FreightCasts

In this episode of Freight Expectations, Craig Fuller, Max, and transportation attorney Matt Leffler challenge one of the trucking industry's biggest myths. They explain why the issue isn't a lack of drivers, but poor compensation, high turnover, and decades of structural changes that have reshaped the freight industry.

The conversation expands into the growing shortage of diesel technicians, why skilled trades may be the safest careers in the age of AI, and whether America has undervalued blue-collar work for too long.

The team also breaks down several major U.S. Supreme Court decisions, including what they could mean for federal agencies, executive power, transportation policy, and the future of regulation.

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The freight market heads into the Fourth of July weekend with strong momentum—and we're breaking down everything you need to know.

Craig Fuller and Max Fuller are joined by Matthew Leffler to discuss the latest freight market developments, North American trade, Supreme Court decisions impacting the trucking industry, broker liability, insurance trends, and what they all mean for carriers, brokers, and shippers.

In this episode:

America 250 and the state of the U.S. economy

Why rail data points to a major American manufacturing resurgence

The latest trends in trucking demand and freight volumes

USMCA, tariffs, and the future of North American supply chains

The Supreme Court's Montgomery decision and its impact on broker liability

Insurance, tort reform, and what carriers and brokers need to know

A look inside the Volvo VISTA World Championship for elite truck technician.

Special Guests:


Matthew Leffler – Freight attorney and legal analyst


Doug Marcello – Attorney, Saxton & Stump


Chris Ingram – Service Technician, Beaver Truck Centre and Volvo VISTA World Championship finalist


Lewie Pugh - Executive Vice President, OOID

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Some carriers are surviving 2026.

Others are quietly disappearing.

The difference isn't luck. It isn't fleet size. And it isn't who has the newest trucks

It's who has better information.

On this episode of Brake Check, we pull back the curtain on what the data is really saying about today's freight market—and the hidden operational mistakes quietly costing carriers money every single day.

Joining us:

Sean Dehan – VP of Corporate Strategy & Development at Truckstop, breaks down what Truckstop's data is revealing about freight demand, rates, fraud, heavy haul, and the market trends every carrier should be watching.

Robert Bain – Director of Partnerships & Senior Consultant at GLCS, exposes the hidden technology gaps, broken processes, cybersecurity risks, and operational blind spots that keep carriers from reaching their full potential.

We cover:

Where the freight market is really headed

The biggest mistakes carriers make with load boards

Freight fraud red flags every carrier needs to know

Hidden profit leaks inside trucking companies

Cybersecurity threats hitting carriers today

Why some fleets grow while others quietly fail

The operational changes that separate surviving from thriving

If you're an owner-operator, fleet owner, dispatcher, operations manager, or anyone serious about building a stronger trucking business, this is an episode you don't want to miss.

Which challenge is costing carriers the most right now—freight, fraud, technology, or operations? Drop your answer in the comments.

Like, subscribe, and share with another carrier who needs to hear this.

#Trucking #OwnerOperator #Freight #Logistics #Truckstop #FreightMarket #LoadBoards #SmallBusiness #SupplyChain #BrakeCheck

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In this episode, we kick things off by examining a massive shift in how freight contract pricing is getting done as Triumph debuts a powerful new RFP management tool designed to help brokers keep pace with drastically compressed pricing cycles. In today's supply-constrained market, some shippers are now repricing contracts as frequently as every thirty days, a brutal acceleration from the traditional annual cycles. The platform draws on real transaction and carrier payment data tied to more than one hundred seventy thousand carriers, providing visibility into approximately seventy percent of North American brokered freight transactions.

Next, we explore a major legal battle that could reshape broker disclosure requirements across the entire industry. The case involving Pink Cheetah and Total Quality Logistics heads to oral arguments before the U.S. Appeals Court for the District of Columbia on September eleventh. The dispute centers on documents revealing that the carrier received only fifty-six percent of payment for a load, with TQL extracting approximately forty percent commission rather than the customary fourteen to sixteen percent.

Finally, we unpack the critical developments surrounding North America's signature trade pact after the U.S. rejected automatic renewal of USMCA in its current form, triggering annual reviews until issues are resolved or the agreement expires in twenty thirty-six. Despite North American trade reaching historic highs last year, this decision creates uncertainty for the trucking industry and the hundreds of billions of dollars in cross-border freight moving annually through major gateways like Laredo, Detroit-Windsor, and Otay Mesa.

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It is hump day, which means it’s the best day of the week—the release of the weekly American Association of Railroads (AAR) tonnage index! In this packed episode, we dive deep into the legal and insurance crises gripping the freight industry, analyze how extreme heatwaves are altering refrigerated shipping, track global energy volatility, and break down the massive intermodal surge redefining logistics.

Featured Guests:

Ted Bassett – Head of the Personal Injury Law Firm Group at Merrick  

Niles Openheimer – Chief Revenue Officer at CoverWell  

Matt Munster – Chief Economist at Breakthrough  

Bill Stevens – Editor and Writer at Trains Magazine / Trains Pro

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