WHAT THE TRUCK?!?

AI agents, workforce solutions, and the future of freight take center stage on this episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, recorded live on Day 1 of the F3: Future of Freight Festival! Host Thomas Wasson sits down with leaders from Evos, Sivas, and Lean Solutions Group to explore how freight companies can leverage AI, automation, and human talent to build smarter, more efficient operations. In this episode: AI agents in freight: How autonomous AI operators can take on dispatching, exception management, load sourcing, and other complex logistics tasks. Putting AI to work fast: How Evos deploys AI operators in as little as 24 hours and how one LTL freight audit use case reached 97% autonomy. The future of workforce solutions: How Sivas combines outsourced talent, process improvement, and automation to help logistics companies scale. Nearshoring and global talent: Why around-the-clock operations and multilingual teams can help carriers and brokers meet growing demands. Getting AI-ready: Why clean data, documented standard operating procedures (SOPs), and clear KPIs are essential for successful AI adoption. Humans vs. AI: Which tasks are ripe for automation, where human judgment still matters, and how companies can bring the two together. What's next for freight tech: How AI agents could transform everything from document collection and payment processing to end-to-end load management. The big takeaway? Successful AI adoption isn't just about plugging in new technology. It's about understanding your workflows, identifying the right opportunities, and empowering people to focus on the work where their expertise makes the biggest difference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of What the Truck?!, Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the freight industry, from freight fraud and cargo theft to truck safety and the legal risks surrounding serious trucking accidents. Plus, John Moore from Volvo Trucks joins the show to break down the all-new VNX and the technology changing vocational trucking. In this episode: Volvo Trucks Unveils the All-New VNX: John Moore, product marketing manager at Volvo Trucks, explains how the new VNX is advancing vocational and heavy-haul operations. Learn how remote steering lets drivers guide a truck from outside the cab, how automated direction changes can make repetitive work smoother, and how integrated body telematics can alert drivers to equipment issues—like a raised dump bed or a concrete mixer that stops turning. Moore also discusses new air-curtain airbags, pedestrian detection, blind-spot radar, automatic emergency calls, and improvements to cab comfort. Freight Fraud: More Than Double Brokering: Anna Bothwell, founder of Freight 411, shares firsthand lessons from her experience running a trucking company, freight brokerage, and warehouse. She describes deceptive practices involving altered seals, unauthorized load consolidation, stolen shipments, and suspicious cross-docking requests—including a shipment of sour cream allegedly transported alongside rat poison. The conversation explores why fraud prevention must continue throughout a shipment, not stop after carrier vetting. Cargo Theft and Smarter Shipment Tracking: Guy, president of SmartSense, discusses cargo theft research and the challenges of protecting high-value freight. The conversation examines fraudulent pickups, GPS jamming, tracking technology placed with the cargo itself, and why detecting theft is only part of the solution. Rapid alerts, coordinated systems, and timely intervention can help companies respond before stolen freight disappears. When a Truck Crash Becomes a Legal Battle: Matthew Alles Brooke, founder of the Texas Law Dog, explains the challenges of investigating serious trucking accidents and building a case around reliable evidence. The discussion covers dashcam footage, electronic control module (ECM) data, crash reports, accident reconstruction, and the difficulties that arise when key evidence is missing or unavailable. His advice to trucking companies, fleet managers, and freight brokers: operate as though a jury may one day review every record. A Million-Dollar Pokémon Card Heist: The hosts react to news of a reported $1 million theft involving two pallets of rare Pokémon cards in California, highlighting how high-value, easily transported goods can become targets for cargo thieves. Watch on YouTube Visit our sponsor - TRUCKSTOP.COM Subscribe to the WTT newsletter Apple Podcasts Spotify More FreightWaves Podcasts #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? covers major freight headlines, trucking fraud, court rulings, and industry insights featuring three featured guests: • Headlines & Industry News: • Nuclear Verdict Upheld: Discussion on the Dallas County Court affirming a $604 million verdict against C.H. Robinson (now totaling $711 million with accrued interest) following a fatal 2021 crash involving a carrier hired for Arizona Beverages. • Identity Theft & Credit Fraud Scheme: A California trucking company owner, Hassan Korkmaz, pleaded guilty to an 18-count