<description>DOT Blitz Week is almost here, and the freight market is already starting to twitch.

On this week’s episode of The Transfix Take, Jenni Ruiz and Maze break down the key signals brokers, shippers, and carriers should be watching as diesel rises, capacity tightens, and tender rejections prepare for a potential climb.

Diesel is back in focus, with national on-highway prices sitting at $5.64 per gallon, up 30 cents, while linehaul rates remain relatively steady around $1.97 per mile. But with DOT Blitz Week one week away, Maze expects the market to shift quickly, especially as long-haul capacity comes off the road and contractual freight starts getting rejected.

Here’s what we cover:

• Tender rejections are sitting just under 14%, but Maze expects that number to rise as DOT Blitz Week begins.
• The Southeast is tightening, with Florida markets like Jacksonville, Miami, and Tallahassee showing notable gains.
• The South and coastal regions are splitting, with southern markets tightening while parts of Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic continue to loosen.
• The Midwest and Northeast are cooling, but long-haul freight heading west remains a key pressure point.
• The West Coast is softening overall, though California remains the market to watch.
• The spot market is calm for now, but that could change fast as rejections rise and carriers play into market favorability.

With DOT Blitz Week around the corner, this is the week to watch the market closely and have a plan ready before volatility hits.
--
Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Transfix, Inc. or any parent companies or affiliates or the companies with which the participants are affiliated, and may have been previously disseminated by them. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are based upon information considered reliable, but neither Transfix, Inc. nor its affiliates, nor the companies with which such participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. All such views and opinions are subject to change.
</description>

DOT Blitz Week is almost here, and the freight ma…

DOT Blitz Week is almost here, and the freight market is already starting to twitch.

On this week’s episode of The Transfix Take, Jenni Ruiz and Maze break down the key signals brokers, shippers, and carriers should be watching as diesel rises, capacity tightens, and tender rejections prepare for a potential climb.

Diesel is back in focus, with national on-highway prices sitting at $5.64 per gallon, up 30 cents, while linehaul rates remain relatively steady around $1.97 per mile. But with DOT Blitz Week one week away, Maze expects the market to shift quickly, especially as long-haul capacity comes off the road and contractual freight starts getting rejected.

Here’s what we cover:

• Tender rejections are sitting just under 14%, but Maze expects that number to rise as DOT Blitz Week begins.
• The Southeast is tightening, with Florida markets like Jacksonville, Miami, and Tallahassee showing notable gains.
• The South and coastal regions are splitting, with southern markets tightening while parts of Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic continue to loosen.
• The Midwest and Northeast are cooling, but long-haul freight heading west remains a key pressure point.
• The West Coast is softening overall, though California remains the market to watch.
• The spot market is calm for now, but that could change fast as rejections rise and carriers play into market favorability.

With DOT Blitz Week around the corner, this is the week to watch the market closely and have a plan ready before volatility hits.
--
Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Transfix, Inc. or any parent companies or affiliates or the companies with which the participants are affiliated, and may have been previously disseminated by them. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are based upon information considered reliable, but neither Transfix, Inc. nor its affiliates, nor the companies with which such participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. All such views and opinions are subject to change.


Transfix Take Podcast | Week of May 5 - DOT Blitz Is Coming

<description>A Calm Before the Storm: Cooling Markets, Falling Diesel, and What to Watch Before DOT Week

It’s the week of April 29, and the freight market is doing something rare… exhaling.

On this episode of The Transfix Take, Jenni Ruiz and NFI’s Justin Maze break down a quieter week across freight, where easing diesel prices and softening markets are giving brokers and carriers a brief window to reset before the surge of DOT Blitz Week.

But don’t get too comfortable. Beneath the surface, the signals are already shifting.

Here’s what we cover:

Diesel prices are finally easing — down week-over-week nationally, with noticeable relief on the West Coast, pulling down all-in rates across regions
Tender rejections remain elevated at ~13%, holding steady as the market prepares for its next move
Linehaul rates are flat at ~$1.96/mile for loads over 200 miles, signaling stability… for now
Flatbed continues to dominate, with rejection rates hovering near 50% and rates still climbing
Regional cooling is widespread across the Southeast, South, Midwest, Northeast, and West Coast, driven largely by fuel declines and seasonality
The Midwest and Northeast are in a seasonal slide, while the Southeast quietly sets up to become the most volatile region heading into May
Spot opportunities are dipping — but expect a sharp rebound as capacity tightens and rejection rates climb into DOT Week

Maze walks through why this “slow week” is actually a critical setup moment, and what brokers, shippers, and carriers should be doing right now to prepare for the volatility ahead.

