In the latest episode of FreightWaves Today, hosts Malcolm Harris and Zach Strickland deliver a comprehensive look at the market trends, legal developments, and technological innovations shaping the freight industry. The show kicks off with the Morning Minute segment, spotlighting Volvo Trucks North America’s aggressive move to capture 15% of the heavy truck market by targeting vocational trucks with its new VNX platform. The hosts also cover a $51 million lawsuit filed by Edge Logistics against FreightTech Management Group over alleged kickback schemes and customer diversion, as well as pushback from the Sikh Coalition regarding the FMCSA’s proposed English language proficiency rules over concerns of enforcement bias during roadside inspections. Shifting to technology, Brendan O'Driscoll, VP of Platform AI at Samsara, joins the show to discuss Samsara's newly launched Agent Studio. O'Driscoll details how their no-code builder allows fleet operators to easily deploy voice and chat AI agents, which serve as hands-free assistants for drivers on the road. He highlights how these proactive voice agents can predict Hours of Service (HOS) violations up to three hours in advance, help re-route drivers safely, and significantly reduce crash rates across fleets. The conversation then turns to risk management with Andy Kuchar, President of Centerline Insurance Company. Kuchar breaks down the hidden liability risks freight brokers face when leasing or offering trailer pools to carriers. He warns that relying on contingent insurance or carrier policies often leaves brokers unprotected due to strict policy exclusions, emphasizing the importance of dedicated coverage and documented trailer maintenance schedules to mitigate major legal exposure. Finally, Zach Strickland transitions into the Freightonomics segment to break down current market data. He analyzes the unusually flat tender rejection rate holding steady around 14%, contrasting it with record-shattering container throughput at the Port of Los Angeles and persistent inflation pressures impacting long-term planning across the supply chain. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zac Rogers discusses the persistent tightness of transportation and awkwardness of dealing with a very uncertain global economy. ⁠Follow the Freightonomics Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

YOUR AUTHORITY IS STUCK, SO ARE YOUR TRAILERS....AND GUESS WHO'S PAYING? FMCSA'S REGISTRATION SYSTEM IS CAUSING HEADACHES. TRAILERS ARE SITTING IDLE,  AND TRUCKING COMPANIES ARE LOSING MONEY WITHOUT TURNING A SINGLE WHEEL. Welcome to another episode of BRAKE CHECK, where Charles goes after two expensive problems hitting American carriers: government compliance headaches and equipment that isn't earning its keep. FIRST UP: SHANNA GRAY | S&B TRANSPORTATION FMCSA's new Motus registration system is supposed to make life easier for legitimate carriers. But what happens when the system you're REQUIRED to use becomes the very thing standing in your way?Shanna spent more than FOUR HOURS trying to resolve ONE carrier's registration issue, with no answer. We're digging into Motus registration problems, FMCSA compliance, DOT inspections, driver qualification files, enforcement relief, and what carriers can actually do when government technology isn't cooperating. YOUR DEADLINES DON'T DISAPPEAR, SO WHY SHOULD GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY? THEN: TODD WALDRON | REPOWR Your trailers might be costing you more money sitting still than you realize.REPOWR reports that trailers spend roughly 40% of their operational life idle. Meanwhile, carriers keep buying equipment, repositioning empty trailers and paying expenses on assets that aren't generating revenue. Todd joins us to break down how carriers can turn parked trailers into income, avoid unnecessary equipment purchases, protect their assets from fraud and make smarter decisions about renting, sharing or selling. YOUR TRAILER DOESN'T HAVE TO MOVE FREIGHT TO MAKE MONEY,  BUT IT DAMN SURE SHOULDN'T JUST SIT THERE COSTING YOU MONEY. Two guests, Two expensive problems,  One question every carrier should be asking: HOW MUCH MONEY IS YOUR TRUCKING COMPANY LOSING BEFORE THE TRUCK EVEN MOVES? No corporate fluff. No sales pitches disguised as solutions. Just real problems, real numbers and questions with some actual damn teeth. LIKE, SUBSCRIBE AND FOLLOW FREIGHTWAVES for more Brake Check, FreightCasts and trucking conversations that put the people operating the equipment FIRST. SMASH THE BRAKES, LET'S GO FULL STOP. #Trucking #FMCSA #Motus #TrailerRental #OwnerOperator #TruckDrivers #FreightWaves #BrakeCheck #FleetManagement #TruckingIndustry TRUCKERS & CARRIERS, SOUND OFF: WHAT'S COSTING YOUR BUSINESS MORE RIGHT NOW: GOVERNMENT RED TAPE THAT KEEPS YOU FROM MOVING, OR EQUIPMENT SITTING IDLE THAT YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP PARKED? ⁠Follow the Brake Check Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we kick things off by examining Volvo Trucks' aggressive expansion strategy as the Swedish manufacturer aims to capture fifteen percent of the North American heavy-truck market. That ambitious goal depends entirely on cracking the vocational truck segment, where Volvo currently holds just two to three percent market share. President Peter Voorhoeve is betting that Volvo's global construction-truck expertise, combined with surging demand from data center construction and infrastructure spending, will finally push the brand into