🎣 Walmart Launches Freight Brokerage

TGIF. Walmart is officially onboarding carriers to its stealth freight brokerage. With Amazon Freight in its sights, brokers are watching closely. Here's what it means for the industry.

Plus:

• 📦 Port Surge & Hapag’s Mixed Bag
• 💵 Trucking Fraud: Two Costly Cases
• 🛒 Tariff Talk: Retailers & Truckers Weigh In
• and more...

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🐔 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT

📦 Shipping News: Port Growth and Hapag-Lloyd's Mixed Outlook. The Port of Los Angeles saw a strong February, handling 801,398 units—its second-busiest February ever. However, Executive Director Gene Seroka warned that new tariffs and front-loaded shipments could produce a “softening of the number,” causing a 10% decline in volume later in 2025. Meanwhile, Hapag-Lloyd, one of the world’s largest container shipping lines, reported mixed 2024 earnings, with rising container volumes but declining freight rates. Despite strong revenue of $20.6 billion, net profit fell to $2.6 billion. The company faces higher costs from Red Sea route diversions and current geopolitical instability. “In a challenging market environment, we achieved solid results and further increased customer satisfaction,” said Rolf Habben Jansen, Chief Executive at Hapag-Lloyd. The plan? Keep a strong financial position while modernizing and decarbonizing its fleets.

💵 Fraud in Trucking: Two Greedy Cases. Here are two separate fraud cases making waves this week. In North Carolina, Shaquille Dixon, a former truck driver, allegedly embezzled at least $500,000 from Good Run Logistics, a company owned by ex-NFL player Shaq Thompson. Dixon misused his access to financial records, disguising the transfers as “owner draws” or “transfers to review.” Dixon is now facing federal wire fraud charges. Meanwhile, in Colorado, former USPS employee Tai Rho pleaded guilty to fraud charges involving bribes, accepting said bribes from trucking companies in exchange for service contracts. Rho manipulated USPS awards and took nearly $300,000 in kickbacks. Additionally, according to 9 News, Rho met with a representative from another trucking company multiple times in a parking lot, receiving cash in exchange for service contracts.

🛒 Retailers and Truckers React to Trump’s Tariffs. It is well known that the retail and trucking industries are facing uncertainty over President Trump’s tariffs. Retail leaders from companies like Target, Costco, and Adidas express mixed reactions on the topic—some are confident in navigating disruptions via vendor relationships and supply chain shifts, while others warn of rising consumer prices. Meanwhile, trucking professionals are largely expressing frustration with Trump, citing volatile tariff policies that disrupt cross-border trade and demand. In a recent survey conducted by FleetOwner, 39% of participants feel "very negative" about Trump’s performance within the trucking industry so far. While some support Trump’s long-term strategy, many criticize his inconsistent implementation. One anonymous survey respondent had this to say about tariffs: “He is wasting my time and the country’s with his constant vacillating on tariffs. Either do it or don’t do it. I am tired of writing analyses for my clients that are made obsolete by an about-face on the subject.”

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Walmart’s Coming for Your Freight (And Maybe Amazon’s, Too)

Last week, trucking companies in Walmart’s network received a cryptic email. No press release. No big LinkedIn splash. Just a quiet “Hey, want to move freight for us?”

The retail giant is leveraging its massive private fleet and infrastructure to offer third-party logistics to carriers in its ecosystem. That's dry vans, reefers, flatbeds, and a lot of volume.

Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) is positioning itself as a direct competitor to Amazon’s logistics empire. And now that Walmart is onboarding carriers, the 3PL gloves are off.

The Stealth Launch

Emails sent to carriers outlined the program: steady freight, streamlined onboarding, and a “transformative initiative.” Requirements listed: 10–1,000 trucks, five years of authority, and $1M in liability insurance. Plus, passing Walmart safety checks

“We’re connecting with a select group of carriers like yourself to embark on an initiative that will transform the way we deliver to our customers... You’ll have the opportunity to secure steady freight and play a crucial role in ensuring our freight reaches all our customers.” – Walmart onboarding email via FreightWaves

Walmart vs. Amazon: The Logistics War

With its Fulfillment Services (WFS) arm and GoLocal for last mile, Walmart now has an end-to-end logistics ecosystem. Think of it as a counterweight to Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), just with more physical stores and fewer long-term storage fees.

