Plus: autonomous trucking just raised $113M, California is fighting to keep 20,000 drivers, Arrive's 2026 truckload freight forecast, and more.
Two bills just dropped in the Senate that could reshape trucking faster than anything since deregulation. Plus: Russian hackers targeted your load board, flatbed rejection rates just hit 40%, and a robot is taking the Houston-Dallas overnight run.
This week: The Dalilah Law, a trucking bankruptcy that wiped out thousands overnight, a FreightGuard civil war on Reddit, and the payroll data that's predicting Q4 capacity.
Plus: Canada backs off digital tax after tariff threats, Werner beats a $100M verdict, Samsara teams up with HappyRobot to bring AI voice into freight ops... and more in today's newsletter.
Good Monday morning. DOT Secretary Sean Duffy dropped a new bombshell on the What the Truck?!? Podcast: a nationwide audit targeting non-domiciled CDL holders is now underway. It follows last week’s English language enforcement, and some are raising legal red flags. We cover it all in today's feature.
Plus:
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🍳 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT
🏛 Canada Retreats from Digital Tax After Trump Threatens Tariffs. Canada has scrapped its proposed 3% digital services tax on U.S. tech firms just hours before enforcement, following threats from President Trump to end trade talks and impose tariffs. “We are hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada,” Trump declared June 27. The tax would have impacted firms like Meta and Amazon, drawing bipartisan criticism from U.S. lawmakers. Canada’s Finance Ministry reversed course June 30, citing a preference for multilateral solutions. Both sides now aim to finalize a revised trade deal by July 21. Trump called the tax a “blatant attack” on U.S. companies.
⚖️ Texas Supreme Court Overturns $100 Million Verdict Against Werner Enterprises. The Texas Supreme Court has reversed a $100 million verdict against Werner Enterprises in a 2014 crash that killed one child and paralyzed another. The Court ruled Werner and its driver were not the proximate cause, stating the accident occurred because a pickup lost control on ice and crossed a 42-foot median. “That singular and robustly explanatory fact fully explains why the accident happened,” Chief Justice Blacklock wrote. The decision clarifies proximate cause standards and may shield carriers from liability in cases involving third-party loss-of-control incidents, especially during severe weather. The ruling ends Werner’s years-long appeal.
🤖 Samsara Invests in HappyRobot to Power AI Voice in Freight Ops. Samsara Ventures has announced its recent investment in HappyRobot, an AI startup automating voice, text, and email communications in logistics. HappyRobot’s AI agents handle over 20 million conversations annually, cutting call times by 50% and reducing costs by one-third for 50+ logistics clients. Tasks range from notifying drivers to negotiating contracts. Samsara is also integrating HappyRobot into its App Marketplace, expanding access to customers like DHL and Werner. “We believe their AI agents are poised to become the standard,” Samsara stated, citing rising demand for real-time service and the inefficiencies of legacy, voice-heavy freight brokerage workflows.
📈 Cargado Market Rate Update: The ELP Mandate just went into effect, and we are already seeing a spike in rates on northbound Mexico Lanes.
If you’re moving Mexico freight, you need to understand what’s changing and how to adapt so you can quote more accurately and win more freight.
Cargado Market Rates is the industry's first cross-border pricing intelligence tool that surfaces accurate, near real-time rate data.
Live on the What the Truck?!? Podcast, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy outlined a six-piece “Pro-Trucker Package,” and dropped this: FMCSA has launched a state-by-state audit of non-domiciled CDLs to root out issuance abuses. Here’s what drivers, shippers, and brokers need to know.
"If you listen to President Trump, it's America first. I want to put our American truck drivers first, and that means we look at what's happening with the non-domicile CDLs." – DOT Secretary Sean Duffy
According to FreightWaves, insurance analysts estimate nearly 10% of the active U.S. truck driver workforce may lack the English proficiency now being enforced.
Jason Miller, supply chain professor at Michigan State, noted:
“If this enforcement leads to revoking CDLs, it will exacerbate capacity constraints in an already fragile freight environment.”
Starting June 25, 2025, roadside inspectors may place drivers out of service if they fail the English test spelled out in 49 CFR § 391.11(b)(2). It mandates that CDL holders be able to:
For years, the rule has been inconsistently enforced. The new initiative aims to change that.
Jerome Washington
Matt Silver, Co-Founder of U.S.-Mexico load board platform, Cargado, wrote on X:
"We’re seeing a noticeable spike in rates on northbound Mexico lanes, as many B1 drivers are affected and scrambling to meet new requirements."
Meanwhile, on LinkedIn, driver advocates are already flagging this as an “ELP purge” that could worsen turnover and kill upward mobility in the industry.
While the ELP rule targets drivers, its enforcement is triggering a wave of legal anxiety among shippers and brokers. A post from Miller brought a new perspective to the conversation.
“These contracts need preventative maintenance like anything else,” warned Matthew Leffler (The Armchair Attorney), urging logistics firms to consult counsel before adjusting hiring or tendering practices in response to the rule.
Bryan Nelson, a transportation attorney, replied about the risk of discrimination lawsuits:
“A shipper’s 'perception' of the ability of a driver to read and understand the English language adequately enough to properly and safely deliver the cargo entrusted by the shipper, shippers can quickly wade into the waters of discriminatory practices based on protected classes of race and national origin."
Leffler also cautioned that over-correcting policies could lead to unintended exposure:
“Changing how an existing policy is enforced... could let a plaintiff claim the shipper wasn’t taking compliance seriously.”
Jason Miller added that even well-meaning policy tweaks could backfire:
“What may seem like good intentions can often be a legal landmine.”
Brokers face risks of their own if they attempt to enforce the rule too aggressively.
“This feels like a trap for overzealous brokers,” Nelson said, noting the fine line between vetting and assuming carrier liability.
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🌎 AROUND THE FREIGHT WEB
🚛 Truck Orders Slowing Down. Carriers are scaling back new truck purchases due to the current weak freight demand and elevated interest rates. WSJ reports fleets are prioritizing utilization and cost control over expansion in the current market environment.
🚢 NY-NJ Port #1. In a rare shift, the Port of New York and New Jersey led the nation in container volume in May after normally being a perennial third-place holder, surpassing Los Angeles as shippers reroute freight to the East Coast.
🤔 Myth Debunked. A December 2024 study reinforces what critics of the “driver shortage” narrative have long argued: freight demand swings, not a structural labor gap, drive hiring patterns in trucking.
🔥 A Six-Hour Fire. Firefighters battled a large blaze at Lincoln Transload and Processing in Lincoln, IL, for over six hours. No injuries were reported, but the cause and extent of the damage remain under investigation.
🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER
FREIGHT HUMOR
Plus: autonomous trucking just raised $113M, California is fighting to keep 20,000 drivers, Arrive's 2026 truckload freight forecast, and more.
Two bills just dropped in the Senate that could reshape trucking faster than anything since deregulation. Plus: Russian hackers targeted your load board, flatbed rejection rates just hit 40%, and a robot is taking the Houston-Dallas overnight run.
This week: The Dalilah Law, a trucking bankruptcy that wiped out thousands overnight, a FreightGuard civil war on Reddit, and the payroll data that's predicting Q4 capacity.
Indiana pulled the trigger on carriers employing illegal CDL holders. Plus: tariff ruling could flood LA with imports, DC finally moves on double brokers, spot rates are outrunning contract, and more.
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