double-digit territory in a segment that represents roughly twenty-five to thirty percent of the North American market. Meanwhile, a bitter legal battle is exposing the cutthroat world of freight brokerage employee departures. Chicago-based Edge Logistics has filed a sprawling fifty-one-page federal lawsuit alleging that former employees orchestrated a scheme to systematically divert customers using confidential information and kickbacks funded by inflated freight charges. According to the complaint, Edge's expedited-freight division cratered sixty-six percent within weeks of the employees' May departures, while the workers allegedly established competing LLCs in April and arranged to transfer customer accounts to rival broker Freight Tec Management Group before they even resigned. Finally, we explore a proposed federal trucking safety rule that is drawing sharp criticism from a major civil rights organization representing Sikh drivers. The Sikh Coalition submitted comments expressing concern that the English Language Proficiency rule lacks clear criteria for roadside inspectors and could lead to discrimination under the guise of enforcement. While the organization's analysis of FMCSA data showed that just zero point one nine percent of roadside inspections between twenty twenty-one and twenty twenty-five involved a driver's inability to communicate in English, ELP violations became a top five reason for out-of-service orders during this year's Road Check Week, consisting of nine percent of all OOS orders. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of FreightWaves Today, hosts Craig Fuller and Malcolm Harris kick off earnings season with an in-depth look at what lies ahead for public freight companies, comparing current Wall Street expectations against real-time high-frequency data. They are joined first by FreightWaves Finance Editor Todd Maiden to discuss Q3 earnings projections, JB Hunt’s upcoming reports and intermodal bid season, fuel surcharge dynamics, and capacity trends across the LTL sector. The market analysis continues with a SONAR update from Zach Strickland, who breaks down an unexpected mid-October surge in the Outbound Tender Rejection Index, record import volumes fueling West Coast activity, and the latest regional spot rate shifts. Later, Jordan Kidd, Head of Product at Datatruck, shares how unified TMS technology and native AI solutions are democratizing operations for small-to-midsize carriers, enabling them to scale billing, tracking, and fleet management without ballooning overhead costs. Finally, Trains Magazine Editor Bill Stephens closes out the show with a look at the latest Association of American Railroads weekly report, examining strong intermodal growth, surging chemical carloads, and key regulatory updates from the Surface Transportation Board. ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this update edition of WHAT THE TRUCK?!, hosts Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent break down the latest supply chain news, major legal cases, and safety updates affecting the freight industry. The hosts kick off the segment discussing a tragic single-vehicle rollover crash on I-84 in Idaho involving a 74-year-old Reno truck driver, sparking a broader debate over whether age caps should exist for commercial truck drivers while referencing FMCSA and NHTSA fatal crash statistics. The guest lineup begins with Andrey Drotenko, President of Strategic Relations at Verified Carrier, who joins to mark Freight Fraud Awareness Day. Andre breaks down the biggest emerging threats in freight fraud, how fraudsters are increasing their sophistication, and what proactive steps brokers and carriers must take before accepting a load. Next, Alex Fraser, Vice President at Cox Fleet, examines why equipment quality serves as a core driver experience and retention strategy. Alex reviews new research showing equipment maintenance issues rank as the leading source of driver dissatisfaction ahead of pay, detailing the hidden time costs to drivers and how predictive maintenance can prevent breakdowns before trucks end up stranded on the shoulder. Closing out the show, Jane Jazrawy, CEO at Carrier's Edge, joins to celebrate 18 years of the Best Fleets program. Jane shares crucial insights into what drivers value most, what top-performing fleets refuse to cut when budgets tighten, and what drivers need to know before nominating their carriers ahead of the October 31st deadline. ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Visit our sponsor - TRUCKSTOP.COM⁠ ⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠ #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we kick things off with a major infrastructure milestone for heavy-duty electric trucking as Pilot Travel Centers and Tesla officially open their first Megacharger site in Georgia. The facility features six charging stalls capable of delivering up to 1.2 megawatts each, with twelve more sites currently under construction across key freight corridors including I-5 and I-10. This strategic rollout arrives as Tesla moves the Semi into high-volume production at its Sparks, Nevada factory, designed to build fifty thousand trucks annually. Next, we explore the autonomous trucking sector where Houston-based Bot Auto is aggressively driving down costs by selecting Lenovo's AD1 autonomous-driving domain controller built on Nvidia Hyperion. The company expects its full autonomy hardware bill of materials to run just fifty thousand dollars per truck—three to eight times less than competing systems. Bot Auto currently moves about three hundred fifty loads per month across Texas and reported massive two hundred seventy percent revenue growth from May to August. Finally, we look at the accelerating consolidation across the finished vehicle transportation sector as CCT Auto Trans acquires fellow Canadian car hauler Livingston Vehicle Transportation Services. The deal positions CCT as the only company in Canada delivering open, enclosed, and rail vehicle transport. This acquisition follows other recent blockbuster deals in the car haul space, including Acertus's purchase of Fisher Shipping and Proficient Auto Logistics acquiring Hansen & Adkins for one hundred thirty million dollars. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cross-border freight constraints are tightening, diesel prices are swinging wildly, and AI is taking driver safety to the next level! On today’s episode of FreightWaves Today, we break down what shippers, brokers, and carriers need to know to navigate today's volatile supply chain. IN THIS EPISODE AI Fleet Safety Upgrades: Netradyne launches customizable AI agents to gamify driver coaching and pull instant live fleet data. Cross-Border Squeeze: US authorities revoke ~25,000 Mexican driver visas. Combine that with capacity bottlenecks and trade friction, and cross-border constraints could last into 2027! Tariff & Logistics Strategy: Guest James Edge breaks down how importers can rethink warehouse placement in Canada and US lanes to reduce tax exposure and speed up final-mile delivery. Diesel Market Volatility: Ultra-low sulfur diesel futures swing by double digits! John Kingston explains why emergency red-dyed diesel policies won't solve the underlying global supply deficit. Subscribe to FreightWaves on YouTube for daily market intelligence, freight news, and expert commentary! Get SONAR Freight Data: ⁠https://sonar.freightwaves.com⁠ Read more logistics news: ⁠https://www.freightwaves.com⁠ #Freight #SupplyChain #Logistics #CrossBorder #Trucking #DieselPrices #FleetSafety #SONAR ⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join host Thomas Wasson on Loaded and Rolling, live from day one of Trimble Insights 2026! In this episode, Thomas sits down with Trimble's George Lutz (Senior Director of Engineering) and Matt Brinkman (Lead Product Manager) to explore how Trimble is reshaping transport management. Discover how Trimble TMS delivers a cloud-native, multi-tenant solution with both standard and Build-to-Order (BTO) tiers—tailored to meet the specific operational workflows of modern fleets. They dive into customer-centric engineering, AI-accelerated prototyping, real-world specialized load cases, and what’s next on Trimble's product roadmap. ⁠Follow the Loaded and Rolling Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BIG FLEET vs. SMALL FLEET: WHO REALLY TREATS TRUCK DRIVERS BETTER? BIG FLEET MONEY vs. SMALL FLEET RELATIONSHIPS....WHO ACTUALLY EARNS YOUR LOYALTY? Every trucking company promises great pay, great equipment, great home time, and a place where you're treated like family. Sounds fantastic RIGHT? SO WHY THE HELL DO GOOD DRIVERS KEEP LEAVING? On this episode of Brake Check, Charles puts two very different trucking operations in the hot seat to tackle one of the industry's biggest problems: DRIVER RETENTION. BEN PILE | WERNER ENTERPRISES Werner has the resources, recruiting technology, freight network, and career-development opportunities most smaller fleets can only dream about. But does BIGGER actually mean BETTER for the professional truck driver?We're digging into driver pay, career advancement, specialized freight, home time, training, and what happens when the promises made during recruiting don't match reality after orientation. If you're building careers instead of filling seats, WHY DO DRIVERS STILL LEAVE? DAVID FOOTE | BROWN DOG CARRIERS & LOGISTICS On the other side, we've got a smaller carrier competing for those same professional drivers WITHOUT the mega-fleet recruiting budget.No giant marketing machine. No endless list of terminals.Just the promise of being treated like a PERSON instead of a truck number. But is knowing your driver's name enough when another carrier offers $10,000 more a year? CAN RESPECT REALLY COMPETE WITH A BIGGER PAYCHECK? We're putting both sides to the test. BIG FLEET vs. SMALL FLEET! Recruiting promises vs. operational reality... Career advancement vs. personal relationships... Higher pay vs. long-term opportunity... And the question that should make EVERY trucking company uncomfortable: IF YOUR COMPANY IS SO GREAT TO WORK FOR, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO KEEP REPLACING DRIVERS? Because trucking doesn't have a shortage of recruiting promises. IT HAS A SHORTAGE OF PROMISES KEPT! TRUCK DRIVERS, SOUND OFF! Would you rather drive for a BIG fleet with more career opportunities or a SMALL fleet where you have a direct relationship with the people running the company? And what's the ONE thing that would make you leave either one?Drop your answer in the comments. We want to hear from the people actually doing the job. Like, subscribe, and follow FreightWaves for more Brake Check, FreightCasts, trucking news, and conversations with some actual damn teeth. SMASH THE DAMN BRAKES AND LET'S GO FULL STOP! #Trucking #TruckDrivers #WernerEnterprises #DriverRetention #TruckDriverJobs #OwnerOperator #TruckingIndustry #FreightWaves #BrakeCheck ⁠Follow the Brake Check Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices