FreightCasts

It is hump day, which means it’s the best day of the week—the release of the weekly American Association of Railroads (AAR) tonnage index! In this packed episode, we dive deep into the legal and insurance crises gripping the freight industry, analyze how extreme heatwaves are altering refrigerated shipping, track global energy volatility, and break down the massive intermodal surge redefining logistics.

Featured Guests:

Ted Bassett – Head of the Personal Injury Law Firm Group at Merrick  

Niles Openheimer – Chief Revenue Officer at CoverWell  

Matt Munster – Chief Economist at Breakthrough  

Bill Stevens – Editor and Writer at Trains Magazine / Trains Pro

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On this episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, hosts Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent kick off July with a packed show covering some of the biggest stories shaping transportation and logistics.

First, they break down the latest headlines, including the surprising rise in containers lost at sea, the dismissal of C.H. Robinson from a high-profile Florida trucking lawsuit, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ veto of legislation that would have allowed certain nonviolent inmates to receive CDL training before release. The conversation dives into liability, workforce development, public safety, and second chances in the trucking industry.

Then, Brett Suma, President and Chief Operating Officer of Bot Auto, joins the show to discuss the future of autonomous trucking. Brett shares why he joined Bot Auto, the state of AI in transportation, why Texas has become the epicenter of autonomous freight operations, and how physical AI could transform the supply chain in the years ahead. He also reflects on leadership, innovation, and building the next generation of logistics companies.

Later, Danny Ramon, Subject Matter Expert for Cargo Theft at Overhaul, returns to the show to analyze a massive $2.1 million cargo theft involving women’s apparel in Southern California. Danny breaks down how organized cargo theft operations work, why cross-docking schemes are becoming more common, what criminals are targeting today, and how shippers can better protect their freight during one of the busiest shipping seasons of the year.

Topics covered:

Autonomous trucking and AI in logistics

Bot Auto’s vision for the future of freight

Cargo theft trends and prevention strategies

The $2.1 million California cargo heist

C.H. Robinson’s removal from a Florida lawsuit

CDL training programs for inmates

Supply chain and transportation industry headlines

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In this episode, we kick things off in Washington with a blockbuster Supreme Court ruling that dramatically expands presidential authority over independent regulatory agencies. The six-three decision in Trump v. Slaughter overturns nearly a century of precedent and is likely to decide the fate of STB member Robert Primus, whom President Trump fired without cause last August. With the Surface Transportation Board now short-handed and facing the largest rail merger in history, the president can more easily install policy-aligned replacements at a critical moment for freight rail regulation.

Next, we shift over to the ocean shipping sector where Israel's flag carrier officially transitions to new leadership today. Chen Lichtenstein takes the helm at ZIM Integrated Shipping Services following the departure of Eli Glickman, who resigned in April after Hapag-Lloyd's four point two billion dollar acquisition. Glickman is credited with an astounding turnaround that reshaped ZIM into an agile, digitally-focused global player ranked tenth in the world by capacity.

Finally, we explore how the freight industry's transition to electric trucks is revealing that intelligent charging strategy may matter even more than the hardware itself. BetterFleet CEO Dan Hilson explains that managing dense electric fleets requires abandoning the diesel fueling playbook entirely due to brutal demand charges and time-of-use pricing penalties. The company's machine learning platform staggers charging across networks of slower chargers, throttling power to avoid costly spikes while capturing off-peak pricing to deliver enormous savings.

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The freight market is changing fast—and this episode of FreightWaves Today breaks down the biggest legal, technology, energy, and market developments shaping transportation.

We kick off the show with breaking news on the Florida U-turn lawsuit and discuss why CH Robinson was named in litigation despite having no involvement in the crash. We also debate broker liability, the post-Montgomery legal landscape, Florida's CDL policy, and whether the industry should rethink barriers to entry for new drivers.

In this episode, we feature interviews with:

Jonah McIntire, Chief Platform Officer at Trimble

How AI is transforming transportation management systems

Why data—not software—is becoming the industry's biggest competitive advantage

The future of AI-powered logistics platforms

Will AI eliminate logistics jobs?

How Trimble is modernizing legacy transportation software and expanding into the SMB market

John Kingston, FreightWaves Editor-At-Large

The latest on the Florida U-turn lawsuit and broker liability

Global energy markets and diesel price volatility

The impact of geopolitical tensions on fuel costs

Ocean shipping rates, the Strait of Hormuz, and what to expect for freight markets in the second half of the year

The future of EVs, decarbonization, and transportation energy

David Spencer, Arrive Logistics

Why trucking capacity continues to tighten

What carriers and brokers should expect during the July 4 "Super Bowl" freight week

Contract vs. spot market dynamics

Shipper pricing expectations and routing guide challenges

Where freight rates are headed through the rest of 2026 and what could drive the next leg of the market

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In Episode 8 of Fraud Watch, Phil Brink sits down with Scott Cornell, Chair of TAPA Americas and Chief Risk Officer at SPG Cargo & Logistics, to discuss the latest cargo theft and freight fraud trends impacting the supply chain. Scott shares what has changed in the last 30 days, the emerging tactics that have his attention, and why organized theft continues to evolve faster than most companies realize. The conversation also explores high-risk freight markets, intelligence sharing, and why verification is becoming one of the most important functions in modern freight operations. This is a conversation every broker, carrier, and shipper should hear.
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