Episodios

  • Loaded and Rolling | End of the Road: How the Trucking Industry Lost Its Soul

    Loaded and Rolling | End of the Road: How the Trucking Industry Lost Its Soul
    Feb 3 2026
    Trucking isn’t just a job—it’s a craft, a culture, and a way of life. In this episode of Loaded and Rolling, host Thomas Watson sits down with journalist and lifelong trucker Gord McGill to unpack how deregulation, automation, government policy, and the “driver shortage” narrative have transformed trucking over the past few decades—and not for the better. Drawing from McGill’s upcoming book End of the Road: Inside the War on Truckers, the conversation explores declining wages, rising safety risks, forced churn, and the erosion of driver skill and pride. It’s a candid, sometimes uncomfortable look at what’s gone wrong in trucking—and what it will take to fix it. ⁠Follow the Loaded and Rolling Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    53 m
  • Who Wins, Who Loses, and Who Pays the Price

    Who Wins, Who Loses, and Who Pays the Price
    Feb 3 2026
    This episode of Brake Check asks the question the trucking industry keeps dodging: Who actually benefits from the way this system is built, and who’s left paying the price? We kick things off with Tim Crawford, CEO of Tenstreet, breaking down the real people trends shaping trucking today. From hiring shifts and workforce pressures to what carriers and fleets need to be watching right now, Tim cuts through the noise and lays out what’s ahead in a freight market that’s anything but stable. Then we bring in Lewie Pugh, Executive Vice President of OOIDA, to tackle the growing disconnect between drivers and carriers. We dig into who benefits from that divide, what legislation is coming, and...most importantly...how drivers and small carriers can actually get involved instead of being talked over. And then we shift gears. Danielle Chaffin joins the show to expose a serious question facing the industry: Why is the Department of Defense moving freight with non-domiciled drivers and unverified carriers and what does that mean for safety, security, and accountability? No pie charts. No PowerPoints. No sanitized narratives. This is real trucking talk with real trucking people...calling out broken systems, asking uncomfortable questions, and demanding accountability where it’s long overdue. If you care about the future of trucking, this is a conversation you can’t afford to miss. Welcome to Brake Check. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    46 m
  • Is the Freight Recession Over? Capacity Crunch, Warsh’s Fed & Werner Settlement | The Daily

    Is the Freight Recession Over? Capacity Crunch, Warsh’s Fed & Werner Settlement | The Daily
    Feb 3 2026
    The freight recession may finally be over as January transportation metrics reveal a market in firm expansion territory. With the overall index hitting 59.6, a convergence of tightening capacity and rising rates suggests the cycle has officially turned. Regulatory pressures are squeezing the driver pool just as Werner Enterprises settles an 11-year-old lawsuit regarding driver wages. This $18 million payout underscores the rising floor for labor costs in an increasingly constrained environment. On the demand side, a surge in Japanese machine tool orders points to a manufacturing rebound later this year. North American orders jumped nearly 30%, signaling that industrial production is gearing up for a strong second half of 2026. Macroeconomic policy could also provide a tailwind if Fed Chair nominee Kevin Warsh shifts focus back to Main Street. His criticism of current monetary strategy suggests relief may be on the way for the industrial and small business sectors. Meanwhile, rail infrastructure is booming with Norfolk Southern customers advancing over $7.7 billion in new projects. Adding to the positive momentum, legal distractions are clearing up for major players following the dismissal of charges against NFI's CEO. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    6 m
  • GenLogs Raises $60M; Lean Inventories Drive Truck Rates; NFI CEO Wins Appeal | Morning Minute

    GenLogs Raises $60M; Lean Inventories Drive Truck Rates; NFI CEO Wins Appeal | Morning Minute
    Feb 3 2026
    Host Isaiah Buchanan kicks off this Tuesday edition with a significant legal victory for NFI CEO Sidney Brown. An appellate court has affirmed the dismissal of criminal charges against the executive regarding real estate development rights in Camden, New Jersey. Next, the show examines how robust consumer spending is leading retailers to adopt leaner inventory strategies. While this shift is softening ocean shipping demand, it is expected to drive up domestic truckload rates and tender rejections in the near term. In FreightTech news, startup GenLogs has secured $60 million in Series B funding to expand its AI-powered supply chain intelligence platform. The company aims to use its nationwide sensor network to enhance visibility and combat freight fraud across the industry. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    3 m
  • WHAT THE TRUCK?!? | Miles of Mayhem

    WHAT THE TRUCK?!? | Miles of Mayhem
    Feb 2 2026
    In this episode, Malcolm breaks down the latest industry headlines before welcoming Scott Pecoriello of WeatherOptics to unpack the real-world freight impacts of major winter storms. Helaine Rich of ePost Global joins to explain why cross-border returns are becoming a critical revenue-protection strategy in global ecommerce. Next, Akash Patel of Yellow Brick Academy and Yellow Brick Transport shares how niche markets like auto transport create new pathways into logistics—and how the industry can drive second chances and entrepreneurship. The episode wraps with Nate Veeh discussing new data on truck parking challenges and what it means for safety and infrastructure. ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠ #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    1 h
  • Freight Expectations | Winter Storms, Tight Capacity, and a Market Ready to Move

    Freight Expectations | Winter Storms, Tight Capacity, and a Market Ready to Move
    Feb 2 2026
    A massive winter storm shakes up the freight market—and Craig Fuller and Matt Leffler break down why this one matters. Tender rejection rates spike above 12%, signaling tightening capacity and a potential inflection point for carriers. The hosts unpack why weather often acts as the catalyst that finally tips a soft market into a crunch, and whether this disruption could mark the beginning of a more sustained recovery. Along the way, they dig into rising M&A activity across trucking and brokerage, from major carrier acquisitions to growing momentum around IPOs and private equity exits. The conversation also veers (as it often does) into sales models, parcel and LTL strategies, demographic shifts, and the surprising ways culture, technology, and human behavior ripple into freight markets. ⁠Follow the Freight Expectations Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    1 h y 2 m
  • Amazon Launches External LTL, Maersk Cuts Asia-US Flights, & Storm Fern Fallout | The Daily

    Amazon Launches External LTL, Maersk Cuts Asia-US Flights, & Storm Fern Fallout | The Daily
    Feb 2 2026
    In this episode, we break down how severe winter weather has upended the freight market, causing tender rejections to spike well above holiday peaks. Recent data indicates that Winter Storm Fern caused massive disruption, revealing a truckload market that is far more volatile than seen in previous years. We also discuss reports that Amazon is preparing to launch its external LTL service this summer, targeting specific shippers to build density. Analysts suggest Amazon has already contacted a significant portion of the market, signaling a move that could be highly disruptive to incumbent carriers. The conversation shifts to the sky, where Maersk Air Cargo is canceling its Asia-US flights to focus on more efficient aircraft. Sources indicate that Amazon is the likely buyer for the fleet of Boeing 767 freighters as Maersk terminates its contract with Amerijet. Finally, we examine a controversial Arizona bill targeting fake CDLs that would allow law enforcement to seize vehicles from non-compliant carriers. This state-level push highlights a broader federal enforcement gap, where limited verification mechanisms allow dangerous drivers to simply ignore out-of-service orders. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    5 m
  • Truckload Volatility Returns; SH 130 Courts Cross-Border Freight; ONE Reports Q3 Loss | Morning Minute

    Truckload Volatility Returns; SH 130 Courts Cross-Border Freight; ONE Reports Q3 Loss | Morning Minute
    Feb 2 2026
    On today’s FreightWaves Morning Minute, we discuss how severe winter weather and rising tender rejections are creating unprecedented volatility in the truckload spot market. With the National Truckload Index climbing to $2.71 per mile, the current capacity crunch signals a fundamentally different environment for carriers compared to previous years. As congestion on Interstate 35 worsens, operators of the SH 130 toll road are intensifying efforts to attract cross-border freight away from Austin traffic. Tractor-trailer volume on the bypass has surged 68% since 2019 as the route positions itself as a reliable alternative for U.S.-Mexico trade flows. In maritime news, Ocean Network Express reported an $88 million net loss for the third quarter due to softer freight volumes and weaker rates. Executives attributed the decline to a challenging operating landscape, particularly regarding slow cargo movement on Asia-North America trade routes. Finally, tune in at noon for a new episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? featuring Malcolm Harris. You can catch the full broadcast live or watch the replay later on our YouTube channel. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    2 m