Because come next week, the market won’t be quiet anymore.

🎧 Tune in for the insights you need to stay ahead before the next swing hits.
--
Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Transfix, Inc. or any parent companies or affiliates or the companies with which the participants are affiliated, and may have been previously disseminated by them. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are based upon information considered reliable, but neither Transfix, Inc. nor its affiliates, nor the companies with which such participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. All such views and opinions are subject to change.
</description>

A Calm Before the Storm: Cooling Markets, Falling…

A Calm Before the Storm: Cooling Markets, Falling Diesel, and What to Watch Before DOT Week

It’s the week of April 29, and the freight market is doing something rare… exhaling.

On this episode of The Transfix Take, Jenni Ruiz and NFI’s Justin Maze break down a quieter week across freight, where easing diesel prices and softening markets are giving brokers and carriers a brief window to reset before the surge of DOT Blitz Week.

But don’t get too comfortable. Beneath the surface, the signals are already shifting.

Here’s what we cover:

Diesel prices are finally easing — down week-over-week nationally, with noticeable relief on the West Coast, pulling down all-in rates across regions
Tender rejections remain elevated at ~13%, holding steady as the market prepares for its next move
Linehaul rates are flat at ~$1.96/mile for loads over 200 miles, signaling stability… for now
Flatbed continues to dominate, with rejection rates hovering near 50% and rates still climbing
Regional cooling is widespread across the Southeast, South, Midwest, Northeast, and West Coast, driven largely by fuel declines and seasonality
The Midwest and Northeast are in a seasonal slide, while the Southeast quietly sets up to become the most volatile region heading into May
Spot opportunities are dipping — but expect a sharp rebound as capacity tightens and rejection rates climb into DOT Week

Maze walks through why this “slow week” is actually a critical setup moment, and what brokers, shippers, and carriers should be doing right now to prepare for the volatility ahead.

Because come next week, the market won’t be quiet anymore.

🎧 Tune in for the insights you need to stay ahead before the next swing hits.
--
Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Transfix, Inc. or any parent companies or affiliates or the companies with which the participants are affiliated, and may have been previously disseminated by them. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are based upon information considered reliable, but neither Transfix, Inc. nor its affiliates, nor the companies with which such participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. All such views and opinions are subject to change.


Transfix Take Podcast | Week of April 29 - The Calm Before DOT Week

<description>This week on The Transfix Take, Jenni Ruiz and NFI market expert Justin Maze unpack a freight market that is anything but sleepy. They dig into the CBS Sunday report on chameleon carriers and what the launch of FMCSA’s new MODIS registration system could mean for carrier vetting, fraud prevention, and the broader push for accountability across the industry. They also touch on the ongoing Strait of Hormuz disruption, why rerouted global cargo matters for domestic freight, and the small but welcome drop in fuel prices.

From there, Jenni and Maze break down where the market stands today: national linehaul rates holding at $1.96 per mile, outbound rejections sitting above 14%, and flatbed rejection rates surging to nearly 50%, a flashing signal that volatility is already building. They close with a must-hear preview of DOT Week, explaining why this year’s blitz could hit much harder than it has in the past two years, how brokers should prepare now, and why the coming weeks may trigger a meaningful reset in spot and contract pricing across the market.
--
Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Transfix, Inc. or any parent companies or affiliates or the companies with which the participants are affiliated, and may have been previously disseminated by them. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are based upon information considered reliable, but neither Transfix, Inc. nor its affiliates, nor the companies with which such participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. All such views and opinions are subject to change.
</description>

This week on The Transfix Take, Jenni Ruiz and NF…

This week on The Transfix Take, Jenni Ruiz and NFI market expert Justin Maze unpack a freight market that is anything but sleepy. They dig into the CBS Sunday report on chameleon carriers and what the launch of FMCSA’s new MODIS registration system could mean for carrier vetting, fraud prevention, and the broader push for accountability across the industry. They also touch on the ongoing Strait of Hormuz disruption, why rerouted global cargo matters for domestic freight, and the small but welcome drop in fuel prices.

From there, Jenni and Maze break down where the market stands today: national linehaul rates holding at $1.96 per mile, outbound rejections sitting above 14%, and flatbed rejection rates surging to nearly 50%, a flashing signal that volatility is already building. They close with a must-hear preview of DOT Week, explaining why this year’s blitz could hit much harder than it has in the past two years, how brokers should prepare now, and why the coming weeks may trigger a meaningful reset in spot and contract pricing across the market.
--
Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Transfix, Inc. or any parent companies or affiliates or the companies with which the participants are affiliated, and may have been previously disseminated by them. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are based upon information considered reliable, but neither Transfix, Inc. nor its affiliates, nor the companies with which such participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. All such views and opinions are subject to change.


Transfix Take Podcast | Week of April 21 - Flatbed Frenzy and the DOT Week Effect

<description>What happens when a freight brokerage operator burns out, quits in the middle of chaos, and accidentally builds one of the industry’s most recognizable media brands in freight? In this episode of Supply Chain Decoded, Jenni Ruiz sits down with Paul-Bernard Jaroslawski, founder of FreightCaviar, to unpack the very untraditional path from carrier sales and brokerage ops to memes, media, and modern freight storytelling.

Paul gets candid about the chaotic freight market of 2020, the realities of running a brokerage, and why humor has become such an important survival tool in this industry. He shares how FreightCaviar grew from an Instagram meme page into a full-fledged media company with newsletters, documentaries, podcasts, and now a print magazine. He opens up about learning hard lessons in public, navigating cease-and-desist letters, resisting the pressure to become too polished, and why authenticity still wins in a world drowning in content.

Jenni and Paul also dig into what makes small brokerages special, the line between insider humor and responsible reporting, the future of freight media, and one supply chain term Paul believes the industry keeps getting wrong: double brokering.
--
Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Transfix, Inc. or any parent companies or affiliates or the companies with which the participants are affiliated, and may have been previously disseminated by them. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are based upon information considered reliable, but neither Transfix, Inc. nor its affiliates, nor the companies with which such participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. All such views and opinions are subject to change.
</description>

What happens when a freight brokerage operator bu…

What happens when a freight brokerage operator burns out, quits in the middle of chaos, and accidentally builds one of the industry’s most recognizable media brands in freight? In this episode of Supply Chain Decoded, Jenni Ruiz sits down with Paul-Bernard Jaroslawski, founder of FreightCaviar, to unpack the very untraditional path from carrier sales and brokerage ops to memes, media, and modern freight storytelling.

Paul gets candid about the chaotic freight market of 2020, the realities of running a brokerage, and why humor has become such an important survival tool in this industry. He shares how FreightCaviar grew from an Instagram meme page into a full-fledged media company with newsletters, documentaries, podcasts, and now a print magazine. He opens up about learning hard lessons in public, navigating cease-and-desist letters, resisting the pressure to become too polished, and why authenticity still wins in a world drowning in content.

Jenni and Paul also dig into what makes small brokerages special, the line between insider humor and responsible reporting, the future of freight media, and one supply chain term Paul believes the industry keeps getting wrong: double brokering.
--
Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Transfix, Inc. or any parent companies or affiliates or the companies with which the participants are affiliated, and may have been previously disseminated by them. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are based upon information considered reliable, but neither Transfix, Inc. nor its affiliates, nor the companies with which such participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. All such views and opinions are subject to change.


Supply Chain Decoded | Feat. Paul-Bernard Jaroslawski, FreightCaviar

<description>Transfix Take Podcast | Week of April 16 - Freight Fraud, Fuel Spikes, and a May Market Warning by Transfix</description>

Transfix Take Podcast | Week of April 16 - Freigh…

Transfix Take Podcast | Week of April 16 - Freight Fraud, Fuel Spikes, and a May Market Warning by Transfix

Transfix Take Podcast | Week of April 16 - Freight Fraud, Fuel Spikes, and a May Market Warning

Welcome to the Transfix Take On, a show for the logistics and supply chain world where we switch gears into the hot topics of trucking. For more information, visit: www.transfix.io

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