FreightCasts

C.H. Robinson announces groundbreaking adoption of AI agents to classify LTL freight, a move set to revolutionize classification, enhance efficiency, and accuracy in logistics. This innovation is particularly significant given upcoming changes to the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) system and is expected to generate operating leverage in North American Surface Transportation (NAST) by automating over 75% of LTL orders.

Canada Post reached a collective bargaining agreement with its second-largest union, the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association (CPAA), after 18 months of negotiations. This deal grants postmasters an 11% wage increase over three years, while a standoff continues with their largest union, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), prompting government intervention.

DHL Express Canada requested for an exemption from new legislation banning replacement workers during strikes or lockouts, forcing them to suspend operations. The company argues this cessation significantly harms businesses and communities, affecting over 50,000 international shipments daily, but the union, Unifor, strongly opposes any special treatment.

Explore the swift resolution of a legal battle between DAT Freight & Analytics and factoring company OTR Solutions, bringing a quick end to a dispute over factoring services. This settlement allows DAT to market the factoring services of Outgo, a company it recently acquired, on its platform, which had been previously suspended by a court order.

FourKites CEO allegedly manipulated comments by FreightWaves' CEO to unfairly criticize Project44’s Movement platform, highlighting competitive rivalries in logistics technology. This behavior, which included misrepresenting the context of the statements, raises questions about ethical conduct, given FourKites' history of purported unethical actions against Project44.

Recent flooding and rockslides shut down a critical stretch of Interstate 40 between the North Carolina and Tennessee border. This key route was previously ravaged by Hurricane Helene last September and only partially reopened in February 2025, emphasizing its vulnerability to natural disasters. This episode ensures you stay ahead of the curve in freight and logistics news.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, the audio file delves into C.H. Robinson's groundbreaking AI agent, a proprietary technology poised to revolutionize less-than-truckload (LTL) freight classification by adapting to upcoming changes in the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) system. As North America's largest third-party logistics (3PL) provider for LTL freight, C.H. Robinson's innovation promises enhanced efficiency and accuracy across the logistics industry by automating tasks that previously defied automation for decades.

The podcast also covers the swift resolution of the legal dispute between factoring company OTR Solutions and DAT Freight & Analytics, with OTR voluntarily dismissing its lawsuit. This settlement enables DAT to fully launch Outgo, a recently acquired financial services and factoring company, through the DAT One platform.

In global news, the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict has not yet severely impacted freight markets, but significant concerns persist regarding the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz. This strategic passage is vital for Persian Gulf nations, exporting 20% of the global oil supply, and any disruption could dramatically affect oil prices and international shipping routes.

Listeners can catch Tim Dooner on What the Truck?!? for the latest on the Project44 and Fourkites feud, and Mario Connell on Running on Ice discussing cold chain efficiency with E-Road. Registration is open for the upcoming Enterprise Fleet Summit on July 23rd and the Supply Chain AI Symposium on July 30th in Washington D.C..

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Surface Transportation Board regulates railroad freight markets, maintaining a competitive landscape in the industry and ensuring that shippers have good service. Chairman Fuchs explains to JP Hampstead and Stuart Chirls how the STB is also enabling American reindustrialization.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Coleman Ruffin—industry vet, team builder, and former CH Robinson broker—to expose what small carriers need to know about how freight really gets moved. Coleman shares the truth about rate negotiations, how brokers decide who gets the good freight, and the quiet reasons carriers get skipped over. This is a raw look inside the brokerage world that’ll change how you approach your next load. If you want to stop being transactional and start being essential, this is the episode.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get ready for a game-changing episode of Truck Tech! Thomas Wasson sits down with Ali Javidan, Founder & CTO of Range Energy, to reveal groundbreaking electrification technology that's not focused on the tractor.

Range Energy is putting the trailer to work with an innovative e-axle and battery system that promises to revolutionize fuel efficiency, safety, and operational transparency for fleets.

In this deep dive, learn about:

Ali, with his extensive background from Tesla, Google, and Zoox, shares the vision behind Range Energy and how they're empowering fleets to achieve significant decarbonization without major operational disruptions.

Don't miss this look at the smart, sustainable future of trucking!

#TruckTech #RangeEnergy #ElectricTrailer #EAxle #FleetElectrification #EVTrucking #ReeferTrailer #RegenerativeBraking #SmartTrailer #CommercialTrucking #SupplyChain #Logistics #Decarbonization #CleanTransportation #ACTExpo #FutureOfTrucking #Innovation #TruckingIndustry #Freight #ColdChain #SustainableLogistics

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On episode 851 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Dooner talks to lawyers about a fatal truck accident case. Today, they’ll examine Roth v. NFL and Gursimran Singh. Attorneys Kevin Etzkorn and Nathan A. Steimel break down the timeline of events that led to Gursimran Singh crashing into a stalled car, killing its driver. They’ll explain why they argued Singh was untrained, unqualified, and unsafe.

