Good Wednesday morning. TQL wins a big court case, Lineage plans a $3.85B IPO, and plastic imports surge from Asia. Plus, JD Vance as Trump's VP pick could mean more parking and fewer speed limiters for truckers.
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Listen to this week's episode of The FreightCaviar Podcast, where we interview the Vice President of MAKA Logistics.
*Greenscreens.ai, forecasts real-time truckload buy prices that are suited to each freight brokerage's purchasing power using AI and machine learning. Its engine takes into account over 130 attributes and data points in each rate forecast.
🐔 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT
🏛️ TQL Triumphs. TQL just scored a major victory in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, reinforcing 3PL protections against liability in carrier accidents. The case, stemming from a fatal 2020 collision in Georgia, saw the court uphold TQL's immunity under the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (FAAAA). This ruling adds to a growing trend of rulings shielding brokers from liability in carrier-related incidents. Good news for the industry, but there's still one case out (Miller vs. C.H. Robinson) that went the other way and shows that there's still no true standard in these types of cases.
🧊 Lineage's Cool Billions. Lineage, the cold storage giant, is planning a massive IPO. They want to raise $3.85 billion. They're offering 47 million shares at $70 to $82 each. If all goes well, Lineage could be worth $19.2 billion. Pretty cool for a company with 482 warehouses. This could be the biggest IPO since COVID hit. It's a big deal for logistics because it could spark a wave of other companies going public, too. No date set yet, but watch for the stock symbol LINE on Nasdaq.
📦 Import Increases: Plastics Lead the Pack. Containerized imports from Asia are shifting. Jason Miller, Michigan State supply chain professor, breaks it down. Plastics are the big winner, up over 67% from last year. Why? China's got too much capacity and is pushing exports. Semiconductors, chemicals, and machinery are also up. Reasons range from solar cell demand to U.S. manufacturing struggles. EV batteries are boosting electrical equipment imports too. These trends could impact shipping rates and port traffic. The takeaway? Trade data is gold for understanding market shifts.
TOGETHER WITH ISOMETRIC TECHNOLOGIES (ISO)
Unpredictable service erodes margins.
ISO gives brokers access to a network of thoroughly vetted, high-performing carriers, complete with historical performance data for lanes, consignees, facilities, and more.
Big news in politics and trucking. Donald Trump has picked JD Vance as his running mate. Here's what truckers and logistics pros need to know:
Who's JD Vance?
U.S. Senator from Ohio
Known for populist conservative views
Investor in FreightWaves through Rise of the Rest fund
Vance's Trucking Stance
Research shows that over the last four years or so, Vance's stance on various issues has shifted to more closely align with Republican party values. As it relates to our industry, here's a quick roundup of his actions and views.
Truck Parking: He's for it
Co-sponsored the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act
Could mean $755 million for more parking spots
Speed Limiters: He's against them
Backs the DRIVE Act
Would stop FMCSA from forcing speed limiters on trucks
Rail Safety: He wants more
Supported stricter rules after the East Palestine derailment
Electric Vehicles: Not a fan
Wants to kill tax credits for EVs
Prefers gas and diesel trucks
Trade: "America First"
Likes tariffs, especially on China
Could shake up import/export game
Oil and Gas: Big supporter
Pushes for more fossil fuel production
Not big on environmental regulations
What It Means:
Good news for owner-operators
Might ruffle feathers with big fleets and brokers
Could impact cross-border trade
Industry Reaction:
FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller says: "Bullish on JD as VP candidate... He is incredibly thoughtful about how to scale startups and the importance of entrepreneurship."
OOIDA's George O'Connor says: "We're non-partisan, but unabashedly pro-trucker. It's helpful to have someone advising the President with a proven pro-trucker legislative record."
Bottom Line: Vance's policies could shake things up in trucking. Whether that's good or bad depends on where you sit in the industry.
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📉 Is the Tide Turning? Ken Adamo shared data on the dip of broker authorities below the pre-covid trend. Though a lot of factors can impact authority count, Adamo and others point out that the direction and rate of change are the main focus here.
⚠️ Truckers Face Jail Time, Fines For Road Sign Violations. Wyoming’s new “Light and High-Profile Vehicle Closure Bill" will punish any weight-based violating truck drivers. Fines can be up to $2,500 and potentially 30 days in jail, aiming to reduce blow-over crashes.
🚛 New Electric Trucks. Chinese Manufacturer Windrose has unveiled their new Class 8 electric trucks. 1,000 trucks have been pre-sold in the U.S., and 200 in China. They will be in the US in 2025.
🌱 Mean Green Driving Machine. Logistics Management reports the state of private trucking fleets in 2024 as, “Getting stronger, getting greener.”
💰 Staying the Course. J.B. Hunt Transport Services indicated it will stick to a long-term approach in investing capital across its divisions, despite the continued weak freight demand.
🎣 FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER
In this week's episode, we sat down with Rob Liss, Vice President at MAKA Logistics. Rob shares his journey into logistics, reflecting on the many significant changes he's witnessed over the past decade. He recounts his early days at Command Transportation (later bought by Echo Global Logistics in April 2015) and shares his views on the cultural differences between the two companies. Rob also updates us on the construction of the Guadalajara-Dallas rail line.
I’m Adriana, a writer and editor at FreightCaviar. I’ve covered everything from freight tech to industry lawsuits and market shifts, helping scale us to almost 14K subscribers. My goal: to make logistics stories digestible, clear, and fun to read.
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