Explore every episode of the podcast The Logistics of Logistics
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Title
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4 Massive Fleet Problems Wex Solves for Trucking Companies with Noel Glasgow
29 Oct 2026
00:54:59
In " 4 Massive Fleet Problems Wex Solves for Trucking Companies", Joe Lynch speaks with the Vice President of Sales for WEX's OTR business, Noel Glasgow, about how WEX helps fleets control fuel costs, stop fraud, optimize spending, and manage cash flow.
About Noel Glasgow
Noel Glasgow is the Vice President of Sales for WEX's OTR business. He began his career in journalism as a sports reporter for various TV stations before moving into leadership positions in the business world. He has been with WEX for over 13 years, working in the mobility sector, and now oversees WEX OTR including the EFS and Fleet One EDGE Programs. He leads the sales division, including inside and outside sales and client success, supporting the full sales cycle from lead to close, along with client retention and educating customers on the value of the business. He currently lives in Nashville with his wife and daughter. He is a diehard Vols fan and a music lover.
About WEX
WEX (NYSE: WEX) is the global commerce platform that simplifies the business of running a business. WEX has created a powerful ecosystem that offers seamlessly embedded, personalized solutions for its customers around the world. Through its rich data and specialized expertise in simplifying benefits, reimagining mobility, and paying and getting paid, WEX aims to make it easy for companies to overcome complexity and reach their full potential. For more information, please visit www.wexinc.com.
In " 4 Massive Fleet Problems Wex Solves for Trucking Companies", Joe Lynch speaks with the Vice President of Sales for WEX's OTR business, Noel Glasgow, about how WEX helps fleets control fuel costs, stop fraud, optimize spending, and manage cash flow.
WEX Powers Fleets of All Sizes across Over-the-Road Transportation: As a global commerce platform, WEX serves the full spectrum of trucking, from single owner-operators to massive fleets with 60,000+ Class 8 vehicles. They offer specialized tools like the Fleet One Edge card and 10-4 mobile app to give smaller carriers competitive buying power.
Controlling the "Fuel Money Pit" via Dynamic Rules: Because fuel represents one of the single largest expenses for a fleet—averaging over $700 per fill-up—WEX empowers fleet managers to eliminate leaky margins. Fleet managers can set granular, dynamic card controls by gallon limits, fuel grade, time of day, and designated pump locations, while unlocking average savings of 26–27 cents per gallon.
Cutting-Edge Interception of Fuel Theft & Skimming: To combat pump skimmers and unauthorized swipes, WEX utilizes GPS-geofenced "SecureFuel" technology developed alongside partners like Trimble. By cross-referencing card swipes with the vehicle's real-time ELD position, WEX blocks transactions instantly if the truck and pump locations do not match.
Next-Gen Security Features (Cardless Fueling & Freeze/Thaw): WEX continues to innovate its fraud prevention stack beyond dynamic prompting. New solutions include single-use "flow codes" for cardless fueling and a mobile "freeze and thaw" toggle that automatically re-locks fuel cards immediately after a authorized transaction is complete.
Eliminating Blind Spots with Real-Time TMS & ELD Integration: Direct integration into ELDs and Transportation Management Systems (TMS) delivers instant visibility into driver spending behavior. Automatically matching drivers, routes, and cards in real time allows fleets to monitor compliance, track negotiated discounts, and optimize fuel stop choices.
Solving the Freight Cash Crunch via WEX Capital: Carriers often face delayed invoice payments from shippers and brokers (taking anywhere from 15 to 180 days) while incurring immediate daily expenses like fuel and payroll. WEX Capital provides instant freight factoring, converting outstanding bills into liquid working capital to eliminate cash flow bottlenecks.
Expanded Ecosystem through the Verified Vendors Program: Beyond core payment and fuel controls, WEX offers a Verified Vendors marketplace to simplify fleet operations. Partners like Engine (discounted lodging), BestPass (toll management), and TFG (vehicle financing) allow fleets to reduce overhead costs across their entire operational footprint.
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The Zero Distraction Cockpit: Making In-Cab Navigation Safer and Smarter with Dave Morris
27 Oct 2026
00:31:34
In " The Zero Distraction Cockpit: Making In-Cab Navigation Safer and Smarter", Joe Lynch speaks with Product Manager at Trimble, Dave Morris, about how AI voice control, truck-specific navigation, and precision gate-to-dock routing eliminate in-cab distractions and keep drivers safe.
About Dave Morris
Dave Morris is a Product Manager at Trimble with 10+ years focused on mobile experiences, including CoPilot. His background spans partner management, sales engineering, and product management, bringing a wealth of experience to mobile product development.
About Trimble
Trimble Transportation provides fleets with solutions to create a fully integrated supply chain. With an intelligent ecosystem of products and services, Trimble Transportation enables customers to embrace the rapid technological evolution of the industry and connect all aspects of transportation and logistics — trucks, drivers, back office, freight and assets. Trimble Transportation delivers an open, scalable platform to help customers make more informed decisions and maximize performance, visibility and safety.
Key Takeaways: The Zero Distraction Cockpit: Making In-Cab Navigation Safer and Smarter
In " The Zero Distraction Cockpit: Making In-Cab Navigation Safer and Smarter", Joe Lynch speaks with Product Manager at Trimble, Dave Morris, about how AI voice control, truck-specific navigation, and precision gate-to-dock routing eliminate in-cab distractions and keep drivers safe.
Elimination of Catastrophic Routing Errors: Unlike consumer GPS applications that treat heavy vehicles like passenger cars, Trimble CoPilot uses PC*MILER commercial navigation data tailored to specific vehicle dimensions, axle weight limits, and hazardous material restrictions—preventing bridge strikes, illegal detours, and reducing out-of-route mileage by up to 10%.
Hands-Free In-Cab Voice Control: The CoPilot Driver Assistant utilizes AI-powered natural language voice commands, allowing drivers to search for amenities, adjust routes, or check live weather and traffic without taking their hands off the wheel or eyes off the road.
Enhanced Driving Safety with Motion Lock: To eliminate distracted driving and keep drivers focused, physical touch interactions on the dashboard or tablet are locked while the vehicle is in motion.
Precision Gate-to-Dock Guidance: By using precise, geofenced commercial location data for over 6 million places, CoPilot guides drivers past generic street addresses directly through truck-specific entry gates and straight to exact dock doors, eliminating the delays that account for up to 80% of last-mile friction.
Single Source of Truth Between Cab and Back Office: Because CoPilot shares the same routing engine and data as back-office dispatch systems (PC*MILER), the exact miles planned by dispatch match the miles driven in the cab, resolving discrepancies in billing, fuel tax calculations, and driver pay.
Predictive Parking and Hours-of-Service Management: CoPilot leverages machine learning and real-time integrations to predict parking availability and alert drivers to safe rest options before their hours-of-service limits expire—or with a single tap of an emergency coffee cup button.
Hyperlocal Weather and Hazard Mitigation: The platform provides proactive alerts for upcoming traffic slowdowns, road closures, and severe weather conditions like high winds and low visibility, giving drivers and dispatchers the intelligence needed to re-plan routes safely.
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The High Cost of Wrong Turns: How Location Data Protects Freight Margins with Rishi Mehra
22 Oct 2026
00:43:42
In " The High Cost of Wrong Turns: How Location Data Protects Freight Margins", Joe Lynch speaks with the VP, Product & Engineering of Trimble, Rishi Mehra, about how precision location data, commercial routing, and connected AI ecosystems protect fleet profitability and driver safety.
About Rishi Mehra
Rishi Mehra is the VP, Product & Engineering of Trimble. As VP, product and engineering, Rishi Mehra is primarily responsible for overseeing the company's technology, products and engineering in North America. Mehra has been with Trimble since 2014, and previously served as a senior product manager and director of web products for ALK Technologies (now a part of the Trimble family). In that role, he led the product management and go-to-market activity for all web solutions globally and helped establish the commercial transportation-focused web digital platform within the organization.
About Trimble
Trimble Transportation provides fleets with solutions to create a fully integrated supply chain. With an intelligent ecosystem of products and services, Trimble Transportation enables customers to embrace the rapid technological evolution of the industry and connect all aspects of transportation and logistics — trucks, drivers, back office, freight and assets. Trimble Transportation delivers an open, scalable platform to help customers make more informed decisions and maximize performance, visibility and safety.
Key Takeaways: The High Cost of Wrong Turns: How Location Data Protects Freight Margins
In " The High Cost of Wrong Turns: How Location Data Protects Freight Margins", Joe Lynch speaks with the VP, Product & Engineering of Trimble, Rishi Mehra, about how precision location data, commercial routing, and connected AI ecosystems protect fleet profitability and driver safety.
Consumer GPS vs. Commercial Reality Creates Costly Risks: Standard consumer navigation apps lack commercial vehicle intelligence—such as bridge clearances, weight restrictions, hazmat regulations, and turn-radius constraints. Using non-commercial apps leads to expensive bridge strikes, fines, off-route detours, and severe brand liability for shippers, carriers, and brokers.
PC*Miler Serves as the Industry's Financial Currency: Celebrating its 40th annual release, PC*Miler acts as the foundational standard for contracting freight, billing, and driver settlements. It provides precise baseline mileage that ensures carriers, shippers, and brokers operate on agreed-upon data so that no party suffers financial loss.
Precision Routing Prevents Margin Leakage: In a tight freight economy with razor-thin margins, small deviations—such as a 10-mile detour or unapproved toll roads—rapidly destroy fleet profitability. Precise commercial mileage and batch processing allow fleets to balance the shortest versus cheapest routes, control driver fuel stops, and eliminate hidden costs.
Solving the "Final 500 Feet" and Dock-Level Navigation: Standard GPS stops at the street address, but Trimble Places covers over 6 million locations with precise dock-level navigation. Directing drivers to exact gate entrances and specialized docks (e.g., distinguishing refrigerated from general-purpose doors) eliminates facility delays, yard congestion, and accidents where they occur most.
Transitioning from Static Maps to an AI Mapping Engine: Mapping is evolving from passive screen graphics into an active, intelligent engine. Integrating mapping data with conversational AI (such as CoPilot Driver Assistant) enables hands-free voice assistance that calculates rest breaks in real time without distracting the driver.
Connected Ecosystems Drive Intelligent Automation: Purpose-built AI tools like Trimble's ArcAgent rely on a connected platform to eliminate administrative friction—such as pulling missing cost or delivery facts for incomplete loads. By restricting AI to verifiable network data with human oversight, systems operate with zero hallucination and strict safety guardrails.
End-to-End Visibility and Vetted Parking Protect Drivers and Assets: Combining in-cab navigation with low-level trailer and pallet tracking provides back-office visibility and immediate alerts for route deviations to combat cargo theft. Furthermore, integrations with networks like Truck Parking Club and Engine give drivers safe, pre-vetted parking and lodging reservations with a single click.
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REPOST: The TRAFFIX Report: The Strategic Forecast for North American Freight with Alex Fuller
20 Oct 2026
00:50:06
In "The TRAFFIX Report: The Strategic Forecast for North American Freight" Joe Lynch and Alex Fuller, Sr. Director of Revenue Management & Solutions at TRAFFIX, discuss the end of the freight recession and how rising rates, nearshoring, and market volatility are reshaping North American supply chains.
About Alex Fuller
Alex Fuller, Sr. Director of Revenue Management & Solutions at TRAFFIX, focuses on understanding market trends and helping customers grow through customized supply chain solutions, technology, and AI integration. Passionate about supply chains and business growth, Alex earned his undergraduate degree in Supply Chain Management from BYU before beginning his career with a CPG company managing imports from China and distribution across the United States. He later completed his MBA at the University of Virginia and went on to build extensive industry experience with UPS and UPS Supply Chain Solutions prior to joining TRAFFIX. Outside of work, Alex is a former professional triathlete and recently completed the Boston Marathon, reflecting the same discipline and endurance he brings to his professional career.
About TRAFFIX
TRAFFIX is a leading North American 3PL that has been delivering customized supply chain solutions since 1979. With a customer-first approach, TRAFFIX partners with shippers to create flexible, scalable logistics strategies tailored to their unique business needs. The company offers a full suite of services, including truckload, flatbed, intermodal, drayage, expedited, LTL, managed transportation, and specialized government solutions. Backed by experienced logistics experts, TRAFFIX provides real-time visibility, optimized freight management, and agile solutions that help customers adapt to changing market demands. With U.S. headquarters in Chicago, IL, TRAFFIX employs more than 840 logistics professionals across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, helping businesses improve supply chain performance through customized supply chain optimization.
Key Takeaways: The TRAFFIX Report: The Strategic Forecast for North American Freight
In "The TRAFFIX Report: The Strategic Forecast for North American Freight" Joe Lynch and Alex Fuller, Sr. Director of Revenue Management & Solutions at TRAFFIX, discuss the end of the freight recession and how rising rates, nearshoring, and market volatility are reshaping North American supply chains.
The 2026 Market Inflection: Following a brutal, multi-year freight recession post-COVID, the North American freight market has officially turned. As of mid-2026, contract rates have climbed 10% year-over-year, while spot rates have exploded by 40%.
The Tariff & Pull-Ahead Wrench: Volatility in 2025 trade policies forced shippers to radically alter inventory strategies. Many pulled massive volumes ahead to beat tariffs, briefly spiking intermodal demand, before aggressively pivoting back to lean, just-in-time supply chains.
Fuel Cracking the Budget Dam: Skyrocketing diesel rates in early 2026 acted as a major catalyst for rate hikes. Unlike previous years where carriers absorbed fuel spikes, tight capacity means these costs are hitting shippers directly, forcing corporate CFOs to expand logistics budgets.
The Nearshoring Reality: Shorter, responsive supply chains are replacing long-distance sourcing. A massive wave of nearshoring to Mexico is underway, trading complex ocean freight for direct, highly automated cross-border trucking networks.
Immediate Capacity Threats (Q2 2026): Roadside inspection events like DOT Week, combined with driver pullbacks over Memorial Day weekend, are actively squeezing summer capacity. Spot rates are projected to remain highly elevated for the next 9 to 12 months as a result of these seasonal disruptions.
The Death of the Annual RFQ: High market volatility means annual freight bids are breaking down. Savvy shippers are shifting to agile 3-month and 6-month mini-bids, allowing 3PLs to price lanes accurately without adding heavy risk premiums to the rates.
TRAFFIX Corporate Profile: Established in 1979, TRAFFIX is a premier North American 3PL operating across the US, Canada, and Mexico. As an asset-light partner, they leverage mid-market agility, cross-border expertise, and on-demand warehousing to protect shipper capacity in volatile cycles.
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The Logisyn Analysis: What Will Reshape Freight Sectors Next with John Manners-Bell
15 Oct 2026
00:51:57
In " The Logisyn Analysis: What Will Reshape Freight Sectors Next", Joe Lynch speaks with Chief Executive of Ti, John Manners-Bell about how geopolitical fragmentation, artificial intelligence, nearshoring, and evolving security risks are reshaping the future of global freight sectors.
About John Manners-Bell
Prof John Manners-Bell is Chief Executive of Ti, Honorary Visiting Professor at the London Metropolitan University's Guildhall Faculty of Business and Law and an adviser to the World Economic Forum. He has over 25 years' experience working in and analysing the global logistics sector. John started his working life as an operations manager of a logistics company based in the UK. Prior to establishing Ti in 2002, he worked as an analyst in consultancies specialising in international trade, transport and logistics. He also spent a number of years as a manager of UPS, in a strategic marketing and communications role. John holds an MSc in Transport Planning and Management from University of Westminster and is an Associate of King's College London where he studied Classics and Theology. He is a Fellow of the UK Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and former Chair of the Supply Chain and Logistics Global Advisory Council of the World Economic Forum. He has also advised the European Commission Directorate-General for Energy and Transport. He has written three books on the industry – 'Global Logistics Strategies: Delivering the Goods', 'Supply Chain Risk: Understanding Emerging Threats to Global Supply Chains' and 'Logistics and Supply Chains in Emerging Markets'. His second book, 'Supply Chain Risk' won the Mention Speciale ACA-Bruel Prize for supply chain literature in 2014.
About Ti
Ti is one of the world's leading providers of expert research and analysis dedicated to the global logistics industry. Utilising the expertise of professionals with many years of experience in the mail, express and logistics industry, Transport Intelligence has developed a range of market leading web-based products, reports, profiles and services used by all the world's leading logistics suppliers, consultancies and banks as well as many users of logistics services.
Key Takeaways: The Logisyn Analysis: What Will Reshape Freight Sectors Next
In " The Logisyn Analysis: What Will Reshape Freight Sectors Next", Joe Lynch speaks with Chief Executive of Ti, John Manners-Bell about how geopolitical fragmentation, artificial intelligence, nearshoring, and evolving security risks are reshaping the future of global freight sectors.
Global Fragmentation & Geopolitical Shifts: Global supply chains are transitioning away from decades of free trade and globalization toward fragmenting markets, protectionism, and nationalist policies reminiscent of the mid-20th century.
Reconfiguration of Asian & Ocean Freight Trade: Shifting trade policies and tariffs (such as US-China dynamics) are redirecting manufacturing and trade flows from China into ASEAN countries (e.g., Vietnam, Indonesia) and Mexico, leading to circumvention of tariffs and changing global import ports.
Emergence of Cross-Border Opportunities & Risks: Reshoring and nearshoring to Mexico offer huge cross-border freight opportunities, but companies face infrastructure bottlenecks, severe cargo theft, and security challenges that often require transloading or armed escorts.
Cybersecurity & Rising Cargo Theft: Freight fraud and cargo theft have evolved from opportunistic crimes to highly sophisticated cyber-enabled physical operations, driving shippers toward larger, better-funded logistics providers capable of making massive security investments.
Economic Pressures Outweighing Sustainability: Economic headwinds, rising operational costs (like diesel), and geopolitical disruptions have forced companies to temporarily reprioritize bottom-line profitability and capital survival over environmental/sustainability initiatives.
Impact of AI on Freight Brokerage Margins: Freight brokerages leveraging AI-driven automation operate on dramatically lower gross margins due to reduced headcount, driving rapid consolidation across the market and pushing smaller players to adapt.
Labor Shortages, Warehousing Tech, and Future Talent: Addressing warehouse real estate costs and truck driver shortages requires increased automation and capital investment; however, heavy reliance on technology raises concerns about where the industry's future managers and leaders will develop as entry-level positions disappear.
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Unlocking Fleet Superpowers: The Power of the Trimble Ecosystem with Pat Gaskins and Matt Ruth
13 Oct 2026
00:36:16
In " Unlocking Fleet Superpowers: The Power of the Trimble Ecosystem", Joe Lynch speaks with General Manager of Corcentric's Fleet Services, Pat Gaskins and Vice President of Implementation at ISAAC, Matt Ruth about how integrating in-cab telematics and automated billing with the Trimble ecosystem eliminates operational friction, optimizes fleet utilization, and boosts profitability.
About Pat Gaskins
Pat Gaskins is General Manager of Corcentric's Fleet Services, overseeing both sales and operations for fleet offerings. Pat and his Fleet Solutions leadership team have successfully executed strategies to drive profitable growth tied to our Private Fleet & Carrier GPO, Capital Equipment, and Remarketing solutions. Pat joined Corcentric in 2010, bringing more than 30 years of experience as a financial services professional into the transportation industry. Previously, he held leadership positions with GE Capital, PHH Arvil, and TCF Equipment Finance, among others.
About Matt Ruth
Matt Ruth is the Vice President of Implementation at ISAAC. Matt started his career working in transportation immediately upon graduating from college and has served in a wide variety of operational, technology, and leadership roles. He has gained a wealth of experience over the past 25+ years, largely invested at TMW systems and Trimble Transportation in senior management roles, leading teams responsible for managing the most complex transportation technology implementations. Matt has thus developed a unique ability to provide practical solutions to an otherwise complex and fragmented ecosystem of supply chain technology solution providers.
About Trimble
Trimble Transportation provides fleets with solutions to create a fully integrated supply chain. With an intelligent ecosystem of products and services, Trimble Transportation enables customers to embrace the rapid technological evolution of the industry and connect all aspects of transportation and logistics — trucks, drivers, back office, freight and assets. Trimble Transportation delivers an open, scalable platform to help customers make more informed decisions and maximize performance, visibility and safety.
About Corcentric
Corcentric is a leading global provider of best-in-class procurement and finance solutions. We offer a unique combination of technology and payment solutions complemented by robust advisory and managed services. Corcentric reduces stress and increases savings for procurement and finance business leaders by forming a strategic partnership to diagnose pain points and deliver tailor-made solutions for their unique challenges. For more than two decades, we've been a trusted partner who delivers proven results. To learn more, please visit www.corcentric.com.
About ISAAC Instruments
ISAAC offers in-cab technology that goes far beyond ELDs. We partner with trucking companies to simplify the life of drivers and keep the wheels turning. We provide a reliable, comprehensive open platform that allows fleets to integrate all of their business apps on a single device. Our real-time, in-cab coaching supports eco-driving for unparalleled fuel savings and safer highways, while artificial intelligence (AI) technology empowers informed decision-making. ISAAC is the market leader in Canada and has a rapidly growing presence among top-performing fleets across the United States.
Key Takeaways: Unlocking Fleet Superpowers: The Power of the Trimble Ecosystem
In " Unlocking Fleet Superpowers: The Power of the Trimble Ecosystem", Joe Lynch speaks with General Manager of Corcentric's Fleet Services, Pat Gaskins and Vice President of Implementation at ISAAC, Matt Ruth about how integrating in-cab telematics and automated billing with the Trimble ecosystem eliminates operational friction, optimizes fleet utilization, and boosts profitability.
