Bulk Freight News & Industry Updates - Stay Ahead in Trucking

Eight more trucking companies filed for bankruptcy in the past month while two others ceased operations, and tightened lending standards are prolonging the industry downturn.  Nine freight companies have filed for Chapter 11 so far in the third quarter, following at least 20 filings in Q2.   M&T Bank is among the equipment lenders most affected, with the Daniel Trucking filing showing more than $400,000 in unsecured claims tied to 47 trucks. In the TJ Trucki

Prices for used semis in agriculture are up about 25% over last year but supply is stable, according to Andy Campbell, TractorZoom director of insights. He said prices may continue to climb through the summer as the market reacts to tariffs and normalizes.  “We saw a peak in April, after the major tariff announcement, because everyone was looking for trucks to transport goods while they were still available,” Campbell said.  Normal price spikes on semis occur in the third and fo

The Trump administration has issued new guidance on diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) systems aimed at avoiding sudden engine shutdowns that sideline trucks and cost truckers money. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin on Tuesday announced the new guidelines, “developed in collaboration with manufacturers,” to ensure that existing diesel trucks, which use DEF to reduce nitrous oxide emissions, do not experience sudden engine failures, known as “derates,” after r

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Ryder System reported an uptick in decision-making from its supply chain customers compared to other segments, despite market uncertainty due to the freight recession and U.S. tariff policy, CEO Robert Sanchez said on a Q2 earnings call. “We have seen a pickup in sales on the Supply Chain side. We got some larger customers that are making decisions, and we’re very pleased with what’s going on there. But we haven’t seen that yet on the Dedicated and Leasing side,” Sanchez said. C

Alpha Drivers Transportation (ADT), a 2024 Overdrive Trucker of the Month, petitioned the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to amend or clarify the definition of the term broker in 49 CFR 371.2 to also include dispatching services, and to limit access to the agency’s Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) system. Petitions for rulemaking are reviewed by FMCSA and either granted for further action or denied. ADT Vice President Alec Costerus

FleetOwner would like to hear from truck drivers about the issues that are most important to them prior to Truck Driver Appreciation Week, September 14-20. This survey seeks thoughts from truck drivers on pay, parking, amenities, and more. We encourage fleets to share this survey with their drivers so we all have a better understanding of their needs.

In late June 2025, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rolled out a package of “trucker-friendly reforms” aimed squarely at easing professional truck drivers’ daily challenges. This sweeping initiative, unveiled by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, delivers on a presidential executive order to improve truckers’ working conditions. The reforms include withdrawing a controversial speed limiter mandate, directing hundreds of millions of dollars toward truck parking expansion, pil

Excess capacity has helped weaken carriers’ pricing power for years. Despite this hostile environment, the CDL population is growing: the Am erican Transportation Research Institute estimates that there are about 3 million long-haul CDL holders today, up 30% from 2016’s estimate of 2.3 million. While the driver shortage has remained one of the top fleet concerns for several years, not everyone agrees with the concept of a labor

Truck driver jobs saw a rebound in July after two months of losses. However, trucking employment has varied throughout the year due to unstable trade policy. Some experts predict more job losses ahead. The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed nearly 4,000 truck driver jobs were added last month. That is despite a massive slowdown in hiring across the broader economy. The uncertainty around tariffs and trade policy may be responsible for the job volatility. This year, truck

America's farmers are locked in a generational crisis, fending off an array of threats that could jeopardize food supplies and spell financial disaster for those often hailed as the "backbone of the nation." "They love their way of life, and they love that dirt," President Donald Trump said this week, in a somewhat off-piste response to a question on the importance of farmers. "They don't know how to do anything else, but they don't want to do anything else.&qu

Giving an elementary school student a gold star is a time-honored way for teachers to reward students’ classroom achievements. It also helps to discourage unwanted behavior by pupils who fail to earn the special stickers. According to Netradyne, a California-based provider of fleet safety technology, a similar strategy is an effective way to incentivize truck drivers’ behavior too. Netradyne’s Driver-i platform uses edge computing and real-t

Excess capacity has helped weaken carriers’ pricing power for years. Despite this hostile environment, the CDL population is growing: the American Transportation Research Institute estimates that there are about 3 million long-haul CDL holders today, up 30% from 2016’s estimate of 2.3 million While the driver shortage has remained one of the top fleet concerns for several years, not everyone agrees with the concept of a labor shortage in trucking. In a recent Stifel webinar, analysts w

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The industries that help keep food on Americans’ tables and goods on the move have been given a major blow to their operations, and those effects could soon hit consumers. One of the biggest issues facing farmers is the current storm of rising debt. According to the Department of Agriculture, farm sector debt is expected to reach $561.8 billion, up nearly 4% from 2024.

