Latest news with #truckingindustry


Forbes
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Why The Future Of Trucking Litigation Is An Expert Arms Race
Robotic truck company Aurora shows off a self-driving semi-truck at the CES tech show in Las Vegas. A quiet revolution is reshaping America's trucking industry, and it's about to transform how trucking accident cases are fought in courtrooms across the country. Semi-autonomous systems—where drivers monitor AI-controlled vehicles—are already being deployed across commercial fleets, while companies like Aurora have logged five million fully autonomous commercial miles, proving that driverless freight is no longer science fiction. For the legal industry, this technological shift represents one of the most significant changes in commercial transportation litigation since the interstate highway system was built. With both human drivers and AI systems 'behind the wheel,' the fundamental nature of legal liability is being rewritten. To understand why this matters, consider how trucking accident cases are typically fought today. I interviewed Kenneth Williams, Transportation Practice Leader at the law firm Segal McCambridge, who has spent decades defending trucking companies in court. For the past fifteen years, plaintiff attorneys have relied heavily on "Reptile Theory," a litigation strategy designed to activate jurors' primitive survival instincts and make them feel that corporate conduct threatens community safety. This emotional approach has proven remarkably effective, generating billions in verdicts and settlements. As Williams explains, common questions include, "Does the trucking company agree that safety must be paramount?" and "A company must make the safest possible choice in all circumstances, correct?" These questions attempt to force defendants to agree with broad safety principles, then use those agreements to argue any deviation endangered the community. While data from today's trucks is already used by experts for accident reconstruction and determining driver distraction, the widespread adoption of semi-autonomous trucking systems will create more data, giving the truck more of a "voice" in litigation. These systems require drivers to monitor AI-controlled vehicles, but the AI handles part of the driving decisions. As Williams explains, "In near future jury trials involving commercial trucking litigation, you will hear from the commercial owner and from the driver, but the jury is now going to hear a new voice. They're going to hear from the vehicle itself—and vehicles don't give conflicting testimony, don't forget, and don't get nervous on the witness stand." Litigation Strategy Will Change As this technology continues to advance, litigation strategy will fundamentally shift from subjective human testimony to objective machine data. Instead of relying on a driver's recollection of events that occurred in milliseconds during a high-stress situation, through experts, legal teams can access precise sensor data showing exactly what the vehicle detected, when it detected it, and how the AI system responded. This includes everything from the exact speed and trajectory of surrounding vehicles to weather conditions, road surface quality, and even the driver's attention level as monitored by interior cameras and biometric sensors. The data richness extends beyond the moment of impact. Modern semi-autonomous systems continuously monitor and log driver behavior, creating detailed profiles of attention patterns, response times, and compliance with system alerts. This information provides unprecedented insight into the human-machine interaction that defines semi-autonomous operation, offering litigators objective evidence of driver performance that was previously impossible to obtain. As increasingly autonomous systems become more prevalent in commercial trucks, the litigation advantage will shift dramatically toward those who can secure and effectively utilize technical experts, but this shift also fundamentally changes litigation economics. Williams outlined the comprehensive expert team that will become essential, and why insurance carriers need to start wrestling with questions like, "Are you pricing policies to incorporate a digital forensic expert, an artificial intelligence expert, a biomechanical engineer, an accident reconstructionist, and a human factors expert on every case involving autonomous trucks? Let alone your medical doctors and toxicologists. Companies like Rimkus that are at the forefront of data retrieval, data interpretation, and AI expertise—that's who will be the industry leaders in assisting litigators." The Human Element Remains Williams noted the demographic implications: "The ramifications will impact who's on your jury. All the kids familiar with TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram—they're miles ahead in technology compared to war veterans, retired school teachers, and end-of-career white-collar professionals.' However, even tech-savvy jurors need expert guidance to understand complex AI decision-making processes. The challenge lies in making sophisticated technology accessible to jurors with varying technical backgrounds while maintaining emotional resonance. As Williams explains, the most successful litigation teams will combine technical accuracy with compelling human narratives. They'll explain not just what the AI system did, but why those decisions matter for human safety and justice. The Shift from Personal Injury to Product Liability Perhaps the most fundamental legal transformation will be the gradual shift from traditional personal injury claims to product liability cases. In conventional trucking accidents, liability typically centers on driver negligence—whether the driver was distracted, fatigued, speeding, or otherwise failed to exercise reasonable care. The legal framework focuses on human error and company policies around driver training, hours of service, and vehicle maintenance. As AI systems assume greater control over vehicle operations, the liability calculus fundamentally changes. When an autonomous system makes a split-second decision that results in an accident, the question shifts from "did the driver act reasonably?" to "did the AI system function as designed?" This transformation moves cases from the realm of personal injury law—where human behavior is scrutinized—into product liability territory, where the focus becomes whether the technology itself was defective. Williams expects this shift to reshape commercial vehicle accident litigation, creating distinct categories of legal arguments. "Instead of arguing whether a driver should have seen a hazard or reacted faster, we'll be arguing whether the AI's object recognition algorithms were adequate, whether the sensors worked properly, or whether the decision-making protocols were reasonable given the circumstances," he explains. This evolution has profound implications for how cases are prepared and tried. Product liability cases require different expertise, different discovery processes and different legal theories. Rather than deposing drivers about their training and experience, attorneys will need to engage experts in software engineering, data science and artificial intelligence. The focus shifts from company safety policies to algorithmic decision-making processes and driver logs to code repositories. The transition also affects damages calculations. In traditional personal injury cases, damages often reflect the individual driver's actions and the trucking company's vicarious liability. In product liability cases, damages may encompass broader questions about whether entire fleets of vehicles share the same algorithmic vulnerabilities, potentially exposing manufacturers to massive aggregate liability that dwarfs today's trucking settlements. For insurance carriers, this shift represents a fundamental recalibration of risk assessment. The predictable patterns of human error that have long guided actuarial models give way to the more complex challenge of quantifying AI system reliability across millions of driving scenarios. The Coming Competitive Advantage While the full transformation remains years away, competitive advantages in the courtroom are already emerging. Williams emphasized: "Success will depend entirely on securing the best data interpretation experts early in the process. In this new reality, the side with superior technical expertise doesn't just have an advantage—they have an insurmountable one." The window for preparation is open now. As Aurora expands operations and other manufacturers accelerate deployment with semi-autonomous and fully autonomous commercial vehicles, those who build expert networks and develop technical competencies early will dominate the industry. The autonomous trucking revolution will transform commercial transportation litigation from emotion-driven to expert-driven. While human emotions and compelling narratives will remain important, the attorneys and insurance companies who can best interpret and present complex technical data in understandable, emotionally resonant ways will control the courtroom. The change is coming. The full transformation may take years, but the time to build expert relationships and develop technical competencies is now.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Truck Parking Club Accepts Strategic Investment from CAT Scale Company to Ramp Growth
Industry leader with nearly 50 years serving drivers supports marketplace solving critical truck parking shortage CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. and WALCOTT, Iowa, July 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Truck Parking Club announced a strategic investment from CAT Scale, North America's largest truck weighing network and one of trucking's most trusted brands. Since 1977, CAT Scale has built an unmatched reputation serving professional truck drivers with their unconditional guarantee and has scaled to 2,275 locations nationwide. Their investment brings nearly five decades of growth and operations expertise to support Truck Parking Club's mission of solving the industry's most persistent challenge: the truck parking shortage. The investment announcement coincides with the Walcott Truckers Jamboree at Iowa 80 Truckstop, a