Amazon just became a direct rival to the biggest names in parcel, freight, and 3PL services. Plus: shippers are paying a lot more, your carrier check may be passing thieves through, a $4M cargo theft recovery shows what's possible, and more.
"I think this is just one more way that you can go about finding quality capacity to better run your operation.”
A 20-year veteran of the freight industry, with 60k TikTok followers, argued that small carriers can't survive without brokers. Plus: the FBI's PSA, Steam Logistics sues two of its own, Ohio Turnpike comes for 315 carriers, and more.
Plus: Automation scales from highways to rail, brokers face heat over illegal CDLs, ATA rethinks the “driver shortage,” and more in today’s newsletter.
Good morning. The numbers don’t lie. Freight’s biggest problem isn’t tech or regulation, it’s the economy. From $140M tariff hits to 48K layoffs, the pressure’s everywhere. We break it down in today's feature.
Plus:
TOP LANE MOVERS POWERED BY TRIUMPH
🌄 Waabi–Volvo and Glīd Pushing Automation Forward. Autonomous trucking and intermodal tech are converging fast. Waabi and Volvo Autonomous Solutions unveiled the Volvo VNL Autonomous, fully integrated with the Waabi Driver, marking a major Level 4 autonomy milestone. Meanwhile, Glīd Technologies, a TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 finalist, is tackling the road-to-rail bottleneck. Its GliderM hybrid-electric mover and Rāden platform automate first-mile container transfers, cutting costs from $2.27 to $0.08 per ton-mile.
🔊 Illegal CDL Debate Puts Brokers Under Fire. Mike Kucharski, VP of JKC Trucking, says the freight recession is being worsened by non-domiciled CDL drivers underbidding loads and driving small carriers out of business. He called the licensing loophole “disturbing and jaw-dropping,” urging Secretary Duffy to tighten oversight after his plan to withhold $160 million from California over illegal CDLs. Plus, Adam Wingfield warns some brokers may be knowingly using cheaper, non-domiciled drivers to save $400–$500 per load, risking liability and reputational damage. Wingfield says this could be a “what-you-don’t-check-can-destroy-you” moment for freight.
👨💼 New ATA Chair, New Tune on the ‘Driver Shortage’. Greg Hodgen, CEO of Groendyke Transport, has been elected the 81st chairman of the American Trucking Associations, pledging to champion the “noble profession” of trucking and focus on restoring trust and stability across the driver workforce. His leadership begins as ATA's Chris Spears makes comments that seem to suggest a turn on the "driver shortage" issue. Craig Fuller of FreightWaves noted that many large fleet executives are frustrated with ATA policies that fueled instability, including non-domiciled CDLs and self-certified driver training, measures once justified by a supposed shortage.
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ATRI’s 2025 Critical Issues in the Trucking Industry report just confirmed what most brokers, carriers, and shippers already know: the economy is still freight’s biggest headache.
For the third year in a row, economic conditions topped the list, beating out lawsuit reform, insurance costs, and driver pay. And this week’s headlines show why that anxiety isn’t going anywhere.
Tariffs, layoffs, and trade disruptions are squeezing the freight economy from all sides.
The “no hire, no fire” job market is officially over.
ATRI’s top 10 also reveals new pain points:
Together, they show an industry balancing workforce tension, regulatory fatigue, and economic headwinds.
Even with record deal values and tech buzz, freight’s biggest issue is still survival in an unpredictable economy.
Efficiency is the new growth. The winners in 2026 won’t expand the fastest; they’ll adapt the smartest when the math stops working.
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🐒 Monkey On The Run. A truck hauling rhesus monkeys overturned near mile marker 117 on Interstate 59 in Jasper County, Mississippi; authorities say the monkeys were described as “aggressive” and allegedly carrying COVID-19, hepatitis C, and herpes...one remains on the loose.
📍 Motive's News. Motive is opening an 11,000 sq-ft office in Austin, TX to deepen U.S. operations and regional talent development, while rolling out its “AI Answers” conversational tool to give fleet teams immediate insights into safety, fuel, and maintenance.
📊 DAT Execs Outline. Leadership from DAT Solutions detailed at two industry forums how recent acquisitions are enabling the company to pivot beyond load boards and reshape end-to-end freight-chain services.
🚨 Semi-Truck Scam Alert. Law enforcement in Garden City, Idaho, issued a warning this week about a fraudulent sales scheme offering “$10,000 semi-trucks.”Authorities say the company solicited deposits for rigs that were never delivered.
🥜 Pistachio Warning. California’s 1.5 billion-pound pistachio harvest coincides with an uptick in organized cargo fraud: fake carriers, bogus insurance certificates, and stolen identities are feeding a billion-dollar “blind spot” in freight security.
🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER
FREIGHT HUMOR
Amazon just became a direct rival to the biggest names in parcel, freight, and 3PL services. Plus: shippers are paying a lot more, your carrier check may be passing thieves through, a $4M cargo theft recovery shows what's possible, and more.
"I think this is just one more way that you can go about finding quality capacity to better run your operation.”
A 20-year veteran of the freight industry, with 60k TikTok followers, argued that small carriers can't survive without brokers. Plus: the FBI's PSA, Steam Logistics sues two of its own, Ohio Turnpike comes for 315 carriers, and more.
Plus, Utah hands down an $81M nuclear verdict, hundreds of Mexican driver visas revoked at the border, Q1 earnings roundup, and more in today's newsletter.
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