Regulations tighten, freight stays soft, and theft gets smarter while carriers weigh emissions timelines, tech investments, and survival strategies. We map the near-term outlook, the lanes to watch, and the moves that protect yield without burning drivers or customers.

• non‑domicile CDL oversight and state compliance shifts
• tariff delay on medium and heavy‑duty trucks to 1 November
• California rollback of zero‑emission truck mandate
• soft freight volumes and $2.05 national van spot rates
• regional tightening west to southeast lanes
• organized cargo theft and GPS spoofing risks
• call for a unified national cargo theft database
• driver shortages and 44% drop in Class VIII orders
• flat rates near‑term with holiday lane tightening
• FMCSA rule delays and CDL enforcement pressures
• EPA 2027 emissions targets and cost balance
• investment in GPS, cyber security, and telematics
• autonomous middle‑mile pilots and relay models
• strategy on disciplined rates, capacity, retention, training

And coming up next on that's delivered podcast, trucking media insights with Jimmy Mac from Radio Nemo. We'll dig into the role of media in trucking, storytelling from the road, and what's next for trucking radio in the digital age.

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In this captivating episode, Richard Savoie, founder of Adiona, takes listeners on a deep dive into the world of AI-powered logistics, sharing how his innovative platform is reshaping the trucking and delivery industry. From solving personal commuting challenges to revolutionizing global delivery networks, Rich’s journey as an engineer and patent holder highlights the transformative potential of humanistic AI. With compelling stories, like enabling a driver to finally take a vacation after three years, and groundbreaking concepts like "radius routing," this episode reveals how technology can prioritize both efficiency and human needs while paving the way for sustainable practices like electric vehicle adoption.

Key Takeaways 👇

✅ Revolutionizing Logistics with AI: Richard Savoie, engineer, patent holder, and founder of Adiona, dives into how humanistic algorithms are transforming the trucking industry, from semi-trucks to e-bikes, optimizing delivery routes with a human-centered approach.
✅ From Personal Problem to Industry Solution: What started as a solution to his sister's inefficient commute grew into a platform that slashed Coca-Cola's delivery distances by 48%, showcasing the power of practical AI applications.
✅ Empowering Drivers: A compelling story of a driver unable to take vacation for three years due to a complex route, solved by Adiona’s AI, which simplified the route enough for any casual driver to cover, highlighting the human impact of technology.
✅ Radius Routing Innovation: Adiona’s AI uses "radius routing" to cluster deliveries around optimal parking spots, mimicking real-world courier behavior for practical, frustration-free routes that maintain efficiency.
✅ Electric Vehicle Integration: Rich explains how commercial EV routing differs from diesel, accounting for payload weight, road grade, and temperature, enabling confident transitions to greener fleets with significant emissions reduction potential.
✅ Global Expansion and Industry Trends: Fresh off winning the Australian Startup World Cup, Adiona is adapting its AI for global markets, addressing cultural and geographic nuances while identifying opportunities like specialized EV maintenance networks at industry conferences.
✅ Try It Yourself: Visit https://www.adionatech.com/ for a free trial to compare your current routes with Adiona’s optimized alternatives and experience the future of delivery logistics.

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Tariffs, inspections, and soft freight converge as a single pressure system influencing recruiting, equipment decisions, and margins in the trucking industry. This episode dissects the week's critical developments, from policy shocks like tighter CDL rules for non-citizens, proposed 25% tariffs on imported trucks, and California's eased zero-emission deadlines, to operational impacts from FMCSA pilots on hours-of-service and broker transparency. It analyzes declining volumes and spot rates across segments, resilient contract freight signals, and strategies using DAT and SONAR data for procurement and lane pivots. Enforcement blitzes highlight compliance needs, with a practical checklist for documentation and pre-trip routines. The episode closes with a watchlist on tariffs, driver credits, and tech previews, including AI's role in delivery optimization.

