Industry News

News from the world of Trucking

• FRA caps non-English rail crews at 10-mile border zone    (2025-12-19)
  The Trump administration is restricting Mexican train crews from traveling more than 10 miles into the U.S. due to English language proficiency concerns. The post FRA caps non-English rail crews at 10-mile border zone appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Musk's 2018 Tesla Pay Plan Reinstated After 7-Year Battle    (2025-12-19)
  Elon Musk won reinstatement of his 2018 pay package as CEO of Tesla, after the Delaware Supreme Court reversed the finding of a judge who said the billionaire had influenced board members.
• Polestar Receives Lifeline With $300 Million in New Financing    (2025-12-19)
  Polestar Automotive Holding UK has secured $300 million in new financing, giving the cash-burning electric vehicle maker a fresh lifeline as it contends with heavy losses.
• Scott McPherson to Succeed George Holm as PFG CEO    (2025-12-19)
  The move comes less than one month after Richmond, Va.-based PFG and US Foods called off talks for a planned merger that would have reshaped the food service carrier arena.
• New York City bill that targeted Amazon won’t get taken up in 2025    (2025-12-19)
  A New York City bill that is seen as targeting Amazon won’t get acted upon this year. The post New York City bill that targeted Amazon won’t get taken up in 2025 appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Year-end holiday period brings heightened cargo theft risk: CargoNet    (2025-12-19)
  Verisk CargoNet identified elevated cargo theft and fraud risk between Dec. 23, 2025 and Jan. 2, 2026, and is urging fleets and shippers to enhance security and verification practices during […]
• UP, NS: Merger will create 10,000 single-line service lanes, shift 105k truckloads to rail    (2025-12-19)
  Merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern will create 10,000 single-line rail lanes, annually shifting 105,000 truckloads to rail and improving efficiency by eliminating interchanges. The post UP, NS: Merger will create 10,000 single-line service lanes, shift 105k truckloads to rail appeared first on FreightWaves.
• N.Y. Offers $300M in Port Improvements to Back Wind Projects    (2025-12-19)
  New York is offering $300 million for port improvements in a signal of support for an offshore wind industry that’s been battered by the Trump administration. 
• 9 Drugmakers Reach Deals With Trump on Prices to Avoid Tariffs    (2025-12-19)
  President Trump announced deals with nine pharmaceutical companies, the latest in a series of pacts designed to lower prices for some Americans in exchange for a reprieve from tariffs.
• FedEx Posts Higher Earnings as Spinoff Plans Advance    (2025-12-19)
  The results hovered around expectations by investment analysts on Wall Street, which had been looking for $4.07 per share and quarterly revenue of $22.88 billion.
• Averitt Expands Dedicated Unit to Include Tanker Operations    (2025-12-19)
  Averitt Express added dedicated tanker truck services to its logistics offerings for bourbon distilleries, expanding its long-standing role in supporting the industry.
• What an Expiring ACA Could Mean for Owner-Operators and Small Carriers    (2025-12-19)
  Health insurance has never been simple in trucking. For owner-operators and small carriers, it’s often one of the most confusing, expensive, and emotionally loaded parts of running the business. And in 2026, that pressure could increase — not because of a new law, but because a temporary one may quietly run out. Several provisions tied […] The post What an Expiring ACA Could Mean for Owner-Operators and Small Carriers appeared first on FreightWaves.
• US weighs sanctions as Spanish port ban escalates    (2025-12-19)
  The FMC is considering retaliatory sanctions and fines against Spain after confirming the country denied port access to U.S.-flagged vessels bound for Israel. The post US weighs sanctions as Spanish port ban escalates appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Setting Business Goals for Your Trucking Company in 2026    (2025-12-19)
  With 2025 almost in the books, the smartest thing a small carrier can do right now isn’t chase one more load — it’s slow down just enough to decide what 2026 actually needs to look like. If you’re reading this with less than two weeks left in the year, you’re right on time. Not late. […] The post Setting Business Goals for Your Trucking Company in 2026 appeared first on FreightWaves.
• FMCSA stops California from reissuing thousands of non-domiciled CDLs    (2025-12-19)
  After a fiery exchange between DOT and California, the state tried to put thousands of non-domiciled CDLs back in play. At the...
• BNSF CEO: Rail merger still a “significant threat” to economy, consumers    (2025-12-19)
  The merger filing by Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern doesn’t change the fact that the merger is bad for the economy and consumers, BNSF CEO Katie Farmer said.  The post BNSF CEO: Rail merger still a “significant threat” to economy, consumers appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Defense bill signed by Trump includes military-freight, trucker-friendly provisions    (2025-12-19)
  Owner-operators, carriers and drivers hauling military freight and HHG moves get some support in the recently passed National...
• Fleets, truckers talk pay, respect: What Drivers Want    (2025-12-19)
  The annual 'What Drivers Want' survey asked truckers why fleets have a hard time finding and keeping drivers, and 81% of survey...
• The feds are coming: How to survive an ESDC audit    (2025-12-19)
  Knock, knock. Who’s there? The Ministry of Labor. OK, there’s no funny ending to that joke. But carriers – compliant and noncompliant alike – are increasingly being visited by Employment […]
• US DOT to use AI from Salesforce to modernize agency    (2025-12-19)
  The U.S. Department of Transportation plans to deploy artificial intelligence from Salesforce to develop a more efficient and responsive transportation system. DOT will use Salesforce’s Agentforce AI platform to handle […]
• Judge denies summary judgment in deaf driver applicant’s rejection    (2025-12-19)
  An EEOC action against a carrier that declined to hire a deaf driver will proceed after a judge’s ruling. The post Judge denies summary judgment in deaf driver applicant’s rejection appeared first on FreightWaves.
• FedEx anticipates MD-11 aircraft return in spring period    (2025-12-19)
  FedEx expects to eat $175 million in extra costs to replace capacity caused by the temporary grounding of MD-11 aircraft, but that’s a blip for a company that just reported a $1.6 billion operating income and a 19% gain in adjusted earnings per share. The post FedEx anticipates MD-11 aircraft return in spring period appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd Reroute Ships From Baltimore    (2025-12-19)
  A.P. Moller-Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have switched a major route for their Gemini joint venture to the Delaware River container terminals, effective Jan. 4.
• Stord to Expand Facilities in Kentucky, Adding 500 Jobs    (2025-12-19)
  Stord is planning a $40 million upgrade to an existing facility in Hebron and will add another building to its Kentucky footprint for fulfillment operations just outside Cincinnati.
• More US Beef Plants May Close as Cattle Herds Keep Tightening    (2025-12-19)
  Cattle placed in U.S. feedlots, where animals are fed until ready to be slaughtered, are expected to have dropped in November to the lowest levels for the month since 2015, Bloomberg reports.
• Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern file historic rail merger application    (2025-12-19)
  Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern file a comprehensive merger application with the Surface Transportation Board to create America’s first transcontinental railroad. The post Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern file historic rail merger application appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Toyota to Sell Made-in-America Cars in Japan to Please Trump    (2025-12-19)
  The Camry sedan, Highlander SUV and Tundra pickup truck will go on sale in Japan from 2026, Toyota said Dec. 19. The vehicles are produced in Kentucky, Indiana and Texas, respectively.
• $200K cargo theft exposes growing fraud schemes in trucking industry    (2025-12-19)
  A family-owned San Francisco tile business was defrauded of nearly $200,000 in merchandise when criminals used fake credentials to orchestrate a strategic cargo theft. The post $200K cargo theft exposes growing fraud schemes in trucking industry appeared first on FreightWaves.
• US, Canada to Enter Trade Talks in Mid-January, Carney Says    (2025-12-19)
  The United States-Mexico-Canada trade pact is up for review in 2026. Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed to provincial leaders that trade representative Dominic LeBlanc will attend the meetings.
• Maersk Asia-US voyage successfully tests Red Sea transit    (2025-12-19)
  A Maersk vessel made a successful transit of the Red Sea, but the carrier said it is not ready to commit to a full return to the Suez Canal trade route.    The post Maersk Asia-US voyage successfully tests Red Sea transit appeared first on FreightWaves.
• FedEx Freight outlook lowered for fiscal 2026    (2025-12-18)
  Weak shipment counts have pushed profit expectations lower at FedEx Freight. The post FedEx Freight outlook lowered for fiscal 2026 appeared first on FreightWaves.
• State of Freight: a depressed trucking market suddenly comes to life    (2025-12-18)
  The State of Freight webinar took place for the first time in a long time in the midst of a surging market. The post State of Freight: a depressed trucking market suddenly comes to life appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Energy Transfer Halts LNG Project to Focus on Gas Pipelines    (2025-12-18)
  Billionaire Kelcy Warren’s Energy Transfer LP suspended development of a Louisiana liquefied natural gas export project to concentrate on building and expanding pipelines. 
• The Difference Between a Truck Owner and a Business Owner in Trucking    (2025-12-18)
  There’s a moment in every trucking journey where two operators standing in the same parking lot, pulling similar freight, and running similar equipment quietly drift onto completely different paths. On the surface, nothing looks different. Both trucks are running. Both drivers are working. Both businesses are technically “operating.” But underneath, one is being held together […] The post The Difference Between a Truck Owner and a Business Owner in Trucking appeared first on FreightWaves.
• From Box Truck to Big Rig – What Actually Changes After You Buy the Semi (Part Two)    (2025-12-18)
  Going from a straight truck to a semi doesn’t end when you get the keys. That’s when the real differences start to show. In Part One, we talked about the decision to move from a box truck into a semi — the systems, discipline, and readiness required before you ever sign paperwork. Part Two is […] The post From Box Truck to Big Rig – What Actually Changes After You Buy the Semi (Part Two) appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Trump Orders Move to Ease Federal Cannabis Restrictions    (2025-12-18)
  President Donald Trump on Dec. 18 signed an executive order directing his administration to move cannabis into a less restrictive federal category, a shift ATA has long been wary of.
• Why Cost Per Hour and Cost Per Day Matter Just as Much as Cost Per Mile    (2025-12-18)
  Some carriers are taught to think in cost per mile. It’s familiar. It’s easy to explain. And it’s only part of the picture. Cost per mile tells you how expensive it is to move the truck down the road. It does not tell you how expensive it is to run a business. That’s where cost […] The post Why Cost Per Hour and Cost Per Day Matter Just as Much as Cost Per Mile appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Winter Isn’t Just a Season — It’s a Stress Test for Small Carriers    (2025-12-18)
  Winter doesn’t usually just put trucking companies out of business overnight. It exposes the cracks that were already there. That’s the core idea behind the Winter Readiness Masterclass we recently held inside Playbook. Not winter as a weather problem—but winter as a stress test on your equipment, your drivers, your cash flow, your dispatch decisions, […] The post Winter Isn’t Just a Season — It’s a Stress Test for Small Carriers appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Readers speak out on fraud in trucking: ‘You can’t run legal and survive’    (2025-12-18)
  Industry professionals say fraud seems to be everywhere in trucking — it is widely seen as systemic, normalized, and insufficiently enforced, according to what you told us in our latest […]
• House Passes Plan to Fast-Track Infrastructure Projects    (2025-12-18)
  Republicans’ plan to fast-track federal approvals of power plants, pipelines and other energy and infrastructure projects passed the House on Dec. 18, sending the measure to the Senate.
• Is the Spot Market Waking Up or Just Stretching?    (2025-12-18)
  That story feels familiar to small carriers for a reason. Spot rates don’t move on a schedule, and they don’t follow clean rules. For years, the industry has tried to predict them with confidence — the turn is coming, capacity is tightening, just wait a few more weeks. After enough missed calls, you stop reacting. […] The post Is the Spot Market Waking Up or Just Stretching? appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Nuclear Verdicts and Rising Costs: Inside the Motor Carrier Insurance Crisis    (2025-12-18)
  FreightWaves spoke with Jackson Alexander, Executive Vice President of Sales at Reliance Partners, about what leads to nuclear verdicts, how to mitigate risk, and how the state of the insurance market for motor carriers is changing. The post Nuclear Verdicts and Rising Costs: Inside the Motor Carrier Insurance Crisis appeared first on FreightWaves.
• California Sues DOT Over Frozen Federal Transportation Funds    (2025-12-18)
  California is suing the U.S. Transportation Department over the permanent loss of more than $33 million in safety grants tied to English-language rules for truck drivers.
• US Postal Services wants retailers to compete for last-mile delivery    (2025-12-18)
  In a novel move, the U.S. Postal Service will open access to its last-mile delivery service for companies with the highest bid. The post US Postal Services wants retailers to compete for last-mile delivery appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Health Care Logistics Shines Through 2025’s Cloudy Market    (2025-12-18)
  From dedicated transport contracts to medical device, clinical trial, biopharma, cell and gene therapy logistics, there is a growing awareness of the opportunities available.
• Sterling Anderson Is Front-Runner to Succeed GM's Mary Barra    (2025-12-18)
  Anderson joined the company as chief product officer in June after working for Tesla and co-founding Aurora Innovation. His job is to bring cutting-edge software and self-driving tech to GM cars.
• Despite headwinds, Port of Los Angeles nears 10M TEUs    (2025-12-18)
  Despite trade uncertainty, Port of Los Angeles volume nears 10 million TEUs in 2025, among the top three years in its history. The post Despite headwinds, Port of Los Angeles nears 10M TEUs appeared first on FreightWaves.
• California Expected to Defy Federal Pressure, and Reissue 17,000 Non-Domiciled CDLs    (2025-12-18)
  California is expected to reissue approximately 17,000 non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses it planned to revoke after federal enforcement pressure, setting up what may become the most significant federal-state confrontation over CDL authority in decades. The post California Expected to Defy Federal Pressure, and Reissue 17,000 Non-Domiciled CDLs appeared first on FreightWaves.
• LTL Market Disappoints in 2025    (2025-12-18)
  LTL was something of a latecomer to the downturn, with the August 2023 demise of the then-No. 3-ranked LTL player Yellow Corp. shielding its peers from excessive headwinds.
• Class 8 Sales Fall Below Prior Year for Fifth Straight Month    (2025-12-18)
  U.S. Class 8 retail truck sales hit their fifth consecutive month of year-over-year declines in November, according to data from Omdia Automotive.
• Sector Deals With Canada ‘Unlikely’ as USMCA Talks Loom    (2025-12-18)
  Prime Minister Mark Carney said negotiations on sector tariffs are likely to be rolled into next year’s review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. 
• DHL drops $1.5 million to expand cold storage at LAX    (2025-12-18)
  DHL Global Forwarding is expanding its cold storage capabilities near Los Angeles International Airport, committing $1.5 million to bolster capacity for temperature-sensitive freight as demand from pharmaceutical, life sciences and healthcare shippers continues to accelerate. The upgraded facility strengthens Los Angeles’ role as a critical gateway for high-value, time- and temperature-sensitive cargo moving between Asia […] The post DHL drops $1.5 million to expand cold storage at LAX appeared first on FreightWaves.
• ‘Application day’ nears for UP-NS rail merger    (2025-12-18)
  Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern will file their formal merger application Friday with the Surface Transportation Board, detailing historic plans for the first transcontinental railroad.  The post ‘Application day’ nears for UP-NS rail merger appeared first on FreightWaves.
• The Most Expensive Part of a Breakdown Is Not Knowing What’s Wrong    (2025-12-18)
  Your truck isn’t just a piece of equipment. It’s your office. Your income. Your schedule. Your leverage. And the moment a DPF light or engine fault shows up on the dash, all of that can grind to a halt. That reality is exactly why this recent episode of The Long Haul hit home for so […] The post The Most Expensive Part of a Breakdown Is Not Knowing What’s Wrong appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Over-sized cargo strikes six Oklahoma overpasses, forcing closures    (2025-12-18)
  A flatbed truck hauling over-sized cargo damaged six county overpass bridges along Oklahoma’s Will Rogers Turnpike on Tuesday, forcing multiple closures. The post Over-sized cargo strikes six Oklahoma overpasses, forcing closures appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Uber Safety Chief to Depart in Latest Executive Shake-Up    (2025-12-18)
  Gus Fuldner's departure sets off a second round of executive changes this year at a time when the rideshare giant is being scrutinized in court over the measures it takes to protect riders.
• Nirvana’s $100M Series D bets big on AI to revolutionize commercial insurance    (2025-12-18)
  Nirvana Insurance snags $100M pre-emptive Series D led by Valor Equity, with Lightspeed and General Catalyst joining in. CEO Rushil Goel: AI will redefine underwriting amid 20% rate hikes. The post Nirvana’s $100M Series D bets big on AI to revolutionize commercial insurance appeared first on FreightWaves.
• US rail freight extends weekly losing streak    (2025-12-18)
  Rail freight has been below 2024 levels for eight consecutive weeks, according to the Association of American Railroads. The post US rail freight extends weekly losing streak appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Struggling CarMax Reports Lower Used Car Sales    (2025-12-18)
  “It is clear CarMax needs change,” interim CEO David McCreight said. The used car retailer terminated its former CEO William D. Nash at the start of December.
• Spear Voices Support for Cargo Theft Bill    (2025-12-18)
  The pending legislation would establish an Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center at the Department of Homeland Security. It awaits congressional approval.
• Rush Enterprises CEO Outlines Path to Recovery    (2025-12-18)
  Rush Enterprises founder and CEO W.M. “Rusty” Rush sees positive signs in the spot rate market, but don't expect a complete turnaround for trucking just yet.
• The Best Way To Maximize Fleet Longevity That You’re Probably Skipping    (2025-12-18)
  When new trucks became impossible to source, fleets had to push assets past a million miles. The ones that survived did one thing right: they greased. The post The Best Way To Maximize Fleet Longevity That You’re Probably Skipping appeared first on FreightWaves.
• Consumer Prices Slow in November, but Still Up 2.7% Annually    (2025-12-18)
  The Labor Department reported that its CPI was up 2.7% in November from a year earlier. Energy prices, driven up by higher fuel oil prices, rose 4.2%, and so-called core inflation was up 2.6%.
• BP Names Meg O’Neill CEO in Bid for Revival    (2025-12-18)
  The management shake-up comes as BP lags its rivals due to a combination of corporate disasters, war, lackluster returns from its renewables efforts and some bad luck.
• Congress forms first-ever trucking caucus    (2025-12-18)
  The first-ever Congressional Trucking Caucus has been created to provide an organized forum to address a variety of issues related to the U.S. trucking industry. Reps. Dave Taylor, Shomari Figures, […]