FreightCasts

Yannik Thomas is Vice President, Network Design & Optimization at Norfolk Southern.

Norfolk Southern is one of the nation’s premier transportation companies, moving approximately 7 million rail shipments each year across 19,300 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia. NS serves every major container port in the eastern US and operates the most extensive Intermodal network in the East.

Yannik is responsible for designing NS’ network and service products to provide reliable and efficient service to rail shippers. He also leads technology investment and product management across Transportation and Intermodal Operations. He previously held leadership roles in Intermodal Operations and in Finance.

Prior to joining NS, he spent 12 years with management consulting firm, Oliver Wyman, advising Fortune-500 Transportation and Industrial clients on strategy, finance, operations, and technology topics.

Yannik holds a Bachelor of Science in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo in Canada and a Master of Business Administration from the Institut Européen d’Administration des Affaires (INSEAD) in France. He serves on the boards of The Belt Railway of Chicago, The Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad, Pan AM Southern, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A leading authority on China’s economy and financial system, Leland is the co-founder and CEO of China Beige Book International.
Leland is a frequent commentator on media outlets such as CNBC, Bloomberg TV & Radio, CNN, BNN, BBC, and FOX Business, and he has served as a guest host of two of the financial world’s top morning news shows, CNBC Squawk Box and Bloomberg Surveillance. His work is featured regularly in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, TIME, New Yorker, The Atlantic, Forbes, Foreign Policy, The Hill, and South China Morning Post.
Before co-founding China Beige Book in 2010, Leland was a capital markets attorney based out of New York and Hong Kong and worked on the deal team at a major investment bank. He holds a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was Hardy C. Dillard fellow and editor-in-chief of the International Law Journal; a master’s degree in Chinese History from Oxford University; a BA in European History from Washington & Lee University; and a graduate Chinese language fellowship from Tunghai University (Taiwan).
Leland is an elected member of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and Economic Club of New York, an elected life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a board member of the Global Interdependence Center, and a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security at the Atlantic Council.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Malcolm Harris talks with Alfonso Quijano, CTO of Lean Solutions Group; Richard Bubb, Principal Program Manager at Amazon Relay; and Todd Waldron, Vice President of Carrier Experience at Truckstop.

⁠Watch on YouTube⁠

⁠Visit our sponsor⁠

⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠

⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

⁠Spotify⁠

⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠

#WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Kristy Knichel, CEO of Knichel Logistics, to talk about what it really takes to build long-term broker-carrier relationships — especially in a market where trust is at an all-time low. Kristy shares what she’s learned leading a woman-owned, family-founded brokerage, how she sees small carriers finding success, and what brokers are actually looking for when they talk about “partnership.”

We dive into legacy, leadership, accountability, and how to survive when the market turns against you. This one’s all about the real relationship work behind the freight.

⁠Follow The Long Haul Podcast⁠

⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this fiery episode of What the Truck?!?, host Malcolm Harris is joined by two incredible guests to tackle the most pressing issues in the freight industry. First up is Bill Catania, CEO of OneRail, who dives deep into the world of AI-driven logistics, discussing the critical importance of authentication, visibility, and resilience against emerging threats like deep fake impersonations and AI-generated phishing attacks.

Then, Michael Caney, Chief Commercial Officer at Highway, joins the show in-studio to break down the complexities of cybersecurity and adaptability. Michael shares invaluable insights on combating double brokering and protecting your supply chain from costly gaps and vulnerabilities.

Plus, we’ll cover the top headlines shaking the industry:

The Port of Los Angeles is shattering import records, sending massive surges of cargo through the West Coast.

The DOT is taking on California’s controversial truck driver language rule.

JB Hunt’s impressive Q3 numbers are offering a case study in smart, strategic operations.

This episode is packed with expert analysis and actionable advice to help you navigate the challenges of the modern freight landscape. Tune in to stay ahead of the curve!

⁠Watch on YouTube⁠

⁠Visit our sponsor⁠

⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠

⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

⁠Spotify⁠

⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠

#WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We analyze CSX's recent Q3 earnings, noting that while adjusted operating income fell 8% due partly to a non-cash write-down and export coal decline, the operational story shows significant strength. The railroad is running better than ever, reporting a 1% growth in overall volume fueled by a robust 5% surge in intermodal traffic, alongside key operational improvements like an 8% decrease in terminal dwell time.