The Trump administration on Tuesday proposed a draft rule rolling back the Greenhouse Gas Phase 3 rule, among the last of – if not the biggest – looming Biden-era emissions regulations facing the trucking industry. The proposal was announced jointly with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator (EPA) Lee Zeldin's call to revoke the Endangerment Finding that has allowed presidential administrations to regulate greenhouse gases since 2009.

The former operations manager at a large Gainesville, Georgia-based trucking company has been charged with stealing more than $500,000 from the company in an embezzlement scheme that also involved the carrier's drivers. Dustin Jarrard, who worked for Tribe Transportation when the alleged theft occurred, was arraigned on Tuesday in court after being indicted by a federal grand jury for wire fraud.

Congress has introduced new legislation that would create a regulatory framework for U.S. autonomous trucking. The bill, introduced by U.S. Representative Vince Fong from California, is named the “AMERICA DRIVES” act, which stands for the “Autonomous Mobility Ensuring Regulation, Innovation, Commerce, and Advancement Driving Reliability in Vehicle Efficiency and Safety Act.” Fong notes that establishing a national standard for this industry would help avoid varying state-by-state requirements.

A Pierce, Colorado, trucking company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Indian Creek Express filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado on Monday. The filing was made by company President Donne Jefferson. According to the bankruptcy filing obtained by FreightWaves, Indian Creek Express has $1 million-$10 million in liabilities to one to 49 creditors. The company has up to $50,000 in assets

Following new guidelines from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to enforce English language proficiency for commercial truck drivers, 1,500 drivers have had their licenses placed out of service by law enforcement, The Daily Signal has learned. “‘America First’ means safety first. Americans are a lot safer on roads alongside truckers who can understand and interpret our traffic signs,” Duffy said in May at the signing of the guidelines. “This commonsense change ensures the penalty for failure

Carroll Fulmer Logistics, a Florida-based trucking company that has operated for more than 70 years, is shutting down. The carrier had 400 trucks and 1,700 trailers. Some 600 employees will be laid off as operations cease. The company plans to offer them 60 days’ severance pay as it winds down. According to the Clermont Sun, which broke the story, Carroll Fulmer attributes its financial woes to a surge in lawsuits and the challenges of the Great Freight Recession—the deepest dow

The average length of haul for truckload tenders in the U.S. fell to 533 miles last week—down approximately 70 miles, or 11%, from the same time last year, according to SONAR’s tender data. While the Outbound Average Length of Haul Index (OALOHA) has dipped lower in the past, it has only reached this level during brief periods. Weak overall demand has kept the truckload market from meaningfully rebounding, but the loss of longer-haul freight is compounding that stagnation. Is there any reason

Despite ongoing challenges in commodity markets and uncertain farm profitability, agricultural land values have remained remarkably stable through mid-2025, according to Farmers National Company. This resilience is mainly driven by the basic economic principle of supply and demand; there are simply more motivated buyers than willing sellers.  While producers remain the main buyers of ag land, interest from individual and institutional investors cannot be ignored, Farmers National Compa

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A bill seeking a permanent HOS exemption for livestock haulers was introduced and referred to committee earlier this month.  The Hauling Exemptions for Livestock Protection (HELP) Act, HR 4500, was introduced on July 17th and referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. 

