FreightCasts

On this episode of FreightWaves Today, Malcolm Harris and Julie Van de Kamp break down the latest developments shaping freight markets, from a nearly $1 million trading card theft and alarming truck safety violations to third-quarter earnings, rising transportation costs, and the growing shift from highways to rail. Plus, Vertical Aerospace’s Michael Cervenka explains how its Valo electric aircraft could transform time-critical cargo delivery, and Trains magazine editor Bill Stephens joins the show to discuss surging rail traffic and the outlook for railroad earnings.

In this episode:

Nearly $1 Million in Trading Cards Stolen From a FedEx Truck: FreightWaves Head of Fraud Media and Education Phil Brink and Highway Chief Product Officer Brendan Bailey discuss the disappearance of approximately $963,000 worth of Pokémon, sports, and other trading cards from a FedEx truck in Santa Ana, California. Investigators are working to determine when and where the theft occurred. The conversation explores why high-value collectibles are attractive targets, the cargo theft risks facing Southern California, and the security procedures carriers should follow when transporting valuable freight.

Cargo Theft vs. Freight Fraud: Understanding the Risks: Brink and Bailey explain the differences between straight theft, direct theft, and strategic theft, including situations involving compromised carrier email accounts and fraudulent access to shipments. Bailey also explains how Highway’s secure rate confirmation delivery process helps protect sensitive shipment information by requiring carriers to authenticate before accessing documents, rather than relying on email inbox security.

Truck Safety Inspections Reveal Serious Violations: Enforcement operations in Arizona and North Dakota uncovered hundreds of violations, including unsafe vehicles and severe equipment failures. One truck stopped in Arizona had completely inoperative trailer brakes, seven broken trailer cross members, and extensive lower-rail damage. Malcolm and Julie discuss why these findings underscore the importance of preventive maintenance, qualified drivers, and freight rates that allow carriers to invest in safety.

Heartland Express Returns to Profitability: Heartland Express reported third-quarter net income of $1 million, reversing an $8.3 million loss from the same quarter a year earlier. Improved freight volumes, stronger customer pricing, and reduced industry capacity helped drive the turnaround. The company’s adjusted operating ratio improved to 97.6%, while fuel, maintenance, repair, and employee-related costs continued to pressure results.

SONAR Deep Dive: Rising Rates, Rising Costs: Julie examines third-quarter earnings and freight market indicators from J.B. Hunt, Werner, and Heartland Express. Truckload carriers are gaining pricing power as capacity tightens, but higher diesel prices, driver recruitment and retention expenses, insurance claims, and equipment costs are absorbing much of the improvement. The discussion also highlights the growing cost advantage of intermodal transportation and the potential for continued road-to-rail conversion.

Vertical Aerospace’s Valo Aircraft Could Change Urgent Freight Delivery: Michael Cervenka, chief commercial and strategy officer at Vertical Aerospace, explains how the Valo electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft combines helicopter-style vertical takeoff and landing with airplane-style flight. The company is targeting certification around 2028–2029, with operational service expected from 2030 onward. Potential cargo applications include time-critical medical equipment, humanitarian aid, defense logistics, and deliveries to remote locations without suitable runway infrastructure.

Rail Traffic Accelerates as Intermodal Gains Momentum: Bill Stephens, editor of Trains magazine, reviews the latest Association of American Railroads traffic figures. U.S. rail traffic rose 8.5% year over year for the week, with intermodal volume surging as high diesel prices and tight truck capacity encourage shippers to move more freight by rail. Stephens also discusses rail earnings expectations, rising steel-related shipments, and the competitive dynamics among major railroads.

Railroad Earnings Season Begins: With CSX, Union Pacific, and Norfolk Southern reporting third-quarter results, the show explores what investors and freight market participants should watch. The discussion covers earnings expectations, intermodal market share, fuel surcharges, rail pricing, and whether railroads can keep pace with rising operating costs.

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On this episode of What the Truck?!, Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the freight industry, from freight fraud and cargo theft to truck safety and the legal risks surrounding serious trucking accidents. Plus, John Moore from Volvo Trucks joins the show to break down the all-new VNX and the technology changing vocational trucking.

In this episode:

Volvo Trucks Unveils the All-New VNX: John Moore, product marketing manager at Volvo Trucks, explains how the new VNX is advancing vocational and heavy-haul operations. Learn how remote steering lets drivers guide a truck from outside the cab, how automated direction changes can make repetitive work smoother, and how integrated body telematics can alert drivers to equipment issues—like a raised dump bed or a concrete mixer that stops turning. Moore also discusses new air-curtain airbags, pedestrian detection, blind-spot radar, automatic emergency calls, and improvements to cab comfort.

Freight Fraud: More Than Double Brokering: Anna Bothwell, founder of Freight 411, shares firsthand lessons from her experience running a trucking company, freight brokerage, and warehouse. She describes deceptive practices involving altered seals, unauthorized load consolidation, stolen shipments, and suspicious cross-docking requests—including a shipment of sour cream allegedly transported alongside rat poison. The conversation explores why fraud prevention must continue throughout a shipment, not stop after carrier vetting.

Cargo Theft and Smarter Shipment Tracking: Guy, president of SmartSense, discusses cargo theft research and the challenges of protecting high-value freight. The conversation examines fraudulent pickups, GPS jamming, tracking technology placed with the cargo itself, and why detecting theft is only part of the solution. Rapid alerts, coordinated systems, and timely intervention can help companies respond before stolen freight disappears.

