Chart of the Week:  National Truckload Index– USA SONAR: NTI.USA

International Roadcheck is a 72-hour period when members of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) conduct a heightened period of inspections on commercial vehicles. Since 2022, they have designated two primary areas of focus — one for the driver and one for the vehicle. Its impact on the domestic trucking market varies from a non-event (2020 did not produce a strong noticeable move in spot rates) to sharp 6-8% spikes in spot rates. This year’s period starts May 12 and focuses on ELDs and cargo securement.

The CVSA states that International Roadcheck inspects nearly 15 trucks and motorcoaches every minute during the 72-hour period throughout North America, making it the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial motor vehicles in the world.

Last year, there were 56,178 inspections with a vehicle out-of-service (OOS) rate of 18.1% and a driver OOS rate of 5.9%. The vehicle inspection focus was tires, which accounted for 21.4% of vehicle OOS violations, while hours of service (HOS) — though not a focus area — led driver OOS violations at 32.4%. The falsified logs focus accounted for 10% of total driver OOS violations.

For context, Roadcheck week tire violations accounted for roughly 4.5% of the entire year’s tire violations in just three days. False RODS violations accounted for roughly 5% of the year’s total false log violations in less than 1% of the calendar year. The 56,000 inspections represent approximately 1.4% of total annual inspections across North America.

So while this period does not represent a large share of annual OOS violations, the elevated OOS rate, heightened visibility, and concentrated enforcement do influence the market — as many drivers choose to avoid certain areas or take the week off, temporarily reducing capacity.

Roadcheck week does not affect all carriers equally. Larger fleets are generally more motivated to maintain compliance given the increased liability exposure they carry. Their scale makes them more susceptible to litigation when drivers or vehicles are found non-compliant. Smaller carriers and owner-operators carry less payout potential and are less likely to be involved in nuclear verdicts.

Tender data skews toward larger fleets given its reliance on electronic transmission infrastructure, which smaller carriers are less likely to have. So while tender rejection rates have increased just over a percentage point on average in recent years, this is driven more by the pull of elevated spot rates and increased load availability than by an actual reduction in capacity.

Last year’s inspection period started May 13 and produced one of the stronger increases in tender rejection rates for the period, with an approximately 117 basis point increase during the week. Rejection rates continued to climb heading into Memorial Day weekend, which complicates a clean analysis of Roadcheck’s standalone impact. Rejection rates increased from 4.48% on May 11 and peaked at 6.25% on May 25, with Memorial Day falling on May 26. 

Dry van spot rates were the least responsive last year, increasing roughly 7%, including the Memorial Day effect. Reefer had the strongest response at just under 9%, and flatbed came in around 7.5% higher. Separating Roadcheck’s influence from Memorial Day’s is difficult given the proximity of the two events.

It should be noted that not all inspection focus areas generate OOS violations — ABS systems in 2023 being one example. One of this year’s focus areas, cargo securement, has a relatively limited scope in terms of what can result in an OOS order.

In the bigger picture, the inspection period is short-lived, but its timing can make the impact feel larger than it is. It traditionally coincides with a period of rising freight demand and holiday-driven capacity disruption, which may amplify its perceived significance. Compared to broader market forces, the impact of this week is relatively modest — though it can make an already challenging environment more difficult and contribute to a more volatile start to the summer shipping season. 

About the Chart of the Week

The FreightWaves Chart of the Week is a chart selection from SONAR that provides an interesting data point to describe the state of the freight markets. A chart is chosen from thousands of potential charts on SONAR to help participants visualize the freight market in real time. Each week a Market Expert will post a chart, along with commentary, live on the front page. After that, the Chart of the Week will be archived on FreightWaves.com for future reference.

SONAR aggregates data from hundreds of sources, presenting the data in charts and maps and providing commentary on what freight market experts want to know about the industry in real time.

The post What Roadcheck week means for the freight market appeared first on FreightWaves.

The postal organization on Friday reported an operating loss of $642 million, a significant year over year improvement. The net loss, which includes certain mandated obligations outside management’s control also fell — to $2 billion from $3.3 billion. The Postal Service attributed the decreased loss to a $463 million revenue gain and a $1.3 billion cut in workers compensation expense, partly offset by an increase in retiree health benefits and other operating expenses. 

Total operating revenue was $20.2 billion for the quarter, an increase of 2.3%, compared to the same quarter last year. The increase was largely due to price increases in parcel shipping, marketing mail and First-Class mail. 

Shipping and Packages revenue increased $348 million, or 4.5%, on a volume decline of 22 million pieces, or 1.4%. First-Class mail volume fell 6.3%. And parcel volumes likely will continue to decline after Amazon recently re-enlisted for last-mile postal delivery, but said it would hand over about 20% less volume than in recent years. 

“During the quarter we were able to get revenue, cost and service results moving in the right direction,” said Postmaster General David Steiner in a statement. “However, the scale of our financial improvements compared to the prior year was modest and we have a long road [ahead] to achieve anything close to long-term financial sustainability. It is a simple fact that we are in a cash crisis, and we are now taking serious and appropriate steps to conserve funds to operate. To avoid disruption and to sustain our role supporting American commerce and the public, we require urgent Congressional action to expand our borrowing authority and to address outdated constraints on the organization.”

The USPS has a statutory debt limit of $15 billion, pays a disproportionate share of pension coverage compared to private companies, is subject to antiquated workers’ compensation requirements and can only invest retirement funds in Treasury notes. Management again pressed the Postal Regulatory Commission to eliminate the price cap on mail or allow other rate adjustments so the agency can capture more revenue. 

Steiner warned Congress in March that the Postal Service could run out of money by next spring, citing the increase in digital communication that has caused a 50% drop in mail volume, costly policy mandates and the universal service obligation. Officials say a decision is pending on whether to exercise a Postal Regulatory Commission waiver on certain pension payment obligations so the money can be used for operations and capital expenses. The Postal Service also temporarily suspended retirement contributions to the federal retirement fund, which is expected to conserve $2.5 billion in cash for the remainder of the fiscal year and help maintain liquidity.

The postmaster general reiterated that Congress has two options: allow the Postal Service to reduce service levels and charge higher rates so it can become profitable or provide subsidies, what he called a “public service reimbursement.”

But Steiner isn’t laying all the blame on Congress, saying there is much the Postal Service needs to do on its own to become a financially sustainable organization. The USPS, for example, plans to raise mail and package prices by 4.8% in July and recently implemented an 8% transportation surcharge on all parcels, largely in response to higher fuel prices triggered by the Iran war. It has cut hundreds of millions of dollars in transportation, operations and labor costs. And it recently launched an auction for e-commerce shippers to bid on last-mile delivery, part of an effort to grow volume and revenue.

“I continue to believe the market wants to do business with a postal service that is competitive, responsive and easier to work with. And we’re seeing movement in that direction through major commercial relationships and partnership opportunities. We’ve seen encouraging developments in certain key customer relationships, including Amazon and DHL,” Steiner said during a presentation to the postal board of governors.

“How do we become easier to do business with? How do we fit our network to customer needs? How do we create more value from the assets that we’ve built? If we’re going to grow, we have to be more responsive, more transparent, more market aware, and less burdened by unnecessary friction. That is why we’re working to ensure that our network responds to the needs of our customers rather than forcing customers to fit the wants of our bureaucracy,” he added.

Keep US Posted, an advocacy group of nonprofits, newspapers, greeting card publishers, catalogs and other small businesses, said in a news release that the Postal Service’s main problem is spending and productivity, not revenue. It urged Congress not to provide financial relief that doesn’t include spending reforms.

“Raising the Postal Service’s borrowing authority or providing funds without guardrails would be a blank check that only delays the inevitable collapse of the agency’s finances and leads to a massive taxpayer bailout. USPS has already maxed out its borrowing, which is currently capped at $15 billion. Given that it faces $8 billion in projected losses this year, even doubling its borrowing authority would buy months, not years, without key reforms,” said Executive Director Kevin Yoder. “USPS needs help from Congress, but any financial assistance should be tied to a CPI-based price cap, stronger Postal Regulatory Commission oversight, and measurable cost controls that protect universal service and affordability.”

Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.

Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.

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The post US Postal Service reduces operating loss to $642M appeared first on FreightWaves.

As the freight cycle recovers and utilization rises, the industry is confronting a massive accumulation of deferred maintenance from the prolonged freight recession of 2022–2026.

During that time, a squeeze on carrier margins forced widespread deferral of equipment upkeep. As high-frequency data confirms, that risk is now coming back online.

This maintenance crisis is showing up clearly in enforcement data. High-frequency SONAR indices, including the ELP Enforcement Index, track a tightening regulatory environment. The current Vehicle Out-of-Service (OOS) rate has hit 21.6% across 3.3 million inspections, resulting in over 700,000 vehicles being removed from the road annually.

The risk is compounded by an enforcement lag. The system currently audits just 1.5% of carriers per year, meaning the average carrier will not face a comprehensive audit for 65 years at current staffing levels.

This technical crisis is unfolding alongside the most consequential stretch of safety policy in a generation. In April 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order which fundamentally shifted the focus to English proficiency and non-domiciled CDL irregularities to prevent catastrophic failures caused by “chameleon carriers.”

A recent fleet management study by J.J. Keller also shows that visible executive commitment to fleet safety culture has declined over the past two years.

Want to understand how these maintenance economics and regulatory shifts will reshape capacity and your safety-market cycle? Read the full sitrep by signing up for SONAR or request a demo here.

The full report includes deeper dives into:

• The Maintenance Feedback Loop: The economics of deferred maintenance during freight recessions and how that risk manifests as utilization rises.
• Regulatory Compliance Shocks: Deeper analysis of the 2025 Executive Order’s impact on carrier operating authority and driver credentials.
• C-Suite Safety Visibility Gap: Why executive engagement is the thread separating fleets that adapt from those that fall behind.
• Actionable Safety Forecasting: Using SONAR’s OTRI, OTVI, and ELP Enforcement Index to anticipate market-wide safety risks.

Sign up for SONAR today to access the full Freight Intelligence Report and keep your supply chain ahead of the curve.

The post SONAR Sitrep: Fleet safety behind the curb post-freight recession appeared first on FreightWaves.

On Thursday, the U.S. Court of International Trade struck down a second round of 10% global tariffs imposed by the Trump administration after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in February that the president lacked authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to enact sweeping worldwide duties.

The split 2-1 ruling found Trump exceeded the tariff authority delegated by Congress under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which the administration used to replace the broader tariffs invalidated earlier this year. The court described the tariffs as “invalid” and “unauthorized by law,” according to 

The latest tariffs were temporary 10% duties applied globally and scheduled to expire July 24. The administration imposed them after the Supreme Court struck down broader double-digit tariffs Trump had placed on nearly every country in 2025.

The ruling directly blocks tariff collection from the plaintiffs in the case — the state of Washington, toy company Basic Fun! and spice importer Burlap & Barrel — although legal experts said additional importers are likely to seek refunds and broader relief.

“This ruling will open the door for more companies to request that the tariffs be thrown out and that any payments they’ve made be refunded,” trade attorney Dave Townsend told the Associated Press.

The legal setback adds another layer of uncertainty for transportation providers and importers already navigating volatile freight demand, shifting sourcing patterns and rising customs compliance costs tied to Trump’s evolving tariff policies.

According to NPR, the administration argued the replacement tariffs were justified under a law permitting tariffs in response to balance-of-payments deficits, but the trade court ruled those conditions did not exist.

The government is already preparing to refund more than $166 billion tied to earlier tariff collections invalidated by the Supreme Court, with initial payments expected to begin next week, NPR reported.

Related: Tariff turmoil: Refunds, lawsuits and new duties ahead

Trump pressures EU for trade deal

At the same time, Trump is intensifying trade pressure on the European Union.

In a Truth Social post late Thursday, Trump said he would give the EU until July 4 to ratify its trade agreement with the United States, warning tariffs would “immediately jump to much higher levels” if the bloc failed to comply.

The comments came shortly after Trump threatened to raise tariffs on cars and trucks imported from Europe to 25%, accusing the EU of failing to uphold terms of a trade agreement negotiated in Scotland last year.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU remained “fully committed” to implementing the deal and that “good progress” was being made toward tariff reductions ahead of the July deadline.

Automakers urge Trump to extend trade deal with Mexico, Canada

Also on Thursday, seven major automotive trade groups, first reported by Reuters, urged the Trump administration to extend the USMCA trade pact with Mexico and Canada, arguing the agreement remains critical to North American manufacturing competitiveness.

The groups, representing automakers, dealers and suppliers including General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, Tesla and Hyundai, warned against fragmenting the regional trade framework into separate bilateral agreements.

“Dividing USMCA into distinct trade deals would introduce unnecessary complexity, increase administrative burden, create divergent regulatory regimes, and undermine the very supply chains the agreement was designed to strengthen,” the organizations wrote in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

The push comes ahead of a July 1 review deadline for the six-year-old trade pact. Mexico and the U.S. are expected to begin formal bilateral negotiations later this month in Mexico City.

Automakers have increasingly warned that Trump’s 25% Section 232 tariffs on imported vehicles and parts are disrupting the highly integrated North American automotive supply chain built over decades under NAFTA and later USMCA.

Trucking market is tightening ahead of peak season

For freight markets, the latest legal and geopolitical trade developments are likely to sustain volatility in cross-border trucking volumes, customs brokerage activity and sourcing decisions across manufacturing sectors ranging from automotive to consumer goods.

As of Thursday, SONAR’s Truckload Tender Volume Index (STVI.USA), a real-time indicator measuring the percentage of loads carriers turn down from shippers, was at 13.24% and about 13% higher year over year. The data shows significant capacity tightening ahead of the peak season for imports, which typically runs from July through August.

The post Tariff uncertainty deepens for shippers after new court ruling against Trump appeared first on FreightWaves.

Truck transportation jobs in April rose by an amount that has not been seen for a long time. 

The jobs total of 1,496,600 jobs was 4,300 more than in March. To find a one-month gain of more than 4,300 jobs in truck transportation, you need to go back to September 2023, when the BLS reported a jobs gain in that sector of 6,000 jobs.

But that number carried something of an asterisk: it came after a job reduction of 32,700 jobs a month earlier on the back of Yellow Corp. closing. So the big increase the next month could have been driven in part by some of those laid off Yellow truck transportation workers finding other employment.

To find a one-month increase as large as the 4,300 increase from April without an extraneous one-time factor, you’d need to go back to October 2022, when the great post-pandemic freight market was slowing. The truck transportation sector added 6,400 jobs that month, one month after losing 6,100 jobs. 

It’s been mostly down arrows recently

April’s increase was even more notable because it is a much higher number in what has been a stretch of mostly lower figures. 

In the 12 months, starting with the May 2025 report, the number of truck transportation jobs declined from the prior month nine times. And the two increases during that period were small, 300 and 200 jobs in October and March, respectively.

The increase in April jobs came after an upward revision of February and March jobs as well. But that wasn’t enough to make up for the fact that despite the big April increase and those revisions, April jobs this year were still 2,100 jobs less than last year.

Stronger freight market driving numbers

David Spencer, the vice president of market intelligence at Arrive Logistics, pointed to the signs of trucking market strength as driving the higher number.

“This increase in hiring reflects growing confidence across the industry, supported by nearly six months of steady rate improvement and gradually tightening capacity conditions,” Spencer said in an email to FreightWaves.

Carriers that strategically add capacity now will be well-positioned to capitalize on what could become the strongest rate environment the industry has seen since the pandemic-era surge.”

He also said shippers that are going to “reevaluate contract allocations” and who will also “scale efficiently, will have a meaningful opportunity to strengthen customer relationships and capture additional market share.

Steady figures in warehouses

Warehouse jobs, which for several years have been subject to large up and down movements, have stabilized over the last three months. 

April warehouse jobs were up 500 jobs from March at 1,830,700 jobs. But the latest March figure comes after a downward revision, as well as a February reduction. The end result is that April jobs were 800 jobs less than February, and remain well below last April’s figure of 1,881,200 jobs.

The truck transportation jobs increase came against a background of a strong jobs report in general.

Aaron Terrazas, an independent economist, noted that the jobs report suggested so far there is no impact from higher oil prices. 

“There was effectively no signal in April of any spillover from surging energy prices into the job market — the only transportation sectors that lost jobs were the least oil sensitive industries: Rail, water and pipeline transportation, public transit, and sightseeing transportation,” Terrazas said in an email to FreightWaves. “Trucking and parcel delivery firms added payroll jobs at a healthy clip; warehousing was stable.”

But he cautioned that risk hasn’t disappeared. “It may just be a matter of time before we start to see the passthrough of late February’s oil shock into the labor market, but it’s not happening yet,” Terrazas said. “Hiring plans take a minimum of 2-3 months — and often longer — to germinate from idea into action. Much of the hiring that we saw this spring was the result of business plans laid in late 2025 as Liberation Day fears of an economic collapse faded.”

In other highlights from the report:

• The rail jobs shift mentioned by Terrazas was a decline of 600 jobs from a revised March figure of 149,900 jobs. What’s most notable about the rail jobs is how much they’ve fallen in the last year: down 6,400 jobs. That’s 4.1%.

• Terrazas also mentioned parcel deliveries, which are under the BLS report as couriers. They rose to 1,096,000 jobs, up 37,900 jobs. That  helped increase the year-on-year comparison to a positive 23,300 jobs. 

• Average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory employees in truck transportation inched up to $32.18 in March from a revised number in February. That hourly wage is now $1.51 more than it was a year ago.  

More articles by John Kingston

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The post April trucking jobs report shows a big increase in hiring appeared first on FreightWaves.

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Maritime Administration has launched an initiative to develop Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) for commercial shipping.

The Maritime Administration (Marad)’s Request for Information (RFI) seeks to develop a practicable SMR as part of the Trump administration’s plans to revitalize U.S. shipbuilding.

DOT Secretary Sean Duffy in a release said that innovative thinking is needed to secure the future of the American shipbuilding industry. 

“To successfully introduce SMRs, we must view this through a system-transition lens rather than just as a technology demonstration,” said Marad Administrator Stephen Carmel, in the release. “We are seeking critical insights on how the government can help reduce systemic uncertainty, align regulatory structures, and enable the market conditions necessary for private capital and operators to scale these groundbreaking technologies.”

In the U.S., Kairos Energy is the only firm actively building an advanced small modular reactor, and it is constructing demonstration reactors in Tennessee. X-energy is planning reactors with partners such as Amazon and Energy Northwest in Washington state, with operations expected in the early 2030s.

The NS Savannah remains the only U.S. nuclear-powered civilian vessel. It was launched in 1959 under the Eisenhower administration’s postwar “Atoms for Peace” program, and is one of only four such ships ever built.  

MARAD Administrator Stephen Carmel in the release re-emphasized a core tenet of the the administration’s Maritime Action Plan, that the U.S. sector must establish a new “system of systems”, with nuclear power serving as a transition agent in the process.

“To successfully introduce SMRs, we must view this through a system-transition lens rather than just as a technology demonstration,” Carmel said. “We are seeking critical insights on how the government can help reduce systemic uncertainty, align regulatory structures, and enable the market conditions necessary for private capital and operators to scale these groundbreaking technologies.”

