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TRUCKING

 

FedEx targets 14% profit growth in 3-year strategy

Freight Waves Eric Kulisch February 12, 2026

FedEx’s growth strategy is based on four focus areas. The company continues to target premium B2C and specialized B2C segments, such as healthcare, automotive, aerospace, data centers and premium e-commerce. The company recently emphasized that nearly half of its revenue growth was from higher weight, higher margin B2B business.

Link: FedEx Investor Day 2026

 

Aurora Expands Driverless Network for Runs to Phoenix

Transport Topics Keiron Greenhalgh February 12, 2026

Aurora Innovation is about to triple its driverless truck network, expanding to 10 routes, after validating operations between Fort Worth, Texas, and Phoenix, the company said Feb. 11.

Link: Aurora Innovation Aurora Triples Driverless Network to 10 Routes and Prepares to Expand Across U.S. Sun Belt

 

FMCSA issues final nondomiciled CDL rule, upping standards for states

Trucking Dive David Taube February 12, 2026

In the final rule, the federal government again requires stricter standards for nondomiciled CDLs and CLPs, limiting eligibility to just a few categories of immigrant visas and detailing the documentation that states must use to verify immigration status.

Related: Journal of Commerce USDOT releases interim final rule on non-domiciled CDL holders

 

 

SHIPPERS / 3PLs

 

CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor’s January Data Shows Fourth Consecutive Monthly Gain

National Retail Federation February 12, 2026

“Consumers demonstrated continued resilience in January, showing moderate spending growth on the heels of record-high spending during the holiday season,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “This was the fourth consecutive month that sales rose from the month before, and year-over-year gains were particularly strong.

 

Levi’s warehouse network transition hits snag

Supply Chain Dive Phil Neuffer February 12, 2026

The clothing maker said a shift away from an owned distribution center to a third-party run facility has taken longer than expected.

 

 

INDUSTRY

 

New truckload capacity product provides another load board option for brokers

Journal of Commerce Eric Johnson February 12, 2026 $Subscription Based

Freight financial services and technology provider Triumph has unveiled a new product it says is aimed at allowing freight brokers to “turn transactional [truckload] capacity into relationships.”

Link: Triumph Press Release Triumph Launches Capacity Intelligence to Help Freight Brokers Build Optimal Carrier Relationships

 

TECHNOLOGY

 

Meet the Former Karaoke Company That Sank Trucking Stocks

The Wall Street Journal Ryan Dezember and Paul Berger February 12, 2026 $Subscription Based

The Florida firm, formerly the Singing Machine Co.  now known as Algorhythm Holdings, published a news release shortly before stock trading opened touting AI technology capable of increasing trucking efficiencies. Algorhythm, which has a stock market value of less than $3 million, hasn’t landed any software clients in the U.S. yet. But its announcement nonetheless rattled the market.

Link: Algorhythm Holdings SemiCab’s AI Platform Shown to Handle 400% More Freight Volume Without Additional Staff

 

Trucking and logistics stocks drop on release of AI freight scaling tool

CNBC Pia Singh February 12, 2026

“What we’re proving with SemiCab is that when freight is managed as a coordinated network rather than isolated transactions, utilization improves dramatically. The substantial reduction in empty miles that we are able to achieve for our customers represents a fundamental shift in how logistics economics work,” said Ajesh Kapoor, CEO of SemiCab.

Related: The Wall Street Journal AI Panic Hits Trucking, Transport Stocks

 

Supply Chain AI Takes Spotlight at Manifest 2026

Transport Topics Seth Clevenger February  12, 2026

Scotts Miracle-Gro identified an opportunity to harness its unique data on consumer behavior in the lawn and garden space to better manage its inventory levels.

“Frankly, the math equation was not something a human could solve, and we really leaned in on AI there,” Huskisson said. “We were able to reduce our year-ending average inventory by $600 million by being more predictive through the data that we had.”

 

Adapt or Die: Geotab’s Neil Cawse on AI’s Rapid Reinvention of Fleet Management

Heavy Duty Trucking Deborah Lockridge February 12, 2026

Artificial intelligence is evolving faster than fleets can keep up, and telematics must evolve with it, Cawse said during Geotab Connect. The future? A single AI coordinating every system — and leaders who know how to guide it.

 

Rapid pace of AI development suggests shippers should be patient

Journal of Commerce Eric Johnson February 12, 2026 $Subscription Based

While the world braces itself for the true impacts of artificial intelligence (AI), shippers and logistics services providers (LSPs) face a decision on whether to jump in with both feet or wait watchfully from the sidelines.

Key to that decision, though, is the reality that it takes less time than ever to build software, which shrinks the disadvantage that a company has playing catching up.

 

SUSTAINABILITY / SAFETY / SECURITY

 

Trump EPA ends basis for heavy-duty truck emissions rules

Freight Waves John Gallagher February 12, 2026

For heavy-duty trucking, the cost savings cited by Zeldin are expected to translate into lower acquisition costs for new internal combustion engines and the elimination of EV sales quotas required of truck makers.

Critics and environmental groups will likely challenge the rescission in court, arguing that climate change science remains settled.

 

Trump, EPA make good on promise to toss emissions regs

CCJ Jason Cannon February 12, 2026

Engineering has long been underway on diesel engines that will meet 2027 emissions regulations. Many aftertreatment systems have been completely redesigned, electrical systems and engines re-engineered, and an entirely new diesel engine oil category has been implemented to reach compliance. Most truck and engine OEMs already have 2027 emissions compliant engines on the market.

 

Waymo Targets 1 Million Weekly Robotaxi Rides

Transport Topics/Bloomberg News Ed Ludlow February 12, 2026

The startup plans to expand testing and launch new commercial services across 20 cities this year within the U.S. and internationally. In some cases, Waymo can go from mapping a city to the start of paid rides in just a matter of months. In other cases, progress will be much slower, especially when a city or state lacks rules on robotaxis.

Related: The Verge Waymo’s next-gen robotaxi is ready for passengers — and also ‘high-volume production

Link: Waymo Beginning fully autonomous operations with the 6th-generation Waymo Driver

 

 

BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMY

 

Disney's New CEO and the Rise of “Experience Intelligence”

HBR Marcus Buckingham February 12, 2026 $Subscription Based

As organizations today confront trust, engagement, and resilience challenges, leaders who have “experience intelligence” have a strategic advantage. These leaders focus less on controlling outcomes, and more on creating conditions where employees and customers feel seen, capable, and proud. They understand that designing experiences that people genuinely love—not merely like or respect—drive behavior, loyalty, and performance more reliably than incentives or pressure.

 

 

 

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