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CSX Corp. announced a surprising leadership change, naming Steve Angel as president and CEO, effective last Sunday, succeeding Joe Hinrichs. The move follows activist investor calls for Hinrichs to step down as CSX’s metrics trailed other Class I carriers. California has officially gutted the two largest components of its Advanced Clean Fleets rule that would have impacted trucking in the state. This withdrawal was inevitable after the California Air Resources Board yanked its request for an EPA waiver in the face of the imminent Trump administration. New federal data ranks Wyoming as the deadliest state for truck crashes per capita, followed by New Mexico and Mississippi. You can read more about the findings, based on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data which also noted that Texas ranked first for the overall total number of fatalities. Tune into FreightWaves TV later today for Check Call with Mary O’Connell and Loaded and Rolling with Thomas Watson. Also, remember that we are less than three weeks away from the Future of Freight Festival (F3) in Chattanooga, Tennessee, so register soon to save money off your ticket. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Starting with high stakes legal risks surrounding broker liability, we explore the Supreme Court’s scheduled conference to discuss whether to grant certiorari on two landmark cases, Cox v. TQL and Montgomery v. Caribe II, which hinges on interpreting the safety exception in the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (F4A). We shift gears to financial risks, where dry van contract rates have remained stalled and fell only a marginal 0.3% year-over-year as of early September. This flat rate environment is extremely stressful because the average cost to operate a truck has increased 33% since 2019, compared to only a 17% rise in contract rates over the same period, leading to massive carrier attrition. Operational security is also paramount as cargo theft tactics are becoming incredibly sophisticated, with Mexico serving as the epicenter and accounting for 75% of all North American incidents in Q3. Furthermore, we analyze the surprise leadership shift at CSX, where the board named Steve Angel as the new president and CEO, following activist investor pressure over persistent underperformance metrics compared to other Class I carriers. Finally, we cover the ultimate labor battleground: the fight for driver hours and pay, as the FMCSA proposes pilot programs that could allow for up to 17-hour driving windows. Many drivers argue that the solution is not more hours but mandatory federally-mandated detention pay, suggesting compensation should kick in after just 30 minutes of waiting at docks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All eyes are on Washington today as the Supreme Court is scheduled to discuss whether to grant review in two critical broker liability cases under the F4A. The fundamental issue is whether the safety exception, which allows state action for negligence causing physical harm, extends to third-party logistics providers or brokers. The FMCSA's National Consumer Complaint Database modernization, part of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's broader Pro-Trucker Package, has officially gone live with Phase One. This long overdue tech upgrade is mobile-optimized and creates an official federal mechanism for reporting broker complaints, which can directly influence a company's safety ratings and audit priorities. The Surface Transportation Board is seeking more time to review the proposed $85 billion acquisition of Norfolk Southern by Union Pacific. The board has proposed a procedural schedule that slightly tweaks the original timeline and grants the Justice Department and Department of Transportation an extra 15 days to file their official comments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The biggest global shift is the cancellation of the de minimis rule, which previously offered a duty-free pass for low-value parcels but now adds huge friction by requiring formal customs entries. In response to this turbulence, companies like DHL are pouring millions into compliance, hiring over 880 new customs experts and investing heavily in AI and digital platforms to manage the rising complexity. The U.S. trucking market faces a capacity crisis marked by systemic overcapacity—a 54% surge in for-hire carriers since 2018 compared to only a 1.2% rise in freight volume. This environment has enabled dangerous "chameleon carriers" linked to hundreds of deaths, prompting the FMCSA to issue an emergency rule severely restricting non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs). Carriers must prepare for major cost inflation starting October 2025, when the U.S. is set to slap a new 25% import tariff on heavy-duty trucks, hitting an equipment market already reeling from low orders. Adding to regulatory uncertainty, the Department of Justice is seeking to dismiss California's lawsuit over Congress overturning key EPA waivers, even as Automated Manual Transmissions (AMTs) make driving easier but eliminate the traditional mechanical knowledge defining professional skill Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Canadian government announced major reform for Canada Post including the end of most door-to-door delivery and reduced frequency, as part of a turnaround plan for the "insolvent" national carrier. This decision comes as the institution, suffering from an outdated business model and protracted labor disputes, is on track to lose US$1.1 billion this year alone, adding to US$3.6 billion in losses since 2018. Singapore’s Seatrium Ltd. has completed the sale of its Texas shipyard at the Port of Brownsville to Karpower Valley LLC for around $50 million. The 240-acre facility supports various offshore and marine engineering projects, and the buyer is an affiliate of Karpowership, the global operator of 50 floating power plants. The Port of San Diego has appointed Matthew Vesby as its new Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), tapping into his more than 20 years of public sector experience, including 14 years with the City of San Diego. Vesby will oversee multiple key areas, including Commissioner Services, Human Resources, and IT departments, and is dedicated to supporting staff success.  