FreightCasts

In the final What The Truck?!? episode of 2025, Malcolm Harris sits down with one of the most genuine voices at the intersection of trucking, music, and hustle, Devin Tribble, known to fans as 2Hott.
This isn’t just a conversation about freight or hip-hop. It’s a real, unfiltered story about survival, faith, discipline, and how earning a CDL became an escape route from the streets and a foundation for building something bigger.
2Hott opens up about his rise as an independent artist, the inspiration behind “Trucker Anthem,” balancing life over the road with life in the studio, and why consistency matters more than clout. From breakdowns and long nights behind the wheel to viral moments and personal loss, this episode captures what it really means to grind and keep going.
Whether you’re a driver, an entrepreneur, an artist, or someone looking for a way forward, this episode delivers perspective you won’t forget.
Special thanks to Descartes MacroPoint for supporting What The Truck?!? and helping keep freight visible, connected, and moving.
 Listen in and close out 2025 with one of the most authentic conversations of the year.

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In this episode of the Daily from FreightWaves, we dive into the escalating risks facing global logistics, starting with a $200K cargo theft that exposes growing fraud schemes in trucking industry and highlights the sophisticated digital deception threatening shippers. Impersonators posing as a global engineering firm used fake paperwork to steal merchandise from a small business, underscoring a reported 29% spike in cargo theft incidents.

We also analyze the historic UP, NS: Merger will create 10,000 single-line service lanes, shift 105k truckloads to rail, a strategic move designed to reverse a decade-long decline in rail market share. This massive consolidation targets "watershed markets" and aims to reduce transit times by up to 70 hours on key routes by eliminating costly interchanges.

In regulatory news, the New York City bill that targeted Amazon won’t get taken up in 2025, avoiding a potential legal battle over interstate commerce despite having supermajority support in the City Council. Meanwhile, infrastructure concerns take center stage after over-sized cargo strikes six Oklahoma overpasses, forcing closures and prompting an emergency declaration for expensive repairs along the Will Rogers Turnpike.

Legal scrutiny intensifies as a judge denies summary judgment in deaf driver applicant’s rejection, allowing a discrimination suit against Wilson Logistics to proceed to trial. On the global front, the Federal Maritime Commission is escalating a dispute as the US weighs sanctions as Spanish port ban escalates over denied docking access for U.S.-flagged vessels bound for Israel.

Finally, we discuss the critical distinction highlighted in The Difference Between a Truck Owner and a Business Owner in Trucking, emphasizing how intentional systems—not just hustle—are essential for survival. This episode challenges listeners to consider whether they are building a fragile operation dependent on personal effort or a durable business asset.

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BNSF CEO: Rail merger still a “significant threat” to economy, consumers covers the intensifying opposition to the proposed Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern merger, as rival BNSF warns of potential service failures and higher rates. CEO Katie Farmer argues that the deal fails to meet regulatory requirements and offers public benefits that could otherwise be achieved through simple collaboration.

We also analyze the "Chart of the Week" in Inventory management strategy shifts once again, which highlights a move toward leaner inventories after periods of over-ordering and destocking. This strategy increases the value of agile transportation services but carries the risk of missed revenue opportunities if demand suddenly spikes.

Finally, we look at a discrimination lawsuit in Judge denies summary judgment in deaf driver applicant’s rejection, where a federal judge ruled that a case against Wilson Logistics will proceed to trial or settlement. The suit alleges the company illegally refused to hire a qualified deaf driver who held a valid federal hearing exemption.

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In this episode, we dive into what it takes and why it’s important to upgrade your fleet in the offseason. Our guests, Travis Ross Sr. Sales Engineer and Megan Bafford Market Development Lead at EROAD break down the how behind the why of upgrading fleets and what it can do for long-term successful partnerships. 

Winter downtime is your fleet’s opportunity to transform. Tune in to Running on Ice as we explore EROAD’s cold chain solutions and telematics-driven SOP optimization for next year’s success.

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On this episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, host Malcolm Harris breaks down the biggest stories shaping freight as we head toward the end of 2025. Malcolm covers major industry headlines including the pending Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern rail merger, long-term investment at the Port of New York and New Jersey, consolidation in auto transport logistics, and a high-profile cargo theft case that underscores ongoing risk across the supply chain.

The show features an in-depth conversation with Valentina Jordan, CEO and co-founder of Nauta, and Rafa Santiago, COO and co-founder, as they unveil Nauta’s AI-powered inventory optimization engine. They explain how SKU-level visibility, harmonized data, and agentic AI workflows are helping shippers reduce stockouts, improve fill rates, and create more predictable freight flows that benefit truckers, 3PLs, and brokers alike. The discussion explores real-world customer wins, faster time to value, and how better inventory planning leads to smoother routes, consistent loads, and stronger revenue across the network.

