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.
This week: The Dalilah Law, a trucking bankruptcy that wiped out thousands overnight, a FreightGuard civil war on Reddit, and the payroll data that's predicting Q4 capacity.
Indiana pulled the trigger on carriers employing illegal CDL holders. Plus: tariff ruling could flood LA with imports, DC finally moves on double brokers, spot rates are outrunning contract, and more.
TGIF. RXO’s stock plunged 23% after weak Q3 earnings, while C.H. Robinson’s AI-fueled margins sent its shares to record highs a week ago. Here's a quick round-up of brokerage Q3 performances.
Plus:
ICE Raids Illinois Shipper Office
Texas Supply Chain Layoffs Widen
U.S. Flight Cuts Threaten Air Cargo Flow
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🍳What's Cookin' In Freight
🚨 ICE Raids Illinois Shipper Office. ICE agents entered the office of an unnamed shipper in Bensenville, Illinois, on Nov. 5, prompting confusion and backlash across the logistics community. Details remain limited, but the operation could raise concerns about federal enforcement expanding deeper into private-sector supply chain operations. This could mark a new phase of scrutiny targeting shippers and logistics firms, not just carriers or drivers.
📉 Texas Supply Chain Layoffs Widen. FreightWaves reports that more than 920 logistics and manufacturing jobs are being cut across Texas, reflecting deep strain across freight, food, and energy sectors. Among the largest reductions:
Firebird Bulk Carriers: 74 jobs lost after insurance spikes.
Flagstone Foods: 225 cuts as production shifts out of El Paso..
Congo Brands: 155 beverage layoffs in Lewisville.
Eden Green & Pure Hothouse: 180+ jobs gone after greenhouse closures.
Executives cite contract losses, high costs, and soft consumer spending for these cuts.
✈️ Freight Turbulence Ahead: FAA Flight Cuts Threaten Air Cargo Flow. The ongoing federal shutdown is spilling into the freight sector as the FAA slashesflight capacity by 10% at 40 major airports, citing unpaid controller shortages. Logistics providers warn the move will choke air freight during peak shipping season, when demand for high-value, time-sensitive goods is at its highest. “Domestic air is a critical transportation mode for many of our customers,” said Mike Short, President of Global Forwarding at C.H. Robinson. “We’re implementing contingency plans, shifting freight to ground and rebalancing inventory to keep production lines running.” With belly cargo limited, holiday air supply chains face turbulence.
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C.H. Robinson's stock price saw a record high after its earnings report in late October. Meanwhile, RXO took a nose-dive after its call, falling 23% yesterday.
RXO shares plunged 23% after posting yet another quarterly loss.
The company blamed a rate squeeze due to locked-in contract prices vs. rising buy rates, as capacity exits the market. CEO Drew Wilkerson warned the pressure will “intensify into Q4.”
Image Source: StockStory
C.H. Robinson, meanwhile, flexed its tech-driven efficiency. Its profit margin jumped and stock hit a record high after management credited AI-powered productivity gains for boosting shipments-per-rep by 40% since 2022.
Others In The Mix
Echo Global Moody’sreaffirmed its B3 credit rating with a stable outlook, saying Echo “has demonstrated modest freight volume growth despite soft economic conditions.”
ArcBestbeat expectations, but gave guidance on Q4 margins to deteriorate.
Hub Group: Revenue down 5% YoY to $934 M, yet operating margin 4.4% showed tight cost discipline despite continued intermodal softness.
Landstar flagged lower volumes across its agent network as truckload pricing stayed weak.
J.B. Hunt (ICS) trimmed losses in its brokerage arm despite a quiet spot market.
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🚫 Nevada CDL Phase Out. Nevada will cancel dozens of CDLs held by Mexican and Canadian drivers as part of its plan to phase out non-domiciled commercial licenses, aligning with new federal residency requirements.
🤝 AscendTMS–Highway Deal. AscendTMS is partnering with Highway to integrate carrier identity verification, allowing brokers to instantly vet and onboard carriers with real-time fraud and compliance screening.
📉 California Bankruptcies Rise. A wave of small and midsize carrier bankruptcies is sweeping California, driven by high insurance premiums, diesel costs, and sustained rate compression.
💬 Cargado Chat Launch. Cargado unveiled Cargado Chat, a verified, multilingual messaging platform for cross-border freight. “We’re making collaboration seamless across borders,” said CTO Rylan Hawkins.
⏰ Broker Rule Countdown. The FMCSA’s broker transparency rule takes effect soon, requiring brokers to disclose carrier pay details and maintain compliance records or face enforcement penalties. It begins January 16, 2026.
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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
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.
This week: The Dalilah Law, a trucking bankruptcy that wiped out thousands overnight, a FreightGuard civil war on Reddit, and the payroll data that's predicting Q4 capacity.
Indiana pulled the trigger on carriers employing illegal CDL holders. Plus: tariff ruling could flood LA with imports, DC finally moves on double brokers, spot rates are outrunning contract, and more.
The Supreme Court ruled Trump's tariffs illegal. Plus: an Illinois official took $300K and handed out illegal CDLs, cartel violence may affect your Mexico freight, 550 CDL schools just got shut down, and more.
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