FreightCasts

Discussion on what the Fed hike means economically and to freight and also what to make of the still hot import market.

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FreightWaves Today dives into the latest forces reshaping freight markets, from rising carrier costs and cross-border trade tensions to stronger-than-expected import volumes and signs of tightening truckload capacity.

Hosts Julie Van de Kamp and Zach Strickland break down J.B. Hunt’s warning that higher diesel and driver costs are outpacing pricing gains, as well as the growing challenges around recruiting, retaining and developing qualified drivers. They also examine rising rail dwell at the Los Angeles–Long Beach port complex and what the divergence between rail and truck dwell times means for intermodal reliability.

Peacock Tariff Consulting principal Kyle Peacock joins the show to discuss the breakdown in U.S.-Canada trade negotiations, new Canadian tariffs and product bans, and the ongoing U.S.-Mexico talks over USMCA and automotive content requirements. The conversation explores how tariff uncertainty is reshaping freight lanes, supply chains and long-term planning for shippers and carriers.

In the SONAR market update, Zach looks at rising tender rejection rates following Labor Day and a sharp post-holiday surge in truckload volumes. The data points to broad-based increases in rejection rates across major freight markets, while refrigerated freight continues its seasonal influence on the national market.

The show also features Mark McEntire, the new CEO of Emerge, who discusses his shipper-focused vision for the company, the shift from episodic to continuous procurement, the growing role of AI and data in freight procurement, and Emerge’s efforts to bring truckload, LTL, intermodal and other modes together on a single platform.

Finally, FreightWaves writer Stuart Chirls joins the program to examine elevated U.S. container imports, including August’s exceptionally strong volumes at major ports such as Long Beach and Charleston. The discussion looks at the forces driving import demand—from consumer goods to data-center construction—and whether elevated volumes will persist into the fall.

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Every load you've ever picked up from a warehouse got there somehow. Somebody moved it from a ship. Or from a rail yard. Or from a port depot. On a chassis. In a container. In a city like Chicago where the rail network is one of the most complex in the country and the congestion, the chassis shortages, and the steamship line politics can turn a straightforward pickup into an all-day event.

That's drayage. And most truckers have never thought about it once. Sergio Manzo has been in it his entire career. Eight years as a driver moving containers through Chicago's rail yards. Now COO of Severo Trucking — the family business his family has been running for over three decades in one of the most demanding intermodal markets in the country.

Today we're getting into a part of this industry that the load board crowd has never seen. And I think when you hear what drayage actually involves — the complexity, the discipline, the relationships you have to build — you're going to understand why the carriers who do it well are some of the most insulated operators in the business.

Let's get into it.

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100% owner-operators. Turnover around 30%. In an industry where some fleets live with turnover north of 90%…HOW?

That’s what we came to Mercer Transportation in Louisville, Kentucky to find out.

For Day 1 of Truck Driver Appreciation Week, Brake Check is LIVE from Mercer Town ... but we’re not here for another corporate speech about how much drivers are “appreciated.”

We want to know what appreciation looks like when it actually shows up in the numbers.

Charles sits down with Chasity Hebner, Director of Recruiting, to talk recruiting, retention, why Mercer continues pushing to improve even with turnover around the 30% range, and what drivers actually need from the companies asking for their loyalty.

Then Andrew “Dragon” Pendragon and Valerie Simms, Launch Success Managers at Mercer, take us behind the scenes of what happens AFTER recruiting makes the promise.

Because signing an owner-operator is one thing.

SETTING THEM UP TO ACTUALLY SUCCEED IS ANOTHER.

What happens during those critical first days? Why does support matter?

What does Mercer do differently?

And can you really connect driver appreciation to retention?

Forget the pizza. Forget the T-shirt. Forget the annual “thank you drivers” email. Maybe the best way to appreciate a trucker is to build an operation they actually WANT TO STAY WITH.

Sponsored by Apex Capital, OOIDA and Hey Bubba.

SOUND OFF IN THE COMMENTS:

What is the ONE thing a carrier could do that would make YOU feel genuinely appreciated?

And if you’re an owner-operator.... what makes you stay, and what makes you walk?

#BrakeCheck #Trucking #OwnerOperator #TruckDriverAppreciationWeek #TruckDrivers #DriverRetention #MercerTransportation #TruckingIndustry #FreightWaves #TDAW2026

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FreightWaves Today digs into the latest signals from across the freight and transportation markets — from weakening freight demand and rail volumes to record diesel prices, supply chain disruptions and the evolving role of technology in trucking and procurement.

The team breaks down J.B. Hunt’s latest commentary, softer consumer demand, tight capacity and what current tender rejection and truckload volume data are saying about the fall freight market.

Energy advisor Tom Kloza examines the forces driving diesel and crude markets, the impact of disruptions in the Middle East and Russia, refining capacity, renewable diesel and what the next several months could mean for transportation costs.

Daniel Silverfield, Head of Value and Selection for Amazon Business, explains how the B2B operation serves millions of business customers, simplifies procurement and uses AI and data to help companies consolidate purchases and find savings.

Bill Stephens, Editor of Trains Magazine, joins the show to discuss the latest railroad data. North American rail traffic declined year over year, with weakness across several economically sensitive commodities, including chemicals, petroleum and autos.

Michael Cainey from Highway joins the conversation on the challenges facing the brokerage and trucking markets, including fraud, carrier verification, tracking technology and how legitimate carriers can stand out in an increasingly complex freight environment.

Plus, the latest SONAR data on diesel, spot rates, shipment volumes and tender rejections — and a look at what those numbers could mean as the freight market heads into peak season.

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