The RFI highlights a number of ways nuclear power would advance the maritime agenda:

• Efficiency: Deploying reliable, high-power energy to allow commercial ships to travel farther and faster
• Affordability: Small modular reactors that will largely eliminate fuel costs and reduce maintenance requirements
• National Security: Reinforcing American supply chains and securing energy independence to bolster national defense
• Scalability: Identifying streamlined deployment methods to integrate nuclear power across entire fleets and logistical networks
• Shipbuilding & Workforce: Integrating SMNR production into U.S. shipyards to build strong robust workforce pipelines and new credentialing standards
• Regulatory Readiness: Establishing liability, insurance, and inspection frameworks to ensure seamless port access before construction begins.

“To secure this future for America’s shipbuilding industry, we need to innovate,” said Duffy. “By partnering with industry experts and outside-the-box thinkers to develop a strong SMR model, we will deliver a state-of-the-art energy source that cuts costs and bolsters national security.”

Marad is collaborating with the U.S. Coast Guard, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Department of Energy, and plans to collect additional input through public workshops, listening sessions, and technical exchanges.

Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

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The post Trump wants shipping to go nuclear appeared first on FreightWaves.

Forward (NASDAQ: FWRD) reported a $34 million net loss (“attributable to Forward Air”), or $1.09 per share, for the first quarter. Consolidated revenue of $582 million was down 5% year over year.

Consolidated adjusted EBITDA of $70 million was 4% lower y/y. Trailing 12 months’ EBITDA totaled $304 million.

During an analyst call on Thursday evening, management revealed that a contract logistics customer representing approximately 10% of Forward’s $2.5 billion annual revenue intends to diversify its logistics partners. The customer indicated the move is part of a broader internal strategy focused on risk management. While Forward has not received formal notice that a wind down will occur, it said any transition wouldn’t happen until next year.

“We believe the customer’s decision is entirely related to their own operation and supplier diversification initiatives and has nothing to do with the exceptional service we provide them during our long-term partnership,” said Shawn Stewart, Forward president and CEO.

The potential customer loss and other factors kept Forward from receiving a reasonable take-private offer. The company announced a strategic review at the beginning of 2025 as pressure from investors mounted following its contested merger with Omni Logistics. Potential outcomes under the initial plan called for the sale of part or all of the enterprise.

It will now look to sell its intermodal unit and two smaller legacy Omni businesses. The segments combined for $394 million in revenue last year. Management said the Omni units could be sold within the next 60 to 90 days, with the intermodal business hopefully being sold by the end of the year. Proceeds from the sales will be used to delever balance sheet.

Q1 by the numbers

The company’s expedited segment, which includes less-than-truckload operations, reported $273 million in revenue, a 9% y/y increase. Tonnage was down 2% as shipments fell 4% and weight per shipment increased 3%. Yield (revenue per hundredweight) dipped 1% y/y, excluding fuel surcharges. The increase in weight was a drag on the yield metric. Revenue per shipment (excluding fuel) was up 2% y/y.

The unit posted a 7.4% operating margin, which was 110 basis points better y/y. A 10.4% EBITDA margin was flat y/y. Purchased transportation expenses (as a percentage of revenue) increased 360 bps y/y.

Omni reported revenue of $302 million, a 7% y/y decline. Adjusted EBITDA of $25 million was 2% lower y/y. The adjusted EBITDA margin improved 40 bps to 8.3%.

Intermodal revenue fell 15% y/y due to a decline in port activity (drayage shipments down 20%). The unit reported a 10.1% EBITDA margin, which was 630 bps lower y/y.

Operating cash flow of $58 million in the first quarter improved by $12 million y/y. Liquidity increased to $402 million, up from $367 million at the end of 2025.

Net debt of $1.65 billion stood at 5.4 times last 12 months’ adjusted EBITDA. The company’s debt leverage covenant steps down 25 bps each quarter to 5.5 times by the fourth quarter.

More FreightWaves articles by Todd Maiden:

• Freight capacity plummets, prices skyrocket in April
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The post Forward Air flags customer loss, stock plummets appeared first on FreightWaves.

The move targets one of the most important freight regions in the country. The Dallas-Houston corridor sits at the intersection of freight moving from the West Coast, the Midwest, and across the U.S.-Mexico border. As a result, it ranks among the highest-volume commercial trucking routes in the nation.

“Our customers are making commitments to electrify their fleets. They need a charging network that can grow alongside them,” said Patrick Macdonald-King, CEO of Greenlane. “This is the first leg of the Texas Triangle. It is one of the more important freight arteries in the country. Bringing high-power charging here is the next logical step in building a network that serves how freight moves across America. Every site we develop follows a demand-based approach. This is a big next step to building out the broader network.”

Six to eight lanes and dual CCS/MCS charging in Texas

The new Texas locations will feature six to eight pull-through lanes with tractor parking and charging. Chargers will support both combined charging system (CCS) connectors for current-generation trucks and megawatt charging system (MCS) connectors for next-generation vehicles.

This dual capability serves two purposes. First, it lets fleets transition smoothly. Second, it helps maintain operational continuity as vehicle technology evolves. In addition, the high-power output allows electric trucks to recharge during driver rest periods. This reduces dwell time and aligns more closely with diesel fueling expectations.

Nevoya commits to multi-year I-45 corridor operations

Electric trucking carrier Nevoya has committed to multi-year operations on the Texas corridor. It is leveraging Greenlane’s expanding network. Each site will offer parking to support drop-and-hook relay operations and overnight stops. This gives fleets flexibility to run continuous freight operations along the corridor.

“Texas is where the future of zero-emission freight accelerates. It’s a critical trucking market and a proving ground for any operator serious about scale,” said John Verdon, chief commercial officer at Nevoya. “Our launch on the I-45 was sparked by GMA Trucking’s book-and-claim program. It shows what’s possible when the industry collaborates effectively. Greenlane’s Texas expansion gives us the key infrastructure to scale that model. This extends Nevoya’s electric trucking leadership from California into Texas.”

Greenlane Edge platform hits 99% uptime with SOC 2 audit

Every site in Greenlane’s growing network operates on the Greenlane Edge platform. It powers the Greenlane Fleet Portal and Greenlane Driver App. Fleet managers and drivers can reserve chargers in advance. They can also monitor charging activity in real time and manage billing from a single platform.

That operational infrastructure has helped Greenlane achieve 99 percent uptime across its network. It has also completed an independent System and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 Type 2 audit. This verifies security and reliability standards behind every customer interaction.

Texas expansion builds on West Coast network

The Texas push builds on Greenlane’s growing West Coast network. It is anchored by its flagship Greenlane Center in Colton, California, which opened in April 2025. Additional sites expected later this year include Blythe, California. This location is strategically positioned midway between Los Angeles and Phoenix along the I-10 corridor. Another site is planned for the Port of Long Beach. It will support high-volume drayage operations from one of the nation’s busiest ports along with regional and long-haul fleets.

The post Greenlane brings high-power charging to Texas I-45 corridor appeared first on FreightWaves.

The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay announced that the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port (PCIP) project has been awarded an $11.25 million grant through the Marad’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).

Calling it a “significant milestone for a major Oregon freight initiative with national impact,” the port in a release said that the funding supports rail infrastructure improvements on the North Spit of Coos Bay, site of the future terminal 200 miles south of Portland, and strengthens connections to the Coos Bay Rail Line, “for one of Oregon’s most significant trade and economic development opportunities.”

The state recently committed $100 million to the $2.3 billion project, following previous federal investments through INFRA and Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant programs. Permitting and environmental studies are underway on the project, which would take five years to complete.

“This award sends a clear message that serious infrastructure in rural Oregon matters and that the South Coast has a real role to play in the state’s economic future,” said Kyle Stevens, president of the Port Commission, in a statement. “It reflects ongoing public support for practical investments that create jobs, expand opportunities for producers, and strengthen infrastructure with growing national significance.”

The PCIP is a proposed ship-to-rail container terminal designed to create a new freight gateway on the U.S. West Coast, with connections directly to Midwest and other inland markets by rail.

The import flow is also designed to increase access to empty containers for agriculture exporters and other shippers targeting global markets.

The port is in Oregon’s District 4, represented by Democrat Val Hoyle, who sits on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Hoyle has said that the PCIP could create as many as 8,000 jobs throughout the supply chain. The project is also supported by Gov. Tina Kotek, and Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, also Democrats. 

Opponents have questioned the projects’s cost and long-term viability, as well as its environmental impact. The Port of Portland’s Terminal 6 has struggled to sustain business as container traffic flows to major hubs in southern California as well as Vancouver and Prince Rupert in Canada.

“We continue to see strong long-term market potential in Coos Bay and confidence in the logistics advantages this location offers,” said Chad Meyer, president of NorthPoint Development, the project’s private-sector partner, in a statement. “As global trade patterns continue to evolve, resilient transportation infrastructure becomes increasingly important. PCIP helps create the additional capacity, flexibility, and routing options needed for an ever-changing world.”

Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

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The post More federal funding for Oregon container port — and it’s not in Portland appeared first on FreightWaves.

Westerlund brings more than a decade of experience scaling high-growth companies, most recently serving as vice president of finance at Stax Payments. During his tenure, he helped build the company’s financial operations from the ground up, supporting its growth from an early-stage startup to a company that reached a reported valuation of up to $1 billion. That included multiple capital raises, acquisitions and a majority exit.

At Truck Parking Club, Westerlund will lead financial strategy and infrastructure development as the company enters its next phase of rapid expansion.

“Victor brings exactly the kind of experience we need at this stage of growth,” said Evan Shelley, founder and chief executive officer of Truck Parking Club. “His experience building financial systems, raising capital and navigating scale will be critical as we continue to expand our network and strengthen our position in the market.”

This news comes as the company recently announced it has surpassed 5,000 locations nationwide. The growth is part of its larger ambitions to double its network to more than 10,000 locations by the end of 2026.

“Truck parking is one of the biggest pain points in the logistics ecosystem, and the opportunity to solve it at scale is incredibly compelling,” said Westerlund. “There’s a large, underserved market here, and Truck Parking Club has built a strong foundation and a clear path forward. I’m excited to join the team at this stage and help drive the next phase of growth.”

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That is not news by itself. ELD revocations have been happening for years. What makes this one worth paying attention to is the number that FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs put on the record today. Sixty-seven devices removed since January 2025. In roughly 16 months.

When I wrote about the Gorilla Fleet Safety revocations last May, eight devices were removed from the registry at once. AllwaysTrack. Command Alkon Trackit. ELDX. Gorilla Safety Compact ELD. HCSS ELD. LB Technologies FleetTrack HOS. Simplex ELD 2GO. Trucker Path ELD Pro. That felt like a big number at the time.

It was a Tuesday afternoon compared to what has happened since. As of today, the FMCSA registered ELD list includes approximately 1,050 devices, all self-certified by manufacturers. The revoked list now carries over 250 devices. Sixty-seven of those revocations have come in the last 16 months alone. That is not a periodic housekeeping exercise. That is an enforcement campaign. And Barrs made clear in today’s announcement that it is not slowing down.

“Since January 2025, FMCSA has taken decisive action, removing 67 noncompliant devices that failed to meet federal standards, to protect the integrity of the ELD program, and we will continue to identify and remove any device that falls short,” Barrs said.

If you are running Safe ELD on iOS or Android, or MYLOGS ELD, here is the timeline.

Stop using the revoked device. Today. Revert to paper logs or compliant logging software to record your hours-of-service data. You need a record of duty status and the device you have been using no longer qualifies as one.

Replace the device with a compliant ELD from the FMCSA-registered list before July 7, 2026. That is a 60-day window. It sounds like a lot of time. It is not. Ordering a new device, getting it installed, getting your drivers trained on it, and configuring your back-office systems to pull data from it takes longer than most carriers think.

Between now and July 7, FMCSA is telling roadside enforcement officers not to cite drivers using the revoked devices for 395.8(a)(1) or 395.22(a). Instead, they should ask for paper logs or use the ELD display as a backup to review hours-of-service data. That is the grace period. Use it.

On July 7, the grace period ends. If a driver is still using Safe ELD or MYLOGS ELD after that date, the driver will be cited for operating without an ELD and placed out of service under CVSA criteria. That means the truck stops. The load does not move. And your company has a violation on its record that shows up in SMS, in inspection reports, and in every broker and shipper vetting system that pulls FMCSA data.

This keeps happening because the ELD certification model in the United States is fundamentally broken. I wrote about this a year ago and nothing has changed.

ELD providers in the U.S. self-certify their devices. That means the manufacturer completes a form stating that their device meets the technical specifications in 49 CFR Part 395 Appendix A. Nobody tests it. Nobody verifies it. Nobody from FMCSA plugs the device in and checks whether it actually does what the manufacturer says it does. The device is added to the registered list. Carriers buy it. Drivers use it. Then, months or years later, the FMCSA discovers that the device does not meet the standard and pulls it off the list.

At that point, the manufacturer has already collected the revenue. The carriers have already integrated the device into their operations. The drivers have already been trained on it. And now everyone has 60 days to start over.

Canada does not do it this way. Canada requires third-party certification before carriers can use an ELD. An accredited independent organization tests the device and confirms it meets the standard before it goes on the market. The manufacturer does not get to grade its own homework.

Sixty-seven revocations in 16 months is what self-certification looks like at scale. The manufacturers who cut corners on development get the same registry listing as the manufacturers who invest in quality. Carriers who buy the cheapest option receive the same registered device badge as those who vet their vendor. And when the device gets pulled, it is the carrier and the driver who pay the price, not the manufacturer who sold them a noncompliant product.

Every time one of these revocations happens, I hear from carriers who say they had no idea their ELD might not be compliant. They saw it on the FMCSA registered list. They assumed it meant it had been tested and verified. It does not. Registration is a filing, not an endorsement.

Here is what I tell every carrier who asks me how to choose an ELD provider.

Look at how long the provider has been on the registered list. A device that has been registered for five years without revocation is a different proposition than one that showed up six months ago. Longevity on the registry is not a guarantee, but it is the closest thing to a track record that the current system offers.

Look at who else uses the provider. The major fleet management platforms serving large carriers are scrutinized by enterprise customers with legal departments and insurance requirements for ELD compliance. That scrutiny is a form of quality control that the self-certification process does not provide. A provider that counts major fleets among its customers has more to lose from a revocation than one that sells a low-cost device through an app store.

Look at whether the provider has a support infrastructure. When a compliance question comes up, when a roadside officer has a question about your device, when an update changes how the device records data, you need a phone number that someone answers. The cheapest ELD on the market is not cheap if it costs you a load, a customer, or an out-of-service order because nobody was available to help you resolve an issue.

Look at the business model. If the device is free or nearly free and the company makes its money on monthly subscriptions, ask yourself what happens to your compliance if you stop paying. If the provider goes out of business, which has happened multiple times in this space, your registered ELD becomes an unregistered brick on your dashboard.

Ask the provider directly whether their device has been independently tested by a third party, even though U.S. regulations do not require it. Some providers voluntarily submit to independent testing because they know it differentiates them in the market. That voluntary step tells you something about how seriously the manufacturer takes compliance.

Barrs has now put the industry on notice. Sixty-seven revocations in 16 months is a rate of more than four per month. That pace suggests the FMCSA is actively auditing the registered list and removing devices that do not hold up to scrutiny. That is good for the program’s integrity. It is bad for carriers who picked their ELD based on price and assumed the registration was a seal of approval.

The registered ELD list is a filing cabinet, not a quality certification. Treat it accordingly. Check your device against the current registered list today. Not next week. Today. The list is at eld.fmcsa.dot.gov. If your device is on the revoked list, you are already behind. If your device is on the registered list, take five minutes to check whether the manufacturer is still in business, still providing updates, and still reachable by phone. The next revocation announcement is not a question of if. It is a question of when.

The post 67 ELDs revoked since January. 2 more just made the list. appeared first on FreightWaves.

Basic financial data about RXO/s first quarter can be found here. 

The first quarter earnings of 3PL giant RXO seemed to signal that a tough several years for the company, which saw its stock steadily erode even as that of its key competitor C.H. Robinson soared, might have come to an end on the back of two significant factors.

One is the freight market, which CEO Drew Wilkerson said has been strengthened not by a surge in demand, which he said repeatedly on the company’s conference call with analysts Thursday had been mostly flat. 

“For now, demand remains soft,” Wilkerson said in his opening remarks. “Our customers are still managing through macro economic uncertainty, and we have yet to see a sustained increase in the demand for goods.”

Supply-driven boost

Instead, Wilkerson said RXO (NYSE: RXO) is benefitting from “a supply driven recovery (that) is taking shape. Capacity continues to exit the market, a trend that began to accelerate late last year due to regulatory changes in enforcement.”

But the second factor that RXO officials on the call kept coming back to is technology, and that is where C.H. Robinson (NASDAQ: CHRW) loomed large.

Since the first quarter of 2024, C.H. Robinson has been a Wall Street star, with steady increases in its performance driven by several factors, including aggressive adoption of AI. 

Since May 1, 2024, when those first quarter earnings signaled the company had turned the corner, the stock is up about 141%, though at a price of approximately $172 on Thursday, C.H. Robinson is down about 15.6% from its 52-week and all-time high of $203.34 on February 6.

C.H. Robinson executives in various forums have been about as “on message” as might be found in any industry. In the company’s latest earnings call with analysts, CEO David Bozeman referred to “lean AI…our unique disciplined approach to AI innovation that is transforming supply chains.”

That term, or something similar, has been heard from C.H. Robinson officials repeatedly. 

At RXO, they have talked about the adoption of AI, but it’s never been as aggressive as heard from their competitor.

That started to change with the first quarter earnings call. And what investors heard and saw in the earnings was viewed as positive. 

At approximately 1:45 p.m. EDT, RXO stock was at $22.43, up $2.86 or 14.27%. It has more than doubled since a 52-week low of $10.43 on November 18. 

But even the current stock price, after its Thursday increase, is down significantly from its more than $31 high in late July 2024.

Investors presumably were reacting positively, among other things, to RXO’s forecast of EBITDA in the second quarter. 

Big jump foreseen in EBITDA

After coming in with a figure of $6 million in EBITDA for the first quarter, RXO is now forecasting, based on both a stronger market and its own productivity gains, EBITDA of $27 million to $37 million in the second quarter. That assumption is based on higher pricing and the waning of the brokerage squeeze that occurs when spot rates are rising but contract rates are not. 

Even if it came in at the high end of that range, EBITDA at RXO would still be below the second quarter 2025 EBITDA of $38 million. But it would be getting close. 

The company’s EBITDA margin in the first quarter was 0.6%, compared to 1.5% in the first quarter of 2025. For the full year 2025, it was 1.9%. 

Wilkerson said on the call that a normalized cycle would see RXO with an EBITDA margin in the mid single digit range, and an “upcycle” is high single digits to low double digits.

Gains starting to hit with AI

Technology will help drive those gains in EBITDA, company officials said.

“We made significant progress on our roadmap, especially when it comes to putting AI into action,” Wilkerson said. “The systems integration we completed last year (with the tech stack of Coyote Logistics, which RXO bought from UPS) has enabled us to move faster to build and launch smart AI tools that tap into RXO’s decades worth of data.”

Wilkerson made comments about AI similar to those heard from C.H. Robinson executives in its early adoption and touting of the technology, the type of boasting that has been more muted coming out of RXO, at least until this call.

“Everything our technology team is currently working on is centered around moving beyond basic repetitive tasks and toward smart, proactive decision making,” Wilkerson said.

One of the consequences of the move to Lean AI at C.H. Robinson has been a reduction in headcount. RXO does not release personnel numbers with its earnings, but C.H. Robinson does. 

In the first quarter of 2024, total headcount at C.H. Robinson was 14,990. In the first quarter of this year, it was down to 11,705.

Wilkerson said the brokerage headcount at RXO was down an unspecified double digit percentage in the first quarter compared to a year earlier.

Size of the downturn in workforce

In the company’s 10-K filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission earlier this year, RXO said as of December 31, 2025 it had 9,218 “team members” made up of 6,906 full-time and part-time employees and 2,312 temporary workers. 

A year earlier in its 10-K, RXO said the corresponding numbers were 9,873 team members of which 7,540 were full-time and part-time employees and 2,333 were temporary workers. That would mark a decline of about 6.6% as measured in the full count of team members. That figure would not have measured further declines in the first quarter or the current second quarter.  

Jared Weisfeld, the chief strategy officer at RXO, said on the call that productivity at RXO in the quarter was 15% percent improved over the prior 12 months, “benefitting from those investments.” In an interview with FreightWaves conducted in parallel with the earnings release, Weisfeld said productivity at RXO is measured as loads per person per day. 

Weisfeld said in the last 12 months, that productivity measurement is up “mid teens percentage.” As an example, he said agentic AI deployment automated more than 500,000 phone calls the company made during the quarter. 

“We are still in the very early days of enabling a lot of our AI driven incremental productivity,” Weisfeld said. He said the four “key pillars” of technology measurements at RXO are volume, margin, productivity and service. “And as we go ahead and deploy agentic AI across the organization, we’re very excited what that means to the long term incremental margin for the company.”

More articles by John Kingston

RXO launches Middle Mile Solutions

RXO: TL market seeing ‘biggest structural change’ since deregulation

New territory: RXO debt rating from Moody’s now below investment-grade cutoff

The post RXO’s tech turnaround: why investors are watching  appeared first on FreightWaves.

In this article you’ll learn:  

• Ways to lower overhead by consolidating to a single logistics provider 
• How Amazon’s fast, reliable delivery network can reduce returns and product damage 
• How technology-driven logistics — from AI-powered forecasting to dynamic inventory placement — can help you scale and manage new sales channels 

Fill out the form to gain access.

The post Solutions that Save: How Amazon’s Supply Chain Services Give Back Time, Money, and Peace of Mind  appeared first on FreightWaves.

The meeting came as global trade faces persistent uncertainty and cost pressures, and highlighted the state’s strategic positioning as a gateway of choice for importers and exporters seeking reliability and economic efficiency.
“Innovation and port investments by the Georgia Ports Authority are helping to keep our state No. 1 for business while also positioning us as a true leader in global trade,” said Gov. Brian Kemp, in opening remarks at the event held in late April. “Our ports are an economic engine for the entire state, and we’ll continue to find ways to further their success and reach.”

Supply chain predictability a competitive advantage

In an environment where global disruptions have repeatedly tested supply chain resilience, Georgia Ports President and Chief Executive Griff Lynch framed the authority’s strategy around two core customer demands: Predictability and cost savings. 

“In today’s current global business environment, our customers require greater supply chain predictability and cost savings opportunities,” Lynch said. “We have the capacity and connectivity to respond quickly to disruptions and market fluctuations around the world, enabling our customers to adjust supply chain speeds and routings to win and retain business.”

The Port of Savannah has positioned itself to capture this redirected cargo by emphasizing its operational efficiency and multimodal connectivity.

Researchers at Georgia Tech’s Supply Chain and Logistics Institute found that routing cargo through the Port of Savannah saves shippers more than $1,000 per container when delivering to Atlanta, Memphis, and Nashville compared to West Coast gateways. Beyond pure cost savings, the research documented more predictable transit times through Savannah.

East Coast ports have spent billions of dollars over the past decade building up infrastructure to establish direct connections to global markets that used to rely on landbridge service from the West Coast.

Chris Gaffney, managing director of the Supply Chain and Logistics Institute at Georgia Tech, elaborated on the findings. “Our research shows that when shippers evaluate total landed cost and end-to-end reliability, routing cargo through Savannah provides a clear economic advantage compared with West Coast routes. For Atlanta, Memphis and Nashville, routing cargo through Savannah reduces congestion exposure, saves shippers money and delivers more consistent, predictable transit performance.”

These findings carry significant implications for supply chain decision-making. As shippers increasingly adopt total landed cost methodologies that account for transit variability and congestion risk, Savannah’s advantages extend beyond simple freight rate comparisons to encompass the broader operational and financial benefits of consistent, reliable service.

Operational velocity and multimodal connectivity

Savannah’s operational statistics demonstrate the scale and efficiency that underpin its competitive claims. Currently, 80% of Savannah’s cargo moves inland by truck, while 20% travels by rail. This modal split reflects both the port’s proximity to major Southeastern markets and the economics of transportation modes at varying distances.

With diesel fuel costs remaining a persistent concern for trucking operations, rail becomes increasingly attractive for destinations beyond 250 miles from the port. Savannah’s intermodal infrastructure supports this optionality with 42 doublestack trains departing weekly to connect with inland markets. The port claims the lowest rail dwell time in the nation at 20 hours or less, meaning containers spend minimal time waiting for rail connections after discharge from vessels.

Vessel activity at the port reflects its status as a major gateway, with 40 container ships calling Savannah each week. On the truck side, the port handles between 14,000 and 16,000 truck gate moves daily. The efficiency of these movements is notable, with dual moves – transactions involving both a container drop-off and pickup  – are completed in less than 50 minutes, while single moves take approximately 30 minutes. These processing times reduce driver detention and improve equipment utilization for trucking companies serving the port.

The Mason Mega Rail facility had a record year in 2025, handling 591,000 containers. This performance validates the authority’s strategic bet on rail capacity as a differentiator in serving inland consumer and manufacturing markets.

Gainesville Inland Port extends reach

The GPA opened the Gainesville Inland Port on May 4, adding another node to its distribution network with daily rail service provided by Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC). The facility represents a strategic expansion of the port’s reach into north Georgia’s manufacturing and distribution corridors.

In its first year of operation, Gainesville is expected to transition 26,000 truck moves from highways to rail. This shift will remove significant truck traffic from Atlanta-area highways, providing environmental and congestion relief while offering shippers a cost-effective alternative for moving containers to and from the port. For businesses located in the Gainesville region, the inland port will provide more convenient access to international shipping connections without requiring direct truck trips to Savannah.

The inland port concept has gained traction across major gateway ports as a strategy for extending market reach, reducing congestion at marine terminals, and providing value-added services closer to customer locations. Georgia Ports’ network of inland facilities positions the authority to serve a broader geographic footprint while maintaining operational efficiency at its Savannah terminals.

10-year investment plan

The authority outlined an ambitious 10-year investment plan that will fundamentally expand the port’s capacity to handle growing cargo volumes. The nearly $5 billion self-financed investment program will add five new big ship berths, the most of any U.S. container port, at Ocean Terminal and Savannah Container Terminal. This berth expansion supports a projected 54% growth in container throughput over the planning horizon.

Savannah harbor deepening study launched

Looking further into the future, GPA has initiated the process to study further deepening and widening of the Savannah Harbor shipping channel. On April 15, the authority submitted a Letter of Intent to Adam Telle, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, to formally begin the feasibility study process.

“We are excited to kick off this first step with the Army Corps of Engineers on the Savannah Harbor deepening and widening feasibility study,” Lynch said. “Our goal is to be the benchmark for deepening projects.”

Port officials explained that the shipping channel needs improvement to better serve the largest vessels currently calling Savannah and to prepare for even larger, more efficient ships expected to serve the U.S. East Coast in the future. The study will consider both deepening the channel and adding passing lanes to enable two-way ship traffic, which would significantly enhance the port’s vessel handling capacity.

State DOT infrastructure improvements

The Georgia Department of Transportation announced multiple infrastructure projects that will enhance access to the Port of Savannah and improve freight flows throughout the region.

The department will begin construction on a cable replacement project for the Talmadge Bridge over the Savannah River. While the bridge will remain operational during construction, the work will shorten the bridge’s cables, increasing air draft beneath the structure from 185 feet to approximately 205 feet. This modification will allow larger vessels to pass beneath the bridge, supporting the port’s ability to accommodate the growing vessel sizes calling Savannah. Completion of the bridge project is expected in 2029.

In August 2026, GDOT will open the $126 million Brampton Road Connector, a four-lane highway providing a direct link between the Port of Savannah’s Garden City Terminal and the interstate highway system. The new connector will eliminate at-grade rail crossings and remove truck traffic from local neighborhoods, improving both freight efficiency and community quality of life.

GDOT plans to widen I-95 by one lane in each direction along a 22-mile stretch from Exit 90 to the South Carolina state line, with the project currently in preliminary design. The department also plans to reconstruct and widen portions of Interstate 16 west of I-95 toward State Route 67 in Bulloch County. This $522 million project will expand I-16 to three lanes in both directions, with construction expected to begin in 2027.

Separately, the Port of Brunswick is now the top U.S. port by annual automobile volumes. A fourth ro-ro berth is planned to meet future growth.

Positioning for growth

“All the pieces are coming together in Savannah as the gateway of choice for the Southeast region,” Lynch said. “With five container berths in the pipeline, along with a new Gainesville Inland Port and multiple GDOT infrastructure improvements, Georgia Ports is ready for the next 10 years with its $5 billion investment plan as the fastest growing port in the Southeast, serving 70% of the nation’s population east of the Mississippi River.”

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The move comes as the Tesla Semi enters mass production at its Nevada factory. More than 300 of these WattEV Semis will operate under a joint program with the Port of Oakland.

To charge them, WattEV plans to open truck-charging stations at the Port of Oakland and in Fresno. Once the stations come online, they will be equipped with Tesla’s Megawatt Charging System (MCS) chargers. These chargers can add 300 miles of range to a Semi in about 30 minutes.

“We selected the Tesla Semi based on cost, performance and availability after issuing a public request for proposals,” said Salim Youssefzadeh, WattEV’s CEO, at ACT Expo in Las Vegas.

WattEV plans to open additional charging depots later this year in Stockton and Sacramento, with the latter breaking ground in 2026. The company operates a vertically integrated model that combines vehicle deployment, megawatt-class charging infrastructure and full-service leasing. This creates a turnkey path for carriers with no capital risk.

WattEV’s strategic bet is that these battery-electric trucks will lower energy costs and reshape long-haul trucking economics within this decade.

In 2025, WattEV’s 75-truck fleet of EV tractors and drayage trucks surpassed 7 million miles to date. “This deployment is a major step toward WattEV’s national expansion into long-haul electric transportation. We intend to be the operator that builds the infrastructure, the fleet and the logistics platform for electrified freight delivery at scale,” Youssefzadeh said.

The post WattEV orders 370 Tesla Semis in record California EV deployment appeared first on FreightWaves.

Financial terms of the transaction were not provided.

The deal comes as the industry is moving beyond simple tracking to a model where visibility data automatically triggers operational responses. These companies are looking to solve the problems created by fragmented systems with inconsistent updates.

“We’re committed to empowering the people behind supply chains to keep the world moving,” said Lucien Besse, co-founder of Shippeo, in a news release. “With Logward, we take another step towards that goal by helping customers not only trust what they see is happening, but act on it faster and with more confidence.”

Logward has more than 80 employees in Europe and India. It also operates an engineering hub in Bangalore.

“Logward has always focused on helping supply chain teams of complex global businesses execute faster and with less manual effort,” said Logward CEO Jonas Krumland. “Together with Shippeo’s trusted visibility, we can help customers identify what matters sooner, coordinate the right response more effectively, and drive stronger operational and business outcomes.”

Shippeo connects with over 228,000 carriers and 1,100 TMS, ELD and telematics platforms to track more than 100 million shipments each year.

More FreightWaves articles by Todd Maiden:

• Freight capacity plummets, prices skyrocket in April
• Losses continue at TL carrier Pamt Corp.
• Schneider targeting significant rate recovery in bid season

The post Shippeo acquires AI-powered workflow platform appeared first on FreightWaves.

The repair plan was presented during an afternoon town hall meeting in Memphis held to inform airline employees about Boeing’s engineering analysis and FedEx’s timeline for restarting MD-11 operations after a six-month flight ban stemming from the Nov. 4 crash of UPS Flight 2976 in Louisville, Kentucky. FreightWaves was able to listen to the event after being provided unofficial access to a simultaneous livestream.     

FedEx (NYSE: FDX) last week notified flight operations, maintenance and air safety personnel that it intended to gradually return MD-11s to commercial service, starting with two aircraft towards the end of May — pending Federal Aviation Administration approval of Boeing’s corrective action for the aircraft. The company also said MD-11 pilots will be required to take a three-day training course to refresh their skills, according to internal memos. 

“Boeing has completed its analysis and submitted its means of compliance to the FAA for review. This means of compliance provides the necessary path to restore the aircraft to an airworthy condition for safe and reliable operations,” said Justin Brownlee, senior vice president of airline planning and flight operations, during Wednesday’s presentation.

The FAA has been publicly silent about the status of the MD-11 inspections or next steps and has declined to respond to media queries about the matter.

Collaborating with Boeing on replacement part

The engine and pylon separated from the wing of the UPS MD-11 as it lifted off from Louisville airport, igniting a fire and sending the plane into a closeby industrial park. Fourteen people died in the crash, including the three pilots. A National Transportation Safety Board investigation is focusing on fatigue cracks in the pylon bulkhead’s aft lug nut, according to a preliminary report soon after the Flight 2976 accident. The lug and the metal ring housing the section’s roller bearings were fractured. When the ball ring cracks, the ball elements naturally spread the halves of the forward and aft lugs.

The aft lug is subject to high tension because it balances engine torque, weight and variations in engine thrust, acting as a force stabilizer.

Boeing warned MD-11 operators in 2011 about a broken engine attachment but never flagged the failure as critical to flight safety, the NTSB said in January. Boeing issued a service bulletin that identified four previous separations of a spherical bearing assembly that helps hold the engine to the MD-11’s wing. The manufacturer said two sections of the assembly came loose on three different aircraft. The letter advised airlines to conduct visual inspections of the part at 72-month intervals.   

FedEx’s standard operating procedure since 2008 has been to do some work and some level of inspection on the engine pylon at every “C Check,” a heavy airframe maintenance check conducted every two years. Where FedEx had early indications of wear it replaced the bearings, and in one case the lug, according to a town hall presenter. Boeing’s service advisory added a detailed visual inspection to the aft lug and bearing every third “C Check.”

FedEx officials say they have worked hand-in-hand with Boeing from the beginning to understand the extent of the metal fatigue issue and develop a fix that would allow the planes to reenter commercial service.

That’s noteworthy because FedEx has been the only operator to publicly express interest in flying the tri-engine MD-11 again. In fact, management has repeatedly cast the aircraft’s return to service in optimistic terms since late November, while UPS opted to retire its fleet and Western Global Airlines was silent.

FedEx had 29 MD-11s in service, including spares, when the FAA issued the no-fly order. The integrated logistics giant last year extended the phased retirement of the MD-11 from 2028 until 2032, citing the need for more widebody capacity to meet rising demand as it made a strategic shift to capture more international non-parcel freight from logistics providers. Despite its age, lower maintenance reliability and high fuel burn compared to modern twin-engine planes, the freighter remains highly desired because of its long range capability and high cargo capacity. Together, FedEx’s MD-11 fleet carried 3 million pounds of volume each day.

He acknowledged that the MD-11s have gradually been displaced on many international routes by more efficient Boeing 777 twin-engine aircraft, with the MD-11s becoming more of a “workhorse” for longer-range U.S. domestic runs “where we have high density, high population and high volume markets.” Last October, about 18 of 25 active MD-11s were operating in the U.S., with ad hoc flights to supplement the international fleet.

“Besides the 777, we don’t have a unit of capacity that large. It’s actually what’s been difficult from a network planning and execution perspective to operate the system without them. A (Boeing) 767 doesn’t fully move the same amount of capacity. So we’ve had to stitch the network together,” Brownlee explained.

The hiring of third-party airlift, pilot overtime, aircraft repositioning and other contingency plans to compensate for the lost MD-11 capacity cut FedEx’s by $175 million during the third quarter, which included peak shipping season.

Technicians inspecting FedEx planes found no bearing or lug problems. Sixteen bearings have been removed so far. In one case the beginning of separation in the bearing was noticed, but they caught it at an early stage — before there were any cracks. Within a week of the UPS accident, FedEx’s engineering team shared detailed maintenance records and inspection data with Boeing. Since then, some members have spent the past four months at Boeing’s manufacturing site in Seattle, technical operations managers said during the presentation. 

The company has also shared data, lessons learned and best practices with the FAA and other operators of the MD-11. 

In November, quality control and engineering teams developed an additional layer of testing using newly designed probes to conduct ultrasonic testing that can provide an even earlier indication of fatigue in the inner surfaces of the bearing and outer ring.

The critical safety analysis relied on the original certification data for the aircraft that McDonnell Douglas designed and that Boeing now owns, as well as updated modeling and analysis based on FedEx’s detailed fleet maintenance history. Boeing validated load tests on the bearings using a die penetrant inspection to confirm there were no cracks. 

Eventually, Boeing engineers determined that if they could keep the bearing from fracturing the pylon assembly was safe. They changed the design to remove a lubrication groove that created extra stress and made the outer edge of the ring thicker

Although FedEx planes with 24,000 cycles — takeoffs and landings — had no visible safety issues, the company will now replace the bearing every 4,000 cycles as part of Boeing’s new repair procedure, with an inspection procedure performed every 450 cycles, said Josh Canfield, senior vice president of tech ops. The process will involve an eddy current inspection, which uses electromagnetic induction to detect surface and near-surface flaws in conductive materials, and ultrasonic inspection

“One thing about FedEx, there’s never any corners cut in the safety and inspection department. We go above and beyond,” said John Silvis, a quality control inspector.

FedEx’s maintenance and materials specialists were instrumental in developing the bearing fix and helping Boeing understand how to install them to ensure they would not degrade. The machine shop at FedEx’s Memphis superhub tested installation and removal of the bearing 30 times to determine the best method for installing the bearing without doing damage. And the Indianapolis maintenance facility built a bearing removal tool, he added.

Repair campaign

The company’s 29 MD-11 freighters are spread across 16 locations, including Singapore, Tokyo, Honolulu and Anchorage, according to the presenters and flight tracking databases. The aircraft are scattered because the FAA wouldn’t even issue ferry permits for the aircraft to return to home bases for inspection and repair, out of apparent concern about their safety, according to a FedEx pilot interviewed months ago without attribution to avoid potential employer retaliation. 

“We do not anticipate getting a ferry flight (permission). Regardless of the low risk we see in ferrying the aircraft one cycle after doing inspections, we believe the best policy is to just go ahead and fix these aircraft in place,” said Leo Warmuth, vice president of aircraft engineering.

