Not All Maintenance Violations Are the Same
The piece separates vehicle‑maintenance violations into two distinct buckets—driver‑detectable issues found during pre‑trip checks and systemic maintenance failures that only a proper preventive‑maintenance program can catch. Driver‑detectable problems such as burnt‑out lights, low tire pressure, or missing mirrors demand better driver training, DVIR compliance, and dispatch controls. Systemic violations like brake‑adjustment wear, hose chafing, or steering‑component fatigue stem from inadequate service intervals, technician oversight, or shop workflow gaps. By grouping violation codes rather than relying on the FMCSA BASIC percentile, carriers can craft targeted corrective actions and reduce litigation exposure.
National Trucking Capacity Is About to Tighten Significantly
National dry‑van spot rates surged to $2.89 per mile, the highest level since 2022, after a $0.12 weekly jump. The rise reflects a 20‑25% year‑over‑year recovery on key lanes and volumes at multi‑year highs. Carrier attrition, driver regulations and tender...
Borderlands Mexico: Court Ruling on Tariffs Sets Off Refund Scramble, Legal Uncertainty
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, overturning a key tool used to target imports linked to fentanyl, migration and other concerns. The decision opens the door to potentially $166 billion in refunds...
Fullbay’s 2026 Report: Heavy-Duty Shops Face Structural Technician Shortage
Fullbay’s 2026 State of Heavy‑Duty Repair report reveals record revenue growth, with $5.04 billion in service orders and a 68 % net new revenue increase since 2023, despite rising labor costs. The industry faces a structural technician shortage as wages jump 14 %...
DEF Pump Prices, so Far, Hold Steady Despite Middle East Turmoil
Diesel retail prices jumped to $5.18 per gallon, up sharply from $3.81, while the cost of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) has remained flat around $4.30‑$4.60 per gallon. The raw material for DEF—urea—saw its benchmark price surge from $482.50 to $712.50...
$6,535 for Parking in the Wrong Spot? This Receipt Is Going Viral and It Could Have Been Your Truck.
A 2017 Freightliner Cascadia was impounded in Charlotte, North Carolina after being parked illegally at a Bojangles lot, generating a $6,535 tow and storage invoice. The truck was towed at 5:03 AM, held for thirteen hours, and returned without keys and...
1 in 85: The Cocaine-Positive Truck Driver Turned Pretend SAP Cleared 1,000 Drug Violations
A North Carolina truck driver, Brandon Blackburn, posed as a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) and fraudulently cleared roughly 1,000 CDL drivers with drug violations in the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. He charged $100‑$350 per driver via Zelle and Facebook...
The Non-Domiciled CDL Crackdown Is Law. Fleets Have 4 Problems.
On March 6 California revoked 13,000 CDLs and on March 16 the FMCSA enacted a rule limiting CDL eligibility to H‑2A, H‑2B and E‑2 visas, stripping DACA, asylum and refugee holders of eligibility. Up to 200,000 drivers—about five percent of the U.S....
FedEx to Shutter 9 New York Parcel Centers
FedEx announced the closure of nine parcel centers in New York and one in Pennsylvania as the final phase of its Network 2.0 integration. The program consolidates legacy express and ground operations into a single surface network, aiming to cut excess...
J.B. Hunt Says Fuel Spike Not yet Driving Intermodal Conversion
J.B. Hunt’s intermodal division reported strong margin improvement despite a 30% surge in diesel prices since the Iran conflict, yet shippers have not begun shifting freight from truckload to rail. Intermodal still delivers roughly 22.8% cost savings versus truckload, well...
Rail Outlook up on Firmer Economic Factors: AAR
The Association of American Railroads reported February freight volumes rising, with carloads up 6.5% year‑over‑year and intermodal shipments reaching a record weekly average. Coal remained the largest non‑intermodal commodity, accounting for 26.6% of volume, while grain, chemicals and petroleum also...
There Are 292,000 Shippers in America and 9 Out of 10 Carriers Have 10 Trucks or Less — The...
The article reveals that roughly 292,000 U.S. manufacturers—mostly small operations—generate a massive pool of direct shipping opportunities, while 97% of carriers run ten trucks or fewer, leaving most freight routed through brokers. Brokers capture about $17.5 billion annually, but small carriers...
