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Tucker Carlson’s nicotine brand loses 378,000 tins in a cargo theft. Plus: produce rates reset, diesel climbs, and a bill that could pull hundreds of thousands of drivers off the road.
The Middle East crisis is already hitting carriers. Plus: Florida lost $3B in crops, flatbed rates posted a fifth straight weekly increase, a $5B brokerage was just acquired, and more.
Mexico holds the top U.S. trade partner spot, but Trump’s 30% tariff threat looms. Meanwhile, US Foods explores a merger and safety advocates sound alarms on ELD fraud.
Happy Monday. There are mounting allegations against J&M Global Logistics and Mabe Transport, with accusations ranging from unpaid owner-operators to chameleon carrier tactics and shady lease-on practices. But the company owner fires back. We cover it all in today's feature.
Plus,
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🍳 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT
🇲🇽 Mexico Remains Top U.S. Trade Partner, but Faces New 30% Tariff Threat from Trump. Mexico led all U.S. trade partners in May with $74.5 billion in total trade, driven by strong computer and auto exports. But a new 30% tariff announced by President Trump, set to potentially take effect August 1, threatens to disrupt cross-border supply chains. Citing national security and fentanyl concerns, the proposed duties on Mexican and EU imports have sparked backlash from international leaders and cast uncertainty over USMCA protections. “Mexico has been helping me secure the border, BUT, what Mexico has done is not enough,” Trump stated. Freight professionals now face mounting costs and compliance risks as frontloading and routing adjustments accelerate ahead of the deadline.
🍽️ US Foods Eyes $100B Merger with Performance Food Group. US Foods is in early talks to acquire Performance Food Group, a move that would create the largest food service distributor in the U.S. with combined sales near $100 billion. While discussions remain preliminary and nonbinding, the merger would give the combined entity 18% of the U.S. market, surpassing Sysco. The merger would reshape supplier contracts and logistics ops, but faces regulatory scrutiny. Analysts see major efficiency gains, but consolidation concerns could stall progress.
🚨 ELD Reform Urged Amid I-20 Crash and Tampering Surge. Industry voices are demanding a crackdown on ELD manipulation, after a deadly I-20 crash exposed how some foreign-made devices allow undetectable edits. Critics say FMCSA’s self-certification system enables bad actors. Demands include third-party review, audit trails, and stricter enforcement. Without reform, compliant fleets are losing ground to rule-breakers, and public safety is at risk.
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A new wave of online investigations has put Sean Mabe, owner of P & P Transport LLC (MC1713185) and J&M Global Logistics (MC1725430), at the center of intense scrutiny from independent freight watchdogs.
In a video posted by John Cantera Jr. (AKA the Double Broker Bounty Hunter) and his co-host Katelyn Price of The Heartland Freight Group, Mabe is accused of orchestrating a long-running scheme to scam owner-operators, operate without contracts, and cycle through carrier authorities to dodge enforcement.
“This is the eighth authority in 18 months that this guy has had,” said Cantera.
According to the podcast:
One driver named Tex says he was left stranded and unpaid after two weeks under Mabe’s operation, estimating he’s owed $6,000–$7,000.
Katelyn Price alleged that Mabe admitted to running for years without signed contracts, calling it both illegal and unprofessional:
“That’s some bullsh-t made-up thing he uses so that he can hold their money for an extra week,” she said of Mabe’s claim that drivers are “putting a week in the hole.”
The hosts say they’ve submitted evidence to the DOT and FMCSA and are preparing a new file for the agency’s incoming leadership.
In a separate video, freight YouTuber Axel investigates Mabe’s web of logistics companies, many with revoked or forfeited authorities. He links Mabe and associates like Cason Jones and Jordan Birden to a broader network operating under company names like:
Axel calls for a DOJ and FMCSA investigation, labeling the operation “textbook fraud.”
In a video response titled “The Truth About the Double Broker Bounty Hunter”, Mabe denies all fraud allegations, stating he’s been targeted unfairly by dishonest ex-drivers and that signed lease agreements back all business arrangements.
Mabe doesn’t hold back in his rebuttal. He:
“They’ve already been paid. Then I get a $5,000 bill.”
He ends the video by declaring he's “mastered” the industry and has multiple DOTs ready in case authorities shut one down.
“You shut my DOT down? Cool. I got three more lined up.”
— Sean Mabe, in a response video.
Whether or not regulators step in, the freight community is sounding the alarm. The advice is simple: Vet every MC. Avoid red flags. Don’t trust empty promises.
Claims mentioned in this story reflect the views of third-party sources and do not represent the position of FreightCaviar. All parties are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise.
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🌎 AROUND THE FREIGHT WEB
🧀 Cheezy Mess. A truck carrying mozzarella cheese overturned in Pennsylvania on July 2, spilling product 200 yards across the roadway and disrupting traffic. Cleanup crews responded quickly; no injuries were reported.
đź“ś Broker Transparency Debate Intensifies. Industry stakeholders remain divided over broker transparency rules, with some carriers calling it a fight for fairness and others warning it's become a flashpoint that risks overregulation and unintended market consequences.
📦 Levi Strauss Closing Center. Levi Strauss will close its Kentucky distribution center, impacting 350 workers. The company cited strategic shifts and network consolidation in response to evolving retail and logistics demands.
🤔 Hair Testing Truckers? A new proposed bill by way of Arkansas aims to require hair drug testing in the FMCSA’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, potentially adding a more rigorous screening method to improve safety compliance in commercial trucking.
⚡ PepsiCo, XPO Electric Freight. PepsiCo and XPO are partnering to deploy electric trucks in freight operations, the goal of delivering more than one million kilometers of electric freight annual. The collaboration supports corporate sustainability goals and aligns with emissions regulations targeting heavy-duty vehicles.
🚨 Road Safety Warning. American Truckers United issued a public warning about highway safety, citing a rise in crashes involving migrant drivers. The group is urging stricter licensing enforcement and training standards across the industry.
🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER
FREIGHT HUMOR
Tucker Carlson’s nicotine brand loses 378,000 tins in a cargo theft. Plus: produce rates reset, diesel climbs, and a bill that could pull hundreds of thousands of drivers off the road.
The Middle East crisis is already hitting carriers. Plus: Florida lost $3B in crops, flatbed rates posted a fifth straight weekly increase, a $5B brokerage was just acquired, and more.
Plus: autonomous trucking just raised $113M, California is fighting to keep 20,000 drivers, Arrive's 2026 truckload freight forecast, and more.
Two bills just dropped in the Senate that could reshape trucking faster than anything since deregulation. Plus: Russian hackers targeted your load board, flatbed rejection rates just hit 40%, and a robot is taking the Houston-Dallas overnight run.
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