Maintenance personnel are conducting stationary engine runs at high power settings, fixing inoperative components and constantly monitoring the aircraft.

“The aircraft in these locations are being maintained in accordance with our aircraft parking and storage programs as outlined in our aircraft maintenance manual, and we’re preserving these assets with the same precision we use to fly them and maintain them when they’re active,” said Brownlee, the senior vice president of airline planning and flight operations. 

FedEx will dispatch six teams of maintenance technicians to the sites over several months, Canfield said. They will lower the thrust reversers on the engines and put them on stands so they can remove the pylons and ship them to the Indianapolis and Memphis hubs, where the bearings will be replaced. Two pylon sets for the aircraft scheduled to fly in May have already been sent to the maintenance hangars. 

Materials specialists have worked with vendors to make sure mechanics have the correct tools and parts needed to do the repairs. And machinists are working to build the necessary tooling to support the repairs, following Boeing’s approved specifications, and practicing final bearing installations and the reinstallation of the pylon on the aircraft, Canfield explained. 

“While we wait for the FAA’s review to be completed, we continue to prep and complete as much of the work as we can to be ready for a test flight and to return these aircraft back to service,” he told the audience.

Ground and flight testing 

The final phase of FedEx’s MD-11 reintroduction plan is aircraft and flight crew testing. 

Aviation safety teams will conduct the same routine ground checks and post-maintenance flight checks on the MD-11s that they do when planes exit heavy maintenance appointments, including checking the pneumatic, electrical, hydraulic and flight control systems. Afterwards, they will take the planes in the air for a series of tests to include shutting down the motors in flight and doing engine air starts and go-around capability when aborting a landing. Once all the tests are completed, safety teams will sign off each aircraft and give them to flight operations, presenters said.

The crew training refresher course will include a focus on flight management system drills and procedures, use of full motion simulators, and practicing a range of scenarios, Mike Cruff, the managing director of flight operations, said.

“As of today, our maintenance team has completed repairs on two aircrafts, which have been pushed out of the hangar,” the flight ops chief added. “Boeing has submitted the repair procedure as means of compliance to the FAA, and that repair procedure is currently under review. As we await the final review by the FAA, we’re preparing for two test flights, which will then be followed by the revenue flights targeting some routing in Memphis-Miami and Memphis-Newark (New Jersey).” 

The first flight of a resurrected MD-11 is scheduled for Miami, another official confirmed.

FedEx will meet with the FAA Aircraft Certification Office and Boeing on Thursday or Friday and could have an update after that, said Anne Bechtold, vice president of airline safety.

Brownlee said the goal is to get about 24 aircraft in operating condition for regular operations around the world and have the remainder of the fleet available to flex up capacity during the holiday peak season. 

“As we reintroduce the aircraft and they come online in larger quantities, during that ramp up, there will be a domestic focus. And then, once we get back to full complement, there’ll still be some international routings on those just out of the necessity of our network,” Brownlee said. The company is still targeting the MD-11s for retirement in 2032 as replacement aircraft join the fleet, he added.

Although the MD-11 has a history of higher risk during landings, including a fatal FedEx accident in Tokyo in 2009, FedEx has been very successful in mitigating that risk through training “to the point that the MD-11 is actually our best performing aircraft in the landing phase,” said Bechtold.

Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.

Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.

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The world’s second-largest box carrier (OTC: AMKBY) said that logistics and terminal revenue partially offset weaker liner results. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) slipped to $1.8 billion from $2.7 billion, while operating earnings (EBIT) was $340 million, down from $1.3 billion from the year-ago quarter. EBIT margin slid to 2.6% from 9.4%.

Geopolitics, demand uncertainty and over-capacity muted rates on benchmark east-west routes in the first quarter. The Iran conflict and rising fuel costs have lifted box prices in more recent weeks.    

“We’ve seen strong demand across most regions this quarter, supporting robust volume growth in our three business segments,” said Vincent Clerc, chief executive, in a release. ” Officer at Maersk.. “In Ocean in particular, market volatility remains high and industry oversupply continues to put pressure on rates. In this environment our disciplined focus on cost management contributes to resilient performance.”

Clerc said the carrier’s flexible network, which includes the Gemini Cooperation with Hapag-Lloyd, lowered ocean unit cost by 7% despite disrupted supply chains from the conflict in the Middle East.

The Copenhagen-based company maintained guidance of 2%-4% growth in container volumes in 2026. It added plans to buy back $1 billion in shares this year remains on track.

Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

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The post Weaker ocean rates hit Maersk Q1 profit appeared first on FreightWaves.

Inside the FAP Market Radar:

You’re likely in one of three camps: no clear strategy, working with an underperforming provider, or working through a shortlist that’s hard to evaluate. 

A lot of market guides stop at listing vendors. They don’t show how to compare them or what actually matters. 

This report cuts through that. It gives you a clear framework, a curated view of the market, and a direct comparison of how providers stack up…without a costly subscription. 

• How to turn freight data into a decision advantage, not just a reporting exercise 
• How leading teams are identifying cost drivers, anomalies, and patterns across their network 
• What’s hype vs. reality in AI and automation, and where it’s actually delivering results 
• How to navigate vendor risk, market consolidation, and provider selection with confidence 
• Which FAP providers are leading, and how they compare using the newly released BSC Nexus evaluation model 

Download now to see where you stand and what to do next with FAP. 

The post White Paper: The FAP Market Radar appeared first on FreightWaves.

RXO had the type of rough quarter that might be expected given rising spot freight rates against lower contract numbers, but it foresees a significantly better second quarter.

In its earnings released Thursday morning prior to an 8 a.m. EDT conference call, the company said it expected a second-quarter adjusted EBITDA of $27 million to $37 million. That is coming after a first quarter EBITDA number of $6 million. 

It also would be accomplished with RXO (NYSE: RXO) expecting volume growth to be flat year-over-year. It also said it expects second quarter truckload gross profit per load would increase sequentially.

The downside of the market structure that hit RXO is that its revenue was flat at $1.4 billion, but its gross margin was 14.2%, compared to 16% in the first quarter of 2025.

The first quarter GAAP net loss was $36 million, compared to $31 million a year earlier. The figure for 2026 was impacted by $20 million in other charges. 

But the adjusted figure also was worse than the prior year, an adjusted net loss of $16 million compared to $5 million a year earlier. 

The adjusted EBITDA figure of $6 million was less than the $22 million in 2025’s first quarter.

RXO was able to increase its spot mix, which helped move it away from the contract business impacted negatively by higher spot rates. The company said its spot mix was 33% of volume in the quarter, compared to 28% sequentially from the fourth quarter of 2025. That helped produce what RXO said was “the largest sequential increase in gross profit per load in more than three years.”

The growth in truckload spot mix was 600 basis points year-over-year.

In its forecast, RXO said it expected contract rates to be up high-single digits for all of 2026, which is more than its earlier forecast of low to mid-single digits.

The type of conditions RXO faced were clear in its revenue figure of $1.425 billion. That was down slightly from $1.433 billion a year earlier. But its cost of transportation and services rose to $1.171 billion from $1.153 billion.

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MCoy had served as interim CEO and executive director since January 2026, following the departure of Stephen Edwards.

“We spoke to many very capable and experienced leaders inside and outside the maritime industry across the globe” said Board Chairman Bill Kirk, in a release. “We are very fortunate to have the best candidate for the job right here at the VPA. Sarah is an experienced and perceptive business leader and has the vision and skillset to lead The Port of Virginia into the next decade as we continue our work to make the Commonwealth of Virginia the best place to locate your business.” 

The port handled 3.23 million twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2025, ranking sixth among U.S. container hubs.

McCoy, 40, joined the VPA 12 years ago, served as general counsel from 2017-2022 and later as chief administrative officer.

“I am honored to serve as the CEO of one of the Commonwealth’s leading economic engines,” McCoy said in the release. “We have the infrastructure, people and performance to continue defining the future of American trade, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. I look forward to putting these advantages to work to attract business to Virginia and continue delivering for our customers and communities across Virginia.”

McCoy in 2025 led the team that helped the port renegotiate its lease for Virginia International Gateway including the sale of the terminal when the lease expires in 2065. She has also been an integral part of the team leading the port’s $1.4 billion Gateway Investment Program focused on expansion of cargo and rail capacity at Norfolk International Terminals, the port’s busiest terminal; deepening and widening of the Norfolk Harbor and shipping channels; and the conversion of Portsmouth Marine Terminal into a heavy-lift facility.

“The Port of Virginia is an important engine for trade, investment and job creation throughout the Commonwealth and having a leader like Sarah, who brings significant institutional knowledge to the leadership role, is important,” said Virginia Secretary of Transportation Nick Donohue, in a statement. “This decision also brings continuity with it, so the port will be able to continue on its path forward without any disruption in leadership. This sends a strong message that the port will continue to be a powerful economic engine for Virginia, helping attract new businesses and anchoring a healthy maritime trade industry on our shores.” 

The past two years have seen a changing of the guard of sorts among North American port leadership. In addition to Virginia, there has been a change of top executives in New Orleans, Charleston, Long Beach, Philadelphia, New York-New Jersey, and at Prince Rupert and Montreal in Canada.

Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

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The post McCoy new CEO, executive director of Virginia Port Authority appeared first on FreightWaves.

A request by two separate plaintiffs for a court to stay the enforcement of the federal government’s rule governing issuance of CDLs to most non-domiciled drivers has been denied.

The request came from two separate groups of plaintiffs. One is Martin Luther King County in Washington state, more colloquially known as King County, home of Seattle. That was filed in March in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

The second motion for a stay was filed in February in the same court by three plaintiffs: the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees of the AFL-CIO; the American Federation of Teachers; and the Public Citizen Litigation Group. The primary named defendant in that case is truck driver Jorge Rivera Lujan.

A three-judge panel in the appellate court denied the request Tuesday. However, in a footnote to the order denying the request, the court said Circuit Court Judge Robert Wilkins would have granted the stay.

Schedule released

The combined cases will continue to move ahead, with the court spelling out in its order the schedule for briefing. It begins with petitioners’ briefs on June 15, respondents’ briefs from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration a month later, and final briefs on August 5.

Oral arguments are expected in September.

The court’s order also allowed several other parties to join as amicus curiae, including the Teamsters and the Sikh Coalition.

An interim final rule seeking to restrict the issuances of CLDs to non-domiciled drivers was first issued by FMCSA in October. But the Lujan plaintiffs requested a stay of that rule, which was granted. 

FMCSA followed up with its final rule, issued in February and effective March 16. It was that rule the two lawsuits were seeking to put on the shelf via another stay.

As the Lujan plaintiffs summed up the final rule in their request for a stay, “The Rule specifies that non-domiciled CDLs are available only to H-2A, H-2B, and E-2 visa holders, thereby excluding asylum seekers, asylees, DACA recipients, refugees, and people with temporary protected status.”

Arguing against the rule, the Lujan plaintiffs said FMCSA’s rule suggested the agency “first decided on the outcome of the rulemaking and only then looked for reasons to support it. Petitioners are likely to succeed on their claim that the Rule is arbitrary and capricious.”

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The post Request to block non-domiciled CDL rule denied; case heads to court appeared first on FreightWaves.

Deutsche Post acquired U.S. logistics company DHL (XETRA: DHL) in 2002 after the German postal operator, previously known as Bundepost, was gradually privatized during the 1990s. Two years ago, the company changed its brand name to DHL Group, but the corporate name remained Deutsche Post.

The official name change to DHL is expected to be finalized by Sept. 1, once it is registered with the German government.

The vote also allowed DHL to move Post & Parcel Germany from its odd place within the holding company to an equal footing with other divisions in the group organization, alongside Express, Freight, Global Forwarding, Supply Chain, and eCommerce. The postal group will adopt the Deutsche Post AG name.

CEO Tobias Meyer said the motivation behind the change is for the legal structure to resemble how management has been running the company for years. DHL AG will be the new listed name.

The global logistics provider now generates only a fifth of its revenues from traditional mail and parcel delivery. Deutsche Post faces similar challenges as other postal operators as the increased use of digital communications reduces mail and parcel volumes. Post & Parcel Germany revenue increased 3% year over year in 2025 despite a drop in combined volume primarily due to higher prices and an increase in cross-border parcel shipments.

Click here for more FreightWaves/PostalMag stories by Eric Kulisch.

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It also positions one of the nation’s largest private fleets to reshape how perishable food reaches America’s chain restaurants.

“The business of moving food is essential to our economy and our way of life. With a 134-year legacy, McLane is deeply woven into the American distribution industry,” said Ossa Fisher, president of Aurora. “We’re excited to enter the next chapter with McLane and transform the American food supply chain with autonomous trucks. Our collective momentum in logistics is palpable.”

The agreement enables McLane, a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary serving convenience stores, mass merchants, and chain restaurants, to begin driverless hauls between Dallas and Houston using the Aurora Driver.

Pilot Performance Proves the Model

The companies launched their supervised autonomy pilot in 2023. Since then, the Aurora Driver consistently met McLane’s rigorous scheduling demands. The pilot then expanded operations to two round-trips daily between Dallas and Houston, seven days a week.

That track record opened the door for driverless approval on the Dallas-Houston corridor, with Aurora planning to expand to new routes between McLane distribution centers across the U.S. Sun Belt by the end of 2026.

“We’ve been thoroughly impressed with Aurora’s technology, exceptional safety performance and commitment to operational excellence,” said Susan Adzick, president of McLane Restaurant. “Autonomous technology helps us drive greater efficiency across the supply chain, while our drivers remain focused on the critical last mile—and continuing to serve as the face of our company to customers.”

Hybrid Model Keeps Human Drivers on the Front Line

The operational workflow divides labor between the virtual and human driver. Aurora’s self-driving system handles the long-haul “middle mile” between distribution centers. McLane’s human drivers manage local deliveries directly to customer locations. That hybrid structure will remain in place as the partnership scales.

This addresses multiple pain points: autonomous trucks moving refrigerated hauls 24/7 offer scalable, reliable capacity that flexes with demand. The consistent and predictable middle-mile routes keep freight flowing smoothly without pulling drivers away from customer-facing work.

Network Expansion Reaches Oklahoma City

Separately, Aurora and Volvo Autonomous Solutions (V.A.S.) announced earlier this week the launch of a new 200-mile autonomous route between Dallas and Oklahoma City. The expansion marks the first time V.A.S. is hauling freight directly to customer facilities in Oklahoma City. The route uses the Volvo VNL Autonomous integrated with the Aurora Driver.

The program currently runs five days a week in supervised autonomy. By operating directly to endpoints, V.A.S. reduces the need for drayage moves and handoffs that add complexity to logistics flows.

“Expanding our operations into Oklahoma City and adding customer endpoints is an important step for scaling autonomous transport,” said Sasko Cuklev, head of on-road solutions at Volvo Autonomous Solutions. “Running end-to-end requires a higher level of operational precision and integration, and it further demonstrates how autonomous trucks can operate reliably in real logistics environments. Together with Aurora we are focused on expanding our network and accelerating the adoption of this new and exciting technology.”

Aurora mapped the Dallas-to-Oklahoma City interstate route and began autonomous hauls within weeks. The speed highlights the system’s ability to scale into new markets quickly.

“Leveraging our technology to open new routes quickly and efficiently is a core part of our strategy,” Fisher said. “Aurora and Volvo are firing on all cylinders and our ability to execute together at scale is clear. As Volvo’s most advanced autonomy partner, we are proud to be the first to deploy the Volvo VNL Autonomous across multiple states.”

The post McLane and Aurora launch autonomous hauls in Texas as Volvo route reaches Oklahoma City appeared first on FreightWaves.

The software and industrial tech giant posted first-quarter revenue of $939.9 million, up 12% year over year, while adjusted earnings per share came in at 79 cents. Adjusted EBITDA totaled $257.7 million, representing 27.4% of revenue.

Trimble also raised its full-year 2026 guidance, citing strong recurring revenue growth and improving visibility into customer demand. The company now expects full-year revenue between $3.835 billion and $3.915 billion, with non-GAAP EPS projected between $3.47 and $3.64.

“We began the year with strong momentum, delivering record annualized recurring revenue of $2.435 billion in the first quarter, and surpassing expectations on both top and bottom lines,” CEO Rob Painter said in the earnings release.

Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) is a provider of technology solutions for trucking companies, freight brokerages and 3PLs. The company also operates in industries such as buildings and infrastructure, geospatial hardware and software, and resources and utilities.

Transportation and logistics revenue rose 7% year over year to $140 million during the quarter, while annual recurring revenue for the segment increased 9% to $525 million. Segment operating margins expanded 300 basis points to 24.2%.

Painter said Trimble’s transportation business is seeing improving momentum despite lingering softness in freight markets.

“While the macro environment remains challenged, the North American market is beginning to show some signs of market recovery,” Painter said during an earnings call before the market opened on Wednesday. “In Europe, we continue to hold our competitive win ratios and grow our network density.”

Painter also highlighted accelerating adoption of AI-enabled freight technologies within the transportation segment.

“With a couple of recent customer wins in selling autonomous procurement and autonomous quotation in North America, we are building momentum and demonstrating that we can bring Transporeon capabilities to North America and that we can cross-sell into our carrier base,” Painter said.

During the earnings call Q&A session, Painter said AI-driven transaction tools are generating stronger monetization rates than traditional software features in transportation.

“If you take autonomous procurement and autonomous quotation within transportation, I think that’s a great example of that because what we’re monetizing through those particular product motions is happening at a higher rate than the traditional non-AI capabilities that we have,” Painter said. “And we can charge more because we’re demonstrating a higher ROI to our customers when we do that.”

Painter said Trimble sees AI as a way to expand its addressable market across transportation and construction workflows.

“We think we can take market share over time,” Painter said. “We see opportunities to increase the size of the addressable market. We see opportunities to monetize through our fair share capture of the value of an ROI that we deliver to our customers.”

The company said more than 90% of transportation and logistics revenue is now recurring revenue, helping support margin expansion and earnings visibility.

Painter also pointed to accelerating adoption of AI tools internally across Trimble’s transportation software development operations.

“Today, the vast majority of new code is generated with AI tools, and our product development organization is fundamentally rewiring how we work, which in turn is increasing our velocity,” Painter said.

The company said transportation new-logo growth increased more than 50% year over year during the first quarter.

Outside transportation, Trimble’s largest segment — Architects, Engineers, Construction and Owners (AECO) — posted 14% organic revenue growth to $391 million during the quarter, while Field Systems revenue rose 12% to $409 million.

Painter said infrastructure projects, data center construction and road-building activity continue to support demand for Trimble’s field technology and machine-control products.

Trimble repurchased approximately $317 million of stock during the quarter and ended Q1 with net leverage of 1.1 times trailing adjusted EBITDA.

The post Trimble sees freight recovery signs as AI tools fuel Q1 beat appeared first on FreightWaves.

Uber Freight reported its financial performance on the basis of operating income rather than EBITDA for the first time, but the negative numbers came as revenue turned up after a long stretch of lower numbers.

The operating loss for the first quarter at the company known primarily as a digital broker was $30 million. While this quarter was the first time where Uber’s three segments–Mobility, Delivery and Freight–were reported on the basis of operating income rather than EBITDA, the company’s earnings statement did report operating income at Uber Freight for the first quarter of 2025 as a loss of $25 million.