So, what does this mean for brokers?

Walmart & the Trend Toward Direct Integration

Walmart isn’t launching a brokerage to act like C.H. Robinson.

They’re doing it to connect their existing network of sellers and shippers directly with carriers, leveraging their scale, tech, and infrastructure. It’s the kind of move that fuels the growing argument that brokers may eventually become obsolete.

A couple of weeks ago, Ed Burns, CEO of Burns Logistics & Co-Found of TruSygnal, stirred the pot on LinkedIn, writing:

"In 20 years, there won’t be transportation brokers... All those brokers crying out, ‘the industry needs me!’ Well, not for long."

His take sparked a firestorm in the comments. Andrew Silver (ex-MoLo CEO) fired back:

Silver doubled down on his stance by pointing out that brokers handle critical support functions that carriers often can’t manage alone. In fact, he suggested a "hotter take": brokers might actually outlast drivers as automation reshapes the industry.

Flexport’s Bill Driegert made it even clearer on our Freight Gong Friday Podcast last week:

And technology plays a major role in setting a brokerage apart. Driegert added: “To be a successful broker today—and in the next 10 years—is very different. Brokers need to be very thoughtful about adopting the right type of technology.”

Tim Higham, CEO of AscendTMS, offered his vision for the future:

So, no, brokers aren’t dead. But they are under pressure from massive funds, tech, and scale of competitors. To stay in the game, adaptability is imperative.

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🌎 AROUND THE FREIGHT WEB

🚛 Kreilkamp Absorbs Gray Transportation Assets. Wisconsin-based Kreilkamp Trucking has acquired the assets of Iowa’s Gray Transportation, which is shutting down after 40+ years. The deal includes trailers, contracts, and some drivers, as Gray cites low spot rates and high lease costs for its closure.

🥶 Truck Driver Stuck. A truck driver deliberately bypassed a road closure sign on SR-89 in Emerald Bay (in the Lake Tahoe area), becoming stuck in the switchbacks.

🤔 Trucks on Trains? Former Amtrak conductor Brad Swartzwelter proposes reducing truck traffic on Colorado's I-70 by loading semi-trucks onto trains. This “rail bridge” system could reduce the “unbearable congestion,” according to Swartzwelter.

🚨 Convictions in Human Smuggling Case. Two individuals were convicted in a human smuggling attempt that resulted in 53 deaths inside a sweltering semi-trailer in San Antonio. Both individuals could face a maximum sentence of life in prison when they are sentenced later this year.

🤑 Grant Secured. SeaPort Manatee received a $2 million state grant for their project, which aims to help increase and improve heavy truck capacity near their South Gate complex due to the boom in cargo shipments passing through U.S. Route 41.

🤝 Brad Jacobs' Acquisition. Brad Jacobs' investment firm, QXO, completed its first building products acquisition with the purchase of Beacon. Ryan Merkel, a researcher at William Blair, feels the $11 billion deal is the first of many “future moves” to come from Jacobs and QXO.

🎗️ Freight Fam, Let's Rally for Lauren. Lauren Sieradzki Keiner, RXO VP and freight industry vet, is battling a rare cancer and her insurer. After promising treatment results, UnitedHealthcare is denying a second round. Let’s show she’s not fighting alone.

🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER

• ‼️ Now Hiring: Ro Trans Freight in Burr Ridge, IL, is seeking a Senior Freight Dispatcher for its Dry Van Division. This full-time role offers a competitive salary, a great work atmosphere, and an opportunity to grow with the company. Learn more and apply here.
• 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.

FREIGHT HUMOR

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