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Freight brokers are facing (more) lawsuits and changing how they pick their motor carriers, with some slashing thousands from their brokerage rosters.
Plus, the trucking market is currently a confusing mix of good, bad, opportunity and chaos. We attempt to make some sense of it 🤷
Before we get going, did you hear about this cargo theft gone wrong? Thieves thought they were getting their hands on valuable freight when they stole Nvidia trailers. That was not the case …
⬇️ $6.199
AVG. COST OF DIESEL PER GALLON IN U.S. AS OF 10/05, DOWN -0.183¢
ROADSIDE READS
Diesel swap. Buying an electric truck isn’t cost-feasible for many motor carriers. Instead? Some are using converters that switch out diesel fuel tanks for battery storage in under five minutes.
Not all diesel’s created equal. This podcast talks through a study that tested diesel samples across the country. The takeaway: “You never really know what you’re putting in your truck.”
Carriers v. CHR. If you’re seeing the headlines about RICO and another C.H. Robinson lawsuit but aren’t entirely sure why it matters, this post explains the bigger picture implications for motor carriers.
Nominee time. The Truckload Carriers Association has opened up applications for the 2026 Fleet Safety Awards, which recognize fleets based on accident ratios.
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INDUSTRY VOICES
Schneider cuts out 76% of carriers from its brokerage network
Schneider is not just trimming at the margins. The trucking firm slashed its brokerage carrier network from 60,000 to 14,000. CEO Jim Filter’s rationale: “We had to go much further than just saying, 'Are you authorized to haul freight?’”
This comes against the backdrop of a recent Supreme Court case finding brokers can be held liable for unsafe carriers, and of brokers and shippers paying closer attention to carriers’ safety records. Likewise, Landstar cut its third-party carrier network by 35%.
Why this matters: For small motor carriers that work with brokers, the bar is rising while the margin for error is shrinking. Fleets with their compliance and safety paperwork in order will likely stand out as brokers and shippers select their carrier partners. (CCJ Digital)
PS—we dig deeper into the broker-carrier topic in this week’s expert Q&A. Check back Thursday!
YOUR TAKE
FAST LANE
BIG DEAL: C.H. Robinson acquires RXO in $5.8 billion deal
FAST TRACK: Kentucky governor waives written CDL test for military veterans
BARRON’S LAW: Texas bill would make English proficiency part of CDL licensing, renewal
LAGGING FLEETS: Small motor carriers falling behind on telematics adoption
DRIVERLESS FUTURE: Aurora plans for 30,000 autonomous trucks on the road by 2030
SLOW START: Only half of vouchers requested so far in Washington state EV program
DIESEL THIEF: Man charged with grand larceny from stealing $2,000 of diesel from trucking company
SEEN & HEARD
There's a huge driver shortage. We all know about that. … The demand for autonomous trucks is truly rising by the day almost.”
A lot of controversial takes here. From where Wiesinger sits, demand is growing for driverless operations as regulations take capacity off the roads. Kodiak is planning to conduct driverless hauls of IKEA freight on I-45 in Texas this year. (Freightvine)
ROAD REPORT
Good news, bad news for the freight market
The freight market is sending trucking execs some seriously mixed signals. The good: Spot rates are up. The bad: “Unfortunately, fuel costs have taken much of the joy out of those revenues,” writes owner-operator Cliff Abbott.
It’s creating a cycle in which more carriers may be pushed out of the market because of high fuel costs. Then, road capacity tightens further, which means freight rates rise again. But if fuel costs rise too, margins stay flat or shrink.
Why this matters: It’s hard to say objectively if the trucking market is “good” or “bad” at the moment. The task for fleet owners is to find the break-even point where rates cover expenses, and focus as much as possible on securing loads that make financial sense. As Abbott said: “Fortunately, there’s opportunity in the chaos. Unfortunately, there’s plenty of risk, too.” (The Trucker)
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The Inside Lane is curated and written by Shefali Kapadia and edited by Bianca Prieto.