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association thanked the U.S. Department of Transportation today for officially withdrawing its 2022 proposal to require speed limiters on commercial motor vehicles. The announcement comes after more than 15,000 public comments—predominantly from professional truck drivers—raised serious safety and policy concerns about mandating top speeds below posted highway limits. “The old ways of doing things in Washington are over. After nearly 20 years, big trucking

Farmers are used to working with what they have. However, when it comes to transportation, a broken system makes their job harder. Roads, bridges, railways, and waterways are the lifeblood of agricultural supply chains, moving everything from fertilizer to crops. If any part of this system breaks down, the entire food system is affected.  This makes federal investment in transportation infrastructure essential for U.S. agriculture. Instead of merely fixing potholes, long-term changes s

Imagine a world where a freight broker is liable in one state for hiring a federally authorized motor carrier, but shielded from liability in the next. That’s not a hypothetical—it’s the fractured legal landscape facing America’s logistics industry today. The Supreme Court of the United States must act now to resolve a widening circuit split over whether the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (FAAAA) preempts state common-law negligent hiring claims against freight brokers. And no

Truck drivers are getting older, more educated and more diverse. Understanding this shift can help motor carriers attract the next generation of drivers. A new study by the American Transportation Research Institute shows key shifts in the American truck driver profile. Researchers found differences in age, race, education and employment types over the years. However, the number of female truck drivers remains unchanged.

A large trucking company owes money to job seekers in Washington state for wasting their time. It failed to include a wage scale in job posts. This is the second mega carrier to settle a pay-transparency lawsuit in the state. Knight Transportation, based in Phoenix, has settled a lawsuit with nearly 100 truck driver applicants in Washington. The company is accused of breaking the state’s pay-transparency law. This law requires employers to share specific wage details instead of vague p

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Truckload tender rejection rates have diverged significantly over the past year, reflecting growing regional imbalances in the U.S. trucking market. In the Southeast, rejection rates have averaged close to 10% over the past two months, while West Coast rates have remained around 3.5%. This widening gap signals increasing network and pricing inefficiencies and suggests that the truckload market is less stable than it appears on the surface.

Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern are in merger talks to create the largest railroad in North America that would connect the East and West Coasts. The merger discussions began during the first quarter of this year, according to a person familiar with the talks who isn’t authorized to discuss them publicly. It would combine the largest and smallest of the country’s six major freight railroads. Both railroads declined to comment. Within the industry there is widespread deb

The collaboration will focus on the companies' shared corn supply chain in Iowa, where Cargill sources from local farmers to produce ingredients used in some of PepsiCo's most iconic products. Agriculture, and creating a more resilient agricultural system, is critical to PepsiCo's business, as the company sources 35 crops and ingredients from more than 60 countries to make its convenient foods and beverages. As a global supplier to PepsiCo, Cargill plays a key role in aligning the supply chai

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced temporary regulatory relief amid the transition to a new electronic transmission process for commercial vehicle driver medical exam results. On July 14, 2025, the FMCSA announced a waiver to allow interstate commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders, commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders, and motor carriers to continue relying paper copies of medical examiner’s certificates (MEC) as proo

Forest View, Illinois-based trucking company Chicago Suburban Express will go out of business on Friday. A company official confirmed on a phone call with FreightWaves Wednesday that the company is shutting down, but declined to provide a reason. According to the trucking company’s website, the business was founded in 1963 and started with five trucks. Chicago Suburban Express, also called CSX, is led by executive partners Doug McClement, Jerry Hickey and Doug Stephan.

The trucking industry finished the first half of 2025 still trapped in the Great Freight Recession. Dry van truckload contract rates were unchanged from the same period a year ago, FreightWaves reported, and trucking spot rates, which shippers pay carriers for a one-time shipment, finished the first half below levels from a year ago.

A Minnesota-based grain dealer is no longer licensed to do business in Nebraska, according to the Nebraska Public Service Commission. In a statement released Wednesday, the NPSC wanted to ensure grain producers are aware that World Foods Processing, LLC in Minneapolis, can no longer do business as a grain dealer in Nebraska. On Tuesday, the company surrendered its Nebraska Grain Dealer Licenses to the NPSC, they said.

In a blow to the Port of Duluth-Superior (Twin Ports), CHS confirmed in the media that it is ceasing operations at its Superior, Wisconsin, grain terminal by the end of August 2025. The Twin Ports CHS grain terminal was built in 1936 in Superior, Wisconsin. It is the largest grain shipper in the Superior port, handling about 60% to 70% of the port’s total grain volume, according to the CHS website. There are 504 concrete silos and 15 steel tanks that make up that storage capacity.

