🎣 What The Lawsuit?!?

TGIF. A new lawsuit is unfolding between FreightWaves’ ex-host Timothy Dooner and its parent company, Firecrown Media. The complaint includes allegations of unpaid bonuses, defamation, and even a dispute over a personal toy collection. Details in today's feature.

Plus,

💰 $18M Theft Wave Hits Ceva
📝 FMCSA Launches Fatal Crash Study
🚂 Trump Boots STB Member Before Rail Merger
... and more.

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🍳 What's Cookin' In Freight

💰 Ceva Logistics Hit by $18 Million Cargo Theft Wave. Ceva Logistics has lost over $18.3 million in electronics to at least eight thefts in the past year, FreightWaves reports. Incidents include the $15 million shipment of Apple and AMD stolen in Reno. Sources blamed lapses such as “outsourcing shipments to unvetted carriers” and leaving trailers in unsecured yards. Ryan Joyce, CEO of GenLogs, said Ceva’s self-insurance meant it “directly absorbed more than $25 million” in losses, urging shippers to demand prevention over recovery. CargoNet data shows thefts rose 27% year-over-year in 2024, with 40% occurring at warehouses, thus highlighting the growing risk for 3PLs and shippers alike.

📝 FMCSA to Launch First Fatal Truck Crash Study in 20 Years. FMCSA is preparing its first major study of fatal truck crash causes in nearly two decades, mandated by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act. The “Crash Causal Factors Program” will collect data from Class 7 and 8 truck crashes nationwide, examining driver behavior, vehicle condition, carrier practices, and environmental factors. The last large-scale study dates back to the mid-2000s. With fatalities rising, FMCSA said the goal is a “nuanced understanding of crashes … so policymakers, law enforcement agencies, regulators, and other interested parties can implement effective crash prevention strategies.” Results will guide new safety regulations and carrier practices.

🚂 Trump Fires STB Member Robert Primus Ahead of Rail Merger. President Trump has dismissed Surface Transportation Board (STB) member Robert Primus just before the agency reviews Union Pacific’s proposed $85 billion merger with Norfolk Southern. PBS reported Primus called the firing “legally invalid” and said, “If that’s not being in line with America first, then I don’t know what America he’s saying is first.” SMART-TD called the move “unprecedented, unlawful in spirit,” while the Rail Passengers Association warned it “undermines … independence and sets a dangerous precedent.” The White House said Primus “did not align” with the President’s agenda. Critics say the decision risks politicizing oversight of the nation’s largest rail merger.

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Dooner Sues Firecrown Media Over Fallout with FreightWaves

Big news in freight media. Former What The Truck?!? host Timothy Dooner has filed a lawsuit against FreightWaves' parent company, Firecrown Media, alleging wrongful termination, unpaid bonuses, and the destruction of personal property.

Firecrown, led by CEO Craig Fuller, says the claims are “completely false” and plans to dismantle them point by point.

What’s in the lawsuit?

Transport Topics (TTNews) broke the full details of the lawsuit filed on August 26 in Tennessee, and the complaint paints a messy breakup:

Breach of Contract: Dooner says he was promised $10K quarterly bonuses + 1% of revenue over target under a 2024 exec comp plan, but never got a dime.
Restrictive Covenant Fight: Firecrown allegedly tried to enforce a noncompete. Dooner denies ever signing it, calling the document unauthenticated and overly broad.
Personal Property Dispute: Dooner claims $3,500 worth of collectibles were tossed or displayed without consent, including a yellow robot and Flexport model plane.
Sudden Termination: A planned “soft exit” allegedly turned into immediate dismissal after Dooner shared departure plans with industry contacts.

More Layers to Legal Drama

TTNews took a closer look at the full complaint, shedding light on what was allegedly happening behind closed doors at Firecrown Media:

Scaling Back: The complaint alleges that Firecrown has "scaled back its media presence significantly" with only two on-air personalities remaining.
Lost Archives: Dooner claims Firecrown refused to hand over show recordings, material he says may now be permanently lost.

Response from Firecrown

In a statement sent directly to FreightCaviar, Fuller said:

“This litigation is simply an effort by a former employee to rewrite or void a contract they willingly entered into and benefited from for five years… We will dismantle each of his specious claims in turn.”

A separate Firecrown spokesperson added that the complaint is “riddled with one untruth after another” and called recent rhetoric from Dooner’s supporters “extortive.”

The X Factor

Carrier411 founder Darren Brewer, who says he’s bankrolling Dooner’s legal fight, hasn’t held back online. His posts on X (formerly Twitter) range from casting-call jokes to jabs at Firecrown leadership and future.

With this lawsuit now public, all eyes in freight media are on what comes next.

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🌎 Around The Freight Web

🤖 Aurora-McLeod TMS. Aurora Innovation will link its autonomous truck operations with McLeod Software’s TMS, enabling fleets to schedule, route, and monitor driverless hauls. The integration is set to launch in 2025, targeting major carriers.

🚔 Wrong-Way Trucker. Police stopped a semi driving the wrong way on the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge on Tuesday, August 27. Officers forced the driver to the ground in handcuffs after the truck narrowly avoided multiple collisions.

💰 Flexport-BlackRock Deal. Flexport and BlackRock created a $250 million financing program to support small and mid-size logistics firms. The fund will provide credit to forwarders, carriers, and importers facing higher costs due to tariffs and tight lending.

📦 Box Truck Crimes. A growing wave of thefts tied to box trucks now targets shipments from beer to sneakers. Officials say their easy resale value and mobility make them prime targets for theft.

🇲🇽 Mexico Tariff Plan. Mexico proposed a 50% tariff on Chinese imports and banned shipments of shoes and small packages, aiming to protect local industries as tariff disputes with the U.S. escalate.

💼 NYC CDL Expansion. New York City will expand its tuition-free CDL program for “justice-involved” residents. The initiative provides training and licensing, aiming to place more people in stable trucking jobs.

🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER

FreightCaviar Podcast: This week, we sit down with Kevin Novak, the mind behind ride-sharing's original surge pricing. The former Uber Head of Data and now Founder of Rackhouse Venture Capital shares his expert insights on why most companies' custom software stacks are likely to fail, the path to fully autonomous brokerage, and more. Catch it on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.
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Freight Broker Group Chat: Lost a load to a ghost MC? Just discovered a 15-layer carrier spoof ring? Come swap war stories, drop memes, and ask the stuff no one wants to post on LinkedIn. Join us on forum.freightcaviar.com
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