Eliminating Back-Office Friction via Direct Billing Integration: Corcentric automates North American billing and receivables for major manufacturers like Daimler North America, auto-populating repair orders and invoices directly into Trimble's TMT system to eliminate paper processing, keypunching errors, and administrative noise.
Simplifying the Driver Experience with Predictive Workflows: ISAAC Instruments leverages load and route planning data from Trimble TMS to deliver a predictive, step-by-step workflow on in-cab tablets—automating turn-by-turn navigation, geofenced arrival calls, and document scanning so drivers focus on driving rather than manual data entry.
Protecting Margins through Preventive and Predictive Maintenance: By capturing VMRS-coded shop data from Trimble TMT along with real-time telematics fault codes and eDVIR reports, fleets can identify recurring part failures, flag high-risk trucks before they break down on the road, and reduce costly multi-day downtime.
Strategic Fleet Optimization and Lowering Total Cost of Ownership: Combining telematics utilization metrics with Corcentric's financial, purchasing, and remarketing programs enables fleet leaders, procurement, and finance teams to make data-driven decisions on asset lifecycles, financing structures, and right-sizing fleet counts to avoid over-fleeting.
Safety Coaching and Fuel Efficiency Interconnection: ISAAC's in-cab real-time coaching, AI, and camera technology monitor driving habits like over-acceleration and hard braking; improving driver efficiency directly translates into both safer operations and significant fuel savings—where a 0.5 MPG gain can save $7,000 per truck annually.
Prioritizing Driver Retention and Safety Culture: In an environment facing driver shortages and heightened legal liability, creating a safe, tech-enabled, and streamlined cab environment boosts driver satisfaction and uptime while protecting carriers against catastrophic nuclear verdicts.
The Power of Open Ecosystems and Interoperability: Because no single technology vendor can solve every supply chain challenge alone, seamless interoperability between open platforms (Trimble, ISAAC, and Corcentric) allows data to flow effortlessly between the cab, TMS, maintenance, and finance back-office—solving operational challenges at the seams.
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In " The P44 and LSP44 Story", Joe Lynch speaks with Founder and CEO of project44 and LSP44, Jett McCandless, about how project44 and LSP44 are split to serve shippers and service providers through AI agents, global connectivity, and API infrastructure.
About Jett McCandless
Jett McCandless has spent 25 years inside the global supply chain, running it, not studying it. He started on the dock and in dispatch at YRC Freight, helped scale GlobalTranz past $2 billion in revenue, then founded Metafora, an Inc. 500 advisory firm. In 2014, he founded project44 on a simple bet: enterprises don't need another dashboard, they need one operating truth of their entire network. That bet became the world's largest real-time logistics data graph, trusted by 1,300+ leading brands moving over a billion shipments a year across 190+ countries. In 2026, Jett launched LSP44, AI-native agent and API infrastructure built for logistics service providers (brokers, carriers, 3PLs, forwarders). It automates exceptions, procurement, and documents, built on data spanning 280,000+ carriers. Jett leads both companies as Founder and CEO.
About LSP44
LSP44 is the AI-native agent and API Infrastructure business for logistics service providers. Built on the world's largest logistics data graph and carrier network, LSP44 gives 3PLs, freight forwarders, and brokers the AI agents, carrier infrastructure, and developer capabilities to embed intelligence directly into their own products and workflows. LSP44 is profitable and headquartered in Chicago. Learn more at LSP44.ai.
About Project44
project44 is the Decision Intelligence Platform for the modern supply chain. Its context-based AI transforms fragmented logistics management into unified intelligence, bringing certainty to global supply chain operations. With intelligent transportation management, end-to-end visibility, yard management and last mile solutions, and a preferred carrier network of 282,000 carriers, project44 connects over 1.5 billion shipments annually for over 1,000 leading brands in manufacturing, automotive, retail, life sciences, food and beverage, CPG, and oil, chemical and gas. Learn more at project44.com.
Key Takeaways: The P44 and LSP44 Story
In " The P44 and LSP44 Story", Joe Lynch speaks with Founder and CEO of project44 and LSP44, Jett McCandless, about how project44 and LSP44 are split to serve shippers and service providers through AI agents, global connectivity, and API infrastructure.
Strategic Brand & Operational Split: project44 separated its operations into two distinct entities—project44 remains focused on Global 2000 shippers, while LSP44 caters specifically to 3PLs, freight forwarders, and brokers to match their faster operational cadences and unique technology needs.
AI-Native & API Infrastructure: LSP44 provides AI-native agent and API infrastructure built on a network covering 282,000 carriers across 190+ countries and territories, backed by over $1 billion in platform investment.
Combining APIs with AI Agents: While APIs handle direct system-to-system connections, AI agents bridge operational gaps, correct missing data, and interface with carriers when APIs aren't available, driving high data accuracy and automation.
Evolution Beyond Passive Visibility: Supply chain tracking has shifted from passive "little V" transportation tracking to "big V" inventory-in-motion, allowing companies to automate workflows and drive insights across all global modes.
Consolidation for Global Scale & AI Talent: project44 established its ocean visibility capabilities and AI expertise by acquiring top market players Ocean Insights for data quality and ClearMetal for machine learning talent.
Connectivity Quality as the Core Benchmark: Connectivity quality is the single most critical metric for supply chain maturity, serving as the necessary foundation to achieve broader logistics, financial, and operational goals.
Market Consolidation & Margin Dynamics: AI and API integration will divide logistics service providers into winners and losers, allowing tech-forward LSPs to expand net margins, lower operational costs, and execute transactions faster.
Reinventing Fleet Efficiency: Cutting Friction in Maintenance, Routing, and Dispatch with Michael Kornhauser
06 Oct 2026
00:49:37
In "Reinventing Fleet Efficiency: Cutting Friction in Maintenance, Routing, and Dispatch", Joe Lynch speaks with sector vice president of Trimble, Michael Kornhauser, about how integrated ecosystems, agentic AI, and smart routing technologies eliminate back-office friction and boost fleet performance across modern transportation networks.
About Michael Kornhauser
Michael Kornhauser is sector vice president of Trimble, leading Transportation & Logistics in North America. With more than 20 years in various leadership roles, Michael has proven to be an astute and dynamic leader with deep industry understanding and passion for delivering superior customer value. Kornhauser, along with Dan Popkin, established the European operations and development of the successful CoPilot business and guided the ALK Technologies business integration into Trimble. Under his leadership, Trimble's mapping solutions have become highly recognized and respected throughout the North American trucking and rail industries. He studied at Trinity College, where he received a research grant from NASA and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering.
About Trimble
Trimble Transportation provides fleets with solutions to create a fully integrated supply chain. With an intelligent ecosystem of products and services, Trimble Transportation enables customers to embrace the rapid technological evolution of the industry and connect all aspects of transportation and logistics — trucks, drivers, back office, freight and assets. Trimble Transportation delivers an open, scalable platform to help customers make more informed decisions and maximize performance, visibility and safety.
Key Takeaways: Reinventing Fleet Efficiency: Cutting Friction in Maintenance, Routing, and Dispatch
In "Reinventing Fleet Efficiency: Cutting Friction in Maintenance, Routing, and Dispatch", Joe Lynch speaks with sector vice president of Trimble, Michael Kornhauser, about how integrated ecosystems, agentic AI, and smart routing technologies eliminate back-office friction and boost fleet performance across modern transportation networks.
Mission and Integrated Ecosystem Strategy: Trimble Transportation connects shippers, carriers, 3PLs, and back-office operations into a shared data ecosystem. By democratizing data and eliminating operational silos across point systems, Trimble helps fleets break friction, streamline workflows, and make informed decisions faster.
Navigating Market Headwinds with High-ROI Tech: Fleets face intense pressures, including soaring fuel costs, non-fuel operating inflation, skyrocketing insurance premiums from nuclear verdicts, driver retention challenges, and cargo theft. While Trimble cannot control external fuel prices, its fuel optimization and routing tools generate immediate ROI by eliminating out-of-route miles, identifying the most cost-effective fueling stops, and ensuring proper toll reconciliation.
In-Cab Safety and Driver Experience: Moving beyond traditional turn-by-turn navigation, tools like CoPilot Driver Assistant serve as voice-driven, in-cab safety co-pilots. By automatically alerting drivers to rollover risks, high-wind zones, low bridges, and traffic slowdowns—and integrating tools to easily book safe truck parking or discounted hotels—Trimble reduces driver stress and boosts retention.
Evolving Routing and Dispatch: Commemorating version 40 of PC*Miler, Trimble continues to advance transportation mapping from basic distance calculation and rate reconciliation to intelligent route orchestration. Systems like Appian Fleet Assistant leverage AI to build complex, multi-stop route plans for private fleets in seconds rather than hours.
TMS Modernization Without "Rip and Replace": Rather than forcing fleets to undergo risky, high-cost platform overhauls, Trimble updates its core TMS products (such as TMW.Suite, TruckMate, Innovative, and Fuel Dispatch) with browser-based interfaces, enterprise security, and AI integrations directly into existing product stacks.
Agentic Back-Office Automation: Built with strict European privacy (GDPR) standards and full human-in-the-loop auditability, the new Trimble Arc Agent automates administrative tasks. Users can build custom, no-code operational skills in minutes to handle currency updates, contract reporting, or order entry.
Yard Management and AI Fleet Maintenance: To reduce dock detention and facility delays, Trimble Dock & Yard unifies arrival tracking, appointment planning, and trailer visibility into a single record. Furthermore, TMT Fleet Maintenance AI Invoice Scanning batch-processes up to 100 vendor PDF invoices at once—saving thousands of administrative minutes—while automated systems like Road Call streamline emergency breakdown responses.
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In "The New Supply Chain Era", Joe Lynch speaks with Founder of Ballast and Head of Strategy for LogistiVIEW, Nate Shutes, about how the evolving landscape of AI, fractional leadership, and community support are shaping the future for supply chain entrepreneurs.
About Nate Shutes
Nate Shutes has 25+ years of supply chain and logistics leadership spanning Fortune 500 companies to mid-market, founder-led businesses. He is the Founder of Ballast, the private peer group for supply chain entrepreneurs and Head of Strategy for LogistiVIEW, the leading Warehouse Orchestration Software platform for complex fulfillment operations. He is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and holds a BS in Transportation & Logistics from UW-Superior and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas.
About Ballast
Ballast is a private peer group and mastermind for supply chain and logistics entrepreneurs. Supply chain entrepreneurship is hard. But you don't have to do it alone. Join Ballast.
About LogistiVIEW
LogistiVIEW is a leading SaaS provider in the emerging Warehouse Orchestration Software space. Our WOS is the neutral decision layer between your WMS, ERP, robotics platforms and people that optimizes fulfillment operations.
Key Takeaways: The New Supply Chain Era
In "The New Supply Chain Era", Joe Lynch speaks with Founder of Ballast and Head of Strategy for LogistiVIEW, Nate Shutes, about how the evolving landscape of AI, fractional leadership, and community support are shaping the future for supply chain entrepreneurs.
Community and Support for Bootstrapped Founders (Ballast): Nate Shutes created Ballast, a private, paid mastermind group designed specifically for supply chain and logistics entrepreneurs. It gives bootstrapped founders a confidential, supportive space to discuss the hidden, high-stress realities of entrepreneurship—such as cash-flow limits and payroll risks—rather than just social media highlights.
Refound Advisory and Fractional Executive Leadership: Through his fractional consulting firm, Refound Advisory, Shutes embeds directly within supply chain companies to offer hands-on operational leadership, strategic guidance, and culture alignment for scaling businesses that need executive help beyond community advice.
Warehouse Orchestration with LogistiVIEW: As part of his fractional work, Shutes collaborates closely with founder Seth Patin at LogistiVIEW, a SaaS provider offering a Warehouse Orchestration System (WOS) that acts as a neutral decision layer unifying a company's WMS, ERP, robotics, and human workforce.
The Role of Dual-Perspective Experience: Shutes emphasizes the value of having worked on both the 3PL/technology provider side (such as his 12 years at C.H. Robinson) and the shipper/brand side (at companies like Sleep Number and Bludot). Understanding both perspectives helps leaders avoid mistaking logistics as the sole driver when it is actually part of a larger, integrated supply chain.
AI Strategy Over Automated Fixes: Throwing AI at an inefficient or broken process will only yield a "fancy broken process." To capture real value, supply chain leaders must address underlying process bottlenecks first, target low-level repetitive data tasks, and use AI as a strategic thought partner rather than a magical quick fix.
Navigating the "Ethical Crumple Zone" & Security Risks: While AI speeds up workflows, human oversight remains critical—a boundary known as the "ethical crumple zone." Additionally, concerns around corporate data privacy, information leaks, and rogue AI agents are driving renewed interest in hybrid or on-premises tech setups as potential security moats.
The Vulnerability of "Wrapper" Tech Companies: Startups built purely as UI wrappers around third-party AI platforms (without proprietary underlying code) face major existential risks. They lack control over fluctuating token/API subscription costs and can easily be rendered obsolete whenever base model providers launch identical built-in features.
REPOST: OCM: The New Standard for Global Imports with Century's Jim McCullen
30 Sep 2026
01:04:02
In "OCM: The New Standard for Global Imports with Century's Jim McCullen", Joe Lynch and Jim McCullen, Chief Technology Officer at Century Supply Chain Solutions, discuss how Origin Cargo Management provides the upstream visibility and tactical control necessary to optimize global supply chains before goods ever leave the factory.
About Jim McCullen
Jim McCullen serves as Chief Technology Officer at Century Supply Chain Solutions, bringing over 30 years of deep expertise in logistics technology, digital transformation, and innovation. He leads global technology teams that pioneer Century's proprietary VIZIV platform, an end-to-end supply chain technology platform designed to manage every aspect of operations with precision, visibility, and scalability. By transforming complex global supply chains into efficient, data-driven ecosystems, VIZIV empowers smarter decisions, anticipates disruptions, and unlocks precision visibility and efficiency. Jim is shaping the future of logistics through decades of hands-on leadership and a visionary approach to human-AI partnership and scalable integrations. His forward-thinking strategy strengthens Century's technological leadership, propels enduring innovation, and positions the company for competitive advantage in an increasingly dynamic world.
About Century Supply Chain Solutions
Century Supply Chain Solutions is a tech-enabled global logistics provider with operations across more than 70 countries. Delivering end-to-end supply chain solutions across ocean, air, ground, and warehousing, Century is supported by a strong physical presence at key origin and destination markets. At the core of Century's offering is Origin Cargo Management (OCM), a comprehensive, upstream solution that manages the flow of goods from purchase order issuance through supplier coordination and origin execution. By working directly with suppliers, carriers, and partners at origin, Century ensures shipments are compliant, optimized, and ready for efficient global transport before they leave the factory. Century's proprietary platform, VIZIV® is powered by predictive AI and provides real-time visibility and optimization across supply chains. Combined with decades of expertise and boots-on-the-ground support, Century helps optimize performance, manage risk, and keep supply chains a step ahead in a dynamic global market.
Key Takeaways: OCM: The New Standard for Global Imports
In "OCM: The New Standard for Global Imports with Century's Jim McCullen", Joe Lynch and Jim McCullen, Chief Technology Officer at Century Supply Chain Solutions, discuss how Origin Cargo Management provides the upstream visibility and tactical control necessary to optimize global supply chains before goods ever leave the factory.
OCM as the Global Orchestrator: Jim defines Origin Cargo Management as the "middleman" between thousands of global vendors and transportation providers, ensuring supply chains are optimized before goods even leave the factory.
Solving the "Goldilocks" Inventory Dilemma: OCM provides the precision needed to keep inventory lean—avoiding the high costs of overstocking while ensuring products are available exactly when the consumer demands them.
The Power of "Automation Exhaust": Using the VIZIV® platform, Century captures data from AI routing engines. This "exhaust" allows for deep scenario planning and smarter decision-making based on trusted, cleansed data.
Tactical Agility via "Vibe" Technology: Century's Vibe system allows importers to instantly "flip a switch" to halt or divert cargo during disruptions (like tariff changes or port fires), replacing manual chaos with automated control.
Direct Cost Savings & ROI: Century drives value by consolidating smaller shipments into full containers (CFS-CY) to eliminate "shipping air" and utilizes duty reduction programs to strip inland origin costs from taxable goods.
Giving Logistics Teams "Superpowers": By providing a single source of truth, OCM shifts logistics teams from "messy execution" and manual tracking to a proactive, consultative role backed by certified performance facts.
Upstream Action for Downstream Gain: The most impactful supply chain decisions happen at the origin. By managing the "black hole" of vendor bookings and factory compliance, Century ensures a smoother, more predictable journey to the final destination.
Learn More About OCM: The New Standard for Global Imports
Future-Proofing Warehouses Against Real Estate and Labor Crunches with Adam Brown
23 Sep 2026
01:01:12
In "Future-Proofing Warehouses Against Real Estate and Labor Crunches", Joe Lynch speaks with Senior Director, Market Intelligence at Dematic, Adam Brown, about how automation, software, and high-density storage solve the industry's toughest labor shortages and space constraints.
About Adam Brown
Adam Brown is a seasoned supply chain and automation leader with more than two decades of experience in material handling, warehouse execution and industrial automation. Throughout his career, he has held leadership, sales, engineering, service and market development roles at Dematic, SSI Schaefer, Transbotics Corporation, Symtx and Williams Technologies. This diverse background has given him a unique perspective on the evolution of supply chain technology and customer-centric automation solutions. Today, Adam is part of Dematic's Global Strategy and Go-to-Market organization, where he leads Market Research and Corporate Development. He focuses on supply chain challenges, industrial automation and robotics. His work examines how big data, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are reshaping warehouse execution and material handling operations. Adam earned a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from the University of Phoenix and is recognized for combining deep technical expertise with strategic business insight to drive innovation, operational excellence and customer success.
About Dematic
Dematic delivers intelligent automation solutions for the supply chain that adapt to change, maximize productivity and capacity, reduce risk and create lasting competitive advantage. Drawing on the combined expertise of more than 10,000 employees worldwide, Dematic develops, implements and supports operations featuring advanced technologies and software. With consulting, research, engineering, manufacturing and service centers in over 26 countries, Dematic is a trusted partner for distributors, warehouses and manufacturers globally. Headquartered in Atlanta, Dematic is a member of KION, the Supply Chain Solutions Company.
Key Takeaways: Future-Proofing Warehouses Against Real Estate and Labor Crunches
In "Future-Proofing Warehouses Against Real Estate and Labor Crunches", Joe Lynch speaks with Senior Director, Market Intelligence at Dematic, Adam Brown, about how automation, software, and high-density storage solve the industry's toughest labor shortages and space constraints.
De-risking the Labor Crisis: Dematic replaces physically demanding, high-turnover manual roles with AMRs, AGVs, and Goods-to-Person systems—shifting workers to safer supervisory tasks and insulating operations from labor shortages.
Vertical Footprint Optimization: By deploying high-density AS/RS, pallet shuttles, and AutoStore™ integrations, Dematic enables facilities to quadruple inventory capacity vertically without taking on costly new real estate.
Scalable Peak-Demand Management: Modular automation (like the Multishuttle®) combined with AI picking allows fulfillment networks to dynamically absorb massive order surges without structural redesigns or operational backlogs.
Single-Brain Software Integration: Unified execution platforms (e.g., Dematic Command Center) eliminate disconnected software silos, transforming disparate hardware into a single, self-optimizing operational brain.
Flawless Execution & Reverse Logistics Reduction: Automated order sequencing, dynamic buffering, and high-speed sorting strip human error out of picking and packing, drastically curbing the heavy costs of returns and mis-picks.
Comprehensive End-to-End Orchestration: Dematic solves warehouse challenges holistically—unifying hardware, software, and dynamic workflows rather than relying on point-solution quick fixes.
Protection of Customer Trust & Margins: Accelerating order-to-door delivery while eliminating fulfillment errors directly preserves brand reputation and safeguards profit margins.
Learn More About Future-Proofing Warehouses Against Real Estate and Labor Crunches
Why the FMC Exists and How It Protects American Supply Chains with Laura Dibella
16 Sep 2026
00:55:09
In "Why the FMC Exists and How It Protects American Supply Chains", Joe Lynch speaks with Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), Laura DiBella, about how the agency regulates ocean shipping, resolves cargo disputes, and safeguards American importers, exporters, and consumers from supply chain disruptions.
About Laura DiBella
Laura DiBella serves as Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission, having been nominated by President Trump in September 2025, confirmed by the Senate in December, sworn in as Commissioner on January 6, 2026, and designated Chairman later that month for a term through June 30, 2028. Before this role, she worked as a government affairs advisor for Adams and Reese LLP after serving as Florida's first female Secretary of Commerce, President and CEO of Enterprise Florida, and President of Business Development at the Florida Department of Commerce. Her maritime leadership career began in 2017 as temporary Port Director for the Port of Fernandina, later becoming the first full-time Executive Director of the Florida Harbor Pilots Association in 2019, where she spearheaded key infrastructure and policy initiatives. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida and is an accomplished marathon runner.
About Federal Maritime Commission
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is an independent agency of the federal government whose mission is to ensure a competitive and reliable international ocean transportation supply system that supports the U.S. economy and protects the public from unfair and deceptive practices.
Key Takeaways: Why the FMC Exists and How It Protects American Supply Chains
In "Why the FMC Exists and How It Protects American Supply Chains", Joe Lynch speaks with Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), Laura DiBella, about how the agency regulates ocean shipping, resolves cargo disputes, and safeguards American importers, exporters, and consumers from supply chain disruptions.
Federal Maritime Commission Purpose: The FMC is an independent federal agency dedicated to maintaining a competitive, reliable international ocean transportation system that protects American consumers and taxpayers from unfair and deceptive supply chain practices.
Support for U.S. Cargo & Economic Interests: The agency regulates ocean shipping to safeguard American importers and exporters, focusing on ensuring cargo fluidity, economic viability, and mitigating supply chain-driven inflation.
