Happy Monday. Cargo theft is hitting record highs, and freight leaders just told Congress they’ve had enough. Will D.C. finally crack down?We're covering the key statements in today's feature story.
Plus:
👨⚖️ J.B. Hunt Suit Grows Over Driver’s Dating App Use
📈 Deutsche Bank Bullish on Transport Stocks
🤷♂️ Trump Shrugs Off Tariff Fears
& More...
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🐔 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT
Truck Driver Barry Giebelstein, distracted, moments before he crashed into Tracy Rambosek. Image Source: KXXV
👨⚖️ Lawsuit Expands After Truck Driver Found Distracted by Dating Profile. An amended lawsuit against JB Hunt now includes truck driver Barry Giebelstein after an investigation revealed he was reviewing his Facebook dating profile during a fatal crash. On May 22, 2024, in Bell County, Texas, Giebelstein rear-ended Tracy Rambosek’s stalled vehicle on I-35. Phone records and driver-facing cameras confirmed his distraction, with a screenshot taken moments before impact. “There was significant phone use by Mr. Giebelstein up to the crash, including the moments during the crash,” said Greenburg, the family attorney. Despite prior warnings for distracted driving, JB Hunt failed to intervene. The victim’s family argues the company ignored red flags, contributing to Rambosek’s death. Attorney Greenberg criticized the company’s inaction, “Time after time, the family sees that the company had a chance to make the road safer and prevent their family member’s death, and they simply chose not to.”
🤷♂️ Trump Downplays Business Concerns about Tariffs; Recession Possible? President Trump dismissed business worries about his tariff plans, asserting they would ultimately benefit the U.S. Despite Wall Street volatility and concerns about economic contraction, he insisted tariffs would restore “wealth back to America.” Reciprocal tariffs take effect April 2 (after they were supposed to go into effect March 4), matching rates imposed by trading partners. Commerce Secretary Lutnick confirmed 25% steel and aluminum tariffs start March 12, with Canadian dairy and lumber tariffs delayed until April. Trump did not rule out a recession but called the economic shift a necessary transition. While acknowledging short-term disruptions, he emphasized the long-term gain for American industries, “We’re bringing wealth back to America. That’s a big thing.”
📈 Deutsche Bank Sees Industrial Rebound, Backs Key Transport Stocks. Deutsche Bank has relaunched coverage of U.S. transportation stocks, favoring industrial-tied companies poised for growth amid a manufacturing recovery. Equity Research Analyst Richa Harnain issued “buy” ratings for LTL carriers XPO, Saia, and Old Dominion, alongside railroads Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific, citing margin improvements and self-help initiatives. While rate cuts could boost the sector, risks from tariffs still remain. Transportation stocks have lagged behind broader markets, but Deutsche Bank sees long-term upside. The firm is advising investors to focus on high-quality transport equities, as a strengthening industrial economy could drive renewed interest in the sector.
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Cargo theft is a $35 billion crisis crippling supply chains, draining profits, and driving up consumer prices. At a congressional hearing last week, trucking, logistics, and rail industry leaders laid out the crushing reality: cargo theft is skyrocketing, enforcement is lagging, and criminals are getting bolder.
“Our American Dream Turned Into a Nightmare”
Adam Blanchard, CEO of Tanager Logistics, didn’t mince words when he testified before Congress. His San Antonio-based trucking and brokerage firms, founded in 2014, operate about 90 trucks and 280 trailers, employing truck drivers and over 20 freight brokers nationwide.
His brokerage became the victim of an elaborate identity theft scam that drained resources and also blacklisted his company from factoring firms.
“Posing as Tanager Logistics, the criminals brokered loads to unsuspecting motor carriers who delivered the cargo, while the scammers pocketed the money. They diverted a full truckload of energy drinks—worth six figures—from Texas to California.”
Despite clear evidence, Blanchard said the FMCSA refused to remove the fraudulent company’s name from its system, leaving his business vulnerable and costing them customers.
