Skip to content
Sign in
Artwork for FreightCasts
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
  • 139 episodes
  • Avg 52 min
  • English

Episodes 139

NewestOldestLongest
All20Unplayed20In progress0Played0
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • October 7 · 3 min

    LAPD Uncovers $1M Stolen Rail Cargo, TA Services Expands Cross-Border, & Uber Acquires ezCater | The Morning Minute

    In this episode, we kick things off in Southern California, where law enforcement just uncovered a massive cache of stolen rail freight hiding in plain sight. Los Angeles Police Department detectives searched a Whittier shoe retailer and discovered 59 pallets of branded merchandise connected to stolen BNSF and Union Pacific rail cargo totaling about one million dollars. The recovered property included Nike, New Balance, Brooks and Sanuk footwear, along with Yeti cups, JanSport backpacks, and Shark vacuums, and led to the arrest of the business owner on suspicion of receiving stolen goods. Meanwhile, a major expansion is reshaping the U.S.-Mexico cross-border logistics landscape. Mansfield, Texas-based third-party logistics provider TA Services announced it has acquired two Texas trucking companies, adding 133 power units and a massive 550,000 square feet of warehousing to its growing cross-border network. The transaction expands TA Services' footprint in El Paso and Laredo—two critical gateways for freight moving between the U.S. and Mexico—and strengthens the company's ability to serve manufacturers in the expanding industrial corridor. Finally, we explore how Uber is making a colossal bet on high-value business deliveries as Uber Technologies agreed to acquire workplace catering platform ezCater for $2.3 billion in an all-cash transaction. The deal combines ezCater's corporate catering business with Uber Eats and Uber for Business, giving Uber access to a large pool of higher-value, scheduled deliveries with an average order value exceeding four hundred dollars. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 6 · 25 min

    Moving Beyond the Load: Redefining TMS with Network-Centric Intelligence | Loaded and Rolling

    Host Thomas Wasson sits down with Drew Farwell, Chief Operating Officer at Midwest Carriers, live from the Barkcast booth at Trimble Insight 2026. Drew breaks down the operational philosophy behind his whitepaper, "The Next Generation TMS: From Load-Centric to Network-Centric Intelligence," and why traditional transportation management systems fall short in today’s complex trucking landscape. In this episode, they discuss: The Load-Centric Fallacy: Why viewing freight as individual, isolated transactions misses the bigger picture of round-trip costing, equipment moves, and total network efficiency. Asset Utilization & Unused Capacity: Managing drop-and-hook operations, reefer pre-cooling costs, trailer pools, and non-revenue equipment moves. Capturing "Commitment Intelligence": How tracking lost opportunities and unawarded lanes from RFPs helps carriers price smarter and optimize network health. The "Madden Profile" for Fleet Operations: Leveraging AI and predictive modeling to build individual driver and asset profiles—evaluating performance, safety, and operational fit like stats in a video game. The Future of Human-AI Collaboration: Moving dispatchers away from manual data entry toward high-level network orchestration. ⁠Follow the Loaded and Rolling Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 6 · 1 hr 4 min

    FreightWaves Today | October 6

    The freight industry continues to digest C.H. Robinson's acquisition of RXO, described as the largest brokerage M&A transaction in history. Craig and Julie speak with Chris Wofford, founder and managing partner of Wofford Advisors, for a deeper look at the roughly $5.8 billion transaction, the importance of the $300 million in expected synergies, the challenges Robinson will face in delivering those savings, and what the deal could mean for competition, market consolidation and the next wave of M&A across freight and logistics. The episode also features an in-depth conversation with ImportGenius co-founder and CEO Michael Kanko about what shipment-level trade data reveals about the U.S. economy and the ongoing trade war. Kanko explains how ImportGenius tracks nearly 8 billion international shipment records, offering granular visibility into products, shippers, receivers and sourcing patterns. The discussion covers shifting import activity in China, Vietnam and Mexico, the gap between Chinese and U.S. trade data, compliance and enforcement applications, and the company's push for the Manifest Modernization Act to bring greater transparency to air cargo. The show also takes a closer look at freight capacity through a SONAR market update, challenging the idea that rising operating authorities necessarily mean more trucks are entering the market. Julie examines elevated tender rejections, relatively modest truckload volume growth, declining new-fleet tractor counts and the barriers keeping capacity from returning, including driver availability, insurance, litigation, regulation and diesel costs. The outlook points to a capacity-constrained market through early 2027 and potentially longer, with tractor counts, fleet miles and the gap between tender volumes and rejections emerging as key indicators to watch. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 6 · 1 hr

    80,000 MORE DRIVERS? OR JUST 18 MINUTES? | Brake Check

    For years, trucking has been told it has a driver shortage. But what if the bigger problem isn't how many drivers we have? What if we're wasting the ones already here? Research led by Dr. David Correll at MIT FreightLab found long-haul drivers averaged roughly 6.5 hours of actual driving in an available 11-hour driving window. When Correll compared utilization with the industry's then-claim of an 80,000-driver shortage, the math produced a wild alternative: Roughly 18 more productive minutes per existing driver per day could theoretically create comparable additional capacity, Not 18 more hours....18 MINUTES. So where the hell is the rest of the driver's day going? Detention, Appointment delays, Loading, Unloading, Congestion, Parking, And hours of a professional driver's life that somebody else controls. On this episode of Brake Check, we put the policy AND the data in the same show. OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh joins us fresh off TenFour D.C. on the National Mall to talk about what truckers actually told Washington, what FMCSA heard, broker transparency, detention, parking, diesel, bad actors, CDL enforcement and why OOIDA continues challenging the industry's driver-shortage narrative. Then Dr. David Correll of Telegraph, formerly with U.S. DOT and MIT FreightLab, brings the receipts. We ask him to revisit the famous 18-minute calculation for TODAY'S trucking market. Is it still 18 minutes? How much productive capacity are we wasting? How much money does detention really cost? Are railroads taking freight from trucks? And if Washington gets ONE chance to increase trucking capacity, should it put more people behind the wheel... OR GIVE THE DRIVERS ALREADY HERE THEIR DAMN TIME BACK? Because maybe trucking doesn't need another recruiting funnel. Maybe it needs to stop wasting the professionals already moving America. SOUND OFF: What's the most time you've lost at a shipper or receiver WITHOUT getting paid for it? And the bigger question: DRIVER SHORTAGE...OR DRIVER-TIME SHORTAGE #Trucking #DriverShortage #TruckDrivers #OwnerOperator #OOIDA #Detention #Freight #TruckingIndustry #FMCSA #BrakeCheck ⁠Follow the Brake Check Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 6 · 3 min

    STG Logistics Names New CEO, FMCSA Doubles HOS Emergency Relief, & Class 8 Orders Jump 18% | The Morning Minute

    In this episode, we kick things off by examining the major leadership changes at STG Logistics, where ⁠the intermodal marketing company has installed a new CEO following its massive financial restructuring⁠. Jack Holmes, a UPS veteran who previously led UPS Freight, takes the helm after the company slashed its funded debt by a staggering ninety percent through a pre-packaged Chapter 11 that reduced debt by nearly one billion dollars while securing one hundred fifty million in fresh capital. Over in Washington, truckers responding to regional disasters just received significant regulatory relief as ⁠FMCSA published a final rule doubling the automatic hours-of-service exemption period from fourteen days back to thirty days⁠. This change, which took effect immediately, reverses a 2023 policy that had shortened the emergency relief window and is expected to drastically reduce administrative burdens, cutting annual extension requests from approximately fifty down to twenty-five. Finally, we explore the heavy-duty truck market where ⁠Class 8 orders climbed eighteen percent in September as fleets navigate murky regulatory terrain heading into model year 2027⁠. While year-to-date orders have surged a massive ninety-five percent compared to last year, the market faces significant uncertainty over upcoming EPA nitrogen oxide emissions requirements, with nonconformance penalties potentially adding six to seven thousand dollars per truck versus eight to twelve thousand for fully compliant engines. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 5 · 1 hr 4 min

    FreightWaves Today | October 5

    The freight industry wakes up to a blockbuster deal as C.H. Robinson announces its acquisition of RXO in what the show describes as the largest transaction in freight brokerage history. Craig and Julie break down the roughly $5.8 billion deal, the $300 million in expected synergies, the strategic rationale behind the acquisition, and what the combination could mean for competition and further consolidation across the brokerage market. The episode also features an in-depth conversation with Estes President and COO Webb Estes, about the current freight market, including strong tonnage growth, available trucking capacity, regional freight trends, manufacturing, retail and grocery demand, and the outlook for the next phase of the freight cycle. The discussion explores Estes' emphasis on customer transparency, employee retention and service, along with the company's plans for a new Chattanooga-area cross-dock facility. Later, the show returns to the C.H. Robinson-RXO deal with John Kingston for a deeper look at Dave Bozeman's transformation of C.H. Robinson, the role of technology and AI, the companies' recent financial performance, and why the transaction could become a catalyst for additional M&A throughout the freight industry. The episode also includes a Highway Verified segment covering a major cocaine seizure at the Lewiston Bridge and a cargo theft involving a redirected shipment of glycerin, plus a preview of the upcoming F3: Future of Freight Festival in Chattanooga. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 5 · 50 min

    Why C.H. Robinson Just Bought RXO (And What It Means for Freight Rates) | WHAT THE TRUCK?!?

    In this episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, hosts Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent kick off "Rocktober" with a action-packed Monday show covering key industry news, major market shifts, and an innovative sanitation solution for truck drivers. The duo reacts to breaking news regarding C.H. Robinson's acquisition of RXO, analyzing what the consolidation means for multimodal networks and carrier capacity. They also examine recent border freight fraud schemes in Mexico, Lego’s massive manufacturing investments in Monterey and Virginia, the latest BLS trucking employment data, and the widespread results of cross-border enforcement sweeps like Operation Saturday Night Fever. Additionally, the show highlights sponsor ⁠Truckstop.com⁠ and previews the upcoming Future of Freight Festival (F3) in Chattanooga. The featured segment features Mark Ryland, Founder and CEO of P Dispose, who shares how his 18 years as an over-the-road driver inspired him to solve the pervasive issue of discarded roadside urine bottles. Ryland outlines P Dispose's plan to create a discrete, eco-friendly infrastructure utilizing RFID-enabled reusable bottles and automated fluid-extraction stations near fuel islands. Coupled with a mobile app that rewards drivers with fuel points for proper disposal, Ryland explains how his team is partnering with engineering and environmental students across the University of Wisconsin system to develop prototypes ahead of a planned 2027 pilot launch. ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Visit our sponsor - TRUCKSTOP.COM⁠ ⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠ #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 5 · 3 min

    C.H. Robinson Acquires RXO, Truckload's Mixed Signals, & NMFTA Cybersecurity Portal | The Morning Minute

    In this episode, we kick things off by examining a powerful new cybersecurity defense tool as the freight industry battles escalating digital threats. The National Motor Freight Traffic Association has launched ⁠a comprehensive threat reporting portal where companies can anonymously share attack data⁠ to help protect the entire sector. By pooling intelligence on hacker tactics and breach indicators, carriers and logistics providers can stop bad actors from simply recycling the same playbook across multiple targets. Next, we discuss a massive consolidation move reshaping the third-party logistics landscape as ⁠C.H. Robinson announced its acquisition of RXO in a major cash-and-stock transaction⁠. The deal values RXO shares at thirty dollars and twenty-five cents each and will significantly expand the country's largest 3PL by combining complementary brokerage, managed transportation, global forwarding, and last-mile capabilities into one diversified multi-modal powerhouse. Finally, we explore the genuinely puzzling dynamics unfolding in the truckload market where ⁠spot rates are climbing rapidly even as actual freight volumes decline⁠. The National Truckload Index has surged more than ten percent since late August and now sits fifty percent higher year-over-year, yet the accepted load volume index has fallen below its twelve-month average. Analysts point to sharply rising diesel costs as a key culprit, squeezing carrier cash flow as fuel expenses spike before revenue adjusts upward. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 2 · 1 hr 3 min

    RICO & the Freight Fight | Freight Expectations

    Six motor carriers are suing TQL and C.H. Robinson under the federal RICO statute, alleging that the brokers used unsafe or unauthorized capacity to gain a competitive advantage and take freight business. On this episode of Freight Expectations, Craig Fuller and attorney Matt Leffler break down the unusual lawsuit, what a civil RICO claim actually requires, and why the case could hinge on who qualifies as the legally injured party. They dig into treble damages, fee shifting, the enormous cost of complex litigation, the role of regulators, and a 2006 Supreme Court case involving steel companies that could have major implications for the plaintiffs' claims. The conversation also explores the broader fight over broker vetting, carrier safety, freight pricing and the increasingly contentious relationship between motor carriers and third-party logistics companies. Follow the Freight Expectations Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 2 · 2 hr 7 min

    FreightWaves Today | October 2

    Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp sit down with Triumph Financial CEO Aaron Graft to discuss the latest Mile Marker data, the shift toward “defensible capacity,” changing broker margins and why new carrier formation remains unusually low. The episode also looks at the growing connection between ocean and domestic freight. Matt Anderson of WiseTech Global explains the company’s new Ocean Freight Risk Outlook, why reliability is becoming more important than rates on some trade lanes, and what shippers should consider heading into peak season. Plus, the show covers major freight headlines including the Savannah port expansion, CMA CGM’s acquisition of FedEx Supply Chain and a major cocaine seizure at the U.S.-Canada border. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 2 · 3 min

    Savannah Terminal Hits 60%, $6M Cocaine Seizure, & CMA CGM Acquires FedEx Supply Chain | The Morning Minute

    In this episode, we kick things off by examining a massive infrastructure milestone at the Georgia Ports Authority where the $1.6 billion redevelopment of Ocean Terminal has officially surpassed the 60% completion mark. The sprawling expansion will drastically transform Ocean Terminal's annual capacity from 200,000 twenty-foot equivalent units to a staggering 1.75 million TEUs, forming a central component of Georgia Ports' broader ten-year master plan calling for approximately $5 billion in capacity investments across the state. Meanwhile, we explore a stark reminder of why border enforcement remains critical in both directions as U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers uncovered approximately 450 pounds of cocaine hidden beneath the floor of an empty semi-trailer headed toward Canada at Lewiston Bridge in New York. The narcotics carried an estimated street value of about $6 million, and investigators ultimately uncovered 174 vacuum-sealed packages inside the modified trailer structure after a CBP canine alerted during initial inspection. Finally, we break down how France-based shipping conglomerate CMA CGM Group has officially completed its $1.4 billion acquisition of FedEx Supply Chain, the contract logistics arm of FedEx Corp. The blockbuster purchase significantly expands Ceva Logistics's contract logistics operations in North America, tripling the warehouse footprint by adding about 34 million square feet and 130 customers, while the combined business now operates approximately 150 warehouses across more than 240 North American locations. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 1 · 31 min

    Playing defense | Freightonomics

    Freight rates continue to feel pressure from fuel and capacity shortfalls while the economy continues to sustain despite ongoing inflation concerns. ⁠Follow the Freightonomics Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 1 · 1 hr 33 min

    FreightWaves Today | October 1

    FreightWaves Today kicks off the fourth quarter with a packed episode covering autonomous trucking, freight market conditions, driver appreciation and the latest issues shaping transportation. Malcolm Harris and Zach Strickland break down the morning’s biggest freight headlines, including new commercial trucking and cross-border enforcement legislation, a bizarre autonomous-trailer theft involving Plus AI, and growing challenges around cross-border freight between the U.S. and Mexico. Then, Kodiak’s Daniel Goff and PrePass CTO Chas Worcester join the show to discuss Kodiak’s partnership with IKEA as a driverless launch shipper and its work with PrePass to connect autonomous trucks with roadside inspection systems. They explain how autonomous vehicles are being tested for safety, how enhanced inspections work and what the path toward nationwide deployment could look like. Zach Strickland delivers a SONAR market update, examining tender rejection rates, truckload capacity, spot rates, early-October freight demand and the continued growth of domestic intermodal. The episode also features a conversation with Samsara’s Kelly Soderlund about the company’s first Driver Appreciation Month and its new Driver Perks program, including discounts and benefits designed for professional drivers. Later, Zach and Thomas Watson dig deeper into the fourth-quarter freight outlook, economic indicators and the impact of elevated diesel prices on carriers and transportation costs. Plus, get the latest details on the upcoming F3: Future of Freight Festival in Chattanooga, Tennessee, taking place October 27–28. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 1 · 54 min

    TRUCKING BOUGHT THE AI, SHOW ME THE DAMN MONEY | BRAKE CHECK

    Trucking bought the AI, Now SHOW ME THE DAMN MONEY! AI is recruiting drivers. Reading contracts. Building RFQs. Automating workflows. Booking freight. And every trucking-tech company suddenly has “AI” somewhere in the pitch. Cool....RIGHT? DOES ANY OF IT ACTUALLY MAKE THE CARRIER MONEY? On this episode of Brake Check, Charles skips the keynote buzzwords and puts trucking’s AI boom to the test. First, Christy Choice from Tenstreet takes us inside the recruiting machine. Where should AI replace busywork? Where should a HUMAN still pick up the phone? Is lower driver turnover actually better retention, or are drivers simply staying put because the freight market has them trapped? And what are carriers already paying for that they barely use? Then FreightWaves truck-tech analyst Thomas Wasson joins us fresh off Trimble Insight 2026 in San Diego. We’re digging into AI agents, TMS automation, recruiting technology, driver tools and what real carriers like Alvis and Spartan are actually doing with this technology after the demo ends. Forget “efficiency.” HOW MUCH MONEY DID IT SAVE? Forget “automation.” WHAT WORK DISAPPEARED? Forget “AI-powered.” PROVE IT.... Because with diesel around $6.38 a gallon and margins already getting squeezed, carriers don't need another expensive screensaver with a monthly subscription. They need technology that EARNS ITS DAMN KEEP. SOUND OFF: What's one job inside a trucking company you would happily hand to AI TOMORROW...and what's one job you would NEVER let it touch? #Trucking #AI #FreightTech #TruckDrivers #TruckingIndustry #Tenstreet #TMS #Automation #Logistics #FleetManagement #BrakeCheck ⁠Follow the Brake Check Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 1 · 45 min

