The trucking industry is heading into a pivotal year. In this episode, we break down trucking's 2026 reality, where mergers and acquisitions collide with increased enforcement and regulation.

We unpack why trucking M&A is expected to accelerate in 2026, driven by rate cuts, private equity interest, and consolidation into specialized freight segments. At the same time, states are expanding ICE 287(g) partnerships, increasing roadside enforcement tied to driver compliance, labor eligibility, and safety standards.

This episode connects the dots between industry consolidation, labor pressure, regulatory enforcement, and operational risk, giving carriers, brokers, and logistics leaders a clear view of what's coming—and how to prepare.

If you want to understand how trucking growth, workforce availability, and compliance enforcement will shape the next 12–18 months, this is a must-listen!

Resources / References

• https://www.ttnews.com/articles/states-ice-partnerships-2025
• https://www.ttnews.com/articles/mergers-acquisitions-2026

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If you think your freight operation is exposed to organized theft or unknowingly carrying liability that could wipe out your business, you must listen to this episode with Michael Caney from HIGHWAY!

Michael explains why freight theft has escalated into a national security issue, with organized, often foreign-led crime rings targeting U.S. supply chains, and why freight brokers are increasingly left holding the bag when loads go missing.

We dig into how shipper contracts shift liability unfairly onto brokers, how undisclosed cargo values and fraudulent or "ghost" carriers magnify risk, why insurance agencies and factoring companies often enable the problem with little accountability, how post-2020 market behavior and "book it fast" culture have fueled freight fraud, and why extreme ownership, operational discipline, and transparent broker-shipper communication are no longer optional!

About Michael Caney

Michael Caney is the Chief Commercial Officer at Highway. He leads marketing, sales, sales engineering, customer success, and partnerships, drawing on a career that spans building and scaling both freight brokerages and supply chain technology companies. Before joining Highway, Michael held senior leadership roles across startups and established firms, guiding teams from early operations through sustained market leadership. His background as an operator gives him a grounded, execution-focused approach to strategy, team building, and category creation.

Connect with Michael

• Website: https://highway.com/
• Email: michael@highway.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcaney/

📊📉 Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! 🌎

🎬🎯 #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!

To Find Out More About My Freight Services

Visit https://freightcoachlogistics.com/

🤝 Shoutout to my sponsors!👇

• SPI Logistics | https://spi3pl.com/
• Revenova | https://revenova.com/freightcoach/
• NMFTA | https://nmfta.org/

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How exposed is your trucking operation to cybercrime right now, and are you relying too much on trust and automation? Listen to our guest today, Artie Crawford of NMFTA, breaking down the real cybersecurity threats facing transportation.

The biggest takeaway is simple: no fleet, broker, or carrier is too small to be targeted!

We discuss how AI-driven cyber fraud, business email compromise, and fake load schemes are hitting trucking companies hard, why small companies are often the most vulnerable, and how multi-person verification, cybersecurity training, and multi-factor authentication can dramatically reduce risk!

2026 NMFTA Cybersecurity Trends Report: https://bit.ly/4oYPTds

About Artie Crawford

Artie Crawford, CISSP, CISM, is the Director of Cybersecurity at the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. (NMFTA)™.

Artie is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in cybersecurity strategy and deep technical expertise in addressing complex cybersecurity challenges. He possesses a thorough understanding of the tools, techniques, procedures, and attack vectors employed by cyber adversaries.

Artie has a proven track record of providing strategic guidance, collaboration, and engineering support to a wide range of organizations, including state and local governments, educational institutions, intelligence agencies, transportation authorities, and the Department of Defense, all in support of their cybersecurity missions.

Throughout his distinguished career, Artie has held pivotal roles at organizations such as the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Microsoft, MITRE, and others. His work has been centered on developing advanced techniques and tools for real-world operations.

A 27-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Artie retired in 2011 as the Cybersecurity Chief of the Marine Corps, where he served as the Senior Technical Advisor to the CIO and Director of C4.

📊📉 Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! 🌎

🎬🎯 #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!

To Find Out More About My Freight Services

Visit https://freightcoachlogistics.com/

🤝 Shoutout to my sponsors!👇

• SPI Logistics | https://spi3pl.com/
• Revenova | https://revenova.com/freightcoach/
• NMFTA | https://nmfta.org/

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In this episode, we'll break down the hottest trends in the freight market right now, from seasonal capacity crunches driving reefer rates to two-year highs, to why brokers and carriers must price based on regional market conditions instead of guessing in the spot market!

Dive in today to know why tender rejection rates need context, how historical freight data helps avoid false market optimism, what the proposed ROUTE Act could mean for expanding the future truck driver pipeline without compromising safety, the FMCSA's ongoing chameleon carrier problem, and why better enforcement and insurance accountability matter for industry safety!

Resources / References

• https://www.overdriveonline.com/regulations/article/15774069/new-bill-would-allow-under21-truck-drivers-to-cross-state-lines-with-limitations
• https://www.freightwaves.com/news/has-fmcsas-decade-old-chameleon-carrier-system-been-running-on-autopilot
• https://www.overdriveonline.com/business/article/15774033/trucking-markets-sluggish-even-amid-seasonal-spikes-capacity-hits

📊📉 Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! 🌎

🎬🎯 #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!

To Find Out More About My Freight Services

Visit https://freightcoachlogistics.com/

🤝 Shoutout to my sponsors!👇

• SPI Logistics | https://spi3pl.com/
• Revenova | https://revenova.com/freightcoach/
• NMFTA | https://nmfta.org/

Donate to support Stacy and her family: https://tinyurl.com/36xmxcmr

🚀🔥 To sign up for my Newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/iNoHco, get in touch with me through the social media channels below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!👇

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How do you drive freight theft down to nearly zero, and what would your business look like if you could finally stop chameleon carriers, double-brokering, and fraud before it hits your dock? Let's hear it from our returning guest today, Ryan Joyce from GenLogs!

