FreightCasts

In this solo episode of The Long Haul, Adam tackles one of the freight industry’s most loaded topics — the crackdown on English Language Proficiency and the targeting of non-domicile CDL holders. What starts as a safety policy is revealing deeper issues around bias, access, and who gets to belong in trucking. If you're ready for a raw, honest conversation about what’s really happening, this one's a must-listen.

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CloudTrucks has expanded its "Road to Independence" program by launching FleetFirst Leasing LLC, a new lease-to-own provider aimed at making truck ownership more accessible for company drivers. This initiative stands in stark contrast to a widespread Class A CDL fraud scheme in Louisiana, where six people were indicted for selling passing grades without required tests for approximately $6,500.

A federal judge in Georgia allowed a lawsuit to proceed against GFA Alabama Inc. and Glovis Georgia, alleging a "bait and switch" scheme where Mexican professionals recruited for engineering roles were assigned lower-paying manual labor jobs. Separately, the industry's largest lobbying groups, ATA and OOIDA, are clashing over priorities for the next highway bill, differing on issues like hair testing and allowing 18-20 year olds in interstate commerce, yet agreeing on truck parking and combating freight fraud.

In strategic global logistics, Radiant Logistics acquired an 80% stake in Weeport, a Mexico City-based provider, significantly strengthening Radiant's presence in Mexico and North America due to nearshoring. Finally, the liquidation of Yellow Corp.'s rolling stock generated approximately $175.7 million in net proceeds, contributing to the estate's roughly $623 million in cash, though former employee claims and the final bankruptcy plan remain uncertain.

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Container rates remained largely unchanged last week despite a drop in freight volumes on most major trade routes. Rates from Asia to the US West Coast ports held steady at $1,700 per FEU, and $2,700 per FEU to East Coast ports, as carriers grapple with demand ahead of China's Golden Week. You can read more about this in "Ocean rates unchanged even as freight volumes decline - FreightWaves".

Six individuals were arrested in Louisiana for a scheme to falsely issue Class A Commercial Driver's Licenses without applicants completing the required tests. This conspiracy involved bribes to pass both the knowledge and skills tests, with all six facing charges including conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. Learn more about this in "Louisiana scheme to obtain class A CDLs without passing tests snags six in sweeping indictment - FreightWaves".

A significant contract dispute continues between Canada Post and the union representing 50,000 mail carriers, with no agreement reached since their last meeting in May. Canada Post recently reported its largest-ever quarterly loss of US$294 million pre-tax for the second quarter, stating the union's counter-offer does not address necessary structural changes. For further details, see "Canada Post and union contract divide widens - FreightWaves".

Finally, nominations are currently open for the Shipper of Choice Award until September 30th, with winners to be announced on October 20th, ahead of the F3 festival. You can also register for the F3 event in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on October 21st and 22nd, and a free Cross-Border Summit on September 10th, by visiting live.freightwaves.com.

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On this episode of Loaded and Rolling, host Thomas Wasson sits down with Tim Crawford, cofounder and CEO of Tenstreet, to break down the latest driver recruiting trends from their UConnect 2025 conference. From why minutes can make or break a hire, to how app-based communication is reshaping recruiting, Crawford shares data-driven insights on what carriers must do to attract and retain drivers in a tough freight market. Discover why drivers are shifting toward private fleets, how application behavior signals broader economic shifts, and what fleets can do to streamline their hiring process and stand out in a competitive labor market.

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In this episode, we break down how EDI isn’t an antiquated thing of the past. Our guests, Grace Sharkey, Senior Manager of Comms and PR and Blake Harries, Senior Channel manager from Orderful, talk about how EDI is part of a broader picture when it comes to a resilient and successful supply chain. For more information, subscribe to ⁠Check Call the newsletter⁠ or the podcast.

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Mexico's industrial boom, highlighted by the new $540 million Wellness Development Hub in Huamantla, is the first of 15 centers projected to attract $277 billion in investment and 300,000 jobs by 2030.

Cross-border opportunities face challenges, exemplified by the U.S. labor dispute against Mexican meatpacker Alimentos Grole, resulting in a suspension of goods liquidation due to alleged worker rights suppression. Additionally, a major U.S. appeals court ruling found most of Trump's broad import tariffs unlawful, creating a critical window of uncertainty regarding future import costs until October 14th.

Prepare for peak season parcel surcharges, with major carriers like UPS, DHL, FedEx, and USPS implementing additional fees from September/October through January, varying based on package specifics and shipping volume. In innovation, autonomous trucking advancements include Torc Robotics' partnership with Edge Case Research to develop a comprehensive safety case for Level 4 autonomous trucks, aiming for fully driverless commercial long-haul trucks by 2027.