US Postal Service on Brink of Financial Collapse, Chief Tells Congress
The U.S. Postal Service warned Congress it will run out of cash and be unable to deliver mail within 12 months unless its $15 billion statutory borrowing limit is lifted and key regulatory constraints are eased. A 20‑year decline in mail...
Longtime Memphis Port Chief Richardson Retires
Longtime Executive Director Randy Richardson will retire from the Memphis & Shelby County Port Commission on Dec. 31, 2026 after joining the port in 1993 and leading it since 2010. During his tenure the port solidified its status as the fifth‑largest U.S....
Wisconsin-Based Carrier Files for Chapter 11 Protection
Family‑owned Sparhawk Trucking, a Wisconsin‑based carrier with 178 power units per FMCSA data, has entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing reveals assets of less than $50,000 against liabilities estimated between $10 million and $50 million. Four related entities—Sparhawk Truck and Trailer, Sparhawk...
The Gold Coast Death Wake that Led to Mar-a-Lago
Dragos Sprinceana, a Romanian immigrant, built GoldCoast Logistics into a 350‑truck carrier that amassed $889,630 in FMCSA fines, faced two major enforcement actions, and accumulated 150 crashes resulting in ten fatalities. The company operated through a maze of shell entities,...
A Florida Trucking Company Raised $158 Million From 2,000 Investors by Promising 200% Monthly Returns – Here Is Exactly How...
Florida‑based Royal Bengal Logistics, founded by Sanjay Singh, raised $158 million from roughly 2,000 investors by selling four investment programs that promised up to 200% monthly returns. The company’s trucks were largely old, high‑mileage vehicles owned by independent contractors, and the...
The Police Can Seize Your Cash During a Traffic Stop and Keep It Without Charging You With Anything – Every...
A Texas sheriff seized $42,300 in cash from truck driver Ameal Woods during a routine traffic stop, invoking civil asset forfeiture despite no drug evidence or criminal charge. The civil case, filed against the money itself, forced Woods to prove...
Dalilah’s Law Is Moving Through Congress – Here Is Everything That Is Actually In It, Everything That Was Promised But...
Dalilah’s Law, introduced in the Senate and House, would tie federal transportation funding to strict CDL eligibility, revoking licenses from non‑citizens, non‑permanent residents, and holders of only three specific work visas. The bill mandates English‑only testing and forces a universal...
STB Won’t Open New Probe of CPKC Rail Service on West Coast-Southeast Intermodal Shortcut
Federal regulators at the Surface Transportation Board (STB) denied Norfolk Southern’s and Union Pacific’s petitions to open a probe into Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s (CPKC) handling of interline intermodal trains on the Meridian Speedway, a 320‑mile West Coast‑Southeast shortcut. The...
The Person Running DHS Has Changed – Here Is What That Means for the Immigration Enforcement That Has Been Reshaping...
Over the past year, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Homeland Security have jointly tightened the commercial driver pool through non‑domiciled CDL restrictions and immigration raids, eliminating thousands of drivers and CDL schools. President Trump announced the removal...
Borderlands Mexico: GM, Stellantis Drive Auto Exports to US in February
Mexico’s automotive sector produced 311,457 light vehicles in February, a 1.8% year‑over‑year decline, while exports slipped 4.4% to 247,945 units. General Motors and Stellantis remained the top exporters, with GM producing 69,652 vehicles and shipping 57,473, and Stellantis producing 40,865...
FMCSA Just Issued a Bulletin Warning Carriers Not to Buy or Sell DOT Numbers – Here Is Why That Warning...
The FMCSA issued an emergency bulletin prohibiting the sale, purchase, or lease of USDOT and MC numbers, labeling such transactions as fraud that will trigger revocation of operating authority. The agency clarified that DOT numbers are permanent, non‑transferable identifiers tied...
After Trump Photo Op, CMA CGM Will Re-Flag 30 Ships in France
CMA CGM announced it will re‑flag ten 24,000‑TEU vessels under the French flag starting in 2026, boosting its home‑registered fleet by 30% to 40 ships. The decision follows CEO Rodolphe Saade’s 2025 Oval Office appearance with President Trump, where a...
