Cargo thefts surge 49%; driver training under Trump; up close with NASA crawler | WHAT THE TRUCK?!?

Key Takeaways:

  • A 49% surge in cargo theft in 2024 compared to 2023 is reported, prompting discussion on preventative measures for fleets.
  • Potential changes to driver training standards under discussion, impacting hiring practices.
  • A segment features NASA's crawler-transporter, the largest self-propelled land vehicle, used in space missions.
  • The episode includes additional segments: "Squats Across America," clarification on a "de minimis" ruling, and "final destination at the gate."

On Episode 809 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking about the massive surge in cargo theft that is plaguing the freight industry. Overhaul’s Danny Ramon shares the company’s latest report, which shows an astounding 49% increase in cargo thefts in 2024 compared to 2023. Is 2025 on track to set an even higher record, and what can fleets do to protect themselves? We’ll get into it.

Driver training standards could change drastically under President Donald Trump. Commercial Vehicle Training Association’s Andrew Poliakoff talks about the latest changes and executive orders that could impact the way you hire drivers.

You think you haul heavy? Dooner headed down to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to meet the largest self-propelled land vehicle on Earth, NASA’s crawler. We’ll find out how this 60-year-old monster rig is bringing Americans back to the moon.

Plus, Squats Across America returns; de minimis ruling clarified; final destination at the gate; and more. 

Catch new shows live at noon EDT Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on FreightWaves LinkedIn, Facebook, X or YouTube, or on demand by looking up WHAT THE TRUCK?!? on your favorite podcast player and at 5 p.m. Eastern on SiriusXM’s Road Dog Trucking Channel 146.

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Timothy Dooner

Dooner is an award-winning podcaster who hosts and produces FreightWaves' WHAT THE TRUCK?!? In under a year he helped build FreightCasts, the world’s largest logistics and supply chain podcast network in media. WTT is ranked in Apple Podcasts top-20 Business News podcasts. He also writes a newsletter of the same title with over 15k subscribers in the supply chain and trucking niche. Dooner has been in freight since 2005 and has held directors positions in operations, sales, consulting, and marketing. He has worked with FedEx, Reebok, Adidas, L.L. Bean, Hasbro, Louis Vuitton, and many more high level clients across the full spectrum of the supply chain. He was a featured speaker at TEDx Chattanooga.