In this episode, we kick things off by examining the impressive third-quarter performance from one of the industry's leading less-than-truckload carriers. ⁠XPO delivered a massive earnings beat driven by aggressive pricing and operating efficiency initiatives⁠, reporting adjusted earnings per share of one dollar and seventy cents—thirteen cents ahead of consensus and sixty-three cents higher year over year. The company's LTL revenue surged seventeen percent to one point four seven billion dollars, while its adjusted operating ratio of eighty point one percent defied typical seasonal trends by improving two hundred sixty basis points year over year.Next, we explore the freight brokerage sector where ⁠C.H. Robinson delivered almost all good news in its third-quarter report⁠, with operating revenues at its North American Surface Transport unit surging twenty-nine point one percent year over year. Adjusted diluted earnings per share climbed twenty-eight point six percent to one dollar and eighty cents, while the NAST segment's adjusted operating margin improved one hundred ten basis points to forty point three percent as the giant 3PL continues automating manual processes and achieving significant productivity gains.Finally, we cover a serious labor dispute threatening to disrupt the nation's busiest container gateway as ⁠about two hundred fifty union watchmen could strike at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach⁠ as early as five p.m. Pacific time Sunday, November first. Although the watchmen represent only two percent of ILWU workers at the two ports, they work at terminals handling roughly eighty-five percent of Long Beach's cargo and thirty-three percent of Los Angeles' cargo, and other union members are expected to honor picket lines—potentially halting operations at a time when the complex is already contending with a backlog of containers awaiting inland rail transportation.⁠Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast⁠⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices