James Miller

Bot Auto and Ryan Transportation launch driverless freight service on Houston–Dallas overnight corridor

Bot Auto and Ryan Transportation will operate driverless runs on a roughly 200-mile overnight lane from Houston into the southern Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, addressing tight delivery windows and hours-of-service constraints that have historically limited human-driven freight on this corridor.

BMO’s Q1 results indicate easing credit pressure in the trucking sector

Gross impaired loans in BMO’s transportation portfolio fell to CA$563 million in the quarter ended Jan.

Fort Smith port wins $8.1M federal grant to expand rail-served warehouses and restore flood damage

The Fort Smith river port currently moves roughly 1,000 railcars annually and has secured a $8.1 million federal grant to modernize rail handling and add warehouse capacity after being devastated by the 2019 Arkansas River flood.

PowerLease 3.0: Keeping Proven Owner-Operators Seated Through Performance-Based Financing

PowerLease 3.0 finances truck replacement and driver-to-owner transitions through approved carriers across North America using performance-based underwriting, a model that targets operating metrics and carrier alignment rather than traditional credit scores.

Harbinger purchases Phantom AI to bring advanced ADAS to medium‑duty electric trucks

Harbinger completed the acquisition of Phantom AI in November 2025 and plans to deploy Phantom’s computer‑vision stack into its medium‑duty electric and hybrid trucks beginning 2026, delivering Level 2 driver assistance features such as automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping and emergency lane support.

Houthi Threats Trigger New Red Sea Reroutes as CMA CGM and Maersk Alter Services

CMA CGM advisories to shelter ships and rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope are already shifting liner schedules: several sailings that normally use the Suez Canal have been suspended while transits through the Strait of Hormuz face temporary closures, creating immediate capacity and scheduling ripples for Asia–Europe and Middle East–Europe trades.

Legal Fallout from Voided IEEPA Tariffs: Refund Claims Against FedEx, UPS, and Eyewear Makers

Last week’s Supreme Court decision that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize the President to levy broad-based tariffs has placed over $130 billion of collected duties and interest into legal uncertainty.

Hansen & Adkins’ Recruiting Shift: Tommy Valenzuela’s 180-Day Touchpoints and Tech-Driven Onboarding

Hansen & Adkins Auto Transport operates more than 40 terminals across the United States and Canada, and a shift to a high-touch, tech-enabled recruiting model — including a formalized 180-day touchpoint program — has begun to change driver retention trajectories and operational capacity for vehicle haulage fleets.

Federal judge dismisses ILA challenge after VIT installs automated gantries at Norfolk International Terminal

The Eastern District of Virginia judge Jamar K. Walker dismissed without prejudice the International Longshoremen’s Union’s suit alleging that the Virginia Port Authority (VPA) and its operating arm, Virginia International Terminals (VIT), violated terms of the new master contract by installing automated rail‑mounted gantry cranes at Norfolk International Terminal. Key procedural outcome and immediate operational facts The dismissal was procedural: the case was tossed on filing technicalities rather than on the merits, so the ILA may refile. Court records show the union sought a declaratory judgment and a permanent injunction to stop VPA from implementing automation without union

FMCSA 2026: Median $51M awards dwarf the $750,000 motor carrier insurance minimum

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 2026 quadrennial filing shows 456,227 active for‑hire interstate property carriers hauling roughly 12 billion tons of freight, while the median “nuclear” verdict in catastrophic injury and fatality cases has climbed to approximately $51 million.

Class Actions Against FedEx Over Tariff Repayments and Added Brokerage Charges

On Feb. 27, a proposed class action in Miami federal court alleged that FedEx Corp. functioned as a de facto customs broker and charged a $36 duty-plus-brokerage fee on a single pair of imported tennis shoes, a claim that touches direct accounting practices for parcel handlers, last-mile delivery reconciliation, and customs recovery workflows. What the complaint alleges The plaintiff, Matthew Reiser, says he was billed duties and a separate “brokerage fee” by FedEx when importing goods from Germany. The suit asks the court to impose a legally enforceable obligation requiring FedEx to refund those charges to consumers, arguing the carrier is the only party with standing to seek tariff

Redesigned Volvo VNR enters serial production at New River Valley; first units head to Clayton Homes

Volvo Trucks North America has started serial production of the redesigned VNR regional-haul tractor at the New River Valley (NRV) plant in Dublin, Virginia, with initial deliveries scheduled for homebuilder Clayton in Maryville, Tennessee.