Transport M&A Hits the Breaks
In Q3 2025, global transport M&A logged its third straight quarterly decline, with deal volumes down roughly 18% quarter-on-quarter and 47.1% year-on-year. Even the proposed $89 billion Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern mega-merger couldn’t mask the broader slowdown, as most invested capital trended lower amid geopolitical risk, tight trade policy, and delayed rate relief. Strategic, capability-driven acquisitions […]
Freight Upturn Takes Shape
Carrier exits are accelerating, signaling a tighter truckload market ahead. GenLogs reports a 5% weekly drop in active carriers for the week ending Nov. 5 and a 7.3% decline through October, with the smallest fleets thinning fastest. At the same time, Q3 shipment volume fell 2.9% while shipper spend rose, a classic tell that capacity […]
DOT Expands Accountability
In a major shift for U.S. freight regulation, DOT Secretary Sean Duffy announced plans to expand federal enforcement from trucking carriers to shippers, targeting those who load freight onto trucks operated by non–English-proficient drivers. The move follows heightened scrutiny over road safety and compliance amid immigration and labor debates. Shippers could now face fines or […]
Trade Truce on the Table
The United States and China have agreed to a partial tariff rollback, signaling a fragile truce in their ongoing trade dispute. Following a high-profile meeting in South Korea, the U.S. will reduce tariffs on select Chinese imports linked to fentanyl trafficking from 20% to 10%, while maintaining an overall duty burden near 47%. Both sides […]
Tightening the CDL Pipeline
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s emergency rule restricting non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) is set to reshape the nation’s freight landscape. Initially designed to provide flexibility, the program evolved into a loophole enabling non-residents—often without verified work permits—to enter the trucking workforce. A recent DOT audit revealed over 200,000 such licenses issued, with more than […]
Capacity Bubble Deflating
J.B. Hunt executives are cautiously optimistic that trucking’s long-standing capacity glut is beginning to ease. On the carrier’s Q3 earnings call, leaders noted a recent tightening in spot markets and attributed it in part to new regulatory enforcement targeting non-domiciled CDL holders and English proficiency standards. These measures are expected to accelerate carrier exits and […]
Ocean Rates Sink Again
Global ocean freight rates have fallen to their lowest levels since late 2023, as shipping lines face both new regulatory headwinds and tentative signs of recovery in the Red Sea corridor. According to Freightos, Transpacific container prices dropped 8% week over week, with Asia–U.S. West Coast lanes averaging $1,431 per FEU and East Coast rates […]
Carbon Crossroads: Shipping’s New Price
Global shipping stands at a turning point as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) prepares to approve the first worldwide carbon levy on maritime emissions — a landmark move that could reshape trade flows, fuel strategies, and cost structures across the industry. The proposed rules would make vessels over 5,000 gross tons pay for excess emissions […]
Enforcement And Empty Lanes
Federal immigration enforcement is quietly reshaping U.S. trucking capacity — and the ripple effects are already hitting the spot market. Following a series of ICE crackdowns in major freight regions, including a high-profile sweep in Oklahoma, many non-domiciled CDL holders are steering clear of southern lanes or parking their trucks altogether. The result: regional shortages, […]
China Counters U.S. Port Fees
China has unveiled new maritime regulations that could sharply escalate tensions with the United States, signaling a tit-for-tat move in the ongoing trans-Pacific trade conflict. The updated rules empower Beijing to impose retaliatory port fees or even bar ships under U.S. services from Chinese ports, mirroring American measures set to take effect October 14. These […]
