Freight margins are razor-thin. The brokerages surviving it built nearshore teams that actually work.
Flatbed rejections hit a record 48.7%, broker numbers stop falling, and diesel jumps 30 cents overnight.
Congress is moving to put driverless 80,000-lb trucks on public roads. Plus: 13,000 California CDLs get cancelled, diesel hits a 32-year record, Florida wants $50K to get your truck back, and more.
Plus, a devastating semi-truck crash further calls for stricter English proficiency calls, Aurora Co-Founder resigns, truckers win $10.4M against brokerage, plus more.
TGIF. Trade talks between the U.S. and China have been agreed to, with President Trump hinting at tariff rollbacks if everything goes smoothly. For now, impacts on freight movement continue. We break it all down in today's feature.
Plus:
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🐔 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT
🚨 Alabama Crash Highlights Safety, English Proficiency Concerns in Trucking. A deadly Alabama crash adds to the growing concerns over road safety and driver qualifications after 45-year-old truck driver Andrii Dmyterko, in the U.S. on a work visa, was charged with vehicular manslaughter for plowing into stopped cars at a red light, killing two. Police confirmed Dmyterko required a translator to speak with investigators, echoing broader industry focus on making English proficiency essential among commercial drivers. “They’re going to pay,” said Thomasville Police Chief Mitchell Stuckey, vowing accountability. The crash, involving a truck owned by Chicago-based 4 US Transportation, comes amid national scrutiny over unqualified drivers and language barriers jeopardizing public safety.
💼 Aurora Reports Q1 Results, Co-Founder Sterling Anderson to Depart. Aurora Innovation announced first-quarter 2025 results alongside news that co-founder and Chief Product Officer Sterling Anderson will resign June 1, with his board departure following August 31. “Leaving Aurora is one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever made,” Anderson said, praising the company’s momentum as it launched commercial self-driving truck operations in Texas. This move comes as a shock to some who questioning his decision amid such a boom period. Aurora has stated there is no ill-will in Anderson's departure and they he will be leaving for an "iconic global company" in a senior leadership role. CEO Chris Urmson stated that “autonomous freight is no longer just a vision, it’s a reality.”
⚖️ Drivers Win $10.4 Million Verdict Against Michigan Carrier in Contract Dispute. A federal court in Michigan awarded nearly $10.5 million to about 100 owner-operators in a case against RSP Express, alleging the carrier underpaid drivers on cross-border freight revenue. Judge Gershwin A. Drain found the company violated contract terms and committed fraud by underreporting gross revenues. “This is a major victory for working people,” attorney Keith Flynn told FreightWaves. The case adds to the list of concerns and fight for transparency in freight payments, echoing the ongoing broker rate transparency debate we’ve covered extensively (Broker Battlelines; TQL Transparency Fight).
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The U.S. and China have agreed to meet.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Rep. Jamieson Greer will sit down this weekend in Geneva with China’s top economic chief, He Lifeng, to try and de-escalate the tariff war that's whacked supply chains, stung shippers, and stalled ocean freight lanes.
But don’t mistake talks for relief.
“We’ve got to de-escalate before we move forward.”
— Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary
Trump remains firm: no rollback unless China bends.
Meanwhile, Beijing is rolling out monetary stimulus and cash infusions to brace its economy for long-haul pain.
U.S.-China container shipping will unravel without intervention.
“Shippers are taking a wait-and-see approach. Recovery lags by 4–6 weeks after ocean bookings pick up.” — TD Cowen analyst Jason Seidl
Import volatility is throttling planning. Shippers rushed to beat tariffs in Q1. Now, uncertainty is grinding volumes and inflating short-term storage and warehousing needs.
Bilateral trade flows are drying up.
Werner Enterprises reported a $5.8M Q1 operating loss, citing tariff-related demand swings.
“We’re seeing stop-and-go activity and a muddied outlook from customers.”
— Derek Leathers, CEO, Werner
Their strategy? Delay equipment buys and trust in cross-border partnerships for flexibility.
Meanwhile, Toyota reported a $1.3B profit hit in just two months.
“Some manufacturers are pausing imports and even slowing U.S. production.” — Mazen Danaf, Sr. Economist, Uber Freight
China: Bracing for impact
U.S.: Standing firm
“You can’t get any higher. It’s at 145%, so we know it’s coming down,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, Trump is signaling he’s open to fast-tracking trade with allies. Yesterday, he announced a “breakthrough” trade deal with the UK, cutting auto tariffs, eliminating steel duties, and expanding access for U.S. beef and ethanol.
For China, the Geneva talks are progress, but not peace. Trump’s tariffs are still law. China’s counterpunches are still active. Until real concessions land on paper, this is a storm with no set end date.
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🌎 AROUND THE FREIGHT WEB
📉 Freight Brokerage Decline. Kevin Hill shared data that active freight brokerages continue to decline year-over-year. He noted that in Q1 2025, 937 new brokerage authorities were granted, while 1,317 were revoked.
🤝 Manifest Acquired! Hyve Group has officially acquired Manifest: The Future of Supply Chain & Logistics, the fast-growing global supply chain tech event. The event, launched by Connectiv over 5 years ago, now joins a world-class event portfolio.
📈 Forward Air Q1 Results. Forward Air reported revenue growth and a smaller net loss of $61.2 million (-$1.68 per diluted share) in Q1. However, revenue increased 13.2% to 613.3 million from $541.8 million.
⏰ CDL Medical Deadline. A May 10 deadline looms for 15,000 commercial drivers after the FMCSA voided medical certificates issued by two Houston doctors, threatening license suspensions for those who fail to submit new medical certification by the deadline.
📊 RXO's Ups and Downs. RXO reported a 57% increase in total revenue—rising to $1.43 billion from $913 million—but posted a larger quarterly loss of $20 million due to transactions, integration, restructuring, and other related costs.
💡 Temu’s Plan. Temu is pursuing local fulfillment strategies in the U.S. to bypass import tariffs. With locally based U.S. sellers handling orders, “The move is designed to help local merchants reach more customers and grow their business,” said a Temu spokesperson.
🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER
FREIGHT HUMOR
Flatbed rejections hit a record 48.7%, broker numbers stop falling, and diesel jumps 30 cents overnight.
Congress is moving to put driverless 80,000-lb trucks on public roads. Plus: 13,000 California CDLs get cancelled, diesel hits a 32-year record, Florida wants $50K to get your truck back, and more.
Ryan Schreiber breaks down everything about strategy, relationships, mindset, and AI in logistics.
Oil spikes to $120 on Iran news before settling near $106. Plus: another influencer shipment gets stolen, Wyoming can now pull your truck, 24 states sue over tariffs, and more.
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