🎣 Operations Stall

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. While many are celebrating, severe storms over the weekend brought devastation—tornadoes, wildfires, and dust storms left at least 40 dead. Here’s how it’s impacting communities and transportation.

Plus:

• 🚢 U.S. Hits Houthis Over Shipping Threats
• 📈 U.S.-Canada-Mexico Trade Hits $134B
• 🚨 Texas Truck Crash Sparks Lawsuits

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🐔 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT

🚢 U.S. Strikes Houthis in Yemen After Threats to Shipping. President Trump, with the freight broker’s headset on and all, ordered military strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels after they threatened commercial ships in the Red Sea. Declaring that “hell will rain down” until the attacks cease, Trump stated that U.S. forces are targeting rebel bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American and global shipping. He vowed that no terrorist force would disrupt free navigation. The Houthis, a key faction in Yemen’s ongoing civil war, are now being held “fully accountable” for their actions, according to the president. The strikes mark a significant escalation in U.S. involvement in the region.

📈 U.S. Trade with Canada and Mexico Reaches $134B in January. Despite global trade tensions, U.S. trade with Canada and Mexico surged 8% year-over-year in January to $134.4 billion. Mexico led at $69.61 billion, followed by Canada at $64.8 billion. China ranked third at $51.5 billion, a 7.6% increase. Trade-related tariffs remain a key issue, with the EU and Canada imposing retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. in response to U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs on the respective countries. Furthermore, Mike Short, President of Global Forwarding at C.H. Robinson, noted that shippers are increasingly seeking USMCA qualification to avoid tariffs, as recent White House actions provide a stronger incentive to complete the qualification process for all eligible products.

🚨 Tragic Texas Truck Crash Sparks Legal Action and Industry Scrutiny. A devastating 17-vehicle crash on I-35 in Austin, Texas, killed five people—including a child and an infant—and injured eleven others. Authorities charged truck driver Solomun Weldekeal Araya, 37, with five counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault. Witnesses say an Amazon-hauling semi-truck crashed into stopped traffic at high speed. Reports allege the driver lacked English proficiency, fueling criticism of Amazon’s low-cost freight model and calls for stricter safety laws, like Arkansas’s Secure Roads and Safe Trucking Act (HB1569), which proposes an English proficiency test for CDL holders. Gord Magill called out Amazon, stating, “Anyone ever ask why Amazon doesn’t just employ these folks directly? Why doesn’t Amazon have their own trucks or their own driver training programs?... Enjoy your cheap package delivery, I’m sure all of the dead children were worth it.”

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High Winds, Pileups, and Tornado Damage Stall Freight Operations

A massive storm system swept across the U.S. over the weekend, crippling freight movement, toppling trucks, and causing deadly pileups. Logistics analysts had warned early last week that severe winds, blizzards, and tornadoes would bring major disruptions to key freight corridors—and the aftermath is still unfolding.

Truck Rollovers, Pileups, and Highway Shutdowns

Ahead of the storm, WeatherOptics issued an alert predicting extreme winds across major freight routes, including I-40, I-20, I-70, I-80, and I-90. Their warning proved accurate:

• Texas Dust Storm Disaster: A 50+ vehicle pileup on I-27 near Amarillo left wreckage strewn across the highway as zero-visibility dust storms engulfed the region.
• Washington State Wreckage: Semi-truck crashes on I-90 near Snoqualmie Pass forced a major shutdown Thursday, delaying freight movement as wreckers struggled to clear the scene.
• Deadly Highway Chaos: In Kansas, eight people died in a massive pileup after dust storms created whiteout conditions.
• Wind Gusts Toppling Trucks: Videos captured semi blowovers on I-40 as winds exceeding 70 mph made some routes impassable for high-profile vehicles.

Storm Damage Impacts Freight Infrastructure

The storm system delivered more than just high winds:

• Tornado Outbreak: Over 60 confirmed tornadoes wreaked havoc from Mississippi to Missouri, flipping semis and damaging warehouses, distribution hubs, and rail yards.
• Wildfires & Evacuations: In Oklahoma and Texas, over 130 wildfires erupted due to high winds and dry conditions, forcing truck stops and logistics hubs to shut down.
• Winter Conditions Linger: Snow and ice hammered the upper Midwest, shutting down key freight lanes and delaying shipments.

“Winter isn’t over yet. Follow restrictions and prepare for severe weather.” – Washington State Patrol

What’s Next for Freight Movement?

As of early Monday morning, March 17, the tornado outbreak across the Southeast remains a major threat, with violent storms continuing to impact freight corridors and communities. The outlook above shows:

• Ongoing Tornado Risk: The Storm Prediction Center’s High-Risk zone remains in place for parts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia, where long-track tornadoes and damaging winds are still expected.
• Storms Shift Eastward: Through today, the severe weather threat continues into Georgia, the Florida Panhandle, and the Carolinas, bringing destructive winds and the potential for more tornadoes.
• Midwest & Tennessee Valley Impact: A developing weather system over northern Alabama and Tennessee could sustain storm activity into the morning, creating additional risks for embedded supercells and damaging gusts.
• Southern Plains Wildfire Concerns: While severe storms dominate the Southeast, critical fire weather conditions persist in Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas, with high winds increasing the wildfire threat.

What are you seeing on the roads? Share your storm impact stories with FreightCaviar over on our Instagram.

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🌎 AROUND THE FREIGHT WEB

📈 Roadrunner Stock Surges. Roadrunner, a common LTL carrier, has seen its stock rise 261% in six months after CEO Chris Jamroz and investor Ted Kellner acquired over 80% of the company in November 2024.

🚨 New Scam Alert. OTR Solutions warns of a new scam involving fake lease-on carriers. Two respectable carriers have already fallen victim to this scam. Take a look at OTR Solution’s breakdown of this scam and how to protect your business from it.

⚖️ Nikola's Bankruptcy Deadline. Nikola faces a critical March 17 deadline for receipt of a stalking horse bid in order to continue bankruptcy proceedings. If no suitable bids arrive by the March 17 deadline, an auction is scheduled for April 7, according to court documents.

📦 UPS & FedEx Competition. UPS and FedEx are experiencing market share declines as alternative delivery services grow. Between service levels and competitive prices, will other shippers continue to benefit, or will companies like UPS & FedEx rebound?

😡 China's Displeasure. China criticized CK Hutchison's $22.8 billion sale of Panama Canal ports to a BlackRock-led consortium, saying the sale is “profit-seeking” and a move “betraying and selling off” all Chinese people.

🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER

• The FreightCaviar Podcast: This week's episode features 91-year-old trucker Luther Binford. With over 40 years on the road, he shares valuable advice for young truckers, reflects on the industry's changes, and reveals what he loves most about life behind the wheel. Catch the interview on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
• TIA Capital Ideas Conference: FreightCaviar will be in attendance at this year's conference, held April 9-12 in San Antonio. We hope to see you there at the biggest event for brokers. Register now.
• ‼️ Now Hiring: Chicago-based freight brokerage and technology company Batch Freight is seeking a full-time Customer Sales Rep—learn more and apply here.

FREIGHT HUMOR