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NEWSLETTER BROUGHT TO YOU BY DESCARTES

"Every shipment impacts your reputation. Descartes MacroPoint delivers visibility and risk insights you can trust to keep customers confident, freight on-time, and your business growing."

The last month of 2025!

What’s going on, everyone? December is here, and I’m back with another newsletter.

The end of November did not disappoint, and December is shaping up to be a great end to the year.

From technology, AI, and automation to market trends, cross-border operations, and back-office efficiency — we broke down how carriers, shippers, and brokers are making faster, smarter decisions while keeping trust and reliability front and center. Visibility, predictive tech, fraud prevention, financial automation, and navigating regulatory pressures were all hot topics.

But it wasn’t just about tech. We also dug into the human side of logistics. Driver retention, recruitment, creating a culture built on respect and authenticity, and lessons from industry veterans came up again and again. Real stories from real people.

Here’s a quick recap of the episodes that brought all that insight to the table:

One Step Ahead — Kenneth Hanover (Fleetguard/Atmos), Nidhi Gupta (Portcast), and Ronak Amin (HERE Technologies) gave us the full picture on predictive logistics, AI, smarter routing, and why a squeaker and a foghorn both belong on a rig.

Parcels to Planning: Freight Today — Carlos Barbosa (ePost Global), Zach Cellar (Ploger Transportation), and Ben Marks (Optimal Dynamics) showed us how AI is transforming fleet planning, multi-carrier e-commerce, and operational efficiency from the ground up.

The Cross-Border Catalyst — John Kingston (FreightWaves) and Carlos Guillen (BG Trucking) went deep on labor trends, AI-driven workforce shifts, cross-border compliance, driver safety, and high-impact community initiatives.

The Ultimate Road Warrior — Noi Mahoney (FreightWaves) gave us the inside scoop on mergers, smuggling busts, layoffs, and border risks, while Stacy Batiste, the 2025 Pilot Flying J Road Warrior Champion, reminded us what 5 million accident-free miles and Marine Corps discipline look like in real life.

Lights, AI, Action — Live from F3: Future of Freight Festival, Garrett Wolfe (Triumph), Daniel Lucas (UFS), and Danielle Villegas (PCS) broke down verified freight transactions, fraud prevention, and carrier-first AI automation that actually works.

Haul or Nothing — Jason Burns, Stefan Heck (Nauto), and Tavaris Johnson (FreightFi) walked us through predictive AI safety, last-mile logistics, and fixing financial inefficiencies in freight — all while keeping human judgment and operational discipline at the forefront.

Cold Chain and the Cold Truth — Clayton Griffin (OTR Solutions) exposed why email is killing brokerage efficiency, Jason McArthur (Lone Cypress Logistics) shared his seven-pillar cold chain blueprint and food waste mitigation strategies, and Adam Wingfield (The Long Haul) delivered a hard look at CDL compliance failures, Amazon 30-minute delivery tests, and what’s broken in the industry today.

The big takeaway? Freight is moving faster than ever, and the people and companies that combine smart tech with strong, people-first leadership are the ones shaping the future.

This industry never slows down. The cool thing? Neither do we.

Enjoy the recaps, dive into the episodes if you haven’t yet, and have a safe and great December. I’ll check in before the year wraps a few times, so I’ll save the Happy New Year wishes… for now.

Huge thank you to Descartes MacroPoint for making this all possible. Every shipment impacts your reputation. Descartes MacroPoint delivers visibility and risk insights you can trust to keep customers confident, freight on-time, and your business growing.

Enjoy the first week of December!

Malcolm “Miggie” Harris

Here are the stories that have caught my eye over the past week:

English-language crackdown exposes how cheap labor and CDL fraud are remaking trucking

(Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Shoutout to JP for this one. His reporting on FreightWaves is always must-read material, and his latest breakdown on the FMCSA’s upcoming bond enforcement rules is something everyone in freight needs to lock in on. My background isn’t a secret. I’m a broker at my core. So to my friends still in the game, listen for two seconds.

Starting January 16, 2026, the FMCSA is putting real weight behind the $75,000 broker bond. If your bond or trust dips below that minimum, you’ll have seven business days to bring it back up or risk suspension. Point blank period.

