FreightCasts

By FreightWavesNews News Commentary Daily News Business News

FreightCasts episodes

June 29The $1,300 Brake-Check Scam: How Fraud Rings Are Forcing Nuclear Verdicts on Fleets | WHAT THE TRUCK?!?
The final Monday of June is packed with freight news, industry insights, and plenty of laughs on this episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?
Hosts Malcolm Harrison and Michael Vincent kick things off by catching up on weekend adventures—from bourbon tasting and disc golf to a look at what's ahead for the freight industry this summer.
In this episode:
The Port of Brownsville completes its $295 million ship channel expansion and what it means for trade, LNG exports, and cross-border freight.

A $500,000 bourbon shipment disappears after thieves pose as a legitimate trucking carrier. How cargo theft scams continue to evolve.

FMCSA announces major enforcement actions, shutting down fraudulent CDL schools, removing non-compliant ELDs, and increasing investigations. Are these meaningful reforms or simply fixing long-standing problems?

Tommy Slaymaker, Director of Fleet Services at The Pete Store, joins the show to discuss fleet maintenance, fuel costs, equipment lifecycle planning, and why proper truck specifications can save fleets thousands over the life of a vehicle.

Plus, Grace Sharkey joins later in the show with more insights on the biggest stories shaping transportation and supply chain.
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46 min
June 29 $1.3M Cargo Theft Recovery, China Southern Orders Boeing Freighters, & ULH Biometrics Case | The Morning Minute
In this episode, we kick things off by examining a massive cargo theft recovery near Chicago that reveals the sophisticated nature of organized freight crime. The Cook County Sheriff's Office recovered two stolen trailers containing over $1.3 million in copper wire and data center equipment at a truck yard in Elk Grove Township. Both trailers had been equipped with stolen license plates and were linked to the same unidentified driver, though no arrests have been announced yet.
Next, we shift over to the air cargo sector where a state-owned Chinese carrier is making a landmark move that signals a major thaw in trade relations. China Southern Airlines placed an order with Boeing for seven freighter aircraft, including five of the all-new 777-8F models expected to hit the market in 2028. This represents the first purchase of the 777-8 freighter by a mainland China carrier and comes after China reopened its market to Boeing during President Trump's May visit to Beijing.
Finally, we explore how a biometric privacy lawsuit filed in 2021 by an Illinois truck driver has just expanded into a potentially costly class action. A federal judge granted class status to the case against Universal Intermodal Services over fingerprint scanners used at its Harvey, Illinois facility. The broader class definition brings in workers from a Universal Logistics subsidiary and third-party staffing agencies, significantly expanding the scope of potential damages under Illinois' stringent Biometric Privacy Act.
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5 min
June 26 Autonomous Trucks Are HERE: Will They Replace Drivers? | Freight Expectations
In this episode of Freight Expectations, Craig Fuller, Matt Leffler, and Max Fuller dive into one of the biggest shifts the trucking industry has ever faced. From the controversial driver shortage debate to federal regulations, fleet adoption, maintenance challenges, and the future of autonomous trucking, this conversation explores what's coming next for freight.
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35 min
June 26FreightWaves Today | June 26
In this packed episode of FreightWaves Today, Craig Fuller, Malcolm Wilson, and the FreightWaves team break down one of the most important weeks of the year for trucking: the lead-up to the July 4th freight surge — often called trucking’s “Super Bowl.”
They discuss tightening capacity, rising spot rates, driver shortages, and why many large carriers believe the freight market has officially turned. The conversation also explores the future of autonomous trucks, AI in logistics, and how brokers and shippers are preparing for a potentially volatile peak season.
This episode features insights from industry leaders and experts, including:
Ken Adamo, Chief of Analytics at Ease Logistics and former DAT executive

Dr. Jason Miller, supply chain economist and professor at Michigan State University

Max Fuller, transportation industry veteran and founder of U.S. Xpress

Fabrizio Alvear, Co-Founder and President of ePost Global
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1 hr 57 min
June 26 Amazon Just Lost to the Teamsters: Inside the NLRB Ruling | WHAT THE TRUCK?!?
Welcome back to What The Truck?! In this Friday edition, Malcolm Harris breaks down the biggest stories shaping freight, transportation, and supply chain.
This episode covers the latest headlines, including the Teamsters' legal victory against Amazon, new estimates showing cargo theft now costs U.S. businesses $35 billion annually, FreightTech 100 nominations opening for 2027, and a roundup of recent transportation and warehouse bankruptcies.
Then, Malcolm sits down with Chad Lindholm, SVP of Sales at Clean Energy, for an in-depth conversation about renewable natural gas (RNG), the Cummins X15N engine, fuel cost stability, and why more fleets are considering alternative fuels as a practical business decision—not just an environmental one.
Later, Netstock's Chief Marketing Officer Jefferson Barr and VP of Product Management Ryan Bavery discuss why companies continue to lose money through inefficient inventory planning and underutilized shipping containers. They explain how AI-driven inventory optimization, smarter container utilization, and better planning tools can help businesses improve margins in an increasingly volatile supply chain environment.
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46 min
June 26 ILWU Sugar Strike, FMCSA Motus Rollout Troubles, & USPS Cash Crisis | The Morning Minute
In this episode, we kick things off in California, where warehouse workers launched the first ILWU strike against a major sugar producer in decades. The walkout at C&H Sugar's massive Bay Area refinery involves roughly ninety to one hundred unionized employees fighting over healthcare, retiree benefits, sick leave, and overtime rules. While American Sugar Refining offered a twenty percent wage increase, workers say the company proposed slashing half their annual sick days, ending retiree medical coverage, and limiting premium overtime pay.
Meanwhile, in Washington, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration quietly suspended its biennial update requirement for entities that missed their deadline since June first, a clear signal that the Motus registration portal rollout continues to struggle. Despite FMCSA leadership characterizing the technical issues as minor, industry consultants report that conflicting government data is preventing carriers from operating, creating serious compliance headaches across the sector.
Finally, we examine how the U.S. Postal Service has delayed a shutdown until the early 2030s through accounting maneuvers, but the fundamental liquidity crisis remains unresolved. Postmaster General David Steiner warned senators that USPS carries nearly thirty-one billion dollars in debt against just eight point nine billion in unrestricted cash, as mail volume has plummeted by more than half since two thousand while delivery addresses continue growing by one million annually.
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4 min
June 25 SUPER CYCLE TALK FOR SUPER SUCKERS? | Brake Check
Is Trucking About to Repeat Its Biggest Mistake Again?
Everyone is talking about the next trucking "super cycle." But who benefits most from selling such a narrative?
Higher rates.
Tighter capacity.
A new golden era.
But haven't we heard this before?
On this episode of Brake Check, we're asking the question many in trucking are afraid to ask:
Is the industry chasing another hype cycle... or is this time actually different?
Joining Charles are three guests with completely different perspectives on the freight market.
Tyler Johnston: Mercer Transportation
Operations leader at one of America's most respected owner-operator carriers, discussing what disciplined fleets are actually seeing on the ground.
Tommy Valenzuela: Recruiting Professional of the Year, One of trucking's leading carrier advocates, sharing what drivers and fleets are experiencing as hiring, retention, and capacity begin to shift.
Sage Outcast: Broker, insurance expert, and one of trucking's biggest pot stirrers
Never afraid to challenge conventional wisdom, Sage brings his unfiltered take on freight rates, insurance, broker dynamics, and whether the "super cycle" narrative is fact or fantasy.
We tackle:
Is the trucking super cycle real?
Are freight rates telling the whole story?
Why freight rates can rise while freight volume falls.
The biggest mistakes carriers made the last time everyone trusted "industry voices"
Why costs still threaten profitability.
Capacity, recruiting, insurance, and the market signals nobody should ignore.
What owner-operators, fleets, brokers, and executives should be watching next.
No corporate talking points.
No hype.
No echo chamber.
Just real conversations backed by experience from every side of the trucking industry.
If you're a truck driver, owner-operator, fleet owner, carrier executive, freight broker, logistics professional, or simply trying to understand where trucking is headed next, this episode is for you.
Subscribe for weekly conversations that challenge conventional wisdom and tackle the biggest issues in trucking, freight, logistics, regulation, and the supply chain.
#Trucking #Freight #Logistics #OwnerOperator #TruckDriver #FreightMarket #SupplyChain #MercerTransportation #Broker #Insurance #BrakeCheck #FreightWaves #Transportation #CDL #OwnerOperators #FreightRates
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56 min
June 24 FreightWaves Today Live From Samara Beyond | June 24
FreightWaves Today hosts Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp come to you live from Samsara Beyond 2026.
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2 hr 1 min
June 24Why 20,000 Mexican Truckers Just Lost Their Visas | WHAT THE TRUCK?!?
On this episode, hosts Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent break down some of the biggest stories shaping freight, transportation, and supply chain logistics this week.
Topics include:
The growing impact of AI infrastructure on freight markets and why rising demand for copper could create new challenges across supply chains.

A major milestone at the Port of Baltimore as the newly reconstructed Howard Street Tunnel opens for double-stack rail service, unlocking new intermodal opportunities along the East Coast.

UPS invests $48 million into expanding its healthcare and pharmaceutical logistics network with 27 new temperature-controlled facilities to support growing demand for vaccines, advanced therapies, and GLP-1 medications.

The U.S. revokes thousands of visas tied to Mexican truck drivers amid a cabotage enforcement crackdown. What does it mean for capacity, freight rates, and cross-border transportation?

Cargo theft, World Cup logistics, and the risks major global events create for supply chains and freight security.
Plus, Chris Bakes, Managing Director of Auto Solutions at Sedgwick, joins the show to discuss how fleets can prepare for the challenges of summer operations. From rising temperatures and increased roadside breakdowns to predictive maintenance, risk management, and AI-powered fleet technologies, Chris shares practical strategies for keeping trucks moving and minimizing costly disruptions.
⁠Watch on YouTube⁠
⁠Visit our sponsor - KOONER FLEET MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS⁠
⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠
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⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠
#WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain

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51 min
June 23 Why cargo theft is bigger than trucking | Fraud Watch
In Episode 7 of Fraud Watch, Phil Brink sits down with Donna Lemm, Chief Strategy Officer at IMC Logistics, for a conversation about cargo theft, organized crime, and the growing risks facing the supply chain. How serious has the problem become? Who is behind it? And why are industry leaders, lawmakers, and law enforcement all sounding the alarm? Donna offers a perspective shaped by decades in transportation and a passion for protecting the industry she loves. If you want to understand why cargo theft is no longer just a transportation problem, this is a conversation you do not want to miss.

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50 min

About FreightCasts

From the publisher's feed

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…