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.
Plus: states clash over CDL crackdowns, a Chicago carrier drops 40 drivers over English rules, Denver execs face forklift tariff fraud charges, and more in today’s newsletter.
Good Friday morning. Forty truckers were reportedly fired in a single day due to issues with English language proficiency and immigration status. Chris Kuna of Driverness shares his thoughts on how the next phase of driver recruitment will unfold.
Plus,
TOP LANE MOVERS POWERED BY TRIUMPH
❌ Chicago Carrier Fires 40 Drivers Over English Test Failures. A viral video from Chris Kuna, reposted by Wall Street Apes and viewed more than 3M times on X, claimed a Chicago trucking company abruptly fired 40 drivers after repeated DOT inspections revealed they couldn’t communicate in English. We reached out to Kuna, who runs Driverness, an app that connects drivers with carriers. He said the platform recently added “English Proficiency” and “Legal Status” requirements after thousands of drivers were put out of service for failing language tests. “Too many of these violations hit a carrier’s safety score and can trigger audits or blacklisting,” he explained, adding that more shippers now require drivers to speak English, take safety tests, and show REAL ID. Carriers, he noted, are increasingly hiring green card holders or U.S. citizens.
⚖️ Denver Executives Indicted in $1 Million Forklift Tariff Scheme. Federal prosecutors charged two Denver-area firms and three executives with wire fraud for allegedly disguising Chinese-made forklifts as U.S.-made to evade over $1 million in tariffs and fees. Endless Sales Inc., Octane Forklifts, and executives Brian Firkins, Jeffrey Blasdel, and J.R. Antczak are accused of falsifying invoices and marketing the equipment to federal agencies. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the case “undermines our economic and national security.” Charges carry up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 fines. DOJ officials called the indictment part of a broader crackdown on procurement fraud and tariff evasion in federal contracting.
🛂 States Split on CDL Crackdown Amid Immigration Rule Change. Oregon has paused all non-domiciled CDL and learner’s permit issuances after an FMCSA emergency rule imposed stricter requirements on lawfully present noncitizens. The freeze affects 1,400 drivers with limited-term credentials while officials update statutes and systems. In contrast, Oklahoma partnered with ICE in “Operation Guardian,” removing 130 drivers in a three-day sweep at the Beckham County Port of Entry. Officials said 25% were undocumented. Governor Kevin Stitt criticized sanctuary states like New York for issuing CDLs with “No Name Given.” The two moves highlight a deepening divide in state-level enforcement of federal CDL and immigration rules.
For years, digital booking in freight has mirrored consumer marketplaces, owning the transaction, algorithm, payment flow, and profiting by staying in the middle. The result: less control for brokers and more friction for carriers.
Exchanges are different. They enforce rules, verify identity, and empower participants, ensuring every match is secure and compliant. It’s the model that powers NASDAQ in finance and Visa in payments.
That’s why Highway built the Trusted Freight Exchange (TFX): a secure digital exchange where brokers and carriers connect on equal footing, with identity, compliance, and trust built into every transaction.
America’s soybean farmers are staring down a $60 billion harvest with a $25 billion export market suddenly blocked by China.
With soybean exports throttled, cash flow drying up, and the U.S. government shutdown stalling USDA operations, the strain is moving downstream to transportation and reefer markets.
China’s latest embargo on U.S. soybeans is being called a "seismic shift in global agriculture." Farmers say the tariffs and uncertainty have left silos overflowing and contracts in limbo.
“We’re stuck with crops and nowhere to move them,” one farmer wrote on X.
Trump promised to funnel tariff revenue into relief for farmers in a post to Truth Social. He’ll meet with President Xi in four weeks, with soybeans set to be a headline topic.
But farmers warn short-term aid won’t cover lost trade relationships.
Ag leaders are urging Trump to secure a soybean deal with China immediately, warning that prolonged tariffs risk “permanent market loss” as South America steps in.
With exports squeezed, more crops stay domestic. Seasonal produce runs could now compete directly with stranded soybean loads, altering freight patterns in the Midwest.
The fallout is already showing in bulk lanes: hopper-bottom hauls to elevators are running $4–7/mile, with short-haul grain rates up nearly 12% QoQ. USDA data shows truck availability remains mostly adequate, but regional shortages have already flared in California and the Pacific Northwest.
Meanwhile, reefer rates are softening at $2.30/mile (–15% YoY), creating an unusual split: cold-chain carriers have slack, while grain haulers are inching tighter. If soybeans keep piling up at home, expect that divide to close.
The federal shutdown has stalled USDA data releases, delaying critical market signals for agriculture and transport planning. Industry groups warn that without timely data, brokers and shippers are flying blind.
Bottom line: If China keeps the door shut, expect ripple effects across Midwest trucking, dry bulk demand, and broker margins through year-end.
Triumph Expands Intelligence Offering for Brokers to Include Pricing, Performance and Capacity
Built for brokers seeking to improve efficiency, reduce risk and scale operations, the product expands Triumph’s foundation as a technology partner in payments and factoring to support every stage of the freight transaction lifecycle—from quote to cash.
💊 Visa Seized. Border officers found 185 pounds of cocaine hidden inside metal beams of a car hauler trailer. The truck driver’s visa was canceled, and the case referred to Homeland Security.
đźš› Trucking Unaffected by Shutdown. While parts of DOT face furloughs during the federal shutdown, FMCSA operations continue, with safety enforcement and CDL licensing unaffected thanks to Highway Trust Fund financing.
🤝 PTL-J&R Schugel Talks. The parent of Paschall Truck Lines is in talks to acquire J&R Schugel, a Minnesota-based refrigerated and dry van carrier operating 600 trucks, signaling more consolidation in the truckload sector.
🏛 Primus Sues Trump. STB member Robert Primus sued President Trump, alleging retaliation in his firing. Meanwhile, BNSF urged shippers to weigh in on the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger, citing competitive concerns.
🖥️ ArcBest TMS Launch. ArcBest said its in-house transportation management system will debut in early 2026, aiming to unify brokerage, asset, and customer operations into a single platform for shippers and carriers.
⚓ Ports Weather Tariffs. Major U.S. ports have so far avoided disruptions from Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which overhauled tariff rules. Officials said vessel calls and throughput remain stable heading into peak season.
🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER
FREIGHT HUMOR
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.
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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