty net income performance. The Charlotte-based broker's truckload segment shifted heavily toward the spot market, which accounted for 59% of volume in the quarter, as the company prepares for its acquisition by C.H. Robinson. Next, we explore how the e-commerce giant is navigating a challenging logistics environment as Amazon's third-quarter shipping costs jumped 11% year over year, driven by fuel inflation and higher linehaul rates pressuring its massive delivery network. Despite these headwinds, the Seattle-based company achieved record operating income of $28.1 billion and a remarkable 13.9% operating margin through better inventory placement, shorter shipping distances, and package consolidation across its one-million-robot fulfillment network. Finally, we break down how a Tennessee-based carrier's strategic pivot toward contracted freight is paying off as Covenant Logistics posted a 68% surge in its Managed Freight segment revenue and delivered net income of $10.7 million in Q3. Despite shrinking its average tractor fleet by nearly 9%, the Chattanooga carrier reported freight revenue per total mile climbed nearly 20% to $3.03, with approximately 80% of its asset-based fleet now operating under long-term contracts. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 29 · 28 min
AI, Freight Tech & the Driver’s Perspective | Brake Check
Brake Check hits the ground at F3: Future of Freight Festival in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for an inside look at the technology, trends, and relationships shaping the future of freight. Charles Gracie sits down with ⁠Truckstop.com⁠ to discuss AI-powered pricing, rate transparency, and why human oversight still matters as freight companies embrace new technology. Then, trucker and industry advocate Larry Cothran shares his perspective on the innovations, connections, and opportunities drivers need to know about to stay ahead of the curve. From AI and smarter workflows to next-gen trucking technology, this episode explores what it takes to turn industry innovation into real-world results. Because the future of freight isn't just about the technology—it's about the people who put it to work. ⁠Follow the Brake Check Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 29 · 1 hr 15 min
FreightWaves Today | October 29
On today’s episode of FreightWaves Today, Malcolm Harris and Zach Strickland break down the latest freight market developments, third-quarter earnings and the supply chain challenges shaping the road to peak season. The show kicks off with a look at strong earnings from XPO and C.H. Robinson, along with a potential labor strike at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach that could disrupt cargo flows and complicate holiday freight movement. Then, SAIA President and CEO Fritz Holzgrefe joins the show to discuss record third-quarter revenue, pricing strategies, shipment trends, network expansion, customer service improvements and the company’s $250 million share repurchase announcement. He also explains how strategic investments and a focus on service are positioning the LTL carrier for continued growth. Next, Zach Boehm, chief automation officer at Hy-Tek Intralogistics, explains how beverage distributors are using automation to manage expanding product assortments, labor turnover and warehouse inefficiencies. He breaks down the company’s High Sync and High Flow solutions and how automation can shorten pick paths, improve productivity and help facilities get trucks out the door on time. Finally, we revisit an F3: Future of Freight 2026 conversation between Zach Strickland and Beau King on the latest truckload market trends. They discuss contract rate increases, carrier capacity, rejection rates and what brokers and shippers should expect as the holiday peak season approaches. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 29 · 3 min
XPO's Q3 Beat, C.H. Robinson's Strong Growth, & LA-Long Beach Strike Threat | The Morning Minute
In this episode, we kick things off by examining the impressive third-quarter performance from one of the industry's leading less-than-truckload carriers. ⁠XPO delivered a massive earnings beat driven by aggressive pricing and operating efficiency initiatives⁠, reporting adjusted earnings per share of one dollar and seventy cents—thirteen cents ahead of consensus and sixty-three cents higher year over year. The company's LTL revenue surged seventeen percent to one point four seven billion dollars, while its adjusted operating ratio of eighty point one percent defied typical seasonal trends by improving two hundred sixty basis points year over year. Next, we explore the freight brokerage sector where ⁠C.H. Robinson delivered almost all good news in its third-quarter report⁠, with operating revenues at its North American Surface Transport unit surging twenty-nine point one percent year over year. Adjusted diluted earnings per share climbed twenty-eight point six percent to one dollar and eighty cents, while the NAST segment's adjusted operating margin improved one hundred ten basis points to forty point three percent as the giant 3PL continues automating manual processes and achieving significant productivity gains. Finally, we cover a serious labor dispute threatening to disrupt the nation's busiest container gateway as ⁠about two hundred fifty union watchmen could strike at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach⁠ as early as five p.m. Pacific time Sunday, November first. Although the watchmen represent only two percent of ILWU workers at the two ports, they work at terminals handling roughly eighty-five percent of Long Beach's cargo and thirty-three percent of Los Angeles' cargo, and other union members are expected to honor picket lines—potentially halting operations at a time when the complex is already contending with a backlog of containers awaiting inland rail transportation. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 28 · 46 min
81% of Freight Brokers are Faking Their AI Strategy | WHAT THE TRUCK?!?
