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: Everest merges with Simple Logistics, two charged in a $287K Apple heist, LA port volumes plunge 30%, and more.
Happy Hump Day. The U.S. Department of Transportation is reinstating enforcement of English language rules for commercial drivers. Backed by a new White House directive, USDOT says drivers who can’t read road signs or communicate in English will no longer be allowed behind the wheel. Today’s feature breaks down what’s changing and why carriers should be paying close attention.
Plus:
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🐔 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT
🤝 Everest Transportation Systems Merges with Simple Logistics. Cambridge Capital has announced the merger of Everest Transportation Systems with Simple Logistics, creating a diversified powerhouse in freight brokerage. Everest, known for its dry van and drayage focus and tech-enabled offshore labor model, gains reefer expertise through Simple’s white-glove refrigerated freight services. “This combination represents a pivotal opportunity,” said Simple CEO Steve Spoerl. Everest co-founders Jake Elperin and Phil Weber praised Simple’s network and leadership, while Cambridge’s Matt Smalley highlighted access to new growth capital.
🕵️♂️ Two Charged in $287K Apple Cargo Heist on Pennsylvania Turnpike. Two men, Lorenzo Vaduva and Gabriel Chisoiu, have been charged after allegedly stealing $287,000 worth of Apple products from a moving semi-truck on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Police say the suspects used a coordinated convoy—forcing the truck to slow down—while another vehicle rode behind it with headlights off. The truck’s seal and GPS were later found tampered with. Surveillance footage showed goods falling out of the trailer mid-drive. Pennsylvania State Police, aided by ICE, tracked the suspects through vehicle records and social media. Both men are in custody and awaiting court proceedings.
📉 LA Port Shipments Drop 30% in Early May Due To Tariffs. Imports to the Port of Los Angeles fell 30% in early May following new tariffs announced by President Trump, according to Executive Director Gene Seroka. The abrupt slowdown follows a rush of pre-tariff shipments in April, when the port saw a 9.4% year-over-year increase. Seventeen sailings have already been canceled this month, with more expected in June. Seroka warned that ongoing trade uncertainty will make forecasting cargo volumes difficult. Ports in Long Beach and Oakland are also feeling the impact, with Long Beach bracing for a 10% import drop and Oakland reporting a 14.7% monthly cargo decline.
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The U.S. Department of Transportation is cracking down on English Language Proficiency (ELP) enforcement for commercial drivers.
Yesterday, at a press event in Austin, TX, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the formal reinstatement of language enforcement rules previously rolled back in 2016.
New federal guidance will mandate:
“A driver who can’t understand English will not drive a commercial vehicle in this country. Period. Full stop.” — Sean Duffy
The move follows an April 28 White House Executive Order directing USDOT to enforce ELP rules already on the books.
Duffy’s data points:
“That’s not going to happen anymore. We’re going to put safety first.” — Duffy
Ashley
OOIDA President Todd Spencer called the announcement a “return to common sense.”
“Truckers must be able to read road signs, communicate with law enforcement, and respond in emergencies. When that doesn’t happen, people get hurt—or worse.” — Todd Spencer
Spencer criticized the nearly decade-long rollback in ELP enforcement, stating safety violations didn’t go away—“they just stopped being tracked.”
Duffy highlighted recent and historical cases where non-English-speaking drivers were involved in fatal crashes:
“This isn’t complicated. It’s basic common sense.” — Duffy
Sean Duffy
The message from USDOT is clear.
Federal policy is shifting back toward enforcement, with likely implications for carrier vetting, CDL training, and compliance audits.
Carriers and fleets should reexamine their compliance procedures, as language proficiency enforcement is returning to the regulatory spotlight.
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🌎 AROUND THE FREIGHT WEB
🪪 No CDL, No Problem? According to Adam Wingfield, 4 out of every 100 trucks on the road at any moment are being driven by someone without a valid CDL based on random inspection data. Let that sink in.
🏭 Kraft Heinz Bets on DeKalb. Kraft Heinz is anchoring its $3 billion U.S. investment with a major facility in DeKalb, Illinois (along with upgrading their 30 other factories). This is their biggest spend in ten years.
💸 Uber Secures $1.2B in Aurora-Linked Deal. Uber raised $1.2 billion through a bond deal tied to autonomous tech firm Aurora. Dubbed “opportunistic” and a “creative financial mechanism” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi aims to fund future investments in the autonomous-vehicle ecosystem.
📦 Stord Acquires Ware2Go. Stord acquired UPS-backed Ware2Go to bolster same- and next-day delivery, challenging Amazon’s speed. The move comes off the heels CEO Sean Henry’s announcement of $200 million in equity and debt financing valued at $1.5 billion.
🚢 Tariff Deal Reshapes Shipping. C.H. Robinson reports that the recent U.S.-China tariff agreement is shifting shipping patterns, as companies adjust inventory strategies and reroute freight to capitalize on revised trade terms.
🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER
🎙The FreightCaviar Podcast. Last month in Guadalajara, Ari and Paul sat down with Eduardo Chaim, CCO of VAX Solutions. Eduardo was one of the first hires at Coyote’s Guadalajara branch. In 2020, he co-founded VAX and they’ve been expanding aggressively ever since. VAX handles: domestic freight in Mexico, cross-border shipments, and inter-U.S. freight. But that’s not all, they’ve launched several logistics companies across Mexico, offering everything from brokerage to drayage with their own assets.
If you want a real look inside the Mexican freight market, this episode’s a must.
Watch it on YouTube or listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
💬 FreightCaviar Forum: Now Live! A space built for brokers, carriers, dispatchers, and freight tech to connect, share, and learn from one another. Sign up now here.
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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