federal indictment involving a $2.1 million bank fraud and identity theft scheme. • Interstate Drug Ring Bust: Details on "Operation Ice Breaker," which intercepted 45.5 kilograms of cocaine transported from California to Florida on a commercial trailer without the carrier's knowledge. • Operation Sideswipe Update: Attorney Danny Keating was sentenced to 32 months in federal prison for his role in the staged-accident insurance fraud scheme in Louisiana. • Guest Interviews: • Steve McGarry (CEO, Iron Meadow): Discusses the relaunch of Load Work, a platform designed for underserved carriers (cargo vans, box trucks, sprinters, and hotshots) expanding into open deck and heavy freight, utilizing conversational AI integrations to simplify load posting and carrier matching. • Jim Arthurs (President, J.D. Arthurs & Associates): Explains the launch of the HPDI 3.0 high-pressure direct injection natural gas system in partnership with Volvo, highlighting its fuel efficiency advantages, environmental impact, and economic case for large fleet operations. • Mike Branch (VP of Data & Analytics, Geotab): Analyzes Geotab’s inaugural Health of the US Supply Chain Report, using data from over 6 million connected vehicles to highlight a nearly 4% increase in regional freight travel, port-to-rail shifts, and early economic indicators. Watch on YouTube Visit our sponsor - TRUCKSTOP.COM Subscribe to the WTT newsletter Apple Podcasts Spotify More FreightWaves Podcasts #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to What The Truck! In today's jam-packed Friday episode, hosts Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent dive into currency fluctuations, cutting-edge AI technology, and the evolving landscape of fleet telematics with three expert guests: Juan Perez, Senior Director of Trading at Monex USA: Juan breaks down why recent central bank rate hikes aren't automatically strengthening currencies and explains how foreign exchange swings quietly eat away at freight and shipper margins. He shares why companies shouldn't attempt to predict central bank moves, what FX hedging actually accomplishes, and the essential steps CFOs must take to manage currency risks. Alex Pugachov, VP of Growth and Communication at OVN LLC: Alex introduces Verilane—the AI-powered carrier qualification system developed in-house by OVN for its fleet of over 1,300 cargo vans. He details how the system verifies insurance directly with providers, reads entire driver files, and maintains continuous qualification. Plus, he covers how cutting onboarding time in half creates a better experience for owner-operators. Steve Schwindt, Vice President of Product Management at SambaSafety: Steve breaks down key takeaways from SambaSafety's 2026 Telematics Report. He addresses why so many fleets are drowning in data, how to bridge the gap between collecting data and using it for driver coaching, how telematics integrates with CSA compliance, and where AI fits into predicting risk before incidents occur. Plus, the hosts break down the latest news headlines, including comments on English proficiency rules, J.B. Hunt's Q3 earnings, and a major fraud verdict out of Wyoming. Watch on YouTube Visit our sponsor - TRUCKSTOP.COM Subscribe to the WTT newsletter Apple Podcasts Spotify More FreightWaves Podcasts #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this update edition of WHAT THE TRUCK?!, hosts Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent break down the latest supply chain news, major legal cases, and safety updates affecting the freight industry. The hosts kick off the segment discussing a tragic single-vehicle rollover crash on I-84 in Idaho involving a 74-year-old Reno truck driver, sparking a broader debate over whether age caps should exist for commercial truck drivers while referencing FMCSA and NHTSA fatal crash statistics. The guest lineup begins with Andrey Drotenko, President of Strategic Relations at Verified Carrier, who joins to mark Freight Fraud Awareness Day. Andre breaks down the biggest emerging threats in freight fraud, how fraudsters are increasing their sophistication, and what proactive steps brokers and carriers must take before accepting a load. Next, Alex Fraser, Vice President at Cox Fleet, examines why equipment quality serves as a core driver experience and retention strategy. Alex reviews new research showing equipment maintenance issues rank as the leading source of driver dissatisfaction ahead of pay, detailing the hidden time costs to drivers and how predictive maintenance can prevent breakdowns before trucks end up stranded on the shoulder. Closing out the show, Jane Jazrawy, CEO at Carrier's Edge, joins to celebrate 18 years of the Best Fleets program. Jane shares crucial insights into what drivers value most, what top-performing fleets refuse to cut when budgets tighten, and what drivers need to know before nominating their carriers ahead of the October 31st deadline. Watch on YouTube Visit our sponsor - TRUCKSTOP.COM Subscribe to the WTT newsletter Apple Podcasts Spotify More FreightWaves Podcasts #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices