The Supreme Court ruled Trump's tariffs illegal. Plus: an Illinois official took $300K and handed out illegal CDLs, cartel violence may affect your Mexico freight, 550 CDL schools just got shut down, and more.
Here are the Top 500 fleets of 2026. Plus: Sierra snow shuts down I-80, rail targets truckload freight, and ocean rates fall.
For Immediate Release AscendTMS Acquires LoadPilot TMS AscendTMS Continues Its Rapid Expansion By Acquring A Two-Decade Leader In Freight Brokerage
Plus: Supreme Court tariff ruling is pending, private equity buys 90-year-old Dart, U.S. Bank, DAT launch rates report
Happy Friday. Federal scrutiny of non-domiciled CDLs is escalating, with the DOT penalizing California and now warning North Carolina that funding and CDL authority could be on the line.
Plus:
TOP LANE MOVERS POWERED BY TRIUMPH
⚖ Tariff Ruling Is Pending. Ryan Joyce, CEO at GenLogs said the Jan 9 Supreme Court decision on Trump-era tariffs could have an "enormous impact" on the freight markets in 2026. He noted Polymarket odds put tariffs staying in place at 30%, and a rollback could return $150 billion to importers as inventories hit a record-low 35.1 on the Logistics Managers’ Index. Recent trade data shows the U.S. trade deficit fell to $29.4 billion in October, the lowest since 2009, with exports up 2.6%. Economist Chris Rupkey said the shift “will provide a much needed boost for fourth quarter economic growth.”
📦 Private Equity Buys 90-Year-Old Dart; Others Facing Layoffs/Closures. Avkha Equity Holdings acquired Dart Transit on Jan. 1, ending more than 90 years of family ownership as layoffs ripple across logistics and manufacturing. Dart will operate independently, retaining leadership and its 971 power units, while Avkha said it views the carrier as a platform for growth. The deal comes as logistics and manufacturing firms enter 2026 under pressure, with more than 2,200 layoffs tied to closures, lost contracts, and bankruptcies. Workforce reductions have hit companies including RailCrew Xpress, UPS, and FedEx nationwide.
đź“Š U.S. Bank, DAT Launch Rates Report. U.S. Bank and DAT Freight & Analytics launched a new quarterly Truck Freight Rates Report, adding contract, spot, and fuel surcharge analysis to the Freight Payment Index. The inaugural edition shows spot rates ending November at $1.65 per mile, while contract rates edged up to $2.02. Fuel surcharges jumped 7.5% into December despite falling diesel prices. The report notes ongoing carrier exits are tightening capacity without yet triggering sharp rate spikes. To read the full report, click here.
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Federal scrutiny of non-domiciled CDLs has entered a more punitive phase. After following through on major funding penalties against California, the U.S. Department of Transportation is now warning North Carolina that it could lose both federal dollars and its authority to issue commercial driver’s licenses if it fails to act.
U.S. Department of Transportation warned North Carolina that it could decertify the state’s CDL program after an audit found that more than 50% of non-domiciled CDLs were issued illegally.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called on the state to act immediately.
“I’m calling on state leadership to immediately remove these dangerous drivers from our roads and clean up their system,” Duffy said.
DOT’s audit found licenses issued to foreign drivers that remained valid years after lawful U.S. presence expired. In one case, a CDL was issued through 2030 despite work authorization expiring in 2025.
If North Carolina fails to respond within 30 days, DOT says it may withhold $50 million in federal funding and move to revoke the state’s CDL authority altogether.
The warning to North Carolina comes after DOT followed through on a similar threat against California.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is withholding approximately $160 million in transportation funding after California failed to revoke 17,000 non-domiciled CDLs by a January 5 deadline.
FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs was explicit:
“Federal regulations are clear… California failed to meet its commitment to rescind these unlawfully-issued licenses by January 5.”
DOT audits found that more than 25% of California’s non-domiciled CDLs were issued unlawfully, some extending years beyond lawful presence documentation.
Secretary Duffy framed the decision as final:
“Our demands were simple: follow the rules, revoke the unlawfully-issued licenses… Gavin Newsom has failed to do so.”
Trucking groups largely welcomed the crackdown with pleasure.
Todd Spencer, president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, said:
OOIDA argues the program allowed unqualified drivers onto highways, undercutting safety and professional drivers’ livelihoods.
California officials disagree with California DMV Public Affairs Deputy Director Eva Spiegel telling FreightWaves:
“We strongly disagree with the federal government’s decision to withhold vital transportation funding from California – their action jeopardizes public safety because these funds are critical for maintaining and improving the roadways we all rely on every day.”
She also added:
“The DMV is fully compliant with state and federal regulations and had engaged in positive conversations with FMCSA and DMV about extending the January 5 cancellation date to allow additional time for FMCSA to review the department’s commercial driver’s license program.”
DOT is showing the nation that state CDL programs must meet federal standards or funding and authority will be snatched away.
With enforcement spreading, brokers and carriers should expect tighter capacity, more scrutiny of driver credentials, and fewer grace periods.
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💪 Protein Powder Recovered. Cook County’s ORC unit recovered 25,000 pounds of stolen Seeq protein powder worth $500,000 from a Bridgeview warehouse after a cargo theft investigation launched earlier in December.
🛣️ DOT Safety Gaps. DOT’s Fiscal Year 2026 Top Management Challenges report, released Jan. 6, flags persistent highway and rail safety gaps, citing weak enforcement and limited measurement despite declining traffic fatalities.
⚠️ Nepotism Scam. Siblings Shana and Andrew Macleod defrauded Hoffmeier Trucking of about $2 million using fake invoices after Reactor Resources flagged them for financial discrepancies, prosecutors said.
🌀 Emergency Relief Returns. FMCSA plans to restore trucking’s emergency relief window back to 30 days, allowing hours-of-service flexibility during natural disasters and supply chain emergencies.
đźš‚ Rail Competition Rule. A proposed rule by The Surface Transportation Board would make it easier for shippers to seek competing rail service, aiming to curb captive shipper pricing power and improve freight rail competition.
đź“Š Truckload Volatility. U.S. truckload pricing stayed unsettled despite strong December activity. The reason: tight capacity clashed with uneven freight demand and volatile spot-market behavior.
🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER
FREIGHT HUMOR
The Supreme Court ruled Trump's tariffs illegal. Plus: an Illinois official took $300K and handed out illegal CDLs, cartel violence may affect your Mexico freight, 550 CDL schools just got shut down, and more.
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