Stay current on all the biggest trends in transportation and register now for the F3: Future of Freight Festival, happening October 21-22. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A "relentless" surge has happened in U.S-Mexico trade, which reached a staggering $840 billion in 2024 and jumped another 21% year-to-date in 2025. Companies like Echo Global Logistics are capitalizing on this growth, accelerating investment by opening a new office in Monterrey, Mexico, a key hub in the "golden triangle" of manufacturing. Nearshoring significantly enhances supply chain efficiency, cutting transit times from finished product to a U.S. door down to just 24 to 72 hours, far superior to the 14 to 20 days typically needed for freight coming from Asia. Shifting focus to the Pacific ports, we analyze the sharp, "truly historic decline" in U.S. container imports, projected to fall 15.7% for the remainder of 2025, driven by China tariffs and shipment front-loading. This soft volume is "absolutely hammering" the domestic trucking sector, leading to significant cuts in Q3 and Q4 earnings estimates for major asset-based truckload carriers like Schneider and Werner. Small carriers are feeling a "brutal" cash flow crisis, illustrated by the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of H5 Transport, which relied heavily on factoring to make weekly payroll. Union Pacific's proposed merger with Norfolk Southern is still on, aimed at achieving $1 billion in annual cost savings. We discuss why industry veterans caution that the secured lifetime job protection guarantees for the SMART-TD union might become a "ticket to misery" for employees forced into undesirable work or relocations. Ultimately, navigating the freight industry's future requires adapting to three massive disruptive forces: effectively integrating AI and FreightTech, managing geopolitical shifts and trade policies, and adjusting to changing workforce dynamics due to automation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. government has filed its arguments in the lawsuit concerning California’s claim that Congress was out of line when it yanked EPA waivers allowing policies like the Advanced Clean Trucks rule, a topic covered in Federal goverment fires back in court over California waiver cancellation. Susquehanna Financial Group has significantly cut earnings estimates for asset-based truckload carriers, reflecting soft spot rates, tender rejections, and a muted outlook for peak season. As reported in Truckload earnings estimates cut heading into Q3 reports, the cuts ahead of the third-quarter earnings season ranged from mid-single to low double-digit percentages for carriers including Schneider National and Werner Enterprises. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is recommending that trucks over 10,000 lbs. be equipped with driver monitoring systems, following a report on a 2023 fatal crash linked to trucker inattention. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy asserted in NTSB to Feds: Require truck-driver monitoring that stronger vehicle safety standards and preventative technologies could have prevented this chain-reaction collision. Tune in later today to FreightWaves TV for an episode of The Long Haul with Adam Wingfield. Remember that you can still take advantage of a $500 deal for general admission to the F3: Future of Freight Festival, which is less than a month away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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This week’s deep dive unpacks the relentless surge of nearshoring at the U.S.-Mexico border, where year-to-date trade has surpassed the $507 billion mark, cementing Mexico’s place as the number one U.S. trade partner. We examine how logistics firms like Uber Freight are heavily integrating customs, brokerage, and transportation services to digitalize the “black hole” at the border and navigate the growing complexity of USMCA rules and new tariffs. We shift from land to air to analyze how the U.S. policy ending the de minimis exemption for small parcels from China is hammering global carriers. This single change trimmed FedEx’s Q1 operating income by $150 million and created a projected $1 billion fiscal year headwind, forcing the company to cut its Trans-Pacific capacity by 25% and redeploy assets to the profitable Asia-to-Europe lane. Finally, we explore the domestic physical limits currently squeezing the supply chain, including the severe crisis on the Mississippi River where drought-driven low water levels are forcing capacity cuts and causing barge rates to jump nearly 50% . We also discuss the immediate pressure on the new Federal Highway Administration administrator, Sean McMaster, to prioritize the persistent lack of critically needed truck parking capacity across the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uber Freight is betting big on cross-border trade, deepening its imprint in Mexico by integrating customs, brokerage, and transportation services to help shippers navigate the complex trade environment, especially as U.S.-Mexico trade has surged 21% this year. The company uses a digitized method to provide visibility at the border, which historically has been referred to as the "black hole" in logistics, and helps customers avoid extra duties or delays due to shifting regulations like USMCA rules of origin. President Trump has voiced his approval for the proposed $85 billion merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, calling Union Pacific a "great railroad". If approved by the Surface Transportation Board (STB), this deal would create the nation's largest railroad, boasting 52,000 miles of track across 43 states. Volvo Trucks North America has also launched Load Finder, a new, free load board designed to help carriers reduce empty miles and deadhead operations. Developed in partnership with Canadian-based freight tech company Class8, the platform aggregates available loads from over 40 sources and integrates into the existing Volvo Connect system for customers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices