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| ● THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES |
AUGUST 30, 2026 |
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| REGULATION
FMCSA tests giving truckers power to pause 14-hour clock
FMCSA has completed pre-tests for its Flexible Sleeper Berth and Split Duty Period pilot programs, each set to enroll 256 drivers ahead of a full 2027 launch. Safety advocates warn the Split Duty option could stretch a driver’s workday to 17 hours by letting them pause the 14-hour clock for up to three hours.
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These pilots could reshape dispatch and driver scheduling once they scale in 2027 — more flexibility on paper, but also longer potential workdays if the Split Duty option gets used aggressively. Worth tracking enrollment details as FMCSA moves toward a full rollout.
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| BANKRUPTCIES
Freight bankruptcies pile up as carriers, logistics firms seek court protection
At least 21 transportation and logistics companies filed for bankruptcy protection between July 27 and Aug. 25, ranging from single-truck carriers to distributor BFG Supply Co., which listed $100–$500 million in assets and liabilities. The filings span trucking, freight forwarding, warehousing and distribution.
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Nearly a month’s worth of filings in one window is a signal the freight recession’s toll is still climbing, not leveling off. If you’re extending credit terms or onboarding new carriers, this is a good moment to tighten vetting on financial health.
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| INVESTMENT
Arrive Logistics plans 1,000 hires after Mubadala majority investment
Mubadala Capital has agreed to take a majority stake in Austin-based brokerage Arrive Logistics, with the deal expected to close in Q4 2026. The investment funds 1,000 new hires this year and a push into cross-border, LTL and produce freight.
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A major capital infusion into a brokerage is a rare bright spot in an otherwise distressed freight market — and the expansion into cross-border, LTL and produce means Arrive could become a bigger competitor across more of your lanes soon.
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| BROKER LIABILITY
The list grows: 2 more cases proceeding on broker liability
Two new federal broker-liability cases are moving forward post-Montgomery: a J.B. Hunt case in Arizona awaiting summary judgment over a 2023 crash, and Hardy v. Singh in Nevada, where a judge denied summary judgment for both sides in a double-brokered-load accident.
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Courts keep declining to throw these cases out on summary judgment, which means more brokers are likely headed to trial rather than settling early. If double-brokering shows up anywhere in your network, this is the moment to audit that exposure.
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| ENFORCEMENT
A newcomer to Roadcheck driver violations top 5: speaking English
English-language proficiency cracked the top five driver violations for the first time during 2026’s Roadcheck Week, accounting for 361 out-of-service orders — 9.1% of all driver violations — after not appearing in the top five in 2025. The jump follows an April 2025 executive order affirming existing English-proficiency rules.
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This is the clearest sign yet that English-proficiency enforcement has real teeth now, not just a policy on paper. If you dispatch drivers who may be borderline on this requirement, treat it as an out-of-service risk, not a formality.
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| BORDER & TRADE
U.S. Border Patrol finds 20 undocumented immigrants inside tractor-trailer at Texas truck stop
Border Patrol agents and Hidalgo County deputies found 20 people concealed inside a tractor-trailer at an Edinburg, Texas truck stop on Aug. 20 after a K-9 alert, and took the driver into custody. The agency called it a "life-endangering human smuggling attempt."
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Smuggling attempts routed through commercial trailers keep surfacing at Texas truck stops, and drivers can be swept up in criminal exposure regardless of what they knew. Worth reinforcing trailer-seal and load-check protocols with any drivers running that corridor.
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From Our Library
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From Our Partners
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Upcoming Events
Brokerage leaders meet in Chattanooga on Oct. 26
OCTOBER 26, 2026 | FWTV EVENT
The Freight Brokerage Compliance Symposium brings brokerage leaders together to work through the industry’s biggest compliance challenges and leave with strategies they can put to use right away. Space is limited.
F3: Future of Freight Festival
OCTOBER 27–28, 2026 | THE SIGNAL, CHATTANOOGA, TN
Your team works hard every day to keep supply chains moving. This Labor Day, invest in their growth—and your company’s bottom line—by sending them to F3: Future of Freight Festival (Oct. 27-28 in Chattanooga). Get ahead of market trends and regulatory shifts, experience the latest FreightTech insights that directly impact your margins, and expand high-value relationships with 1,000+ supply chain leaders spanning the industry.
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