FreightCaviar Weekly Recap.From Highway taking 1st place again, to the latest in the tariff news - here are this week’s most talked-about freight stories.
A new broker posted that he’s been in the game since May 2024, moves about 100 loads a month, has great shipper relationships, but only averages 9–10% margin. He asked how anyone’s supposed to make money when customers chase the cheapest rates.
Veteran brokers didn’t sugarcoat it. One said it’s the worst market in 15 years, another told him to stop being friends with low-margin customers and find bigger fish. Others said 9–10% is normal right now, even established shops are bidding freight at cost just to stay in the game.
The advice? Pick a niche that pays (like open deck or heavy haul), stop chasing volume on dry van, and make sure you’re not getting ripped on your split.
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🚨 Two Fatal Truck Crashes Reignite Immigration Debate on X
Federal officials confirmed two separate deadly crashes involving truck drivers living in the U.S. illegally.
In Indiana: Borko Stankovic, a 44-year-old Serbian national, drove a semi without a CDL, swerved into oncoming traffic, and killed Jeffrey Eberly. He’s charged with reckless homicide, and ICE issued a detainer.
In California: Jashanpreet Singh, an Indian national, was caught and released at the border in 2022. Police say he was drunk and speeding when he slammed into slow traffic on I-10, killing three people. ICE has filed a detainer request.
Both crashes have intensified calls for tougher vetting of drivers and closer coordination between immigration and highway-safety enforcement.
🇺🇸 FreightCaviar Story of the Week:New 25% Truck Tariff Hits Nov. 1
President Trump signed off on a 25% tariff on imported medium- and heavy-duty trucks under Section 232, citing national security risks from foreign dependence. Imports make up 43% of U.S. truck sales.
The move targets cargo haulers, dump trucks, and key parts like engines and transmissions, while U.S. assemblers get small offsets to ease costs.
The Supreme Court will review the legality of invoking emergency powers on Nov. 5.
Bottom line: Expect short-term price bumps and possible supply shifts ahead.
Join Highway’s VP of Risk Management, Michael Grace and Director of Operations, Demi Ramon on Wednesday, November 5th at 1:00 PM CT to unpack what the Q3 data reveals about the evolving fraud landscape, and how brokers, carriers, and shippers can protect their organizations before fraudsters strike.
FreightWaves revealed this year’s FreightTech 25 winners at the Future of Freight Festival in Chattanooga.
Highway took the top spot again, while Triumph jumped to #4 after acquiring Greenscreens + ISO. DAT landed at #10 post-Convoy deal, and C.H. Robinson made its first appearance at #13 with new AI tools in Navisphere.
Autonomous truck players Aurora, Gatik, and Waabi also cracked the list.
Highway+FreightCaviar Webinar. Join us today at 12 PM CT to break down today’s freight risk landscape. Learn how brokers, carriers, and shippers can protect freight, relationships, and cash flow. Register here.
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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