In the company’s supplemental information released with the earnings, the operating loss for the second, third and fourth quarters of last year at Uber Freight was $26 million, $40 million and $18 million, respectively.

When Uber Freight (NYSE: UBER) reported income on an EBITDA basis, it only squeaked out a positive number in the third and fourth quarters of 2022, and was breakeven on an EBITDA basis in the fourth quarter of last year. Otherwise, it was negative each quarter since its inception.

But revenue rose to $1.34 billion from $1.26 billion a year ago. Freight revenue in the fourth quarter was $1.27 billion. 

Not since the third quarter of 2024 could Uber Freight do a year-on-year quarterly comparison and see revenue more than what it was four quarters earlier. Between the third quarter of 2023 and 3Q 2024, Uber Freight eked out a gain in revenue of $25 million. 

But in the first quarter of 2026, the year-on-year revenue gain was $47 million. 

In a post on LinkedIn, Uber Freight CEO Rebecca Tinucci was upbeat about Uber Freight’s prospects, noting that the year-on-year increase in revenue was the first for the group in two years. (Uber DEO Dara Khosrowshahi, who rarely mentions Uber Freight in the company’s earnings calls with analysts, also cited the revenue increase in this quarter’s session).

“At a high level, Freight delivered strong topline performance, driven by continued strength in enterprise demand and Managed Transportation — even as the market tightened in ways we haven’t seen in some time,” Tinucci said. “The team continued to lean in with customers through the tightening — maintaining service while others pulled back.”

Tinucci added that new enterprise customers came with about $165 million in “new addressable spend.” That figure was roughly equal to all new customer spend from 2025, Tinucci said.

The Managed Transportation group at Uber Freight has its roots in the legacy Transplace acquisition from 2021. Transplace is known primarily as a provider of transportation management systems to shippers.

Tinucci said Uber Freight has been seeing “a more unified approach across the business — bringing together Managed Transportation and brokerage in a way that’s driving growth across both and reinforcing the value of a more integrated model for enterprise customers.”

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The post After a long gap, Uber Freight’s revenue turns higher from year earlier appeared first on FreightWaves.

Total traffic for the week ending May 2 was 518,773 carloads and intermodal units, better by 3.9% compared to the same week in 2025.

Commodities came to 235,049 carloads, up 4%, while intermodal volume was 283,724 containers and trailers, an increase of 3.9% y/y.

Nine of 10 carload commodity groups finished ahead of the previous year. They were led by grain’s ongoing rally, 14.7%, and petroleum and related products, 8.6%.

U.S. grain transportation volumes on rail and barge are running above the recent‑year average, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with Class I rail grain carloads and inland barge tonnage up single‑digit percentages year‑over‑year, reflecting higher export‑driven flows. Vessel activity in the Gulf of Mexico and on the Pacific Northwest coast has also stayed firm, with visible gains in grain‑vessel wait‑to‑load numbers, which supports steady grain‑shipment throughput.

Forest products was the lone decliner from a year ago, off 2.6%, as a weak housing market continued to impact shipments of building materials.

For the first 17 weeks of 2026, cumulative volume of 3,837,643 carloads increased 3.6%, and 4,697,928 intermodal units improved 0.4% y/y. Total combined traffic year-to-date was 8,535,571 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.8%.

Weekly volume on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads improved by 3.9% to 345,137 carloads, and by 3% to 372,439 intermodal units. Total combined traffic was 717,576 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.4%. North American volume for the first 17 weeks of this year was 11,761,179 carloads and intermodal units, better by 2% from 2025.

Subscribe to FreightWaves’ Rail e-newsletter and get the latest insights on rail freight right in your inbox.

Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

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The post U.S. rail freight stronger across the board appeared first on FreightWaves.

Lineage (NASDAQ: LINE) reported a net loss of $51 million for the first quarter on Wednesday before the market opened. Adjusted funds from operations (AFFO), which exclude depreciation, acquisition and restructuring costs (among other items), of 78 cents per share, came in 8 cents lower year over year.

Consolidated net revenue of $1.3 billion was up less than 1% y/y and just shy of the consensus estimate of $1.32 billion. A 17% y/y decline in container volumes negatively impacted drayage revenue during the quarter.

“In the first quarter, we delivered results ahead of our expectations while navigating a highly dynamic operating environment,” said Lineage President and CEO Greg Lehmkuhl. “We again saw core business trends align closely with typical seasonal patterns, further reinforcing our view that the industry is stabilizing.”

On a same-warehouse comparison, physical occupancy was 76.4% in the quarter, 30 basis points lower y/y and 290 bps lower sequentially. Occupancy normally declines 300 bps from the fourth quarter to the first quarter.

Pallet throughput declined 3% y/y, but storage revenue per pallet was up 2%. The metrics were up 2% and flat, respectively, from the fourth quarter. The company said it’s on track to achieve net price increases of 1% to 2% this year, noting that 70% of its revenue book has already been repriced.

Management said new cold storage space grew 15% from 2021 through 2025, while demand increased only 5%, leaving the market roughly 10% oversupplied. However, new capacity coming online is expected to represent less than 2% of the market this year and next. It said it is experiencing pricing pressure in only 15% of U.S. markets, which are still considered overbuilt.

Adjusted EBITDA of $314 million was 3% higher y/y, with the adjusted EBITDA margin increasing 70 bps y/y to 24.2%. The company has 22 facilities currently under construction, which will add $150 million in annual EBITDA. (Lineage reported $1.3 billion in adjusted EBITDA in 2025.)

Lineage reiterated full-year EBITDA guidance of $1.25 billion to $1.30 billion, and AFFO per share of $2.75 to $3.00.

Lineage manages more than 500 facilities with 3.1 billion cubic feet of space across North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. It also provides freight forwarding, customs brokerage, drayage and truck transportation.

Shares of LINE were up 3.3% at 11:52 a.m. EDT on Wednesday compared to the S&P 500, which was up 1.1%.

More FreightWaves articles by Todd Maiden:

• Freight capacity plummets, prices skyrocket in April
• Losses continue at TL carrier Pamt Corp.
• Schneider targeting significant rate recovery in bid season

The post Lineage says cold storage market working through oversupply appeared first on FreightWaves.

The May 2026 “State of the Industry Report” — presented in affiliation with Ryder — shares an in-depth overview across the trucking, maritime and intermodal markets, as well as what to expect in the coming weeks. The data contained within the report provides breakdowns of capacity, volumes and rates.

In this report, you will find: 

• Spot and contract rates are rising as capacity stays constrained, with tender rejection rates still elevated, signaling continued pricing pressure through mid-year. 
• Long-term contract rates are up ~8% since last fall, with further increases likely as shippers rely more on secondary capacity amid persistent tightness. 
• Tight truckload conditions and attractive rate spreads are driving strong domestic intermodal growth, supported by improved service levels and available container capacity. 
• Diesel prices have been highly sensitive to geopolitical developments, complicating rate signals and reinforcing the need for cost and risk management strategies. 
• While global capacity remains oversupplied, routing disruptions and energy costs are supporting rates, keeping shippers cautious on import planning. 
• U.S. manufacturing activity has returned to expansion, supporting flatbed, rail, and LTL demand despite broader economic mixed signals. 
• Retail and consumer spending continue to hold up, even as inflation and energy costs pressure sentiment, helping sustain freight volumes in the near term. 

Download the complimentary report today to access the full insights.

The post White Paper: State of the Industry – May 2026 appeared first on FreightWaves.

The contract logistics provider reported first-quarter revenue of $3.3 billion, up 10.8% year over year, while adjusted EBITDA increased 23% to $200 million. Adjusted diluted earnings per share rose 72% to 50 cents.

GXO also raised its full-year guidance for adjusted EBITDA to a range of $935 million to $975 million and boosted adjusted diluted EPS guidance to between $2.90 and $3.20.

CEO Patrick Kelleher said GXO’s pipeline reached a record $2.7 billion during the quarter as the company expanded deeper into higher-margin verticals such as aerospace and defense, industrials, life sciences and data center infrastructure.

“2026 is off to a strong start,” Kelleher said in the earnings call on Wednesday. “In the first quarter, we delivered strong revenue growth and profitability, underscoring the strength and predictability of our business model.”

Greenwich, Connecticut-based GXO Logistics (NYSE: GXO) is one of the largest pure-play contract logistics providers in the world. It has more than 970 facilities totaling approximately 200 million square feet, with a global workforce of more than 130,000 people.  

GXO generated $227 million in new business wins during the quarter, with approximately 40% tied to strategic growth sectors including aerospace and defense, technology, industrial and life sciences.

Executives repeatedly emphasized GXO’s expanding role in AI infrastructure and data center logistics during the earnings call.

“In the first quarter, we added $227 million in new business wins across key verticals, including notable contracts in aerospace and defense, several technology wins, including further growth in AI cloud infrastructure with hyperscalers,” Kelleher said during the call.

Kelleher said the company’s sales pipeline is now at the highest level in GXO’s history, with more than $500 million tied to strategic growth verticals.

“Our total pipeline now stands at the highest level in GXO’s history,” Kelleher said. “And in the quarter, 40% of wins were in our strategic growth verticals, aerospace and defense, industrial, life sciences, and technology, particularly data centers.”

A major focus during the earnings call centered on Amazon’s recent expansion into broader third-party supply chain and warehousing services, which analysts questioned as a potential competitive threat to traditional contract logistics providers.

Kelleher dismissed those concerns, saying Amazon’s move validates the long-term outsourcing opportunity in logistics rather than undermining GXO’s business.

“I’ve been in this industry for 32 years, and I really viewed Amazon’s announcement this week as a fantastic validation of the opportunity that’s in front of GXO and of the contract logistics industry,” Kelleher said.

Kelleher noted that roughly 70% of the global contract logistics market remains insourced, representing a major long-term growth opportunity for third-party providers.

“Amazon is selling access to its supply chain, whereas GXO, we build custom solutions for our customers, and that distinction means everything to our blue-chip customers,” Kelleher said. “We’re not a one-size-fits-all provider. What we do is bespoke, operationally complex, and relationship-driven.”

Kelleher also said that many enterprise customers would be reluctant to provide Amazon with deeper visibility into their supply chain operations and data.

“For enterprise customers, protecting their data is a top priority,” Kelleher said. “Many companies are going to be reluctant to give a competitor deeper visibility into their inventory, demand patterns, sales channels, financials.”

Executives acknowledged GXO does compete directly with Amazon in shared-use e-commerce fulfillment through GXO Direct, which Kelleher said represents less than 6% of total company revenue.

“The area of the business where I do see us competing with Amazon going forward, and we have been in the past for a while, is with Amazon’s FBA product, which is very similar to our GXO direct product offering,” Kelleher said.

Still, Kelleher said GXO differentiates itself through high-touch logistics services tailored to premium brands.

“I think where we do competitively differentiate as GXO direct is that we are servicing high-value brands that leverage our value-added services in packaging, etching, and really white-glove type services for those very high-end brands,” he said.

Beyond e-commerce, GXO executives said the company continues to benefit from accelerating demand tied to industrial reshoring, defense supply chains and AI infrastructure expansion.

The company launched a Defense Advisory Board in the U.S. during the quarter and established the Taurus Defense Supply Chain Alliance in the U.K. following its acquisition of Wincanton.

GXO also continued scaling its GXO IQ warehouse platform, an AI-powered system designed to improve warehouse startup efficiency, automation deployment and productivity. The company said it expects GXO IQ to be deployed at more than 50 sites by year-end.

“Our first mover advantage is real and we are building on it,” Kelleher said regarding the company’s automation and robotics strategy.

Executives said GXO expects organic revenue growth to accelerate during the second half of 2026 as newly signed contracts ramp into production and implementation phases.

GXO ended the quarter with $794 million in cash and $1.6 billion in total liquidity while maintaining leverage at 2.5 times adjusted EBITDA.

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“Fleet managers are operating in one of the most complex environments in recent memory,” said Josh Lovan, Industry Business Advisor at J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. “Regulation changes, driver shortages, rising equipment costs, and accelerating technology adoption are becoming increasingly challenging to deal with.”

The data from the company’s sixth annual State of Fleet Management study backs him up. The 2026 edition, conducted by the J. J. Keller Center for Market Insights, surveyed 550 industry professionals across private and for-hire fleets. Leadership engagement is the thread that separates fleets that are adapting from those that are falling behind.

The Job Isn’t Getting Easier

Two-thirds of respondents described their job as very or moderately challenging in 2026. The top pain points cited in open-ended responses were familiar ones: staying compliant with ever-changing regulations, recruiting and retaining qualified drivers, managing mountains of paperwork, and keeping up with maintenance demands.

What stands out is where fleet managers say the friction really lives. Many respondents pointed to difficulty getting buy-in from drivers, from peers, and critically, from the leadership teams whose support they need to actually execute on safety and compliance goals. Data shows that when executives actively champion safety and compliance rather than simply funding programs from a distance, the entire operation benefits.

Safety Culture Is Built From the Top Down

The study’s Overall Safety category makes a compelling case that culture is demonstrated in the values of leadership and cannot be delegated. Respondents chose up to three answers, and the top-ranked priority in that category (selected by 49% of respondents) was employees knowing they are valued and that safety matters because they matter. Right behind that at 46% is safety being prioritized above all else across the organization, employees consistently making safe choices at 44%, and leadership consistently showing that safety is important at 40%.

Leadership visibility around safety has appeared on the study’s “most important” list in all six years the survey has been conducted. It is, by that measure, one of the most durable priorities in the entire dataset. Still, the year-over-year trend lines tell a more complicated story. The importance respondents place on employees knowing they are valued has climbed for three consecutive years, while leadership consistently showing that safety is important has actually declined over the past two. Fleet managers want more visible executive commitment at a time when that commitment appears to be fading.

Nearly half of respondents said their company always chooses safety when it conflicts with customer service or profitability, and 54% said their company continuously strives to improve driver and employee safety. Those are strong numbers, but they coexist with a significant decrease in respondents who said their company takes a purely reactive approach to safety. The industry appears to be moving in the right direction, but the pace and consistency of that movement depends heavily on whether leadership is visibly driving it.

The Shift Toward Prevention Demands Executive Backing

The executive summary of the 2026 study identifies three macro trends: a growing focus on prevention and proactive management, a desire for real-time insights and visibility, and less emphasis on recordkeeping and documentation.

Knowing when a repair is needed before a breakdown or accident occurs rose to 43% in 2026, up seven points from the prior year, tying it for the top spot in the Vehicle Maintenance category. Avoiding injury while working and driving climbed to 26% in Driver Knowledge & Skill, up from 20%. Even fatigue avoidance saw a notable increase, rising from 5% to 9%. And in Managing Company Expenses, effectively managing preventative maintenance to avoid losses due to breakdowns or accidents led the entire category at 54%.

These are not trends that fleet managers can act on alone. Preventive maintenance strategies require long-term capital planning. Fatigue management programs require policy changes and scheduling flexibility. Injury prevention requires investment in training, equipment, and time. Each of these is a line item that needs executive approval. More importantly, executive conviction that prevention pays off better than reaction.

Compliance Pressure Is Accelerating the Urgency

If safety culture provides the moral case for leadership engagement, compliance provides the operational one. Staying up to date on changes in regulations was the number-one FMCSA compliance priority in 2026 at 49%. The single largest year-over-year increase across all categories in the entire study was knowing quickly when a driver is non-compliant, which nearly doubled from 16% to 31%.

At the same time, several recordkeeping-focused items saw dramatic declines in perceived challenge, (though not in regulatory importance or enforcement risk). Having accurate and well-organized DQ files fell from 48% to 25%. Drug and alcohol testing records dropped from 26% to 11%. This shift doesn’t suggest that recordkeeping has become less important, but rather that many fleets now view it as a foundational requirement that must be maintained flawlessly at all times. Documentation still ranked among the most important themes overall — a reflection of its continued regulatory and audit importance. However, fleet managers are increasingly relying on systems and technology to handle recordkeeping while they focus their energy on real-time risk visibility.

Real-time visibility requires investment in technology platforms, integration between systems, and policy alignment across the organization. Fleet managers can identify the tools they need, but procurement decisions, implementation timelines, and organizational change management all require executive sponsorship.

Training Is Moving From Checkbox to Outcome

The Driver Training category reinforces the same dynamic. The top priority in 2026 was ensuring that training results in fully qualified and compliant drivers, a new survey option that debuted at 47%. Meanwhile, several process-oriented training items declined: drivers applying what they learn dropped from 45% to 35%, having engaging training fell from 30% to 21%, accurate training records dropped from 26% to 18%, and being able to prove comprehension fell from 25% to 17%.

Fleets seem to be shifting their focus from documenting the training process to measuring whether training actually produces qualified, compliant drivers. That evolution requires leadership to hold the organization accountable for outcomes and not just completion rates. Training effectiveness improves when leadership models the behaviors being taught and reinforces expectations consistently.

Technology Adoption Reveals the Culture Gap

The study’s New Vehicle Technology findings add another dimension to the leadership conversation. The top priority in that category was drivers accepting and properly using new vehicle technology at 45%, followed by understanding how the technology can improve safety outcomes at 31% and knowing which technologies are the best fit at 29%.

Driver resistance to new technology is one of the most persistent challenges in fleet management. The data suggests it’s more cultural than technical. Drivers take cues from ownership and senior leadership. When executives explain the purpose behind a technology investment and demonstrate commitment to its adoption, buy-in increases. When leadership treats technology as a top-down mandate without context or communication, resistance hardens.

It’s worth noting that only 28% of respondents said their company is completely or mostly on the cutting edge of adopting new vehicle technology, while 29% agreed their company prefers proven methods and is reluctant to change. Technology adoption, like safety culture, reflects the values and priorities that leadership communicates every day.

What the Data Points Toward

The patterns in this data point consistently to the fact that fleets that invest in visible leadership commitment to safety and compliance, that adopt preventive rather than reactive strategies, that prioritize real-time visibility over manual recordkeeping, and that treat training and technology as strategic assets rather than cost centers are the ones best positioned to navigate the complexity ahead.

Fleet managers are looking up the org chart for reinforcement. The data shows they’re asking for presence, consistency, and alignment. Regulation, technology, and workforce dynamics are all shifting simultaneously, which means that leadership support is crucial. It’s the operational foundation everything else depends on.

“In 2026, the question is not whether leadership supports fleet managers,” Lovan said, “but how consistently and visibly that support shows up.”

Click here to learn more about J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

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Sun Country Airlines expects to begin operating two Boeing 737-800 converted freighters on Amazon’s (NASDAQ: AMZN) behalf by the end of June, the company said in its first-quarter earnings report on Friday. 

Shareholders from both companies are expected to vote Friday on Allegiant’s $1.5 billion to buy Minneapolis-based Sun Country. The U.S. Department of Transportation signed off on the deal last month and executives say it could close as soon as May 13.

Sun Country operates 20 Boeing 737-800 passenger-to-freighter aircraft under a transportation services agreement with Amazon, which supplies the leased aircraft. At the time of the merger agreement in January, the ultra-low cost leisure carriers announced that Amazon had committed to place two additional cargo jets with Sun Country this year, bringing the narrowbody freighter fleet to 22 aircraft.

Following the transaction’s close, Sun Country will continue to operate separately until Allegiant is able to obtain a single operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration, which could take 18 or more, an Allegiant spokesperson said. In the meantime, the freighter aircraft will remain on Sun Country’s operating certificate.

The newest freighters were previously operated in Europe by ASL Airlines Ireland before Amazon reclaimed them, according to Planespotters.net. 

The earnings report provided the first timeline for the planes’ entry into service.

Sun Country said it received the two planes in March and that they are expected to begin supporting Amazon’s logistics network by the end of June.

It can take several weeks or months to integrate aircraft on an airline’s operating certificate. Airlines have to review the maintenance history, thoroughly inspect the engines, systems and airframe, and update operational manuals to align the planes with the new operator’s maintenance program and specifications before receiving the approval of aviation regulators. 

Last year, Amazon transferred eight freighters under its control from Atlas Air to Sun Country.

Sun Country reported cargo revenue of $46.1 million during the first quarter, up from $28.2 million in the prior year. The eight new freighters were the primary reason for the large increase. 

Amazon has warrants for the right to purchase about 10 million Sun Country shares. When the merger with Allegiant is consummated any warrants that haven’t vested will automatically become fully vested. Amazon will receive Sun Country stock and then be compensated for its shares in Allegiant stock and cash.

Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.

Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.

RELATED STORIES:

Amazon rebrands third-party logistics arms as unified supply chain service

Allegiant to absorb Sun Country’s Amazon cargo business

The post Amazon partner Sun Country Airlines prepares to deploy 2 new cargo jets appeared first on FreightWaves.

FedEx (NYSE: FDX) has not operated the Hong Kong flight to Dubai in 75 days and is coming up on a 90-day inactivity deadline. Under DOT rules, an airline has to operate at least once every 90 days in markets with limited entry to prevent forfeiting its rights. 

FedEx said in its application that episodic air space closures and ongoing military operations in the Gulf region have disrupted aviation activity and created a safety risk in Dubai, where the integrated logistics company has a 613,500-square foot air hub for connecting shipments moving around the world. 

FedEx operates six flights per week from Hong Kong to Paris, but only one of them is required to operate through Dubai. 

The U.S.-Hong Kong air services agreement limits so-called fifth-freedom operations for all-cargo carriers to 64 weekly flights. Fifth-freedom rights allow an airline to operate commercial flights between two foreign countries, as long as the flight starts or ends in the airline’s home country. FedEx controls 14 of the 64 allocations, including the six flights to Paris.

FedEx said temporary relief from the dormancy limit would allow significant flexibility in determining how to manage the restart of service to Dubai once conditions allow. Although Dubai airport is handling flights, it’s not completely free and open. Airlines can’t operate full schedules there. On Monday, Iran fired missiles at the United Arab Emirates.

The Department of Transportation waived the 90-dormancy condition through Oct. 25. 

In a separate decision, regulators extended FedEx’s authority by two years for operating  Boeing 777 flights from the U.S. to South Africa via Dubai; Nairobi, Kenya or Europe. 

Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.

Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.

RELATED STORIES:

Qatar Airways to resume cargo service to Baghdad

DHL Forwarding to expand Asia-US air cargo capacity in June

The post FedEx wins war waiver for Dubai cargo route appeared first on FreightWaves.

The Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) tool, launched April 20 within CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), allows importers to submit consolidated refund claims tied to invalidated IEEPA tariffs. 

Phase 1 of the rollout focuses on unliquidated entries and those within 80 days of liquidation, with additional phases expected to expand eligibility.

Early signs suggest the system is working more efficiently than many expected, said Erin Williamson of GEODIS

“I do think that speaks to the CAPE system and the way that it’s working and the streamlined processing of the CAPE process,” Williamson, GEODIS’ vice president of U.S. Customs Brokerage, told FreightWaves in an interview. “I say kudos to CBP in that regard that it is flowing so smoothly.”

GEODIS is a global provider of transportation, warehousing and supply chain solutions, offering services across freight forwarding, contract logistics, distribution and express deliveries, and road transport. The France-based company operates in nearly 166 countries with about 49,720 employees.

CBP initially indicated refunds could take 60 to 90 days, but early filings may be processed sooner.

“They’re looking to have the refunds out … in the beginning of May or in the first half of May,” Williamson said. “So well before that.”

The faster-than-expected timeline is welcome news for importers eager to recover duties following the Supreme Court’s February decision invalidating IEEPA-based tariffs.

Despite the positive early performance, some importers are encountering challenges with rejected filings—and limited visibility into why.

“They’re not telling you, oh, this entry was rejected because of line 45 out of 600 lines,” Williamson said. “So you’re really going in sometimes blind into what could have been the root cause of the rejection.”

Williamson said some rejection messages have been tied to timing issues or statements that don’t clearly align with filing requirements, leaving brokers and importers waiting for clarification from CBP.

While headlines have highlighted large importers expecting massive refunds, Williamson said the process is not inherently favoring bigger companies.

“I don’t think that it’s favoring bigger importers at all,” she said.

Instead, the advantage lies in operational readiness.

“A lot of our larger importers were already set up on the portal. They already had their ACH refund set up,” Williamson said. “So they have the internal capacity to just keep up with all of these changes.”

By contrast, smaller and midsize importers—and some foreign importers of record—are still working to establish ACE accounts and link bank information for refunds.

The readiness gap could delay access to billions of dollars in refunds.

CBP estimates roughly $46 billion in refunds is currently stalled for importers that have not completed ACH refund authorization.

Williamson said the issue is less about the CAPE system itself and more about years of uneven digital adoption among importers.

“It’s not a root cause, it’s not the CAPE system,” she said. “It’s just … where certain importers are at in their preparedness.”

Beyond immediate refunds, Williamson said the CAPE rollout underscores a broader shift in how importers manage compliance and data.

“As an importer, you are the responsible party,” she said. “You want to own and be managing your data—and what better way to do that than out of U.S. Customs’ system and having access to that?”

She encouraged companies to take a step back before rushing to file claims and ensure their ACE portal and internal processes are properly set up.

“Take a step back and really organize your ACE portal, get it set up correctly,” Williamson said. “The long-term benefits are there for importers to do so.”

As CBP prepares for later phases of CAPE—including refunds for finally liquidated entries—importers that have not yet established portal access and ACH capabilities risk falling further behind.

For logistics providers like GEODIS, the focus now is helping clients identify eligible entries, prepare filings and track refunds from submission through payment.

CAPE Tariff Refund Data Box (Verified Metrics)

System launch:

• April 20, 2026 (Phase 1 rollout within ACE portal)

Phase 1 eligibility:

• Unliquidated entries
• Entries within ~80 days of liquidation

Expanded eligibility (post-CIT ruling):

• All entries, including finally liquidated, to be included in future phases

Estimated refund timeline:

• Initial CBP guidance: 60–90 days
• Early indications: potentially faster (early May payouts discussed by industry)

Refund volume at stake:

• ~$46 billion in refunds stalled due to missing ACH authorization

Processing structure:

• Consolidated refund filings (not entry-by-entry)

Key system requirements:

• ACE portal enrollment required
• ACH refund setup mandatory for payment
• Trade Account Owner (TAO) designation required

Operational takeaway:

• Early filings described as “flowing smoothly,” though rejection visibility remains limited.

The post Billions in tariff refunds begin flowing as CAPE portal launches appeared first on FreightWaves.

Pulling FMCSA registration data, cross-referencing inspection records, and building carrier network maps with Tea Technologies. What I found wasn’t a healthcare story but a trucking story. It was happening on the same road, in the same buildings, using the same infrastructure.

195 carriers. 29 in one building.

I analyzed federal motor carrier registration data for the East Dublin Granville Road corridor in northeast Columbus. We identified 195 active USDOT-registered carriers, clustered across 19 address groups within a few miles of one another.

The largest cluster sits at 2700 East Dublin Granville Road. Twenty-nine active carriers. Each has its own DOT number. Each has its own MC authority. Each is registered under a different individual. Each occupies a different suite or unit number in the same building. Suite 295. Suite 425. Suite 550. Suite LL03. Suite LL27. Unit 300P. Unit 300 U. Unit DD.

Five of those designations are variants of Suite 300: Suite 300, Suite 300F, Unit 300P, Unit 300 U, and Suite 300D. Five separate carrier registrations referencing different versions of the same suite number in the same building.

Down the road at 1933 East Dublin Granville, 15 carriers. At 2021, East Dublin Granville, nine. At 5900 Roche Drive, nine more. At 2151 East Dublin Granville, five. Nineteen clusters of two or more carriers within a few miles.

Then there is GIGM HOME HEALTH SERVICES LLC. USDOT number 4286629. Registered as a motor carrier at 1395 East Dublin Granville Road, Suite 222K. GIGM is registered with FMCSA as a motor carrier USDOT number 4286629. It holds active operating authority. It reports zero vehicles. GIGM is also a registered Ohio Medicaid provider. It holds two separate NPI numbers. NPI 1295581239 is registered under the Home Health provider taxonomy. NPI 1528885100 is registered under the In-Home Supportive Care taxonomy. Two billing categories. Two NPI numbers. One company. 

The Ohio Medicaid benefits system lists GIGM as providing paratransit transportation services, home health aide services, nutrition assessment, assistive technology equipment, meals delivery, in-home attendants for people with physical disabilities, housekeeping services, home modification assistance, and adult day care. GIGM also holds CARF accreditation, first issued in 2025, for case management and services coordination with a program focus on integrated substance use disorder and mental health. GIGM registered its USDOT number in August 2024. Seven months earlier, in January 2024, Ohio enacted the largest Medicaid reimbursement rate overhaul in state history. The total increase was approximately $3.4 billion per year across more than 200,000 active providers. 

Most provider categories received a 5 percent increase. Transportation providers received a 79 percent increase. Ohio nearly doubled what it pays for non-emergency medical transportation, and seven months later, a home health company on Dublin Granville Road obtained federal motor carrier and freight broker authority with zero vehicles on file. 

ModivCare, formerly LogistiCare, manages non-emergency medical transportation for most Ohio Medicaid managed care plans. ModivCare paid $3.75 million in 2025 to settle a False Claims Act case in Ohio brought by whistleblowers from a transportation provider, who alleged the company billed for non-medically necessary trips. In Virginia, a 2015 investigation by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission found that unfulfilled NEMT trips under LogistiCare’s contract quadrupled over a three-year period, and that the performance penalty for unfulfilled trips had been inadvertently removed from the contract extension during the same period the company was failing the standard every month. 

275 crashes. Four fatalities. One road.

We cross-referenced the 195 corridor carriers against the full FMCSA inspection and crash database. Of the 195 carriers, 98 have inspection records. Across those 98 carriers, the data shows 1,333 inspections, 2,457 violations, 275 reportable crashes, 4 fatal crashes, and 74 injury crashes.

Columbus Logistics Inc recorded 46 crashes, including 12 injuries, across 97 inspections, resulting in 176 violations. Its TEA crash prediction score places it at CRITICAL risk. Load & Go LLC had 10 crashes, including 3 injuries, in 22 inspections. Smart Truck Express LLC had 23 crashes with 10 injuries in just 10 inspections, drew a $16,290 federal enforcement action for failing to drug-test a driver after a crash, and carries a TEA score of 50 out of 100, placing it in the top tier of crash risk nationally. Prime Groundtrans Inc recorded 6 injury crashes in 14 inspections. G & A Transportation LLC had 6 crashes, including 2 injuries and carries a CRITICAL crash prediction rating.

Leep Trucking LLC has one inspection on file. One. That single inspection resulted in a 100 percent out-of-service rate. The carrier also has 15 recorded crashes, including one fatal and one injury. FMCSA hit Leep with a $5,890 enforcement action for failing to conduct pre-employment drug testing. One inspection. Fifteen crashes. One death. No drug test.

DJAFI Trucking Company LLC had 4 inspections and 4 crashes, two of them injury crashes. Four inspections. Four crashes. That is not a safety record. That is a countdown.

Smart Transport LLC at 2700 East Dublin Granville has a fatal crash on record, a 20 percent driver OOS rate. Central Ohio Transit LLC recorded a 50 percent vehicle OOS rate and a 30 percent driver OOS rate with an injury crash. American Trucking Ladd LLC has a fatal crash and a CRITICAL rating.

97 ghost carriers

Of the 195 carriers in the corridor, 97 have never been inspected by a roadside enforcement officer. They have never been audited. They have never received a safety rating from FMCSA. They exist in the federal registration system and nowhere else.

Some have zero power units. Some have zero drivers. Some have both. They hold active USDOT numbers and, in some cases, active MC authority, but there is no evidence in federal records that they have ever moved a load.

This includes carriers that have held active registrations for years. Borders Link LLC has been registered since May 2011. Central Logistics LLC since October 2012. Start Transportation LLC in February 2014. Hirabe Transport LLC since February 2015. All active. All have zero inspection history.

In the chameleon carrier investigations I have reported on and discussed on CBS’s 60 Minutes, dormant DOT numbers are a known component of the reincarnation cycle. When an active carrier accumulates too many violations or draws enforcement attention, freight and drivers can migrate to a clean DOT number that has been sitting unused. The dormant carrier activates. The dirty one goes quiet. The cycle continues.

I am not saying that is what is happening with these 97 carriers. I am saying the pattern is consistent with what federal investigators look for, and FMCSA’s current systems do not flag it automatically.

Who is getting the freight?

Should this concern every shipper, every broker, and every supply chain executive reading this? Sure, because this is who we keep giving freight to because they’re cheap. 

We cross-referenced the corridor carriers against FMCSA inspection records, which include the name of the shipper whose freight the carrier was hauling at the time of the stop. The world’s largest retailer appears in 175 inspections across 44 different corridor carriers. The aggregate out-of-service rate on those loads was 20.6 percent, with 282 total violations recorded during those stops. That means roughly one in five times, a corridor carrier was stopped while hauling this retailer’s freight, something was wrong enough to take the truck or the driver off the road.

Loads identified as originating from this retailer’s fulfillment network were found in an additional 11 inspections, with a 45.5 percent OOS rate. Nearly half.

One corridor carrier, Manaal Trucking LLC, hauled freight for the world’s largest retailer 25 times and was put out of service in 8 of those inspections. Twenty-five stops. Eight shutdowns. Seventy-three violations. FMCSA subsequently issued a $21,770 enforcement action against Manaal for hours-of-service recordkeeping failures and vehicle maintenance deficiencies. That enforcement action was settled in July 2024. According to the most recent inspection data available, Manaal continued hauling this retailer’s freight after the enforcement action was filed.

Midstate Xpress LLC hauled for the same retailer 12 times, resulting in 2 crashes, including an injury. Camelback Transportation LLC appeared 10 times with 2 OOS events and 21 violations. MSM3 Trucking Inc appeared 9 times with 2 OOS events and 16 violations. A Plus Trucking appeared 9 times with 3 OOS events and 11 violations, plus an injury crash.

Other shippers identified in corridor carrier inspections include one of the nation’s largest logistics companies (16 inspections, 12.5% OOS), a major national retailer (5 inspections, 20% OOS), the United States Postal Service (8 inspections), one of the largest package delivery companies (4 inspections, 25% OOS), a major food manufacturer (2 inspections, 50% OOS), and a global industrial manufacturer (2 inspections, 50% OOS). A home furnishings retailer appeared twice with a 100 percent OOS rate and 12 violations.

The broker problem

How does freight from the world’s largest retailer end up on a truck with a 50 percent out-of-service rate operating out of a suite farm in northeast Columbus? The answer is the same market failure I wrote about in this publication three weeks ago, in the context of Montgomery v. Caribe Transport, the Supreme Court case that will decide whether freight brokers can be held liable for negligently selecting unsafe carriers.

There is no federal regulation specifying what vetting criteria a broker must apply before tendering a load to a motor carrier. There is no minimum requirement for how a broker evaluates a carrier’s crash history, out-of-service rate, violation patterns, or insurance quality. Every broker in America maintains its own procurement criteria. Some are rigorous. Many are not.

The satisfactory safety rating has become the de facto minimum standard for broker carrier selection, and it is almost meaningless. According to Jack Van Steenburg, former chief safety officer at the FMCSA, approximately 19,000 motor carriers hold satisfactory ratings among the roughly 750,000 with active authority. That is about 3 percent. The remaining 97 percent of carriers, including every single one of the 195 carriers in the Dublin Granville corridor, have no safety rating at all, or a rating so old it has no bearing on current operations.

When a broker says their procurement policy requires a satisfactory safety rating, they mean they will use any of the 750,000 carriers in America, except for the small fraction that failed a compliance review. That is not vetting. That is a checkbox.

The data that actually tells you about a carrier’s safety, OOS rates, crash history, violation patterns, whether the carrier’s principal appears on multiple registrations, whether the physical address is shared by 28 other carriers, and whether the carrier has ever been inspected at all, all of that exists in public federal records. Connecting those dots requires cross-referencing that neither brokers nor FMCSA’s own systems perform at scale.

The result is that freight from some of the largest and most sophisticated supply chains in the world ends up on trucks registered at suite farms in Columbus, operated by carriers with crash rates that would disqualify them from any rational procurement standard, moved through a brokered market that treats price as the primary selection criterion and safety as an afterthought.

Shared officers, shared infrastructure

Among the 195 corridor carriers, we identified six company officers appearing on multiple carrier registrations, confirmed through shared secondary identifiers such as phone numbers and email addresses.

Abdelaadim Ouami is listed as an officer on two separate USDOT registrations, both named Makia Freight Inc. Same name. Same officer. Same phone number. Two different DOT numbers. The email on the first registration, konyaxpress@gmail.com, does not correspond to either the Makia Freight filing.

Richard Newland is listed on JOCOR Trucking LLC and JOCOR Courier Services LLC. Same phone number. Same physical address. JOCOR Trucking was registered in 2020 with 2 units. JOCOR Courier Services was registered in 2024 with 6 units and 7 drivers.

Khalid Ibrahim appears on Assam Transport Inc at 2794 East Dublin Granville and KWI Transport LLC at 2700 East Dublin Granville. Two nearby addresses. Phone numbers in two different area codes, one in San Diego and one in Seattle, despite both carriers operating in Columbus.

Hashim Moalim appears on Eastern Bull Transport LLC at 2815 Foxworth Drive and Equator Trucking Express LLC at 2812 Pinellas Court. Two addresses in the same residential neighborhood. None of this is illegal. FMCSA regulations do not prohibit individuals from operating multiple carriers, but FMCSA’s registration system does not automatically flag when the same person registers multiple carriers at different addresses. Each application is processed in isolation. With Motus registration updates and partnerships with the private sector and Idemia, this may soon change. The feds are hard at work to put an end to this. 

Equipment moving between carriers

We analyzed vehicle identification numbers from inspection records to track physical trucks moving between corridor carriers and outside entities.

One Freightliner truck tractor was inspected in May 2024 under an 85-unit carrier based in Wisconsin while hauling freight for the world’s largest retailer in Pennsylvania with Wisconsin plates. By April 2025, the same truck appeared under a Columbus-based carrier hauling freight for the General Motors Wentzville Assembly Center with Ohio plates. By September 2025, the same truck with the same Ohio plates was inspected under Duceysane Transport LLC, a carrier within the Dublin Granville corridor. 

