FreightCasts

Welcome back to WithSONAR!

In this episode, we walk through the Intermodal Dashboard and how it brings national and lane-level market intelligence together in one place. With intermodal becoming an increasingly attractive alternative as transportation costs fluctuate, this dashboard makes it easier to understand where the savings are and how market conditions are changing.

Access the Intermodal Dashboard Directly Here: https://sonar.surf/intermodal-dashboard

You’ll learn how to:
Compare truckload and intermodal spot and contract rates
Monitor domestic and international intermodal volume
Track ocean import activity as a leading demand indicator
Identify the top lanes with potential intermodal savings
Compare lane-level truckload and intermodal rates and trends
Use volume and rate data to support smarter transportation decisions

📩 Have questions? Reach out to cs@gosonar.com or your Account Manager.

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#freight #freighttech #gosonar #sonar #softwareasaservice #logistics
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The freight industry is facing a major wave of regulatory, economic and operational changes. On this episode of FreightWaves Today, Craig and Julie breaks down the latest developments affecting trucking, freight brokers, autonomous trucks, railroads and cross-border freight.

The show opens with the FMCSA crackdown on CDL schools, including the shutdown of hundreds of driving schools over concerns involving English-language proficiency, facilities and instructor qualifications. The discussion examines what tougher barriers to entry could mean for trucking safety, capacity and the broader freight market.

The hosts also dive into a major Penske liability case, the future of the independent contractor model and the potential impact of new legal precedents on freight brokers and motor carriers. They discuss the latest movement on the FMCSA freight broker transparency rule, which could require brokers to maintain electronic transaction records and provide them to carriers or shippers upon request.

The episode also explores California's autonomous truck regulations, including the state's million-mile testing requirement and a legal challenge from the California Teamsters. With autonomous trucking continuing to advance, the conversation looks at the growing battle over technology, regulation and trucking jobs.

Joining the show is Dr. David Correll of Telegraph, who discusses his company's latest six-month freight rail outlook. Harrell shares his forecast for rail carload and intermodal volumes, the potential for coal exports, tank car availability, the impact of energy prices and the massive industrial demand being created by AI data center construction. He also explains why the widening price gap between truckload and intermodal transportation could continue shifting freight from trucks to rail.

The team then examines the rapid growth of U.S.-Mexico cross-border freight, with Laredo and other border markets seeing significant increases in transportation activity amid nearshoring and changing global trade patterns.

Later, Josh Lovan of J.J. Keller joins the show to discuss carrier vetting, freight broker compliance, safety management and the growing legal risks facing brokers after major nuclear verdicts. Loving outlines what companies should be doing now to create a defensible carrier-vetting process, including reviewing CSA and roadside inspection data, documenting carrier-selection decisions and consistently enforcing safety standards.
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Join hosts Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent on this episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? as they dive into the biggest stories shaping the freight, logistics, and supply chain landscape!In this episode, we break down:

$400K Cargo Theft Recovery in Arizona: How quick police coordination and cross-department communication led to back-to-back stolen load interceptions on I-40 and I-10.

Freight Data Disputes (Motive vs. Highway): A look into the temporary data-sharing friction between Motive and Highway, performance guarantees, and the growing debate over who owns and monetizes carrier data.

NHTSA Fuel Efficiency Regulations Update: Analyzing the Trump administration’s shift toward regulating complete vehicles over individual components, and what it means for fleet costs and engine efficiency.

2027 Trailer Leasing Market Trends: Ed Benton, SVP of Sales at Premier Trailer Leasing, joins to talk about trailer availability, supply pressure, and how fleets can navigate equipment flexibility heading into 2027.

High Schoolers Earning CDLs: Executive Director of Zeta CDL School, Josh Claman, discusses how their program helps high school seniors earn a CDL before graduation to create clear, high-paying career pathways.

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In this episode, we kick things off in California, where organized labor is aggressively challenging the state's newly implemented autonomous truck framework. The California Teamsters filed suit in Alameda County Superior Court, arguing that the DMV improperly fast-tracked driverless truck testing regulations through an expedited process reserved for minor updates. Despite the legal challenge, the permit queue continues to move forward with Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI already holding drivered testing permits.

Meanwhile, two powerful trucking industry groups are sounding the alarm over a recent appellate court decision they say could fundamentally upend the entire carrier liability model. The American Trucking Associations and the Truckload Carriers of America filed a joint amicus brief requesting a full en banc hearing to reconsider a Fifth Circuit ruling that found Penske Logistics liable for a fatal crash involving a double-brokered driver the company knew nothing about. The associations warn that if the precedent stands, the entire trucking industry may have been violating federal leasing regulations for decades.

Finally, we cover a long-awaited federal transparency rule for freight brokers that has cleared a critical Washington checkpoint. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sent its broker transparency rulemaking to the White House on August twenty-seventh, marking the first concrete movement since the comment period closed in March twenty twenty-five. The rule would require brokers to maintain transaction records electronically and provide copies to carriers or shippers within forty-eight hours of a request.

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Join host Craig Fuller and Matt Leffler on this episode of Freight Expectations as they break down the biggest stories reshaping the freight and logistics industry:

A look at the rising tide of organized rail and trucking theft, how Mexico is tackling cargo crime, and where the bipartisan CORCA legislation stands in Congress.

Analyzing Chris Spear's early departure from the American Trucking Associations and the long-standing debate surrounding the "driver shortage" narrative.

Two tech giants clash over ELD data access and API fees—what this means for small fleets, freight brokers, and load availability.

How the AI-driven data center boom is driving industrial freight demand, and why NIMBYism and political battles are heating up.

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