FreightWaves Today

FreightWaves Staff Thursday, October 1, 2026

Intermodal Hits All-Time Highs as Truckload Stays Tight

Intermodal hits all-time highs while truckload rejection rates hold near 14% — and that matters for every carrier and broker watching Q4. In this FreightWaves market update, we break down tender rejections, dry van/reefer/flatbed spot rates, the early-October volume drop and why domestic intermodal keeps taking share. The key question: is capacity still tight, or […]

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FreightWaves Staff Thursday, October 1, 2026

IKEA Picks Kodiak for Driverless Freight Rollout

Kodiak landed IKEA as its driverless launch shipper partner, with a long-haul rollout targeted by the end of the year. In this FreightWaves Today segment, Daniel Goff of Kodiak and Chas Wurster of PrePass break down what has to happen before driverless trucks scale: safety case work, inspections, roadside enforcement and state-by-state compliance. The big […]

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FreightWaves Staff Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Warehouse AI Using Existing Cameras to Cut Idle Dock Time

Warehouse cameras can reveal hidden lost capacity every shift — without new hardware. Sarit Tamir, founder and CEO of Seeteria, explains how existing warehouse cameras can flag idle dock doors, blocked aisles, forklift congestion and staging imbalances in real time. The pitch is simple: find disruptions that look normal, fix them faster, and turn lost […]

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FreightWaves Staff Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Intermodal Hits Annual High (21K+ Containers)

Intermodal volumes are breaking records! Domestic intermodal containers reached a new annual high of over 21,000, driven by significant cost savings and strong annual growth. Discover which lanes offer the biggest intermodal savings and what this trend means for freight conversion from road to rail as we head into Q4. The 7-day moving average of […]

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FreightWaves Staff Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Rail Traffic SURGES: Intermodal Hits Record Highs

North American rail traffic is booming, with intermodal volumes hitting record highs. But as the economy recovers, a critical bottleneck threatens to derail this growth: declining drayage capacity. We dive into the latest AAR weekly report and analyze the surprising rebound in chemical and petroleum shipments, while exploring how a shortage of drayage drivers could […]

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FreightWaves Staff Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Diesel Hits Record High, Driver Pay Up 50%

Diesel prices soaring to new highs, driver pay increasing, and operating costs up 40-50% since 2019 are reshaping the freight landscape. David Parker of Covenant Logistics Group joins us to break down the latest SONAR data, discussing everything from tight drayage capacity to the surprising impact of NIMBYism on data center growth and its implications […]

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FreightWaves Staff Tuesday, September 29, 2026

The Freight Market is Healthier Than You Think

David Parker, CEO of Covenant Logistics Group, discusses the evolving freight landscape, including the impact of emissions standards, the move away from commoditized OTR, and surprising insights into specialized markets like live chicken hauling. He shares his views on the future of electric and autonomous trucks, and how economic factors like GLP-1 drugs are affecting […]

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FreightWaves Staff Monday, September 28, 2026

5 Hours to Book a Truck? AI Is Coming for That

AI load negotiation is getting real for carriers — and it could cut hours out of booking a truck. Gabe Ribeiro of Hey Bubba AI breaks down where fleets actually stand on AI, why small carriers still aren’t far behind, and how AI can negotiate with multiple brokers at the same time through email, calling […]

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FreightWaves Staff Monday, September 28, 2026

Diesel Up 10 Cents, Spot Rates Up 2: Margin Squeeze

Diesel is up 10 cents in a week while truckload spot rates only gained 2 cents — and that margin squeeze is the real freight market story. In this update, we break down stable tender rejections around 14%, elevated but flattening spot rates, rising contract rates, tight capacity, intermodal share gains and why weak housing […]

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FreightWaves Staff Friday, September 25, 2026

Trailer Insurance Gaps: 3 Red Flags to Check Now

Trailer insurance gaps can get expensive fast — especially if you’re relying on someone else’s coverage or anything called contingent coverage. Andy Kuchar of Centerline Insurance breaks down 3 red flags companies should watch for, who actually needs dedicated trailer coverage, and why freight brokers, trailer pool operators, repower networks and leasing companies may all […]

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FreightWaves Staff Friday, September 25, 2026

Van Freight Tightens Up as Capacity Stays Fragile

Tender rejections hit 14%, but demand isn’t the real story. This SONAR update breaks down why van rejection rates are staying elevated, why capacity still looks fragile, and what that means for spot rates heading into quarter-end and October. We dig into national rejection trends, van vs. reefer vs. flatbed, tender volume seasonality, Midwest market […]

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FreightWaves Staff Thursday, September 24, 2026

Small Brokerages Should Be Nervous Now

Small brokerages should be nervous right now. Ryder VP Kendra Phillips breaks down how post-Montgomery liability, carrier vetting and safety standards are changing freight brokerage and managed transportation. In this FreightWaves Today interview, Phillips explains why shippers are asking tougher questions, why some carriers are being removed from networks, and why paying more for safer […]

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FreightWaves Staff Thursday, September 24, 2026

Why Green Bay IS a Top 10 Logistics City

Green Bay, Wisconsin, isn’t just about football. Brian Figueroa of KBX Logistics reveals why this city, with 1/10th of 1% of the US population, accounts for over 1% of all national transportation roles. Discover how Green Bay leverages deep industry collaboration and talent development to cement its status as a critical supply chain hub. Plus, […]

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FreightWaves Staff Thursday, September 24, 2026

Freight Tech Isn’t Dead – It’s Getting Picked Apart More Than Ever

Craig Dickman of TitletownTech joined FreightWaves Today to talk freight tech, capital discipline, and what actually stands out in this market. If you’re building, buying, or betting on logistics tech, what’s the one signal you trust most right now? TitletownTech, the early-stage venture fund launched in 2019 as a partnership between the Green Bay Packers […]

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FreightWaves Staff Thursday, September 24, 2026

What Schneider’s CEO Sees Next for Trucking

Schneider CEO Jim Filter breaks down the freight market outlook, trucking demand and what carriers should watch next. In this FW Today interview, Filter sits down with Craig Fuller and Julie Van de Kamp to talk through the cycle, operating conditions and the signals that matter for fleets, brokers and shippers. If you want the […]

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FreightWaves Staff Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Short-Haul Freight Is Winning as Long-Haul Slips

Short-haul freight is up 35% year to date, and that shift is changing the truckload market. In this SONAR update, we break down why under-100-mile freight is growing, why long-haul volumes are slipping, and how intermodal is pulling freight out of over-the-road networks. You’ll also get the latest read on tender rejections, which are still […]

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FreightWaves Staff Wednesday, September 23, 2026

AI Saves Trucking Company $53,000 Annually

Third-generation trucking owner Pam Polyak reveals how she uses AI to dramatically cut costs and boost efficiency. Learn how understanding your numbers and leveraging technology can transform your trucking business, especially for small owner-operators navigating volatile markets. A Wisconsin trucking company recovered $53,000 in labor costs after its owner used Claude AI to audit telematics […]

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