Later in the episode, Malcolm is joined in studio by Virind Gujral, CEO and founder of EV Bots. Virind shares his journey from fleet operations to building autonomous robotic solutions for EV fleet charging. He explains how EV Bots is tackling one of the biggest barriers to electric fleet adoption by eliminating driver downtime, optimizing charging costs, and automating vehicle inspections and maintenance checks. The conversation dives into Chattanooga’s growing innovation ecosystem, pilot deployments, and what the future holds for electric fleets and logistics automation.

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Is your freight being run by the Sinaloa cartel?

In this high-voltage second episode of Freight Expectations, Craig Fuller and Matt Leffler explore why cargo theft has exploded into a $30 billion industry - making it a larger “mode” of traffic than the entire U.S. barge market.

The hosts go scorched-earth on the “driver shortage” propaganda, explain why local police won’t help you find your stolen TVs, and break down why the CORCA act might be the only thing standing between your load and a criminal syndicate. Plus, find out why Craig is an “enemy of the state” to industry insiders and why Matt is obsessed with the dwarf planet Ceres. It’s unscripted, unfiltered, and potentially the most dangerous hour in freight media.

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In this episode of FreightWaves Daily, we analyze why the freight market has shifted into panic mode with rejection rates doubling and spot rates climbing significantly. We break down the perfect storm of weather, holiday demand, and regulatory crackdowns that are rapidly removing carrier capacity from the road.

We then turn to the escalating constitutional showdown in California, where the state plans to reissue 17,000 non-domiciled CDLs despite federal warnings. The FMCSA has threatened to withhold highway funding or even decertify the state's entire commercial licensing program if officials proceed with the plan.

In rail news, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have filed a historic application to create America's first transcontinental railroad, uniting western and eastern networks. This massive merger aims to convert interline lanes to single-line service, potentially shifting millions of truckloads off the highway and onto the tracks.

The U.S. Postal Service is making a desperate pivot by opening its last-mile network to retailers and logistics companies in a bid to stave off insolvency. This strategy allows shippers to bid on volume and pricing for same-day or next-day delivery using the USPS infrastructure.

Facing a 1,500% surge in organized crime, industry leaders are pressuring lawmakers to pass legislation that federalizes the fight against cargo theft. The proposed bill would lower the threshold for federal intervention and create a coordination center to track transnational criminal rings.

Finally, we cover Maersk’s recent test transit through the Red Sea and RPM Freight’s strategic acquisition to enter the luxury vehicle transport market. Volatility is baked into the 2026 landscape, so tune in to understand how these shifts impact your supply chain planning.

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Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have officially submitted their nearly 7,000-page application to the Surface Transportation Board to create the nation's first Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern file historic rail merger application. If the merger meets regulatory approval, the companies anticipate the deal will be finalized and the new network operational by early 2027.

In an effort to restore financial viability, the United States Postal Service is opening its US Postal Services wants retailers to compete for last-mile delivery network to retailers and logistics companies willing to bid for the service. Postmaster General David Steiner's new strategy will begin accepting bids early next year, with service potentially launching in the third quarter of 2026.

Meanwhile, DHL Global Forwarding has committed $1.5 million to expand DHL drops $1.5 million to expand cold storage at LAX capabilities near Los Angeles International Airport. This investment targets the growing demand from pharmaceutical and life sciences shippers while strengthening Los Angeles' role as a critical gateway for temperature-sensitive cargo.

Stay tuned to FreightWaves TV for new episodes of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Freight Expectations, and Running on Ice later this afternoon. Listen now for a concise summary of today’s top logistics stories before heading into the new year.

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Join FreightWaves for our December State of Freight webinar as we wrap up a volatile year and project the key drivers for the transportation market in 2026. Hosted by Julia Becker, VP of Media Operations, this session features deep-dive analysis from strategic experts Zach Strickland (Head of Freight Market Intelligence) and JP Hampstead (Strategic Analyst).

The team explores the surprising "peakiness" of the 2025 holiday season and examines why traditional market cycles are shifting. Using real-time data from the SONAR platform, this webinar breaks down the core metrics every shipper, carrier, and broker needs to understand to navigate the year ahead.

Key Discussion Points

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What happens if Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern merge into a true transcontinental railroad?

On this episode of Bring It Home, JP Hampstead sits down with SONAR’s Mike Baudendistel to unpack why shareholders overwhelmingly support the merger, why some shipper groups are opposed, and the impact it could have on U.S. and North American reindustrialization.

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