In today's episode, we cover:

FedEx Freight Spinoff: We kick things off with the major corporate shakeup at FedEx Corp., whose board of directors has officially approved the spinoff of its less-than-truckload (LTL) unit, FedEx Freight. We discuss the details of the separation, which is set to conclude by June 1, and how the new standalone company will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "FDXF".

UP-NS Rail Merger Application: Next, we head over to the rails to unpack the ongoing regulatory proceedings between Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern (NS). The two Class I railroads have submitted a revised merger application to the Surface Transportation Board (STB), defending it as "comprehensive and complete" after their initial filing was rejected for lacking adequate market-share data and specific merger agreement details.

New Jersey's Independent Contractor Rules: Finally, we look at the crucial changes to New Jersey's controversial independent contractor rule impacting truckers. Trucking companies are breathing a cautious sigh of relief as the revised rule removes language that would have classified a worker as an employee simply because the company required them to comply with federal or state safety regulations.

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Welcome to a jam-packed Wednesday edition of What the Truck, the best 45 minutes in freight! Today, hosts Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent dive deep into the wildest headlines hitting the supply chain, from hyper-speed deliveries to massive regulatory crackdowns, before bringing on two powerhouse industry leaders.

Juan Hernandez Campos (Chief Operating-Officer, Happy Returns, a UPS Company) joins the desk to pull back the curtain on reverse logistics. Juan breaks down why return fraud is a massive multi-headed beast for retailers (affecting nearly 9% of all returns!), how boxless, label-free drop-offs work behind the scenes, and how consolidated freight economics are changing the retail game.

Rathna Sharad (Founder & CEO, FlavorCloud) tackles the absolute headache of cross-border commerce. With international sales now making up 40% to 60% of wallet share for top brands, Rathna explains how FlavorCloud leverages an AI-native operating system and a network of 300+ carriers to automate customs, trade compliance, and classification codes seamlessly.

In This Episode:

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In this episode of the Fraud Watch podcast, Scott Cornell breaks down a new method where bad actors are getting hired inside legitimate trucking companies to set up theft from within. He explains how these methods are discovered, why they are happening now, and what it means for brokers, carriers, and shippers. The bigger takeaway is not just the method. Theft groups are testing, adjusting, and evolving faster than the industry expects. It is a constant chess game. Awareness is the first move.

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In this episode, we kick things off by examining a massive technology leap in truck terminal automation as Outpost unveils its second-generation gate kiosk that deploys in just one day and slashes gate operating costs by up to seventy percent. This marks a seismic shift from traditional automated gate systems that require months of installation work, and the Austin-based company now processes more than three million gate events annually across more than thirty terminals while replacing manual staffing that typically costs twenty-five thousand dollars or more per gate monthly.

Next, we explore a major shakeup in the financial sector that will fundamentally reshape trucking lending as BMO's massive transportation lending business is being sold to private equity firm Stonepeak while the bank retains a minority nineteen point nine percent stake. BMO's transportation group is believed to be one of the largest lenders in the trucking business, with a book of business totaling twelve point four two billion Canadian dollars, and the timing has raised eyebrows as the sales process began near the bottom of the freight market's years-long slump while markets are now rapidly strengthening.

Finally, we cover a strategic leadership move in the intermodal sector as Consolidated Chassis Management appoints Tara Pellicori as its first-ever general counsel to oversee all legal, regulatory, and compliance matters. Pellicori, who most recently served as director and associate general counsel at Subaru of America, will partner closely with leadership to support aggressive expansion and ensure the Rockaway, New Jersey-based company grows responsibly while delivering value to partners and customers across the intermodal ecosystem.

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Today on Brake Check, live on  FreightWaves⁠, we traded spreadsheets, pie charts, and polished boardroom opinions for something a whole lot more real…

The people who actually live this industry.

We went LIVE from the legendary Bristol Motor Speedway at the Large Cars & Guitars Truck Show with one mission:

Get a real pulse check on trucking in 2026.

Because if you really want to know what’s happening in freight…

You don’t ask analysts.

You ask drivers.

You ask owner-operators.

You ask the men and women who actually keep America moving.

Today’s guests:

From rates…

To parking…

To regulations…

To what’s really broken—and what’s finally getting better…

This isn’t a studio show.

This is Brake Check. Live. Loud. Unfiltered.

Drop your take in the comments:

What’s the biggest thing broken in trucking right now?

#Trucking #BrakeCheck #Freight #OwnerOperator #CDL #Bristol #TruckingNews #FreightWaves #LargeCarsAndGuitars

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In this episode, we kick things off by examining the escalating regulatory battle over the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern mega-merger. Canadian National is urging federal regulators to reject the amended application, arguing that the filing still omits critical information needed to assess competitive impacts. CN criticizes the proposed Committed Gateway Pricing program as temporary and highly limited, excluding major traffic categories and applying to less than one percent of U.S. rail traffic.

