ESG & Regulation

ESG & Regulation

Radiant Logistics acquires Dallas brokerage operations

Radiant Logistics has acquired the Dallas brokerage operations of Whitacre Logistics Services, integrating them into Radiant Road & Rail. Financial terms were not disclosed, though a portion of the purchase price is tied to future performance goals — consistent with most of Radiant’s NYSE: RLGT transactions. Jeff Vielhaber continues to lead the Dallas unit and now heads Radiant’s new independent agent development program. The move follows last year’s majority stake acquisition of Mexico City-based Weport and the California-based ocean and air freight forwarder Transcon Shipping. The Dallas operation serves building materials, manufacturing, and packaging customers. Events scheduled for October 26–28, 2026, in Chattanooga, TN, reinforce industry-wide trends in brokerage consolidation and compliance.

2026-10-09

ESG & Regulation

Logistics Industry Agrees on Sustainability, But 83% Cite Network Redesign Need

The first Global Sustainable Logistics Survey (GSLS), released by Kühne Logistics University and the Kuehne Climate Center, polled 1,085 professionals across 64 countries. It finds strong consensus on sustainability solutions—including fleet electrification and low-carbon fuels—but reveals scaling barriers rooted in infrastructure gaps and misaligned policy. Eighty-three percent expect climate adaptation to force fundamental network redesign, yet only 45% deem current efforts adequate. The report positions 2026 as a critical inflection point aligned with the UN’s Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026–2035).

2026-10-09

ESG & Regulation

6 Trucking Firms File RICO Suit Against C.H. Robinson, TQL

Six U.S. trucking companies — Stevens Trucking, Western Flyer Express, Freymiller, IWX Motor Freight, Christenson Transportation, and E.O.S. — filed a civil RICO lawsuit against C.H. Robinson and Total Quality Logistics in Texas federal court on September 23. They allege the brokers used carriers employing forced labor and falsified logs to submit artificially low bids, costing plaintiffs over $120 million in lost revenue across multiple shippers including Ford, Driscoll’s, and Graphic Packaging. The case hinges on whether lost contracts constitute a direct injury under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act — a question shaped by the Supreme Court’s 2006 Anza v. Ideal Steel precedent. Plaintiffs seek treble damages, citing revenue drops up to 30%, $51 million in lost sales, and $21 million in missed linehaul revenue.

2026-10-08

ESG & Regulation

China’s zero-tariff policy drives exponential growth at Port of Ngqura

China’s zero-tariff policy for qualifying South African exports, effective May 1, 2026, and running through April 30, 2028, has driven exponential growth in dry bulk throughput at South Africa’s Port of Ngqura. Chrome, magnetite, iron ore, and corn shipments are rising sharply, according to port business strategy manager Xola Mkontwana. Located 20 km northeast of Gqeberha, the port serves as a new logistics gateway for Eastern Cape resources. The two-year, non-reciprocal framework covers South Africa and 19 other non-least-developed African countries, fulfilling FOCAC commitments to balanced trade and African industrialization.

2026-10-08

ESG & Regulation

US Manufacturing PMI Holds at 54.5 Amid 8% LTL Rate Surge

The Institute for Supply Management’s September PMI held at 54.5 — the ninth straight month of U.S. manufacturing expansion — signaling ~2.4% GDP growth but falling 10 basis points below August and 40 basis points short of consensus. The New Orders Index rose 1.6% to 55.4, while demand sentiment weakened to a 1.7-to-1 positive-to-negative ratio. LTL rates surged nearly 8% year-over-year in September, supported by industrial demand that leads LTL inflections by about three months. The ISM Price Index jumped to 77.9, with 58.6% of respondents reporting higher prices and raw material costs rising for the 24th consecutive month.

2026-10-08

ESG & Regulation

USDOT Cuts CAFE Targets to 34.5 mpg by 2031

The U.S. Department of Transportation reset CAFE standards to 34.5 mpg by 2031 — down from 50.4 mpg — cutting average new-vehicle prices by $1,300 and saving consumers $138 billion over five years. The rule removes EV assumptions, zeroes civil penalties (set at $0 in July 2025), and expands automaker flexibility for trucks and SUVs. Heavier vehicles — averaging 4,371 pounds in MY 2023 — drive freight weight pressures, prompting calls to raise federal weight limits from 80,000 to 88,000 pounds. Yet 2026 truckload tightness stems from shrinking capacity, not auto-freight growth.

2026-10-06

ESG & Regulation

Cargo thieves ‘launder freight’ through supply chain, Cornell warns

Cornell University researchers warn that cargo thieves are increasingly 'laundering freight' by embedding stolen goods into legitimate supply chain operations. The warning appears in a FreightWaves article promoting its F3: Future of Freight Festival, set for October 27–28, 2026. The platform highlights specialized industry resources including SONAR, Modern Shipper, and American Shipper, alongside coverage of fraud, global supply chains, and cross-border logistics. Events such as the Cross Border Logistics Summit 2026 and Fraud Fighters Awards underscore ongoing industry focus on security and resilience.

2026-10-01

ESG & Regulation

Google, Microsoft, DSV join ZEMBA to cut 120,000 tonnes GHG by 2027

Google, Microsoft, and DSV have joined the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA) to collectively procure low- and zero-emission shipping services. ZEMBA’s 2027 e-fuel tender — awarded in December 2025 to Hapag-Lloyd and North Sea Container Line — will deploy e-methanol and green ammonia on dedicated routes. The two projects together are expected to avoid approximately 120,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over three years from 2027. Participants use a book-and-claim system to allocate verified emissions reductions across their Scope 3 supply chains.

2026-09-30

ESG & Regulation

Mexico Customs Proposal Raises Border Delays, Cargo Seizures

A new Mexican customs proposal set to take effect on January 15, 2027, mandates 72-hour electronic pre-clearance submissions and expands X-ray scanning at 12 major land ports. During an August 2026 trial, cargo seizures rose 27% across five northern customs offices, with one carrier reporting $48,000 in losses. Average trailer dwell times increased by 3.2 hours, prompting warnings from San Diego-based brokers about perishable shipments through Nogales and El Paso. SAT has scheduled mandatory compliance training across 24 Mexican states in Q4 2026.

2026-09-28

ESG & Regulation

C.H. Robinson $604M Verdict Drives Carrier Vetting Over Rates

John Ferguson, founder and CEO of Pivot Supply Chain Solutions, reports that shippers now demand full disclosure of carrier vetting systems before discussing rates — a direct response to the $604 million C.H. Robinson verdict where the firm was held 23% liable, matching its $135 million insurance policy. The Northeast led U.S. load-to-truck ratios for 60 days before Washington State produce shifted dominance to the West Coast. Shippers are front-loading Monday–Wednesday pickups and pulling October freight into September, setting up a sharp early-October slowdown. Tender rejection rates moved from 13% to 14%, and brokers are revising language around driver tracking to avoid shared-employee liability.

2026-09-27

ESG & Regulation

Egypt launches 8 logistics corridors, handles 233M tonnes in 2025

Egypt — North Africa’s largest economy — has launched eight logistics corridors linking its seaports and the Suez Canal to dry ports, industrial zones, agricultural areas, and mining regions. The corridors include Bernice–Aswan–East Oweinat–Kufra–N’Djamena and Cairo–Aswan–Abu Simbel, extending connectivity into Sudan, Libya, Chad, and Central Africa. Egyptian ports handled 233 million tonnes of cargo in 2025 — up 12% year on year — and 11.1 million TEUs, a 25% increase. The government plans five new ports (totaling 19), 100 million square metres of port area, and over 70 km of new berths. Egypt ranks 19th globally and first in Africa on the Liner Shipping Connectivity Index.

2026-09-25

ESG & Regulation

U.S. emissions rollback on Boeing 777 freighter aids air logistics

The U.S. EPA rolled back emissions standards for the Boeing 777 freighter, easing NOx certification requirements effective August 1, 2026. The change permits a 7.5% higher emissions threshold during takeoff, reduces certification time by 11 weeks per cycle, and supports accelerated deliveries of 12 new 777Fs for Atlas Air through mid-2028. Flexport observed a 22% rise in quoted air cargo capacity at U.S. hubs starting in June 2026, while transpacific spot rates climbed 14.3% by September 12, 2026. The rule aligns with updated ICAO standards and reflects real-world freighter engine performance data.

2026-09-22