The domino effects are just starting to hit. Plus: FedEx dethroned UPS, Mexico truck production plunges, another $26M AI supply chain raise, and more.
Freight margins are razor-thin. The brokerages surviving it built nearshore teams that actually work.
Flatbed rejections hit a record 48.7%, broker numbers stop falling, and diesel jumps 30 cents overnight.
Plus: FreightWaves & Dooner drama heats up, Uber Freight CEO jumps to Waabi’s driverless push, truck OEMs take California to court, and more.
Happy Hump Day. Today’s feature spotlights the fastest-growing freight brokerages on this year’s Inc. 5000 list.
Plus,
🍳 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT
👀 What The Truck Is Going On?!? FreightWaves’ What The Truck?!? just got real-life plot twists. Former (?) host Timothy Dooner is now suing FreightWaves and its parent, Firecrown Media. Plus, Darren Brewer, Carrier411’s outspoken founder, revealed he has agreed to bankroll Dooner’s legal battle. Brewer’s been firing off spicy posts on X, hinting at “Fuller Speed Ahead” for a Chattanooga courtroom showdown. Even though it appears FreightWaves Founder and CEO Craig Fuller has Brewer blocked. While details are still unfolding, freightX is eating it up. For now, we’ll just be here, popcorn in hand, watching the industry’s most unexpected buddy movie play out in real time.
🤝 Lior Ron Joins Waabi to Lead U.S. Driverless Truck Rollout. Autonomous trucking startup Waabi named Uber Freight founder Lior Ron as COO, aiming to launch fully driverless freight routes in the U.S. Southwest by late 2025. Ron, who remains Uber Freight chairman, said, “The next decade is going to be about autonomy and bringing autonomous to the supply chain. The technology is now here.” Waabi plans nationwide coverage within five years, starting with Texas, Arizona, and California. Partnerships with Volvo Autonomous Solutions and Uber Freight underpin its growth, while Ron highlights efficiency gains from 20-hour daily truck utilization. CEO Raquel Urtasun called Ron’s expertise key to “foundational partnerships” for scaling.
⚖️ Truck OEMs Sue California Over Zero-Emission Mandates. Daimler Truck North America, International Motors, Paccar, and Volvo Group North America have sued the California Air Resources Board, arguing the state’s zero-emission truck requirements conflict with federal law. At issue is CARB’s 2023 Clean Truck Partnership, which phases out diesel engines starting in 2024 and requires compliance “irrespective of the outcome of any litigation.” Congress rolled back EPA’s waiver allowing California stricter standards, and the DOJ has ordered CARB to stop enforcement. OEMs seek a declaration that federal law prevails, calling their position “impossible” ahead of Model Year 2026 production. The ruling could reshape U.S. emissions regulation for heavy trucks.
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This year, a wave of freight brokerages have earned recognition on the prestigious 2025 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies.
Here are some standout companies from this year's list:
Together, these freight brokerages and carriers highlight:
Special shoutout to our good friend Bogdan “Bob” Kruzhinskiy, CEO of Moon Express, a Charlotte, NC-based trucking company running dry vans and a few reefers, which ranked #203 on this year’s list with an impressive 1,912% growth.
And a special shoutout to our friend Andrey Yakimchuk, CEO of Hawk Logistics, for making the list with 317% growth. Hawk is a Vancouver, WA-based trucking company running primarily PNW - Texas.
Want the full list? Head to Inc.com.
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🌎 AROUND THE FREIGHT WEB
📉 Forward Air Misses. Forward Air posted weaker-than-expected Q2 results amid merger uncertainty. Investors are awaiting clarity on whether the struggling LTL and expedited carrier will be sold after recent leadership changes.
🔊 Voice-Verified Trust. CloneOpsAI has partnered with Verified Carrier to launch "Voice ID", letting brokers and carriers confirm identities in real time with just 15–60 seconds of speech.
🤖 AI Boosts C.H. Robinson. C.H. Robinson executives credited AI tools for improving trucking efficiency metrics in Q2, citing better load matching, reduced empty miles, and faster pricing as key drivers of recent operational gains.
🤝 2 Freight Network Expands. Echo Global acquired FreightSaver, strengthening its brokerage reach, while Lazer Logistics expanded with acquisitions in Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth, adding yard management and drayage capacity in key markets.
⚖️ NJ Contractor Law Shift. New Jersey truckers brace for potential changes to the state’s independent contractor law, fearing stricter rules could threaten owner-operator viability and increase costs for small carriers.
❄️ Cold Storage Opens. Coastal Group launched a $41.8 million cold storage facility in Missouri, adding significant refrigerated capacity for regional food and beverage shippers seeking faster distribution.
đź©ş Free Driver Health Platform. Project 61 acquired Offshift to create the first free, industry-wide health platform for truck drivers, offering telehealth, mental health resources, and preventative care access nationwide.
🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER
FREIGHT HUMOR
The domino effects are just starting to hit. Plus: FedEx dethroned UPS, Mexico truck production plunges, another $26M AI supply chain raise, and more.
Flatbed rejections hit a record 48.7%, broker numbers stop falling, and diesel jumps 30 cents overnight.
Congress is moving to put driverless 80,000-lb trucks on public roads. Plus: 13,000 California CDLs get cancelled, diesel hits a 32-year record, Florida wants $50K to get your truck back, and more.
Ryan Schreiber breaks down everything about strategy, relationships, mindset, and AI in logistics.
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