FreightCasts

In Episode 10 of Fraud Watch, Phil Brink sits down with Sergeant Jeff Gordon of the Phoenix Police Department, Detective Curtis Peery of the Coconino County Sheriff's Office, and Eduardo Castillo, Global Transportation Security Manager and retired Phoenix Police detective, for a conversation about the evolution of cargo theft and freight fraud. Drawing on firsthand investigative experience, they discuss why organized criminal groups continue to target the transportation industry, how their tactics are changing, why Arizona has become a hotspot for these crimes, and what brokers, carriers, shippers, and law enforcement can do together to better protect the nation's supply chain.
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In this episode, we kick things off with a sobering snapshot of the freight industry's ongoing financial pain. Four companies are eliminating nearly 250 jobs at logistics and distribution facilities across New Jersey, North Carolina, Illinois, and California, while ⁠nine transportation and logistics-related companies have recently sought bankruptcy protection⁠. The largest announced workforce reduction involves Fusion Transport, a New Jersey logistics provider planning to lay off seventy-nine employees at its Piscataway facility effective October first, while bankruptcy filings continue to pile up across multiple freight segments.

Next, we shift over to the agricultural freight sector, where a strategic acquisition is dramatically expanding access to specialized livestock hauling services. Springfield, Missouri-based BulkLoads announced Monday that it has ⁠acquired Livestock Network, an online load board and community serving the livestock transportation industry since 2000⁠. Livestock Network members will now gain access to BulkLoads' broader ecosystem of products, including Smart Freight Funding for freight factoring, Bulk Insurance Group, BulkTMS transportation management software, and Bulk Freight Insights market intelligence.

Finally, we unpack a staggering shift in driver compensation as ⁠the Truck Driver Pay Index surged by 13.5 percent in just two months⁠. Jointly calculated by AscendTMS and Superior Trucking Payroll Services, the index hit 170.04 in June, up from 150.83 in April — easily the highest two-month gain in the history of the index, which has been calculated since 2020. With a typical lag of four to six months between higher spot rates and driver pay, experts suggest more increases are likely in the coming weeks and months.

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Based on the episode transcript, here's a YouTube description that highlights the biggest stories and guest interviews while optimizing for search.

The global supply chain is facing another major test as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continue to evolve. On today's FreightWaves Today, Craig Fuller and Joey discuss the latest developments after President Trump reverses course on a proposed transit fee and instead announces a blockade targeting Iranian trade. What does it mean for oil prices, diesel costs, ocean shipping, and the broader freight market?

Joining the show:

🚛 Syd Brown, CEO of NFI

* Why NFI exited the one-way truckload business
* How dedicated fleets and warehousing transformed the company into a $3.8 billion logistics powerhouse
* Why driver shortages are returning
* The impact of freight fraud and stricter carrier enforcement
* Why safety investments are becoming a competitive advantage
* How shippers are responding as freight capacity tightens

🌍 Stuart Chirls, FreightWaves International Reporter

* Breaking down the latest developments in the Strait of Hormuz
* What a potential blockade means for global trade
* Rising ocean freight rates and supply chain disruptions
* Why importers are front-loading freight ahead of additional uncertainty
* The growing importance of alternative shipping routes through the Middle East

🤖 Jake Dettmer, SVP of Product at Optimal Dynamics

* Using AI to optimize freight acceptance before dispatch
* Why maximizing revenue matters more than minimizing empty miles
* Forward-looking fleet optimization strategies
* The future of AI-powered trucking operations
* Is AI in logistics entering a bubble—or just getting started?

⛽ John Kingston, FreightWaves Energy Expert

* Weekly diesel price update
* How geopolitical tensions are impacting fuel markets
* What trucking companies should expect from diesel prices in the weeks ahead

🌊 Captain Rahul Khanna, Global Head of Marine Risk Consulting at Allianz Commercial

* How geopolitical tensions are reshaping global maritime risk
* The insurance industry's perspective on disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz
* The biggest threats facing global shipping today
* How shipping companies are preparing for increased security and operational risks
* What cargo owners, carriers, and logistics providers should watch as global trade routes evolve
* Why marine risk has become one of the most critical factors in supply chain resilience

📰 Top stories covered:

* Project44 splits into two companies with the launch of LSP44
* AI-native logistics technology and the future of transportation management
* Risinger Brothers driver classification lawsuit receives class-action status
* Freight market conditions continue tightening
* Driver recruiting challenges return as regulatory enforcement increases
* Intermodal volumes continue climbing
* Why shippers may soon face higher transportation costs

Whether you're a carrier, broker, shipper, owner-operator, or logistics technology leader, this episode breaks down the biggest freight, supply chain, transportation, and economic stories shaping the industry today.

Subscribe for daily freight market analysis, supply chain news, trucking updates, logistics technology, AI insights, and exclusive interviews from the industry's leading experts.

#FreightWaves #Trucking #Logistics #SupplyChain #Freight #Diesel #OilPrices #Project44 #AI #Transportation #Shipping #TruckingNews #FreightMarket #NFI #SupplyChainAI
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Artificial intelligence isn't replacing truckers.

It's giving smart carriers an advantage.

In this episode of Brake Check, we separate real technology from industry hype and show how AI is helping carriers make better decisions, fight freight fraud, and run more profitable businesses.

First, Dale Prax from ⁠Truckstop.com⁠ and FreightValidate pulls back the curtain on the latest freight fraud schemes, identity theft, fake MC numbers, and the tools carriers can use to protect themselves before a load ever moves.

Then Jacky Zhao, Senior Director of Technology Innovation at ⁠Truckstop.com⁠, introduces AVA—the freight industry's first voice-native AI carrier assistant. Learn how voice-powered AI can help owner-operators and fleets search freight, check rates, and stay productive without taking their eyes off the road.

Inside this episode:

How freight fraud is evolving in 2026

The biggest identity verification mistakes carriers make

The newest scams targeting trucking companies

How Truckstop is fighting fraud

What AVA actually does—and why it's different from the AI hype

How AI can help carriers work smarter without replacing drivers

Where trucking technology is headed next

The future belongs to carriers that adapt—not because AI is replacing truckers, but because technology is becoming a competitive advantage.

If you're serious about protecting your business, staying ahead of fraud, and running a smarter operation, subscribe for more episodes of Brake Check on FreightWaves.

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In this episode, we kick things off by examining the massive strategic restructuring at project44 that splits the visibility giant into two distinct businesses. The company is separating into project44, which will serve enterprise shippers as a decision intelligence platform, and LSP44, a newly launched AI-native infrastructure business built exclusively for logistics service providers. LSP44 launches with day-one profitability and processes a staggering seven hundred six million carrier events daily across four continents.

Next, we explore a significant development in the legal arena as a driver misclassification lawsuit against Illinois-based Risinger Brothers Transfer gains class action status. The drivers allege that Risinger misclassified them as independent contractors rather than employees, and that wage deductions for truck payments, insurance, fuel, and maintenance left some drivers earning below minimum wage for all hours worked under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Finally, we break down a strategic infrastructure project in the Middle East as DP World plans a new UAE port near Fujairah to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. The new container terminal would lessen dependence on the UAE's Port of Jebel Ali and route cargo through the Gulf of Oman instead. This move comes amid heightened regional tensions and President Trump's recent suggestion that the U.S. seize control of the critical chokepoint and charge vessels a toll for passage.

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