🎣 The Perfect Stolen Load

TGIF. Today’s feature breaks down a stolen reefer load that looked fully compliant on paper, and still vanished after pickup.

Plus:

• 😡 Safety Data Report Sparks Backlash
• 🚢 Port of LA Eyes 10M TEUs
• 🚨 States Deepen ICE Ties

🍳 What's Cookin' In Freight

😡 Backlash Over FreightWaves’ “Dangerous Carriers” Data. A FreightWaves article analyzing FMCSA crash data sparked criticism from many over how carrier safety was portrayed. Chris Henry, president of KSM Transport Advisors, called for a retraction, arguing the headline and analysis ignored exposure, fault, and context, unfairly harming carrier reputations. Dale Decker, CEO of Decker Companies, said the piece relied on distorted safety data despite Decker Truck Line’s multiple safety awards and zero CSA BASIC alert scores. Adding to the fire, Jason Miller, MSU supply chain professor, said accident-rate comparisons are not a recommended safety measure. After reviewing the carriers using CSA compliance metrics, Miller found many were safe, some concerning, and others mischaracterized, urging greater context and care when presenting safety data.

🚢 Port of LA Nears 10M TEUs in 2025. The Port of Los Angeles remains on pace to surpass 10 million TEUs in 2025, marking a rare milestone despite ongoing trade volatility. October volumes totaled 848,431 TEUs, lifting year-to-date traffic to 8.65 million, up 2% year over year. Executive Director Gene Seroka credited early-year import front-loading ahead of tariffs, but momentum is cooling. November volumes fell 12% as inventories normalized and imports softened. Seroka expects trade to ease into 2026, with single-digit import declines likely amid tariffs, retaliation, and weaker exports.

🚨 States Expand ICE Partnerships. In 2025, multiple states deepened coordination with ICE as federal scrutiny intensified around non-domiciled CDLs and English-language proficiency enforcement. Following actions by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and President Donald Trump, states including Texas, Wyoming, Mississippi, Indiana, and Alabama entered ICE’s 287(g) task-force partnerships. Wyoming’s “Operation Safe Haul” alone placed 38 drivers out of service over three days. Supporters argue the effort targets safety gaps and bad actors, while reinforcing standards for lawful, qualified drivers nationwide.

Brought To You By CtrlChain

Most logistics teams juggle planning, carrier emails, spreadsheets, and status calls. A unified TMS solves most of these issues by pulling everything into one clean workflow.

• Orders flow in automatically. Contracted lanes assign the right carrier without human input. Spot quotes run through a quick, structured quote flow.
• Every milestone updates in real time, every document lands in the right place, and every stakeholder sees the same truth.
• With user roles, compliance checks, and secure carrier-customer setups, even sensitive shipments move with confidence.

It is the control layer that road logistics has always needed: less noise, fewer steps, and full transparency from booking to delivery.

Sold MC, Spoofed GPS: Inside a Cargo Scam That Looked “Clean” on Paper

According to the broker’s account:

• ✅ The carrier passed RMIS with no red flags
• ✅ Tracking was active via MacroPoint
• ✅ Dispatch was responsive and communicative

Then, after "pickup" and a fuel advance, the carrier vanished.

No missed calls. No location updates. Just a stolen load.

How GenLogs Broke It Down

GenLogs reviewed the case as part of what it says are nearly 500 stolen load and equipment investigations it has conducted over the past year. The company argues this incident follows a familiar pattern, one that traditional digital vetting tools often miss.

Their analysis focused on three signals.

1. A Physical Footprint That Didn’t Match the Load

Looking at roadway observations tied to the carrier’s USDOT number, GenLogs found that the carrier had only been observed operating in the Carolinas over the last three years.

A long-haul reefer move originating in Idaho raised immediate suspicion.

"Desiring a load out of Idaho would be highly unusual and suspicious," GenLogs wrote.

2. Equipment That Didn’t Line Up

GenLogs’ review of observed assets showed:

• No Class 8 tractors with reefers
• Repeated sightings of a single box truck

That discrepancy raised further questions about how the load was actually moved.

3. A Sudden Disappearance From the Roads

The strongest signal, according to GenLogs, was timing.

The carrier had been observed regularly — until it wasn’t.

• Last recorded sighting: October 20, 2025
• Nearly two months of zero roadway activity before the theft

"This is the single greatest signal of potential compromise," GenLogs said.

The MC Sale Theory

Based on those signals, GenLogs believes the carrier’s MC number had likely been sold, allowing a bad actor to exploit previously legitimate credentials, access tracking tools, and impersonate a compliant carrier.

"This wasn’t a ‘good’ carrier that suddenly went bad," GenLogs wrote. "This was a ‘good’ carrier that suddenly sold their MC."

Because there’s no formal record of MC sales, GenLogs argues the carrier could still appear clean across digital-only vetting platforms even while no longer operating legitimately.

🎣 MC Swaps. Zip-Tied Plates. 15 Thefts And Counting.

Plus: Uber Freight’s $9M hit in Del Monte’s bankruptcy, ATRI says trucking costs are up (again), July 4 cargo theft risks spike, and more.

FreightCaviarAdriana Pulley

As GenLogs frames it, brokers relying solely on documents, onboarding history, and tracking links may miss when a carrier has effectively disappeared from the road, even when everything seems to check out.

Get the full investigation from GenLogs.

*Editors Note: Article updated on December 22, 2025 to clarify this case as a fuel advance scam rather than cargo theft.

Together With OTR Solutions

Free yourself from back-office chaos.

With OTR Solutions, brokers get true automation and access to working capital, so you can focus on moving freight, not managing paperwork.

• Access your margin within 24 hours
• Outsource billing, AP, and AR
• Leverage flexible working capital

Powerful back-office solutions that scale with your brokerage.

 🌎 Around The Freight Web

📊 Rate Intelligence. OTR Solutions has partnered with SONAR to deliver data-driven freight rate insights, giving brokers and carriers clearer market visibility and pricing signals.

🚧 Overpass Strikes. An oversized load struck six Oklahoma overpasses in a single incident, forcing highway closures and inspections as officials cited routing and permit failures. Repairs on the turnpike could take up to two weeks.

🛡️ Theft Bill Backed. ATA President Chris Spear voiced support for proposed cargo theft legislation, urging tougher penalties and stronger enforcement as organized freight theft continues to rise nationwide.

🏛️ Reform Caucus. Rep. Dave Taylor and bipartisan lawmakers launched the Congressional Trucking Caucus to cut regulatory red tape, protect CDL integrity, and address infrastructure issues across the trucking industry.

📉 Class 8 Slide. U.S. Class 8 truck sales fell year-over-year for a fifth straight month (down 36.5% YoY), though “miracles” can happen in terms of a boost in sales in December, according to Steve Tam, Vice President at ACT Research.

🏗️ Stord Investment. Stord will invest $40+ million in a new Hebron, Kentucky facility, creating 500 jobs. CEO Sean Henry announced the multi-year expansion alongside Gov. Andy Beshear.

🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER

• Freight Gong Friday: Grace Maher breaks down ELP enforcement and what’s next for trucking. Watch now here!
• FreightCaviar Podcast: Is technology enough to fight freight fraud? What can the industry expect in the year ahead? OTR Solutions President Clayton Griffin answers your biggest questions. Catch the episode on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.
• Manifest 2026: The industry’s most influential leaders will headline Manifest Vegas 2026, sharing the insights defining what’s next for supply chain and logistics. Register now to save $200 off the current price, a total savings of $700 off the on-site rate! ManifestVegas.com/FreightCaviar

FREIGHT HUMOR