Three carriers. Two states. Two plate changes. One truck. Moving from a major national carrier to a GM supplier to a corridor suite farm.

A 10-unit carrier operating across 20 states with 72 inspections and 112 violations, showed more than 20 unique vehicles that also appeared under other carriers, including two of the nation’s largest truck leasing companies, one of the largest package delivery companies in the world, and a 325-unit carrier in Arizona. The volume of VIN crossovers on a 10-unit carrier suggests a power-only or lease-on operation cycling equipment from other carriers and leasing companies through its authority.

Seven enforcement cases…$63,330

FMCSA enforcement records show seven federal cases against corridor carriers. Manaal Trucking LLC settled for $21,770 for violations of hours-of-service recordkeeping and vehicle maintenance requirements. This carrier was put out of service 8 times during 25 inspections while hauling freight for the world’s largest retailer.

• Smart Truck Express LLC settled for $16,290 for failure to conduct post-accident drug and alcohol testing and driver fitness violations. The carrier has 23 crashes, 10 of them resulting in injuries.
• Leep Trucking LLC settled for $5,890 for failure to conduct pre-employment drug testing. The carrier has one fatal crash and 15 total crashes.
• MAM Motor Transport LLC settled for $5,890 for the same violation.
• Weyrah Transportation LLC settled for $5,850 for violations of hours-of-service recordkeeping requirements.
• AMF Transport LLC settled for $4,460 for post-accident drug and alcohol testing failures.
• Columbus Logistics Inc settled for $3,980 for vehicle maintenance failures. The carrier has 46 crashes, including 12 resulting in injuries.

Two of the seven cases involve carriers that failed to drug test drivers after crashes. Two more involve carriers that did not drug test drivers before hiring them. Combined, these seven carriers have been involved in over 100 crashes. The total penalty across all seven cases was $63,330. That is less than the cost of a single tractor-trailer.

350 investigators for 700,000 carriers

FMCSA has approximately 350 investigators covering more than 700,000 registered motor carriers. That is one investigator for every 2,000 companies. The agency’s registration system, as Administrator Derek Barrs acknowledged on CBS’s 60 Minutes earlier this year, is decades old.

FMCSA is deploying MOTUS, a modernized system with identity verification, facial recognition, and automated cross-referencing. It is rolling out in phases. Whether MOTUS would flag 29 carriers at one building, or 97 dormant DOTs on one road, or the same phone number on two registrations with the same company name, remains to be seen.

What I can tell you from 25 years in this industry and from building the intelligence platform that identified these patterns is this. The data has been there. It has been sitting in federal databases, inspection records, carrier registration files, and crash reports. Nobody was connecting it. Not at the federal level, not at the state level, and not in the broker procurement offices that send freight down these roads every day. Secretary Duffy, Administrator Barrs, their teams, and the private sector are all working to drive change as we’ve not seen since the FHWA days following Timothy McVeigh’s Oklahoma City bombing by truck. I mention that to emphasize that security and trucking are huge threats. 

The parallel

The Medicaid fraud that Rosiak documented and the carrier concentration patterns in this corridor share the same physical infrastructure. The same suite farms. The same commercial buildings. The same stretch of road. Whether they share anything else is a question for federal investigators.

The structural vulnerability is identical. Both programs process applications under the assumption that applicants are acting in good faith. Both are administered by agencies without the tools or the staffing to verify that assumption at scale. One program pays for home visits that nobody can verify. The other licensed trucks fail inspection half the time they get checked.

The Medicaid fraud costs taxpayers money. What is happening on East Dublin Granville Road costs something that money cannot replace.

Since 2010, fatal crashes involving large trucks have increased by more than 50 percent. In 2022, the most recent full year of federal data, 5,936 people died in crashes involving large trucks. Seventy percent of them were people in other vehicles. Families in minivans. Commuters in sedans. People standing on the shoulder of the highway.

Four of those fatalities trace back to carriers registered in this corridor. Networks that reincarnate. Revenue-focused operations that run a trucking company into the ground, make as much money as possible, and start over with a clean DOT number. That’s the chameleon carrier story of America. That’s also the story I tell in my newest book out today at Amazon. It’s long, but it’s the history of US trucking, how we got here, and where we need to go to make it right.  

Dublin Granville Road is not the only such corridor in America with these issues. It is the one we found because a Medicaid investigation pointed us to the neighborhood.

Where are the others?

The post The Columbus corridor of Medicaid millionaires and chameleon carriers appeared first on FreightWaves.

ORBCOMM, a leading provider of ELDs and visibility solutions, has made a change in its capital structure again.

As a result of the restructuring, S&P Global Ratings has withdrawn its ratings on ORBCOMM. S&P had a B- rating on ORBCOMM and a negative outlook at the time of the withdrawal. 

B- is six notches below the cutoff between investment grade and non-investment grade debt at S&P Global Ratings. A negative outlook means conditions are in place for a potential downgrade in the rating though a negative or positive rating can stay in place for months or years without any change actually taking place.

ORBCOMM did not respond to email requests from FreightWaves for further comment.

ORBCOMM was a publicly-traded company when it was acquired in 2021 by GI Partners, a private equity company.

In its prepared statement announcing the refinancing, ORBCOMM said the debt package totaled $460 million. It identified three companies as having parts of the refinancing: Carlyle, the private credit group of Bain Credit, and Morgan Stanley Private Credit.

“The financing package refinances ORBCOMM”s existing debt facilities and includes committed, undrawn capital capacity through a delayed draw term loan facility and a revolving credit facility, providing ORBCOMM with committed capital and flexibility,” the company said in a prepared statement. “The transaction reflects strong support from leading institutional investors and underscores confidence in ORBCOMM’s market position, strategic direction and long-term growth opportunity.”

According to the statement, the financing package refinances existing ORBCOMM debt “and includes committed undrawn capital capacity through a delayed draw term loan facility and a revolving credit facility, providing ORBCOMM with committed capital and flexibility.”

The move came just about a year after another change in ORBCOMM’s capital structure. In April 2025, a different division of S&P Global than the Ratings group, its Market Intelligence unit, took a stake in ORBCOMM. The size of the stake was not disclosed. 

At the same time, S&P Global acquired the Automatic Identification System (AIS) data services business of ORBCOMM.

Debt has long been something of a burden at ORBCOMM.

ORBCOMM’S rating at S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) was cut in July 2022 to B- from B on what the company said were concerns about revenue, EBITDA margins and the company’s credit metrics, which “have lagged our expectations.” 

The move to CreditWatch negative at S&P Global came in November 2022. ORBCOMM was taken off CreditWatch in December of that year after what S&P said was a “capital infusion” from GI Partners, “resolving a near-term cash shortfall and likely bridging its path to positive free operating cash flow in 2023.”

However, the outlook remained negative. That negative outlook was still in place when S&P Global withdrew its ratings in the wake of the new refinancing. 

As of Wednesday morning, Moody’s (NYSE: MCO) had not made a change in its rating of ORBCOMM. In March 2025, Moody’s assigned a corporate family debt rating of Caa1 to ORBCOMM. On an equivalency basis to S&P Global’s ratings, that is one notch less than the B- that S&P withdrew.

At the time, Moody’s said of ORBCOMM that its debt/EBITDA ratio was an eye-popping 10X “due to the company’s limited ability to convert strong order wins into revenue as well as pressure on EBITDA from higher costs.”

It also said ORBCOMM’s revenue in 2024 was about $310 million. 

But in its positive comments about ORBCOMM, Moody’s said at the time that it benefited from “good market positions because its offerings are embedded in customers’ processes and are complimented with competitive pricing; positive long term growth prospects as a large number of remote and mobile assets have not been penetrated with connectivity; good customer diversification; and a private owner that has been supportive with liquidity injections.”

In a more recent update to its credit analysis in February, Moody’s said of ORBCOMM that it is “constrained by: (1) debt/EBITDA that has remained above 10x (including holdco debt) due to the company’s limited ability to convert strong order wins into service revenue while higher costs weigh on EBITDA.” It also said revenue this year likely dropped below $300 million.

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The post ORBCOMM pulls in new financing, replaces all publicly-traded debt appeared first on FreightWaves.

Panama’s Supreme Court earlier this year capped a protracted legal battle when it declared contracts with CK Hutchison unconstitutional, invalidating the Hong Kong company’s concessions to run terminals at the Pacific port of Balboa and Cristobal on the Atlantic, near the Panama Canal. 

Both ports are key transshipment hubs connecting the Asia-Americas trade routes.

During the first half of fiscal 2026, the Panama Canal recorded 6,288 transits, an increase of 224 transits year-over-year. Over the same period, 254 million PC/UMS (Panama Canal Universal Measurement System) tons moved through the waterway, or approximately 5% more than the 243 million tons recorded in the same period of the prior fiscal year.

The Panamanian government in February seized control of the terminals run by Hutchison’s Panama Ports Co., assigning temporary operating rights to the APM Terminals subsidiary of Maersk (OTC: AMKBY) while it prepares a new concessions process.

A who’s who of international companies is expected to bid including APM, DP World of Dubai, Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s Terminal Investments Limited, PSA International of Singapore, and Manila-based International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

But President Donald Trump has made it clear that the U.S. intends to have a significant presence at the canal.

While SSA Marine of Seattle and the leading U.S. operator, Ports America, headquartered in Morristown, N.J., are said to be interested, the selection process is stacked against them from the start.

“They’re not qualified,” said the source, who requested anonymity to protect relationships. “They are free to bid, but they’re not going to score well” per Panama’s evaluation criteria, which the source said is set up against the American companies. The source did not provide further details.

European and Asian operators also face the same uphill climb, according to the source.

The American companies face a similar situation at the Port of Santos, Brazil, and that Maersk has been actively working behind the scenes to block U.S. companies from entering those markets. 

Santos is preparing to bid out concessions for the proposed Tecon Santos 10 terminal. The $1.2 billion, 25-year project will add capacity of 3 million twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) at Brazil’s largest port. But bidding has been delayed by court rulings and debates over bidder eligibility that may bar existing Santos operators such as Maersk from the first phase.

“In all terminal concession-related processes, A.P. Moller-Maersk consistently advocates for a good faith competitive process, broad participation, and equal conditions for qualified bidders,” the company said in an email to FreightWaves.  

The Panama Ports Authority did not return messages seeking comment.

This article was updated May 6 to add a statement from Maersk.

Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

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Port Houston lands $48M federal grant for Bayport expansion 

Make it make sense: Low demand, rising rates on the trans-Pacific

The post Panama container terminal bidding stacked against U.S. companies: Source appeared first on FreightWaves.

The Gainesville Inland Port opened May 4, with direct rail service provided by Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) five days a week between northeast Georgia and the Port of Savannah.

The authority in a release said that the new service gives shippers an alternative to a 600-mile roundtrip truck route, and will reduce truck traffic in the Atlanta region and wider state highway system. 

At full build-out, the $134 million former Blue Ridge Connector will have an annual capacity of 200,000 containers.

Gainesville is the latest inland port to open on the East Coast. It joins the Virginia Inland Port serving the Port of Virginia; and South Carolina’s Greer and Dillon handling traffic out of the Port of Charleston.

“Our new inland rail facility in Gainesville, Georgia, will significantly offset truck traffic congestion in Atlanta and improve air quality by replacing an estimated 26,000 truck roundtrips in the first year alone.  We’re already seeing positive customer engagement and Norfolk Southern will bring an excellent level of service working together with GPA,” said Georgia Ports President and Chief Executive Griff Lynch at the March GPA board meeting.

The authority also funded $4.8 million for county projects to mitigate the facility’s impact on local communities. Those included the elimination of a rail grade crossing, and rerouting of a key access road.

Subscribe to FreightWaves’ Rail e-newsletter and get the latest insights on rail freight right in your inbox.

Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

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The post New Georgia inland port poised to take 26,000 truckloads off the road appeared first on FreightWaves.

Reports said that the 2,800-TEU CMA CGM San Antonio had switched off its identification system prior to commencing transit from Dubai. Marseilles-based CMA CGM in a statement confirmed the attack. It said injured crew were evacuated and are receiving medical care, and that it is closely monitoring the situation.

British security monitors reported the attack, but in a change from protocol did not identify the ship’s location.

Shortly after the attack, President Donald Trump announced on social media that the U.S. would pause the Project Freedom ship escorts while it pursued negotiations with Iran.

Trump’s statement came only hours after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth termed Project Freedom a success as “a powerful red, white and blue dome over the strait”. Hegseth added that the U.S. military had contacted hundreds of shipping lines to say it was safe to exit the Arabian Gulf.

The Malta-flagged San Antonio had operated in CMA CGM’s Midas service connecting the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and Africa.

Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

Related coverage:

Panama container terminal bidding stacked against U.S. companies: Source

Tradepoint Atlantic, MSC break ground on Baltimore container terminal

Maersk ro-ro first U.S.-flag ship to safely clear Strait of Hormuz

Port Houston lands $48M federal grant for Bayport expansion 

The post CMA CGM container ship hit by missile in Strait of Hormuz appeared first on FreightWaves.

The company reported first quarter revenue of $3.3 billion, up 10.8% year over year, after the market closed on Tuesday.

CEO Patrick Kelleher said GXO is seeing momentum build across its commercial pipeline, which reached a record $2.7 billion, with about 40% tied to strategic growth sectors.

“2026 is off to a strong start,” Kelleher said, noting the company is leaning into AI, automation and robotics to drive efficiency and win new contracts.

Greenwich, Connecticut-based GXO Logistics (NYSE: GXO) is one of the largest pure-play contract logistics providers in the world. It has more than 970 facilities totaling approximately 200 million square feet, with a global workforce of more than 130,000 people. 

GXO swung back to profitability during the quarter, reporting net income of $5 million, compared to a $95 million loss a year earlier.

Adjusted EBITDA rose to $200 million, up from $163 million last year, while adjusted EPS increased to 50 cents from 29 cents.

The results topped Wall Street expectations, which forecasted for earnings of 26 cents per share and top line revenue of $2.91 billion.

Revenue growth was supported by both organic gains and continued outsourcing trends among large shippers. Organic revenue increased 4.1% year over year, signaling steady underlying demand despite macro uncertainty.

By geography, GXO continues to see strength in Europe, particularly the U.K., which generated the largest share of revenue at $1.6 billion, followed by the U.S. at $751 million.

Industry-wise, omnichannel retail remained the largest segment, contributing $1.56 billion, highlighting continued e-commerce fulfillment demand.

Outlook raised on strong start

GXO raised its full-year 2026 guidance following the stronger-than-expected quarter. The company now expects:

• Organic revenue growth: 4%–5%
• Adjusted EBITDA: $935M–$975M
• Adjusted EPS: $2.90–$3.20

The updated outlook reflects confidence in sustained demand, particularly in automation-enabled logistics solutions and contract outsourcing.

GXO will hold a conference call with analysts to discuss first quarter results at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

GXO’s key first quarter key financial results.

The post First look: GXO Logistics posts Q1 double-digit revenue growth appeared first on FreightWaves.

That outcome is not common.

In most cargo theft cases, once the load is gone, it moves fast. Freight is split, resold, or pushed through secondary markets before anyone realizes what happened. Recovery rates remain low across the industry, especially after the first 24 to 48 hours.

This case shows what is possible when the right pieces come together. Coordination, persistence, and the ability to connect activity across multiple incidents played a role.

Credit to LASD for the recovery and the work behind it.

It is easy to focus on the loss side of this problem. But moments like this matter. They show that stolen freight can be traced, recovered, and tied back to real people.

The work is not done. The larger networks behind these operations are still active. But this is a reminder that recovery is possible when the right attention is applied.

Stay vigilant.

Click here for more articles on cargo theft and freight fraud by Phillip Brink.

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Super Dispatch, an end-to-end software platform for the auto transport industry, has released new data from its Fuel and Transport Cost Tracker detailing the impact of rising fuel prices on carriers, brokers and shippers. 

According to the company’s latest update on May 1, while national average diesel prices have eased slightly to approximately $5.35 per gallon, they remain more than $1.80 higher than the same week last year.

Diesel outlook

The pricing pressure comes amid growing warnings of a potential supply crisis. While retail diesel prices recently surged nearly 29 cents in a single week to $5.64 per gallon, inventories are falling even as demand declines.

S&P Global Energy analysts warn that the full severity of supply disruptions – largely linked to blockages in the Strait of Hormuz – is yet to come. 

Super Dispatch’s report highlights a significant shift in how fuel costs are flowing through to transport pricing. Auto transport costs have risen by 16.7% from pre-conflict levels, with the seven-day average price per mile climbing to $0.98.

In a recent interview with FreightWaves, Super Dispatch CEO Matt Bradley explained that fuel accounts for roughly 25% of a carrier’s cost structure. 

“In a world where diesel prices go from $3.50 to $5.50 or higher quite quickly, what are [carriers] doing? Are they just eating that cost? Are they passing on the cost?” he said.

The data thus far suggests a “shared pain” model. While diesel is up roughly 37–46% from pre-conflict levels, load prices have plateaued at an 11% increase. This indicates that carriers are not passing on the full weight of increased fuel costs to shippers, resulting in margin compression across the board.

Tools for navigating fuel costs

To help industry professionals manage this volatility, Super Dispatch developed the Fuel and Transport Cost Tracker. 

“It’s our goal to make sure the industry transparently knows what’s going on,” Bradley said. “Fundamentally, period, full stop: this is what is happening. The data is the data.”

The tracker uses up-to-date normalized data from real accepted offers on the Super Dispatch platform – filtering for factors like single-VIN orders and 500–1,000 mile moves – to isolate comparable trends.

Super Dispatch also offers a Pricing Insights tool that pulls live market rate data by lane, and is preparing to launch its SuperCard credit card designed to give carriers access to exclusive fuel discounts to further offset pump costs.

The post Super Dispatch: Diesel price volatility strains auto transport margins appeared first on FreightWaves.

Expeditors International did well in the air in the first quarter, but not as well on the open seas.

In a quarterly earnings report that was overall strong, the difference in shipments as measured by weight was stark.

Airfreight tonnage in kilos at Expeditors (NYSE: EXPD) rose 7% in January, 7% in February and 3% in March, for an overall gain of 5% compared to the corresponding quarter of 2025.

The ocean freight performance was the inverse. As measured in forty foot equivalents, volume fell 2% in January, 7% in February and 4% in March, for an overall decline of 4% compared to 2025’s first quarter.

Expeditors does not conduct an earnings call with analysts. But its prepared statement on its earnings has relatively extensive commentary from its management team.

CEO Daniel Wall said airfreight margins in the first quarter were stronger than in the fourth quarter of 2025. 

The higher per-kilo profitability resulted, Wall said, “from higher rates and a more stable balance between sell and buy pricing for the first two months of the quarter, as air capacity was less constrained until the conflict in the Middle East began.”

The increase in air tonnage featured demand from technology customers, who provided strong demand, Wall said.

Imbalance in the ocean

As for ocean freight, “the imbalance of global capacity versus demand, which we began to see in the latter half of 2025, continued to impact the ocean industry and led to a decline in our ocean revenues.”

Volume was not the only component that declined in the quarter for ocean freight, Wall said. Pricing was down too. “We were impacted by lower average profitability per-container and volume, primarily on exports from Asia,” according to Wall. “However, with favorable buy rates and disciplined cost control, we partially offset top-line pressure.”