A lot of brokers are going to have to rethink their financial setup, fast. And honestly, I know multiple organizations that are going to feel this crunch immediately. The margin for error is shrinking, and with margins already tight, some brokerages are about to enter a whole new level of pressure.

For carriers, though, this could be a positive shift: fewer underfunded brokers, fewer payment issues, and a cleaner marketplace overall.

Bottom line, 2026 is basically here, and if you haven’t already had internal conversations about this at a leadership level, you’re already behind. This is not something you want to scramble on at the last minute. Brokers, prepare now.

Great work by JP on this one. My guy. More to come.

Now on demand

ONE STEP AHEAD

A deep dive into trucking innovation, predictive logistics, and next-gen routing.

Guest #1 — Kenneth Hanover

Director of North American Sales & Customer Support, Fleetguard (Atmos)

Breaks down Fleetguard’s Cummins-engineered heritage and its shift under the new Atmos brand.
Explains why engineering-first filtration and unmatched warranties empower fleets long-term.
Talks right-to-repair advocacy and building a one-stop maintenance ecosystem for truckers.
Shares a fun take on the real volume 18-wheeler horns should have—everything from “squeakers to foghorns.”

Guest #2 — Nidhi Gupta

Co-founder & CEO, Portcast

Explains why visibility tech alone leaves ops teams firefighting.
Shows how connected data and predictive AI prevent disruptions before they happen.
Breaks down real examples: avoided delays, reduced demurrage, improved cash flow via predictive ETAs.
Details why “touchless supply chains” aren’t the future—they’re the present.

Guest #3 — Ronak Amin

HERE Technologies

Tackles one of trucking’s costliest problems: bridge strikes.
Shares why they occur, how bad routing data contributes, and how HERE’s commercial-grade mapping prevents them.
Gives a look into the future of AI-powered routing, especially for electric trucks.
Drops leadership lessons and actionable advice for fleets adopting smarter routing now.

🎥 Watch here

PARCELS TO PLANNING: FREIGHT TODAY

A mixed bag of headlines, e-commerce strategy, and AI-powered fleet evolution.

Headlines Covered by Malcolm

FMCSA bond enforcement tightening
Driver shortages are impacting farm labor
Maersk shifting operations to Charlotte
3PL marketing ROI findings
Cargo theft trends continue upward

Guest #1 — Carlos Barbosa

VP of E-commerce Solutions, ePost Global

Breaks down insights from 20M+ international shipments.
Shows why multi-carrier setups outperform single-carrier by 37%.
Explains the rising role of AI in routing, cost stability, and speed optimization.

Guest #2 — Zach Cellar

Operations Manager, Ploger Transportation

Shares how AI planning changed their fleet performance.

Highlights:

21%+ load volume increase
Higher driver satisfaction
Better retention
Reduced manual planning
A roadmap for any fleet considering AI adoption.

Guest #3 — Ben Marks

Senior Solutions Leader, Optimal Dynamics

Explains Optimal Dynamics as the “decision layer” for modern fleets.
Shows how AI helps fleets automate planning and free dispatchers for higher-value work.
Outlines how fleets should vet and prepare for AI partners.

🎥 Watch here

THE CROSS-BORDER CATALYST

A powerful holiday-week special from home, packed with labor trends and cross-border insights.

Guest #1 — John Kingston

Editor-at-Large, FreightWaves

Breaks down the “jobs apocalypse” in logistics and transportation.
Talks:
- AI and automation eliminating entry-level roles
- CH Robinson’s AI evolution
- Trimble’s internal shifts
- The future of human decision-making in freight

Guest #2 — Carlos Guillen

President & Cofounder, BG Trucking

Shares BG’s explosive expansion to 400+ employees across 11 states.
Breaks down:
- High-compliance cross-border trucking
- Driver safety practices in high-risk lanes
- Tech-driven transparency
- A wildfire relief partnership with the California Fire Foundation
- A QR-coded donation trailer making mobile philanthropy possible

Breaking News + Headlines

Container ship fire shutting down 4 terminals at Port of LA
Tentative labor deal between Canada Post & its union
ECU Pirates equipment truck near disaster
Amazon is closing a Little Rock warehouse due to earthquake structural issues

🎥 Watch here

THE ULTIMATE ROAD WARRIOR

One of the most inspiring episodes of the year.

Guest #1 — Noi Mahoney

Investigative Journalist, FreightWaves

Discusses:

BNSF merger concerns
Halted PFG–US Foods merger
Drug-smuggling busts via auto parts, produce, and more
How carriers get unknowingly pulled into crime
Border hotspots and inspection issues
12,000+ layoffs in automotive, manufacturing, logistics
A master class in what’s really happening behind the scenes.

Guest #2 — Stacy Batiste

2025 Pilot Flying J Road Warrior Champion
Marine Corps veteran • 5 million accident-free miles

Tells the story of:

Being surprised by the Diesel Brothers with a custom Kenworth
Winning $50,000
34 years on the road with zero accidents
Marine discipline is shaping his driving career
Shares advice, gratitude, and the unforgettable line:
“I’m riding till I die — I’ve got diesel in my veins.”

🎥 Watch here

LIGHTS, AI. ACTION

Live from F3: The Future of Freight Festival in downtown Chattanooga.

Guest #1 — Garrett Wolfe

EVP of Market Strategy, Triumph

Explains Triumph’s verified freight transaction network.
Talks AI-powered fraud prevention and data-driven decisioning.
Emphasizes using AI only when it improves customer outcomes—not when it’s trendy.

Guest #2 — Daniel Lucas

VP of Innovation & Business Strategy, UFS

Discusses AI as a “freight copilot,” not a standalone solution.
Explains why process standardization must come before AI adoption.
Shares how blended human + AI workstreams reduce inefficiencies.

Guest #3 — Danielle Villegas

Chief Product Officer, PCS

Breaks down PCS’ “carrier-first” platform philosophy.
Highlights Cortex AI for automation, accuracy, and profitability.
Wins Best in Show live on-air — a major moment for PCS.

🎥 Watch here

HAUL OR NOTHING

Freight, finance, safety, and peak-season pressure.

Guest #1 — Jason Burns

Former Vanderbilt WR • Podcaster • Final-mile logistics leader

Talks leadership, motivation, and the evolution of last-mile delivery.
Shares guidance for 2026 priorities in the final-mile space.

Guest #2 — Stefan Heck

CEO, Nauto

Breaks down predictive AI for real-time driver alerts.
Explains how AI reduces collisions and improves safety outcomes.
Human + AI collaboration as the new industry standard.

Guest #3 — Tavaris Johnson

Founder, FreightFi

Exposes financial inefficiencies plaguing freight operations.
Shows how AI is finally fixing AR/AP chaos for brokers and carriers.
Discusses automation, reconciliation accuracy, and cash-flow stabilization.

Headlines

DHS launching sweeping I-9 audits
Major misclassification settlement in New Jersey
FedEx is scrubbing MD-11 flights
How Butterball’s “Turkey Super Bowl” works

🎥 Watch here

COLD CHAIN AND THE COLD TRUTH

Back-office efficiency, cold chain mastery, and major compliance failures.

Guest #1 — Clayton Griffin

President, OTR Solutions

Explains why email is an outdated, risky workflow tool for brokers.
Breaks down:
- Manual back-office bottlenecks
- Post-delivery workflow gaps
- High exposure to fraud
Shows how purpose-built platforms like UPay/ePay create secure, scalable operations.

Guest #2 — Jason McArthur

Director of Supply Chain, Lone Cypress Logistics

Shares expert-level cold chain insights.
Explains Lone Cypress’ seven-pillar cold chain blueprint:
- Proactive intervention
- Contingency playbooks
- Multi-layer carrier vetting
- Real-time monitoring
Talks about reducing global food waste (13% lost between harvest and retail).
Emphasizes communication, preparation, and shipper mentality.

Guest #3 — Adam Wingfield

Host, The Long Haul • “King of The Carolinas”

Delivers the cold truth about:
- 3,000 CDL training providers removed
- 4,000 more on notice
- Failures of self-certification
Discusses Amazon’s push for 30-minute delivery.
Breaks down Costco’s lawsuit over tariffs.
A raw, strong take on what’s broken—and what must change.

🎥 Watch here

Thanks for reading, and feel free to forward this to a friend.

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Don’t be a stranger,

Malcolm “Miggie” Harris