A Texas trucking company owner is facing multiple charges – including conspiracy to defraud the United States – after being indicted by a federal grand jury in June. On June 20, the U.S. Department of Justice announced an 18-count indictment against Shaquan Jelks had been unsealed – outlining years of alleged “operation of illegal and unsafe trucking companies.” According to court documents, Jelks managed and controlled multiple trucking companies, despite being declared an immi

A major Texas trucking company has filed for bankruptcy after being sued by its creditors for not paying millions in debts.   Balkan Express and its sister company Balkan Logistics have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Northern District of Texas. The Fort Worth-based dry van trucking company employs 166 drivers and has around 170 trucks which ship freight across 48 states, the company confirmed on Tuesday.  The business, which began operating in 2007, is looking to

Life for truckers is going to get better in some states, with data from the recent Tech.co logistics report showing that better pay and improved work life balance are on the horizon. The persistent trucker shortage in the US has caused logistics businesses a lot of trouble over the last few years. As a result, owners and managers have been scrambling to find solutions that can address the dwindling workforce. The most obvious fix, however, is increasing pay and

The trucking and logistics industry isn’t exactly thriving right now. In 2024, the S&P 500 Transportation Index, which tracks the performance of transportation companies, decreased by 0.5 per cent. This means that, on average, transportation stocks slightly declined in value last year. It’s been a tough year, with demand for freight services slipping, supply chain issues lingering and uncertainty about the overall economic recovery. However, Gates isn’t deterred by these short-term

If you’re the one still booking loads at midnight, chasing down PODs on your lunch break, and jumping under a truck on Saturday morning—this one’s for you. Every small fleet owner hits the same wall: you built the company, you know every lane, every customer, every truck. And now that it’s growing, you’re afraid to let go. So you don’t. You keep doing everything. Dispatching. Billing. Driver check-ins. Broker calls. You are the business—and that’s exactly why it’s st

An exemption for older trucks from the electronic logging device mandate isn’t going away. Despite recent rumors to the contrary, the U.S. Department of Transportation confirmed the continuance of the exemption when it released a “Pro-Trucker Package” on June 27. The package includes nine initiatives “designed to improve the lives of America’s truck drivers.” Among those initiatives is a commitment to maintaining an ELD exemption for pre-2000 engines.

Amhof Trucking started in 1975, founded by brothers Randy, Roger and Ron, with one grain truck, which hauled grain to town for local farmers. Over time the business grew by adding more trucks into the fleet and hauling many other commodities for many local businesses. The company has grown from one truck hauling locally to over 90 trucks that transport freight across the nation.  

President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill has been passed and signed into law, but the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association believes the legislation excluded a critical provision that would benefit truck drivers. The bill, which was signed into law on Friday, July 4, is touted by the White House as “the largest tax cut in history for middle- and working-class Americans.” Some of the benefits include no taxes on tips, overtime wages and social security benefits. O

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Empty miles leave revenue on the table while quickly burning through fuel budgets. Among non-tank operations, 16.3% of miles were deadhead in 2023, according to the American Transportation Research Institute. The challenge lies not only in completely empty trucks but also in partial loads. Flock Freight estimates suggest 43% of trucks had at least partially empty hauls in 2023, with an average of 29 linear feet of open space on each truck. In an increasingly ecommerce-driven world, tha

President Trump is expected to sign into law a giant tax and spending cuts package approved by Congress on Thursday that includes tax breaks that could significantly boost trucking industry investment. H.R. 1, nicknamed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act but opposed unanimously by Democrats, passed narrowly along party lines after a record-breaking floor speech by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., that delayed the vote on the bill for almost nine hours.

If you’ve been in the game long enough, you’ve seen this coming. Quiet acquisitions. Big-name brokerages merging. The same five players showing up on every load board. Broker consolidation isn’t a trend—it’s a tidal wave. And like every major shift in this industry, it’s the small carriers who feel the hit first.

