FreightCasts

Diesel is above $6 a gallon. But what if the pump isn't the only place your trucking company is getting crushed?

One carrier analyzed by Magnus Technologies was reportedly more than $53,000 behind through August because of the timing of its monthly fuel-surcharge resets.Read that again.

$53,000. GONE. BECAUSE OF THE MATH.

On this episode of Brake Check, Charles  goes after both sides of the squeeze hitting carriers right now: keeping good drivers when margins are disappearing and making damn sure your fuel surcharge is actually recovering what diesel is costing you.

First, Brad Hackett, Director of Recruiting & Safety at Jett Express, breaks down the “Big Four” behind driver retention: pay, equipment, home time and respect. When fuel destroys your margin, which one do you protect? What actually keeps a driver from leaving for a few cents more? And can running a genuinely safe operation become a recruiting advantage

Because seeing FUEL SURCHARGE on the rate confirmation doesn't automatically mean you're getting your money back.And at $6-plus diesel, guessing whether you're profitable isn't good enough.

Six-dollar diesel hurts when you buy it.

Bad math makes it hurt AGAIN when you don't get it back.

CHECK THE DAMN MATH.

SOUND OFF: How often does your fuel surcharge reset .... weekly, monthly or quarterly?

And have you actually checked whether it's covering your real fuel increase?

#Trucking #Diesel #FuelSurcharge #OwnerOperator #TruckDrivers #TruckingIndustry #DieselPrices #Freight #FleetManagement #BrakeCheck

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In this episode, we kick things off by examining a major technology partnership pushing heavy-duty autonomous trucking toward highway operations. Swedish company Einride announced it will build its next-generation autonomous driving system on⁠ Nvidia's Hyperion platform, a compute and sensor architecture designed for Level 4 autonomy⁠. The two companies will collaborate to extend Hyperion's compute, sensor, and safety architecture to the demands of heavy-duty freight, with Einride expecting its fleet footprint to reach 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles by 2028.

Shifting gears to the rails, we examine a major merger review that hit a significant snag despite officially moving forward. The Surface Transportation Board declined to dismiss the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern application, but a pointed concurring opinion from board member Richard Kloster revealed⁠ the merger application is shallow and lacks detail on how competition concerns will be addressed⁠. Kloster's skepticism is particularly notable because Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena appeared with President Trump in the Oval Office in September, and Trump subsequently called the merger a good idea.

Finally, we explore how fleet technology giant Samsara is going after a massive opportunity hiding in plain sight. The company launched its Fuel Command Center, a new dashboard that⁠ consolidates total and recoverable fuel spend while targeting $2 billion in potential savings⁠ across its U.S. customers in the first six months of 2026 alone. The platform pulls transactions from any fleet's existing fuel card, integrates Coast's spend controls directly, and combats fraud by tying card authorization to vehicle location.

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On this episode of FreightWaves Today, hosts Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp sit down with leaders from trucking, logistics, transportation law and rail to examine the forces shaping freight markets.

John Ferguson, founder and CEO of Pivot Supply Chain Solutions, Inc., joins the show in studio to discuss the state of freight, current supply chain conditions and the trends transportation companies should be watching.

Drew Singleton Wilder, founder and CEO of Vicarious Liability Risk Management, and Greg Reed, partner at Hanson Bridgett, tackle transportation risk and liability, including legal exposure across transportation relationships and what businesses should understand about managing risk.

Trains Magazine Editor Bill Stephens provides perspective on developments across North American freight rail and what changes in the sector could mean for shippers and the broader supply chain.

Pam Polyak, founder of Polyak Trucking and Polyak Consulting, brings an operator’s perspective to the conversation, discussing the realities facing carriers and owner-operators as they navigate changing freight demand, costs and operating conditions.

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#FreightWaves #FreightWavesToday #Trucking #Logistics #SupplyChain #Freight #Transportation #Rail #FreightRail #TruckingIndustry #RiskManagement

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Live from the FreightWaves Enterprise Fleet Summit, hosts Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent break down the strategies, technologies, and operational shifts required to scale trucking operations during volatile market cycles.

In this episode:

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In this episode, we kick things off by examining a sobering wave of financial distress as⁠ at least sixteen trucking and transportation companies entered bankruptcy proceedings in less than a month⁠. The geographically widespread filings include both Chapter 11 reorganizations and Chapter 7 liquidations, spanning carriers from small owner-operators to mid-sized fleets operating dozens of trucks across general freight, last-mile, agricultural and specialized operations. Rising diesel fuel prices and elevated operating costs continue to squeeze margins in an already challenging freight environment.

