FreightCasts

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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Malcolm and The Dude kick off another packed Wednesday show! From crazy cargo thefts to major supply chain insights, they dive into the biggest stories hitting the freight and logistics industry.

Episode Breakdown:

$500k+ Copper Theft: A look at a fictitious pickup in Illinois where thieves impersonated Schneider to steal half a million dollars worth of copper—and how GPS tracking helped crack the case.

$1.5M Philadelphia Cargo Theft Ring: The hosts discuss a wild cargo theft ring involving stolen crab legs, TVs, and over $230,000 in brand-new dimes.

$50M Drug Seizure in Nebraska: A routine commercial vehicle inspection along I-80 turns up nearly 20,000 pounds of marijuana and THC products hidden inside a semi-trailer.

FMCSA Shuts Down 110+ CDL Schools: Breaking down the nationwide crackdown on fraudulent entry-level driver training providers across 20 states and online operations.

Guest Feature — Special guest Alexander Style joins the show to discuss how unifying supply chain data creates a single source of truth, how tariffs and nearshoring affect cross-border freight, and how tech is solving information latency across global logistics networks.

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FreightWaves Today takes a deep look at where the freight market is headed, from tightening capacity and rising rates to regulation, industrial demand, global trade and the forces reshaping supply chains.

Tom Albrecht of Reliance Partners joins the show to discuss the current freight cycle, drawing on decades of experience covering both trucking and rail. The conversation examines improving industrial demand, strong rail volumes, capacity constraints and the regulatory changes that could determine how long the current freight recovery lasts.

Jason Miller weighs in on the demand side of the market, including the massive buildout of AI data centers and the possibility that traditional freight metrics are underestimating the amount of freight moving through the industrial economy. The discussion also looks at truck capacity, driver availability, equipment orders and the potential impact of interest rates on the freight cycle.

Rush from Tabi breaks down how freight brokers are adapting to a more data-driven market. Tabi’s Pricing Pressure Index, which measures the balance of pricing power between shippers and brokers, is showing a market that remains favorable to brokers but is beginning to normalize. The conversation explores spot pricing, margins, shipper behavior and why disciplined, data-driven brokers are outperforming those still chasing volume.

Lakshman Achuthan, co-founder of the Economic Cycle Research Institute, brings a macroeconomic perspective, warning that global and U.S. industrial growth may be approaching a turning point. He explains how leading indicators are signaling slower growth ahead and discusses the risk of sticky costs, higher interest rates and a potential period of stagflation.

The episode closes with a wide-ranging conversation about North American trade and supply chains, including the future of USMCA, sourcing strategies, U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade relationships, reindustrialization and national security. The discussion highlights how decades of integrated North American supply chains could be affected by changing trade policies and tariffs.

Also featured: a look at the role of AI data centers, energy infrastructure and the challenge of balancing technological investment with regulatory and community concerns.

Watch FreightWaves Today for the latest analysis on freight markets, trucking, logistics, rail, supply chains and the economy.

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Autonomous trucking is moving from the drawing board to real-world operations — and the implications for the freight industry could be enormous.

In this special edition of FreightWaves Today, we take an in-depth look at the future of automation with leaders across autonomous trucking, freight marketplaces, artificial intelligence and autonomous delivery.

The episode explores how purpose-built autonomous vehicles could reshape the way freight moves, including the potential decline of traditional drop-trailer models and the rise of on-demand, dock-to-dock transportation. Industry leaders also discuss whether autonomous trucking will accelerate consolidation among carriers and brokers, and which companies could be best positioned for the transition.

We also examine the business of autonomous transportation with Einride CEO Roozbeh Charafeddine, including the company's growth, its work with major customers such as Amazon, its 500-truck Tesla Semi commitment and its strategy for gradually introducing autonomous and electric vehicles into freight networks. Charafeddine also discusses Einride's defense business and how autonomous technology can remove people from dangerous transportation environments.

uShip CEO Shawn Wu talks about the role of marketplaces in a changing freight environment, including the challenges of moving non-standardized and oversized freight, marketplace trust and safety, cargo security, household moves and the current market for large and bulky shipments.

The conversation then expands beyond trucking to autonomous delivery. AV Ride discusses its autonomous passenger vehicles and delivery robots, the role of platforms such as Uber and Grubhub, and the challenges of bringing autonomous delivery from dense urban areas and college campuses into suburban markets.

We also examine how artificial intelligence could transform global trade, with a focus on the data and operational knowledge needed to make AI agents useful in real-world supply chain operations.

From autonomous trucks and electric fleets to AI, delivery robots and the potential consolidation of the freight industry, this special edition looks at the technologies and business models that could define the next decade of transportation.

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Join Julie Van de Kamp and Malcolm Harris on FreightWaves Today as they break down major freight news, market trends, and industry insights. In this episode, industry leaders discuss small carrier financial discipline, fleet repair innovations, and regional market volatility.

In our Morning Minute: Teamsters President Sean O’Brien warns UPS of potential 2028 strike risks, Delaware breaks ground on a $669M container terminal project, and a cargo ship fire in China leaves 25 dead.

Then, Dave Gilbert, Founder and CEO of National Funding, discusses why a full order book doesn’t always signal expansion readiness, navigating high repair costs, and how small carriers can avoid cash flow traps.

Julie has a breakdown of national tender rejections, spot rates, and headhaul vs. backhaul trends across key markets including Cincinnati, Detroit, Joliet, Miami, and Houston.

And to wrap up the first hour, Andy Klobnock, COO of ServiceUp, breaks down their new partnership with Stellantis Pro One, detailing how centralized billing and AI agents are untangling fleet repair headaches.

Then in our 2nd hour, Zach Strickland and economist D.J. Donahue break down the latest economic data and what it means for transportation, consumers and the broader freight economy.

Zach is also joined by Thomas Wasson who helps Zach to explore the changing North American freight landscape. They discuss Mexican cross-border trucking, cabotage enforcement, falling Laredo freight volumes, shifting Mexico trade flows and the growing influence of data-center construction on freight demand. Data-center investment is generating demand for electronics, steel, concrete and open-deck capacity even as traditional consumer demand remains relatively muted.

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