A penny stock wiped $4.8B off C.H. Robinson's market cap yesterday. Plus: self-driving trucks are now running 1,000 miles nonstop, STG Logistics cleared a major bankruptcy hurdle, the FMCSA revoked nine ELDs, and more.
For a long time, secure parking lived in the “nice-to-have” bucket. That framing no longer works. In today’s environment, secure parking functions as a preventative security layer.
Here’s what’s trending across freight and logistics on X, LinkedIn, Reddit, and YouTube.
Plus, a tornado devastated a FedEx facility in Michigan, Costco received Tesla Semis, and US-Mexico trade reached $200 billion in Q1.
Happy Lumper Appreciation Week. How will you be celebrating the second annual Lumper Appreciation Week? Join the entertainment by commenting here.
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🤔 Question of the Day: Supply chain expert Jason Miller points to a significant uptick in northbound truck crossings from Mexico—up ____% from last year and 16.5% above 2019 levels. Find the answer in today's main story.
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🐔 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT
🌪️ Storm Strain on Supply Chains. Tornadoes are wreaking havoc, notably at a Michigan FedEx facility, where dozens of workers were trapped before being rescued. The damage has put vehicles out of action and halted operations. Severe storms across states like Oklahoma and Missouri are causing chaos, forcing reroutes and closures along vital lanes, including I-40 and I-35. On top of that, a major storm is dishing out snow and high winds in Montana, triggering blizzard warnings and complicating transport. WeatherOptics, a weather tool for the freight industry, highlights key assets impacted, such as Tulsa International Airport and Kansas City International Airport.
💳 It's Lumper Appreciation Week. Ever heard of Lumper Appreciation Week? Yup, it's a thing—kind of. Sparked by Reed Loustalot as a bit of a gag, this celebration spotlights those contracted workers who unload trucks for a fee. While places like Walmart have recently done away with lumpers, many continue to hold on to this frustrating tradition. It's mandatory and often a headache for carriers and brokers. Still, raise your comchecks in dubious honor—Lumper Appreciation Week is from May 8 until May 14. Be sure to share how you feel about it!
💸 $6.8M Seed for Cargado. The recently launched cross-border freight tech startup, which raised $3 million in a pre-seed round in January of this year, has just secured an additional $6.8 million in seed funding. Spearheaded by Matt Silver, Cargado is poised to enhance efficiency in cross-border logistics between the U.S. and Mexico. As trade between the two countries continues to increase, Cargado is seizing the opportunity to become a crucial resource for shippers and brokers navigating the complexities of cross-border shipping.
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In the first quarter of 2024, U.S.-Mexico trade crossed the $200 billion mark.
Despite global economic shifts, this corridor continues to be a stronghold for commerce, with Mexico maintaining its position as the United States top trading partner for 13 of the past 14 months. However, the year-over-year trade saw a slight decline of 5% in March.
Supply chain expert Jason Miller points to a significant uptick in northbound truck crossings from Mexico—up 4.3% from last year and 16.5% above 2019 levels.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Trade between China and Mexico shot up by 35% last year, with a ton of those goods eventually making their way into the U.S. This move is partly to dodge the hefty tariffs the U.S. has on direct imports from China.
As of today, the wait times at the ports of Lázaro Cárdenas and Manzanillo, hubs for goods primarily from China, are uncharacteristically manageable. However, it's worth noting that these periods can sometimes drag on, with past reports citing up to nine days at Manzanillo.
With all this action, there’s a big question hanging—can the current setups at the borders and ports keep up with the rush? It creates opportunities for strategic investments to support and streamline cross-border operations.
As China continues to funnel more goods through Mexico, the strain on these entry points is only going to increase. It’s a game of catch-up, and right now, the infrastructure needs to hustle to keep pace.
Sources: Norman Global Logistics | FreightWaves
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AROUND THE FREIGHT WEB
🚚 Tesla Semi Expansion. Costco is the latest to receive a Tesla Semi, joining Walmart and others as Tesla ramps up deliveries despite previous delays.
🤖 C.H. Robinson Using AI in Freight Quoting. C.H. Robinson is now using AI to process 2,000 daily email quote requests, improving efficiency and planning to extend its capabilities to other freight types.
💰 Riches in Niches. Over the past year, the Healthcare Distribution segment of the BGSA Supply Chain Index grew by 33.2%, while the Energy Logistics segment saw a 20.9% increase.
🚢 Maersk Nears Decision on Baltimore Port Reentry. Maersk anticipates resuming operations at Baltimore port by the end of May, following significant cleanup progress after the Baltimore Bridge collapse.
❄️ Paxafe Secures $9M for Cold Chain Automation. Paxafe has raised $9 million in Series A funding to enhance its AI-driven cold chain logistics, aiming to achieve zero waste through automation.
⚡️ Amazon's New EV Fleet. While Amazon drones may not work this summer, Amazon has boosted its eco-friendly logistics with 50 new electric trucks from Volvo, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2040 while tackling its rising emissions.
🎣 FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER
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FREIGHT MEME OF THE DAY
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A penny stock wiped $4.8B off C.H. Robinson's market cap yesterday. Plus: self-driving trucks are now running 1,000 miles nonstop, STG Logistics cleared a major bankruptcy hurdle, the FMCSA revoked nine ELDs, and more.
Here’s what’s trending across freight and logistics on X, LinkedIn, Reddit, and YouTube.
In just three years, we have moved from an industry that relied heavily on manual phone calls and emails to one where many of us use AI to some extent to support the above.
Plus, XPO and Hub Group Q4 2025 earnings, a trucking private-equity firm files bankruptcy, Mexico long-haul truckers win union rights, and more.
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