The ongoing legal saga between Project44 and SMC3. Plus: winter storm disruptions, potential port strike update, Biden blocks U.S. steel sale, and more.
Happy Monday. In today’s feature story, we cover the ongoing legal saga between Project44 and SMC3, where trade secrets, competitive edge, and logistics tech dominance are at stake.
Plus:
❄ Winter Storm Disrupts Freight
📦 Potential Port Strike Update
🇺🇸 Biden Blocks US Steel Sale
& more...
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🐔 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT
❄ Winter Storm Severely Impacting Freight Lanes. The major winter storm from Saturday to Monday is disrupting trucking operations along key freight corridors in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. WeatherOptics highlights extreme risks on I-65 (Indianapolis ⇄ Nashville), I-35 to I-80 (Kansas City ⇄ Chicago), and I-44 (Oklahoma City ⇄ St. Louis), with road closures, delays exceeding 50%, and treacherous conditions caused by heavy snow and freezing rain. I-75 and I-70 will also face significant delays and dangerous travel. Drivers should anticipate widespread hazards, including impassable roads and heightened accident risks. Freight companies must plan for alternative routes, extended transit times, and remind drivers to exercise caution because the slippery roads have caused numerous trucking accidents over the weekend.
📦 Potential Port Strike? Fuller Says Fear Not. Craig Fuller, CEO of FreightWaves, discussed the potential impact of strikes at East and Gulf Coast ports on CNBC last Thursday. Companies like Maersk are taking proactive steps, including surcharges and inventory pre-stocking, to minimize disruptions. Fuller noted that businesses have learned from last year’s strike and are better prepared to avoid significant delays. “Assuming it is a short event, you are unlikely to see something to disrupt consumers,” he said. Reflecting on the aftermath of COVID, the lessons learned, the potential strike, and Trump’s tariffs once he takes office on Jan. 20, Fuller added, “We are dealing with systematic disruptions that do periodically take place… but they rarely ever actually live up to what the threat is.”
🇺🇸 Biden Blocks $14.1 Billion U.S. Steel Sale. President Joe Biden formally blocked the $14.1 billion sale of U.S. Steel to Japan’s Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns and union pressure. Announced on January 3, the decision ended a contentious, year-long battle that became a political flashpoint. Biden stressed the importance of domestic steel production for infrastructure, defense, and supply chain resilience. “U.S. Steel will remain a proud American company – one that’s American-owned, American-operated, by American union steelworkers,” Biden said in a statement. The United Steelworkers union celebrated the decision, while U.S. Steel faces uncertainty over its future, including potential plant closures. The two companies may challenge the ruling, prolonging the dispute.
Project44’s Legal Saga Continues with SMC3 Lawsuit
Project44 (p44), a major player in freight visibility tech, isn’t new to the courtroom. With a history of high-profile legal battles, p44’s latest move targets Southern Motor Carriers Association (SMC3) for alleged trade secret theft and tortious interference.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for Georgia, p44 alleges that SMC3 and MyCarrier collaborated to replicate its software capabilities, particularly its eBOL (electronic bill of lading) functionality. According to the lawsuit, SMC3 relied on MyCarrier to fill gaps in its own tech, using p44’s confidential data to gain a competitive edge.
“SMC3 knowingly disregarded the contractual restrictions,” p44 claims, pointing to cease-and-desist letters that were allegedly ignored.
The lawsuit also names Tim Story, a board member for both MyCarrier and SMC3, as complicit in facilitating the breach. The claim states:
"Defendant Story induced MyCarrier to breach the No Build Behind Restrictions by reviewing and approving MyCarrier’s contract with SMC3 even as he was fully aware of the Agreement’s prohibitions, which he had also reviewed and approved."
What’s at Stake
The lawsuit is a window into the growing tension in the logistics tech space, where innovation often clashes with competition. For p44, the stakes are high: maintaining its dominance as the most connected API platform in the industry. With over 1 billion shipments flowing through its system annually, its ability to protect proprietary technology could set the tone for future industry conflicts.
For now, p44 seeks injunctive relief and damages, but as history shows, this legal firestorm is far from over.
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🥩 Beefed Up. Ted Johnson, CEO of Elite Commodity Express, shared that despite a weekend beef load cancellation, he quickly secured another great paying load. Could this signal signs of the freight recession ending?
🚚 Trucker Fatalities Lead. Despite a 12% drop in deaths, truck drivers still had the highest number of workplace fatalities in 2023, mostly due to transportation incidents.
✈️ Plane Crashed Into Shipper. A small plane crashed into Michael Nicholas Designs’ warehouse in Fullerton, California, killing two onboard and injuring 19 inside the commercial building.
🎙️ Trevor Milton Returns. Former Nikola CEO Trevor Milton, convicted of securities and wire fraud in 2023, is back on X. Craig Fuller, CEO of FreightWaves, is curious to hear his side as Milton reenters the trucking spotlight.
📈 Getting Better? Susquehanna’s analyst Bascome Majors believes the industry will recover over the next two years, forecasting 2025 will serve as a “bridge year” for a better 2026, stating, “tangible signs of progress are still incremental.”
🌉Building Bridges. The reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge is set to begin Jan. 7. The entire construction is expected to take years, costing nearly $1.7 billion, funded fully by the federal government.
🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER
Conferences: Join 350+ top speakers across 150+ sessions and start planning your ultimate Manifest experience - the future of supply chain & logistics is waiting! Save $200 on the current registration rate ($600 off on-site) here.
Podcast: In the latest FreightCaviar Podcast, we sit down with Cameron Ramsdell, CEO of Armstrong Transport Group. Cameron discusses how the company achieved 60% growth in 2024 and more. Catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.
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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.
Hello! I'm Jerome FreightCaviar! I’m into the politics of freight and the impact it will have worldwide. I'm always eager to learn more. Follow me on X @JeromeFreightC
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