Ryan returns to the show to dig into how combining physical asset tracking with strong digital vetting is cutting freight theft for their customers, how chameleon carriers hide behind multiple DOT numbers, why selling motor carrier numbers is fueling fraud, and how GenLogs' new compliance suite is bringing real-time alerts straight into your TMS to flag suspicious carrier behavior before you book the load.

We also touch on the national security risks behind unvetted drivers, how ELD manipulation and AI-driven deception make digital vetting harder than ever, and why brokers need to get back to actually talking to carriers to verify legitimacy.

This episode breaks it all down in a no-nonsense way, so implement these practical, straightforward steps to reduce fraud, improve compliance, and strengthen your supply chain!

Connect with Ryan

• Website: https://www.genlogs.io/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genlogs/ / https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanjoyce-/

📊📉 Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! 🌎

🎬🎯 #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!

To Find Out More About My Freight Services

Visit https://freightcoachlogistics.com/

🤝 Shoutout to my sponsors!👇

• SPI Logistics | https://spi3pl.com/
• Revenova | https://revenova.com/freightcoach/
• NMFTA | https://nmfta.org/

Donate to support Stacy and her family: https://tinyurl.com/36xmxcmr

🚀🔥 To sign up for my Newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/iNoHco, get in touch with me through the social media channels below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!👇

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💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jolly-a183aa6a/

Don't miss out on this episode with Danny Ramon of Overhaul to know the real threat to your freight, what's really happening online, and how fast cargo theft is evolving!

Danny breaks down how cargo theft has become a full-blown, organized industry, blending cyber attacks and coordinated physical moves that let criminals walk away with entire shipments in minutes, why everyday consumer goods are now prime targets, how social media demand is reshaping black-market trends, and why tech alone won't save you if you don't have the human oversight to back it up!

No one's immune, so do simple operational changes, smarter vetting practices, nonstop vigilance carriers, brokers, and shippers need to stay ahead of this increasingly sophisticated threat, and keep supporting the show for more conversations like this!

About Danny Ramon

Danny Ramon has been working in Supply Chain Security for over 15 years and specializing in Supply Chain Intelligence for the last 13. Danny studies both cargo theft and any factor that can affect the flow of cargo through the supply chain to identify how variables might interfere with the flow of global logistics. In his role as Director of Intelligence and Response at Overhaul, Danny not only presents these findings to the security and logistics teams at the world's largest technology and pharmaceutical companies, but also leads the recovery and investigations team that works closely with law enforcement and private resources across the globe to recover stolen cargo and apprehend the criminals involved.

Danny spreads awareness of cargo theft and promotes supply chain visibility as a subject matter expert. He is quoted or published in several leading industry publications, including Transport Topics, Supply Chain Brain, Fleet Owner, FreightWaves, and CCJDigital and he has presented for Inland Marine Underwriters Association (IMUA), the International Supply Chain Protection Organization (ISCPO), the Transportation and Logistics Council (TLC), Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), Ocean Carrier Equipment Management Association (OCEMA), National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA), and the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA).

Connect with Danny

• Website: https://over-haul.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-ramon-97472855/

📊📉 Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! 🌎

🎬🎯 #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!

To Find Out More About My Freight Services

Visit https://freightcoachlogistics.com/

🤝 Shoutout to my sponsors!👇

• SPI Logistics | https://spi3pl.com/
• Revenova | https://revenova.com/freightcoach/
• NMFTA | https://nmfta.org/

Donate to support Stacy and her family: https://tinyurl.com/36xmxcmr

🚀🔥 To sign up for my Newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/iNoHco, get in touch with me through the social media channels below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!👇

▶️ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjrL70IEnCfDkNaiYMar3jw

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🕊️ https://twitter.com/thefr8coach

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jolly-a183aa6a/

What do shifting regulations, flat demand signals, and driver retention struggles really mean for 2026? Listen to the episode today to better understand if the freight market is finally tightening and what the data and trends tell us!

Let's discuss the upcoming regulatory changes like visa enforcement and ELD crackdowns that could tighten capacity further, 2026 volume expectations, flatbed trends, one of the biggest issues we can control: driver respect, and the noise on safety enforcement and non-domiciled CDL debates!

Resources / References

• https://www.ttnews.com/articles/home-depot-outlook-2026
• https://www.freightwaves.com/news/non-domiciled-cdl-drivers-and-highway-safety-what-the-numbers-say-what-they-dont-and-how-social-media-fills-the-gaps
• https://www.ccjdigital.com/workforce/recruiting-retention/article/15773619/what-drivers-want-respect-keeps-drivers-behind-the-wheel?utm_medium=email&utm_content=12-10-2025&utm_campaign=CM_NL_CCJ+Daily&utm_source=CM_NL_CCJ+Daily&ust_id=599826337a0a521d9a86833bbd67693133b440a2&oly_enc_id=0806G6415978D1U

📊📉 Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! 🌎

🎬🎯 #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!

To Find Out More About My Freight Services

Visit https://freightcoachlogistics.com/

🤝 Shoutout to my sponsors!👇

• SPI Logistics | https://spi3pl.com/
• Revenova | https://revenova.com/freightcoach/
• NMFTA | https://nmfta.org/

Donate to support Stacy and her family: https://tinyurl.com/36xmxcmr

🚀🔥 To sign up for my Newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/iNoHco, get in touch with me through the social media channels below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!👇

▶️ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjrL70IEnCfDkNaiYMar3jw

📷 https://www.instagram.com/thefreightcoach/

🕊️ https://twitter.com/thefr8coach

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jolly-a183aa6a/