RyderVentures Bets on ‘Physical AI’ to Break Warehouse Automation’s Biggest Barriers
RyderVentures is championing "physical AI," a blend of artificial‑intelligence models with warehouse hardware that lets equipment perform multiple tasks instead of a single, fixed function. The approach tackles the biggest hurdle to warehouse automation—high upfront capital outlays and the risk...
Dragon No Longer in the Cab: Senator Cotton and Rep. Stefanik Quietly Move to Eject China From American Trucking
Rep. Elise Stefanik introduced the Trucking Security and CCP Disclosure Act of 2026, mandating that every carrier in the Department of Defense freight chain certify it has no ownership or control ties to Chinese military‑linked entities. The bill creates a...
Flexport’s Latest Tech Rollout Comes Amid–And Alongside–Global Freight Chaos
Flexport launched its winter technology suite amid a Supreme Court decision that nullified Trump‑era tariffs and a sudden Middle East conflict that disrupted shipping lanes. The free Atlas portal now offers real‑time visibility into port congestion, while a tariff simulator...
Supply Chain Layoffs Spread Across Warehouses, Factories and Rail Terminals
A wave of supply‑chain layoffs has swept across the United States, affecting roughly 4,000 workers in recent weeks. The biggest cuts came from SK Battery America, which shed 958 jobs (about 37% of its staff) and First Brands Group, which...
Ten Maersk Ships ‘Trapped’ in Persian Gulf
Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc said ten of the carrier’s vessels are trapped in the Persian Gulf after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz. The ships have been grouped offshore for safety, with one under a U.S. Military Sealift Command contract....
Descartes Reports Record Quarter; Announces Acquisition
Descartes Systems Group posted a record fiscal fourth quarter, delivering $193 million in revenue, a 15% year‑over‑year increase, and adjusted EBITDA of $89 million, up 18% YoY with a 46% margin. Earnings per share rose to 52 cents, 9 cents above the...
Lufthansa Cargo Minimizes Delays During Pilot Strike
Lufthansa Cargo will operate more than 80% of its scheduled all‑cargo flights on Thursday and Friday despite a 48‑hour pilot strike over pension and pay demands. The carrier expects to maintain over 50% of its overall flight schedule, with long‑haul...
Eight Days to a CDL
A driver from Hawaii flew to New Jersey, completed an eight‑day training program, passed the skills test, and returned home with a full commercial driver’s license—entirely within legal bounds. The ELDT rule, effective 2022, requires only demonstrated proficiency and imposes...
UPS Navigates Amazon Draw Down in Hard Pivot to Premium Services
UPS is executing its largest network consolidation while deliberately shedding about 50% of its Amazon volume by mid‑2026. The carrier has cut 30,000 jobs, closed 24 parcel‑sort facilities and is automating remaining sites to boost profitability. CFO Brian Dykes said...
Amazon Defrauded: Guilty Plea in $3M+ Fraud Involving Trailers
A Connecticut‑based freight operator, Ameer Nasir, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for submitting more than $3 million in false invoices to Amazon Logistics. Between December 2019 and February 2021, he created 23 phantom trucking companies and used a manual override in...
Congress Wants to Put Driverless 80,000-Pound Trucks on the Road – Should Small Carriers Be Worried
The SELF DRIVE Act (H.R. 7390) would create a federal framework allowing fully autonomous 80,000‑pound trucks to operate commercially while under testing permits, expanding NHTSA authority and preempting state rules. The bill requires manufacturers to submit a safety case but...
How Moving Mission-Critical Tech Requires a Different Approach to Freight Logistics
Freight carriers are now moving mission‑critical AI and semiconductor hardware, not just consumer electronics, turning each trailer into a multi‑million‑dollar asset. The dense, delicate nature of this cargo demands real‑time, sensor‑driven visibility that goes beyond standard GPS location data. Werner’s...
Freight Broker Fura Announces 5th Acquisition
Freight broker Fura announced its fifth acquisition, buying Texas‑based Barton Logistics. The deal adds full‑truckload, LTL, expedited and intermodal capabilities, along with long‑standing shipper partnerships, to Fura’s AI‑driven platform. Fura now serves over 550 customers and 16,000 carriers, executing more...