leader among truck shows in the US, further highlighting the deep connection both companies share with America's professional truck drivers. The partnership comes as Truck Parking Club has experienced explosive growth, doubling its network to 2,262 Property Member locations in just six months. With CAT Scale as a strategic partner, the company is positioned to accelerate toward its goal of 10,000 Property Member locations while building the level of truck driver trust. "We're humbled by CAT Scale's investment and that they see the value we bring to drivers," said Evan Shelley, Co-founder & CEO of Truck Parking Club. "They've been stewards of the trucking industry for generations, building an incredible nationwide network and beloved brand through their unconditional guarantee. Leveraging their knowledge and experience from building a trusted nationwide network will be invaluable as we continue building our truck parking network toward our goal of 10,000+ Property Member locations by December 2026." "After working years to add truck parking at our own truckstops, working with NATSO and personally lobbying in Washington for help, we see Truck Parking Club as the best solution and more importantly, it is available today." Said Delia Moon Meier, Senior Vice President at CAT Scale. "Helping Truck Parking Club succeed is a material way we can help truck drivers." The strategic investment helps us further address the nationwide truck parking shortage that forces drivers to spend an average of 56 minutes searching for safe, legal parking. Truck Parking Club's platform aims to reduce that search time to 10 minutes or less. Following in CAT Scale's footsteps, Truck Parking Club is committed to serving drivers and property owners with the same dedication and reliability for generations to come. About CAT Scale CAT Scale Company is the world's leading truck scale network providing guaranteed, accurate weights at over 2,275 locations in the U.S. and Canada. Founded in 1977 and headquartered in Walcott, IA; CAT Scale Company is the #1 choice for professional drivers when weighing their load. The Weigh My Truck app provides a guaranteed accurate weight delivered directly to your smart phone or in-cab device. See more at About Truck Parking Club Truck Parking Club is a network of instantly reservable hourly, daily, weekly and monthly truck parking at 2,262 locations throughout the US. Truck Parking Club helps connect truckers to legal truck parking locations throughout the US via and our mobile app. Our network is made up of property owners that have locations adequate for truck parking to list on the platform: this includes trucking companies, truck repair shops, tow truck companies, storage companies, CDL Schools, trailer leasing companies, real estate investors, truck stops, truck parking operators and more! Media ContactReed LoustalotCMO - Truck Parking Clubreed@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Rise of Broker Consolidation – What It Means for Small Carriers
If you've been in the game long enough, you've seen this coming. Quiet acquisitions. Big-name brokerages merging. The same five players showing up on every load board. Broker consolidation isn't a trend—it's a tidal wave. And like every major shift in this industry, it's the small carriers who feel the hit first. But this ain't a doom-and-gloom story. It's a reality check. And like every challenge in trucking, there's a way to move smart and come out stronger—if you're paying attention and playing the long game. Let's unpack what's really going on, what's driving these moves behind the scenes, and how you, as a small carrier or fleet owner, need to adjust your strategy now before the landscape shifts even further. Consolidation doesn't happen randomly. It happens because the freight economy is tightening—and big brokerages are realizing that scale equals survival. When margins shrink and shippers demand more transparency, brokers need more leverage. So, they merge, acquire, and grow—fast. In the last few years, we've seen multi-million-dollar deals between mid-tier brokerages and publicly traded giants. What's the end game? Fewer brokerages with more control over freight volume, pricing, and capacity. Technology is playing a big part too. TMS platforms, AI-based pricing tools, and load-matching software are expensive to build but easier to scale once you reach critical mass. Smaller brokers simply can't keep up. So they sell—or get swallowed. But here's the kicker: the average carrier isn't watching the back end of these deals. They're just seeing fewer broker names, tighter margins, slower payments, and more hoops to jump through just to get the same freight they ran last year. And that's where things get real. Let's not sugarcoat it. Broker consolidation is a direct threat to the independence and leverage of small carriers. When five brokers control 80% of your outbound lanes, your negotiating power shrinks. Period. Here's what else it means: 1. Fewer Relationships, Less Leverage When regional brokers get bought out, the personal relationships you built over years disappear overnight. You're no longer dealing with Sarah, who knew your schedule and lanes—you're calling into a general dispatch queue with 500 other trucks. 