
Hosted by FreightWaves · EN

What happens to trucking when autonomous technology collides with driver jobs, highway safety and an increasingly challenging legal environment? On this episode of Freight Expectations, Craig Fuller is joined by Matthew Leffler and Julie Van de Kamp for a wide-ranging conversation about some of the biggest issues shaping the future of trucking. The discussion examines the complicated debate surrounding autonomous trucks and what increased automation could mean for professional drivers and the broader freight workforce. While technology promises new efficiencies and potential safety improvements, the transition raises major questions about jobs, responsibility and how quickly the industry should embrace autonomous operations. The conversation also turns to trucking’s legal environment and the impact of nuclear verdicts. The group discusses why juries can be particularly unforgiving toward large trucking companies, how emotion can influence courtroom outcomes and why a carrier’s investment in safety can become critically important when an accident ends up before a jury. Craig, Matthew and Julie explore questions including: Will autonomous trucking eliminate driving jobs or simply change them? How should the industry balance technological progress with protecting workers? Why are trucking companies especially vulnerable in jury trials? How much does emotion influence nuclear verdicts? What responsibility do carriers have to invest aggressively in safety? Can companies ever completely protect themselves from catastrophic verdicts? What happens when a fatal crash puts a price on corporate decisions and safety practices? It’s a conversation about technology, people, safety and liability as trucking attempts to navigate a rapidly changing future. Follow the Freight Expectations Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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In this episode, we kick things off by examining a major safety recall affecting nearly six thousand brand-new Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks. PACCAR is pulling model year 2027 vehicles due to a critical defect in the power distribution center that could cause drivers to lose engine power, antilock brakes, or windshield wipers without any dashboard warning. The problem originated from contaminated soldering at a supplier facility, though PACCAR estimates only 0.3 percent of recalled trucks actually have the defect. Meanwhile, a sophisticated fraud operation is targeting heavy-duty trucking suppliers across Western Canada as twelve businesses shipped truck tires, engine oil, and trailer parts on fraudulent credit card orders that initially appeared legitimate. Saskatchewan RCMP launched an investigation in March after companies across the province discovered that approved transactions ultimately failed, with callers having provided credit card details that prompted shipments before the payments declined. Finally, we cover a massive workforce reduction in Ohio as International Motors lays off 1,341 employees following the sale of its Springfield facilities to Canadian manufacturer Roshel. The sale is expected to close October 2nd, effectively ending the facility's contract manufacturing agreement with a major automotive company and paving the way for Roshel to transform the sprawling campus into a U.S.-based production hub for commercial, specialty, and armored vehicles. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Zac Rogers joins to show to discuss the latest LMI and the continued uncertainty that plagues supply chains. Follow the Freightonomics Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of FreightWaves Today, co-hosts Zach Strickland and Julie Van de Kamp break down the latest market-moving headlines across the freight, logistics, and supply chain landscape. Driver Pay & Payroll Trends: Mike Ritzema, President and Founder of Superior Trucking Payroll Service, joins the show to discuss the Driver Pay Index reaching a record 170.04. He walks through what real payroll data reveals about rising driver compensation, surging turnover rates in June, and how carrier owners can adjust pay structures to navigate tightening margins. Scaling D2C Cold Chain Fulfillment: Juan Camilo Meisel, Founder and CEO of Grip, dives into the fast-growing world of direct-to-consumer perishable logistics. Juan shares insights on shipping over $3 billion in temperature-sensitive goods, why frozen products are leading the charge, and the strategic addition of industry veteran John Hummel as President of Grip Fulfillment to drive their next phase of expansion. Freightnomics & Macroeconomic Update: On the second half of the show, Zach Strickland and DJ Donahue break down the latest ISM manufacturing data, ADP labor metrics, and modal shifts between truckload and intermodal. Plus, Dr. Zack Rogers drops in for his monthly analysis of the Logistics Managers' Index (LMI), breaking down inventory cost deltas, capacity contractions, and what to expect heading into Q4. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Brake Check Vacation Special, host Charles Gracey runs back two of the most critical regulatory, legal, and safety compliance conversations facing the trucking industry today. First, Brandon Wiseman and Rob Carpenter from Trucksafe join the show to break down what FMCSA’s new MODUS registration system actually means for carriers and brokers. They dive into the legal fallout of recent Supreme Court rulings, discuss what’s inside the massive new Highway Bill proposal (including controversial hair follicle testing provisions), and tackle the question: Are small fleets being regulated out of existence? Then, Sam Watts (Director of Safety & Loss Control at 10-4 Truck Insurance) joins to separate real fleet safety culture from "safety theater". Sam shares hard truths about driver pay structures, continuous CDL monitoring, fighting nuclear verdicts, and how carriers can protect their bottom line before a single crash happens. Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we kick things off by examining the latest quarterly results from third-party logistics provider RXO, which posted a mixed second-quarter performance. While net income remained at a five cents per share loss, the company achieved what it described as a historic sequential increase in profit per load driven by a massive jump in truckload spot mix. That spot mix surged to forty-two percent in the second quarter, up from just thirty-three percent in the first quarter, as the strengthening freight market provides a tailwind for the broker. Next, we explore the encouraging turnaround at Forward Air, which is showing real signs of recovery following what analysts have called a messy merger with freight forwarder Omni Logistics. The company reported its best quarterly performance since the January 2024 combination, with consolidated revenue climbing nine percent year-over-year and consolidated adjusted EBITDA rising eighteen percent to ninety-three million dollars. The expedited freight segment led the charge with a solid twenty-four percent year-over-year revenue increase, benefiting from less-than-truckload freight that had previously been lost to a depressed truckload market now returning. Finally, we cover the heavy-duty truck market where North American Class 8 net orders totaled twenty-two thousand units in July, down thirty-one percent from June. However, industry analysts are clear that the slowdown reflects limited production availability rather than softening freight demand, with calendar-year 2026 production essentially sold out. Through July, 2026 Class 8 net orders are running one hundred twenty percent higher than the same period last year, underscoring robust replacement demand and improving fleet utilization. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of FreightWaves Today, hosts Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp break down critical news across the freight and logistics landscape, from financial health and quarterly earnings to regulatory shifts, market indices, and tariffs. James Gellert, Executive Chairman of Rapid Ratings, joins to discuss financial health across middle-market and private companies. He highlights cash-conversion cycle pressures, rising leverage, PE hold extensions, and how high-interest environments affect supply chain counterparty risk. Jay Edlin, CEO of Wove, stops by the studio to share how their AI-powered ingestion engine helps customs brokers and shippers navigate HTS updates and Section 301 tariff changes in real time. Trains Magazine Editor Bill Stephens breaks down North American rail traffic data. Excluding coal, carload growth remains strong alongside intermodal gains, pointing to continued industrial economy momentum. CEO Geoff Anderman discusses STG Logistics emerging from bankruptcy with a restructured balance sheet, the current state of drayage and intermodal demand, and ongoing modal conversion opportunities. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this hump day edition, Malcolm and The Dude dive into football playbook contests, fast-moving retail trends, new LTL technology, and sustainable supply chain tracking solutions. Jing Jing Chen (VP of Growth, Basic 3PL): Breaks down how e-commerce and viral social media trends are rewriting the traditional retail calendar. She explains how modern fulfillment centers and flexible warehousing adapt to handle sudden, viral demand surges—moving inventory in 72 hours instead of 72 days. Patrick Sugar (EVP of Operations, Saia LTL Freight): Discusses Saia's national expansion and the launch of Rev. Patrick shares operational insights into meeting changing customer expectations around speed, real-time visibility, reliability, and expanded last-mile capabilities. Dr. Brantly Fulton (CEO & Co-founder, Lamar Global): Takes us under the hood of single-use supply chain tracking. He shares how Lamar Global uses flexible electronics, roll-to-roll printing, and eco-friendly zinc batteries to solve complex reverse logistics and provide real-time temperature, humidity, and condition monitoring for cold chain and life sciences. Watch on YouTube Visit our sponsor - GNOSIS FREIGHT Subscribe to the WTT newsletter Apple Podcasts Spotify More FreightWaves Podcasts #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we kick things off by examining the harsh financial realities facing the truckload sector, where Pamt Corp. posted its seventh consecutive quarterly net loss and a staggering 110.6% adjusted operating ratio in its truckload division. Despite slashing its fleet by over four hundred tractors in three years, the company is finally seeing emerging signs of relief with a four percent sequential increase in revenue per loaded mile and constrained driver supply creating potential rate correction opportunities ahead. Next, we explore a major consolidation in the specialized bulk sector as Canadian hauler Trimac Transportation acquired California Freight, a bulk food-grade logistics provider operating eight terminals across California and Nevada. This strategic acquisition brings approximately five hundred tractors and tank trailers hauling raw milk, plus over four hundred thousand square feet of food-grade storage space that aligns directly with Trimac's long-term growth strategy. Finally, we break down another critical win for shippers in the ongoing legal battle over vicarious liability, where a Texas appeals court blocked liability claims against Atlas Aerospace in a fatal 2018 trucking collision case. This marks the second recent Texas court decision rejecting shipper liability for failing to control carrier selection, while C.H. Robinson continues its aggressive appeal of the massive six hundred four million dollar Lipe vs. Lupus Superior verdict. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices