2025’S PEAK RETAIL SEASON THE BEST FOR TRUCKING IN YEARS
Elevated tender rejections and an 18.9% jump in spot rates through late December marked the strongest Q4 peak since before the downturn, tightening capacity and rewarding spot-market carriers.
ATA, SAFETY GROUPS SLAM DRIVERLESS TRUCK WARNING SYSTEM EXEMPTION
Industry and safety advocates urged FMCSA to reject a bid to replace roadside triangles with LED signs on disabled trucks, arguing the unproven tech could compromise safety and even be used for ads.
WAABI PITCHES DOOR-TO-DOOR AUTONOMY BEYOND HIGHWAY-ONLY MODELS
Waabi says point-to-point operations that include surface streets will unlock more value than hub-to-hub pilots, leaning on OEM-backed redundant hardware and rapid AI advances to scale deployments.
WHITE HOUSE DELAYS FURNITURE TARIFF HIKES ONE YEAR, EASING IMPORT COSTS
The administration postponed planned increases on tariffs for upholstered furniture and kitchen cabinets, keeping the 25% rate in place and tempering near-term cost pressure for shippers and importers.
NYC’S HUNTS POINT PRODUCE MARKET TO BE REBUILT IN $405M “ALL‑ELECTRIC” PROJECT
City, state and federal funding will back a new intermodal food distribution hub in the Bronx, with construction expected to start in late 2026 to improve air quality and modernize logistics operations.
N.C. PORT IMPORTER TO BOOST CEMENT CAPACITY 500% WITH NEW MOREHEAD CITY TERMINAL
Silvi Cement’s project adds two 100,000‑ton storage domes, 24/7 truck loading and direct rail loadout, expanding construction materials flow across the Southeast starting in 2027.
MAJOR SIERRA STORM TO DUMP UP TO 5 FEET OF SNOW, DISRUPT PASS TRAVEL
Winter storm warnings through Monday call for whiteouts and 100+ mph ridge gusts in parts of the Sierra, with chain controls and potential closures expected to impact trucking routes.
FMCSA OKS MASSACHUSETTS “R‑RESTRICTED” CDLS FOR MARTHA’S VINEYARD SKILLS TESTS
With limited infrastructure for required lane-change maneuvers on the island, FMCSA granted a targeted exemption through 2027, limiting license holders to CMV operation on Martha’s Vineyard only.
$2M IN STOLEN GOODS RECOVERED AFTER GPS TRACKS CARGO TRAILER TO CHICAGO-AREA WAREHOUSE
Cook County investigators used a trailer’s GPS to locate pallets of suspected stolen merchandise, underscoring the growing role of telematics in combating organized retail cargo theft.
ARKANSAS HIGHWAY POLICE SEIZE $3.1M IN MARIJUANA DURING TWO I‑40 CMV INSPECTIONS
Back-to-back safety inspections yielded more than 1,000 pounds of cannabis, reflecting continued interdiction activity on key east–west freight corridors.
WISCONSIN TROOPERS CITE COMPANY FOR BALD TIRES AFTER STRAIGHT‑TRUCK CRASH
A ditch crash on winter roads led to citations for tires below federal tread depth minimums and a “too fast for conditions” charge against the driver, highlighting winter equipment enforcement.
UNION PACIFIC, NORFOLK SOUTHERN DEFEND MERGER APPLICATION COMPLETENESS
UP and NS urged the Surface Transportation Board to ignore rivals’ calls to reject their 6,692‑page filing as incomplete, saying objections are about deal merits and exceed STB requirements.
HEALTHCARE M&A RAISES THE STAKES FOR TEMPERATURE‑CONTROLLED LOGISTICS
BioMarin’s $4.8B deal for Amicus highlights how acquisitions force rapid cold chain integrations, from packaging and monitoring upgrades to DC consolidation and carrier re‑alignment.
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