2. Standardized Rates and Less Flexibility Big brokerages operate on margin control and volume, not relationships. That means rates are algorithmic, not negotiated. You'll get what the system offers, and if you push back too hard, you'll just get skipped over. 3. Stricter Onboarding RequirementsMega brokers want to protect their shippers. So they tighten onboarding: higher insurance minimums, stricter safety scores, longer payment cycles. If your back office isn't dialed in, you're out before you're in. 4. More Competition on the Load BoardConsolidated brokers push more freight to digital platforms, which sounds good—until you realize you're bidding against every other small carrier who saw the same load five seconds after you did. This isn't a playing field. It's a meat grinder. And if you don't adapt, you're going to find yourself hauling cheap freight with rising costs and no seat at the table. Here's something most folks miss: large brokers win because they aggregate capacity. That means the more trucks they can 'control'—whether through contracts, apps, or consistent use—the better pricing they offer to shippers. But where does that leave you? If you're a 1–10 truck operation, you can't play the volume game. You've got to play the relationship game. That means: Finding shippers who value consistency over cost Narrowing your lanes and becoming irreplaceable Getting off load boards and onto routing guides You can't win by playing their game. You win by building your own. Now here's the good news: being small still has its advantages—if you know how to use them. 1. Stay Niche, Stay ProfitableStop chasing everything. Specialize. If you run reefer, get tight on lanes and seasonal cycles. If you run flatbed, focus on niche commodities. Brokers can't replicate the precision and flexibility of a specialized carrier. That's your edge. 2. Build Direct Relationships—NowThe clock is ticking. Every week you stay dependent on brokers is another week you lose leverage. Start mapping your lanes. Identify potential direct shippers. Make calls. Send emails. Drop in face-to-face. Relationships built today pay off when capacity tightens again. 3. Level Up Your Back OfficeIf your safety scores, invoicing, or paperwork is sloppy, you'll get left behind. Clean it up. Build systems. Automate what you can. Make your operation easy to work with and compliant with larger broker or shipper expectations. 4. Watch the Freight Tech StackThe big players are using technology to move faster. That doesn't mean you need to break the bank, but you need to pay attention. Digital rate confirmations, GPS tracking, ELD integrations—all of that matters now. If your systems are outdated, you're adding friction to every transaction. 5. Collaborate with Other CarriersThis one is underrated. You may not have 50 trucks, but if you partner with others in your region or niche, you can co-market to shippers, share backhauls, or present a united front for routing guide bids. That's how small fleets punch above their weight. Real Talk – What I Tell My Carriers When I work with small carriers inside the Playbook, I don't sell dreams. I deliver strategy. And the truth is, broker consolidation isn't going away. If you're waiting for things to go 'back to normal,' you're already behind. Here's what I tell my fleet owners every single week: Stop thinking of brokers as your customers. They're not. They're your middleman. Stop looking at load boards as a strategy. They're a backup plan. Start investing time in what builds long-term leverage: shipper relationships, clean compliance, and operational consistency. Because in this new landscape, the winners will be the ones who control the freight—not the ones chasing it. Broker consolidation is changing the rules of the game, but it's not the end of the road for small carriers—it's just a different road. The ones who adjust, evolve, and build outside the load board will thrive. The ones who don't will keep running harder for less money. Don't let size be your excuse. Let it be to your advantage. Move faster, build tighter, and stay focused. Because in this business, the ones who adapt are the ones who survive—and the ones who dominate. The post The Rise of Broker Consolidation – What It Means for Small Carriers appeared first on FreightWaves.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DOT Secretary plans to use AI to solve carrier identity
