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.
Here's a look at 2023's most massive truck driver drug busts at U.S. borders.
In today's email:
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🐔 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT
🚨 Beware GrassHopper Trans Impersonators. Brokers, take note. Scammers are impersonating GrassHopper Trans employees using counterfeit Gmail accounts. A crucial sign: always question communication from generic Gmail addresses instead of corporate ones. Directly verifying any suspicious email through GrassHopper Trans' official contacts can shield your business from potential losses.
📦 Amazon Shipping's Extended Reach. Amazon's revamped ground shipping service now covers more than just Amazon.com orders—it's also open to sellers' personal websites and other channels. Features include 2-5 day delivery within the contiguous U.S. and a 50 lb package limit. However, a surge in dependency on Amazon's logistics could pose risks for sellers, especially with potential pricing or operational changes. Last year, Amazon’s deliveries surpassed FedEx with 4.8 billion parcels shipped in the U.S.
🏭 U.S. Manufacturing: 250k Job Rise in Next 2 Years. The U.S. manufacturing sector is set to experience significant growth, potentially creating 200,000 to 250,000 jobs over the next two years, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act. Goldman Sachs estimates about $65 billion in spending in this domain, with every $1 million boost traditionally leading to nine job openings. Arizona is expected to benefit notably, driven by major investments from TSMC and Intel.
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The bustling Port of Rotterdam recently made international headlines with a whopping eight tons of cocaine apprehended from a Maersk containership. With a staggering value of approximately €600m ($653m), this shipment, camouflaged among 12 pallets of bananas, originated from Ecuador and journeyed via Panama. This seizure dwarfs the previous Rotterdam record of 4.6 tons in 2005. Yet, it remains overshadowed by the 20-tonne cocaine haul at Philadelphia's port in 2019.
The Rotterdam bust is a wake-up call in the ongoing battle against drug smuggling. The U.S. hasn't topped its 2020-2021 records, but we have seen some bold attempts this year. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been at the forefront, thwarting smugglers and keeping millions of dollars worth of drugs off of American streets.
Here's a snapshot of 2023's most massive drug busts at U.S. borders:
10. Calexico East Cargo Facility, California
Date: March 15, 2023
Drug: Cocaine
Street Value: $1,500,000
In a supposed shipment of watermelons, CBP officers, with assistance from a keen-nosed canine, discovered 22 wrapped packages of cocaine concealed within plastic pallets.
9. Peace Bridge, Buffalo, New York
Date: July 27, 2023
Drug: Marijuana and Ketamine
Street Value: $2,000,000
Hidden amongst a shipment of frozen waffles, authorities uncovered a hefty 2,092 pounds of marijuana and 112 pounds of ketamine.
8. Cargo Facility, Tecate, California
Date: January 11, 2023
Drug: Cocaine
Street Value: $4,100,000
Decorative rocks held a secret on January 11. Authorities found 256 pounds of cocaine camouflaged in plaster-made stones.
7. Pharr International Bridge, Texas
Date: August 4, 2023
Drug: Methamphetamine
Street Value: $4,360,000
Hidden amongst mixed vegetables, almost half a ton (488 pounds) of methamphetamine was seized, showing that not all greens are good for your health.
6. Calexico Port of Entry, California
Date: January 31, 2023
Drug: Methamphetamine
Street Value: $5,475,600
Radishes were the perfect cover for a staggering 4,563 pounds of methamphetamine seized.
Head over to our blog to unveil the Top 5 Drug Busts in our countdown – with bigger numbers and even stranger hiding places.
Here are some of the logistics & transportation companies we missed in Monday's newsletter. Congratulations to all of them.
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AROUND THE FREIGHT WEB
🚚 Old Dominion Eyes Yellow Terminals. Old Dominion bids $1.5 billion for Yellow's defunct terminals.
🛒 Inventory Overstock at Walmart. Major retailers, including Walmart, are beginning to control prolonged overstocking issues. However, inventory renewal remains delayed, with high inventory levels from 2021 & 2022 impacting the container shipping market.
🛍️ Retail Flourishes Amidst Property Challenges. Despite a commercial real estate downturn, U.S. retailers project 1,000 new store openings.
📦 H.I.G. Capital Acquires Ascent. H.I.G. Capital is set to acquire Ascent Global Logistics.
🚛 WIM System: A Trucker's Bane? More cities are using BISON's Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) system, designed for real-time vehicle weighing, as a way to find and fine overweight trucks. Critics label it another challenge for the trucking industry.
FREIGHT MEME OF THE DAY
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.
The Supreme Court just heard arguments in the broker liability case we’ve been tracking. Plus: oil shipping costs explode, trucking insurance is stuck in 1980, regulators brace for a carrier crackdown, and more.
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