“At this very moment, two Tanager Logistics are listed on the FMCSA official website: my company and an imposter. We provided this evidence to FMCSA, but they refused to take it down.”
Record-Breaking Thefts, Sophisticated Criminals
Cargo theft has evolved from simple truck hijackings to complex cyber scams, double brokering fraud, and identity theft. In 2024, 65,000 reported cases marked a 40% jump from the previous year, and losses are only climbing.
Robert Howell, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Academy Sports and Outdoors, testified that criminals are exploiting online systems to intercept shipments and re-route them before anyone realizes what’s happening.
“In my 25 years in supply chain, I’ve never seen cargo theft this prevalent.”
Academy Sports & Outdoors recently lost an entire shipment of private-label swimwear just before peak season—forcing the company to scramble to reposition products across its network, adding cost and delays.
What Congress Is Being Asked to Do
Industry leaders are demanding serious action, including:
A federal Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center and Cargo Theft Task Force
Tougher penalties for cargo theft and fraud
Modernizing FMCSA’s carrier verification process to prevent fraudulent brokers and scammers
Dedicated federal funding for prosecutors to go after organized cargo theft rings
Will Johnson, Chief Special Agent at BNSF Railway, emphasized the lack of coordination between states as a key problem.
“Strategic cargo theft in the trucking industry has increased 1,500% from 2022 to 2025 and accounts for 33% of all cargo theft reported by CargoNet...Cargo theft cases often cross multiple state lines, making jurisdictional coordination, prosecution, and data collection extremely difficult.”
The Stakes for Trucking and Shippers
This problem is affecting every layer of the supply chain. More theft means higher costs for insurance, tighter capacity, and price hikes for consumers.
OOIDA EVP Lewie Pugh made it clear: for small trucking businesses, one cargo theft could mean shutting down for good.
“Since I began my testimony, a small business trucker has likely fallen prey to fraud that could jeopardize their entire business.”
This isn't the first plea to Congress; last year, we covered other demands for action:
🚨 Tragic Incident. The body of a trucking company owner was found in a burning building (ATG Truckload – Crestwood, Illinois); an employee and potential perpetrator of this “isolated incident” was later arrested at a truck stop in Holland, Michigan.
🐄 More Tariffs? President Trump announced plans to impose reciprocal tariffs on Canadian dairy and lumber products, saying, “Canada has been ripping us off for years on tariffs for lumber and dairy products.”
📉 Trucking Costs Decline. In Q4 2024, the trucking industry experienced a quarterly decrease in parts and labor costs, falling 1.6%. On a year-over-year basis, parts and labor also posted a 1.6% decline.
👩 New FMCSA Leadership. The USDOT appointed Adrienne Camire as the new FMCSA Deputy and Acting Administrator. Camire previously worked as USDOT’s Chief Counsel of the Federal Highway Administration.
⚓ Port Activity Surge. The Port of New York and New Jersey reported its third-highest January container volumes. This surge is accredited to the frontloading by imports ahead of tariffs and potential labor disruptions, as well as the Lunar New Year imports.
🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER
The FreightCaviar Podcast: We sat down with Aleksander Frelas, Founding Member of Velite.io, a cybersecurity services company. He discusses what sparked his passion for the industry, shares tips on preventing corporate hacks, and more. Catch the episode on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.
Women in Freight. March 8th was International Women's Day, and today, we're showcasing seven female freight Founders/CEOs and the lessons and experiences that have shaped their journeys. Read the article here.
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: Unified Logistics Holding Group, Inc. is seeking a proven freight brokerage leader with a $5-10M+ transferable book of business to scale their truckload brokerage—learn more and apply here.
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FREIGHT HUMOR
Click the image to watch what G-Face had to say.
😂 Hilarious Interview. G-Face, the infamous TikTok double broker influencer—now reportedly in jail for fraud—had this to say on a podcast last year.
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
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Adriana Pulley