Greenstone Systems, a Cultura company, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with BulkTMS, a transportation management solution developed by BulkLoads. This collaboration marks a pivotal advancement in Greenstone’s commitment to delivering innovative, scalable solutions for grain logistics and supply chain optimization across the agribusiness sector.

Today, the American Trucking Associations commended the U.S. Senate for voting to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.  The legislation will support the trucking industry by providing long-term tax certainty and more flexible resources for workforce development, ensuring that our nation's supply chains can keep America's economy moving.   “The American Trucking Associations is grateful to Senate Republicans for their hard work to craft a package that will guarantee tax certainty for

It’s almost noon outside Enid, Oklahoma. A 30 mile an hour wind is burning the morning dew off a wheat field that’s a mile long. A five man harvest crew, plus three truck drivers, are on standby. An hour ago they cut a wheat sample from the field they’re at and sent it to the co-op. They need to verify the moisture content before proceeding to harvest, otherwise the elevator won’t take it. It has to be below 13.5% or the wheat will mold in storage.   While they

Mack Trucks is targeting bulk haulers with its newly launched Mack Anthem, a completely redesigned truck built for regional-haul applications that delivers enhanced maneuverability, improved fuel efficiency, and elite driver comfort. “The transportation industry is evolving rapidly with fleet managers facing rising operational costs, complex logistics demands, and ongoing driver recruitment challenges,” Stephen Roy, Mack global president, said in a news release. “The all-new Anthem res

Hank Faber grips the handle of his 2009 Volvo with the practiced ease of a trucker who's maybe spent more time on the road than off it. He adjusts the seat, checks the mirrors, and starts the engine. For Faber, this truck isn't just transportation — it's the reason he can keep paying the bills. Faber and his wife live paycheck to paycheck on his trucking income, their Social Security, and his wife's IRAs.

Mack Trucks has introduced the all-new Mack Anthem®, a redesigned truck aimed at regional-haul applications. The new model focuses on improved maneuverability, better fuel efficiency and enhanced driver comfort. Compared to Mack’s Pioneer model, the Anthem features a shorter bumper-to-back-of-cab length — 113.5 inches versus 125.5 inches — making it better suited for navigating tight and urban spaces. Its redesigned hood improves forward visibility, reducing the risk of front-corner co

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May U.S. net trailer orders fell to 6,738 units, a 34% decline from April. FTR reported the drop exceeded typical seasonal slowdowns, driven by tariff volatility and continued uncertainty in the truck freight and economic landscape. Despite the month-over-month (M/M) dip, orders increased 3% year-over-year (Y/Y) due to a weak May 2024. Year-to-date net trailer orders for 2025 reached 83,218 units, a 24% increase from the same period last year, averaging 16,644 units per mon

The U.S. Department of Transportation unveiled on Friday a package of new initiatives it says will support and improve the lives of America’s truck drivers. "While the country sleeps, truckers grind through the night to help keep shelves stocked, families fed, and businesses humming. It’s a job that requires grit and dedication. But for too long Washington, DC has made work harder for truckers. That ends today," he said in a press release.

The Texas Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Werner Enterprises, reversing a $100 million jury verdict against the motor carrier upheld by an appellate court in a 2014 fatal crash in which a pickup truck lost control on a slick interstate, traveled across the highway median and collided with a Werner tractor traveling on the opposite stretch of road. “The foregoing holdings dispose of all claims and require rendition of judgment for the defendants,” the Texas high court wrote in a Jun

Hopes for a 2025 rebound in the U.S. trucking sector are fading, with freight demand remaining soft for a third straight year, The Wall Street Journal reports.  Tariff uncertainty and bloated inventories are weighing on shipping volumes, even as the industry enters its typically busy season. Retailers and manufacturers continue to work through stockpiles built up ahead of tariff shifts, leaving warehouses full and freight needs flat.  The Cass Freight Index fell 4% in M

The English Language Proficiency (ELP) rule, now in effect, could significantly reduce trucking capacity. For a decade, large truckload carriers have embraced regulations like the ELD mandate and Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse to limit market capacity, but effects were typically short-lived. The ELP mandate, enforced by a DOT Executive Order, requires commercial drivers to demonstrate English proficiency or face out-of-service (OOS) violations. FreightWaves estimates 10% of CDL holders