The earnings announcement singled out the company’s performance in customs brokerage. “Higher entry volumes and complexity, along with tariff-related activity, drove revenue increases in our customs brokerage business,” Wall said. “In addition, disciplined cost control and pricing increases led to higher gross margins, both sequentially and year-over-year. 

Expeditors benefitted from the fact that its cost of securing transportation rose 2%, but its revenues were up by 4%.

Bottom line was improved

It was squeezed by salaries which rose 9% from a year earlier. But that was not enough to offset other strong areas and operating income rose 11% to $294.8 million from $265.8 million. Diluted earnings per share rose to $1.71 from $1.47 a year earlier.

Expeditors’ stock rose on the earnings announcement. At approximately 1:45 p.m. EDT, Expeditors was up $8.47 to $148.18, a gain of 6.06%.

According to SeekingAlpha, the consensus forecast on the company’s EPS was 37 cents less than where it came in at $1.71. Revenue of $2.78 billion beat the consensus forecast by $160 million. 

The stock is up about 31.5% in the last 12 months. Its 52-week high of $167.19 was set on February 3.

Expeditors is a company that has continued to add headcount. It climbed to 20,361 in the first quarter from 19,203 a year earlier. Employment in every region listed by Expeditors rose; only corporate headcount declined over the course of the 12 months. 

In the prepared announcement, CFO David Hackett said the “strategic investment in headcount (was) aimed at higher-growth opportunities, particularly in customs brokerage, as well as essential investments in technology, including artificial intelligence. “

“We are starting to achieve benefits from these investments, which are helping to drive our productivity gains,” Hackett said.  

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The post Strength in the air and weakness in ocean mark Expeditors’ strong 1Q appeared first on FreightWaves.

The cargo carrier will reintroduce a weekly Boeing 777 freighter service to the Iraqi capital from Doha on May 7. Qatar Airways will operate twice weekly passenger flights to Baghdad, starting May 10. The flights will also carry cargo. 

With the resumption of passenger and freighter services, Qatar Airways Cargo will offer a combined cargo capacity of more than 127 tons per week in each direction.

Qatar Airways Cargo has spent the past five weeks restoring its freighter network after the U.S. and Israel attack on Iran led to the temporary closure of regional airspace and airports, disrupting air traffic throughout the Gulf region. Most aircraft continue to use designated flight corridors to avoid rocket risks.

Freighter destinations have increased to more than 60 as of May 1, while the passenger network is scheduled to reach more than 150 destinations by June 16. 

Qatar Airways is the largest non-express cargo airline in the world and has a fleet of 30 Boeing 777 cargo jets.

In related news, Qatar Airways Cargo has signed a contract with Worldwide Flight Services to provide ground handling for its 777 freighter aircraft and shipments at Liège Airport in Belgium. As of last Friday, WFS is providing ramp and warehouse services for Qatar freighters arriving from Doha and other international markets.

Liège Airport saw strong cargo growth last year, with tonnage rising 14% to 1.45 million tons. The upward trend continued in the first quarter, with the airport reporting a 15.6% year-over-year boost in volumes and a 7% increase in aircraft movements. 

Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.

Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.

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Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) on Monday announced the launch of Amazon Supply Chain Services (ASCS), which offers services that were originally developed to power the retail giant’s own operations and to support its independent selling partners worldwide.

Over the past three years, hundreds of thousands of Amazon sellers have used the company’s logistics network to move, store, and deliver hundreds of millions of packages across third-party facilities, warehouses, and sales channels beyond the Amazon store. The launch of ASCS now supports third-party logistics for businesses in industries such as healthcare, automotive, manufacturing, and retail.

“Amazon is bringing the infrastructure, intelligence, and scale of its supply chain services — proven over decades — to businesses everywhere, much like Amazon Web Services did for cloud computing,” said Peter Larsen, vice president of Amazon Supply Chain Services. “Supply chain wasn’t just a function at Amazon — it was core to providing an exceptional shopping experience. Our differentiator. The reason we could offer fast, dependable delivery that nobody else could. And with the launch of ASCS, we’re confident we can give any other business access to the same cost efficiency, reliability, and speed that we’ve built for Amazon customers.”

Several customers are already using the service, Amazon said. Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) is using Amazon’s freight services to transport raw materials to production facilities and move finished goods across its distribution network. 3M (NYSE: MMM) uses the service to move products from its manufacturing sites to distribution centers worldwide. Lands’ End (NASDAQ: LE) is using a unified inventory pool within Amazon’s network to fulfill orders across multiple sales channels. And American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE: AEO), is using Amazon’s parcel shipping network to deliver online orders from its American Eagle and Aerie website directly to customers nationwide.

Logistics expert Paul D. Tonsager, CEO and founder of Integrated Multi-Modal Solutions, LLC, says Amazon’s announcement is neutral to slightly positive for Class I railroads in the near term.

“Amazon needs rail capacity. ASCS doesn’t change that. They already move more than 24,000 intermodal containers using Class I line-haul, and Monday’s announcement formalizes a dependency rather than threatening it,” he says. “BNSF (NYSE: BRK-B) benefits most because Amazon’s intermodal flow is BNSF-heavy on the Transcon, and BNSF’s recent investment in … premium intermodal aligns directly with where Amazon needs the network to perform. Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) and CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) get a longer-term tailwind to the extent that more Amazon volume migrates east as the fulfillment footprint shifts.”

Independent analyst Anthony B. Hatch says Amazon could expand the intermodal universe. “This could bring new shippers and industries into the rail/intermodal world,” he says.

Down the road, though, Amazon could wield enough market power that it could put a dent in railroad financials if Amazon decided to shift its business elsewhere as it has done with the U.S. Postal Service, Tonsager warns. “The smart play for the Class I’s is to keep Amazon as a major customer without becoming dependent on a single anchor in a single corridor,” he says.

Amazon will pose a bigger threat to the intermodal marketing companies that bring loads to the Class I railroads.

“For the intermodal IMCs, this is decidedly bad,” Tonsager says. “J.B. Hunt (NASDAQ: JBHT), Hub Group (NASDAQ: HUBG), Schneider Intermodal (NYSE: SNDR), STG , and Knight-Swift (NYSE: KNX) now have a credible new competitor with structural advantages no IMC has: captive demand from Amazon’s own retail volume, container and drayage density, an integrated fulfillment bundle the IMCs cannot replicate, and a data architecture customers actively want.”

Intermodal analyst Larry Gross agrees. “I see them becoming a full-fledged channel competing with the existing big dogs,” he says.

“It’s a pretty big deal,” Gross says. “They bring scale, just like they did with Amazon Web Services and their parcel network.”

Amazon already operates the fourth-largest domestic container fleet, after J.B. Hunt, Hub Group, and Schneider. “They won’t hesitate to buy more equipment if it works,” Gross says. “And I think it will work. I wouldn’t bet against them.”

Amazon’s fleet, which had 5,000 containers as recently as 2022, now stands at 24,000 boxes.

Amazon’s service could erode the coast-to-coast single-line service argument that’s one of the foundations for Union Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern, Tonsager says.

A merger, the railroads have said, will allow a transcontinental UP to provide seamless service, improve shipment visibility, and reduce the friction that shippers experience when they have to deal with two railroads.

“Amazon’s data architecture solves the interline visibility problem from above. If a single shipper of Amazon’s scale can run a dedicated UP-NS-equivalent transcon move using its own systems for tracking, planning, and exception management, the operational premium of the merger gets harder to justify,” Tonsager says. “The political case still stands. The operational case weakens. STB will hear about that, even if the merger filings have not yet had to address it directly.”

Subscribe to FreightWaves’ Rail e-newsletter and get the latest insights on rail freight right in your inbox.

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Negotiators for DHL (XETRA: DHL) and the Teamsters reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement on March 29 under threat of a strike. The previous contract expired on March 31. 

The new national master agreement includes a 20% wage increase, higher health and welfare contributions and job protections. It also establishes strong safeguards against AI-controlled routing systems that the union says undermine seniority and explicitly prohibits the use of autonomous vehicles that threaten jobs, according to the Teamsters.

“DHL Teamsters were prepared to take action and hold management accountable if they failed to deliver,” said Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien, in a statement. “Our members were ready to shut this company down if it failed to live up to its obligations, and management knew it. That leverage delivered serious wage increases, locked in strong job protections, and made it clear that Teamsters will not allow technology to undermine our rights or livelihoods.”

Click here for more FreightWaves/PostalMag stories by Eric Kulisch.

Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.

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The new corporately owned office and transportation yard is designed to handle over-the-road, intermodal, air and ocean shipments while supporting both cross-border and intra-Mexico services, the company said.

Company executives say the move reflects a broader structural shift in how MODE manages freight across North America.

“This isn’t just a new office — it’s a structural shift for us in how we manage our cross-border freight,” Jason Roberts, MODE Global’s senior vice president of digital enablement, told FreightWaves in an interview.

MODE has historically relied on local partners to handle freight movements inside Mexico. Opening its own facility allows the company to bring those operations in-house — a move aimed at reducing handoffs, improving visibility and strengthening security.

“The expansion is not just for the sake of a footprint. It’s about control, visibility and security, most importantly, in cross-border freight,” Roberts said.

The company said limiting handoffs between multiple providers can reduce inefficiencies and lower the risk of cargo theft — a persistent concern for shippers operating in Mexico.

MODE’s approach also aligns with broader industry trends, as logistics providers shift toward more integrated, tech-enabled networks rather than fragmented brokerage models.

Why Puebla? 

MODE selected Puebla for its first Mexico office based on a mix of customer demand and its position within key transportation networks.

“From a customer standpoint, there was a direct need that made a lot of sense for us,” Roberts said. 

He added that Puebla offers a unique intermodal advantage, allowing MODE to integrate rail and trucking services more effectively than in traditional border hubs.

Unlike congested border crossings, Puebla provides access to inland manufacturing centers without the bottlenecks typically associated with cross-border freight corridors.

The office opened April 15 and is already supporting a major automotive customer, according to the company.

While cross-border freight has long been a core business, MODE is seeing growing demand for domestic shipping within Mexico — a trend tied to nearshoring and post-pandemic supply chain shifts.

“Cross-border out of Mexico is not a new need as much as intra-Mexico,” Roberts said. “The accessibility now is there.”

Shippers have increasingly looked to diversify supply chains after disruptions during the pandemic, with Mexico emerging as a key manufacturing hub.

Roberts said advancements in technology — particularly around tracking, visibility and data — have made it easier for companies to operate within Mexico, lowering barriers that previously discouraged some shippers.

Cargo theft and fraud remain top concerns for logistics providers operating in Mexico, and MODE is positioning its Puebla office as a way to mitigate those risks.

By deploying its own people, processes and technology — including GPS tracking and electronic logging capabilities — the company aims to create more consistent oversight across shipments.

“Everything is about people, process and technology. And now it is our people, our process and our technology that we will enable that with,” Roberts said.

He also pointed to the importance of local relationships, noting that carrier selection and trust-based partnerships remain critical in the Mexican freight market.

A broader North American strategy

MODE executives say the Puebla office is likely the first step in a broader expansion across Mexico, though future growth will depend on execution and market demand.

“I’m confident that when this works well that we’ll probably look at some other hubs,” Roberts said.

The company is aiming to build what it describes as a “center of excellence” in Puebla before scaling to additional locations.

MODE Global operates more than 200 offices across the U.S. and Canada and works with over 100,000 carriers and agents across North America.

CEO Lance Malesh said the Mexico expansion comes at a time when the logistics industry faces mounting pressure but also new opportunities tied to shifting global supply chains.

“This new office strategically positions MODE Global for new markets and gives us the ability to extend our service to local customers in the region,” Malesh said in a statement.

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The Logistics Managers’ Index—a diffusion index in which a reading above 50 indicates expansion, while one below 50 signals contraction—returned a 28.4 reading for transportation capacity in April. That was 10.9 percentage points lower than the March reading and the second-fastest rate of decline captured by the dataset in its nearly 10-year history. (The highest rate of decline was recorded in September 2020 at “the kick-off of the first pandemic peak season.”)

Transportation prices (95) were up 5.6 points in the month. April marked the second-fastest growth rate for pricing. At a spread of 67 points, the two indexes have never been further apart.

“Taken together, this means that we have never before tracked the transportation metric getting simultaneously tighter or more expensive,” the Tuesday report said. “Freight markets were already on a strong upward trajectory coming into 2026, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and subsequent increase in fuel costs have supercharged these movements.”

While “the capacity crunch is being felt everywhere,” it is more pronounced for large companies (over 1,000 employees) and at upstream firms (manufacturers and wholesalers). “These differences likely reflect the stock up happening at manufacturers and wholesalers as they attempt to compensate for increased fuel prices through freight consolidation,” the report said.

Transportation utilization (69.6) increased 6.7 points to the highest reading since November 2021. Upstream companies returned a 76.1 reading, which was 21 points higher than downstream retailers.

Logistics managers surveyed expect the transportation market to remain very tight over the next 12 months, returning future readings of 33.2 for capacity, 74.5 for utilization and 93.9 for pricing.

All-in logistics costs surge again

The overall LMI stood at 69.9 in April, up 4.2 points sequentially and the highest reading since April 2022. The “continued expansion in the freight market” drove the change.

Inventory levels (56.3) increased 1.5 points, with most of the build occurring in the back half of the month. Inventory costs (74.7) dipped 1.5 points in the month, but continued “to increase at a rapid pace.” Costs were 7 points higher for small firms, “which may have less flexibility with moving orders around and consolidating shipments due to their lower economies of scale.”

The warehousing market tightened again.

Warehouse capacity (45.5) contracted as utilization (64.4) expanded 4.6 points, pushing warehouse prices (72.7) up 5.3 points and into “significant expansion” territory. These metrics also showed tighter conditions at the upper levels of the supply chain.

Aggregate logistics costs (inventory, warehousing and transportation) stood at 242.4, the fastest rate of expansion since April 2022.

“Supply-driven inflation is more difficult for the Fed to combat than demand-driven inflation because higher interest rates cannot create greater supply (in some cases they actually may hinder supply),” the report cautioned. “If logistics costs remain elevated, it is likely there will be at least some inflation.”

The LMI is a collaboration among Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Florida Atlantic University, Rutgers University and the University of Nevada, Reno, conducted in conjunction with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.

More FreightWaves articles by Todd Maiden:

• Losses continue at TL carrier Pamt Corp.
• Schneider targeting significant rate recovery in bid season
• XPO could soon see sub-80% ORs

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The sharp reversal in the benchmark price of diesel this week is being accompanied by growing warnings of a potential coming crisis in supplies that so far has been mostly avoided through the use of inventories.

The Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration weekly average retail diesel price surged 28.9 cents/gallon to $5.64/g. With this increase, the price used as the basis for most fuel surcharges has now regained virtually all of the decline recorded over the last three weeks. The DOE/EIA price was $5.643/g on April 6. That was the post-war high. With this week’s increase, it is now just 3/10 of a cent less than that. 

The latest price increase comes even as it has not had a chance to fully reflect gains in the futures market. Ultra low sulfur diesel on the CME commodity exchange for June delivery settled at $3.7943/g on April 27, the recent low water mark. On Monday, May 4, just five trading days later, it settled at $4.0723/g, 27.8 cts/g more than that, as the early April ceasefire was increasingly falling apart and there was little relief from blockages in the Strait of Hormuz. 

The latest jump in prices in futures and at the retail level is coming as some analysts are predicting that conditions for consumers are more likely to get worse before they get better.

S&P Global Energy, in a recent analysis, said the oil market now features two things that theoretically should not happen in parallel: a decline in inventories and a drop in demand.

As S&P Global Energy said in the analysis, those “seemingly contradictory developments occurring in tandem shows that the full severity of the greatest supply disruption in history is yet to come.”

Biggest fall in demand since COVID

The demand decline in the second quarter is expected to total about 5-million barrels/day off a base of 103- to 104-million barrels of global demand, according to S&P. It’s the largest decline since COVID hit in 2020. That collapse in consumption was likely to have been as much as 20-million b/d.

As a result of the second quarter decline, and possibly more beyond that, global petroleum liquids demand (a figure that includes such products as propane and biofuels) is likely to decline by 2-million b/d this year, S&P Global said. Declines in that number on an annual basis are extremely rare; it fell about 8 million b/d between 2019 and 2020 because of the pandemic, but has been positive since then. 

Even as demand is falling, the S&P Global Energy report said April had a “record-settling decline in global crude inventories.” That decline was about 6.6 million b/d and will average about 5.5 million b/d for the quarter, S&P Global Energy said.

“While there have been significant impacts to date, the oil market has remained somewhat cushioned from the full impact of the loss of 15 million barrels per day in supply,” Jim Burkhard, S&P Global Energy’s vice president and global head of crude oil research, said in the report. “That the cumulative supply loss is now approaching 1 billion barrels is a staggering figure that inventories cannot cover indefinitely. An inevitable market reckoning is coming.” 

No immediate relief from a strait opening

Reopening the Strait of Hormuz would not produce immediate relief, the report said. 

“S&P Global Energy expects that, if Hormuz were to be reopened, it would take an additional seven months at minimum to fully restore upstream production, assuming no permanent damage and supply chains operate smoothly,” the report said. “A recovery could take longer if there is damage to ports or other transport and loading infrastructure. The longer the strait remains closed, the more likely the supply crisis extends into late 2026 and into 2027.”

Burkhard’s warning to consumers was ominous. “What is a tremendous curtailment of demand is still being outstripped by the loss of supply,” he said. “That means that higher crude oil and refined product prices are still to come.”

More articles by John Kingston

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Tradepoint Atlantic and Terminal Investment Ltd. broke ground on the Sparrows Point Container Terminal, a 168-acre marine box hub and on-dock rail facility. The partners say the project is the first U.S. container terminal in decades to be privately financed.

Tradepoint Atlantic since 2014 has been redeveloping the 3,300-acre site of a Bethlehem Steel mill southeast of Baltimore’s city center as a shipping and logistics center. TIL is co-managed by leading ocean liner Mediterranean Shipping Co. of Geneva and U.S.-based Blackrock (NYSE: BLK), the world’s largest private equity firm. 

The partners plan to spend $1.2 billion to develop the 168-acre terminal and on-dock rail, which they hope to plug into an I-95 East Coast doublestack network offering direct connections to the Midwest, as well as eastern seaboard destinations. It will have annual capacity of more than 1 million containers, with berthing for two ultra-large container vessels and seven ship-to-shore cranes.

The terminal’s first berth is to be completed by 2028, with full build-out in 2030. It is located opposite TPA’s bulk handling terminal.

The May 1 groundbreaking ceremony comes just months after CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) completed clearance work for doublestack trains on Baltimore’s Howard Street tunnel. The century-old route had been a chokepoint for intermodal trains; CSX operated the scheduled doublestack move, a Baltimore-Chicago train, through the tunnel just after midnight Monday.

Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

Related coverage:

Maersk ro-ro first U.S.-flag ship to safely clear Strait of Hormuz

Port Houston lands $48M federal grant for Bayport expansion 

Make it make sense: Low demand, rising rates on the trans-Pacific

Uncertainty the new baseline, as the Port of Virginia plans to meet the moment

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