Trimble launched its new Freight Marketplace, a platform designed for long-term contractual agreements rather than spot loads, with Procter & Gamble as its first major shipper. A critical industry safety concern addresses the Trump administration's cancellation of a three-year FMCSA study on sexual harassment and rape in the trucking industry, a significant setback for policies protecting vulnerable groups.

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Major parcel carriers like UPS and DHL are hiking surcharges ahead of the holiday season, with UPS adding fees for residential services, next-day air, oversized packages, and high-volume shippers starting September 8th. These increases, which follow earlier announcements from FedEx and UPS, are designed to ensure operational reliability through January 17th.

In a significant legal development, a federal court has ruled most of President Trump's tariffs illegal, finding that the emergency law he used did not grant him authority to levy them in a 7-4 decision. This decision could impact tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico, though they will remain in place through October 14th to allow for an appeal to the US Supreme Court.

In trucking technology, Torque Robotics has partnered with Edge Case Research to develop robust safety cases for Level 4 autonomous trucks, with Edge independently assessing Torque’s driverless safety framework. This collaboration supports Torque's commitment to safety and independent validation, aiming to launch fully autonomous long-haul trucks in the U.S. by 2027.

Don't miss today's FreightWaves TV programming, including a new episode of Check Call with Mary O'Connell at 12:30, followed by Loaded and Rolling with Thomas Wason at 2 PM. Also, remember to register for the upcoming F3 event at live.freightwaves.com and use the code MORNINGMINUTEF325 to save up to $900 on your ticket.

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In this episode, we dive into the factors that are causing perishable ecommerce to grow at breakneck speed. Our guest, Kasia Wenker VP of Solutions Engineering at ITS Logistics, breaks down what the future of fulfillment and delivery would be in the U.S. and wher the strongest applications are making the biggest changes. For more information, subscribe to ⁠Running on Ice the newsletter⁠ or podcast.

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On today’s WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, host Thomas Wasson breaks down the day’s top headlines — from Wawa’s first travel center with truck parking to Aurora and McLeod’s autonomous TMS integration, tariff-driven import surges, and shake-ups at the STB. Then, Thomas dives into the future of renewable fuels with special guests from Nopetro and Hexagon Agility. Nopetro’s Scott Brenner and Kevin Hyatt explain how fleets are adopting renewable natural gas (RNG) from landfills and dairy farms, while Hexagon Agility’s Eric Bippus and Ian MacDonald share insights on their record CNG truck orders and the rollout of Cummins’ new X15N natural gas engine. From infrastructure and maintenance savings to regulatory shifts and long-haul viability, this episode uncovers how RNG and CNG are shaping the next era of freight sustainability.

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Discover how Aurora and McLeod Software have partnered to integrate autonomous trucks directly with mainstream Transportation Management Systems (TMS), marking an industry first. This "plug-and-play" integration aims to streamline autonomous vehicle adoption for mid-sized fleets of 100 to 1,000 trucks, supporting vital functions like scheduling and invoicing, with a full rollout planned for 2026 to McLeod’s 1,200+ customers. 

On the infrastructure front, convenience store giant Wawa has entered the travel center business, opening its first facility in Hope Mills, North Carolina, offering 18 free parking spots and high-speed diesel lanes. While primarily targeting short-haul drivers and mid-trip stops without offering showers, this initiative highlights the critical and ongoing need for more truck parking capacity. 

In air freight, strategic partnerships are expanding capacity and control, with Atlas Air providing dedicated Boeing 777 freighters to Etihad Airways and DSV for key routes. These moves offer major players greater command over their capacity and schedules in complex supply chains, emphasizing reliability and logistics ownership. 

Furthermore, Flexport has teamed up with BlackRock to offer up to $250 million in supply chain financing, including term loans, asset-based lines of credit, and crucial tariff financing. This initiative provides businesses with vital working capital to bridge the gap between inventory purchase and sales, directly addressing current trade risks and evolving supply chain financing needs. 

On the trade policy front, Mexico is proposing a 50% tariff on a range of Chinese imports for its 2026 budget, aiming to protect domestic manufacturers and address U.S. concerns about Chinese goods entering via Mexico. Additionally, Mexico has implemented an immediate ban on finished footwear imports and suspended small-package shipments to the U.S., impacting e-commerce platforms as the U.S. ends its de minimis tariff exemption for low-value imports. 

Finally, U.S. container ports saw a temporary jump in July volume due to front-loading ahead of potential new tariffs, but the overall trend reveals a six-month downtrend, with a projected 5.6% year-over-year decrease in total 2025 import volume. This unusual decline suggests a major strategic realignment, with some inbound volume diverting to other North American ports outside the U.S.. 

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