Key Takeaways 👇

✅ Policy Shocks Impacting Operations: Tighter CDL eligibility for non-citizens threatens driver supply, while a proposed 25% tariff on imported trucks could increase costs and disrupt timelines; California's eased zero-emission deadlines provide short-term relief but prolong EV investment uncertainty.
✅ FMCSA Pilots and Reforms: Explore flexibility in hours-of-service, broker transparency, and lease-purchase changes, and their implications for contracts, schedules, and driver experiences.
✅ Market Dynamics Analysis: Volumes down in dry van, reefer, and flatbed with sliding spot rates and excess capacity, but ATA's tonnage uptick signals contract freight resilience—use DAT and SONAR to identify pivots and hold strategies amid slowed truck orders.
✅ Compliance and Enforcement Focus: Recent blitzes in California and Oklahoma exposed violations; follow a checklist for tight documentation, pre-trip inspections, and fixing issues like lighting to avoid citations and downtime.
✅ Strategic Watchlist: Monitor tariff exemptions, driver tax credits, FMCSA pilots, broker rules, DAT/SONAR reports, OEM backlogs, state EV/tech updates, and upcoming AI discussions on route optimization.
✅ Protecting Margins: Stay agile with procurement, lane strategies, and conservative budgeting to navigate soft freight while preparing for market turns—share with your team to plan effectively.

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Outdated payment systems have cost trucking time, money, and sanity for decades—but that’s changing fast. Spencer Barkoff, President and Co-Founder of Relay Payments, shares how his team built a platform that eliminates the industry’s most frustrating pain points. What began with lumper payments has grown into a full-service digital network covering fuel, parking, repairs, and more for over 100,000 carriers. From fighting fraud to saving drivers hours of wasted time, Relay is transforming trucking finance with Venmo-style simplicity and enterprise-level security.

Key Takeaways

✅ Lumper Pain Solved – No more 3 AM hold times waiting for a lumper code.
✅ Big Reach – Relay now handles payments for fuel, parking, repairs, and more across 100,000+ carriers.
✅ Cost Savings – Fleets lose 8–10% of receipts annually; Relay eliminates that waste.
✅ Fraud Prevention – Stops fuel fraud rings that targeted magnetic stripe cards in 2022–2023.
✅ Time Back – Drivers avoid hours of lost HOS waiting on payment authorizations.
✅ Relay Pulse – Integrates with 100+ ELDs to enforce fueling policies and flag fraud in real time.
✅ Driver Tools – App includes free access to safe parking locations nationwide.
✅ Tech Breakthrough – Relay integrates with decades-old truck stop and service systems without disruption.
✅ Enterprise Security – SOC 2 Type 2 certified, KYC/KYB verified, with 24/7 US-based support under 30 seconds.

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This week in trucking, regulatory changes and market shifts dominate, from the Department of Transportation's tightened CDL eligibility for non-citizens on H2A and H2B visas to a 25% tariff on imported heavy trucks that could favor domestic manufacturers like Peterbilt and Kenworth while creating uncertainty for fleet purchases. August freight data reveals a cooling market with declines in dry van, reefer, and flatbed volumes—dry van down 8%—and softening spot rates. California's repeal of its zero-emission truck mandate for private fleets offers relief to smaller carriers but hinders EV adoption. Regulators are advancing hours-of-service pilots, broker transparency, and lease-purchase reforms via FMCSA and lawmakers. Looking ahead, fleets must monitor OEM pricing adjustments, CDL compliance challenges, and upcoming freight data to assess if the slowdown continues, with a preview of Spencer Barkoff from Relay Payments on simplifying trucking payments.

Key Takeaways 👇

✅ CDL Restrictions: Only non-citizens with H2A/H2B work visas can qualify for a commercial license, narrowing the driver pool and potentially constricting supply.
✅ Tariff Impact: A 25% tariff on imported heavy trucks may benefit domestic manufacturers like Peterbilt and Kenworth but could delay fleet purchases amid uncertainty.
✅ Freight Market Cooling: August data shows an 8% drop in dry van volumes, with reefer and flatbed also declining and spot rates softening, signaling broader market deceleration.
✅ California Rollback: Repeal of the zero-emission mandate for private fleets eases pressure on smaller carriers but slows overall EV adoption in the industry.
✅ Regulatory Watch: FMCSA is reviewing hours-of-service flexibility pilots, while lawmakers debate broker transparency and lease-purchase reforms.
✅ Looking Ahead: Monitor OEM pricing adjustments due to tariffs, CDL compliance hurdles, and new freight data to determine if the slowdown persists.
✅ Next Guest Preview: Spencer Barkoff of Relay Payments joins to discuss modernizing trucking payments with Venmo-style simplicity.

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The freight industry is changing rapidly, and artificial intelligence isn’t just coming—it’s already here. But what does AI in logistics actually look like beyond the buzzwords? Chris Condon, founder of AirCon AI and Captain Cargo, pulls back the curtain on how these technologies are transforming freight quoting, consolidation, and routing decisions in real time.

Drawing from 26 years in logistics, Condon explains how his platforms use machine learning and large language models to help small and mid-sized freight forwarders compete with industry giants.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Smarter Predictions – AI forecasts airline on-time performance and suggests optimal routing options.
✅ Cost Savings – Consolidates shipments to reduce chargeable weight by up to 50%.
✅ Proven Results – Within 90 days of launching their AI booking agent, AirCon improved win percentage by 40% and increased revenue 2.5x.
✅ Real Solutions – Handles exceptions by providing alternative routes, pricing options, and real-time decision support when disruptions arise.
✅ Human + AI Partnership – Rather than replacing humans, AI takes on routine tasks so logistics professionals can focus on relationships and complex problem-solving.
✅ Buffalo Culture – Condon’s philosophy of protecting the herd and running toward challenges together reinforces the importance of trust in logistics.

The most powerful insight? AI won’t replace people—it makes them better. "People do business with people," Condon reminds us, emphasizing that trust remains central even as technology advances.

Ready to see how AI can transform your freight operations? Visit airconai.com
to learn how you can start competing at scale regardless of your company’s size.

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When Larry Cothran first climbed into the driver’s seat of a semi-truck, he never imagined the road would lead him to become trucking’s most recognizable social media personality. From his trademark headset (worn everywhere from funerals to graduations) to his unfiltered honesty, Larry has built a platform rooted in humor, resilience, and connection. In this episode, he shares how being broke pushed him into trucking, how persistence shaped his career, and why he now uses his voice to uplift millions of drivers worldwide.

Key Takeaways
✅ How losing his welding job pushed Larry into trucking and reshaped his future
✅ The reality check of chasing money vs. building skills and persistence
✅ Why “comparison is the thief of joy” became a turning point in his content
✅ Stories behind his trademark headset and legendary Christmas trucker party
✅ From billions of views to a shoe deal—how Larry grew beyond the driver’s seat
✅ Practical advice for rookies: endorsements, learning the business, and relationship-building
✅ The deeper mission behind the humor: using laughter as medicine to heal and connect

Larry Cothran Links

• Website / Consulting — Social Media Solutions Pro
• Instagram — @iamlarrycothran
• X (Twitter) — @IamLarryCothran
• Facebook Page — IamLarryCothran
• YouTube Channel — Larry Cothran

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Each week we will bring you a quick briefing on the biggest developments in trucking, what just happened across regulations, markets, policy and what’s on the horizon that drivers, carriers, and industry leaders should be watching to stay ahead.

Key Takeaways

What Happened Last Week

✅ FMCSA Rule Proposals – 18 potential changes, including redefining “medical treatment” in accident reporting so that scans like X-rays wouldn’t automatically trigger a DOT-recordable case.

✅ Unified Regulatory Agenda – Covered hot topics like independent contractor rules, broker transparency, ELD updates, and the withdrawn speed limiter mandate.

✅ Lease-Purchase Scrutiny – Lawmakers introduced the Predatory Truck Leasing Prevention Act to ban abusive programs that trap drivers in debt.

✅ Hours-of-Service Flexibility – FMCSA advanced its pilot program to test flexible schedules for CDL drivers.

✅ Freight Market – Truckload and LTL volumes stayed soft, putting continued downward pressure on rates.

✅ Trade Concerns – Proposed tariffs on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals raised questions about cross-border freight costs.

What to Watch This Week

🔹 Lease-Purchase Bill Review – The House will take up the Predatory Truck Leasing Prevention Act (H.R. 5423). Early hearings could signal momentum.

🔹 Broker Transparency – FMCSA may roll out draft rules requiring brokers to share transaction data with carriers. Legal challenges are expected.

🔹 Speed Limiters Debate – Though withdrawn federally, expect lobbying battles and possible state-level speed cap pushes.

🔹 HOS Pilot Recruitment – Details on driver eligibility, incentives, and data collection for the flexible scheduling pilot could surface.

🔹 Tariffs & Trade – Watch for updates on timing and scope of tariff proposals, especially impacting U.S.–Mexico freight.

🔹 Tech & Sustainability – Possible new clean truck incentives and AI-driven freight tools announcements. California zero-emission mandates remain a focal point.

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Navigating a career shift during the pandemic, Andrew Golding opens up about his unexpected journey from social worker to hazmat truck driver. When COVID forced his medical transport business to close, he turned to trucking school, earning his CDL and diving headfirst into the challenges of hauling hazardous materials across America. In this candid conversation, Andrew shares the highs and lows of his early days on the road, the strategies that helped him gain an edge, and the lessons every new driver should know before stepping into the industry.

Key Takeaways

✅ Pandemic Pivot – Andrew’s medical transport business shut down during COVID, leading him to pursue trucking as a new career.

✅ Reality Check – “You are not going to make a lot of money in your first year,” he cautions, cutting through the glossy promises of some CDL schools.

✅ Hazmat Advantage – Getting hazmat endorsements and a TWIC card early opened doors to higher-paying, specialized freight opportunities.

✅ Trial by Ice – His first drive on an icy Colorado mountain pass showed the dangers and unpredictability new drivers face.

✅ Life on the Road – Weeks of solo assignments taught him resilience, mental toughness, and how trucking forces you to learn about yourself.

✅ Inside Hazmat – Practical insights into hauling hazardous materials, from proper load securing to emergency safety protocols.

✅ Human Reminder – His closing message to four-wheelers: “Truck drivers are people too.”

✅ Follow His Journey – Connect with Andrew on TikTok and Facebook @Drew.the.trucker for honest stories from life on the road.

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The landscape of trucking is changing rapidly, but one constant remains—the need for practical solutions that help carriers succeed. In this conversation with Jeff Resch, Operations Lead for Uber Freight’s Powerloop division, we explore how innovation is reshaping opportunities for owner-operators and small fleets.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Powerloop eliminates barriers – Carriers gain access to premium drop-and-hook freight without the heavy cost of trailer ownership.

✅ Leveling the playing field – Small fleets and owner-operators can now compete for efficient freight opportunities that were once reserved for big players.

✅ Flexibility at the core – Use Powerloop trailers for Uber Freight loads, your own shippers, or other brokers—putting carrier choice first.

✅ No competing with company trucks – Unlike asset-heavy models, Powerloop prioritizes carriers rather than protecting its own fleet.

✅ Nationwide expansion – What started regionally is now available across the U.S., with exciting new dedicated tour options in Texas offering consistent schedules and income stability.

✅ Future-focused partnership – Jeff’s advice: “Partner with someone that has a future for you in mind.” Powerloop is designed to grow with carriers, not just use them.

✅ Adapting to industry changes – From AI tools to market shifts, carriers must “look 300 yards down the road” to anticipate what’s next.

✅ Strategic positioning – Success comes from aligning with partners building meaningful opportunities for carriers, not just themselves.

Ready to explore how drop-and-hook opportunities could transform your operation? 👉 Download the Uber Freight app today or visit uberfreight.com to learn more about Powerloop.

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