DOT Blitz Week starts tomorrow, and brokers are bracing for one of the toughest weeks in years. Plus: $10.1M in stolen freight leads to five years in prison, Forward Air loses 40% of its value, diesel prices hit produce costs, and more.
Aurora's driverless trucks are moving real loads between Dallas and Houston right now, and nobody is in the cab. Plus: RXO signals a strong freight rebound, Ken Adamo joins Ease Logistics, rail got faster to Mexico, and more.
Aurora signed two major partnerships in one week. Spot rates just hit an all-time high. A Chicago cross-dock blew up Reddit over how shippers load trailers. And someone dug into Super Ego's carrier network — the safety scores are not okay.
The trucking scene in Florida is hitting the brakes. Here's what the data shows for the Sunshine State.
Permit Plunge: Broker permits dropped by 10.6% in 2023.
Carrier Cutback: Motor carrier permits are down by 13.75% this year.
Florida comes in as the state with the second-highest percent drop in broker permits.
During the pandemic's peak, truckers and freight brokers thrived as online shopping soared. But as consumer spending shifts from goods to experiences, the industry is feeling the pinch.
Ripple Effects
Training Tumble: Enrollment in truck driving schools like Sage is dipping.
Company Closures: Small trucking businesses are especially vulnerable, with many shutting down.
The industry is 'normalizing' after a pandemic boom, grappling with lower freight rates and higher fuel costs. The Florida downturn mirrors a 78% drop in the national freight market, hinting at economic recalibration.
📊 Diesel prices rise, hiding a downturn in the trucking market. While spot rates appear stable, without fuel costs, they trend lower. Carriers face rising costs without raising prices. Shippers, brace for a tighter 2024! 🚛⛽️📉 #ChartOfTheWeek#FreightWaves#SONARhttps://t.co/3pNnVKfMjP
I’m Adriana, a writer and editor at FreightCaviar. I’ve covered everything from freight tech to industry lawsuits and market shifts, helping scale us to almost 14K subscribers. My goal: to make logistics stories digestible, clear, and fun to read.
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