FreightWaves Today

The freight industry continues to digest C.H. Robinson's acquisition of RXO, described as the largest brokerage M&A transaction in history. Craig and Julie speak with Chris Wofford, founder and managing partner of Wofford Advisors, for a deeper look at the roughly $5.8 billion transaction, the importance of the $300 million in expected synergies, the challenges Robinson will face in delivering those savings, and what the deal could mean for competition, market consolidation and the next wave of M&A across freight and logistics.

The episode also features an in-depth conversation with ImportGenius co-founder and CEO Michael Kanko about what shipment-level trade data reveals about the U.S. economy and the ongoing trade war. Kanko explains how ImportGenius tracks nearly 8 billion international shipment records, offering granular visibility into products, shippers, receivers and sourcing patterns. The discussion covers shifting import activity in China, Vietnam and Mexico, the gap between Chinese and U.S. trade data, compliance and enforcement applications, and the company's push for the Manifest Modernization Act to bring greater transparency to air cargo.

The show also takes a closer look at freight capacity through a SONAR market update, challenging the idea that rising operating authorities necessarily mean more trucks are entering the market. Julie examines elevated tender rejections, relatively modest truckload volume growth, declining new-fleet tractor counts and the barriers keeping capacity from returning, including driver availability, insurance, litigation, regulation and diesel costs. The outlook points to a capacity-constrained market through early 2027 and potentially longer, with tractor counts, fleet miles and the gap between tender volumes and rejections emerging as key indicators to watch.

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In this episode, we kick things off by examining the major leadership changes at STG Logistics, where the intermodal marketing company has installed a new CEO following its massive financial restructuring. Jack Holmes, a UPS veteran who previously led UPS Freight, takes the helm after the company slashed its funded debt by a staggering ninety percent through a pre-packaged Chapter 11 that reduced debt by nearly one billion dollars while securing one hundred fifty million in fresh capital.

Over in Washington, truckers responding to regional disasters just received significant regulatory relief as FMCSA published a final rule doubling the automatic hours-of-service exemption period from fourteen days back to thirty days. This change, which took effect immediately, reverses a 2023 policy that had shortened the emergency relief window and is expected to drastically reduce administrative burdens, cutting annual extension requests from approximately fifty down to twenty-five.

Finally, we explore the heavy-duty truck market where Class 8 orders climbed eighteen percent in September as fleets navigate murky regulatory terrain heading into model year 2027. While year-to-date orders have surged a massive ninety-five percent compared to last year, the market faces significant uncertainty over upcoming EPA nitrogen oxide emissions requirements, with nonconformance penalties potentially adding six to seven thousand dollars per truck versus eight to twelve thousand for fully compliant engines.

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The freight industry wakes up to a blockbuster deal as C.H. Robinson announces its acquisition of RXO in what the show describes as the largest transaction in freight brokerage history. Craig and Julie break down the roughly $5.8 billion deal, the $300 million in expected synergies, the strategic rationale behind the acquisition, and what the combination could mean for competition and further consolidation across the brokerage market.

The episode also features an in-depth conversation with Estes President and COO Webb Estes, about the current freight market, including strong tonnage growth, available trucking capacity, regional freight trends, manufacturing, retail and grocery demand, and the outlook for the next phase of the freight cycle. The discussion explores Estes' emphasis on customer transparency, employee retention and service, along with the company's plans for a new Chattanooga-area cross-dock facility.

Later, the show returns to the C.H. Robinson-RXO deal with John Kingston for a deeper look at Dave Bozeman's transformation of C.H. Robinson, the role of technology and AI, the companies' recent financial performance, and why the transaction could become a catalyst for additional M&A throughout the freight industry.

The episode also includes a Highway Verified segment covering a major cocaine seizure at the Lewiston Bridge and a cargo theft involving a redirected shipment of glycerin, plus a preview of the upcoming F3: Future of Freight Festival in Chattanooga.