AI agents, workforce solutions, and the future of freight take center stage on this episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, recorded live on Day 1 of the F3: Future of Freight Festival! Host Thomas Wasson sits down with leaders from Evos, Sivas, and Lean Solutions Group to explore how freight companies can leverage AI, automation, and human talent to build smarter, more efficient operations. In this episode: AI agents in freight: How autonomous AI operators can take on dispatching, exception management, load sourcing, and other complex logistics tasks. Putting AI to work fast: How Evos deploys AI operators in as little as 24 hours and how one LTL freight audit use case reached 97% autonomy. The future of workforce solutions: How Sivas combines outsourced talent, process improvement, and automation to help logistics companies scale. Nearshoring and global talent: Why around-the-clock operations and multilingual teams can help carriers and brokers meet growing demands. Getting AI-ready: Why clean data, documented standard operating procedures (SOPs), and clear KPIs are essential for successful AI adoption. Humans vs. AI: Which tasks are ripe for automation, where human judgment still matters, and how companies can bring the two together. What's next for freight tech: How AI agents could transform everything from document collection and payment processing to end-to-end load management. The big takeaway? Successful AI adoption isn't just about plugging in new technology. It's about understanding your workflows, identifying the right opportunities, and empowering people to focus on the work where their expertise makes the biggest difference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 28 · 29 min
YOUR TRUCKS ARE ROLLING BUT YOUR PROFITS ARE DISAPPEARING | Brake Check
BUSY TRUCKS, EMPTY BANK ACCOUNTS, WHERE'S THE MONEY?! Your trucks are rolling...The loads are delivered....You're working harder than ever....So why does it feel like everybody's getting paid EXCEPT YOU?! We're taking BRAKE CHECK LIVE to the floor of FreightWaves F3 in Chattanooga, Tennessee! No studio walls, no safety net, and with the freight industry's biggest players walking around us, YOU NEVER KNOW WHO OR WHAT MIGHT INTERRUPT THE SHOW! Joining me is Jennifer Lance, COO of Apex Capital Corp., and we're digging into the business BEHIND the truck. From unpaid invoices and broker credit risks to cash flow, factoring, back-office disasters, and technology that actually makes sense. Because here's the reality: Moving freight and making money are TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS! We're talking real problems, real solutions, and the mistakes that can quietly put good trucking companies out of business. And of course, Jennifer will face the BRAKE CHECK HARD STOP! TRUCKERS, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: What's the BIGGEST money killer in your trucking business right now: cheap freight, slow-paying brokers, rising expenses, or the back-office headaches nobody warned you about? Drop it in the comments! LIKE | COMMENT | SUBSCRIBE BRAKE CHECK — REAL CONVERSATIONS. REAL PEOPLE. REAL TRUCKING. ALL STUFF, NO FLUFF! #BrakeCheck #FreightWaves #F3 #Trucking #OwnerOperator #FreightBroker #ApexCapital #TruckingBusiness #FreightFactoring ⁠Follow the Brake Check Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 28 · 29 min
YOUR TRUCKS ARE ROLLING BUT YOUR PROFITS ARE DISAPPEARING | BRAKE CHECK
BUSY TRUCKS, EMPTY BANK ACCOUNTS, WHERE'S THE MONEY?! Your trucks are rolling...The loads are delivered....You're working harder than ever....So why does it feel like everybody's getting paid EXCEPT YOU?! We're taking BRAKE CHECK LIVE to the floor of FreightWaves F3 in Chattanooga, Tennessee! No studio walls, no safety net, and with the freight industry's biggest players walking around us, YOU NEVER KNOW WHO OR WHAT MIGHT INTERRUPT THE SHOW! Joining me is Jennifer Lance, COO of Apex Capital Corp., and we're digging into the business BEHIND the truck. From unpaid invoices and broker credit risks to cash flow, factoring, back-office disasters, and technology that actually makes sense. Because here's the reality: Moving freight and making money are TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS! We're talking real problems, real solutions, and the mistakes that can quietly put good trucking companies out of business. And of course, Jennifer will face the BRAKE CHECK HARD STOP! TRUCKERS, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: What's the BIGGEST money killer in your trucking business right now: cheap freight, slow-paying brokers, rising expenses, or the back-office headaches nobody warned you about? Drop it in the comments! LIKE | COMMENT | SUBSCRIBE BRAKE CHECK — REAL CONVERSATIONS. REAL PEOPLE. REAL TRUCKING. ALL STUFF, NO FLUFF! #BrakeCheck #FreightWaves #F3 #Trucking #OwnerOperator #FreightBroker #ApexCapital #TruckingBusiness #FreightFactoring Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 23 · 19 min
Autonomous Trucks Are Coming: How Owner-Operators and Small Fleets Can Prepare and Profit | The Long Haul
In this special report of The Long Haul, host Adam Wingfield takes you inside the 2026 ATA Management Conference & Exhibition to discuss one of the biggest forces shaping the future of trucking: autonomous technology. Autonomous trucks and artificial intelligence are advancing rapidly, and the industry is moving toward adoption whether everyone agrees with it or not. Adam breaks down what these developments could mean for drivers, owner-operators, and small fleet owners, from potential job displacement to improved driver quality of life and new opportunities to generate revenue. Rather than focusing on fear and speculation, this episode challenges small carriers to get informed, ask the right questions, and explore how autonomous technology could become an opportunity instead of a setback. From potential partnerships with autonomous technology providers to new ways of monetizing existing trucking assets, Adam explains why preparation and knowledge will be critical to navigating the industry's next chapter. The future of trucking is changing. The question is whether you'll be ready to adapt, compete, and capitalize on what's coming. ⁠Follow The Long Haul Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Showing 1–20 of 162 episodes