When a Truck Crash Becomes a Legal Battle: Matthew Alles Brooke, founder of the Texas Law Dog, explains the challenges of investigating serious trucking accidents and building a case around reliable evidence. The discussion covers dashcam footage, electronic control module (ECM) data, crash reports, accident reconstruction, and the difficulties that arise when key evidence is missing or unavailable. His advice to trucking companies, fleet managers, and freight brokers: operate as though a jury may one day review every record.

A Million-Dollar Pokémon Card Heist: The hosts react to news of a reported $1 million theft involving two pallets of rare Pokémon cards in California, highlighting how high-value, easily transported goods can become targets for cargo thieves.

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In this episode, we kick things off with a massive cargo heist that has investigators scrambling to reconstruct exactly how ⁠nearly one million dollars in Pokémon and sports cards vanished from a FedEx truck⁠ in Santa Ana, California. The driver discovered a missing lock and two complete pallets gone, each holding approximately one hundred packages of collectible trading cards, though detectives still don't know when or where the theft actually occurred.

Next, we explore the truckload sector where a major carrier is celebrating a critical financial turnaround as ⁠Heartland Express posted its first net profit since 2023⁠ without relying on equipment sales. The North Liberty, Iowa-based company reported third-quarter net income of one million dollars, a dramatic reversal from an eight point three million dollar loss in the year-ago quarter, driven by stronger freight volumes and improved customer pricing.

Finally, we break down how a wave of nationwide enforcement operations is pulling hundreds of unsafe trucks and drivers off America's highways as ⁠commercial vehicle safety blitzes across Arizona, California, North Dakota and Kentucky uncovered extensive violations⁠ ranging from mechanical defects to driver disqualifications. In one three-day Arizona operation alone, inspectors conducted two hundred sixty-three inspections and removed one hundred ten unsafe vehicles and drivers from the state's roadways.

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On this episode of Loaded and Rolling, recorded live at Trimble Insight 2026 in San Diego, California, host Thomas Wasson sits down with Michael Kornhauser, Sector VP of Transportation at Trimble. They dive into Trimble's latest innovations in enterprise trucking technology, including:

AI & Product Development: How Trimble leverages AI internally and across its product offerings, including the new Trimble Arc Agent, to boost productivity and customer support.

Next-Gen Mapping & PC*MILER: Innovations in routing, mapping, and CoPilot navigation to eliminate wasted mileage and streamline driver execution.

Appian Fleet Optimization: Enhancing multi-stop routing and fleet planning through the fusion of human expertise and AI execution.

Data Ownership & Integration: Empowering carriers and private fleets with democratized, secure data sharing and modular TMS solutions.

Tune in to discover how Trimble is shaping the future of transportation and logistics technology.

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Diesel prices are climbing, operating costs are squeezing carrier profits, and a major nuclear verdict against C.H. Robinson could have far-reaching implications for freight brokers. On this episode of FreightWaves Today, Malcolm Harris and Julie Van de Kamp break down the latest freight market data, explore the growth of autonomous trucking, and examine the legal and economic pressures shaping the transportation industry.

In this episode:

Autonomous Trucking Moves Toward Scale: Brett Suma, president and COO of Bot Auto, joins the show to discuss the company's rapid growth and its strategy for scaling driverless freight operations. Learn how Bot Auto plans to reduce autonomous driving hardware costs to approximately $50,000 per truck, why capital efficiency matters, and how AI-powered software, redundant safety systems, and real-world customer commitments are helping advance autonomous trucking.

SONAR Freight Market Update: Julie examines the latest truckload trends as freight volumes soften while carrier capacity remains tight. With overall tender rejections holding around 13.9% and refrigerated tender rejections at approximately 21.4%, carriers continue to have leverage in selecting loads. The update also explores seasonal refrigerated freight demand, harvest activity, and why reefer spot rates are rising faster than contract rates.

Diesel Prices and Carrier Cost Pressures: FreightWaves Editor-at-Large John Kingston breaks down the latest diesel price movements amid global supply disruptions and uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. The discussion looks at depleted inventories, the outlook for fuel prices heading into winter, and why diesel remains a major concern for trucking companies despite fuel surcharges.

C.H. Robinson's $700 Million Verdict: Kingston explains the Texas judge's decision to uphold a roughly $603 million jury verdict against C.H. Robinson, with accrued interest pushing the total to approximately $700 million at the time of the discussion. The team examines the potential implications for broker liability, negligent carrier selection, insurance requirements, and the broader freight brokerage industry as the case moves toward the next stage of legal proceedings.

Werner Enterprises and Trucking Earnings: The team breaks down Werner's third-quarter profit warning, including the impact of elevated diesel prices, driver recruitment and retention expenses, and insurance claims. With earnings reports rolling in across transportation, the discussion explores why rising rates may not be enough to offset mounting operating costs.

Drug Seizure at the U.S.-Mexico Border: Authorities discovered approximately $30.4 million worth of suspected methamphetamine concealed in a commercial salt shipment at the Laredo World Trade Bridge. The hosts discuss the risks facing trucking operations along the border and the importance of investigations into illicit cargo moving through commercial freight networks.

What Is Keeping Trucking Executives and Drivers Up at Night? The show examines findings from the American Transportation Research Institute's annual critical issues survey. Fuel prices have returned as a leading industry concern, alongside lawsuit abuse reform, driver shortages, insurance costs, and truck parking—highlighting the different pressures facing drivers and motor carriers.

From driverless trucks and freight market dynamics to diesel volatility and broker liability, this episode delivers essential insights into the forces shaping trucking and the supply chain.

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