The latest freight theft victim? Nintendo. Thieves stole $1.4 million worth of Switch 2 consoles from a truck at a Love’s in Bennett, Colorado.

Has the tariff hangover hit ports? Los Angeles box volumes have fallen to two-year lows. FreightWaves’ Stuart Chirls helps us uncover what’s happening with shipping.

Plus, a trucker needs your help; what’s your inseam?; crane crashes; and more.

0:57 Men: what’s your inseam?

2:43 Help a trucker out

5:27 $1.4M Switch 2 truck theft

9:01 Roth v. NFL and Gursimran Singh | Kevin Etzkorn, Attorney, Kevin Etzkorn Law and Nathan A. Steimel, Attorney, SK Law

36:51 LAs box volume hits 2 year low | Stuart Chirls 

39:53 Is the worst yet to come? | Stuart Chirls

41:14 Israel/Iran impact | Stuart Chirls

Catch new shows live at noon EDT Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on FreightWaves LinkedIn, Facebook, X or YouTube, or on demand by looking up WHAT THE TRUCK?!? on your favorite podcast player and at 6 p.m. Eastern on SiriusXM’s Road Dog Trucking Channel 146.

Watch on YouTube

Check out the WTT merch store

Visit our sponsor

Subscribe to the WTT newsletter

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

More FreightWaves Podcasts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An Ohio couple that owned multiple trucking companies pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges related to COVID-19 loan programs, fraudulently obtaining over $900,000. Ajay and Ruhi Chawla used these funds primarily for real estate acquisitions instead of employee payroll for their four trucking-related businesses.

A new U.S. Department of Transportation enforcement policy is drawing criticism from the Truck Safety Coalition, who warn it could lead to "political interference" and undermine safety oversight. The policy would allow truck drivers and companies under investigation to petition DOT officials, potentially causing a "chilling effect" on federal regulators and risking disciplinary action against FMCSA investigators.

Independent terminal operator Outpost has acquired four new facilities, bringing its national network to 25 locations, with plans to add another eight to ten by year-end. Supported by a $500 million capital fund, Outpost offers truck parking, maintenance partnerships, and cross-dock facilities, differentiating itself from traditional travel centers by focusing heavily on truck capacity rather than free parking. 

A trailer carrying 2,810 Nintendo Switch 2 consoles, valued at $1.4 million, was stolen overnight from a Love's Travel Stop in Bennett, Colorado. This high-value cargo heist highlights a 27% surge in cargo theft, with the scale of the operation suggesting potential inside involvement due to the specialized equipment needed to move the heavy pallets. 

The Port of Los Angeles experienced a surprising dip in May container volumes, snapping a 10-month growth streak, with imports falling 9% year-over-year. An economist warned that ongoing tariffs, averaging 55% on Chinese imports, could effectively increase costs to American families by about $2,500 annually, disproportionately affecting lower-income households.

FedEx has deployed an AI-powered robotic arm at its Cologne, Germany, air gateway to improve package sorting precision, the first of its kind in FedEx’s European network. This robot processes up to 1,000 small packages per hour, ensuring labels are correctly oriented for scanning, which enhances efficiency and reduces physical strain on employees.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An Ohio couple pleaded guilty to fraud charges involving COVID-era loan programs for their trucking companies. These funds, totaling over $900,000, were reportedly misused for real estate acquisitions instead of employee payroll.

We also discuss the ongoing debate surrounding new enforcement rights proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, with the Truck Safety Coalition warning of negative impacts on investigations. Conversely, the American Trucking Associations supports these rules, viewing them as a path to greater accountability.

Furthermore, learn how electronics manufacturer Jabil is making a significant $500 million investment to expand its cloud and AI data center infrastructure in the U.S. Southeast. This new facility, expected to be operational by mid-2026, aims to meet the surging demand for AI, serving major clients like Apple, UPS, and Amazon.

Don't miss today's What the Truck?!? live on FreightWaves TV at noon, and register for the free Enterprise Fleet Summit virtual event on July 23rd. Plus, grab your tickets for the Supply Chain AI Symposium in Washington D.C. on July 30th, with a bundle deal available for the Future of Freight Festival in October.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, Reed Loustalot, Chief Marketing Officer at Truck Parking Club, co-founder and board member of LOST FR8 joins us to tell his story, how to turn memes into d dreams, and Truck Parking Club is helping solve the truck parking problem.

⁠Follow the Loaded and Rolling Podcast⁠

⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we dive into the new world of Transfix’s flatbed pricing tool. Our guest, Jonathan Salama, founder of Transfix, breaks down the motivation behind the rollout of the flatbed pricing tool and how they got to this point. For more information subscribe to ⁠Check Call the newsletter⁠ or the podcast.

⁠Follow the Check Call Podcast⁠

⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices