🎣 Keep Humans in the Loop...For Now

FreightCaviar Weekly Recap. From Uber Freight's shake-up to the current state of trucking in Alaska. Here are this week’s most talked-about freight stories.

Reddit Post of the Week

Over on r/FreightBrokers, A post this week captured a moment that felt like a warning shot: a user working in freight payments received a call from an AI voice agent representing a major brokerage. It sounded natural, even had background noise. The only reason the caller knew it wasn’t human? The AI said so.

With self-driving trucks on the horizon and now AI creeping into broker communications, the traditional freight brokerage model may be more at risk than many realize.

One carrier commented, confirming the tech is real. They had seen a demo from a company using AI to call brokers and ask for basic load details, though it stops short of full negotiation. Liability and complexity, they noted, will "keep humans in the loop...for now."

Others saw it as a matter of market pressure. If carriers refuse to engage with AI, the phone calls will go back to real people. But if desperation or convenience takes over, that behavior could shift.

"I always ask if it’s AI or human. If it’s AI, I hang up—unless I’m desperate. This isn’t up to brokers, it’s up to us as carriers."

Still, many echoed a key theme: AI won’t replace brokers; it will amplify the divide between those who adapt and those who don’t. As one Reddit user put it:

"Top performers will use AI to grow. The lazy ones will be pushed out. There’ll be no middle ground."

It's a hot topic. Back when HappyRobot.ai debuted its AI worker negotiating pricing with a carrier, the demo sparked similar reactions across the industry. Some praised it as a glimpse at the efficiency gains to come, while others worried about the risks.

But with the investment and praises the company has garnered since then, it's clear that AI voice-enabled tech is here to stay. HappyRobot was clear in this podcast episode that their intention is to work alongside freight brokers "to make the workforce happier," not to replace anyone.

Maybe some brokers are anti-AI, preferring more human interactions, whereas others are for it. Whether you see it as a time-saver or a slippery slope, the conversations still haven’t cooled off.

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X Post of the Week

In the latest Odd Lots episode, Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway interview Josh Norum, CEO of Sourdough Express, a century-old Alaskan trucking company. The conversation explores how the carrier navigates the state’s uniquely volatile freight market, shaped by both oil-driven boom-and-bust cycles and the trucking industry’s own cyclical nature. Topics in the podcast include Sourdough’s history, operational challenges in extreme conditions, the effects of tariffs, and the opportunities that come with serving America’s northernmost supply chain. You can listen to the podcast here.

Furthermore, our team wrote about trucking in Alaska and the unique challenges one could face there which you can read about here:

🧊 Trucking in the Alaskan Arctic

Today, we’re zeroing in on Alaskan Arctic trucking, where drivers earn up to $170K and face unique challenges.

FreightCaviarAdriana Pulley

In addition to this, we also dove into a similar topic over in Norway which you can read about here:

The Realities of Trucking in Norway

Today we sat down with Karolina Plecha, a truck driver living in Norway. She shares insights on life on the road, the future of electric vehicles, and what she does to prepare for unpredictable weather conditions.

FreightCaviarKaja Kusińska

FreightCaviar Story of the Week

This week’s feature spotlights the freight brokerages and carriers making waves on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies. From Freight Flex’s 6,189% surge to Fura’s AI-driven growth strategy and TransLoop’s sustained momentum, these companies are redefining efficiency, technology adoption, and market resilience. Special recognition also goes to Moon Express and Hawk Logistics for their standout performances in the carrier segment.

Want to see how these companies are leading the industry’s growth charge?
Read the full story and explore the complete Inc. 5000 list.

LinkedIn Post of the Week

Supply chain strategist Brittain Ladd detailed how new CEO Rebecca Tinucci could transform Uber Freight into North America’s most advanced freight marketplace. Drawing parallels to her work scaling Tesla’s charging infrastructure, Ladd outlined a vision in which Tinucci partnered with Expedia Group, U.S. Bank, and Highway to integrate instant booking, payment, and fraud prevention into one seamless transaction.

By moving beyond the traditional “posting and waiting” model, enabling real-time identity verification, and offering same-day payments, Ladd argued that this strategy could position Uber Freight ahead of both DAT Freight & Analytics and traditional brokers. He also congratulated former CEO Lior Ron for turning his vision of Uber Freight into reality, noting Ron’s move to provide leadership and vision at Waabi, an autonomous trucking company. We recently covered Lior’s transition to Waabi, which you can read about here:

Lior Ron Joins Waabi as COO, Targeting Nationwide Driverless Truck Deployment Within Five Years

Waabi appoints Uber Freight founder Lior Ron as COO to lead the commercial rollout of autonomous trucks, aiming for U.S. Southwest deployment by year-end and North America-wide expansion within five years.

FreightCaviarJerome Washington

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Meme of the Week

🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER

• FreightCaviar Vlog: Think you know U.S. logistics? A huge piece of the industry is quietly being run from Serbia. From the staggering scale of operations in Belgrade to shocking admissions about market impact and even a "dark side," you won't believe what's happening behind the scenes. Watch the full vlog now on YouTube!
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• Freight Broker Group Chat: Lost a load to a ghost MC? Just discovered a 15-layer carrier spoof ring? Come swap war stories, drop memes, and ask the stuff no one wants to post on LinkedIn. Join us on forum.freightcaviar.com
• FreightJobs.co: Hiring or job hunting in freight? Post or browse roles now at FreightJobs.co.