Good morning. Today, we're covering the fallout of Hurricane Helene, which has left millions without power, hundreds of thousands without water, and billions in damages.
Also in our newsletter:
Ports Brace For Strike
Ex-TuSimple CEO Launches Bot Auto
Texas Trucking Company Owner Sentenced to 25 Years
*Greenscreens.ai, forecasts real-time truckload buy prices that are suited to each freight brokerage's purchasing power using AI and machine learning. Its engine takes into account over 130 attributes and data points in each rate forecast.
🐔 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT
🚢 Dockworker Strike: How Big of a Deal Is It? Dockworkers on the East and Gulf Coasts are still planning to strike tomorrow, October 1. ILA President Harold Daggett is demanding a 70% pay raise and a halt to port automation. Craig Fuller, CEO of FreightWaves, warns of potentially catastrophic supply chain disruptions during the holiday season, while Ari Ashe disagrees. Ashe commentedthat many importers have already preemptively secured holiday inventory, mitigating the strike’s immediate impact. Although Ashe believes a short strike is unlikely to cause major disruptions, a prolonged action could have more significant consequences. The Biden administration may eventually intervene if needed, but as of now, they have yet to do so.
🚚 Ex-TuSimple CEO Launches Bot Auto; Secured $20M for Autonomous Trucking. Former TuSimple CEO Xiaodi Hou has returned to the autonomous trucking industry, launching Bot Auto after securing $20 million in funding. The Houston-based startup will offer a Level 4 autonomous truck fleet and Transportation-as-a-Service to freight customers. Several former TuSimple executives, including Lei Wang and Paul Lam, have joined the venture. Hou’s departure from TuSimple involved disputes over leadership and business strategy, culminating in the company’s U.S. layoffs and a shift to focus on Asia-Pacific operations. Bot Auto aims to leverage advanced AI to drive innovation in autonomous trucking.
🔥 BioLab’s Plume Fire Forces Evacuations; Shelter-In-Place Orders. A fire at BioLab in Conyers, Georgia, triggered evacuations and a county-wide shelter-in-place order after a sprinkler malfunction caused a chemical reaction, producing a hazardous plume. The fire, which reignited later, led to widespread smoke and safety concerns. Rockdale County officials instructed residents to remain indoors, close windows, and turn off air conditioners. Evacuation sites were set up, and air monitoring is ongoing. No injuries have been reported, but the situation remains under investigation. BioLab, known for manufacturing pool and spa products, has a history of similar incidents, with fires also occurring in 2004 and 2020.
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Hurricane Helene has left a trail of destruction across the Southeastern U.S., impacting millions and severely disrupting logistics and supply chains.
The Category 4 storm unleashed heavy rain, winds exceeding 140 mph, and widespread flooding, leaving critical infrastructure crippled across states from Florida to Virginia.
280 roads closed in North Carolina alone, making logistics and supply chain efforts nearly impossible in some areas.
Major Highways Blocked or Destroyed: One of the worst-hit areas is I-40 in Tennessee/North Carolina, where vast sections of the highway have been washed away.
Image of the collapse of two bridges along I-26.
Flooding of the Nolichucky River caused the collapse of two bridge spans on I-26 in Erwin, Tennessee, a key detour route for I-40.
Power Outages: More than 3 million people across the region remain without power, with authorities warning that it could take weeks to fully restore electricity to some areas.
Water Crisis in Asheville: Residents in Asheville, NC, are facing an added crisis as their water supply has been severely compromised, with local authorities warning it may take weeks before water is restored. This has placed additional strain on the region's supply chain as bottled water and essential supplies are being prioritized for delivery.
Economic Impact: The damage from Hurricane Helene is expected to run into the billions, with Reuters reporting damage estimates ranging from $15 billion to over $100 billion. Supermarket chain Ingles faced major flooding at a distribution center, trapping drivers.
Trucking delays, road closures, and power outages are driving up costs and severely disrupting the movement of goods across the region. Experts predict it could take weeks for logistics to return to normal in affected areas.
While the cleanup efforts are underway, freight companies are bracing for a difficult recovery period. North Carolina officials described this storm as “one of the worst in modern history,” and the economic toll is expected to be massive as transportation routes remain inaccessible.
Big Businesses Offer Relief: With FedEx, UPS, and USPS halting regional operations, companies like Amazon and Walmart have are assisting recovery efforts. Amazon, for example, has activated its Disaster Relief Hub in Atlanta, where essential items like water, food, and emergency supplies are being packed and shipped to affected areas. Walmart has also been mobilizing resources, utilizing its extensive distribution network to ensure that relief supplies reach communities in need as quickly as possible.
The global cold chain market for pharmaceuticals is set to grow from $5.3B in 2023 to $9.6B by 2035. This growth is closely tied to the rising need for reefer containers, driven by the expansion of trade routes and the critical importance of safely transporting pharmaceutical products.
To meet this demand, Trucker Tools offers real-time temperature monitoring, location tracking, and smart alerts for seamless cold chain management.
Cold chain logistics can be complex, but with Trucker Tools, you have a streamlined solution that simplifies everything from monitoring to communication with drivers.
Drug Smuggling Conviction. Jose Farias, a Texas trucking company owner, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for smuggling approximately 130 kg of heroin & 45 kg of cocaine from Texas to Chicago in 2015 and 2016.
2023 Rail Cargo Trends. Railroad transport was dominated by energy (oil, coal, and natural gas), agricultural products, and construction materials. In total, 1.8 million metric tons of materials were moved by rail in 2023, including these and other categories.
$4.3M Embezzlement Case. Darinder Dyal is facing150 felony charges after embezzling $4.3 million from a Union City, California trucking company between January 2015 and May 2022.
Lithium Battery Fire Disruption. A fire caused by lithium batteries temporarily halted operations at the Los Angeles and Long Beach port terminals after a tractor-trailer overturned.
Navistar Rebranding Announcement. Navistar will rebrand as International Motorson October 1. The change aims to help the company claim a larger share of the domestic commercial truck market.
Big Truck Logistics is looking for an Experienced Freight Broker in Tampa, FL. If you or someone you know may be interested in this position, you can apply directly from our freightjobs.co job board.
No meme today – instead, we’re inviting you to participate in our Freight Meme Contest. The winner will receive an Epay Manager Starter Pack and a FreightCaviar t-shirt.
To enter, send your best original freight memes to pbj@freightcaviar.com by this Wednesday. The winner will be announced during our LinkedIn Live event this Thursday at 10 AM CT/11 AM ET.
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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