Broad Industry Regulation: The FMC oversees and regulates ocean common carriers, marine terminal operators (MTOs), and ocean transportation intermediaries (OTIs).
Impact of OSRA 2022: The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 expanded the FMC's authority, enabling faster responses to U.S. shippers and establishing dedicated processes to address unfair detention and demurrage charges.
Accessible Dispute Resolution: Through its Consumer Affairs and Dispute Resolution Services, the agency provides mediation between shippers and carriers to resolve commercial conflicts cost-effectively without requiring formal litigation.
Licensing and Supply Chain Security: The FMC enforces licensing, bonding, and vetting for maritime entities to ensure reliable cargo delivery and protect against security threats and freight fraud.
Proactive Public Resource: Beyond serving as a regulatory body, the FMC actively engages with small shippers and industry stakeholders to offer guidance and solve logistics challenges before they disrupt operations.
Learn More About Why the FMC Exists and How It Protects American Supply Chains
Why the Yard is Your Supply Chain's Biggest Bottleneck (And How to Fix It) with Adam Newsome
10 Sep 2026
01:10:52
In "Why the Yard is Your Supply Chain's Biggest Bottleneck (And How to Fix It)", Joe Lynch speaks with CEO of Lazer Logistics, Adam Newsome, about how turning the yard from an unmanaged blind spot into an optimized, tech-enabled transition zone unlocks massive supply chain velocity and cost savings.
About Adam Newsome
Adam Newsome is CEO of Lazer Logistics, bringing 25 years of business experience to the company's strategic vision and growth. He leads with a focus on operational excellence, disciplined execution and a people-first culture. Raised in an entrepreneurial household, Adam helped launch Lazer alongside his father who co-founded it in 1996. That hands-on beginning shaped his leadership approach: respect for the work, humility and practical problem-solving. Adam has guided Lazer through major growth milestones, including a Williams-Sonoma partnership that doubled the business, its first private equity partnership in 2010 and acquisitions and technology integration beginning in 2019. He focuses on helping customers improve yard operations through technology, operational expertise and people, while sharing lessons on resilience, growth and solving real business challenges with fellow leaders.
About Lazer Logistics
Since 1996, Lazer Logistics has been a leading provider of outsourced yard management, including spotting, shuttling, trailer rentals, gate management, drayage and technology solutions that help customers improve safety and performance across their logistics networks. The company is powered by a 3-pronged approach to efficiency and effectiveness rooted in technology, operations and most importantly, people. With over 800+ locations across 43 states and Canada, Lazer helps 57 of the Fortune 500 unlock precision, uptime and measurable CO₂ savings. In 2026, Lazer Logistics surpassed 4 million zero-emission miles across its North American electric yard operations while delivering an average net energy cost reduction of 85% for participating enterprise customer sites. The company was recognized as a Top Dedicated Contract Carrier by Transport Topics and a Great Supply Chain Partner by SupplyChainBrain.
Key Takeaways: Why the Yard is Your Supply Chain's Biggest Bottleneck (And How to Fix It)
In "Why the Yard is Your Supply Chain's Biggest Bottleneck (And How to Fix It)", Joe Lynch speaks with CEO of Lazer Logistics, Adam Newsome, about how turning the yard from an unmanaged blind spot into an optimized, tech-enabled transition zone unlocks massive supply chain velocity and cost savings.
Automate Real-Time Yard Visibility with AI Vision: Traditional yard audits and manual YMS tracking leave critical asset blind spots. Utilizing AI-driven computer vision on yard trucks automatically updates trailer locations, loaded statuses, and geospatial data in real time without relying on human error.
Eliminate Dwell Time and Expensive Detention Fees: Gate bottlenecks, chaotic trailer shuffling, and slow turnarounds trigger severe penalty fees from carriers. Streamlining gate workflows, automating spotter moves, and syncing trailer positioning directly with warehouse schedules maximizes dock door throughput.
Outsource Specialized Spotter Operations to Mitigate Labor Strain: Recruiting, training, and maintaining in-house yard drivers and specialized equipment creates operational friction. Turnkey, safety-certified spotters handle rigorous backing protocols, peak seasonal surges, and strict compliance without risking site safety or high turnover.
Protect Cold Chain Integrity via Continuous Reefer Monitoring: A trailer running out of fuel or dropping temperature while waiting in the yard leads to scrapped product and compliance failures. Active reefer management—including scheduled fueling, proactive temperature logging, and automated out-of-range alerts—safeguards perishable cargo.
Transition Yard Operations to Electric Spotters for Cost-Neutral Decarbonization: Idling diesel yard tractors generate heavy emissions and high fuel overhead. EV yard tractors eliminate localized air pollution and diesel costs, offering an enterprise-ready, cost-neutral path toward net-zero supply chain mandates.
Optimize Fleet Efficiency by Target-Reducing Idle Time: Fuel burn from stationary spotters is a major hidden expense. Installing telematics directly on yard trucks allows operations to monitor engine usage, cap average idling below 15%, and significantly lower net fuel costs across distribution sites.
Reinforce Site Security to Combat Freight Theft and Fraud: Large distribution yards serve as primary attack vectors for cargo theft and unauthorized access. Implementing centralized gate access, automated digital check-ins, and strict driver vetting shields inventory against organized freight fraud.
Learn More About Why the Yard is Your Supply Chain's Biggest Bottleneck (And How to Fix It)
Why the Future of Freight Has No Driver's Cab with Eyal Cohen
03 Sep 2026
00:53:39
In "Why the Future of Freight Has No Driver's Cab", Joe Lynch speaks with Founder and CEO of Humble Robotics, Eyal Cohen, about how cabless, electric autonomous haulers are reimagining commercial logistics from the ground up.
About Eyal Cohen
Eyal Cohen is the Founder and CEO of Humble Robotics, an autonomous electric trucking company that recently closed a seed round and emerged from stealth with the Humble Hauler – a fully autonomous, cabless, electric Class 8 truck built from the ground up. Cohen spent his career at the frontier of autonomous vehicles and electrification: he was inside Apple's self-driving program in its early days, watched Uber move into commercial freight, executed the world's first autonomous freight delivery by semi-truck, and sold his previous company to John Deere.
About Humble Robotics
Humble Robotics is an autonomous vehicle technology company reimagining commercial freight transportation through physical AI and zero-emission heavy hauling. The company builds fully autonomous, electric Class 8 haulers purpose-built to handle complex logistics scenarios without a traditional driver cab or diesel tank. By blending vision-language-action (VLA) models with robust, lightweight hardware, Humble Robotics powers a universal platform supporting multiple vehicle configurations. Its cabless, vision-first design is 20% lighter than standard rigs, reaching up to a 200-mile range at 55 mph. Functioning as tractor, trailer, and driver combined, the Humble Hauler delivers a true dock-to-dock solution that lowers per-mile operating costs, eliminates fuel dependency, and streamlines global supply chain operations.
Key Takeaways: Why the Future of Freight Has No Driver's Cab
In "Why the Future of Freight Has No Driver's Cab", Joe Lynch speaks with Founder and CEO of Humble Robotics, Eyal Cohen, about how cabless, electric autonomous haulers are reimagining commercial logistics from the ground up.
Shedding the "Driver & Cab Tax": Traditional Class 8 trucks carry heavy operational overhead due to driver labor, sleeper cabs, and complex mechanical maintenance; eliminating cab infrastructure entirely with a purpose-built autonomous chassis lowers total cost-per-mile across equipment, labor, and maintenance.
Eliminating the 20% Deadweight Penalty: Standard semi-truck setups waste allowable weight limits hauling heavy engine cabs, fuel systems, and driver amenities. A streamlined, cabless universal platform is 20% lighter, letting shippers maximize payload weight per route.
Targeting High-Volume, Short-Haul Routes First: While industry focus often gravitates toward long-haul trucking, 87% of U.S. truck tonnage moves under 250 miles; focusing on high-frequency, short-haul moves (like drayage, port transfers, rail yards, and inter-facility shuttling) allows electrification and autonomy to succeed immediately.
Achieving True End-to-End "Dock-to-Dock" Autonomy: Highway-only autonomous systems leave complex yard maneuvers and loading dock connections to human drivers; an integrated tractor-trailer platform with a universal "lock & twist" interface can navigate yards, haul 40' international or 53' domestic containers, and dock without human intervention.
Deploying Explainable VLA AI Over Rigid HD Maps: Replacing expensive, brittle HD pre-mapping with Vision-Language-Action (VLA) foundation models and 360° sensor arrays (cameras, LiDAR, radar) enables vehicles to fine-tune to new facilities in days while generating plain-language, auditable logs for every maneuver.
Escaping Fuel Volatility and Carbon Costs: Operating an all-electric Class 8 powertrain with a 200-mile range protects fleets from volatile diesel pricing and rising engine maintenance while helping operators meet zero-emission mandates and secure state incentives.
Building a Purpose-Built Platform Instead of Retrofitting: Retrofitting legacy diesel rigs with autonomous kits retains structural inefficiency and legacy failure points; designing a clean-sheet autonomous EV from the ground up delivers the necessary system redundancy, field safety, and operational reliability required for commercial adoption.
Learn More About Why the Future of Freight Has No Driver's Cab
REPOST: Scaling Logistics Innovation at Descartes Systems Group with Dan Cicerchi
01 Sep 2026
00:53:06
In "Scaling Logistics Innovation at Descartes Systems Group", Joe Lynch and Dan Cicerchi, the General Manager of Transportation Management Solutions at Descartes Systems Group, discuss the strategic integration of trustworthy AI to enhance existing core logistics technology and solve practical pain points across the global supply chain.
About Dan Cicerchi
Dan Cicerchi is the General Manager of Transportation Management Solutions at Descartes Systems Group, where he leads strategy and innovation for one of the industry's most widely adopted logistics technology platforms. A seasoned entrepreneur and logistics tech pioneer, Dan co-founded MacroPoint, a real-time freight visibility solution that transformed how brokers, shippers, and carriers track and manage loads. Following its acquisition by Descartes, he has continued to champion technology that drives efficiency, transparency, and resilience across global supply chains. With decades of experience spanning startup growth and enterprise leadership, Dan is passionate about applying practical AI and automation to solve the freight industry's most pressing challenges. He frequently shares insights on freight visibility, fraud prevention, and the future of transportation management.
About Descartes Systems Group
Descartes Systems Group is a global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service solutions designed to improve the productivity, performance, and security of logistics-intensive businesses. Headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, with offices and customers worldwide, Descartes helps shippers, carriers, freight forwarders, and logistics service providers connect, collaborate, and automate across the supply chain. Its portfolio includes transportation management, visibility, customs and regulatory compliance, and e-commerce logistics solutions. By combining deep industry expertise with innovative technology, Descartes enables organizations to streamline operations, reduce costs, and deliver superior customer experiences. Thousands of companies around the world rely on Descartes' logistics network and software to move goods more efficiently, mitigate risk, and stay ahead in an increasingly complex global marketplace.
Key Takeaways: Scaling Logistics Innovation at Descartes Systems Group
In "Scaling Logistics Innovation at Descartes Systems Group", Joe Lynch and Dan Cicerchi, the General Manager of Transportation Management Solutions at Descartes Systems Group, discuss the strategic integration of trustworthy AI to enhance existing core logistics technology and solve practical pain points across the global supply chain.
Trust First: AI adoption in logistics must be built on governance and trust, using frameworks like NIST to ensure data security and accountability.
AI Augments, Doesn't Replace: AI is a powerful enhancer for core systems (TMS, visibility), not a standalone replacement. Its primary role is to improve efficiency.
Focus on Practical Pain Points: Start AI implementation by targeting tedious manual tasks (e.g., check calls, data entry, carrier onboarding) for rapid, measurable ROI.
Stability Over Startups: Partnering with existing, integrated tech vendors (like Descartes) ensures greater stability, expertise, and roadmap alignment than relying on new AI-only startups.
Audit Your Current Tech: Before investing in new AI, ensure you are fully utilizing the latest features and integrations of your current mission-critical systems.
Build Trust with Staff: Overcome internal resistance by layering AI into current workflows and establishing clear performance baselines (ROI) before deployment.
Enhance What Works: The path to resilience is through strategically integrating AI into proven, existing workflows step-by-step, not by chasing every new technology trend.
Learn More About Scaling Logistics Innovation at Descartes Systems Group
Scale or Fail: Navigating Trade Volatility for Emerging Brands with Laura Ritchey
27 Aug 2026
01:02:16
In "Scale or Fail: Navigating Trade Volatility for Emerging Brands", Joe Lynch speaks with President and CEO of the Americas region of GEODIS, Laura Ritchey, about how emerging brands can navigate trade volatility, manage inventory, and build scalable, resilient supply chains.
About Laura Ritchey
Laura Ritchey joined GEODIS in July 2025 as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Americas region. Laura is responsible for overseeing the region's freight forwarding, contract logistics and transportation business units along with engineering and technology, IT, ProVenture (U.S.-based subsidiary of GEODIS focusing on industrial real estate) and Material Handling Resources (one of the country's leading material handling distributors owned by GEODIS). In total, Laura oversees GEODIS Americas' expansive operations including nearly 20,000 employees and more than 230 sites across eight countries. Laura brings over 30 years of experience to GEODIS, with 15 focused on supply chain management in both retail and third-party logistics. Laura began her career in finance before transitioning to supply chain operations, including sourcing, distribution and strategic transformation. Prior to her current role, Laura was most recently CEO at Radial, Inc., a leader in e-commerce fulfillment solutions, where she drove revenue growth and profitability through operational excellence. At Radial, she led the North American P&L for a $1.4B e-commerce logistics division, responsible for relationships with over 170 clients across four service lines. Before joining Radial, she held leadership positions at L Brands, FullBeauty Brands and Centric Brands. Laura is on the Dean's Advisory Council at Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University and is an active board member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Nashville Branch. Additionally, she is actively involved with C200 whose mission is to inspire, educate, support and advance current and future women leaders. Laura earned her J.D., MBA and bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University. Additionally, Laura is accredited as a certified public accountant and admitted to the bar in Ohio.
About GEODIS
GEODIS is a leading global logistics provider acknowledged for its expertise across all aspects of the supply chain. As a growth partner to its clients, GEODIS specializes in four lines of business: Global Freight Forwarding, Global Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express Transport, and European Road Network. The Group operates a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and 48,000 employees. In 2025, GEODIS generated €10.6 billion in revenue. GEODIS is a company owned by SNCF group.
Key Takeaways: Scale or Fail: Navigating Trade Volatility for Emerging Brands
Beware the "10K Order Trap" During Rapid Growth: Scaling operations from 1,000 to 10,000 monthly orders often breaks a business before demand stalls. Emerging brands must build strong foundational supply chain building blocks early—such as maintaining clean master data (accurate dimensions and weights) and choosing a 3PL capable of global growth—to avoid costly operational failures when reaching inflection points.
Adopt a Hybrid Inventory Strategy to Balance JIT and JIC: Shifting strictly between "Just in Time" (JIT) and "Just in Case" (JIC) risks either stockouts or trapped working capital. A balanced, hybrid approach—keeping adequate stock of fast-moving core basics while tightly controlling slow-moving seasonal items—helps protect cash flow without sacrificing availability.
Re-evaluate the "Amazon Effect" and Recommerce to Protect Margins: High-speed, free shipping creates an illusion of necessity that drives up last-mile costs. Brands should focus on order delivery certainty over pure speed while implementing circular economy strategies (recommerce) to rehabilitate and resell returned apparel, which often recovers up to 95% of inventory value.
Mitigate Sourcing Risks Beyond Single-Factory Bets: Diversifying supply chains requires going all the way back to raw material inputs rather than simply relocating assembly plants. Navigating evolving global tariffs requires nearshoring flexibility, dual-sourcing critical SKUs, and re-orchestrating supply chain flows across regional hubs.
Understand True Landed Costs to Avoid Margin Shock: Delegating freight forwarding and customs clearance entirely to overseas manufacturers often leads to hidden markups and supply chain delays. Leveraging an end-to-end global provider with licensed customs brokerage capabilities ensures clear visibility into total landed costs and regulatory compliance.
Leverage Global Scale with Curated, End-to-End Execution: Supported by a global network spanning nearly 170 countries, over 48,000 employees, and €10.6 billion (USD $12.35 billion) in revenue (2025), GEODIS provides emerging and established brands with an agile, end-to-end "launchpad for global growth" across contract logistics, freight forwarding, and transportation.
Avoid the "Set It and Forget It" Supply Chain Mindset: Ongoing volatility, regulatory shifts, and geopolitical friction require continuous evaluation of supply chain networks. Taking a cautious, practical approach to emerging technologies like AI (for labor forecasting and route planning) ensures operational stability while safeguarding proprietary data.
Learn More About Scale or Fail: Navigating Trade Volatility for Emerging Brands
The Collision of Capital, Technology & Logistics with Joey Milstein
25 Aug 2026
01:02:16
In "The Collision of Capital, Technology & Logistics", Joe Lynch speaks with Founder & Managing Partner of Gamma Point Advisory, Joey Milstein, about how the intersection of private equity, artificial intelligence, and operational execution is reshaping the future of supply chain M&A.
About Joey Milstein
Joey Milstein has spent more than 35 years inside the machinery of global trade, leading commercial organizations for ocean carriers, freight forwarders, and venture-backed logistics technology companies before moving to the advisory side. Having built businesses, sold technology, raised capital, and led growth from inside the industry, he brings an operator's perspective to every transaction. As Founder & Managing Partner of Gamma Point Advisory, Joseph advises founders on sell-side M&A and guides private equity firms, institutional investors, and strategic acquirers on buy-side strategy, growth, and logistics technology. He is known for connecting the worlds of operations, innovation, and capital, helping clients identify opportunities others miss and navigate one of the world's most complex industries with clarity and conviction. Joseph holds both Bachelor's and Master's degrees from New York University and serves as a strategic advisor to multiple logistics technology companies.
About Gamma Point Advisory
Gamma Point Advisory is a boutique M&A and strategic advisory firm focused exclusively on transportation, supply chain, and logistics technology. Unlike generalist investment banks or consultants, Gamma Point combines deep operating experience with transaction expertise, giving clients advice grounded in how the industry actually works. The firm advises founder-led businesses on sell-side M&A, capital formation, and strategic growth, while providing buy-side advisory to private equity firms, institutional investors, and strategic acquirers sourcing, evaluating, and executing investments across the logistics ecosystem. Gamma Point also works closely with emerging logistics technology companies to accelerate commercialization and market adoption. Gamma Point sits at the intersection of three worlds that rarely speak the same language: operators who move freight, innovators building the future, and the capital that funds it.
Key Takeaways: The Collision of Capital, Technology & Logistics
In "The Collision of Capital, Technology & Logistics", Joe Lynch speaks with Founder & Managing Partner of Gamma Point Advisory, Joey Milstein, about how the intersection of private equity, artificial intelligence, and operational execution is reshaping the future of supply chain M&A.
The Intersection of Three Disconnected Worlds: Capital markets, technology providers, and logistics operators routinely "talk past each other" at industry conferences. Sustainable progress requires a "translator" who understands the nuances of operational realities, deal structures, and true software utility.
The "Silver Tsunami" Driving Consolidation: Hundreds of healthy, lower mid-market logistics companies (drayage, family-owned forwarders, customs brokers) are reaching an inflection point. Owners in their 60s and 70s without generational succession plans are seeking capital infusions, mergers, or buyouts to exit.
Prep Work Directly Impacts Valuations: Founders often lose millions in prospective sale value by going to market unprepared. Spending 3–6 months to audit operations, clean up balance sheets, remove unutilized assets ("dead wood"), and document institutional knowledge transforms potential multiples from 4x to 6x EBITDA.
Private Equity's "Buy-and-Build" Playbook: Private equity interest in logistics—especially freight brokerage—is accelerating. PE firms look for established "platform" companies to serve as a base, then execute a "buy-and-build" strategy by acquiring smaller complementary add-ons to build scale rapidly over a 3-to-5-year horizon.
Adopting Technology to Boost Valuations: Tech adoption is no longer optional for legacy operators. Implementing scalable, transferable software or modern AI tools directly increases a firm's exit valuation multiple, whereas sticking to outdated manual processes or disconnected legacy tech depresses market interest.
Evaluating "Real AI" vs. Expensive Demos: With capital drying up for speculative "digital brokers" that subsidized freight rates without long-term profitability, investors and buyers now focus on technology that delivers measurable operational productivity, security, and lower overhead rather than slick, superficial software demos.
Culture and Team Depth Outweigh Simple Financials: Successful acquisitions require balancing human dynamics and cultural fit alongside pure financial metrics. Founders must build institutional depth rather than centralizing all sales, financial, and operational expertise within a single leader.
Learn More About The Collision of Capital, Technology & Logistics
Eliminating EDI Headaches: Managed Integration vs. Ticket Queues with Mitch Bernet
19 Aug 2026
01:01:45
In "Eliminating EDI Headaches: Managed Integration vs. Ticket Queues", Joe Lynch speaks with Co-Founder and Leader of Atadex, Mitch Bernet, about how fully managed EDI and API integrations eliminate operational bottlenecks, speed up customer onboarding, and drive supply chain profitability.
About Mitch Bernet
Mitch Bernet is the Co-Founder and Leader of Atadex, bringing decades of supply chain expertise and executive leadership to the role. Raised in Cleveland, Ohio, he earned a degree from Providence College, an MBA in Finance from Creighton University, and launched his career at Union Pacific Railroad before taking senior management roles at Conrail, APL Logistics, and Hub Group. A seasoned entrepreneur, he went on to found Integra Logistics in 2003 and co-found Coyote Logistics in 2008—growing the Atlanta-based business through its eventual acquisition by UPS—before taking a brief hiatus and returning to the industry to co-found Atadex. Married to Rosanna for 35 years, he is the proud father of two children, Matthew and Katherine, who graduated from Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia, respectively.
About Atadex
Atadex is a full-service EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) and API integration provider exclusively focused on the supply chain and logistics industry. The company was founded to deliver fully managed, fast, low-cost data integration—handling everything end to end so clients don't need in-house EDI expertise and positioning itself as an alternative to legacy EDI vendors, self-serve platforms, and traditional professional services. Atadex connects any TMS or WMS (including Blue Yonder, Trimble, Manhattan, Turvo, Shipwell, TAI, and McLeod) to any trading partner, supporting all major formats (X12, EDIFACT, API, XML, CSV, JSON) and transaction types. The company processes over 50 million messages per month and has completed more than 5,000 go-lives, pairing each client with a dedicated, US-based account manager. Its goal is to fundamentally change how data integration is managed and serviced, helping clients improve productivity, performance, and profitability. Target customers include carriers and 3PLs with complex partner networks, warehouses and 4PLs seeking a fully outsourced EDI department, and TMS/WMS providers wanting to offer integration without building their own delivery teams. Atadex also offers AssetMaps (fleet consolidation) and Freight Board Central (freight board integration).
Key Takeaways: Eliminating EDI Headaches: Managed Integration vs. Ticket Queues
In "Eliminating EDI Headaches: Managed Integration vs. Ticket Queues", Joe Lynch speaks with Co-Founder and Leader of Atadex, Mitch Bernet, about how fully managed EDI and API integrations eliminate operational bottlenecks, speed up customer onboarding, and drive supply chain profitability.
EDI as a Profitability Driver, Not Just an IT Task: Data integration directly impacts the bottom line by eliminating manual data entry, reducing human error, and allowing logistics staff to manage up to 25% more volume per person without adding head count.
Overcoming System Incompatibility via "Universal Translation": Supply chain tech remains heavily fragmented between legacy systems (like mainframes or EDI X12) and modern RESTful APIs. Atadex acts as a universal translator, mapping and converting any data format into whatever spec a trading partner requires.
Speed to Integration Equals Speed to Revenue: Onboarding delays can stall new customer relationships for months and destroy projected margins. Rapid implementation and proactive partner coordination directly protect customer retention and protect sales commissions.
Fully Managed Service vs. Anonymous Ticket Queues: Logistics operates on extreme urgency where every minor issue feels like a major emergency. Relying on dedicated, domain-expert project managers who proactively catch failed transmissions beats putting in tickets with traditional tech providers.
Decoupling Customer Support from Technical Engineering: Mirroring the operational structure pioneer Jeff Silver used at Coyote Logistics, separating client-facing project managers from back-end technical mappers ensures seamless communication and higher overall customer satisfaction.
Transparent Pricing Over Complex VAN Fees: Traditional EDI value-added networks (VANs) often obscure costs behind per-kilo-character charges. Simplifying billing to clear, per-message rates provides total transparency so companies can calculate precise integration costs per trading partner.
Practical AI Integration with a "People-First" Foundation: While AI tools (like Claude) are being developed internally to speed up complex mapping and protocol translation, technology will supplement—rather than replace—the critical human element required to support high-stakes logistics operations.
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The Infrastructure Autonomous Delivery Needs with Dan O'Toole
13 Aug 2026
01:06:38
In "The Infrastructure Autonomous Delivery Needs", Joe Lynch speaks with Chairman and CEO of Arrive AI, Dan O'Toole, about why smart endpoint infrastructure is the missing link to scaling autonomous logistics.
About Dan O'Toole
Dan O'Toole, CEO of Arrive AI, can speak to why endpoint coordination networks and logistics software are becoming the unresolved infrastructure problem—and the most durable value driver—in commercial autonomous logistics. Drawing on clinical-grade deployment data that reveals what the market actually needs to scale, he offers actionable lessons on how these operational insights translate seamlessly from healthcare to the broader commercial logistics ecosystem.
About Arrive AI
Arrive AI (Nasdaq: ARAI) stands apart by addressing the critical gap in autonomous logistics: the endpoint. Its Arrive Points smart hubs and Arrive OS software form a hardware-agnostic, AI-orchestrated network that connects drones, ground robots, and human couriers through verified, chain-of-custody handoffs. Backed by a decade of development, 10 U.S. patents, and international filings in 20-plus countries, this architecture isn't a feature add-on—it is the essential operating layer that makes autonomous delivery commercially viable. While competitors rush to deploy vehicles, Arrive AI has already proven its infrastructure in high-stakes, live hospital environments—securing a second contract on the strength of its initial deployment—positioning the company as a defensible, revenue-ready infrastructure asset as public markets increasingly reward durable AI networks.
Key Takeaways: The Infrastructure Autonomous Delivery Needs
In "The Infrastructure Autonomous Delivery Needs", Joe Lynch speaks with Chairman and CEO of Arrive AI, Dan O'Toole, about why smart endpoint infrastructure is the missing link to scaling autonomous logistics.
Solving the "Last 50 Feet" Problem: While multimillion-dollar autonomous drones and ground rovers can navigate miles via GPS and LiDAR, deliveries often fail at the final drop-off point. Arrive AI bridges this gap with Arrive Point™ smart hubs, providing a secure physical landing pad and drop-chute for autonomous vehicles.
Creating an Unbroken Chain of Custody: To combat the 1.7 million packages stolen daily in the U.S. and secure high-value goods like pharmaceuticals, Arrive Points utilize biometrics, RFID, and time-of-flight sensors. The unit stays locked until accessed by an authorized recipient, maintaining a verified digital record from dispatch to retrieval.
Hardware-Agnostic Infrastructure for Universal Access: Rather than fragmenting the market with proprietary drop zones for different brands, Arrive AI acts as a carrier-agnostic portal. Its open operating layer (Arrive OS) allows drones, ground robots, and human couriers from any fleet to execute seamless handoffs at a single managed endpoint.
Unlocking Asynchronous Delivery: Traditional delivery requires both courier and recipient to synchronize schedules, leading to costly re-delivery delays. Arrive AI's smart hubs decouple drop-off times from human availability, allowing 24/7 unattended deliveries and pick-ups without risk of weather damage, theft, or product degradation.
A Defensible "Napkin to Nasdaq" IP Wall: Founded in 2014 and listed on the Nasdaq (ARAI) in 2025, Arrive AI established a critical first-mover advantage by filing foundational patents before major tech giants. The company now holds 10 U.S. patents and international filings across 20+ countries, creating a robust intellectual property moat.
Proven Performance in High-Stakes Environments: Beyond residential ecommerce, Arrive AI's infrastructure has been validated in live hospital settings—where delivery failures carry strict regulatory consequences rather than just operational inconvenience. This clinical-grade reliability directly enabled the company to secure follow-on enterprise contracts.
Climate Control for Sensitive Payloads: Outfitted with Climate Assist™ technology, Arrive Points can actively heat or cool up to 20 degrees within minutes to preserve perishable groceries and temperature-sensitive medical supplies, while integrated top-door heaters keep snow and ice from freezing the automated doors.
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How Nordian's Platform Enables Long-Haul Autonomy with Michael Schramm
11 Aug 2026
01:05:35
In "How Nordian's Platform Enables Long-Haul Autonomy", Joe Lynch speaks with Co-founder and CEO of Nordian, Michael Schramm, about how Nordian enables long-haul autonomy by combining precise positioning, satellite connectivity, and edge intelligence into a single platform.
About Michael Schramm
Michael Schramm is Co-founder and CEO of Nordian, the positioning and connectivity platform for Physical AI, delivering centimeter-level GNSS corrections, satellite connectivity, and fleet lifecycle management to some of the largest industrial OEMs in the Americas. A serial entrepreneur with 15+ years of executive leadership, he is a founding partner of Ambush, an applied AI engineering firm; co-founder of Echo54, an advanced sensing R&D company serving US and allied government agencies; and founder of GOAT, an acquired consumer micro-mobility company. Across nearly two decades of building companies that operate in the physical world, he kept running into the same failure point: machines break when positioning and connectivity aren't engineered as one system. Nordian exists to fix that.
About Nordian
Nordian is the positioning and connectivity platform for Physical AI. One platform delivers centimeter-level GNSS corrections, integrated satellite connectivity, and fleet lifecycle management to industrial OEMs across transportation, agriculture, and mining. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, and deliberately launched in the hardest environments on Earth, Nordian built South America's largest PPP-RTK network, and its platform serves 80% of the region's 20 largest agricultural OEMs. Proven where networks fail and machines can't, Nordian is now expanding globally to power autonomous operations at scale.
Key Takeaways: How Nordian's Platform Enables Long-Haul Autonomy
In "How Nordian's Platform Enables Long-Haul Autonomy", Joe Lynch speaks with Co-founder and CEO of Nordian, Michael Schramm, about how Nordian enables long-haul autonomy by combining precise positioning, satellite connectivity, and edge intelligence into a single platform.
Physical AI is a Connectivity and Processing Challenge, Not an AI Model Problem: Current AI systems are fully capable of handling autonomous navigation, but real-world physical AI is constrained by connectivity and real-time processing capabilities. Offloading critical decisions to back-end cloud servers introduces latency, which is dangerous for heavy machinery like a 25-ton autonomous truck moving at highway speeds.
Edge Computing and Local Inference Eliminate Deadly Latency: To operate safely without reliance on uninterrupted internet access, 100% of mission-critical decisions must occur directly on the device using edge computing. Nordian provides the local processing capacity needed for real-time inference, allowing autonomous vehicles, drones, and heavy equipment to operate safely in "air-gapped" environments or during brief network dropouts.
Centimeter-Level Positioning Replaces Imprecise Traditional GPS: Standard GPS provides meter-level accuracy, which is acceptable for route navigation but unacceptable for vehicle control, lane-level autonomous driving, precise geofencing, or row-crop agriculture. By combining satellite signals with dedicated ground reference stations to calculate real-time differential corrections, Nordian achieves centimeter-level accuracy required for absolute control.
Integration Burden is the Primary Bottleneck for OEMs: Equipment manufacturers historically acted as their own integrators—trying to bolt together separate vendors for chipsets, satellite bands, cellular modems, and edge computing. Nordian abstracts this complexity by unifying precise positioning, resilient connectivity, and edge intelligence into a single plug-and-play factory-installed package with an SDK for custom software development.
A Multi-Band "N+3" Connectivity Model Bridges the Connectivity Gap: Autonomy dies where cellular coverage fails, particularly across the 71% of U.S. roadways located in rural environments. Nordian solves the connectivity gap by layering cellular networks, L-band communications, and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations (including integrated Starlink connectivity) into a redundant system capable of rapid sub-10-second signal convergence.
Agricultural Battle-Testing Translates Directly to Transportation and Logistics: Before expanding into long-haul trucking and yard logistics, Nordian proved its system in South America's harsh agricultural environments, building a massive reference station network across Brazil and Argentina. This foundation enabled them to capture 80% of the top 20 agricultural OEMs in the region—proving the technology where infrastructure is non-existent and atmospheric interference (scintillation) is severe.
Autonomous Technology Target Long-Haul Workloads to Improve Quality of Life: Autonomous technology is positioned to address structural labor shortages by replacing high-turnover, long-haul routes (where drivers are away from home for weeks) with fully autonomous systems or human-augmented modes. This shifts human operators toward last-mile and short-haul jobs, improving driver safety, operational utilization, and overall work-life balance.
Learn More About How Nordian's Platform Enables Long-Haul Autonomy
REPOST: Trimble's Perspective: The Future of Freight is Connected with Rob Painter
06 Aug 2026
00:36:16
In "Trimble's Perspective: The Future of Freight is Connected", Joe Lynch and Rob Painter, Trimble's President and Chief Executive Officer, discuss how Trimble connects the freight ecosystem—people, data, and workflows—to navigate the difficult truckload market and drive customer efficiency using AI and integrated commercial solutions.
About Rob Painter
Rob Painter became Trimble's president and chief executive officer in January 2020. From 2016 through 2019, he served as the Company's chief financial officer. Joining the Company in 2006, Painter held a variety of leadership positions, including corporate development, corporate strategy, general manager of Construction Services, general manager of the Intelligent Construction Tools international joint venture, and vice president of Trimble Buildings construction software. In August 2023, he was appointed to serve on the Synopsys Board of Directors. Painter holds a bachelor's degree in finance from West Virginia University and an MBA from Harvard University.
About Trimble Transportation
Trimble Transportation provides fleets with solutions to create a fully integrated supply chain. With an intelligent ecosystem of products and services, Trimble Transportation enables customers to embrace the rapid technological evolution of the industry and connect all aspects of transportation and logistics — trucks, drivers, back office, freight and assets. Trimble Transportation delivers an open, scalable platform to help customers make more informed decisions and maximize performance, visibility and safety.
Key Takeaways: Trimble's Perspective: The Future of Freight is Connected
In "Trimble's Perspective: The Future of Freight is Connected", Joe Lynch and Rob Painter, Trimble's President and Chief Executive Officer, discuss how Trimble connects the freight ecosystem—people, data, and workflows—to navigate the difficult truckload market and drive customer efficiency using AI and integrated commercial solutions.
Holistic Solution for a Difficult Truckload Market: Trimble's T&L segment directly addresses the pressures of the current truckload market by providing core operational platforms (TMW.Suite, TruckMate) to help carriers, shippers, and brokers manage operations, accounting, and dispatch, ensuring maximum efficiency and cost control when margins are tight.
Driving Strategy with the Connect & Scale Message: The entire product portfolio—spanning TMS, maintenance, visibility, and procurement—is structured to embody Trimble's "Connect & Scale" message, which focuses on integrating people, data, and workflows into a unified ecosystem to drive growth and efficiency.
AI-Powered Autonomous Freight Procurement: Trimble is leveraging AI within its Freight Procurement solutions (Transporeon, Freight Marketplace) to move toward autonomous procurement. This helps shippers and brokers efficiently source capacity and optimize freight spend in real-time, which is critical in a volatile capacity environment.
Commercial Mapping for Efficiency and Safety: Essential tools like Trimble MAPS (CoPilot, Appian) go beyond basic navigation. They provide commercial-grade routing that accounts for truck-specific constraints and HOS, acting as a crucial element in optimizing routes and protecting drivers (part of the people and workflow components of Connect & Scale).
TMS as the Core Workflow Integrator: Comprehensive Transportation Management Systems (TMS) platforms like TMW.Suite act as the central brain for workflows, integrating data across the business from operations to financial accounting, which is foundational to the "Scale" component of Trimble's strategy.
Proactive Maintenance and Data Connectivity: Solutions for Asset & Fleet Maintenance focus on maximizing uptime—a key lever in today's market. By using data from connected trucks (fault codes, location) for preventative and predictive maintenance, they ensure assets remain productive and reduce unexpected downtime.
Regulatory Compliance and Risk Mitigation (People & Data): The Safety & Compliance offerings help fleets mitigate risk and adhere to federal regulations, ensuring the safety and legal operation of their people (drivers) and assets, proving that technology is essential for responsible management and effective use of operational data.
Learn More About Trimble's Perspective: The Future of Freight is Connected
The Fictitious Pickup Boom: How Fake Drivers Steal Freight with Jillian Kossman
03 Aug 2026
00:59:06
In "The Fictitious Pickup Boom: How Fake Drivers Steal Freight", Joe Lynch speaks with Chief Operating Officer at IDScan.net, Jillian Kossman, about how modern fraudsters use fake CDLs to execute fictitious pickups—and how automated identity verification at the gate can stop them.
About Jillian Kossman
Jillian Kossman is Chief Operating Officer at IDScan.net, an identity verification firm helping businesses combat fraud and build trust in digital and in-person transactions. As COO, she leads the company's day-to-day operations, scaling processes, technology partnerships and customer delivery to support organisations operating in highly regulated and high-risk environments.
About IDScan.net
IDScan.net offers the leading AI-powered identity verification platform focusing on ID fraud prevention, age verification, and access management for security and compliance. Across their suite of products, IDScan.net performs more than 23,000,000 ID and identity-related transactions monthly for more than 7,500 customers. Including many of the world's largest manufacturers and logistics organizations. For more information, visit www.idscan.net.
Key Takeaways: The Fictitious Pickup Boom: How Fake Drivers Steal Freight
In "The Fictitious Pickup Boom: How Fake Drivers Steal Freight", Joe Lynch speaks with Chief Operating Officer at IDScan.net, Jillian Kossman, about how modern fraudsters use fake CDLs to execute fictitious pickups—and how automated identity verification at the gate can stop them.
Cargo Theft Has Evolved from Physical Hijacking to Digital Fraud: Cargo theft is no longer defined by armed robberies or physical break-ins like in decades past. Today's threat landscape relies on organized digital impersonation, synthetic identities, and illegitimate credentials—making cybersecurity and physical cargo security completely interdependent at the point of pickup.
The Non-Domiciled CDL Crackdown is Driving Fake ID Demand: Strict federal enforcement and regulatory changes have led to many drivers losing their valid non-domiciled Commercial Driver's Licenses (CDLs). Unwilling to walk away from high-paying haul opportunities, many of these drivers are turning to fake IDs sourced from the dark web, triggering a massive surge in fictitious pickups across the logistics industry.
Visual Gate Inspections Are No Longer Sufficient: Modern counterfeit CDLs feature accurate window panes, microprinting, holograms, and realistic barcode structures that are virtually impossible for gate guards or dock workers to catch visually. Effective fraud prevention requires forensic-level automated scanning that checks physical and digital security features against thousands of global document templates in seconds.
Rapid ID Parsing Eliminates Yard Bottlenecks and Human Error: Manual check-in workflows—like handwriting details on paper clipboards or taking unencrypted smartphone photos—cause long yard queues and introduce human error. Automated driver intake via kiosks or guard-shack scanners processes credentials in under 15 seconds, instantly populating accurate driver data into the TMS, WMS, or YMS.
Remote Biometric Verification Neutralizes Double-Brokering Risks: Fictitious pickups often rely on dispatching unvetted or impersonated drivers. By deploying remote identity verification (such as IDScan.net's DIVE platform) via SMS prior to arrival, freight brokers and 3PLs can cross-reference live facial biometrics against the CDL photo and dispatch records to ensure the correct driver is at the wheel.
Encrypted Digital Audits Replace Vulnerable Paper Logs: Relying on paper sign-in sheets leaves operations exposed during CTPAT/AEO security audits or law enforcement investigations. Automated, cloud-based ID scanning creates a time-stamped, searchable, and encrypted chain-of-custody record (capturing driver IDs, entry/exit timestamps, and truck photos) while protecting sensitive driver PII.
Instant Watchlist Cross-Referencing Blocks Unauthorized Access: Physical security gate checks need real-time, automated defense against blacklisted or prohibited drivers. Point-of-scan verification instantly matches scanned driver credentials against internal "do not admit" (BOLO) lists, expired license databases, and government sanction watchlists (such as OFAC), stopping unauthorized entry before a trailer is ever loaded.
Learn More About The Fictitious Pickup Boom: How Fake Drivers Steal Freight
Built to Last: Inside Holman Logistics with Mike Gardner
30 Jul 2026
00:48:41
In "Built to Last: Inside Holman Logistics", Joe Lynch speaks with President and COO of Holman Logistics, Mike Gardner, about how the company's 162-year heritage, safety-first culture, and long-term customer partnerships drive sustainable growth in today's supply chain landscape.
About Mike Gardner
Mike Gardner is the President & COO of Holman Logistics, a national third-party logistics company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. With a 40-plus-year career in supply chain management, Mike has held executive roles at GATX Logistics, APL Logistics, and DHL Supply Chain, previously serving as CEO of Kane Logistics before advising in 3PL, real estate, and venture capital. At Holman, he oversees 1,400 team members, over eight million square feet of distribution space, and a nationwide transportation network. Mike holds an MBA from Southern Illinois University and a Bachelor of Science from Miami University, where he serves on the Center for Supply Chain Excellence board. Passionate about empowering family businesses, he is also a founding board member of ALAN. Beyond logistics, this former high school chef, Cincinnati native, father of three, and marathoner has raised $7.4 million for cancer research over 16 years through Pelotonia.
About Holman Logistics
Holman Logistics is a national third-party logistics (3PL) provider offering multi-client warehousing, manufacturing support, and nationwide transportation solutions. Founded in 1864 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the privately held company manages over eight million square feet of distribution space and operates a network spanning 20 locations across nine states. Operating with over 1,400 team members, Holman specializes in high-exacting verticals, including consumer packaged goods (CPG), food and beverage, ingredients, pet food, and major appliances. Its core capabilities range from contract warehousing, plant sub-assembly, and Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) services to private fleet shipping, dedicated shuttles, freight brokerage, and direct-to-consumer ecommerce fulfillment. Grounded in a culture prioritizing operational safety and long-term customer partnerships, Holman balances its multi-generational heritage with modern operational capabilities—incorporating advanced automation, continuous improvement programs, and AI-enabled site tools to deliver consistent, high-performance execution.
Key Takeaways: Built to Last: Inside Holman Logistics
In "Built to Last: Inside Holman Logistics", Joe Lynch speaks with President and COO of Holman Logistics, Mike Gardner, about how the company's 162-year heritage, safety-first culture, and long-term customer partnerships drive sustainable growth in today's supply chain landscape.
Safety as an Operational Strategy ("Journey to Zero"): Holman Logistics treats safety not as a metric compared to industry averages, but as a non-negotiable core value targeting zero incidents. Operational safety sets the foundation for service quality, and every associate is empowered to "own the stop button" to pause unsafe operations.
162+ Years of Adaptability: Founded during the Lincoln administration and family-owned for over a century, Holman's longevity is proof of continuous adaptation—navigating world wars, recessions, deregulation, and eccommerce growth by staying close to customer needs.
Culture Drives Retention and Service Consistency: In an industry plagued by high turnover, Holman relies on a people-first, performance-driven culture—reinforced by leadership orientations and awards like the Bob Downie Legacy Award—to retain experienced associates who know the customer's business inside out.
True Strategic Partnership Over Transactional Service: Holman builds long-term, embedded relationships (some lasting since the 1960s) using open communication, system integration, and gain-sharing models that align financial incentives around mutual cost savings and continuous improvement.
Nimble Innovation Without Tech Hype: Holman balances legacy heritage with modern capabilities. As a privately held "thinking company," it rapidly adopts practical technology—such as AI vision tools on forklifts for training—while quickly discarding tech that doesn't add operational value.
Private Ownership as a Strategic Advantage: Unlike 3PLs beholden to private equity exit timelines or quarterly public earnings, Holman's multi-generational family leadership offers stability, long-term capital planning, and agility when customizing solutions for mid-market shippers.
Focusing on Core Complex Markets: Holman deliberately specializes in high-exacting verticals—including CPG, ingredients, pet food, and major appliances—providing tailored services ranging from plant sub-assembly and store-door delivery to Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) support and final-mile execution.
Learn More About Built to Last: Inside Holman Logistics
REPOST: SPS Commerce: Optimize Speed to Revenue with Wes Arentson
21 Jul 2026
00:51:20
In "SPS Commerce: Optimize Speed to Revenue", Joe Lynch and Wes Arentson, Senior Sales Manager, Logistics at SPS Commerce, discuss how streamlining the supply chain's Order-to-Cash cycle is the key to accelerating business growth.
About Wes Aretson
Wes Arentson is a Sales Manager at SPS Commerce. He leads a logistics sales team focused on providing 3PLs and Carriers with tools to optimize their supply chains, connect with their partners more efficiently and make onboarding new customers easy. Wes has over 15 years of experience in supply chain and technology helping customers solve business problems with software and automation.
About SPS Commerce
SPS Commerce is the world's leading retail network, connecting trading partners across the globe to optimize supply chain operations for all stakeholders in the retail ecosystem. The company enables data-driven partnerships through innovative cloud-based technology, customer-centric service, and a team of accessible industry experts—allowing clients to focus on their core business. With over 45,000 recurring revenue customers spanning retail, grocery, distribution, supply, manufacturing, and logistics, SPS Commerce powers a vast and growing global retail network.
Key Takeaways: SPS Commerce: Optimize Speed to Revenue
In "Optimize Speed to Revenue", Joe Lynch and Wes Arentson, Senior Sales Manager, Logistics at SPS Commerce, discuss how streamlining the supply chain's Order-to-Cash cycle is the key to accelerating business growth.
Direct Correlation: Order-to-Cash Speed = Revenue Acceleration. The single most critical factor in optimizing revenue is the speed of your Order-to-Cash (O2C) cycle. Wes stresses that every inefficiency in processing orders, from receipt to payment, translates directly into delayed revenue. Streamlining O2C with efficient data exchange is the fastest way to pull cash forward.
Stop Margin Leaks by Eliminating Disconnected Systems. Learn how disjointed or manual systems create costly margin leaks—the silent erosion of profitability. These leaks are often caused by the lack of connection between trading partner portals, forcing manual data re-entry and increasing the risk of chargebacks and penalties.
EDI as the Foundation for Impeccable Data Quality. At the core of SPS Commerce's success is the commitment to data quality. Listeners will understand that clean, standardized, and automated data transmission via modern EDI is essential not just for compliance, but for enabling accurate forecasting and preventing operational errors for all SPS Commerce customers.
Master Retailer Scorecards by Fixing Data Exchange. Achieving and exceeding Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs)—the foundation of retailer scorecards and milestones—is non-negotiable. Wes explains that a failure to meet these standards is often a symptom of poor EDI connections or the lack thereof, not operational failure. Automated, accurate EDI is the fix.
Accelerate Onboarding with Proven Compliance and Security. Wes highlights the comprehensive service offered by SPS Commerce, focusing on mapping, testing, compliance, and security. This end-to-end approach drastically shaves weeks off the process of onboarding new trading partners, ensuring systems are instantly compliant and secure, which minimizes risk and accelerates time-to-revenue.
The EDI Advantage: Consolidate Portals and Win More Tenders. True efficiency moves beyond basic EDI compliance. By consolidating disparate retailer portals into one platform, you eliminate the "swivel-chair" chaos. This improved efficiency and performance not only stops margin leaks but directly improves your scorecard performance, helping you win more high-value tenders.
Future-Proof Partnerships with Automated Data Strategy. The conversation culminates in the shift from tactical order management to a strategic, data-driven approach. Wes advocates for using centralized EDI to build continuous learning and accountability, allowing companies to focus less on manual data work and more on connecting world-class technology with senior executives who control budget and strategy.
Learn More About SPS Commerce: Optimize Speed to Revenue
How to Turn Freight Data into Audit-Ready Scope 3 Reporting with Michael Rentz
14 Jul 2026
01:03:13
In "How to Turn Freight Data into Audit-Ready Scope 3 Reporting", Joe Lynch and Michael Rentz, Chief Revenue Officer at Gnosis Freight, discuss how operational-grade logistics data automatically simplifies complex carbon compliance.
About Michael Rentz
Michael Rentz is the Chief Revenue Officer at Gnosis Freight. He joined the company in the Summer of 2020. Before joining Gnosis, he got his start in the industry with the South Carolina Ports Authority and Maersk. He left Maersk in 2018 to pursue his own endeavors, which eventually led him back to Charleston, SC, where he worked for Techstars in an attempt to stand up the first-ever Supply Chain and Logistics Accelerator. The pandemic put an unexpected halt to that, and it was then that he fortuitously met Austin McCombs (CEO/Founder of Gnosis) and Jake Hoffman (CTO of Gnosis).
About Gnosis Freight
Gnosis Freight is the AI-native Global Freight Operating System for enterprise supply chains. It gives logistics, operations, and finance teams real-time insight into container movement and helps them Intervene earlier when delays, inventory risk, or cost exposure arise. By linking containers to SKU- and Inventory-level detail, Gnosis enables smarter planning, improved product availability, and more predictable business performance. Powered by continuously reconciled container Intelligence, Gnosis orchestrates exception management through configurable, low-code workflow and agentic AI across logistics, finance, and operation – reducing demurrage and detention, accelerating invoice resolution, and shortening goods-to-cash cycles. Headquartered In Charleston, SC, Gnosis serves global enterprises across retail, manufacturing, and logistics-intensive industries. Learn more at gnosisfreight.com.
Key Takeaways: How to Turn Freight Data into Audit-Ready Scope 3 Reporting
In "How to Turn Freight Data into Audit-Ready Scope 3 Reporting", Joe Lynch and Michael Rentz, Chief Revenue Officer at Gnosis Freight, discuss how operational-grade logistics data automatically simplifies complex carbon compliance.
The Foundation of Scope 3 Reporting is "Sovereign Data": Accurate emissions reporting is impossible without high-fidelity operational data. Gnosis Freight utilizes "sovereign data"—logistics data they originate, validate, and structure directly from primary sources (ports, terminals, carriers, and railroads) rather than relying on third-party aggregators or high-level assumptions. If your operational data isn't audit-ready, your carbon reporting won't be either.
Regulatory Shifts are Turning ESG from a Checkbox into a Mandate: With major regulatory updates like California's SB 253 looming in 2027, large enterprises (doing over $1B in revenue) that touch these key economies will be legally required to disclose their Scope 3 emissions. What was once a marketing slide about "valuing the environment" is rapidly transitioning into a strict, auditable corporate compliance requirement.
Solving the Category 4 "Data Black Hole": Scope 3, Category 4 emissions (upstream transportation and distribution) are notoriously fragmented and difficult to track. By overlaying the GLEC (Global Logistics Emissions Council) framework directly onto their existing container tracking data, Gnosis calculates precise emissions across every single leg of the journey—ocean transit, port idling, rail, and final-mile drayage—without requiring manual spreadsheets or guesswork.
Shippers Want a Unified Operating System, Not More "Point Solutions": Enterprise Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCOs) are experiencing software fatigue and actively moving away from single-use point solutions. Instead of buying a standalone carbon tracking tool, shippers want emissions data embedded directly into their daily workflow. Gnosis solves this by making carbon tracking a seamless "flip of a switch" within their broader Container Lifecycle Management (CLM) platform.
Data Must Be "Operational-Grade" to Be Useful: In logistics, if data is only 80% accurate, it is functionally 0% useful because operators will simply bypass the system and default to manual website cross-checking. For emissions data to survive a financial or regulatory audit, it must be built on the same operational-grade, real-time milestones used to run daily supply chain execution.
FinOps and Carbon Audits Share the Same DNA: There is a direct parallel between auditing freight invoices and auditing carbon emissions. Gnosis found that 85% of invoice discrepancies stem from incorrect operational milestones (like when a container was actually made available). By mastering these physical execution milestones, Gnosis can simultaneously spot billing overpayments in their FinOps suite and defend carbon calculations in an emissions audit.
Build Solutions by Getting in the Trenches with Customers: Gnosis's rapid growth—from navigating the pandemic's demurrage and detention (D&D) chaos to launching carbon tracking—has been entirely customer-driven. Rather than building flashy tech in a vacuum, their strategy is to deeply embed themselves with logistics managers, solve their immediate operational headaches first, and give them their time back to focus on strategic growth.
Learn More About How to Turn Freight Data into Audit-Ready Scope 3 Reporting
The Problem First Approach to Warehouse Automation with Vinh Tran
09 Jul 2026
01:01:05
In "The Problem First Approach to Warehouse Automation", Joe Lynch and Vinh Tran, Managing Director of MyBull Intelligent Machinery USA, discuss how prioritizing a facility's specific operational challenges over standard tech products leads to successful automation.
About Vinh Tran
Vinh Tran is the Managing Director of MyBull Intelligent Machinery USA, where he spearheads the company's North and South American strategy, commercialization, and customer deployment of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) for manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics. As the company's first U.S. employee, he built the domestic organization from the ground up, establishing its engineering, sales, after-sales support, and strategic partnerships. With over 30 years of leadership experience, including executive roles at Sensata Technologies and Continental, Tran has a proven track record in autonomous mobility, ADAS, and global business expansion across North America and Asia. Today, he focuses on accelerating industrial automation by delivering practical AMR solutions that enhance safety, productivity, and operational efficiency across the automotive, logistics, and heavy equipment sectors. Tran holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, as well as an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from Wayne State University.
About MyBull
MyBull is a global innovator in autonomous robotics and intelligent logistics systems, dedicated to redefining efficiency in warehousing, manufacturing, and supply chain operations. With a focus on AI, machine learning, and modular design, MyBull empowers enterprises worldwide to achieve sustainable, future-ready automation. For more information, please visit mybull.com.
Key Takeaways: The Problem First Approach to Warehouse Automation
In "The Problem First Approach to Warehouse Automation", Joe Lynch and Vinh Tran, Managing Director of MyBull Intelligent Machinery USA, discuss how prioritizing a facility's specific operational challenges over standard tech products leads to successful automation.
The "Product-First" Trap: Companies often fail in automation by forcing a specific product (like a forklift or tractor) into a facility without understanding the workflow first. MyBull advocates for a "problem-first" approach, focusing on the client's biggest operational bottlenecks before selecting the equipment.
The Brains Behind the Robots: While MyBull utilizes partner chassis for its physical hardware, its core innovation is the Position Navigation System (PNS) kit. This standardized "brain" utilizes LiDAR, 3D SLAM mapping, and sensorics to make forklifts, tuggers, and flatbeds fully autonomous.
Bridging the Indoor-to-Outdoor Gap: While indoor autonomous solutions are highly developed, the outdoor yard remains an operational blind spot. MyBull specializes in rugged, weatherproof AMRs built with large tires and enclosed compartments that seamlessly transition from warehouse Wi-Fi to outdoor cellular networks.
A "Farmer" Mindset Over a "Hunter" Mindset: Drawing from his experience living in Japan, Tran emphasizes a gradual, nurturing approach to automation (akin to Kaizen). Rather than chasing instant revenue, true success comes from a slow, deliberate integration between human operators and machine processes.
Labor Displacement, Not Replacement: Automation shouldn't be viewed purely as a headcount reduction tool. Instead, it eliminates mundane, hazardous, or extreme-weather tasks—such as driving a tugger in freezing snow—allowing human workers to upskill into higher-value roles like fleet management.
Exposing Process Bottlenecks: Introducing automation acts as a forcing function that immediately exposes a facility's "lack of control" or fractured workflow visibility. Once a repeatable, structured robot is introduced, operational inefficiencies and shifting bottlenecks become clearly visible.
Delivering Outcomes, Not Just Technology: The ultimate goal of warehouse automation is not just owning high-tech machinery, but delivering tangible operational outcomes and maximizing throughput (the number of products successfully moving out the back door).
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Private Fleets Rescue Freight Brokers in 2026 with Russ Jones
07 Jul 2026
00:48:13
In "Private Fleets Rescue Freight Brokers in 2026", Joe Lynch and Russell Jones, CEO & Co-founder of Private Fleet Net Zero, discuss how unlocking empty private backhauls provides brokers with discounted, high-quality capacity to combat fraud and skyrocketing liability.
About Russ Jones
Russell Jones co-founded Private Fleet Net Zero to help the 45% of trucks that are in Private Fleets with usually empty backhauls find loads from $50B+ of 3PL freight spend, leveraging his leadership of Cargo Chief, which enables 1,200+ 3PL buyers with $8B+ of spend to buy transportation capacity more profitably. Previously, Mr. Jones co-founded and led two cloud-based physical security firms. He was also the founding CEO of Clearvox Communications, which pioneered the market for cellular phone headsets, which he sold to Plantronics. Beforehand at Adaptec, Mr. Jones doubled a $50M channel products business to $100M. Mr. Jones has been awarded 10 patents, and holds a BSBA with highest honors from Boston University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
About Private Fleet Net Zero
Private Fleet Net Zero, PFNZ, is uniquely aggregating 10,000s of trucks with 1,000s of lanes of underutilized, underpriced, theft-free and superior private and dedicated fleet trucking capacity and matching via multi patent-pending technologies and artificial intelligence to $10Bs of freight spend registered on our cloud-based platform, while generating a compelling client ROI. Our network is quickly and efficiently growing both fleets and 3PLs on PFNZ, which is on a path to save 30M+ tree equivalents.
Key Takeaways: Private Fleets Rescue Freight Brokers in 2026
In "Private Fleets Rescue Freight Brokers in 2026", Joe Lynch and Russell Jones, CEO & Co-founder of Private Fleet Net Zero, discuss how unlocking empty private backhauls provides brokers with discounted, high-quality capacity to combat fraud and skyrocketing liability.
Massive Fleet Scale: Private Fleet Net Zero (PFNZ) has rapidly aggregated 80,000 trucks and 40,000 lanes of coverage, using patent-pending AI to match this massive pool of underutilized capacity with tens of billions of dollars in registered freight spend.
The $150B Backhaul Waste: Private fleets (where the cargo owner owns the asset, like Walmart or Sherwin-Williams) make up 45% of all trucks on the highway, yet they run empty 80% of the time on their backhauls, leaving a $150 billion pool of premium capacity sitting idle.
Pure Profit for Fleets: Because the primary "front haul" already covers the driver's salary, equipment, insurance, and core fuel costs, any backhaul revenue captured through PFNZ represents a 95% pure profit margin for the fleet owner.
Quadrupled Broker Margins: Brokers can secure this premium capacity at a 25% discount to the market rate. In a tight market where a typical gross profit might only be $150 on an $1,150 load, cutting carrier costs from $1,000 to $750 can effectively triple or quadruple a broker's net margins.
Eliminating Fraud and Liability: Shifting to private fleets bypasses the modern plague of cargo theft, cyber fraud, and "chameleon carriers" who hide bad histories under new DOT numbers. Furthermore, because private fleets have newer equipment and a third less accidents, they shield brokers from catastrophic multi-million dollar "nuclear verdicts" tied to carrier safety under the recent Montgomery ruling.
Combating the 2026 Capacity Crunch: Massive federal enforcement of English language proficiency rules is projected to strip 25% of for-hire drivers (400,000 to 600,000 drivers) off the road. PFNZ rescues brokers by giving them an automated "outsourced recruiting team" to tap into stable private capacity that was previously heavily monopolized by the top 10 mega-brokerages.
Seamless Integration & Sustainability: PFNZ connects to a broker's TMS within weeks via APIs, reports, or an AI bot to automatically map buying patterns. By eliminating empty miles, the platform is on track to save over 45 million tree equivalents in CO2, giving public companies and shippers a verifiable decarbonization story for SEC and board reporting.
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Ending the 60% Waste: The Radical Shift Trucking Needs Right Now with Erik Malin
02 Jul 2026
00:52:59
In "Ending the 60% Waste: The Radical Shift Trucking Needs Right Now," Joe Lynch and Erik Malin, Founder and CEO of Tetro, discuss how treating trucking as a function of time, rather than miles, is the only way to eliminate the massive inefficiencies plaguing drivers and future autonomous fleets. Time is the real commodity.
About Erik Malin
Erik Malin is the founder and CEO of Tetro, a technology company rebuilding trucking for the autonomous era. He has spent his entire career in freight, where his conviction that the industry measures the wrong thing, miles instead of time, became the thesis behind Tetro. Previously, Erik was on the founding team at Baton, a freight-tech startup acquired by Ryder, and led operations at FreightTech unicorn Loadsmart.
About Tetro
Tetro is a technology company that operates its own trucking fleet to recapture lost supply chain time and build essential data assets. Because 60% of time is currently wasted in trucking, the most common job in America has suffered perhaps the greatest wage suppression in history, and autonomous technology will never reach its full potential since a driverless truck still loses that same 60%. By running its own fleet, Tetro is actively building the data asset necessary to eliminate this massive inefficiency and unlock the true potential of modern freight.
Key Takeaways: Ending the 60% Waste: The Radical Shift Trucking Needs Right Now
In "Ending the 60% Waste: The Radical Shift Trucking Needs Right Now," Joe Lynch and Erik Malin, Founder and CEO of Tetro, discuss how treating trucking as a function of time, rather than miles, is the only way to eliminate the massive inefficiencies plaguing drivers and future autonomous fleets. Time is the real commodity.
The 60% Waste Phenomenon: The trucking industry suffers from massive systemic inefficiency, where 60% of potentially productive capacity is completely lost to time leakage across the entire system.
A Utilization Issue, Not a Driver Shortage: Contrary to popular belief, the core issue in American trucking is utilization rather than a shortage of drivers. Public company financials show that drivers are often only productive for 4.5 hours out of their 11 federally regulated daily driving hours.
The Flawed Legacy Framework of Miles: The industry still relies on a metric inherited from the Industrial Revolution—paying and planning by the mile rather than by time. This creates a severe misalignment between demand and capacity because the industry remains functionally blind to duration.
The Autonomous Vehicle Myth: There is a flawed industry assumption that autonomous trucks will seamlessly solve supply chain issues. However, because a driverless truck will still lose that exact same 60% of dead time at facilities, autonomy cannot reach its full potential without solving the underlying time-tracking problem.
Operating a Fleet as a Mobile Research Lab: Tetro operates its own trucking fleet not to simply be a carrier, but to generate the highly specific, proprietary data asset required to address this waste. You cannot infer or partner your way into this information; it requires proprietary hardware and execution tracking to create.
Shifting From Miles to Time via AI: Tetro developed an AI forecasting tool that converts traditional commoditized lane rates per mile into a rate per hour before committing to freight. This reveals significant market mispricing, exposing "bad actors" (facilities that notoriously waste time) and highlighting efficient shippers trading at a hidden premium.
Unlocking Trapped Facility Upside: Internal data shows that 30% to 70% of a driver's on-site time at a facility is completely dead time where nothing is happening. By quantifying this data, Tetro can partner with shippers to release that trapped time, creating faster inventory turns and reducing the need for costly secondary assets like drop trailers.
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The Broken Safety System Threatening Shippers and Brokers with Chris Burroughs
30 Jun 2026
00:49:14
In "The Broken Safety System Threatening Shippers and Brokers," Joe Lynch and Chris Burroughs, President and CEO of the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), discuss the fallout from a landmark Supreme Court ruling and rising freight fraud are reshaping the logistics liability landscape.
About Chris Burroughs
Chris Burroughs is the President and CEO of the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), a position he assumed in November 2024. With over 14 years at TIA, he previously served as Vice President of Government Affairs, overseeing legislative and regulatory efforts before Congress and federal agencies. Before joining TIA, Burroughs gained valuable experience on Capitol Hill, working for the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee. He also served as Director of Government Affairs at the Twenty-First Century Group, advocating for clients in transportation, telecommunications, health care, and defense. Burroughs holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
About TIA
The Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) is the professional organization of the $343 billion third-party logistics industry. TIA is the only organization exclusively representing transportation intermediaries of all disciplines doing business in domestic and international commerce. TIA is the voice of transportation intermediaries to shippers, carriers, government officials, and international organizations. Learn more about TIA at www.tianet.org
Key Takeaways: The Broken Safety System Threatening Shippers and Brokers
In "The Broken Safety System Threatening Shippers and Brokers," Joe Lynch and Chris Burroughs, President and CEO of the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), discuss ow the fallout from a landmark Supreme Court ruling and rising freight fraud are reshaping the logistics liability landscape.
The Montgomery Decision Resets the Liability Landscape: The Supreme Court's recent 9-0 ruling in the Montgomery case (involving C.H. Robinson) eliminated the long-standing F4A federal preemption defense for brokers regarding carrier safety selection. While 31 states had already rejected this defense prior to the ruling, the decision officially shifts safety and negligent selection liability standards back to a patchwork of differing state regulations.
