🎣 New Executive Order

TGIF. Before closing out the week, we're covering the latest tariff news over the last few days in today's feature story. We break down President Trump's newest order, Mexico closing loopholes, and industry reactions.

Plus:

• 🌨️ Winter Weather Warning
• 📈 Ryder’s Q4 Performance
• 🌄 Truckload Rates Rise
• & more...

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🐔 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT

🌨️ Winter Weather Threatens Extreme Disruptions. A severe winter storm system is poised to disrupt supply chains across key US freight corridors over the weekend. WeatherOptics has identified five high-volume routes at "Extreme Risk," with widespread delays, road closures, and accidents expected. I-80 between Cleveland ⇄ New York and Boston ⇄ Buffalo (I-90) face the most significant dangers, with heavy snow, freezing rain, and sleet predicted. The San Francisco ⇄ Salt Lake City corridor (I-80) will see major impacts at Donner Pass, while Chicago ⇄ Denver (I-80) and Cleveland ⇄ Chicago (I-90) routes also face hazardous conditions. As stated earlier, the worst impacts are anticipated this weekend, likely intensifying shipping delays nationwide. Drive carefully and follow all local protocols to ensure maximum safety over the next few days.

📈 Ryder’s Q4 Resilience; “Muted Growth” in 2025. Ryder System's Q4 data reflects a mixed used vehicle market and highlights its strategic pivot to contractual logistics. Used vehicle sales dropped 13% for tractors and 12% for trucks year-over-year, though this decline slowed compared to 2023. Revenue grew modestly by 2% overall, bolstered by the acquisition of Cardinal Logistics, which drove a 39% rise in Dedicated Transport Services (DTS) revenue. Ryder’s structural transformation has increased its reliance on contractual business, with DTS and Supply Chain Solutions (SCS) contributing 61% of 2024 revenue, up from 44% in 2018. CEO Robert Sanchez projects a “muted growth environment, reflecting freight market conditions” for 2025, and anticipates “continued contractual earnings growth and a very modest improvement in rental demand later in the year.”

🌄 Truckload Rates Rise for First Time in Two Years. Truckload linehaul rates saw a 0.8% year-over-year increase in January, marking their first rise in two years, according to Cass Information Systems. Rates also climbed 0.6% sequentially, continuing five consecutive months of gains. Despite this, shipments dropped 5.3% from December and 8.2% year-over-year, hindered by weak seasonal demand and winter storms. Private fleets’ increased freight share and sluggish demand further weighed on volumes. Cass’ data indicates higher rates but cautions that recovery may take time. Freight expenditures fell 4.2% year-over-year, but inferred rates rose 4.3%. The report suggests capacity adjustments are supporting modest rate increases, with long-term outsourcing trends expected to rebound. As the report puts it: “There you have it, folks, another important positive freight cycle inflection.”

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Tariff Whirlwind Continues: What’s New and Who’s Feeling the Heat?

The tariff rollercoaster continues. After hitting steel and aluminum imports with a 25% tariff, President Trump has doubled down with a new “reciprocal tariff” policy, meaning if another country taxes American goods, the U.S. will return the favor with an identical tariff.

Meanwhile, Mexico is cracking down on “border-skipping,” China has thrown up new trade barriers, and U.S. businesses—especially in autos, metals, and logistics—are bracing for impact. Let’s break it all down.

U.S. Tariff Moves: “They Charge Us, We Charge Them”

Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 13 to enforce tariff parity across all trading partners.

"In other words, they charge us a tax or tariff, and we charge them the exact same tax," Trump said in an Oval Office press conference.

This comes just days after his administration hit steel and aluminum imports with 25% duties, sending shockwaves through industries that depend on these materials—like automotive, aerospace, and packaging.

The White House says trade officials will review every U.S. trading partner and propose tariffs where there are “unfair” market conditions.

Mexico and Canada are still in limbo, with their tariff pause set to expire in March.

Mexico Cracks Down on Trade Loopholes

While the U.S. tightens import duties, Mexico is flipping the script on companies using its lower tariffs to sidestep U.S. fees.

• New 35% tariffs on apparel, textiles, and household goods—particularly those imported from China before being shipped to the U.S.
• Restricted temporary imports under Mexico’s IMMEX program (a major hit for e-commerce).
• Companies are reworking supply chains to avoid additional costs, which could drive up cross-border freight demand.

"By raising import duties on these products...the policy pushes companies to reexamine their supply chains, ultimately increasing costs and complicating cross-border logistics," said Matt Muenster, Chief Economist at Breakthrough.

Auto Industry Sounds the Alarm: “A Massive Blow”

Few industries are sweating these tariffs like automakers—who rely on steel, aluminum, and North American supply chains.

Ford CEO Jim Farley called potential Mexico/Canada tariffs a “massive blow,” warning that South Korean and Japanese carmakers—who don’t face these duties—will gain a huge competitive edge.

"A 25% tariff across the Mexico and Canadian border would blow a hole in the U.S. industry that we have never seen," Farley said.

Steel and aluminum costs are set to rise—bad news for both automakers and suppliers.

Industry Pushback: “This Will Destroy Jobs”

Labor unions and manufacturers aren’t staying quiet. Leaders from the International Association of Machinists (IAM) issued a strong statement condemning the steel/aluminum tariffs:

“A 25% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum imports would be a gut punch to workers on both sides of the border.”

• IAM predicts job losses, higher prices, and broken supply chains across auto, aerospace, and defense.
• The union wants a U.S.-Canada alliance to fight China’s trade practices instead of “damaging” North American cooperation.

Meanwhile, California and Texas businesses are projected to be hit the hardest by tariffs, facing a combined $433 billion in additional trade duties.

With reciprocal tariffs now official, every new trade restriction placed on American exports will be met with an equal response.

• The EU and Canada have already hinted at retaliation.
• Supply chains are shifting as companies scramble to avoid tariffs; expect more nearshoring, warehousing, and bulk imports.
• Freight brokers, watch for rate swings on steel, aluminum, and automotive freight as demand shifts.

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🌎 AROUND THE FREIGHT WEB

💼 From Convoy to Microsoft. Former Convoy Co-Founder and CEO Dan Lewis has taken on a new role as Chief Product Officer at Microsoft, sharing his thoughts about the transition in a recent LinkedIn post.

🚐 Carrier Collision. A truck carrying sprinter vans collided head-on with a semi-trailer, likely due to snowy conditions. Yet another reminder to exercise caution on the roads this weekend.

⚖️ Fraud and Witness Tampering. Christopher Carroll, owner of Whiskey Dix Big Truck Repair LLC, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for tampering with diesel emissions systems, defrauding $3 million, and witness tampering. He has also been ordered to pay $3 million in restitution.

🏛 Turk’s Bankruptcy. Turk Transportation has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company has up to $1 million in assets and liabilities ranging between $1 million and $10 million. Forty-nine creditors are tied to Turk, with the largest unsecured creditor owed over $398,000.

♥ $7.5 Million Plan. A lucky trucker who won $7.5 million from a scratch-off lottery ticket in California plans to invest the prize money and continue trucking for a living.

🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER

• Freight Job Listing: Motivated freight agent wanted for a full-time remote position at Hawkeye Transportation Services. Explore this and other opportunities at freightjobs.co.
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FREIGHT HUMOR