FreightCasts

FreightWaves Today looks ahead to the fourth quarter and holiday peak season with an in-depth discussion of freight market conditions, capacity, operating costs and the broader economy.

Covenant Logistics Group Founder and CEO David Parker joins the show live in Chattanooga to discuss the company’s strategy of moving away from commoditized truckload freight and deeper into specialized, service-intensive operations, including poultry transportation, expedited freight and logistics supporting AI data-center construction. Parker shares his outlook for peak season, contract rates, capacity, driver pay, diesel costs and the potential impact of autonomous trucking and electric trucks.

The episode also examines major industry headlines, including Daimler Truck North America’s opposition to proposed NOx noncompliance penalties, Trimble’s strategic review of its transportation and logistics business, and uncertainty surrounding U.S. port fees on China-linked and China-built vessels.

The SONAR market update explores tender rejections, spot and contract rates, freight volumes and the tightening capacity environment. With tender rejections around 14%, the discussion examines why the market can remain healthy without reaching the extreme tightness seen during previous freight booms.

Economist Jason Miller joins the show for a broader look at the freight economy, including diesel prices, regulatory enforcement, capacity exits, consumer spending, energy markets, interest rates, housing and the driver labor market. Miller also discusses how AI and data-center investment are supporting industrial freight while weaker consumer activity creates potential headwinds.

The episode closes with a discussion of changing student-loan policies and their potential implications for consumer spending and freight, along with an update on FreightWaves Today’s new one-hour-plus format.

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Is trucking finally at the bottom...or are we still digging?

Diesel is around $6.53 a gallon. Rates remain under pressure. Capacity keeps leaving. Cash is getting tighter. And trucking has been hearing the same promise for what feels like forever:

“THE RECOVERY IS COMING.”

Cool....WHEN?

On this episode of Brake Check, Charles follows the money with two guests looking at the trucking market from completely different angles.First, John Larkin, Senior Investment Partner at Venture 53, brings decades of transportation and Wall Street experience to the questions every carrier wants answered:

Are we finally at the bottom? How many more trucks have to disappear before rates move? Is freight volume or excess capacity the bigger problem? Who breaks first at $6.53 diesel? And when does buying another truck become an investment instead of a really expensive gamble?

Then we put $1 MILLION on the table.

Trucking capacity, Freight technology, Brokerage, Warehousing, or cash.

Where would John Larkin put HIS money today?

Then Jacob Thomas from AtoB joins us to attack the problem from the cab instead of Wall Street.

At $6.53 diesel, fuel discounts aren't pocket change anymore. We're breaking down fuel-card savings, where discounts actually come from, hidden costs, fuel fraud, cash flow, working capital and the mistakes that make expensive diesel even MORE expensive.

Because surviving this freight market isn't just about waiting for rates to recover.

It's about having enough damn money left WHEN THEY DO.

SOUND OFF IN THE COMMENTS:

If you had $250,000 in cash TODAY, what are you doing?

BUY A TRUCK? PAY DOWN DEBT? INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY? OR SIT ON THE CASH?

And the bigger question:

IS TRUCKING FINALLY AT THE BOTTOM?

#Trucking #Freight #Diesel #OwnerOperator #TruckDrivers #FreightMarket #TruckingIndustry #FreightTech #DieselPrices #BrakeCheck

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In this episode, we kick things off by examining a fierce regulatory battle over proposed non-compliance penalties that could allow engine makers to simply pay fines rather than meet the drastically tighter nitrogen oxide standard taking effect in 2027. Daimler Truck North America is publicly resisting this controversial loophole, warning that PACCAR's suggestion of treating 6,000–7,000 per-engine penalties as an acceptable business strategy undermines Congressional intent and threatens the investments made by companies that developed compliant technology over the past decade.

Next, we explore the freight technology sector where a potential blockbuster divestiture remains in limbo as Trimble keeps multiple interested parties on the hook for its transportation and logistics business. Speaking at the company's Insight 2026 conference, CEO Rob Painter offered no timetable or clarity on whether the strategic review with Goldman Sachs will result in a sale, spinoff, or no transaction at all, even as Trimble continues investing aggressively in new AI-powered tools like Arc Agent.

Finally, we discuss a critical regulatory gap that has U.S. port-entry fees targeting China-linked vessels scheduled to resume in November despite last week's broader trade truce extension through January 2027. The discrepancy leaves liner operators and cargo interests in limbo, awaiting formal USTR action to align the maritime-fee suspension with the newly extended diplomatic accord, as no such notice had been issued as of September 28.

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On this episode of FreightWaves Today, Julie Van de Kamp and Malcolm Harris break down the biggest stories shaping freight and logistics, from autonomous trucking and artificial intelligence to fraud, cargo theft and the evolving freight market.

The show leads with Aurora Innovation’s plan to scale to more than 30,000 driverless trucks by 2030, prompting a discussion about truck utilization, the future ownership of autonomous assets and how widespread autonomy could reshape freight brokerage. The hosts also examine a $105 million alleged trucking investment fraud scheme and proposed changes to Mexico’s customs law that could affect cross-border freight through increased inspections and potential cargo seizures.

In the featured interview, Gabriel Ribeiro of Hey Bubba AI discusses how carriers are actually adopting AI, where smaller fleets can begin, and why data security and human oversight remain critical. Ribeiro explains how AI can automate load discovery and negotiation, connect with TMS, telematics, email and phone systems, flag discrepancies in freight documents, provide driver support and create hands-free workflows designed to reduce distraction.

The episode also features a SONAR market deep dive, examining rising diesel prices, elevated but relatively stable spot rates, tight capacity, tender rejections and the potential impact of automotive and housing demand heading into peak season.

The hosts revisit freight fraud and cargo theft, discuss emerging last-mile delivery technology including drone delivery, and preview the upcoming F3: Future of Freight Festival in Chattanooga.

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On this episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent dig into a busy week in freight, from trucking investment fraud and cargo theft to the future of brokerage and autonomous trucking.The show opens with a look at a $105 million alleged semi-truck investment scheme that reportedly involved hundreds of investors and promises of guaranteed weekly returns. Malcolm and Michael break down the warning signs investors should have noticed and the broader lessons around fraud in trucking.

The conversation then turns to the evolution of cargo theft, as cyber-enabled schemes increasingly allow criminals to obtain shipment information, impersonate legitimate carriers and steal high-value freight before a truck even arrives. Michael also weighs in on the changing role of brokers and the growing pressure for technology and data to deliver more value across the freight ecosystem.

The hosts examine a major RICO lawsuit involving C.H. Robinson and carriers, discussing what the allegations could mean for the brokerage industry, potential discovery of internal communications and the broader question of how brokers create value in a changing transportation market. They also take a look at Aurora's ambitious autonomous-trucking plans, including its goal of operating more than 30,000 driverless trucks by 2030.

Then, Bill Cooper, vice president of sales at Fleet Management Solutions, joins the show to discuss the business impact of truck downtime and why preventative maintenance is becoming a strategic advantage. Cooper explains how mobile maintenance can bring the garage directly to a fleet, helping companies perform inspections, preventative maintenance and repairs without taking vehicles out of service unnecessarily.

The conversation explores how fleets can combine telematics, fuel data, maintenance information and real-world operating conditions to create more customized maintenance plans and improve uptime. Cooper also discusses the technician shortage, training, the growing complexity of fleet equipment and preparing maintenance teams for electric and autonomous vehicles.

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