FreightCasts

On today's FreightWaves Morning Minute, J.B. Hunt exceeded fourth-quarter earnings expectations by implementing aggressive cost cuts even as revenue dipped slightly. Management noted that cost management drove the Q4 beat at J.B. Hunt amid signs that the truckload market began tightening late last year.

In transaction news, Canada’s Titanium is going private with a 40%+ bump in stock price, offering shareholders a significant premium and immediate liquidity. This all-cash deal allows the company’s fleet to navigate current financial challenges away from the public markets.

Meanwhile, investigators found that the part that broke in the UPS cargo jet crash had a history of failure regarding a specific bearing assembly. The NTSB reported that Boeing warned operators of this defect in 2011 but did not classify it as critical to flight safety.

Finally, a new episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? airs today featuring a look at high-stakes logistics with G10 Fulfillment. The segment will cover the complexities of being an Amazon-approved hazmat shipper.

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In this episode, we explore strategic capacity management as Abilene Motor Express being absorbed into Swift signals Knight-Swift's focus on long-term efficiency over brand diversity. We also analyze market resilience as the LTL pricing index hits new high in Q4, contrasting strong LTL yields against a truckload sector that is only showing tentative signs of recovery.

Legal risks take center stage as C.H. Robinson makes its legal written case before SCOTUS on broker liability, arguing that the F4A safety exemption does not impose negligence liability on brokers. On the regulatory front, we discuss how the DOT to use AI to go after illegal truckers is transforming artificial intelligence from an operational tool into a weapon against fraud and compensation erosion.

Technological fragility is exposed in our breakdown of How Verizon's Cellular Outages Expose Trucking’s Technology Achilles’ Heel, revealing the liability risks of cloud-dependent ELDs during infrastructure failures. Finally, we look at positive global news as Maersk returns to Red Sea with India-US service, shaving a week off transit times by resuming Suez Canal routes.

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The debate over non-domiciled CDLs has become one of the most heated and misunderstood conversations in trucking. Court filings, enforcement changes, and political rhetoric dominate the headlines — but rarely do we hear from the drivers whose lives are directly affected.

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Jorge Rivera Lujan, an owner-operator with more than a decade in trucking who is currently involved in active litigation related to non-domiciled CDL enforcement.
Because the case is ongoing, this conversation does not analyze legal strategy or argue outcomes. Instead, it focuses on the human impact — how enforcement changes affect work, family, safety perceptions, and community — and addresses common myths surrounding non-domiciled CDL drivers.

This episode is about listening, understanding, and separating fact from assumption in one of trucking’s most emotionally charged issues.

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The Department of Transportation is deploying artificial intelligence to enforce regulations against companies hiring illegal foreign drivers. This new initiative aims to identify fraud regarding non-domiciled CDLs that officials warn are driving down wages for American truckers, as detailed in DOT to use AI to go after illegal truckers.

Southeastern Freight Lines is expanding its reach south of the border through a new partnership with Fletes Mexico Carga Express. The move is designed to streamline less-than-truckload shipments between the U.S. and Mexico with real-time tracking and faster customs clearance, according to Southeastern Freight Lines joins regional carriers moving into Mexico trade.

A recent industry report indicates that parcel shipping rates have reached record highs driven by a proliferation of blanket surcharges. Even as fuel prices have declined, carriers hiked fuel surcharges significantly year-over-year to maintain revenue, a trend analyzed in Proliferation of parcel delivery surcharges drives up shipping rates.

Finally, a new episode of The Long Haul features an interview with a non-domiciled CDL holder sharing his perspective on the regulatory crackdown. This is your daily update on the freight market for Thursday, January 15th.

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On today’s WHAT THE TRUCK?!?!, host Malcolm Harris takes a wide-angle look at the forces reshaping freight in 2026, from autonomous trucking and fleet safety to regulation, compliance, and ongoing market volatility. The episode blends breaking industry headlines with two in-depth conversations that explore where trucking is headed and what fleets need to be thinking about right now.

The show kicks off with a global freight and logistics roundup, including federal compliance cost cuts for fuel haulers, Allegiant’s move into air cargo with Amazon freight, expanding CDL compliance crackdowns in Tennessee, and Louisiana’s growing staged truck accident investigation. Malcolm also highlights Purdue University’s successful wireless charging test for a heavy-duty truck at highway speeds, Southeastern Freight Lines’ expansion into Mexico, and what these developments signal for capacity, safety, and future freight operations.

The first featured guest is Don Burnette, Founder and CEO of Kodiak, who joins the show to break down how autonomous trucking has officially moved beyond the demo phase. Don explains how Kodiak’s AI-powered trucks are operating in real, driverless commercial service today and why the industry conversation has shifted from if autonomy works to how fast it can scale. The discussion covers Kodiak’s partnership with Bosch, the importance of manufacturing-grade hardware, redundancy, and system reliability, as well as how trust is built with fleets, regulators, and the public. Don also offers a realistic perspective on what autonomous trucking solves today, what challenges remain, and how fleets should think about autonomy in a tight and uncertain freight market.