Global markets continue to see chaos, as trans-Pacific container freight rates plummet due to overcapacity and worsening US-China trade friction, causing Asia-US West Coast rates to fall to pre-pandemic levels. Furthermore, the UN's International Maritime Organization postponed action on a global carbon tax following US opposition, a delay analysts warn risks stalling green investments and potentially leading to higher future freight rates down the line.

Domestic capacity tightness is intensifying at the US-Mexico border, driven by policy changes like the pause on new foreign commercial driver visas and new English proficiency interviews, leading to a massive 18% jump in Laredo’s Outbound Tender Reject Index. Compounding the labor issue, the industry is seeing a strong push to reimplement rigorous CDL training centered on the crucial Smith System’s five key principles, arguing that proactive human override is essential for safety over the current priority of speed of qualification.

On the equipment innovation front, Wabash National is expanding its Trailers as a Service platform with the new offering, TaaS Pools, designed to provide short-term, on-demand capacity for maximum flexibility, particularly for 3PLs. Unlike traditional leasing, TaaS Pools includes embedded management and maintenance, backed by TrailerHawk technology, which is critical for guaranteeing trailer uptime when capacity is tight.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The proposed transcontinental railroad merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern heads toward a shareholder vote on November 14th, as both companies' boards urge investors to approve the historic transaction. Simultaneously, the shipping industry is navigating major disruptions as Ocean freight rates plummet amid China chaos, causing container rates on key transpacific routes to hit two-year lows due to tariffs and declining demand.

We also detail the new legislation introduced in the Senate, which seeks to vacate sentences for mechanics convicted of tampering with heavy-duty truck diesel equipment and remove the EPA's authority over vehicle pollution rules. Proponents of the legislation argue that current regulations unfairly criminalize mechanics for keeping essential vehicles running in harsh climates.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Economic Innovation Group researcher Connor O'Brien discusses his research on Ohio's high-tech workforce, the role of immigration in growth, and how to reform the H1-B lottery with JP Hampstead.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This daily market update dives into the relentless push for efficiency and adaptation across the supply chain, beginning with J.B. Hunt’s third-quarter earnings beat. The multimodal giant saw an 18% jump in earnings per share (EPS), driven not by demand, but by surgical cost control that included stripping out $20 million in costs in Q3 as part of an efficiency program aiming for annual savings greater than $100 million.

We connect this corporate efficiency focus to the road, examining the surprising resilience of owner-operators. Triumph Capital data shows the average factored invoice size for independent owner-operators actually rose by $16 compared to a year ago, contrasting sharply with a $92 decline for large fleets, which is largely attributed to the O/Os' lower fixed costs and flexibility to pivot to niche segments like Amazon power-only moves. This capacity picture may tighten due to legislation like "Connor’s Law", a companion bill requiring Commercial Driver’s License holders to prove English proficiency sufficient to understand signs, converse with the public, and respond to official inquiries, a measure supported by industry groups like the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.

Finally, we explore a fundamental logistical rethink in cross-border e-commerce driven by the abolition of the U.S. de minimis tariff exemption for small-dollar imports, which caused massive shipment backlogs for commercial carriers like UPS due to missing or incomplete documentation. As a response, retailers are seriously considering international postal networks as a compliant and cost-effective alternative, creating an emerging hybrid model utilizing both U.S. warehouses for high-value items and modernized postal channels for low-value goods.

We conclude with a provocative signal from California, where Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed SB-34, a bill that would have restricted public funds for port automation projects. Despite fierce union opposition, who called the veto a "betrayal," Newsom argued the bill would hinder port modernization and global competitiveness, confirming that the drive toward technological efficiency continues relentlessly on the West Coast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this edition of 3rd and long, Adam Wingfield and Kaylee Nix tag team the mic to unpack the latest headlines shaking up the trucking world. From Trump’s 25% truck tariff to the crackdown on non-domiciled CDL holders, to viral tweets and the toll on immigrant drivers, no topic is off limits.We break down the implications for small carriers, the legal gray areas many are trapped in, and how some operators are trying to climb out of the load board cycle. And yes — we even address being labeled “woke” for standing on the side of fairness. This one’s for the drivers, the dispatchers, and everyone running a legit hustle. Buckle up.

⁠Follow The Long Haul Podcast⁠

⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices