Federal regulators have opened the door to wider use of Automated Track Inspection across the U.S. rail network. The FRA approved a five-year waiver that lets railroads pair ATI with fewer visual track inspections on certain routes. Railroads using the waiver must scan all main lines and sidings at least
Trailer leasing is still expanding, but growth has shifted into a lower gear during the freight recession. Industry growth slowed to 8.3% this year, down from 17.7% last year. Utilization has also stepped back from the pandemic peak. Many leasing fleets now sit around 80-85% utilization for leases and about
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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
