FreightCasts

Freight rates continue to feel pressure from fuel and capacity shortfalls while the economy continues to sustain despite ongoing inflation concerns. 

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Is trucking finally at the bottom...or are we still digging?

Diesel is around $6.53 a gallon. Rates remain under pressure. Capacity keeps leaving. Cash is getting tighter. And trucking has been hearing the same promise for what feels like forever:

“THE RECOVERY IS COMING.”

Cool....WHEN?

On this episode of Brake Check, Charles follows the money with two guests looking at the trucking market from completely different angles.First, John Larkin, Senior Investment Partner at Venture 53, brings decades of transportation and Wall Street experience to the questions every carrier wants answered:

Are we finally at the bottom? How many more trucks have to disappear before rates move? Is freight volume or excess capacity the bigger problem? Who breaks first at $6.53 diesel? And when does buying another truck become an investment instead of a really expensive gamble?

Then we put $1 MILLION on the table.

Trucking capacity, Freight technology, Brokerage, Warehousing, or cash.

Where would John Larkin put HIS money today?

Then Jacob Thomas from AtoB joins us to attack the problem from the cab instead of Wall Street.

At $6.53 diesel, fuel discounts aren't pocket change anymore. We're breaking down fuel-card savings, where discounts actually come from, hidden costs, fuel fraud, cash flow, working capital and the mistakes that make expensive diesel even MORE expensive.

Because surviving this freight market isn't just about waiting for rates to recover.

It's about having enough damn money left WHEN THEY DO.

SOUND OFF IN THE COMMENTS:

If you had $250,000 in cash TODAY, what are you doing?

BUY A TRUCK? PAY DOWN DEBT? INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY? OR SIT ON THE CASH?

And the bigger question:

IS TRUCKING FINALLY AT THE BOTTOM?

#Trucking #Freight #Diesel #OwnerOperator #TruckDrivers #FreightMarket #TruckingIndustry #FreightTech #DieselPrices #BrakeCheck

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