Over on the rails, Alabama is pushing forward with a massive infrastructure project as⁠ construction remains on schedule for the Montgomery Intermodal Container Transfer Facility's early 2027 opening⁠. The $100 million, 272-acre terminal will provide direct CSX rail service connecting inland shippers to the Port of Mobile, creating a rail alternative to truck drayage. At full operation, the facility is expected to handle up to 60,000 container units annually and will be equipped with two rubber-tired gantry cranes scheduled for delivery in late 2026.

Finally, we unpack a major legal battle over federal trucking rules where⁠ judicial questioning showed more skepticism toward the Department of Transportation's position than toward plaintiffs challenging recent FMCSA changes⁠. During oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in Lujan v. FMCSA, judges questioned the DOT's rationale for narrowing acceptable documentation to only an unexpired passport and Form I-94, particularly when non-domiciled applicants can provide ten years of driving history. The new rule, which went into effect this spring, no longer accepts Employment Authorization Documents as proof of eligibility for commercial driver's licenses.

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The freight market is shifting as carriers, brokers and shippers head toward Q4. On this episode of FreightWaves Today, we break down the latest trucking industry news, freight rates, insurance risks, fuel prices, capacity trends and the outlook for the 2026 peak season.

In this episode:

Key topics: trucking news, freight market update, freight rates, truckload market, spot rates, contract rates, diesel prices, trucking insurance, cargo theft, carrier capacity, routing guides, peak season, transportation logistics, freight demand, supply chain, trucking industry and 2027 freight outlook.

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#FreightWaves #FreightWavesToday #Trucking #Freight #Logistics #SupplyChain #Truckload #FreightRates #Diesel #TruckingNews #Transportation #TruckingIndustry

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$7 DIESEL? FMCSA CRACKDOWN. WHAT’S NEXT?

This may be one of the biggest Brake Check conversations we've put together.

Two problems are hitting American trucking at the same damn time:

The cost of running is exploding...

The rules for running are getting tighter....

And instead of asking somebody on social media what they THINK about it, we're going straight to the people who actually know.

FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs joins Charles Gracey to talk about what’s happening inside the agency right now ... the recent Safety Innovation Expo, CDL integrity, training providers, English proficiency enforcement, ELDs, fraud, bad actors, hours of service, truck parking and the technology FMCSA believes could actually make trucking safer.

The question we're putting directly to the Administrator:

WHEN DOES THE PROFESSIONAL TRUCKER ACTUALLY FEEL THE DIFFERENCE

Then energy analyst Phil Flynn of The PRICE Futures Group joins us as diesel pushes deeper into historic territory.

Why can crude get cheaper while diesel gets MORE expensive?

What does the exploding diesel crack spread actually mean?

Why is America exporting diesel while American truckers are getting crushed at the pump?

Would stopping exports actually lower prices — or create an even bigger mess later?

Would more drilling fix it? Do we need more refining? Would a trucker shutdown actually move diesel prices?

And the question nobody wants to ask:

COULD DIESEL HIT $7?

Then Phil gets the HARD STOP:

One lever. More drilling. More refining. Restrict exports. Release reserves. Or let the market rebalance.

WHICH ONE ACTUALLY HELPS THE AMERICAN TRUCKER?

No slogans

No social-media economics

SHOW US THE MATH & RESULTS

One guest runs the agency writing and enforcing trucking's rules.

One guest has spent decades reading the energy market.

And the American trucker?

YOU'RE PAYING FOR BOTH....SO WE GET YOU THE ANSWERS YOU WANT!

SOUND OFF: What's hurting your operation more right now ... FUEL, RATES, or REGULATION?

#Trucking #Diesel #FMCSA #TruckDrivers #OwnerOperator #DieselPrices #TruckingIndustry #FuelPrices #Freight #BrakeCheck

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In this episode, we kick things off by examining a major legal development in the controversial Super Ego trucking network case. A federal judge has ⁠dismissed several counts against Aleksandar Mimic in a lawsuit filed by drivers⁠, though drivers' claims against Super Ego Holding and nine affiliated defendants remain fully intact. Court records reveal that an all-day settlement conference made significant progress toward resolving the case, even as the judge's dismissal reshapes the litigation.

Next, we explore a coordinated cargo theft operation as Florida's task force ⁠recovered two stolen tractor-trailers hauling tires and batteries⁠ along Interstate 95. Troopers arrested one driver at a travel center on charges including first-degree grand theft of automobile tires worth over one hundred thousand dollars, though a second suspect fled on foot and remains at large.

