| The Daily // Mon 10.19.26 | View in browser → |
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The Daily
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NEWSLETTER BROUGHT TO YOU BY — QUANTIX
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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New Long Beach record as volume nears 1M containers
The Port of Long Beach handled 997,177 TEUs in September, its busiest month in 115 years and up 25% from September 2025, according to Stuart Chirls’ reporting. The total beat the port’s previous monthly record of 987,191 TEUs, set in October 2024. Port Chief Executive Noel Hacegaba attributed the growth to shippers relying more on Long Beach amid high diesel costs, Panama Canal access restrictions and the possibility of a new U.S.-China trade agreement. He said the surge came without congestion.
Loaded imports rose 31.3% to 509,390 TEUs, exports rose 7.8% to 91,747 TEUs and empty container moves rose 22.1% to 396,040 TEUs. The three categories sum to the monthly total. For January through September, the port handled 7,675,255 TEUs, up 3.9% from 2025.
Total Terminals International set a port monthly rail record with 59,410 moves in September, nearly half the terminal’s total container volume. Ahead of Caltrans’ 16-month deck replacement on the Vincent Thomas Bridge, which starts Nov. 7, Long Beach terminals will add evening and Saturday gates for six weeks beginning in late October, excluding Thanksgiving week.
Loaded imports grew 31.3%, faster than the 25% overall gain, so the record was import-led. Hacegaba credits diesel costs, Panama Canal restrictions and trade-deal expectations, and the added gate hours before the bridge work are meant to give truckers more flexibility.
J.B. Hunt experiences growing pains in Q3
J.B. Hunt posted its fifth straight quarter of year-over-year growth in operating income and EPS, but costs ran above what the company flagged in September, according to Todd Maiden’s reporting. Revenue was $3.68 billion, up 20% year over year, and EPS was $1.82, 1 cent above lowered analyst expectations. The company identified about $45 million in costs in September, and the actual impact exceeded $50 million. Intermodal revenue rose 20% to $1.83 billion, and Brokerage posted its second straight operating profit after 13 quarters of losses. President and CEO Shelley Simpson said driver-related pressure "typically yields a much better pricing environment" for the next bid season.
Intermodal contract rates rose only in the low single digits in the 2026 bid season, and intermodal revenue per load rose just 2% excluding fuel. Shares were down 14% from the mid-September update to Thursday’s close.
Tesla staffs up Nevada Semi plant as fleet orders stack up
Tesla listed 103 open positions with "Semi" in the title at its Sparks, Nevada, plant, according to Thomas Wasson’s reporting. The plant began high-volume Semi production Sept. 24 and is designed to build 50,000 trucks a year, though Tesla has not disclosed how many it is building now. IMC Logistics ordered 50 Semis in October, and WattEV ordered 370 trucks in May. Dan Priestley, who leads the Semi program, said at IAA Transportation in September, "We’ve got ample capacity to support our initial wave."
Pilot and Tesla opened their first Megacharger site in Ellabell, Georgia, on Oct. 8, with 12 more under construction. Tesla’s Q3 delivery report did not mention the Semi, and its results are due after the close on Oct. 21.
Borderlands Mexico: US trucking crackdown raises concerns over freight disruptions
Industry leaders in the U.S. and Mexico worry that tighter enforcement against illegal operations could burden legitimate carriers, according to Noi Mahoney’s reporting from two panels at the IRU North American Transportation Forum, held during CANACAR’s national convention in Cancún. Werner Enterprises Chairman and CEO Derek Leathers backed stronger enforcement against foreign drivers hauling domestic freight illegally. ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello called for consistent, proportionate enforcement and said cross-border trade rebounded in 2026 after a slight 2025 decline. CANACAR President Augusto Ramos Melo warned that heavier border enforcement could cause added delays.
CBP’s Del Rio port director, Liliana Flores, encouraged Mexican carriers to join CTPAT and the Electronic Export Manifest pilot, whose testing period ends Oct. 23.
Louisiana attorney, staged accident scammer, finally sentenced
Attorney Danny Keating, one of the masterminds of the Louisiana staged-accident scheme prosecutors called "Operation Sideswipe," was sentenced to 32 months in federal prison, according to John Kingston’s reporting. The sentence is followed by three years of supervised release and $657,405.34 in restitution. Prosecutors had asked for two years, and federal guidelines called for 57 to 60 months. Keating pleaded guilty in June 2021 and admitted paying for 31 tractor-trailer crashes. He is the only attorney in the case to plead and was a key witness in the convictions of attorneys Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles, who await sentencing.
Keating must report to prison by Jan. 11, 2027. Co-ringleader Damian Lebeaud, who is cooperating with prosecutors, is to be sentenced Dec. 3.
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| Time | Guest | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 12pm | John Tirado | Founder and President of Summa Energy |
| 12:30pm | Steve Logue | General Manager for the Americas at Sensolus |
White Paper: Q3 2026 Freight Brokerage Rate Report
FreightWaves’ Freight Brokerage Rate Report — sponsored by Triumph— provides a review of the previous quarter and a forecast for the coming months.
The Hidden Business Risk Inside Fleet Compliance
J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. on why vehicle compliance is a strategic operational decision.
One Network for Every Form of Chemical Freight
One partner for dry bulk, liquid bulk and warehousing.
What It Takes to Win in the Next Era of Drayage
Demand volatility, terminal congestion and driver shortages are squeezing drayage margins. FreightWaves and CargoWise Landside surveyed operators on where automation and digital investment are actually paying off.
High-Stakes Freight Brokerage: Risk and Accountability
Shippers moving high-value freight say lower-cost brokerage is starting to carry higher risk. FreightWaves and Werner surveyed where compliance gaps and carrier performance issues are driving accountability higher.
New Research: Tariffs Didn’t Raise Costs. They Raised the Execution Standard.
Infios research shows the 2025 tariff overhaul turned transport mode, tariff exposure and trade-route selection into variables shippers now have to manage actively, not fixed costs they can set and forget.
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How AI Agents Boost Fleet Safety & Efficiency by 30%A look at Samsara’s new Agent Studio, a no-code builder for AI agents aimed at physical operations. |
![Is Your Trailer Leasing EXPOSURE Covered? [New Risks]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tLvZhrA4G8c/maxresdefault.jpg) ▶ |
Is Your Trailer Leasing EXPOSURE Covered? [New Risks]Freight brokers that move into trailer leasing face new liabilities beyond arranging transportation, with Andy Kuchar of Centerline. |
| Company | Ticker | Modes | Call Date | Time (EDT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSX | CSX | Railroad | Oct. 21 | 4:30 PM |
| Knight-Swift Transportation | KNX | TL, LTL, logistics, intermodal | Oct. 21 | 5:30 PM |
| Tesla | TSLA | EV truck manufacturer | Oct. 21 | 5:30 PM |
| Union Pacific | UNP | Railroad | Oct. 22 | 8:45 AM |
| Norfolk Southern | NSC | Railroad | Oct. 22 | 10:00 AM |
| Triumph Financial (TriumphPay) | TFIN | Payments, factoring | Oct. 22 | 10:30 AM |
| Ryder System | R | Truck leasing, dedicated | Oct. 22 | 11:00 AM |
FreightWaves’ flagship event blends rapid-fire tech demos and world-class speakers with the most legendary networking in logistics. Join 1,000+ freight and logistics experts, industry leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators for a definitive look at the year ahead. Come for the insights, stay for the celebration and leave with the connections that will define your 2027.
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Whether J.B. Hunt’s pricing upside shows up in bidsManagement says driver-cost pressure typically precedes better pricing. Watch for Dedicated contract resets and the next intermodal bid season. |
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Whether Tesla discloses Semi volumeTesla has not said how many Semis it is building, and its Q3 results are due after the close on Oct. 21. Watch for production figures and pricing. |
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The Oct. 23 export manifest pilot deadlineThe Electronic Export Manifest pilot’s testing period ends Oct. 23. Watch for enforcement changes on cabotage, B-1 visas and English proficiency that carriers say should not slow trade. |