MATS Is Three Weeks Away – Here Is Why Small Carriers Can’t Afford to Skip It
Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) returns to Louisville March 26‑28, 2026, drawing over 70,000 professionals and 1,000 exhibitors. The article argues that small carriers cannot afford to skip the event because the relationships forged there replace the extensive infrastructure of larger...
The Real Barrier to Driverless Trucks Is No Longer Software
A new Telemetry report argues that driverless trucking has outgrown software development and now faces a manufacturing bottleneck. Retro‑fitted autonomous trucks, while quick to prototype, suffer from inconsistent quality, high costs, and limited after‑sales support. The report recommends factory‑built Level 4...
Texas Carrier Serna’s Trucking Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Serna’s Trucking LLC, a San Marcos‑based carrier founded in 2006, filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition in the Western District of Texas. The filing lists debts under $3.4 million, qualifying it for a small‑business restructuring, and assets of roughly $545 k, dominated...
Kelly: U.S. Maritime ‘Critical’ to National, Economic Security
Senator Mark Kelly is championing the bipartisan SHIPS for America Act, a 300‑page proposal aimed at overhauling the United States’ maritime strategy, rebuilding shipbuilding capacity, and creating a skilled workforce. The legislation highlights that more than 80% of U.S. imports...
They’re Selling You a Feeling – What the Trucking Industry’s Marketing Machine Doesn’t Want You to Know
John Landrum, VP of Marketing at OTR Solutions, warns that small trucking carriers are bombarded with aggressive outreach the moment they apply for a DOT number, creating a false sense of urgency. He argues that many early‑stage decisions—such as choosing...
The Recovery Was Finally Within Reach – Rising Fuel Costs May Have Just Pushed It Back Out
After three years of a freight recession, the trucking industry saw a tentative recovery in early 2026 as spot rates rose and excess capacity fell, prompting optimism among carriers. However, a sharp surge in crude oil to over $100 per...
Borderlands Mexico: Authorities Move to Cancel Permits for 350 Mexican Steel Importers
Mexican authorities have suspended import activities and begun canceling permits for 350 steel‑importing firms as part of Operation Clean‑Up, a coordinated crackdown on smuggling and misuse of trade programs. The Ministry of Economy flagged these companies among 750 firms suspected...
White Paper: 7 Reasons Security Guards Aren’t Enough Protection
The white paper highlights that relying solely on security guards leaves critical blind spots in trucking yards and terminals, exposing cargo to theft. It identifies seven specific gaps, supported by industry statistics that show rising risk across logistics sites. The...
Trucking Jobs Post Slight Decline in Unexpected Total Payroll Drop
The February nonfarm payroll report showed an unexpected 92,000‑job decline, with truck transportation employment slipping by 500 to 1,462,500 positions. This marks a 22,100‑job shortfall compared with a year earlier and a net loss of 4,700 jobs since December. Warehouse...
The Rise of ‘Vibe Coding’ and What that Means for FreightTech
The logistics sector is entering a "vibe coding" era where elegant software is easy to build, shifting competitive advantage from pure code to technology‑native business models. Floating Point Advisors, led by former Oscar Health founder John Loser, is backing early‑stage...
Redwood Logistics Acquires Laredo Customs Broker EELCO
Redwood Logistics has acquired Laredo‑based customs broker and warehousing provider EELCO, adding licensed customs brokerage, foreign‑trade‑zone (FTZ) warehousing and a 250,000‑sq‑ft facility to its cross‑border unit Redwood Mexico. EELCO contributes more than three decades of U.S.–Mexico customs expertise and handled...
Intermodal Lags Carloads in Latest U.S. Rail Freight Data
U.S. rail carriers posted a modest 1.6% rise in total traffic for the week ending Feb. 28, reaching 516,729 carloads and intermodal units. Carloads jumped 6.9% driven by a 20% surge in grain shipments, while petroleum, chemicals and metallic ores also...
Panel’s Message: In Order to Survive Tough Trucking Market, Don’t Overlook Data
At the TCA annual convention, mid‑size carrier executives emphasized that data and benchmarking are essential to survive the current freight recession. They praised the TCA Profitability Program (TPP) for delivering granular cost insights, from lumper payments to driver‑level profit statements....