Happy Friday! 👋 We’re starting the day with a major update on a record-breaking jewelry heist. Federal prosecutors have indicted seven men in connection with the $100 million theft of gold, diamonds, and luxury watches from a Brinks truck at a Flying J in Lebec, California.

The theft, which took place in July 2022, involved a group of men following the truck for over 300 miles before stealing 24 bags of valuables. More ahead 👇

💬 More in Freight:

⚫️ Shippers & Brokers: Are They Seeing Eye to Eye?

⚫️ Nintendo Switch 2 Heist

⚫️ C.H. Robinson's LTL AI Agents

⚫️ Autonomous Cargo Planes

Shippers & Brokers: Are They Seeing Eye to Eye? 👀

The 2025 Third-Party Logistics Study from NTT DATA, Penske, and Penn State highlights where shipper–3PL relationships stand—and where they’re slipping.

This year, 89% of shippers said their 3PL partnerships are successful, down from 95% in 2024. On the 3PL side, 94% called the relationships a success, also slightly down. It’s a subtle but important shift. If satisfaction keeps dipping, shippers may start switching providers.

Both sides agree that managing change is critical—61% of shippers and 73% of 3PLs said it’s a top priority, and most are now using structured tools to manage transitions more effectively.

AI is becoming a major differentiator. Nearly three-quarters of shippers say they’d consider switching providers based on AI capabilities. But 3PLs will need to overcome integration hurdles, talent shortages, and the challenge of picking the right tools with real ROI.

Speed, visibility, and sustainability are now baseline expectations. Almost half of shippers say sub–2-day delivery and real-time tracking are standard, not nice-to-have. Sustainability is also becoming a deciding factor in provider selection.

Regionalization is another trend shaping 2025. More than 70% of shippers and 3PLs say they’re nearshoring or shifting supply chains closer to home.

The bottom line: brokers and 3PLs must double down on change management, invest wisely in AI, raise the bar on core services, and prepare to support a more regional supply chain strategy.

IL Company Files For BK After Suit 🚂

Illinois-based Nortia Logistics filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 9 after allegedly defaulting on payments owed to Union Pacific Railroad.

Union Pacific sued Nortia in May, claiming the carrier failed to repay a $3.6 million promissory note for freight services provided between December 2023 and May 2024. The railroad said Nortia missed over $499,000 in payments during Q4 2024 and still owed $3.2 million as of January.

Nortia reported nearly $1.4 million in assets and $5.8 million in liabilities in its bankruptcy filing. The company listed equipment including forklifts and Volvo trucks, and it leased 26 trucks from Penske. It also leased warehouse and office space with 36 months remaining. As of February, Nortia operated 56 power units and employed 45 drivers, per FMCSA data.

The company’s unsecured debts include more than $1.3 million tied to lease terminations.

TOGETHER WITH TALENTO.

Talento is not just a nearshoring solution – it’s a partner in building and scaling a thriving logistics business. Focused entirely on freight, supply chain, and logistics, Talento offers more than just talent—it provides an entire ecosystem designed to support and optimize growth.

Beyond providing skilled, nearshore professionals, Talento helps diagnose operations, improve processes, and implement the right technology solutions.

Let Talento be the partner that helps build a dream team and scale smarter, faster, and limitless.

What Else Is Moving 🚚

Jewelry Heist Suspects Charged 🚔

Federal prosecutors have indicted seven men in connection with the largest jewelry heist in U.S. history — the theft of $100 million in gold, diamonds, and luxury watches from a Brinks truck at a Flying J in Lebec, California.

Cross-State Heist

On July 10, 2022, the Brinks truck left a jewelry show in San Mateo carrying 73 bags of valuables. Three men allegedly began scouting the truck, and a group of seven followed it 300 miles overnight through Buttonwillow to Lebec.

As the truck sat parked at the Flying J the morning of July 11, the crew allegedly stole 24 bags from the trailer, escaping with roughly $100 million in goods. Authorities say several suspects later deactivated the phones used during the heist.