Later in the episode, Cyndi Brandt, VP of Fleet Solutions at Descartes, brings a fleet-side view of safety, compliance, and operational efficiency. Cyndi explains why safety risks often begin long before a truck ever hits the road, highlighting the role of planning, dispatch, and unrealistic schedules in creating stress and unsafe driving behaviors. She dives into how congestion, tight delivery windows, and poor route planning show up in real-time fleet data, and why stress is one of the most measurable — and overlooked — safety risks in trucking today. The conversation also explores how telematics, routing tools, and execution data can be used proactively to reduce risk rather than simply monitor compliance.

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In this episode of FreightWaves Daily, we explore the paradox shaping the current truckload market, where federal regulators are offering specific cost relief while simultaneously tightening overall capacity. We break down how Feds slash compliance costs for fuel haulers by restoring a critical marking exception and greenlighting video inspections to save the industry millions.

Our analysis delves into the Five State of Freight takeaways, showing that current market strength is being driven by capacity contraction rather than demand. With inventory levels hitting historic lows, the industry must prepare for a potential bullish restocking cycle despite soft manufacturing numbers.

We also examine the intense regulatory pressure facing carriers, including the ongoing battle over non-domiciled CDL holders that is effectively shrinking the available driver pool. Additionally, we discuss the escalating legal risks as the Louisiana staged truck accident indictment widens to include shocking charges of witness tampering and murder conspiracy.

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In this episode of the FreightWaves Morning Minute, we discuss the Department of Transportation's decision to drop its appeal regarding highway funding for sanctuary states, even as Secretary Sean Duffy shifts tactics to target non-domiciled CDL compliance as detailed in Trump Administration Waves White Flag on Transportation Funding Immigration Fight, But the War is Far From Over. Despite this legal concession, the administration is using compliance audits to withhold funding over English language standards and license requirements, a move that threatens to impact nearly 200,000 immigrant drivers.

We also analyze the latest economic data showing inflation has accelerated with a 2.7% rise for the year, a trend explored in Consumer Price Index reports continued hikes in 2025. Rising costs for shelter, food, and energy are driving this increase, while transportation capacity has simultaneously plummeted to its lowest level since 2021.

Additionally, the federal government is calling on industry experts to help identify the most critical physical and digital impediments to commerce, according to Feds seek input on solving supply chain bottlenecks. This new Request for Information aims to guide federal research and technology investments through 2030 to ensure goods move more smoothly across the nation's infrastructure.

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Join Craig Fuller, CEO and founder of FreightWaves, and Zach Strickland, Head of Freight Market Intelligence at SONAR for this month's State of Freight as they discuss:

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Join us for today's freight roundup as we explore the financial maneuvers and technological breakthroughs transforming the logistics landscape. This episode dives into how activist investor Ancora has carved out a niche in the transportation sector, driving leadership shakeups at major companies like Norfolk Southern and Forward Air to boost shareholder returns.

We also analyze the 2025 holiday rush, where large parcel carriers significantly improved on-time delivery rates despite facing higher volumes than the previous year. Data reveals that the U.S. Postal Service achieved the largest performance jump, while UPS maintained the highest overall reliability during the peak season.

In technology news, we discuss a major milestone in electric infrastructure where Purdue University achieved the first U.S. wireless charging of a heavy-duty truck traveling at highway speeds. This innovative system delivered 190 kilowatts of power to a moving vehicle, a breakthrough that could eventually allow for smaller batteries and increased cargo capacity.

Looking at cross-border trade, we profile a Mexican-built logistics startup, WeShip, which has set its sights on U.S. expansion after rapid growth in its home market. The company aims to compete in the concentrated American parcel sector by leveraging software designed by former e-commerce operators to solve real-world shipping pain points.

Finally, we address developing concerns in the brokerage space as the R&R Family of Companies faces uncertainty amid executive departures and reports of payment delays. Industry sources warn of potential operational disruptions across the Pittsburgh-based group's subsidiaries, including R&R Express, alongside signals of credit tightening.

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At Trimble Insight 2025, Thomas Wasson talks with Trimble’s Rishi Mehra about the rapid evolution of fleet technology. They explore how AI is transforming route optimization, driver navigation, fuel planning, order intake, and back-office workflows—without replacing human expertise. From capturing dispatcher tribal knowledge to enabling voice-driven, in-cab AI copilots, this episode breaks down what’s real, what’s coming, and how fleets can unlock immediate ROI in a tight freight market.

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