    She Left Interior Design for a Box Truck. Here's What She Learned

    Every week somebody watches a YouTube video about box trucking and decides it's their way out. Non-CDL. Low barrier to entry. Amazon Relay. Home every night. Six figures. The content makes it look straightforward. And for a period of time it was, which is exactly why so many people got in, got humbled, and got out. Jessica Miller and her husband became owner-operators in 2020. She was an interior designer before that, nothing to do with trucking. They started renting trucks, bought their own, lost them to maintenance, went back to renting, and figured out through trial and error what actually makes a box truck operation work. They've cleared over a million dollars in four years running one to two trucks locally in Richmond, Virginia, almost entirely through Amazon Relay. But this episode isn't really about Amazon Relay. It's about the discipline that most carriers never develop, whether they're running a box truck or a Class A. Knowing your cost per mile. Knowing when to add a truck and when not to. Understanding that revenue is not profit. Staying in a lane that actually makes money instead of chasing a lane that looks good on camera. The box trucking boom brought a lot of people into this industry who had no business being here. Jessica has a front-row seat to what that did to Amazon's requirements, to local freight rates, and to the reputation of an entire segment of the market. That's the conversation worth having. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 1 · 4 min

    $100K Cabotage Fines Proposed, PlusAI Thieves Get Sand, & Nearshoring Hits Border Crunch | The Morning Minute

    In this episode, we kick things off in Washington, where a Texas congressman has introduced sweeping legislation aimed at overhauling trucking safety and cross-border enforcement. Named after eight-year-old Barron Ritchey, who was tragically killed when a wheel assembly struck his family's vehicle, the bill would require mandatory English-proficiency tests for all commercial drivers and impose fines of up to $100,000 per vehicle per day on foreign carriers caught illegally hauling domestic freight. The legislation also targets chameleon carriers and would establish a pilot program using GPS and geofencing technology to identify foreign-domiciled carriers suspected of cabotage violations. Next, we explore a bizarre cargo crime story out of California that took a remarkably unexpected turn. When thieves stole two PlusAI trailers bearing NVIDIA branding from the company's Fremont warehouse, they expected high-value autonomous trucking technology but instead found 40,000 pounds of sand used for simulated loads during manual testing. In a stroke of luck, both trailers were discovered just hours later outside a Newark office, abandoned with all the sand still intact after the disappointed thieves opened the back doors and found nothing worth stealing. Finally, we examine how the massive nearshoring boom is running into serious operational headwinds at the U.S.-Mexico border. Industry executives warn that a shrinking pool of cross-border drivers, tougher customs enforcement, and increasingly sophisticated cargo theft are making cross-border freight movements more difficult and expensive. Cargo theft in Mexico's key Bajío manufacturing region has surged eleven percent year-over-year, with criminal organizations now deploying GPS jammers, inside information, and violent tactics that render basic tracking systems inadequate for freight security. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 30 · 1 hr 5 min

    FreightWaves Today | September 30

    As the third quarter comes to a close, FreightWaves Today looks at the forces shaping freight heading into Q4 — from cargo theft and diesel prices to record-setting intermodal volumes and the evolution of electric trucking. The show opens with a look at a coordinated national cargo-theft enforcement operation that recovered roughly $635,000 in stolen freight, followed by an update on falling diesel prices and new cold-storage warehouse safety requirements in California. Then, Sarit Tamir, founder and CEO of a computer-vision company, explains how warehouses can use cameras they already have to identify hidden sources of lost capacity, including idle dock doors, congestion, blocked aisles and forklift bottlenecks. The episode also features a SONAR intermodal update, with domestic rail container volumes reaching a new annual high and shippers continuing to shift freight from truckload to rail in search of significant cost savings. The discussion examines whether railroads, terminals and drayage providers can keep pace as intermodal volumes continue to grow. Trains Magazine editor Bill Stephens joins the show to break down the latest rail traffic data, including growth in intermodal, chemicals and metals, while discussing drayage capacity, rail service and the bankruptcy of Brightline. Finally, FreightWaves’ Adam Wingfield shares his firsthand experience driving a loaded Tesla Semi. A longtime skeptic, Adam discusses the truck’s acceleration, regenerative braking, camera-based visibility, maintenance advantages and the remaining questions around range and long-haul applications. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 30 · 54 min

    Why Canadian Oil Won't Save US Diesel Prices | WHAT THE TRUCK?!?