Pattern of Thefts

Several defendants are also tied to other high-value cargo thefts in 2022, including:

• $240K in Samsung electronics (Ontario)
• $57K in Apple AirTags in an armed box truck robbery
• $14K in electronics from a truck in Fontana

Charges and Investigation

Each suspect faces conspiracy and theft charges related to interstate shipments. Five are also charged under the Hobbs Act for interfering with commerce by robbery. If convicted, the group faces decades in prison.

Some of the stolen goods were recovered in June 2025. The FBI and local law enforcement continue to investigate.

FREIGHT SNIPPETS ✂️

🕹️ Nintendo Switch 2 Heist | A shipment of 2,810 Nintendo Switch 2 consoles—worth nearly $1.4 million—was stolen from a semi-trailer parked at a Love’s Travel Stop in Bennett, Colorado, on June 8. The truck was en route from Nintendo’s Redmond, Washington, headquarters to a GameStop distribution center in Texas when the driver discovered missing pallets during a pre-trip inspection. Authorities say the consoles, bundled with Mario Kart World, were likely stolen in a targeted heist requiring heavy equipment and detailed knowledge of the shipment. With electronics among the most stolen cargo types and cargo theft up 27% in 2024, investigators suspect an inside job. Read more.

🇲🇽 Smoky Mountain Rock Slides | I-40 at the Tennessee–North Carolina border is closed due to flooding and a possible rockslide near mile marker 450. Drivers are being rerouted at MM 447 in Tennessee and MM 7 in North Carolina. No injuries reported, but several rescues were made from flooded vehicles. No ETA on reopening. Check TN DOT for updates. Read more.

🇺🇸 New Round of Tariffs | The Trump administration is preparing a new wave of tariffs that trade experts believe may be on firmer legal ground than earlier country-specific duties—and could have an equally wide-reaching impact on imports. Within weeks, the Commerce Department is expected to announce the results of national security-related investigations into key sectors such as semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and critical minerals. These probes are likely to lead to tariffs on a broad range of foreign-made goods in those categories. President Trump has already used Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act to impose steel and aluminum tariffs beginning in 2018. Read more.

📦 C.H. Robinson's LTL AI Agents | C.H. Robinson has launched a new AI agent to automate LTL freight classification ahead of upcoming NMFC rule changes. Traditionally a time-consuming, error-prone task, freight classing is now handled in seconds—saving time, cutting costs, and improving accuracy. The tool processes 2,000+ orders per day and has helped push automation to over 75% of Robinson’s LTL shipments, especially helping SMBs who rely on email tenders. Read more.

📈 May Trailer Orders Increase | U.S. trailer orders rose 12% year-over-year in May to 6,600 units, according to preliminary data from ACT Research. Despite the gain, orders fell 26% from April—a drop ACT notes is typical for this point in the annual cycle. ACT expects subdued build and order activity to persist amid soft for-hire market conditions, low used equipment values, high interest rates, and policy uncertainty. Read more.

🤖 High Tech Fulfillment Center | Amazon just opened a massive robotics-powered fulfillment center in Charlton, Massachusetts — its first in the state and one of the largest in the country. The four-story, 2.8 million-square-foot warehouse employs over 1,000 full-time workers and can hold up to 32 million items, including books, electronics, and toys. As part of Amazon’s “first mile,” this facility handles the storage, sorting, and labeling of goods before they move on to last-mile delivery centers. Read more.

Pallets of News 🚛

Autonomous Cargo Planes ✈️

Austin-based Skyways has secured a $37 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to move its long-range autonomous cargo aircraft from prototype to full-scale production.

The funding will help Skyways advance its autonomy systems, finalize the design of its “V3” model, and prepare for large-scale manufacturing. The company aims to deploy thousands of V3 aircraft for both defense and commercial logistics.

Skyways says its aircraft blend advanced autonomy with a design built for mass production—unlocking scalable, low-cost logistics in regions where traditional aviation is too expensive or dangerous.

MEME OF THE DAY 😂