Freight Day! 👋 The latest Transport Topics Top 100 For-Hire Carriers list shows many companies struggling with tighter margins, while nearly 75% of those reporting net income saw profits drop year-over-year. LTL carriers have fared better than truckload operators. More ahead 👇

💬 More in Freight:

⚫️ FedEx Founder Dies At 80

⚫️ $5M Settlement Draws Attention

⚫️ How TXDOT Plans On Using AI

⚫️ Pentagon Cancels $17.9B Contract

FedEx Founder Dies ✈️

Frederick Smith, founder and longtime leader of FedEx Corporation, died of natural causes on June 21, 2025, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 80. Smith’s passing marks the close of a transformative chapter in global logistics, an industry he helped create and redefine through bold innovation and unwavering leadership.

Smith launched FedEx in 1973, introducing a faster alternative to traditional mail services. His vision transformed a college business concept into a global logistics powerhouse that now handles an average of 17 million shipments per business day.

A Marine Corps veteran and Yale graduate, Smith developed the now-standard “hub-and-spoke” model for air cargo while in school. Under his leadership, Memphis-based FedEx became a critical part of the global economy, often viewed as a barometer of business activity. Smith stepped down as CEO in 2022 but continued to serve as executive chairman.

$5 Million Settlement Draws Attention 👀

A $5 million wrongful death settlement is drawing attention to distracted driving and shady practices in the trucking industry.

In March 2021, 34-year-old Jamie Roth was killed when a semi-truck rear-ended her stalled car on I-70 near Edwardsville, Illinois. The truck, operated by NFL National Freight Ltd., was allegedly on cruise control in heavy rain, and the driver, Gursimran Singh, was reportedly looking at his phone at the time.

Roth’s family chose to make the settlement public—rare for large trucking cases. Their attorneys say it’s a chance for the industry to learn from fatal mistakes.

A forensic report also found Singh and his co-driver had logged nearly 14,000 miles in 17 days and suggested NFL may be a “chameleon carrier,” tied to 17 other companies used to dodge safety regulations.

The attorneys hope the case raises awareness of distracted driving, excessive hours, and carriers that game the system to avoid accountability.

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What Else Is Moving 🚚

2025 Top 15 For Hire Carriers 🚛

The second Trump administration’s shifting tariffs have disrupted supply chains and added uncertainty to an already strained industry. While aimed at reshoring manufacturing, the policies have delayed business decisions and complicated freight flows.

Transport Topics’ latest Top 100 For-Hire Carriers list shows a mixed picture. Many firms struggled with tighter margins, and nearly 75% of those that reported net income saw profits drop year-over-year. Less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers generally fared better than truckload operators.

For North America’s largest trucking companies, 2024 was marked by continued freight market weakness—and new trade-related challenges.

Estes Express Lines stood out, climbing three spots to No. 8 with $5.8 billion in revenue. Meanwhile, mergers and acquisitions continued to reshape the landscape.

The top seven ranks remained unchanged, led by UPS, FedEx, and J.B. Hunt. However, the full impact of new trade policies and potential market recovery is likely to play out in the coming year.

FREIGHT SNIPPETS ✂️

🏛️ Refusing To Speed Up Tariff Challenge | The Supreme Court has declined to fast-track a legal challenge to former President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs. On June 20, the justices rejected a request from two family-owned importers—Learning Resources Inc. and hand2mind Inc.—to expedite their case, meaning the administration will have the standard 30 days to respond. The companies argue Trump overstepped his authority under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. While a lower court sided with them, the administration is urging the justices to wait for the federal appeals process to play out. This marks the first time Trump’s tariff policies are facing scrutiny at the Supreme Court level. Read more.

❌ Ohio Fulfillment Center Closes | Kohl’s will permanently close its e-commerce fulfillment center in Monroe, Ohio, on Oct. 31, cutting 768 jobs, according to a WARN notice filed June 5. Most employees will depart by Sept. 12. The closure is part of a broader effort to streamline operations, with the company citing improved efficiency at newer centers and expanded in-store fulfillment capabilities. The Ohio facility, operational since 2001, was one of 14 in Kohl’s network. It follows a separate closure of a California fulfillment center in May. Read more.

💸 $60B Chip Manufacturing Investment | Texas Instruments is making a historic bet on U.S. manufacturing with plans to invest over $60 billion in seven semiconductor plants across Texas and Utah — the largest investment in foundational chip production in American history. The effort is expected to support more than 60,000 jobs. The flagship site is in Sherman, Texas, where four fabs (SM1–SM4) are in progress or planned. TI is also expanding operations in Richardson, Texas, and Lehi, Utah. Read more.

👎 Global Air Rates Slip | Global air cargo rates are slipping amid trade uncertainty and shifting tariff rules, according to a June 6 report from Xeneta. In April, the average global spot rate dropped 4% year-over-year to $2.44/kg — the first decline since April 2024. While China–U.S. rates briefly rebounded to $4.31/kg by June 1 (up 14% from their May low), Xeneta says downward pressure remains. Read more.

🔌 Commercial Trucks Ready Now? | A new report from the Pembina Institute finds that one-third of commercial trucks and vans in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) could transition to electric today — and nearly half could make the switch by 2030. The study, Electrifying Fleet Trucks, highlights that many fleets already operate within ranges compatible with today’s battery-electric technology. Contrary to common assumptions, the report notes that battery range and access to charging are less of a barrier than expected. Read more.

🚨 Police Finds Cocaine In Cab | Arizona police released body cam footage of a June 12 traffic stop that led to a major drug bust involving a commercial flatbed truck. Deputies with the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office pulled over the truck on I-17 near Cordes Lakes. Inside the cab, they found multiple kilo-sized packages of white powder, later confirmed to be cocaine. The total weight was approximately 13 pounds. The driver, 33-year-old Carlos Gomez of New Mexico, was arrested on drug charges. Read more.

Pallets of News 🚛

How TXDOT Plans On Using AI 🤖

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is rolling out a three-year plan to integrate artificial intelligence across its operations, identifying 230 potential applications — from project planning to emergency response.

The 2025–2027 roadmap focuses on embedding AI in areas like infrastructure prioritization, budgeting, fleet management, utility conflict avoidance, and weather-based emergency routing. AI is already in use across 22 functions, including predictive traffic analysis and crash detection.

TxDOT also plans to enhance traffic congestion analytics by integrating broader datasets.

Pentagon Cancels $17.9B Contract ❌

The Pentagon has canceled its $17.9 billion Global Household Goods (GHC) contract, ending a troubled effort to overhaul the military’s relocation system. The move comes just weeks after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanded urgent fixes to the program and called out its failures during peak moving season.

The contract with HomeSafe Alliance was terminated “for cause” after the company failed to meet performance expectations, according to Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell. The Defense Department will revert to its legacy Tender of Service system to manage household moves and has increased reimbursements for those opting for Personally Procured Moves.

A new task force, led by Army Maj. Gen. Lance Curtis, has been formed to stabilize the situation and ensure smoother transitions for the 325,000 military families who relocate each year. The American Trucking Associations had raised repeated concerns about the lack of transparency and direction under the GHC rollout.

MEME OF THE DAY 😂