    Malcolm and Mike review recent news, including a breakdown of approximately 1,850 industry layoffs across several states, notable drug and weapon seizures involving semi-trucks on I-69 in Michigan and I-40 in Arkansas, and upcoming events like the Future of Freight Festival in Chattanooga. Then they're joined by Matthew Muester, Chief Economist at Breakthrough, He talks about the volatile diesel market heading into Q4. He breaks down how geopolitical conflicts, crude oil prices (~$90/barrel), and skyrocketing refining margins ($108/barrel crack spread) have pushed total diesel costs to around $200 per barrel. He also shares insights on Canadian crude imports, the long-term outlook for the Keystone XL project, and expectations for diesel pricing into 2027. Finally they have Jefferson Barr, Chief Marketing Officer at Netstock, who discusses insights from Netstock's latest supply chain report. He explains how small-to-midsize businesses (SMBs) are navigating a complex landscape of simultaneous disruptions—such as shifting lead times, freight costs, and raw material access—and emphasizes how leveraging data analytics helps "star" performers outperform "stragglers" in inventory management. ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Visit our sponsor - KOONER FLEET MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS⁠ ⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠ #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 30 · 3 min

    Cargo Theft Blitz Recovers $635K, California Cold-Storage Crackdown, & Diesel Prices Drop | The Morning Minute

    In this episode, we kick things off by examining a landmark law enforcement operation that dealt a major blow to cargo theft networks nationwide. The ⁠coordinated National Supply Chain Blitz resulted in multiple arrests and approximately $635,000 in recovered stolen freight⁠, including thirty stolen transformers worth roughly $600,000 that were located at a Massachusetts facility using fraudulent documentation. Next, we explore how California is tightening regulatory oversight of cold-storage facilities following a devastating industrial fire. Governor Gavin Newsom ⁠signed new legislation requiring emergency financial resources and authorizing significantly higher penalties for safety violations⁠ at large cold-storage warehouses after the massive eight-day Lineage fire in Los Angeles triggered a state emergency declaration and widespread public health concerns. Finally, we cover some welcome news for truckers as ⁠retail diesel prices dropped nearly fifteen cents per gallon⁠ from their recent all-time highs. The decline ends a three-week streak of record-breaking weekly prices and is being driven by increasing crude oil flows out of the Persian Gulf approaching pre-war levels. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 29 · 1 hr 20 min

    FreightWaves Today | September 29

    FreightWaves Today looks ahead to the fourth quarter and holiday peak season with an in-depth discussion of freight market conditions, capacity, operating costs and the broader economy. Covenant Logistics Group Founder and CEO David Parker joins the show live in Chattanooga to discuss the company’s strategy of moving away from commoditized truckload freight and deeper into specialized, service-intensive operations, including poultry transportation, expedited freight and logistics supporting AI data-center construction. Parker shares his outlook for peak season, contract rates, capacity, driver pay, diesel costs and the potential impact of autonomous trucking and electric trucks. The episode also examines major industry headlines, including Daimler Truck North America’s opposition to proposed NOx noncompliance penalties, Trimble’s strategic review of its transportation and logistics business, and uncertainty surrounding U.S. port fees on China-linked and China-built vessels. The SONAR market update explores tender rejections, spot and contract rates, freight volumes and the tightening capacity environment. With tender rejections around 14%, the discussion examines why the market can remain healthy without reaching the extreme tightness seen during previous freight booms. Economist Jason Miller joins the show for a broader look at the freight economy, including diesel prices, regulatory enforcement, capacity exits, consumer spending, energy markets, interest rates, housing and the driver labor market. Miller also discusses how AI and data-center investment are supporting industrial freight while weaker consumer activity creates potential headwinds. The episode closes with a discussion of changing student-loan policies and their potential implications for consumer spending and freight, along with an update on FreightWaves Today’s new one-hour-plus format. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Showing 41–60 of 139 episodes