TIA Petitions the FMCSA for a National Carrier Selection Standard: In response to the confusion caused by the Montgomery decision, the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) filed a petition for rulemaking with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). TIA is pushing for a clear, national federal standard to dictate exactly what checks a shipper or broker must perform when vetting and selecting a trucking company, eliminating state-by-state confusion.
The Core Elements of TIA's Proposed Vetting Standard: TIA outlines three baseline data points that the federal government should mandate for a secure carrier selection process: operating authority (ensuring full compliance with the FMCSA), valid insurance (confirming active, legitimate coverage to combat marketplace fraud), and safety status (verifying the carrier has not been placed out of service for safety violations or paperwork compliance issues).
A Broken Data System Leaves 94% of Carriers Unrated: A major hurdle in carrier vetting is that 94% of trucking companies remain "unrated" by the federal government. Because the FMCSA relies on strenuous, physical audits and suffers from limited inspector resources (drastically worsened during the pandemic), they only audit carriers that trigger red flags. TIA strongly advocates shifting from this outdated physical audit system to an absolute, data-driven safety rating algorithm.
TIA Demands the Release of the "High-Risk Carrier List": The FMCSA maintains an internal database of approximately 3,000 to 4,000 trucking companies categorized as "high-risk," based on their Safety Measurement System data. As a key part of their petition, TIA is demanding that the government publicize this list so brokers and shippers have the transparency needed to actively avoid dangerous carriers.
The Sophistication and Rise of Strategic Freight Fraud: Freight fraud and cargo theft have evolved past opportunistic crimes into highly organized, international cyber syndicates. Strategic theft has skyrocketed by 1,500% since 2020. Bad actors are shifting tactics—moving away from registering new fraudulent entities to buying up clean, legitimate, 2-year-old authorities on online marketplaces, executing massive "heists," and then vanishing.
Industry Consolidation and the Value of Trusted Associations: The compounding costs of increased insurance premiums, tighter vetting processes, and necessary technology stacks are expected to drive significant market consolidation, forcing smaller players out. Because of this complex environment, shippers are increasingly looking to work with brokers tied to professional organizations like TIA, which enforces a strict code of ethics, offers ongoing education, and acts as the exclusive advocacy voice for the $343 billion 3PL industry on Capitol Hill.
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The Dark Data Trap: Unlocking Logistics Documents with Tungsten Automation's Patrick Van Hull
25 Jun 2026
00:55:44
In "The Dark Data Trap: Unlocking Logistics Documents with Tungsten Automation's Patrick Van Hull" Joe Lynch and Patrick Van Hull, Supply Chain Industry Consultant at Tungsten Automation, discuss how intelligent document processing eliminates manual data traps to drive logistics efficiency and cost savings.
About Patrick Van Hull
Patrick Van Hull, widely recognized as the Supply Chain Storyteller, helps organizations transform complexity into clarity. A multi-time "Top 25 Global Thought Leader and Influencer on Supply Chain" and Supply Chain Pro-to-Know, he focuses on supply chain digitalization and capability development, showing how operational details can drive resilience and performance across the value chain. Patrick's career spans more than two decades, with leadership and advisory roles at Apple, Dell, Rio Tinto, and CVS Health, Gartner, Deloitte, and SCM World, he became known for bridging practitioner expertise with executive-level insights to turn data and technology into impactful strategies and programs. Most recently, he has focused on helping enterprises use AI-powered intelligence to strengthen resilience and anticipate disruption. He holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Duke University Fuqua School of Business, and lectures on supply chain strategy at the University of Arkansas Walton School of Business.
About Tungsten Automation
Tungsten Automation, formerly Kofax, is the global leader in AI-powered document and workflow automation solutions, boasting a 40-year trusted legacy and a team of 2,200 employees across 40 countries, serving over 25,000 global customers. Our commitment to innovation and customer success has earned us industry recognition, including being named a Leader in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Intelligent Document Processing. Tungsten has also been recognized by other key analysts in areas such as Intelligent Automation and Process Orchestration. We are trusted to help businesses achieve unprecedented efficiencies and reduce costs through document and workflow automation, allowing them to scale and future-proof their business.
Key Takeaways: The Dark Data Trap: Unlocking Logistics Documents
In "The Dark Data Trap: Unlocking Logistics Documents with Tungsten Automation's Patrick Van Hull" Joe Lynch and Patrick Van Hull, Supply Chain Industry Consultant at Tungsten Automation, discuss how intelligent document processing eliminates manual data traps to drive logistics efficiency and cost savings.
Tungsten Automation Profile: Formerly Kofax, Tungsten is a global leader in AI-powered Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) and advanced workflow automation. Backed by a 40-year legacy, 2,200 employees, and 25,000+ global customers, the company was named a Leader in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for IDP. Their cloud-based platform sits cleanly over multiple, fragmented ERP and TMS networks to pull and push data seamlessly.
Escaping the "Dark Data Trap": Moving a single international ocean container can require upwards of 30 separate documents. Because traditional TMS and ERP platforms can't read unstructured data (like dense PDFs, faxes, or Excel spreadsheets), this critical info becomes trapped "dark data." Tungsten uses IDP to automatically ingest, classify, and extract line-item data from over 40 different logistics document types, turning paper trails into structured, digital assets.
Slashing AP Errors & Driving Revenue: Manual touchpoints in freight invoicing lead to constant billing discrepancies and human errors. Through automated multi-way matching, reconciliation, and automated exception handling, Tungsten drives "zero-touch" processing for order management and invoices. In one case study, acting as an automated "quality check" against contracted rates helped a major freight shipper capture an incremental $20 million in annual revenue.
Preventing Customs and Shipment Delays: When data errors or missing documents hit customs or a port, shipments grind to a halt, triggering costly penalties, demurrage fees, and port congestion. Tungsten automates data extraction and email ingestion for customs clearance, validating regulatory documentation and compliance checks before shipments ever hit major bottlenecks.
Accelerating Carrier and Supplier Onboarding: Traditional onboarding forces procurement teams into a weeks-long "paper chase" of manual risk assessments and compliance reviews. Tungsten uses automated self-service portals paired with automated risk assessments—such as using the platform to instantly verify the legitimacy of bank and credit statements—condensing onboarding timelines from weeks down to a matter of days.
Bridging the Gap Between AI Hype and Reality: AI cannot solve supply chain issues without clean, unified data. Patrick notes that trying to run raw, messy documents entirely through an unguided Large Language Model (LLM) can cause the AI to run wild, exhausting months' worth of token allocations in a single week. Tungsten effectively solves this by embedding AI directly into workflows, blending traditional rules-based automation (RPA) for standard patterns with Generative and Agentic AI to manage highly complex exceptions.
Elevating the Human Experience: Eliminating rudimentary data entry is ultimately a personal win for the workforce. Moving away from "swivel chair activity" and manual data chasing reduces friction and human error. By shifting repetitive tasks to automated workflows, logistics employees are freed up to use human ingenuity, focus on creative problem-solving, and ultimately enjoy more meaningful, higher-value work.
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Electrifying the Cold Chain Without Breaking the Grid with Sam Plunkett
23 Jun 2026
00:49:13
In "Electrifying the Cold Chain Without Breaking the Grid" Joe Lynch and Sam Plunkett, CEO of Nivalis Energy Systems, discuss how self-powered, electrified trailers can drastically cut fleet costs and emissions without overwhelming the power grid.
About Sam Plunkett
Sam Plunkett is CEO of Nivalis Energy Systems, where he is leading the transition away from diesel-powered refrigeration in commercial transport. Under his leadership, Nivalis is developing and deploying electrified refrigerated trailer solutions that help fleets reduce operating costs, lower emissions, and improve the efficiency of cold-chain logistics operations across North America and Europe. Prior to joining Nivalis, Sam led Battery Technology at Beam Global and built a career spanning materials science, electrochemistry, electrical engineering and product development. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Argonne National Laboratory in conjunction with the University of Illinois Chicago, where his strong publication record and patented innovations focused on battery thermal safety and advanced Lithium battery chemistry. Today, Sam brings this expertise in electrification, energy storage and commercial transport to Nivalis, helping bring innovative technologies from concept to real-world fleet deployment.
About Nivalis Energy Systems
Nivalis Energy Systems develops electrified refrigerated transport solutions designed to help fleets transition away from diesel-powered Transport Refrigeration Units (TRUs). Supporting refrigerated logistics operations across North America and Europe, the company's platforms are designed to lower operating costs, reduce maintenance requirements, and improve operational efficiency across cold-chain transport operations. Designed for both retrofit and new-trailer applications, Nivalis solutions support a wide range of trailer sizes, operational requirements, and the system is TRU agnostic. The company's technology roadmap includes next-generation multi-energy systems combining battery, solar and regenerative technologies to improve the long-haul viability of electrified refrigerated transport.
Key Takeaways: Electrifying the Cold Chain Without Breaking the Grid
In "Electrifying the Cold Chain Without Breaking the Grid" Joe Lynch and Sam Plunkett, CEO of Nivalis Energy Systems, discuss how self-powered, electrified trailers can drastically cut fleet costs and emissions without overwhelming the power grid.
Proven Bottom-Line Savings: Nivalis's electrified solutions have been on the road for over two years, demonstrating average operational savings of $12,000 per trailer, per year by dramatically reducing diesel consumption and mechanical maintenance costs.
Strategic European Acquisition: The recent acquisition of SolarEdge eMobility brings 25 years of automotive-grade electrification engineering and manufacturing scale, accelerating Nivalis's integration of solar and regenerative braking technologies.
Independence from the Power Grid: Upcoming next-generation platforms will utilize solar panels and e-axles to harvest braking energy. This allows trailers to generate their own power, drastically reducing or entirely eliminating the need for expensive and time-consuming depot grid charging upgrades.
Seamless, Agnostic Integration: Designed to be TRU (Transport Refrigeration Unit) agnostic, the technology easily retrofits onto existing Carrier or Thermo King systems. It requires zero operational changes from drivers, automatically powering up or down alongside the existing refrigeration unit.
Trailers as Mobile Microgrids: Nivalis is building toward a future where returning trailers with latent battery capacity can push energy back into a distribution hub's grid during peak pricing hours, using AI to optimize energy usage across the entire facility.
Powering Advanced Security and Compliance: The robust onboard battery provides a reliable, redundant power source for critical auxiliary systems—like advanced telematics, door-breach sensors, cameras, and pallet-level temperature tracking—without draining the tractor's alternator or relying on idling diesel engines.
Expanding into Dry Vans: A new European pilot program applies Nivalis's solar and e-axle technology to standard, non-refrigerated dry vans. The harvested energy is used to slightly propel the trailer on the highway, reducing the tractor's workload and tracking toward a savings of 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year.
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How to Predict the 2026 Intermodal Rebound with IANA's Andrew Sibold
18 Jun 2026
00:48:48
In "How to Predict the 2026 Intermodal Rebound with IANA's Andrew Sibold" Joe Lynch and Andrew Sibold, Director of Economics and Freight Policy at the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA), discuss how IANA's new predictive Intermodal Volume Index (IVI) helps logistics leaders navigate shifting market capacity and operational friction to successfully forecast the 2026 freight recovery.
About Andrew Sibold
Andrew Sibold is the Director of Economics and Freight Policy at the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA), where he leads market analysis, research, and economic forecasting that informs both private capital strategy and public policy. Before IANA, he spent five years at the Federal Highway Administration as a financial and economic analyst, where his benefit-cost and net present value modeling helped adjudicate more than $12.1 billion in federal infrastructure grants. He came to economics through the U.S. Army, serving as an Armor officer who led logistics and operations on deployments across Europe and Central Asia. Andrew holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Tennessee, as well as advanced degrees in economics, econometrics, and international relations. He lives in Bethesda, Maryland, with his wife and four children.
About Intermodal Association of North America (IANA)
The Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) is the leading industry trade association representing the combined interests of the intermodal freight community. Its membership spans the full ecosystem that moves containerized freight across modes — railroads, ocean carriers, ports and terminals, drayage and motor carriers, intermodal marketing companies, and equipment providers. IANA promotes the efficiency, safety, and growth of intermodal transportation through industry standards, professional education, government affairs, and data services. As the connective tissue of a sector that handles a substantial share of North American freight, IANA gives members a unified voice on policy and a shared infrastructure for operations. Increasingly, it also serves as a source of market intelligence, equipping members with the economic data and forecasting they need to navigate a volatile freight cycle.
Key Takeaways: How to Predict the 2026 Intermodal Rebound
In "How to Predict the 2026 Intermodal Rebound with IANA's Andrew Sibold" Joe Lynch and Andrew Sibold, Director of Economics and Freight Policy at the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA), discuss how IANA's new predictive Intermodal Volume Index (IVI) helps logistics leaders navigate shifting market capacity and operational friction to successfully forecast the 2026 freight recovery.
IANA as the "Conductor" of the Intermodal Ecosystem: The Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) serves as the critical connective tissue and unified voice for a fragmented freight community. By connecting railroads, ocean carriers, ports, drayage motor carriers, and 3PLs, IANA acts as an industry "conductor" to harmonize operations across multiple transportation modes that handle a substantial share of North American freight.
Eliminating Blind Spots with the Intermodal Volume Index (IVI): Historically, intermodal freight data has been fragmented and heavily lagging—with rail data delayed by a week and port data lagging by two to three months. Launched publicly in May, IANA's new IVI solves this industry pain point by acting as a real-time, seasonally adjusted "pulse check" on North American freight activity.
Shifting from Lagging to Predictive Capacity Planning: Unlike traditional freight indicators that only look backward (like GDP or older equipment data), the IVI functions as a predictive bridge. By utilizing a mathematical process to bring historical data into the present and factoring in seasonal fluctuations, it provides mid-market shippers, 3PLs, and asset-based carriers with a forward-looking forecast to confidently adjust capacity planning.
Unconventional Market Strength in 2026: The IVI is currently printing quite strong—tracking right around 106 for June, which is 6% higher than the pre-COVID baseline. While total import container volumes (TEUs) have softened due to tariff effects, intermodal volumes are rebounding rapidly due to a surge in high-value domestic manufacturing freight, driven heavily by investments in data centers and infrastructure built to support modern AI.
Reducing Operational Friction via Standardization: Intermodal logistics inherently suffers from handoff friction between different actors, leading to costly demurrage, detention, and lost productivity. IANA mitigates this administrative nightmare by managing standardized operational frameworks—most notably the Uniform Intermodal Interchange and Facilities Agreement (UIIA)—which serves as a single, universal contract that lowers industry insurance costs and streamlines driver registrations.
Navigating Volatility and Truck-to-Rail Conversion: Global supply chains remain highly volatile due to geopolitical factors, international conflicts, and oil infrastructure damage keeping global energy prices elevated. When diesel prices spike and over-the-road trucking capacity tightens due to shifting domestic regulatory and immigration policies, the IVI helps transportation managers identify exactly when and where rail capacity is tightening so they can strategically lock in contractual rates.
The Competitive Advantage of Modal Conversion: Beyond operational efficiency, IANA empowers its members to turn modal conversion into a measurable economic and environmental advantage. Because rail transport is significantly cleaner and greener than over-the-road trucking—with a single stacked rail car capable of moving the equivalent of multiple trucks—shippers are increasingly leveraging intermodal data to hit corporate sustainability mandates as the 2026 market recovers.
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REPOST: Is Your Freight Secure: The 3 Key Vulnerabilities in Freight Operations with Michael Hane
16 Jun 2026
01:01:49
In "Is Your Freight Secure: The 3 Key Vulnerabilities in Freight Operations", Joe Lynch and Mike Hane, Director of Product Marketing for Transportation Management at Descartes Systems Group, discuss how to protect global supply chains from fragmented technology, carrier identity theft, and increasingly sophisticated cargo fraud.
About Michael Hane
Mike Hane is the Director of Product Marketing for Transportation Management at Descartes Systems Group. With more than 30 years of experience in transportation, logistics technology, and supply chain consulting, Mike helps organizations understand emerging freight trends and apply technology to build more resilient and efficient transportation operations. Prior to joining Descartes, Mike held leadership roles at DAT, Optilogic, CHAINalytics, and CAPS Logistics, where he focused on transportation strategy, network optimization, and freight market intelligence. At Descartes, he works closely with shippers, brokers, and logistics service providers to translate industry challenges into practical technology solutions across transportation management, real-time visibility, carrier connectivity, and logistics security. Mike frequently shares insights on transportation technology trends, digital transformation in freight, and the evolving role of logistics networks in global supply chains.
About Descartes Systems Group
Descartes powers more responsive, efficient, secure and sustainable international and domestic supply chains by uniting logistics-intensive businesses on its Global Logistics Network (GLN). Shippers, carriers, and logistics service providers connect and collaborate on the GLN leveraging technology, data and AI to manage last mile deliveries, domestic and international shipments, transportation rating and payment, global trade research, customs compliance and a variety of regulatory processes.
Key Takeaways: Is Your Freight Secure: The 3 Key Vulnerabilities in Freight Operations
In "Is Your Freight Secure: The 3 Key Vulnerabilities in Freight Operations", Joe Lynch and Mike Hane, Director of Product Marketing for Transportation Management at Descartes Systems Group, discuss how to protect global supply chains from fragmented technology, carrier identity theft, and increasingly sophisticated cargo fraud.
The 3 Key Vulnerabilities discussed are listed below:
Vulnerability 1 – Outdated, Clunky Freight Tech Stack. The modern logistics tech stack is a prime target for sophisticated bad actors who are now using AI to scale their attacks. This vulnerability focuses on the integrity of the TMS suite and broader tech stack, requiring companies to have the scale and advanced defenses necessary to stay ahead of automated threats.
Vulnerability 2 – Carrier Identity Theft & Freight Hijacking. Freight fraud—including double brokering and fraudulent load pickups—is a direct result of failing to verify identity at the point of transaction. This vulnerability highlights the operational risk of giving freight to an unverified actor, proving that basic vetting is no longer enough to prevent cargo loss.
Vulnerability 3 – Data Exposure & Unsecured Partner Connectivity. Modern freight operations are at risk due to the fragmentation of data and automation. This vulnerability focuses on the danger of shipment data and AI tools operating outside of a trusted environment. When partners connect to technology platforms without rigorous security, the entire network becomes a target for leaks and external manipulation.
Modernizing the Tech Stack: Fragmented or legacy systems create security gaps. Freight operations must move toward integrated, secure platforms rather than a patchwork of disconnected software to ensure data integrity and vendor stability.
The "Verify Then Trust" Model: To combat identity theft and "chameleon carriers," logistics providers should use automated vetting to verify not just the carrier's authority, but also the specific driver and equipment via VIN and geolocation.
Neutralizing Sophisticated Fraud: Cargo theft has evolved into organized corporate scams involving double brokering and fake insurance. Real-time monitoring for suspicious tracking pings or IP addresses is now essential to identify bad actors before a load is picked up.
Strengthening Operational Hygiene: Security relies on strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). This includes "zeroing out" inactive carriers every few months to force re-vetting and immediately revoking system access for former employees.
Strategic AI Integration: AI should be used to automate high-volume manual tasks—like chasing tracking updates or proof of delivery—within a secure logistics environment to prevent sensitive financial data from being exposed to unvetted models.
Global Multimodal Connectivity: Leveraging a Global Logistics Network (GLN) allows shippers and brokers to collaborate across air, ocean, and truck modes while maintaining high standards for customs and regulatory compliance.
Visibility as a Risk Deterrent: Real-time visibility is a critical security layer. Monitoring for location spoofing or unauthorized stops allows for immediate intervention if a shipment is being diverted to a fraudulent location.
Learn More About Is Your Freight Secure: The 3 Key Vulnerabilities in Freight Operations
REPOST: Fleet Profitability Unleashed: The Optimal Dynamics Advantage with Zach Schuhart
11 Jun 2026
00:50:36
In "Fleet Profitability Unleashed: The Optimal Dynamics Advantage", Joe Lynch and Zach Schuchart, Senior Vice President, Head of Sales at Optimal Dynamics, discuss how decades of academic research and advanced decision intelligence are being used to automate complex logistics and maximize carrier profitability.
Zach Schuchart
Zach Schuchart is the Senior Vice President, Head of Sales at Optimal Dynamics. He has over 20 years of experience in the North American and European transportation industries, including roles at UPS, CHAINalytics, and XPO, he brings deep expertise and leadership to the Optimal Dynamics team. As Head of Sales, he oversees a talented group of Account Executives and Solutions Engineers, guiding prospective customers through the evaluation of advanced optimization solutions that drive operational success.
About Optimal Dynamics
Optimal Dynamics provides the decision intelligence layer that powers logistics transformation. Born out of 40 years of research at Princeton University, Optimal Dynamics leverages proprietary artificial intelligence technology to automate, optimize, and radically improve decision-making across trucking and transportation operations. Headquartered in New York City, Optimal Dynamics is backed by marquee investors including Koch Disruptive Technologies, Bessemer Venture Partners, The Westly Group, and Activate Capital. Learn more at www.optimaldynamics.com.
Key Takeaways: Fleet Profitability Unleashed: The Optimal Dynamics Advantage
In "Fleet Profitability Unleashed: The Optimal Dynamics Advantage", Joe Lynch and Zach Schuchart, Senior Vice President, Head of Sales at Optimal Dynamics, discuss how decades of academic research and advanced decision intelligence are being used to automate complex logistics and maximize carrier profitability.
From Research to Reality: The Princeton Pedigree. Optimal Dynamics isn't just another tech startup; it is built on 40 years of academic research from Princeton University. This provides a level of scientific rigor and proprietary AI that differentiates their solutions from standard off-the-shelf logistics software.
