☕️ Strong Solo Sergey

Good Friday Morning. USPS would like to clarify that it does not hire 'Strong Solo Sergeys'. While not an ‘official’ policy, its recent cost cuts may indicate otherwise. Perhaps they might want to try Schneider’s approach of hiring drivers with billboard ads in a video game.

In today's email:

• Three Freight Headlines: Schneider advertising job openings in American Truck Simulator, Tesla delays Semi truck production to the end of 2024, and Tiger Cool Express shuts down operations due to declining intermodal demand.
• Are Freight Brokers Contributing To Trucking Accidents?
• Around the Freight Web: Philadelphia progresses with I-95 repairs, Los Angeles seeing a potential freight market recovery, plus more.

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🐔 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT

🚚 Schneider Advertises Real Jobs in American Truck Simulator. Schneider is advertising in the video game American Truck Simulator to recruit new drivers. The company has set up virtual billboards within the game directing players to their careers page. This initiative, a trial phase, has been well-received by players and is seen as potentially beneficial for both the gaming and automotive sectors.

⏰ Tesla Semi Truck Mass Production Delayed to End of 2024. Elon Musk has announced further delays in large-scale production of the company's electric Semi truck, citing battery supply chain constraints. Musk indicated that mass production of the Semi, which requires a significantly larger battery pack than average electric vehicles, is not expected to commence until the end of 2024. The Semi was initially announced in 2017, and while some units have been delivered to Pepsi and Frito-Lay in California, many companies are still awaiting their preorders.

📉 Tiger Cool Express Shuts Down Due to Falling Intermodal Demand. Kansas-based temperature-controlled intermodal provider, Tiger Cool Express, has ceased operations after nearly ten years in business, due to a drop in demand for domestic intermodal and low trucking rates. Tiger Infrastructure Partners, the company's private equity owner, withdrew funding, causing over 50 job losses. The company was notable for its early adoption of containerized reefer intermodal. Recent struggles include the threat of a rail strike and falling demand, with intermodal providers stacking 15 to 20% of their fleets due to declining volumes.

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ARE FREIGHT BROKERS CAUSING TRUCKING ACCIDENTS?

United States Postal Service (USPS) is reportedly facing safety issues linked to its strategy of hiring freight brokers to handle mail transportation, according to a Wall Street Journal investigation. The move, designed to cut costs amid financial struggles, may be compromising safety measures and endangering mail protection.

Key freight brokers working with USPS, such as Carroll Fulmer Logistics, Total Quality Logistics, and Trinity Logistics, offer reduced rates for mail transportation services. However, critics claim that these cost-saving measures might be neglecting adequate driver screening, with incidents of drivers with criminal backgrounds or inadequate experience being entrusted with mail delivery.

USPS defends its strategy, arguing the shift towards freight brokers was mainly to address capacity and reliability challenges, not merely cost-cutting. However, concerns persist over the balance between financial responsibility and the commitment to a safe, reliable mail service.

Click here to read more about USPS's use of freight brokers.

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AROUND THE FREIGHT WEB

🚧 Philly's I-95 Progress. Philadelphia is significantly advancing with the I-95 repair project.

🚚 Freight Broker Catches A Double Broker. A freight broker ends up exposing a double broker. Listen to the phone conversation here.

😂 Hilarious Tracking Update. A freight broker called to get an update on his load two days and received a surprising tracking update. Listen to the phone conversation here.

🚛 LA's Freight Revival. LA is seeing a resurgence in tender rejections, indicating a potential market recovery as excess capacity diminishes.

🚑 Manitoba Highway Tragedy. A bus carrying 25 people collided with a semi-truck at an intersection in Manitoba, Canada, resulting in 15 fatalities and 10 injuries, with investigations underway to determine the cause.

🚫 Teamsters Union Resists Yellow Corp.'s Consolidation Plan. The Teamsters union is opposing Yellow Corp.'s "One Yellow" initiative, a plan to consolidate regional networks that may impact nearly 1,000 truck drivers' roles and job security.

FREIGHT MEME OF THE DAY