The Freight Fraud Crisis The trucking industry is grappling with a surge in freight fraud, leaving carriers, brokers, and shippers vulnerable to sophisticated scams like identity theft and unauthorized double brokering. These schemes disrupt supply chains, undermine trust, and cause significant financial and logistical challenges. The root cause is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) inadequate management of carrier identities, which allows criminals to exploit outdated systems and weak oversight. How Criminals Exploit Basic Vulnerabilities The FMCSA's outdated data systems and lax verification processes make fraud easy. Criminals register fraudulent carrier identities using stolen credentials or fake documents to obtain Motor Carrier (MC) numbers with little scrutiny. Without real-time monitoring, they manipulate records or reactivate dormant registrations undetected, enabling double brokering—where fraudsters pose as legitimate carriers, secure loads, and subcontract them without authorization, leaving others unpaid. Identity theft is widespread, with criminals hijacking carriers' profiles to divert payments or secure contracts, damaging reputations. The lack of biometric or multi-factor authentication allows repeat offenders to re-enter under new aliases. Many of these issues stem from basic oversights. The FMCSA doesn't require robust identity checks, like verifying driver's or business licenses, and lacks cybersecurity measures like two-factor authentication. Automated alerts for suspicious activities, such as multiple registrations from one IP address, are missing, and routine database audits to flag duplicate or dormant MC numbers are inconsistent. These are standard practices in banking and e-commerce, yet the FMCSA's reliance on manual processes and outdated software leaves loopholes for criminals. Organized crime syndicates exploit these gaps, costing the industry millions annually. Private companies like Highway, RMIS, and Carrier Assure have stepped in with innovative solutions. Highway offers real-time carrier monitoring and fraud detection tools, while RMIS provides onboarding and risk assessment to verify carrier legitimacy. Carrier Assure uses advanced analytics to score carrier reliability and flag suspicious activity. These platforms help brokers avoid bad actors, but their impact is limited without systemic change. To make a real difference, the DOT must lead, working with law enforcement to prosecute fraudsters and enforce stricter regulations, ensuring a coordinated effort to protect the industry. A Robust Response from the DOT Under Secretary Sean Duffy, the DOT is tackling freight fraud with a forward-thinking strategy. Artificial intelligence (AI) is central, detecting fraud patterns that traditional methods miss. Speaking on FreightWaves' What The Truck?!? podcast on June 27, 2025, Duffy said, 'We have great AI tools that will bring us light years ahead in rooting out fraud patterns.' These tools aim to strengthen FMCSA system security and data integrity, preventing fraud before it harms legitimate businesses. The DOT is also partnering with law enforcement to identify and prosecute bad actors, fostering accountability across the supply chain and creating a secure, competitive environment for truckers. Learning from Past Shortcomings Historically, insufficient oversight and inactive load boards have worsened fraud vulnerabilities. Private-sector platforms have tried to fill these gaps, but their fragmented efforts lack cohesion. Private tech solutions have had to compensate for the DOT's poor management of carrier identity. Duffy's initiatives mark a shift toward unified oversight, combining technology and accountability to address longstanding issues. Private solutions aren't going away, but they will build upon DOT's efforts. Building a Future-Ready Framework The DOT's strategy anticipates future threats by integrating AI, strengthening data security, and collaborating with law enforcement to set new fraud prevention standards. Duffy emphasized, 'Rules must eliminate fraud and double brokering while treating truckers fairly.' This approach creates a resilient framework adaptable to evolving fraud tactics, ensuring long-term protection. A Path to a Secure Trucking Industry The DOT's plan—leveraging AI, law enforcement partnerships, and regulatory reform—offers a promising path to secure the trucking industry. By addressing FMCSA vulnerabilities and prioritizing carrier identity management, the DOT aims to build a fair, transparent, and secure marketplace, safeguarding freight operations and supporting legitimate carriers, brokers, and shippers. The post DOT Secretary plans to use AI to solve carrier identity appeared first on FreightWaves.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The $1B scam some say is driving Canada's trucking industry into crisis
The national voice of the trucking industry in Canada is renewing calls for the federal government to pump the brakes on what it says is a $1-billion scam it calls "Driver Inc." "We believe that in some parts of Canada at least a third of the companies and the drivers are participating in this, and it's hurting us twofold as a society," said Stephen Laskowski, president and CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA). "Those are taxes that aren't going into our [economy], and on the flip side of it, it's about a 30 per cent advantage in the marketplace." Laskowski described it as a tax evasion scheme where trucking companies purposely misclassify drivers as incorporated workers instead of employees to save money on payroll taxes. But he said those drivers also lose their labour rights including fair pay, overtime and vacation pay, as well as health and safety protections. In 2021, the government made it illegal for federally regulated employers to misclassify employees, and added penalties for non-compliance. In a statement to CBC, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) said that prohibition was strengthened in 2024 by placing the burden on employers to prove a worker is not an employee. However, Laskowski said more needs to be done, identifying Driver Inc. as the biggest current threat to the industry — including the ongoing Canada-U.S. trade war. "We have worked and pleaded with governments to address it, and the reality is they are starting to, but nowhere near to the level that needs to be done. Nowhere near," he said. Companies target newcomers Driver Karanveer Singh agrees there's a lack of enforcement against companies that break the law. Singh came to Canada from India's northern Punjab state as an international student when he was 18 years old. "I'm trying to chase the Canadian dream," he said. But Singh's journey took a detour shortly after he got his commercial trucking licence. He said the first two companies he worked for misclassified him as an incorporated driver, and also never paid him. Singh was able to prove to the Canadian Labour Board that he had been misclassified and the companies were ordered to pay what he was owed. While he was able to collect from one of the companies, Singh said it's unlikely he'll ever see the nearly $40,000 owed by the second company. "Until the government enforces it, it is useless," he said, referring to the court order. "These companies, they know what they are doing…. Most of the time they will find new immigrants, new truck drivers to target because they are so easy to target because every new immigrant is desperate for a job." A difficult problem Part of the CTA's solution involves lifting a moratorium on assessing penalties for failing to complete the fees for service box of the T4A tax slip. Laskowski said that would help the CRA identify and audit companies that rely heavily on incorporated drivers. However, it could also further slow an already sluggish system, according to Ottawa tax lawyer Dean Blachford. "With penalties comes disputes and penalty relief requests that clog up the system even if they are for small amounts," he explained in an email to CBC. "Meanwhile, the companies that are pushing the limits the most with Driver's Inc. still might not comply with the T4A requirement and instead take further evasive means (such as using shell companies) to creditor proof themselves from having to pay the penalty if CRA ever identifies them." In a statement to CBC, the CRA said it's working toward lifting the moratorium before enforcement commences. It also said the agency is not aware of the analysis underlying Laskowski's claim that Driver Inc. has resulted in about $1 billion in lost tax revenue, and "therefore cannot comment." Driving down business The owner of Kriska Transportation Group in Prescott, Ont., is also urging the federal government to act, saying the Driver Inc. model is driving companies that do comply with tax regulations out of business. The unfairness makes owner Mark Seymour's blood pressure rise. "It's widely known, it's not a dirty little secret. It's out of control," he said. Seymour has been in the business more than four decades, taking over Kriska from his late father in 1994. "I have competed as many of us have for many years based on price and service where price should be established from the same ground rules as everyone," he said. "That's paying appropriate taxes, treating people as employees and in the manner that the government would expect." Ron and Francie Langevin own P.A. Langevin Transport in Carleton Place, Ont., and say they, too, worry about the future. "There's so much wrong with this industry right now," Ron Langevin said, adding he suspects the companies that operate under the Driver Inc. model are so focused on profits that they also let safety standards slip. "These issues are falling through the cracks, and the next time you're driving on a highway with a transport truck beside you I want you to look at it and I want you to wonder how safe am I, really," Francie Langevin said. Singh said in his experience, that assessment is true. He recalled being trained by a very inexperienced driver who got them into trouble at the Port Huron border crossing. "He hit the concrete wall over there at the border, and I was so surprised. Like, this is supposed to be my trainer and he just like damaged the truck," Singh said. On his next trip, Singh said he was asked to be the trainer. "They did not [tell] me a single thing and just gave me a new training driver for me to train," he said. "They want their stuff delivered, they want their job done. "I think when these companies are allowed to operate, Canadians are not safe," he said. ESDC said it is taking action, recently entering into an information-sharing agreement with the CRA to help with enforcement and compliance. It also pointed to a dedicated team of inspectors focused exclusively on the road transportation industry across Canada. Since 2023, ESDC said the team has conducted about 540 inspections and held 320 education sessions across the country.