What happened and why it matters U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has been addressing truckers directly in recent days, tying safety policy to on‑the‑ground realities drivers face. Two headline actions are reshaping compliance and staffing plans nationwide: a federal push to strictly enforce English‑language proficiency for commercial drivers and…
National Overview — Sunday, September 21, 2025 A slow-moving upper trough and nearby fronts will spark clusters of showers and thunderstorms from the southern Plains through the Midwest and Ohio Valley today. Expect localized heavy rain with a few strong to severe storms in these zones. The West trends cooler,…
Volvo Trucks North America is partnering with Canadian freight-tech firm Class8 on a new Load Finder service aimed at turning empty miles into revenue by matching trucks to nearby spot freight based on live vehicle data and driver availability. The program is designed to plug into Volvo’s connected ecosystem and…
FEDEX BEATS EXPECTATIONS AS DOMESTIC VOLUMES CLIMB; SHARES JUMP Cost cuts and stronger U.S. parcel demand offset weaker international exports, helping FedEx top Q1 estimates and spark a 5%+ stock pop. Management highlighted yield improvement and capacity reductions, even as trade frictions weigh on exports. FEDEX PIVOTS TOWARD U.S. SHIPPING…
Why U.S. Truckload Spot Rates Rose Into September: The Macro Forces Beneath the Moves For the week ending September 1, 2025, national truckload spot rates firmed across the board: Van averaged $2.08 per mile (up $0.05 week-over-week), Flatbed $2.55 (up $0.07), and Reefer $2.45 (up $0.04). These are small increments,…
For the fourth straight fall, the Mississippi River is slipping into low-water mode just as harvest ramps up — and the knock-on effects will not stop at the towboat wheelhouse. With barge drafts and tow widths cut along long stretches of the Lower Mississippi, shippers are already shifting more grain,…
On Friday, September 19, 2025, President Donald Trump signaled openness to Union Pacific’s proposed $85 billion acquisition of Norfolk Southern, saying the deal “sounds good to me.” The endorsement adds political tailwind to a transcontinental rail tie-up that would reshape East–West freight flows — and the competitive calculus for long-haul…
Why this matters now Unfiled or late tax returns are more than back-office headaches for motor carriers. They can stall registrations, delay contracts, and drain cash flow through fast-accumulating penalties and interest. A recent industry guide highlights the IRS’s Trucking Tax Center as a reliable hub for fleet-specific rules and…
National Overview — Saturday, September 20, 2025 Quiet weather covers most of the country today. Late‑season heat holds across the Southeast and the Desert Southwest. Scattered thunderstorms develop from the central and southern Plains into the Mid‑Mississippi Valley. No tropical systems are expected to impact the U.S. mainland today; Tropical…
The federal government’s new highway boss won’t get a honeymoon. As FreightWaves first reported, the incoming head of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is taking office under immediate pressure from carriers and drivers to tackle a truck parking shortfall that touches safety, paychecks and supply chain reliability. Within a day…
