Aurora begins driverless routes in Texas, 2025 freight company closures list grows, USDOT ties two fatal crashes to low-English speaking skills, and more.
TGIF. Today’s feature looks at how new tariffs are rippling through supply chains, from falling port volumes to major impacts at 3M and CPKC. But some companies are strategizing, Amazon is expanding in rural areas, and softened auto part tariffs may offer slight relief. Tap into the full story in today's feature.
Plus:
🌄 Aurora Driverless Truck Debuts
😔 Balkan Express Shuts Down Amid 2025 Freight Closures
📚 USDOT Links Fatal Crashes to Driver English Rules
Greenscreens.ai forecasts truckload buy prices tailored to each brokerage using AI and 130+ data points.
🐔 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT
🌄 Aurora Launches First Fully Driverless Freight Service in the U.S. Aurora Innovation has launched the nation’s first commercial driverless trucking service, deploying autonomous semis between Dallas and Houston without human drivers. CEO Chris Urmson called it “a moment I’ll never forget,” marking a milestone after over 1,200 driverless miles and years of testing. Launch partners Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines praised the move. Uber Freight CEO Lior Ron said, “Moving autonomous commercial freight without anyone behind the wheel is a historic step forward.” Texas Governor Greg Abbott added, “These new, autonomous semis… will efficiently move products, create jobs and help make our roadways safer.”
😔 Balkan Express Joins Wave of 2025 Freight Failures. FreightWaves has compiled a growing list of significant transportation bankruptcies and layoffs in 2025, underscoring severe pressures across the U.S. freight sector. Notable filings include Truck & Trailer Leasing Avenue (Illinois), Starr Rail (Texas), LML Logistics (Florida), Kadam Logistics (Illinois), and Sweet Trucking Co. (Tennessee), all citing liabilities ranging from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions. Adding to this list, Fort Worth-based Balkan Express and affiliate Balkan Logistics filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, reporting over $25 million in debt. Operating since 2007 with 159 trucks, Balkan seeks reorganization while facing lawsuits, including a $4.2 million claim from M&T Capital.
📚 USDOT Cites Deadly Crashes to Reinforce English Proficiency Rules for Truck Drivers. The U.S. Department of Transportation has renewed its push to enforce English-language proficiency requirements for commercial drivers, following an April 28 Executive Order by President Trump that rescinded a 2016 policy easing enforcement. USDOT pointed to two fatal crashes—the 2019 Colorado pileup involving Cuban-born driver Rogel Aguilera-Mederos and the January 2025 West Virginia bridge crash involving Sukhjinder Singh—as examples where language barriers may have impacted safety. “Federal law is clear,” said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, emphasizing that drivers unable to understand English are “unqualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle in America.”
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The numbers don't look so great, and the ripple effects are just beginning to hit. The imposed tariffs against China are hitting shipping and triggering sharp declines in U.S. imports, sparking warnings of supply chain snarls, retail shortages, and a punch to freight just ahead of the back-to-school shipping season.
Let’s break it down.
Imports from China Nosedive
Flexport reportsa 65% drop in ocean shipments from China since early April.
80 sailings were canceled — 60% more than at the height of COVID-era port chaos.
Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka expects a 35% drop in weekly arrivals:
“All shipments out of China for major retailers and manufacturers have ceased.”
Freightos’ Judah Levine warned this is just the start:
“You could start seeing shortages… especially where the U.S. is heavily reliant on Chinese manufacturing.”
GDP Contracts, Confidence Sinks
U.S. GDP shrank0.3% in Q1, the first decline since early 2022.
Why? A 41% spike in Q1 imports as companies raced to stockpile pre-tariff goods, ironically a factor that subtracted from GDP.
Consumer sentiment has also cratered to its lowest point since COVID. McDonald’s, Chipotle, and Domino’s all posted weaker earnings, citing economic uncertainty and reduced foot traffic.
“The consequence will be Covid-like shortages... layoffs in trucking, logistics, and retail, and a summertime recession.”
Retailers Brace for Empty Shelves
Major U.S. retailers hit the panic button last week, warning President Trump that shelves could go bare if steep new tariffs weren’t relaxed.
Executives from Walmart, Target, and Home Depot met with Trump, sounding the alarm that continued supply disruptions could cripple consumer access and spike prices across essential goods.
Some retailers reportedly had only 5–7 weeks of inventory left before key categories could run dry.
But there’s since been a glimmer of relief.
There are reports that Walmart and Target have resumed business with some Chinese suppliers, according to two factories interviewed in Anhui and Guangzhou. The rebound came just days after the White House meeting and may reflect shifting behind-the-scenes diplomacy or pressure from retail lobbyists.
“American supermarkets don’t have much inventory left, and we’re also waiting to see how the situation develops,” saidVivi Tong, a Chinese toy factory owner supplying Walmart. “If tariffs drop to around 30%, it will be easier for our customers to accept.”
Corporate Caution
Major corporations are adjusting their financial forecasts in response to the tariff impact:
3Mexpects up to an $850 million hit from tariffs this year, with $400 million anticipated in 2025 alone.
Amazon has projected lower Q2 profits than expected, citing tariff-related uncertainties. Despite strong Q1 earnings, the company remains cautious about future performance.
General Motors projects a $4–$5 billion hit to earnings, even after Trump softened some auto parts tariffs.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Railway has lowered its 2025 guidance, attributing the revision to the ongoing trade war and its effects on cross-border freight business.
Adapt or Lose Out
Companies are taking proactive measures to mitigate the tariff impact:
Rivian has stockpiled electric vehicle batteries from Asia ahead of the tariffs to ensure production continuity.
Amazonplans to invest $4 billion to expand its rural delivery network in the U.S., aiming to enhance logistics capabilities and reduce dependency on affected supply chains.
Trade Talks Heat Up
In response to the escalating trade tensions, the European Union is preparing to present new trade proposals to U.S. negotiators next week. The proposals aim to lower trade and non-tariff barriers, boost European investments in the U.S., and foster cooperation on global challenges.
And Flexport’s Ryan Petersen, after visiting the White House for discussions, offered some patriotic perspective:
“At no time did I worry I would be locked up or disappeared for criticizing them… We take this for granted but it’s not the norm everywhere.”
What to Watch Next
Will consumer demand tank once inventories run out?
Will China or the U.S. blink in trade negotiations?
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📄 Can’t Communicate (Apparently). Truckers in Laredo are already getting fined for not speaking English well enough—meanwhile, the officer writing the ticket misspelled “communicate.”
🚨 West Michigan Transport → Windmill. West Michigan Transport has officially rebranded to Windmill Transport. They’re keeping their team, operations, and direction—just with a new name. Detroit office coming Fall 2025.
🌪️ Texas Wind Destruction. Drone footage shows semi trucks, horse trailers, and other vehicles toppled by 106 mph winds and 5 inch hail pelting north Texas.
⚡ Tesla Jobs. Tesla plans to hire over 1,000 workers to finally advance electric semi truck production, with aims to move the long-delayed project into full manufacturing mode.
⚖ Cocaine Driver Sentenced. Ronald Coleman accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for transporting $2.5 million worth of cocaine from California to Illinois. The cocaine was discovered in two suitcases.
🔥 BigRig Crash. Witness video captured a fiery big rig crash on San Antonio’s Loop 410, with onlookers describing the collision into a concrete barrier as an “explosion” upon impact. The truck driver was killed in the incident.
💔 Kohl’s CEO Fired. Ashley Buchanan was fired after steering multimillion-dollar deals to a romantic partner without disclosing the relationship.
🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER
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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.
Hello! I'm Jerome FreightCaviar! I’m into the politics of freight and the impact it will have worldwide. I'm always eager to learn more. Follow me on X @JeromeFreightC
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.
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