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In this episode, we kick things off by examining a powerful new cybersecurity defense tool as the freight industry battles escalating digital threats. The National Motor Freight Traffic Association has launched a comprehensive threat reporting portal where companies can anonymously share attack data to help protect the entire sector. By pooling intelligence on hacker tactics and breach indicators, carriers and logistics providers can stop bad actors from simply recycling the same playbook across multiple targets.

Next, we discuss a massive consolidation move reshaping the third-party logistics landscape as C.H. Robinson announced its acquisition of RXO in a major cash-and-stock transaction. The deal values RXO shares at thirty dollars and twenty-five cents each and will significantly expand the country's largest 3PL by combining complementary brokerage, managed transportation, global forwarding, and last-mile capabilities into one diversified multi-modal powerhouse.

Finally, we explore the genuinely puzzling dynamics unfolding in the truckload market where spot rates are climbing rapidly even as actual freight volumes decline. The National Truckload Index has surged more than ten percent since late August and now sits fifty percent higher year-over-year, yet the accepted load volume index has fallen below its twelve-month average. Analysts point to sharply rising diesel costs as a key culprit, squeezing carrier cash flow as fuel expenses spike before revenue adjusts upward.

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Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp sit down with Triumph Financial CEO Aaron Graft to discuss the latest Mile Marker data, the shift toward “defensible capacity,” changing broker margins and why new carrier formation remains unusually low.

The episode also looks at the growing connection between ocean and domestic freight. Matt Anderson of WiseTech Global explains the company’s new Ocean Freight Risk Outlook, why reliability is becoming more important than rates on some trade lanes, and what shippers should consider heading into peak season.

Plus, the show covers major freight headlines including the Savannah port expansion, CMA CGM’s acquisition of FedEx Supply Chain and a major cocaine seizure at the U.S.-Canada border.

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In this episode, we kick things off by examining a massive infrastructure milestone at the Georgia Ports Authority where the $1.6 billion redevelopment of Ocean Terminal has officially surpassed the 60% completion mark. The sprawling expansion will drastically transform Ocean Terminal's annual capacity from 200,000 twenty-foot equivalent units to a staggering 1.75 million TEUs, forming a central component of Georgia Ports' broader ten-year master plan calling for approximately $5 billion in capacity investments across the state.

Meanwhile, we explore a stark reminder of why border enforcement remains critical in both directions as U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers uncovered approximately 450 pounds of cocaine hidden beneath the floor of an empty semi-trailer headed toward Canada at Lewiston Bridge in New York. The narcotics carried an estimated street value of about $6 million, and investigators ultimately uncovered 174 vacuum-sealed packages inside the modified trailer structure after a CBP canine alerted during initial inspection.

Finally, we break down how France-based shipping conglomerate CMA CGM Group has officially completed its $1.4 billion acquisition of FedEx Supply Chain, the contract logistics arm of FedEx Corp. The blockbuster purchase significantly expands Ceva Logistics's contract logistics operations in North America, tripling the warehouse footprint by adding about 34 million square feet and 130 customers, while the combined business now operates approximately 150 warehouses across more than 240 North American locations.

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FreightWaves Today kicks off the fourth quarter with a packed episode covering autonomous trucking, freight market conditions, driver appreciation and the latest issues shaping transportation.

Malcolm Harris and Zach Strickland break down the morning’s biggest freight headlines, including new commercial trucking and cross-border enforcement legislation, a bizarre autonomous-trailer theft involving Plus AI, and growing challenges around cross-border freight between the U.S. and Mexico.

Then, Kodiak’s Daniel Goff and PrePass CTO Chas Worcester join the show to discuss Kodiak’s partnership with IKEA as a driverless launch shipper and its work with PrePass to connect autonomous trucks with roadside inspection systems. They explain how autonomous vehicles are being tested for safety, how enhanced inspections work and what the path toward nationwide deployment could look like.

Zach Strickland delivers a SONAR market update, examining tender rejection rates, truckload capacity, spot rates, early-October freight demand and the continued growth of domestic intermodal.

The episode also features a conversation with Samsara’s Kelly Soderlund about the company’s first Driver Appreciation Month and its new Driver Perks program, including discounts and benefits designed for professional drivers.

Later, Zach and Thomas Watson dig deeper into the fourth-quarter freight outlook, economic indicators and the impact of elevated diesel prices on carriers and transportation costs.

Plus, get the latest details on the upcoming F3: Future of Freight Festival in Chattanooga, Tennessee, taking place October 27–28.

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In this episode, we kick things off in Washington, where a Texas congressman has introduced sweeping legislation aimed at overhauling trucking safety and cross-border enforcement. Named after eight-year-old Barron Ritchey, who was tragically killed when a wheel assembly struck his family's vehicle, the bill would require mandatory English-proficiency tests for all commercial drivers and impose fines of up to $100,000 per vehicle per day on foreign carriers caught illegally hauling domestic freight. The legislation also targets chameleon carriers and would establish a pilot program using GPS and geofencing technology to identify foreign-domiciled carriers suspected of cabotage violations.

Next, we explore a bizarre cargo crime story out of California that took a remarkably unexpected turn. When thieves stole two PlusAI trailers bearing NVIDIA branding from the company's Fremont warehouse, they expected high-value autonomous trucking technology but instead found 40,000 pounds of sand used for simulated loads during manual testing. In a stroke of luck, both trailers were discovered just hours later outside a Newark office, abandoned with all the sand still intact after the disappointed thieves opened the back doors and found nothing worth stealing.

Finally, we examine how the massive nearshoring boom is running into serious operational headwinds at the U.S.-Mexico border. Industry executives warn that a shrinking pool of cross-border drivers, tougher customs enforcement, and increasingly sophisticated cargo theft are making cross-border freight movements more difficult and expensive. Cargo theft in Mexico's key Bajío manufacturing region has surged eleven percent year-over-year, with criminal organizations now deploying GPS jammers, inside information, and violent tactics that render basic tracking systems inadequate for freight security.

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As the third quarter comes to a close, FreightWaves Today looks at the forces shaping freight heading into Q4 — from cargo theft and diesel prices to record-setting intermodal volumes and the evolution of electric trucking.

The show opens with a look at a coordinated national cargo-theft enforcement operation that recovered roughly $635,000 in stolen freight, followed by an update on falling diesel prices and new cold-storage warehouse safety requirements in California.

Then, Sarit Tamir, founder and CEO of a computer-vision company, explains how warehouses can use cameras they already have to identify hidden sources of lost capacity, including idle dock doors, congestion, blocked aisles and forklift bottlenecks.

The episode also features a SONAR intermodal update, with domestic rail container volumes reaching a new annual high and shippers continuing to shift freight from truckload to rail in search of significant cost savings. The discussion examines whether railroads, terminals and drayage providers can keep pace as intermodal volumes continue to grow.

Trains Magazine editor Bill Stephens joins the show to break down the latest rail traffic data, including growth in intermodal, chemicals and metals, while discussing drayage capacity, rail service and the bankruptcy of Brightline.

Finally, FreightWaves’ Adam Wingfield shares his firsthand experience driving a loaded Tesla Semi. A longtime skeptic, Adam discusses the truck’s acceleration, regenerative braking, camera-based visibility, maintenance advantages and the remaining questions around range and long-haul applications.

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In this episode, we kick things off by examining a landmark law enforcement operation that dealt a major blow to cargo theft networks nationwide. The coordinated National Supply Chain Blitz resulted in multiple arrests and approximately $635,000 in recovered stolen freight, including thirty stolen transformers worth roughly $600,000 that were located at a Massachusetts facility using fraudulent documentation.

Next, we explore how California is tightening regulatory oversight of cold-storage facilities following a devastating industrial fire. Governor Gavin Newsom signed new legislation requiring emergency financial resources and authorizing significantly higher penalties for safety violations at large cold-storage warehouses after the massive eight-day Lineage fire in Los Angeles triggered a state emergency declaration and widespread public health concerns.

Finally, we cover some welcome news for truckers as retail diesel prices dropped nearly fifteen cents per gallon from their recent all-time highs. The decline ends a three-week streak of record-breaking weekly prices and is being driven by increasing crude oil flows out of the Persian Gulf approaching pre-war levels.

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