Next, we explore the auto logistics sector where Proficient Auto Logistics reported a brutal first quarter that sent its stock tumbling nearly nineteen percent. Extended automotive plant shutdowns, severe winter weather, and disrupted rail and sea transportation pipelines pushed the company's operating ratio to a staggering one hundred three point four percent. However, management remains optimistic that improved March trends and stronger seasonal factors will stabilize second-quarter performance.

Finally, we cover the rapid expansion of autonomous trucking as Kodiak AI posted seventy-four percent quarter-over-quarter revenue growth and expanded its driverless fleet to twenty-eight trucks. The company deployed eight additional fully driverless trucks during the first quarter and accumulated more than twenty-three thousand five hundred cumulative hours of paid operations. Kodiak also secured one hundred million dollars in new financing and launched a partnership with Roehl Transport for regular Dallas-Houston freight lanes.

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This Monday edition of What The Truck?!? focuses on the critical intersections of equipment capital, supply chain security, and the rising tide of freight fraud. Hosts Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent break down the latest industry headlines before diving into deep-bench interviews with experts in leasing and security.

Hooman Yazhari, CEO of TEN, joins the show to discuss why the real story underneath excess trucking capacity is actually about capital efficiency. He explains how leasing allows carriers to move assets off their balance sheets to maintain flexibility in a volatile market while utilizing technology for predictive maintenance.

Scott Cornell (LogistIQ Specialist Solutions) and Andrej Drotenko (Verified Carrier) tackle the “asymmetrical warfare” of modern cargo theft.

Industry News:

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This week on Freight Expectations, Craig Fuller and Matthew Leffler dive into the hidden forces reshaping the freight industry — from International Roadcheck Week and unsafe equipment on America’s highways to the growing legal exposure facing brokers, carriers, and trailer manufacturers.

They break down the FMCSA’s evolving enforcement priorities, the reality behind trailer maintenance and out-of-service violations, and why one in five inspected trucks still fails safety inspections. The conversation also explores the massive implications of the Montgomery broker liability case, nuclear verdicts against manufacturers like Wabash, and why many freight companies may be dangerously unprepared for what comes next.

Plus: AI-powered freight research, GLP-1 drugs reshaping consumer behavior, industrial real estate optimism, and why trailer manufacturers may be the most bearish players in transportation today.

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In this episode, we kick things off by examining the severe financial pressures facing trailer manufacturer Wabash National as Moody's slashes its debt rating for the third time in twelve months, dropping the corporate family rating to B3 on May fifth. The rating agency warns that Wabash's credit metrics will remain at unsustainable levels as trailer shipments have collapsed from over thirteen thousand units quarterly in late 2022 to just over five thousand in Q1 2026, while cash reserves have plummeted from $144.5 million to only $31.9 million.

Next, we shift to the labor market, where April delivered a surprising surge of four thousand three hundred new trucking jobs, marking the largest one-month gain since September 2023. This jump is particularly significant following a twelve-month period where employment declined nine times, and industry experts say it reflects growing confidence driven by nearly six months of steady rate improvement and gradually tightening capacity.

Finally, we unpack the dramatic collapse at Forward Air, where shares plummeted over forty percent after the company disclosed it is losing a major customer representing approximately ten percent of its $2.5 billion in annual revenue. The customer cited risk management and logistics diversification as reasons for the change, and the loss derailed Forward's take-private efforts, forcing management to pivot toward selling its intermodal unit and two smaller legacy businesses to delever the balance sheet.

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In this Friday edition of What the Truck, hosts Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent break down a pivotal week in freight, highlighted by an in-depth discussion with RXO’s Chief Strategy Officer, Jared Weisfeld. Weisfeld details RXO’s recent earnings and the successful integration of Coyote Logistics, describing the current market as a "supply-driven recovery" where regulatory pressures are forcing capacity out despite soft demand. A major focal point of the conversation is RXO's launch of Agentic AI, a technology designed to automate email spot quotes and increase broker productivity by decoupling volume growth from headcount.

The episode also features Kelly Martinez, President of ePost Global, who shares staggering data regarding a 2,400% surge in rerouting activity that has yet to return to baseline levels. Martinez explains how geopolitical tensions and shifting trade policies, particularly new European tariffs, are pushing shippers toward multi-carrier strategies and global drop-shipping to maintain resilience.

In the news bullpen, the hosts cover the sharp 40% drop in Forward Air shares following a failed strategic review and the potential loss of a major customer. They also analyze April’s trucking job gains of 4,300—noting these figures are influenced by former Yellow Corp employees finding new work—and discuss FedEx’s efforts to return MD-11 aircraft to service for short cargo flights. Finally, they highlight the FMCSA’s ongoing crackdown on non-compliant ELDs, with 67 devices removed from the registry since January 2025.

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