Finally, we unpack groundbreaking research from Samsara showing that ⁠just ten percent of the highest-risk drivers account for nearly half of all fleet crashes⁠. The company's Compounding Risk Report reveals that combinations of risky behaviors—like mobile phone use, distraction, and harsh braking together—create exponentially greater crash risk than isolated safety events, allowing fleet managers to focus coaching resources on the behavioral patterns most strongly linked to accidents.

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The freight market is shifting, cargo theft is getting more sophisticated, diesel prices are under pressure, and artificial intelligence is raising new questions for freight brokers and carriers. On this episode of FreightWaves Today, we break down the biggest stories shaping trucking, logistics, supply chains and transportation.

We’re also heading to Green Bay this week, and Ben Schill, Chief Corporate Development Officer at Paper Transport, joins the show to discuss the company’s long-running logistics partnership with the Green Bay Packers, including how Paper Transport moves the team’s equipment for away games. He also discusses trucking market conditions, dedicated freight, acquisitions, fleet growth and the company’s strategy for building density in Wisconsin.

In this episode:

• Cargo theft and freight fraud: Two men allegedly posed as FedEx drivers to steal more than $680,000 in electronics from a Delaware warehouse. We also discuss an unusual Memphis case involving a $110,000 chicken shipment allegedly being used to settle a drug debt.

• AI and freight brokerage liability: What does the future of AI-driven carrier selection look like following the Supreme Court’s decision involving broker liability? We examine whether human brokers could become more important as artificial intelligence takes on more decision-making.

• Paper Transport & Green Bay Packers logistics: Ben Schill explains how Paper Transport handles the Packers’ equipment, including game-day gear, backup equipment and logistics surrounding away games.

• Trucking market conditions: Paper Transport discusses the current dedicated freight environment, inflation, rates, fuel costs and why the trucking market feels more stable than it did previously.

• Site selection and supply chain investment: Companies are reconsidering where to build factories, distribution centers and data centers as they navigate energy availability, labor constraints, infrastructure, tariffs and geopolitical risk.

• Autonomous yard trucks: We explore the growing adoption of autonomous yard automation, including autonomous yard trucks, remote supervision, yard-management technology and what it could mean for trucking operations.• Truckload market & tender rejections: The FreightWaves SONAR update examines truckload rejection rates, freight volumes, capacity and the potential impact of peak season on trucking rates.

• Diesel prices and the global energy crisis: We examine how disruptions in Russia and the Middle East are affecting crude oil, refining capacity, diesel fuel and transportation costs — and what higher energy prices could mean for trucking and supply chains.

Whether you’re a truck driver, owner-operator, carrier, freight broker, shipper, logistics professional, investor or supply chain executive, FreightWaves Today delivers the news, data and analysis you need to understand the freight market.

Subscribe to FreightWaves for daily coverage of trucking, freight, logistics, supply chains, transportation technology and the global economy.

#FreightWaves #FreightWavesToday #Trucking #Freight #Logistics #SupplyChain #Transportation #Truckload #CargoTheft #FreightFraud #ArtificialIntelligence #AutonomousTrucks #Diesel #TruckingNews #FreightMarket

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In this episode, we kick things off by examining the latest developments in broker liability law and how they're unexpectedly reshaping the role of technology in freight brokerage. Industry experts now argue that ⁠the Supreme Court's Montgomery decision will actually make human brokers more valuable⁠ rather than less, as firms face tough questions about whether AI-driven carrier selection will hold up under courtroom scrutiny following fatal crashes. This shift could force brokerages to invest heavily in human oversight and robust compliance systems instead of relying purely on automated platforms.

Next, we explore a brazen cargo security breach that highlights the vulnerability of standard warehouse pickup procedures. Delaware State Police arrested a California man after ⁠two suspects posing as FedEx drivers stole a $680,000 electronics load⁠ from a New Castle, Delaware, facility using fake driver's licenses and forged shipping documents. Troopers recovered the entire shipment intact at a nearby parking area, underscoring how fraudsters can exploit routine documentation checks to make off with high-value freight.

Finally, we head south to Central Texas, where ⁠Tesla is planning a massive 538,000-square-foot distribution center⁠ in Mustang Ridge with an estimated construction cost of $1.44 million. The sprawling facility will add critical distribution capacity near Tesla's Gigafactory Texas manufacturing complex and the extensive cross-border supplier network in Mexico, supporting the automaker's rapidly expanding production operations.

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