DOT Blitz Week starts tomorrow, and brokers are bracing for one of the toughest weeks in years. Plus: $10.1M in stolen freight leads to five years in prison, Forward Air loses 40% of its value, diesel prices hit produce costs, and more.
Aurora's driverless trucks are moving real loads between Dallas and Houston right now, and nobody is in the cab. Plus: RXO signals a strong freight rebound, Ken Adamo joins Ease Logistics, rail got faster to Mexico, and more.
Aurora signed two major partnerships in one week. Spot rates just hit an all-time high. A Chicago cross-dock blew up Reddit over how shippers load trailers. And someone dug into Super Ego's carrier network — the safety scores are not okay.
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:
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🐔 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.”
Partnership is the difference between survival and business loss in the logistics industry. With a record number of brokers and carriers entering the market during the COVID pandemic, the competition for business is higher than ever.
But one thing stays the same – the need for a true partnership.
Whether you are looking to connect with shippers or searching for the best brokerage partner for your Freight Agency, partnership is the best way to position yourself for success. Become a partner by learning about their business, caring about their success as much as yours, and look for the long-term benefits, not the quick win. In any situation, having a long-term strategy will mean long-term success.
Trinity Logistics partners with Freight Agencies for just that…immediate support for long-term success.
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.
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.”
U.S. GDP shrank 0.3% 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.
Economist Torsten Slok at Apollo Global Management:
“The consequence will be Covid-like shortages... layoffs in trucking, logistics, and retail, and a summertime recession.”
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.
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,” said Vivi Tong, a Chinese toy factory owner supplying Walmart. “If tariffs drop to around 30%, it will be easier for our customers to accept.”
Major corporations are adjusting their financial forecasts in response to the tariff impact:
Companies are taking proactive measures to mitigate the tariff impact:
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.”
Rapido is a top nearshore staffing company providing logistics and supply chain talent to companies in the United States. Based in Guadalajara, Mexico, Rapido offers a unique combination of cost savings and access to a skilled workforce, making it an attractive option for American logistics businesses.
Paul-Bernard Jaroslawski
See what makes nearshoring to Mexico an attractive option for scaling a logistics company and how partnering with Rapido Solutions Group simplifies the whole process.
🌎 AROUND THE FREIGHT WEB
📄 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.
🔥 Big Rig 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
FREIGHT HUMOR
Kaja Kusińska
Click above to check out this week’s Funny Freight Friday—featuring the best DMs our followers sent in.
DOT Blitz Week starts tomorrow, and brokers are bracing for one of the toughest weeks in years. Plus: $10.1M in stolen freight leads to five years in prison, Forward Air loses 40% of its value, diesel prices hit produce costs, and more.
Aurora's driverless trucks are moving real loads between Dallas and Houston right now, and nobody is in the cab. Plus: RXO signals a strong freight rebound, Ken Adamo joins Ease Logistics, rail got faster to Mexico, and more.
Aurora signed two major partnerships in one week. Spot rates just hit an all-time high. A Chicago cross-dock blew up Reddit over how shippers load trailers. And someone dug into Super Ego's carrier network — the safety scores are not okay.
Amazon just became a direct rival to the biggest names in parcel, freight, and 3PL services. Plus: shippers are paying a lot more, your carrier check may be passing thieves through, a $4M cargo theft recovery shows what's possible, and more.
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