A practical look at how freight AI is evolving from simple automation to operational decision support, and what it means for broker productivity, tribal knowledge capture, and more.
Harish Abbott, CEO of Augment, shares why the future of freight is already here and how to adapt to it.
The Supreme Court ruled Trump's tariffs illegal. Plus: an Illinois official took $300K and handed out illegal CDLs, cartel violence may affect your Mexico freight, 550 CDL schools just got shut down, and more.
Plus: A Florida trucker charged in a fatal illegal U-turn crash, C.H. Robinson earns back its S&P upgrade, truck OEMs ditch the clean truck pact, and more.
Good Monday morning. Today’s feature digs into the Truckstop/Bloomberg survey that shows brokers and carriers are worlds apart on volumes, rates, and market optimism.
Plus,
TOP LANE MOVERS POWERED BY TRIUMPH
🚨 Florida Trucker Charged After Fatal U-Turn Crash. Harjinder Singh, a Florida truck driver, has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide after attempting an illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike that killed three people on August 12. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said Singh “recklessly, and without regard for the safety of others, attempted to execute a U-Turn utilizing an unauthorized location.” Singh, who entered the U.S. illegally in 2018, faces an ICE detainer under the 287(g) program. Reddit users voiced concerns about licensing oversight, with one writing, “The system is f**** corrupt as hell. … Question the tester that passed this guy.”
📈 C.H. Robinson Regains S&P Upgrade on Cost Cuts. C.H. Robinson regained its BBB+ rating from S&P Global, reversing a 2024 downgrade, after cutting headcount and tightening costs. “They significantly and very quickly rightsized their head count,” said S&P analyst Geoffrey Wilson. Personnel expenses fell 19% since 2022, while automation has boosted shipments handled per employee. The company also repaid $141 million on its revolving credit facility and cut $70 million from receivables lending. CEO Benjamin Gordon of Cambridge Capital wrote, “It wasn't fun, and it wasn't pretty, but quick, decisive cuts were an important part of their strategy,” citing its 27% headcount reduction. S&P issued a stable outlook, highlighting stronger leverage ratios and improved liquidity.
⚖️ Truck OEMs Exit Clean Truck Pact as Federal Rules Take Focus. Daimler, PACCAR, Volvo, and International confirmed to the FTC that California’s 2023 Clean Truck Partnership is “rendered unenforceable” after Congress revoked the state’s emissions waiver. Each pledged to independently set vehicle production, addressing antitrust concerns. Nebraska also dropped its lawsuit after the pact was declared void. Attention now shifts to the federal NOx rule set for 2027. ATA and affiliates urged EPA to delay it until 2031, warning current timelines could misalign with warranty obligations and engine standards.
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The freight market in 2025 is defined by a striking divergence: brokers remain confident, while carriers face mounting pressure. A recent midyear survey from Truckstop.com and Bloomberg Intelligence captures the divide, revealing how differently each group sees the road ahead.
Brokers are far more upbeat about demand than carriers. While 37% of brokers reported higher load volumes year-over-year, only 19% of carriers said the same.
This “demand divergence” underscores how brokers, armed with flexibility and customer networks, are navigating the turbulence more effectively than the carriers who actually haul the freight.
The contrast sharpens when looking at financial performance. Despite reporting limited year-over-year revenue growth, both groups maintain optimism about the volumes ahead.
Brokers’ ability to manage contracts and protect margins has insulated them, while carriers remain squeezed by weak spot rates.
Carrier sentiment on political and economic factors has shifted sharply since Q1. 38% now believe tariffs will significantly hurt the industry, up from 30% last quarter.
Blame uncertainty, rising import costs, or slowed demand—but confidence is clearly eroding on the carrier side.
Back in December, 74% of brokers believed the new administration would be good for trucking; by June, that confidence had dropped to just 44%.
Despite market pressures, brokers are still relatively upbeat about their jobs:
However, carriers saw a 10-point drop in job satisfaction since Q1, underscoring how brutal the current environment remains, especially for small fleets.
Investment plans reflect this reality as well:
Even as some expect demand recovery, neither group is betting heavily on a rapid turnaround.
The survey paints a freight economy moving at two different speeds. It appears most brokers, afloat on stronger margins and contract rates, are more optimistic and confident in their position.
Carriers, meanwhile, are grappling with weak spot rates, high costs, and policy uncertainties that have led to a more rapid erosion of their confidence.
Shippers are watching. They want to know which 3PLs are actually making the critical tech investments that will keep their freight safe.
GenLogs is the only platform that offers full visibility and compliance with a nationwide network of cameras that capture all truck traffic and patterns. Brokers using GenLogs have cut theft to near zero* and increased both customer acquisition and satisfaction.
🌐 Trade Tops $73 Billion. U.S.–Mexico trade surged 4.4% year-over-year in June, totaling $73 billion, with $44.9 billion in imports (computers, vehicles, auto parts) and $28.1 billion in exports (gasoline, auto parts), led by Port Laredo.
⚖️ Driver Facing Life. Truck driver Vishavpal Singh, 31, was arrested August 13, 2025, at Buffalo’s Peace Bridge. He’s charged with intent to distribute 5+ kg of cocaine, a crime that could carry a life sentence if convicted.
💼 BMO Sale Considered. BMO is exploring a sale of its transportation finance arm, which holds around $11 billion in assets, reflecting weaker lending and exploring private equity interest.
🚛 DOT Eyes Self-Driving. The U.S. DOT issued an RFI seeking data to advance nationwide autonomous truck deployment, targeting standards, edge-case response, human–machine interaction, and public understanding.
😔 PA Carrier Bankruptcy. Carnegie, Pennsylvania’s Turk Transportation filed for Chapter 11 with assets under $1 million and liabilities up to $10 million. The small fleet carrier reached a deal to continue operations despite filing for bankruptcy.
🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER
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