The Power of "Decision Intelligence". While many platforms focus on data visibility (showing you what is happening), Zach highlights the shift toward Decision Intelligence. This layer automates and optimizes the choice itself, helping carriers move from reactive management to proactive, data-driven execution.
Bridging the Gap Between Planning and Execution. Leveraging Zach's 20+ years of experience at giants like UPS and XPO, the episode explores how traditional planning often fails when it hits the "real world." Optimal Dynamics focuses on creating dynamic plans that account for the inherent volatility in trucking operations.
Leveraging High-Dimensional Artificial Intelligence. The core technology focuses on solving "high-dimensional" problems. Instead of looking at simple variables, the platform uses AI to process thousands of data points simultaneously—such as driver hours, fuel costs, and lane profitability—to find the "Optimal" solution.
Automating the Complexities of Trucking. Automation isn't just about replacing manual tasks; it's about augmenting human capability. Zach discusses how their solutions allow sales and operations teams to evaluate complex scenarios in minutes rather than days, drastically reducing the "evaluation-to-action" cycle.
Maximizing Profitability in Volatile Markets. In an industry with razor-thin margins, "Optimal Dynamics" means finding the most profitable way to move freight despite fluctuating market conditions. The platform helps fleets identify which loads to accept and how to route them to ensure maximum fleet utilization.
Strategic Backing for Long-Term Transformation. The company's growth is fueled by marquee investors like Bessemer Venture Partners and Koch Disruptive Technologies. This level of backing underscores the industry's belief that Optimal Dynamics is a foundational player in the future of global logistics infrastructure.
Learn More About Fleet Profitability Unleashed: The Optimal Dynamics Advantage
Is Organized Tech Destroying the Small Logistics Entrepreneur with Nick Antoine
09 Jun 2026
00:57:23
In "Is Organized Tech Destroying the Small Logistics Entrepreneur" Joe Lynch and Nicholas Antoine, Co-Founder, Co-CEO, and Managing Partner of Red Arts Capital, discuss how mid-market logistics companies can leverage emerging automation and strategic "moats" to successfully survive and compete against tech-heavy enterprise giants.
About Nick Antoine
Nicholas Antoine is the Co-Founder, Co-CEO, and Managing Partner of Red Arts Capital, a private equity firm he co-founded in 2015 - at age 26 - to invest exclusively in supply chain and logistics businesses. A Princeton graduate, Nick began his career as an equity research analyst at Princeton Global Asset Management before joining Ariel Investments in Chicago, where he served as Chief of Staff to the Chairman and CEO of the $17 billion asset manager. At Red Arts, he leads fundraising, research, and investment thesis development, building one of the few Black-founded and -led PE firms in the country and one of the top-performing, ranked #7 on Bloomberg's 2025 Best-Performing U.S. Buyout Funds. Nick is a member of YPO and a board trustee of The Studio Museum in Harlem and WTTW (PBS Chicago).
About Red Arts Capital
Red Arts Capital is a Chicago-based private equity firm focused exclusively on partnering with North American supply chain and logistics businesses. Founded in 2015 by Nick Antoine and Chad Strader, Red Arts is a 100% Black-owned firm investing across the "supply chain economy" - freight, transportation, warehousing, contract packaging, and related middle-market companies with strong growth potential. In 2023, the firm closed its latest fund oversubscribed at $270M, above its $225M target, backed by institutional LPs including Prudential Financial, the University of Chicago's Office of Investments, and funds managed by Neuberger Berman. Red Arts pairs a sector-focused thesis with a belief that diversity drives performance - women represent roughly half the firm.
Key Takeaways: Is Organized Tech Destroying the Small Logistics Entrepreneur
In "Is Organized Tech Destroying the Small Logistics Entrepreneur" Joe Lynch and Nicholas Antoine, Co-Founder, Co-CEO, and Managing Partner of Red Arts Capital, discuss how mid-market logistics companies can leverage emerging automation and strategic "moats" to successfully survive and compete against tech-heavy enterprise giants.
Firm Profile & Focus: Founded in 2015, Red Arts Capital is a 100% Black-owned, Chicago-based private equity firm that focuses exclusively on North American supply chain, logistics, and middle-market infrastructure businesses.
Target Investment Profile: Unlike venture capital firms that hunt for speculative "hockey stick" growth, Red Arts invests $50M to $100M+ into established, profitable middle-market companies (typically family-owned with $100M to $500M in revenue) to provide liquidity and operational scaling.
Strong Institutional Backing: Validating their sector-focused thesis, the firm closed its 2023 fund oversubscribed at $270M (surpassing its $225M target) backed by premier LPs like Prudential Financial and the University of Chicago.
The Concept of "Organized Tech": Nick defines "organized technology" as a modern third form of power alongside organized people and organized capital. Large enterprise players use their scale and massive resources to deploy tech—and partner with startups for free trials—giving them a distinct, systemic advantage.
An Opportunity, Not a Death Sentence: Organized tech is not inherently destroying small logistics entrepreneurs; rather, the risk lies in a lack of adaptability. Because AI and automated tools are becoming rapidly commoditized and affordable, small business survival depends on an entrepreneurial willingness to experiment.
Building Defensive "Moats": To avoid competing strictly on commoditized pricing, successful logistics companies must build defensible moats. This includes high-touch customer service, strong cultural values that lower driver turnover, or geographic asset density (like uniquely zoned cross-dock terminals) that competitors cannot easily replicate.
Outsized Returns from Small Tech Investments: Technology adoption doesn't require a massive overhaul to significantly impact the bottom line. In one LTL case study, Red Arts introduced a simple automated software tool to capture missed, manual accessorial charges, plugging a major revenue leak and yielding massive profit returns.
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Short Lines, Big Impact: How Short Line Railroads Power America's Supply Chain with Joey Evans
04 Jun 2026
00:59:07
In "Short Lines, Big Impact: How Short Line Railroads Power America's Supply Chain" Joe Lynch and Joey Evans, Senior Director, Government Affairs & Business Development, TNW Corporation, discuss how Class III short line railroads leverage technology, sustainability, and first-and-last-mile service to keep American commerce moving.
About Joey Evans
Joey Evans is the Senior Director, Government Affairs & Business Development, TNW Corporation. He is a seasoned rail industry professional with over 20 years of experience, leading TNW's development and execution of government affairs and strategic growth initiatives. His role oversees legislative strategy, public funding efforts, real estate and industrial development projects, and supports acquisition and expansion activities aligned with the company's long-term objectives. Joey serves as President of the Texas Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (TSLRRA) and is a member of the TxDOT Freight Advisory Committee. His career spans various leadership roles across the short line railroad industry. Prior to his current position, he led Customer Success for TNW, encompassing customer service, revenue protection, and infrastructure technology. His journey began as a conductor and engineer, where hands-on experience laid the foundation for his transition into management.
About TNW Corporation
TNW Corporation owns and operates three short line railroads — TXNW Railway, TXGN Railway, and TXR Railway — along with multiple rail logistics facilities across Texas, serving as a strategic supply chain partner to industries, shippers, fleet managers, and Class I railroads. With more than 40 years of transportation logistics experience, TNW delivers the efficiency, reliability, and customer service that keep North American commerce moving. TXNW Railway, operating in the Texas Panhandle since 1982, is a One-Stop Supercenter and boasts the largest privately owned railcar storage capacity in the United States. TXGN Railway, also a One-Stop Supercenter, has served central Texas since 1992, operating approximately 67 miles of storage and loop track with Union Pacific interchange. TXR Railway, based in Brownwood, serves the Camp Bowie Industrial Area and interchanges with BNSF Railroad. TNW's full suite of services includes rapid interchange, transloading, railcar storage, repair, cleaning, scrapping, warehousing, and rail-served industrial development.
Key Takeaways: Short Lines, Big Impact: How Short Line Railroads Power America's Supply Chain
In "Short Lines, Big Impact: How Short Line Railroads Power America's Supply Chain" Joe Lynch and Joey Evans, Senior Director, Government Affairs & Business Development, TNW Corporation, discuss how Class III short line railroads leverage technology, sustainability, and first-and-last-mile service to keep American commerce moving.
Revenue, Not Track Length, Defines Railroad Classes: Railroad classification is strictly determined by annual revenue, not physical distance. Class I railroads (the "interstates" like BNSF and UP) exceed $1 billion in annual revenue, Class II regional railroads fall between $1 billion and $47 million, and Class III short lines—where TNW Corporation operates—fall below $47 million.
Short Lines Serve as the "First and Last Mile" for Rural America: While Class I railroads excel at long-distance freight movement, North America's 615 short line railroads provide essential first- and last-mile service to industrial parks and rural communities. Operating in smaller towns (often under 15,000 people), short lines keep vital agricultural, manufacturing, and petrochemical hubs connected to the national rail network.
Lowering the Barrier to Entry with Truck-to-Rail Conversions: Because one railcar holds the equivalent capacity of four trucks (4:1 ratio), TNW launched a dedicated logistics and transloading business. This allows smaller regional shippers within a 50-to-100-mile radius to enjoy the economic benefits of rail by breaking bulk rail loads down into local trucks, without requiring a massive capital investment in dedicated track infrastructure.
High-Volume Commodities and Major Public-Private Infrastructure Investments: Short lines primarily handle heavy, bulk commodities like petrochemicals, plastics, lumber, agricultural yields, and construction aggregates (rock). To support these loads, short lines reinvest a massive 33% to 50% of their annual revenue into infrastructure, a timeline accelerated by federal CRISI (Consolidated Rail Infrastructure Safety Improvement) grants to expand track fluidity.
Transitioning from Rail's Historic "Black Hole" to High-Tech Visibility: Spurred by rising post-COVID consumer expectations (the "Amazon experience"), TNW developed a proprietary digital portal called My TNW. This tool eliminates the historic visibility "black hole" of rail shipping by providing customers with complete data transparency, allowing them to track cars across both TNW property and intersecting Class I networks.
Embracing AI and Autonomous Infrastructure Safety: The rail industry is heavily adopting AI, autonomous railcars, and automated track inspection tools. These automated systems travel the lines to instantly pinpoint structural micro-cracks, gauge misalignments, or railcar defects. Removing the human error factor from these tedious inspections helped the rail sector chart its safest operational year in its 200-year history in 2025.
Meeting Corporate ESG Targets Through "Clean and Green" Operations: Rail remains one of the most inherently sustainable modes of land transportation, moving a ton of freight roughly 500 miles on a single gallon of fuel. Beyond fuel efficiency, TNW helps shippers meet strict corporate environmental goals by certifying all properties under Operation Clean Sweep, which enforces strict handling frameworks to prevent plastic pellets and commodities from spilling into local ecosystems.
Learn More About Short Lines, Big Impact: How Short Line Railroads Power America's Supply Chain
Breaking Bulk Logistics Data Silos with IntelliTrans and Matt Everson
28 May 2026
00:54:08
In "Breaking Bulk Logistics Data Silos" Joe Lynch and Matt Everson, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at IntelliTrans, discuss how unifying multimodal freight technology eliminates operational blind spots and optimizes bulk supply chains.
About Matt Everson
Matt Everson is the Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at IntelliTrans. He brings more than 15 years of experience driving growth and building strong customer relationships in the transportation and logistics technology industry. He leads the company's sales and marketing efforts with a focus on delivering measurable value and long-term partnerships that help customers succeed. He leads the commercial and customer engagement strategy that connects shippers with technology designed to simplify logistics complexity and deliver measurable value.
About IntelliTrans
IntelliTrans, a business unit of Roper Technologies, delivers multimodal transportation management solutions built by experts to simplify freight complexities for bulk and breakbulk shippers. By combining real-time data, predictive risk management, and expert support, IntelliTrans provides insights to help shippers reduce costs, prevent disruptions, and deliver with confidence. IntelliTrans' mission is to keep the world's goods moving by giving transportation professionals the clarity, confidence, and control to deliver every time. Established in 1992, IntelliTrans is headquartered in Atlanta, with offices in Arkansas, London, and Sweden.
Key Takeaways: Breaking Bulk Logistics Data Silos
In "Breaking Bulk Logistics Data Silos" Joe Lynch and Matt Everson, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at IntelliTrans, discuss how unifying multimodal freight technology eliminates operational blind spots and optimizes bulk supply chains.
Serve the Core Bulk and Breakbulk Sectors: Focus technology and operations on shippers of heavy, raw commodities—essentially "anything that comes out of the ground," including oil, gas, chemicals, plastics, metals, agriculture, and forestry products.
Dominate the North American Rail TMS Market: Establish market leadership by processing 40% of all North American railcars (excluding intermodal) on any given day and maintaining direct data connections into 95% of Class II short-line railroads.
Unify Multimodal Freight to Break Data Silos: Eliminate operational blind spots for large Fortune 100 shippers by combining rail, truck, yard management, and barge data into a single comprehensive execution platform.
Leverage Historical Data Cleanliness for AI Readiness: Utilize decades of specialized operational expertise and human-verified data cleaning to build high-quality datasets, positioning the platform to deliver highly accurate predictive insights as supply chain AI evolves.
Optimize High-Value Asset Utilization and Fleets: Provide advanced forecasting and analytics tools that calculate a shipper's exact fleet size requirements, ensuring optimal lease management and minimizing idle railcar costs.
Mitigate Overcharges and Prevent Demurrage Fees: Protect shippers from costly detention, storage, and demurrage fees by deploying automatic alerts, verifying car placement data, and actively auditing carrier invoices.
Track Scope 3 Emissions for ESG Compliance: Help shippers meet modern environmental compliance standards through certified state-by-state tracking of mileage, weight, and CO2 emissions across all transportation modes.
Learn More About Breaking Bulk Logistics Data Silos
From Strategy to Scale: The ODW Logistics Approach to Growth with Phil Schmidbauer
26 May 2026
00:50:41
In "From Strategy to Scale: The ODW Logistics Approach to Growth" Joe Lynch and Phil Schmidbauer, Vice President of Solution Design at ODW Logistics, discuss how middle-market brands can scale by optimizing their entire supply chain network rather than just chasing low freight rates.
About Phil Schmidbauer
Phil Schmidbauer is the Vice President of Solution Design at ODW Logistics, where he specializes in creating optimized transportation and integrated supply chain strategies. A dynamic and innovative leader, Phil brings extensive industry experience focused on driving process efficiencies, eliminating waste, and delivering significant value to clients. Recognized as a top industry innovator—including being named a "Pros to Know" award winner—he excels at building strategic bridges across complex supply chain networks. Phil works closely with businesses to align their comprehensive logistics frameworks with overarching financial and operational goals. His expertise spans advanced supply chain analytics, cargo security, and network optimization studies, making him a trusted authority in helping growth-minded brands design custom-engineered solutions that reduce complexity and successfully position their businesses to scale.
About ODW Logistics
ODW Logistics is a top-tier, integrated third-party logistics (3PL) provider dedicated to enabling collective growth for its clients, associates, and the industry. With over 50 years of experience, ODW Logistics delivers end-to-end supply chain solutions that combine strategic warehousing, distribution, and advanced transportation management. The company serves a diverse range of industries, including food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, health and beauty, and industrial manufacturing. As an approved consolidator for major retail networks, ODW specializes in retail consolidation, strategic inventory load planning, and automated workflows that control costs and improve on-time delivery. Driven by core values of respect, trust, team, and opportunity, ODW Logistics operates as a seamless extension of its customers' businesses, providing the technology, infrastructure, and continuous innovation necessary to scale operations effectively.
Key Takeaways: From Strategy to Scale: The ODW Logistics Approach to Growth
In "From Strategy to Scale: The ODW Logistics Approach to Growth" Joe Lynch and Phil Schmidbauer, Vice President of Solution Design at ODW Logistics, discuss how middle-market brands can scale by optimizing their entire supply chain network rather than just chasing low freight rates.
Integrated 3PL Solutions for Middle-Market Growth: ODW Logistics leverages over 50 years of experience to provide end-to-end warehousing, distribution, and managed transportation solutions, operating as a seamless extension for middle-market companies that lack the internal resources to manage complex supply chains alone.
A Consultative, Total-Network Focus: Rather than just chasing the lowest transaction rate on a truck lane, Phil Schmidbauer emphasizes a consultative approach that designs and optimizes the entire supply chain, aligning warehousing and transportation around each other to reduce hidden costs, fines, and lead times.
High-Frequency Retail Consolidation: ODW specializes in retail consolidation (serving major networks like Walmart and Target) by combining smaller multi-pallet shipments into full truckloads. This ensures high-frequency deliveries, which reduces lot sizes, minimizes inventory requirements, and drives better overall service.
Mitigating the Cost of Stockouts: Keeping products on shelves is critical to brand survival. Stockouts cause severe financial penalties and permanent brand-loyalty loss when consumers switch to competitors—making consistent supply chain execution vital for sales growth.
Managing the Hidden Costs of Excess Inventory: Influenced by his background with Toyota's world-class manufacturing processes, Schmidbauer highlights that excess inventory carries heavy hidden liabilities, including high warehousing fees, multiple touchpoints, and obsolescence or shelf-life expiration risks.
The Power of a Dual-Node Network: ODW operates 27 facilities nationwide, utilizing a highly efficient dual-node setup between Southern California and Columbus, Ohio. This center-of-gravity strategy allows brands to easily meet next-day delivery demands for a massive portion of the U.S. population.
Bridging the Omni-channel Divide: As retail and ecommerce models increasingly blend, ODW supports brands navigating both channels, helping companies scale and transition their operational structures from online-only to brick-and-mortar retail fulfillment seamlessly.
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REPOST: The 2026 M&A Rebound: Why Logistics is Primed for a Banner Year with Logisyn's CEO Ron Lentz
21 May 2026
00:58:59
In "The 2026 M&A Rebound: Why Logistics is Primed for a Banner Year with Logisyn's CEO Ron Lentz", Joe Lynch and Ron Lentz, CEO of Logisyn Advisors, discuss how $4 trillion in untapped capital and industry consolidation are driving a major wave of logistics exits.
About Ron Lentz
Ron Lentz is a founding partner and CEO of Logisyn Advisors, recognized as a logistics subject matter expert with over 40 years of industry experience. His deep knowledge of capital markets, combined with an extensive global network spanning logistics firms, private equity, family funds, and debt financing, enables him to help clients maximize returns across all M&A services. Ron's expertise covers key logistics sub-sectors, including e-commerce fulfillment, asset-light logistics, final-mile delivery, 3PLs, specialty hauling, air cargo, and freight forwarding. His career includes international executive leadership at Ryder Logistics, over a decade of C-level assignments, and a track record of transforming Fortune 500 companies, startups, and turnarounds into high-performing businesses.
About Logisyn Advisors
Logisyn Advisors is an M&A advisor specializing in the transportation and logistics sector. The firm's customers include global freight forwarders, customs house brokers, domestic forwarders, trucking companies, logistics software providers, and many other companies across the industry. Logisyn provides a variety of M&A services, including buy-side advisory for companies looking to grow through acquisition, sell-side advisory for entrepreneurs looking to exit and capitalize on the businesses they've built, and enterprise valuation services for managers looking to gain a better understanding of the value of their business. The company has a proven track record of advising executives navigating the M&A process and is actively engaged with leading companies across the logistics industry.
Key Takeaways: The 2026 M&A Rebound: Why Logistics is Primed for a Banner Year
In "The 2026 M&A Rebound: Why Logistics is Primed for a Banner Year with Logisyn's CEO Ron Lentz", Joe Lynch and Ron Lentz, CEO of Logisyn Advisors, discuss how $4 trillion in untapped capital and industry consolidation are driving a major wave of logistics exits.
The Power of "Logistics-First" Specialization: Unlike "industry agnostic" investment banks, Logisyn only hires former operators who understand the intricate day-to-day realities of the supply chain. Ron emphasizes that a generalist banker can cause a "generalist penalty," where the unique operational value and specialized assets of a logistics firm are lost in translation during a deal.
The $4 Trillion "Dry Powder" Catalyst: A massive driver for the 2026 rebound is the estimated $4 trillion in global private equity "dry powder." Much of this is older capital that firms must "use or lose," creating a high-pressure environment for acquisitions in fragmented markets like transportation.
The "Six Ps" of Market Readiness: Ron lives by the mantra: Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. Success requires "staging the house" by cleaning up these financials 12–24 months before an exit.
Asset-Based Logistics is Primed for a Bull Run: While freight brokerage is facing a "leaner and meaner" period due to AI and fee transparency, Ron is incredibly bullish on asset-based carriers. As driver shortages persist and capital costs for equipment remain high, those who actually control the trucks will hold the most leverage in the coming year.
Cultural Compatibility is the #1 Deal Killer: Citing PWC data, Ron highlights that cultural alignment is the primary reason mergers succeed or fail. For entrepreneurs, selling isn't just a financial transaction; it's "giving up their baby." A successful M&A advisor acts as much as a counselor as a banker to ensure the legacy remains intact.
The "Jigsaw Puzzle" Strategy for Buyers: Strategic acquisitions in 2026 are moving away from simple "growth for growth's sake." Buyers are looking for specific "jigsaw pieces"—such as a niche cold chain specialty in the Southeast or a robust tech stack—to create a "pure play" offering that doesn't require a "fixer-upper" effort.
The Death of the "Country Club" Broker: The complexity of modern logistics—from AI-driven RFPs to real-time WMS integration—means owners can no longer rely on a general business broker or a "golfing buddy" to sell their company. To maximize the 8x to 10x multiples, founders need advisors who can navigate the deep-dive diligence of tech-savvy private equity buyers.
Learn More About The 2026 M&A Rebound: Why Logistics is Primed for a Banner Year
The TRAFFIX Report: The Strategic Forecast for North American Freight with Alex Fuller
19 May 2026
00:50:06
In "The TRAFFIX Report: The Strategic Forecast for North American Freight" Joe Lynch and Alex Fuller, Sr. Director of Revenue Management & Solutions at TRAFFIX, discuss the end of the freight recession and how rising rates, nearshoring, and market volatility are reshaping North American supply chains.
About Alex Fuller
Alex Fuller, Sr. Director of Revenue Management & Solutions at TRAFFIX, focuses on understanding market trends and helping customers grow through customized supply chain solutions, technology, and AI integration. Passionate about supply chains and business growth, Alex earned his undergraduate degree in Supply Chain Management from BYU before beginning his career with a CPG company managing imports from China and distribution across the United States. He later completed his MBA at the University of Virginia and went on to build extensive industry experience with UPS and UPS Supply Chain Solutions prior to joining TRAFFIX. Outside of work, Alex is a former professional triathlete and recently completed the Boston Marathon, reflecting the same discipline and endurance he brings to his professional career.
About TRAFFIX
TRAFFIX is a leading North American 3PL that has been delivering customized supply chain solutions since 1979. With a customer-first approach, TRAFFIX partners with shippers to create flexible, scalable logistics strategies tailored to their unique business needs. The company offers a full suite of services, including truckload, flatbed, intermodal, drayage, expedited, LTL, managed transportation, and specialized government solutions. Backed by experienced logistics experts, TRAFFIX provides real-time visibility, optimized freight management, and agile solutions that help customers adapt to changing market demands. With U.S. headquarters in Chicago, IL, TRAFFIX employs more than 840 logistics professionals across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, helping businesses improve supply chain performance through customized supply chain optimization.
Key Takeaways: The TRAFFIX Report: The Strategic Forecast for North American Freight
In "The TRAFFIX Report: The Strategic Forecast for North American Freight" Joe Lynch and Alex Fuller, Sr. Director of Revenue Management & Solutions at TRAFFIX, discuss the end of the freight recession and how rising rates, nearshoring, and market volatility are reshaping North American supply chains.
The 2026 Market Inflection: Following a brutal, multi-year freight recession post-COVID, the North American freight market has officially turned. As of mid-2026, contract rates have climbed 10% year-over-year, while spot rates have exploded by 40%.
The Tariff & Pull-Ahead Wrench: Volatility in 2025 trade policies forced shippers to radically alter inventory strategies. Many pulled massive volumes ahead to beat tariffs, briefly spiking intermodal demand, before aggressively pivoting back to lean, just-in-time supply chains.
Fuel Cracking the Budget Dam: Skyrocketing diesel rates in early 2026 acted as a major catalyst for rate hikes. Unlike previous years where carriers absorbed fuel spikes, tight capacity means these costs are hitting shippers directly, forcing corporate CFOs to expand logistics budgets.
The Nearshoring Reality: Shorter, responsive supply chains are replacing long-distance sourcing. A massive wave of nearshoring to Mexico is underway, trading complex ocean freight for direct, highly automated cross-border trucking networks.
Immediate Capacity Threats (Q2 2026): Roadside inspection events like DOT Week, combined with driver pullbacks over Memorial Day weekend, are actively squeezing summer capacity. Spot rates are projected to remain highly elevated for the next 9 to 12 months as a result of these seasonal disruptions.
The Death of the Annual RFQ: High market volatility means annual freight bids are breaking down. Savvy shippers are shifting to agile 3-month and 6-month mini-bids, allowing 3PLs to price lanes accurately without adding heavy risk premiums to the rates.
TRAFFIX Corporate Profile: Established in 1979, TRAFFIX is a premier North American 3PL operating across the US, Canada, and Mexico. As an asset-light partner, they leverage mid-market agility, cross-border expertise, and on-demand warehousing to protect shipper capacity in volatile cycles.
Learn More About The TRAFFIX Report: The Strategic Forecast for North American Freight
Why GenLogs is Critical for the Next Generation of Supply Chain with Danielle Spinelli
14 May 2026
00:56:16
In "Why GenLogs is Critical for the Next Generation of Supply Chain" Joe Lynch and Danielle Spinelli, Director of Partnerships at GenLogs, discuss how visual truck intelligence provides a physical "truth layer" to combat cargo theft and verify carrier capacity.
About Danielle Spinelli
Danielle Spinelli is the Director of Partnerships at Genlogs with over a decade of experience in logistics, carrier vetting, and cargo theft prevention. She also hosts the Tell Me Everything podcast, sharing insights on freight fraud, logistics trends, and supply chain security.
About GenLogs
GenLogs is the Truck Intelligence™ platform that uses AI across a nationwide network of roadside sensors, satellites, and proprietary datasets to track all U.S. commercial vehicle patterns and drive better business outcomes across trucking, logistics, insurance, real estate, finance, and government.
Key Takeaways: Why GenLogs is Critical for the Next Generation of Supply Chain
In "Why GenLogs is Critical for the Next Generation of Supply Chain" Joe Lynch and Danielle Spinelli, Director of Partnerships at GenLogs, discuss how visual truck intelligence provides a physical "truth layer" to combat cargo theft and verify carrier capacity.
The Power of a "Physical Footprint": While the industry has long relied on a digital footprint (ELDs and self-reported data) for carrier vetting, GenLogs introduces a "truth layer" through a physical footprint. By capturing 15 million images daily, they provide visual proof of a carrier's actual activity versus what is reported on paper.
Combatting "Chameleon Carriers": The interview highlights the danger of chameleon carriers—entities that frequently change MC numbers or swap magnetic placards to hide poor safety records or involvement in fraud. GenLogs' network can track a single truck as it operates under multiple identities, flagging suspicious behavior. *
The "Ring Camera" for Highways: Danielle describes the GenLogs network as a "Ring for the highways." With specialized "Trident" cameras deployed across major U.S. interstates, the platform achieves a 98% carrier sighting rate, providing massive visibility into commercial vehicle patterns.
Advanced Cargo Theft Recovery: Beyond just prevention, the platform is an active tool for recovery. By analyzing historical sightings and specific truck markings (like unique mud flaps or bumper damage), the team has helped recover over 5,000 trailers in just two years.
Bridging the Law Enforcement Gap: Because local police often lack the jurisdiction or resources to track freight across state lines, GenLogs acts as a critical bridge. They collaborate directly with the FBI and FMCSA to provide the data necessary to prosecute large-scale criminal schemes rather than isolated incidents.
Beyond Security: Lanes and Capacity: The data serves a dual purpose for brokers and shippers as "Shipper Intelligence." It allows users to see which carriers are actually running specific lanes—even those who don't post on load boards—helping brokers expand their business with existing shippers by identifying untapped capacity.
The Future of Integration: The "next generation" of this tech lies in seamless integration. Danielle's focus is on connecting this visual data directly into TMS platforms, allowing brokers to see a photo of the truck assigned to their load as a final line of defense before the shipment picks up.
Learn More About Why GenLogs is Critical for the Next Generation of Supply Chain
Scaling with Intent: Removing the Constraints to Growth with Holly LaBoda
12 May 2026
00:54:09
In "Scaling with Intent: Removing the Constraints to Growth" Joe Lynch and Holly LaBoda, Founder and Chief Growth Officer of Formula L, discuss how logistics leaders can bridge the gap between high-level strategy and field execution by building a sustainable, system-led sales infrastructure.
About Holly LaBoda
Holly LaBoda is the Founder and Chief Growth Officer of Formula L, a sales operating system built for logistics, supply chain, distribution, and complex B2B service organizations. She has spent 18 years working inside these industries — including a decade at C.H. Robinson leading enterprise sales system design and go-to-market strategy — before building Formula L from the patterns she saw break organizations of every size. Holly holds an M.S. in Performance Improvement and certifications in change management and strategy — which means she doesn't just teach what worked once; she builds the system that makes it work consistently. She has worked alongside hundreds of sales leaders and thousands of sellers across logistics, freight, and distribution. Holly serves on the TMSA Board of Directors and is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
About Formula L
Formula L is a sales operating system built for logistics, supply chain, distribution, and professional services organizations that have outgrown how they operate. Most growth leaders hit a ceiling that isn't about strategy — it's about the system underneath it. Formula L builds the infrastructure that closes the gap between the strategy leadership decides and what actually shows up in the field: a proprietary diagnostic and competency model, the LIFT Method development process, and a full partnership model that delivers the operating system alongside the team. The result is sales growth that doesn't depend on heroics — just a system built to handle it. Formula L works primarily with founder-led and PE-backed organizations in logistics and complex B2B services.
Key Takeaways: Scaling with Intent: Removing the Constraints to Growth
In "Scaling with Intent: Removing the Constraints to Growth" Joe Lynch and Holly LaBoda, Founder and Chief Growth Officer of Formula L, discuss how logistics leaders can bridge the gap between high-level strategy and field execution by building a sustainable, system-led sales infrastructure.
Move Beyond "Heroics-Based" Sales: Many logistics companies rely on a few "hero" sellers or the founder's personal book of business. Holly emphasizes that sustainable scaling requires a system-led growth model where results are driven by a repeatable infrastructure rather than individual talent alone.
Identify the "Growth Leap" Constraints: Organizations often hit a ceiling when their current processes can no longer support their size. Common constraints include capacity (the leader becoming a bottleneck) and coordination (complex solutions requiring too much internal sign-off), both of which must be diagnosed to restart growth.
Close the Strategy-to-Execution Gap: A major growth killer is the disconnect between leadership's strategy and the field's execution. Formula L focuses on operationalizing strategy into daily sales behaviors so that the vision actually shows up in the field.
Avoid the "Feel-Good" Training Trap: Sales training is often a "feel-good intervention" that fails because the underlying system is broken. Before implementing training, leaders must ensure the sales process, compensation, and ideal customer profiles (ICP) are aligned, or the training won't stick.
Focus on Business Trigger Events over Raw Intent: While "intent data" (tracking website visits) is popular, the real value lies in understanding the trigger event—what changed in the prospect's business that made them look for a solution? This context allows for a more strategic, less "stalker-like" sales approach.
The Importance of Leadership Alignment: Growth requires that all leaders are "rowing in the same direction." This often means making hard choices about role clarity, such as ensuring a sales leader isn't also burdened with customer support or operations, which creates a "split-focus" failure.
Practice through Behavioral Coaching: High-level growth requires behavioral change, not just knowledge. Effective development involves learning labs and AI-driven practice to allow sellers to get "reps" in a low-stakes environment, similar to how elite athletes or military personnel train for high-pressure situations.
Learn More About Scaling with Intent: Removing the Constraints to Growth
Reducing TCO Through Renewable Natural Gas with Scott Brinner
07 May 2026
00:52:39
In "Reducing TCO Through Renewable Natural Gas" Joe Lynch and Scott Brinner, Vice President of RNG Solutions at Nopetro Energy, discuss how fleets can cut emissions while boosting their bottom line. Efficiency meets sustainability.
About Scott Brinner
Scott Brinner serves as the executive Vice President of RNG Solutions at Nopetro Energy, where he is responsible for developing and executing the division's strategy, business development and expansion. His prior experiences include working as a CPA with Ernst & Young, executive vice president, Corporate Development & Strategic Accounts, at OmniTRAX, and as an investment banker with Wells Fargo and Raymond James, where he advised companies in transportation/logistics and waste/environmental services. Scott has an MBA from the University of Chicago and received both a BS, in Accounting and Finance, as well as a Master's in Accountancy, from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
About Nopetro Energy
Founded in 2008, Nopetro Energy is a vertically integrated energy leader focused on the production and distribution of renewable natural gas (RNG) for heavy duty transportation and industrial consumption. The company provides end-to-end energy and transportation management solutions, helping government agencies and companies strengthen fuel independence and create lasting economic value. Nopetro designs, builds, finances and operates both renewable natural gas production plants and fueling stations, allowing fleets to transition to this substantially less expensive, cleaner and domestically produced alternative to diesel. Visit www.nopetroenergy.com to discover how Nopetro is leading the way to a more energy-independent and financially predictable future.
Key Takeaways: Reducing TCO Through Renewable Natural Gas
In "Reducing TCO Through Renewable Natural Gas" Joe Lynch and Scott Brinner, Vice President of RNG Solutions at Nopetro Energy, discuss how fleets can cut emissions while boosting their bottom line. Efficiency meets sustainability.
RNG as a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Driver: Unlike many "green" technologies that require a financial sacrifice, transitioning to Renewable Natural Gas can actually lower the total cost of ownership. While the trucks may have a higher upfront cost (roughly $70k–$90k more), the significantly lower and more stable fuel prices can lead to a payback period of just 2 to 3 years.
The "Closed Ecosystem" of RNG: RNG is a vertically integrated solution that captures organic waste from landfills, dairy farms, and wastewater treatment plants. By cleaning these molecules and putting them into the pipeline, Nopetro turns a potential environmental pollutant into a high-performance fuel that can achieve zero or even negative carbon emissions.
The Game-Changing Cummins X15N Engine: Historically, the trucking industry lacked an engine with the power and torque required for heavy-duty, 80,000+ lb loads. The new 15-liter natural gas engine from Cummins is a "workhorse" that matches diesel performance, range, and horsepower, removing the primary technical barrier for over-the-road fleets.
Fuel Price Stability vs. Diesel Volatility: Because RNG is domestic and tied to stable natural gas indices rather than global oil markets, it protects fleets from "spikes" caused by international conflict. This allows for predictable budgeting and even the potential for long-term, fixed-price fuel contracts—unheard of in the diesel world.
Proven Success in Adjacent Sectors: While OTR trucking is in the early stages of adoption, the waste management and transit industries have already proven the model. Nearly 50% of waste refuse trucks and 40% of transit buses in the U.S. now run on natural gas because it is more economical and easier to maintain.
Infrastructure and "Behind the Fence" Solutions: Fleet owners don't have to wait for a public station on every corner. Nopetro specializes in building dedicated fueling stations directly at or near truck terminals. This "hub and spoke" approach ensures that dedicated routes have reliable, high-pressure fueling exactly where they need it.
Sustainability as a Competitive Edge: Large shippers (the Scope 1 and Scope 3 emission-focused companies) are increasingly looking for "greener" partners. Trucking companies using RNG can offer a cleaner solution at the same or lower price than diesel, often securing longer-term contracts (5–7 years) by providing the carbon-neutral results that customers demand.
Learn More About Reducing TCO Through Renewable Natural Gas
Penske's Supply Chain Insight: A Unified View with Mike Medeiros
04 May 2026
00:48:26
In "Penske's Supply Chain Insight: A Unified View," Joe Lynch and Mike Medeiros, Executive Vice President of Operations for Penske Logistics, discuss how their new product, Supply Chain Insight, turns complex data into a proactive tool for supply chain orchestration.
About Mike Medeiros
Mike Medeiros is executive Vice President of Operations for Penske Logistics, where he leads field operations and supports performance across the Penske Transportation Solutions network. He brings extensive leadership experience across transportation and logistics, including dedicated contract carriage and fleet operations. Medeiros has been recognized as a 2026 Pro to Know award recipient by Supply & Demand Chain Executive, honoring leaders driving operational excellence in the supply chain.
About Penske Logistics
Penke Logistics is a Penske Transportation Solutions company headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania. The company is a leading provider of innovative supply chain and logistics solutions. Penske offers solutions including dedicated transportation, distribution center management, 4PL and lead logistics, transportation management, freight brokerage, and a comprehensive array of technologies to keep the world moving forward.
Key Takeaways: Penske's Supply Chain Insight: A Unified View
In "Penske's Supply Chain Insight: A Unified View," Joe Lynch and Mike Medeiros, Executive Vice President of Operations for Penske Logistics, discuss how their new product, Supply Chain Insight, turns complex data into a proactive tool for supply chain orchestration.
Moving from Fragmented Systems to One View: The industry is shifting away from jumping between different TMS, WMS, and ERP systems. Supply Chain Insight provides a "single pane of glass" so you don't have to toggle between multiple windows to make a decision.
Proactive vs. Reactive Operations: With the Supply Chain Insight dashboard, both the logistics provider (Penske) and the shipper look at the same real-time info. This transparency lets teams get "upstream" to resolve problems before they happen, rather than just reacting to late shipments.
Prioritizing Data Quality: The AI and analytics within Supply Chain Insight are only as effective as the data feeding them. The focus is on measuring data quality and ensuring the KPIs you're tracking are accurate and actionable.
AI as a Personal Analyst: A standout feature of Supply Chain Insight is the integrated AI assistant. You can query loads or identify performance trends using natural language, essentially giving you a dedicated supply chain analyst at your fingertips.
Real-Time Asset Coordination: Having total visibility in Supply Chain Insight helps keep freight moving by spotting underutilized assets. For example, finding an empty driver nearby can solve an urgent capacity need and prevent a lost sale.
Battle-Tested Internally: Before launching Supply Chain Insight to customers, Penske had their own associates use it first. This internal testing ensures that the platform is a stable and reliable system of record from day one.
Managing Inventory and Carrying Costs: Visibility in Supply Chain Insight extends beyond the road and into the warehouse. Understanding real-time inventory levels helps shippers minimize carrying costs and avoid the risks of seasonal stock mismatches.
Learn More About Penske's Supply Chain Insight: A Unified View
How FDH Aero is Simplifying the Aerospace Supply Chain with Bob Loycano
30 Apr 2026
00:41:39
In "How FDH Aero is Simplifying the Aerospace Supply Chain", Joe Lynch and Bob Loycano, Vice President, Supply Chain for FDH Aero, discuss how specialized distribution and strategic inventory buffering eliminate bottlenecks in the global aerospace industry.
About Bob Loycano
Bob Loycano serves as Vice President, Supply Chain for FDH Hardware. In his role, Bob is responsible for establishing the purchasing and planning strategies utilized by each of the FDH Aero businesses. He aggregates the collective's purchasing synergies, enabling improved partnerships with suppliers. He reports to President of FDH Hardware, Matt Lacki. Prior to joining FDH Aero, Bob spent seven years as Executive Director of Supply Chain at Wesco. After his time at Wesco, Bob spent 7 years as Vice President of Procurement at KLX Aerospace – three years of which were spent with Boeing Distribution Services, after its acquisition of KLX. During his tenure, Bob oversaw all global procurement, planning, sourcing, and technical support. Bob's experience extends well beyond aerospace distribution – starting his career as an engineer at General Electric Aircraft Engines. He then spent 18 years at Pratt & Whitney as a manufacturing & design engineer, and later, as Commodity Manager. Bob graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Manufacturing Engineering from Boston University. He would go on to earn an MBA from the University of Connecticut.
About FDH Aero
FDH Aero is a trusted global supply chain solutions partner for aerospace and defense companies, helping to shape the industry by simplifying the supply chain. With over 60 years of experience, it specializes in hardware, electrical, consumables & expendables, licensed products, and value-added services for global OEM and aftermarket customers. FDH is headquartered in Commerce, California, and has operations across the Americas, EMEA and APAC. FDH Aero – named a Best Place to Work in Aviation – has locations in 15 countries across the globe, with more than 1,500 best-in-industry employees and over 650,000 square feet of inventory space. For more information, please visit FDHAero.com.
Key Takeaways: How FDH Aero is Simplifying the Aerospace Supply Chain
In "How FDH Aero is Simplifying the Aerospace Supply Chain", Joe Lynch and Bob Loycano, Vice President, Supply Chain for FDH Aero, discuss how specialized distribution and strategic inventory buffering eliminate bottlenecks in the global aerospace industry.
Global Scale and Specialized Scope: FDH Aero is a global supply chain partner with over 60 years of experience, operating in 15 countries with more than 650,000 square feet of inventory space. They specialize in high-criticality components including hardware, electrical parts, and consumables for both the commercial and defense aerospace sectors.
Managing the "Long Tail" of Supply: While major OEMs like Boeing or Airbus buy high-volume parts directly, FDH Aero adds value by managing the "long tail"—the thousands of lower-volume, specialized parts that are difficult for OEMs to forecast or stock individually.
The Criticality of Quality and Safety: In aerospace, every part is essentially a "safety part." Bob highlighted that FDH Aero tests every batch of parts for strength and durability—such as ensuring fasteners are forged rather than cut—before they ever enter their inventory to prevent any single point of failure.
Bridging the Capacity Gap: A major industry challenge is the "skills gap" and labor shortage in manufacturing. FDH Aero acts as a strategic buffer, chasing global capacity and managing long lead times (which can exceed a year for simple nuts and bolts) so that production lines don't stop.
Simplifying Complex Logistics: FDH Aero simplifies the supply chain by acting as a single point of contact for thousands of suppliers and customers. They handle the "onerous" terms and conditions of large OEMs that smaller manufacturers might avoid, while also navigating complex international tariffs and customs.
Inventory as a Service: By carrying approximately 600,000 SKUs, FDH Aero provides "availability as a service." They use their own forecasting expertise to stay "smarter than the customer," ensuring parts are on the shelf before the customer even realizes they have a need, thus preventing "Aircraft on Ground" (AOG) situations.
Economic Efficiency through Aggregation: FDH Aero provides cost savings by buying industry-standard parts in bulk across multiple customers. This allows them to offer lower unit costs than a customer could get by buying small quantities directly from a manufacturer, while also eliminating the customer's internal inventory carrying costs.
Learn More About How FDH Aero is Simplifying the Aerospace Supply Chain
Single-Source Supply Chains in a Fragmenting World with Abe Eshkenazi
28 Apr 2026
00:58:50
In "Single-Source Supply Chains in a Fragmenting World", Joe Lynch and Abe Eshkenazi, Chief Executive Officer at ASCM, discuss the shift from low-cost efficiency to resilient, regionalized networks. They emphasize that visibility and talent are now the primary tools for navigating global disruption.
About Abe Eshkenazi
Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, CPA, CAE is chief executive officer at ASCM, the largest organization for supply chain and the global pacesetter of organizational transformation, talent development and supply chain innovation. During his tenure, ASCM has significantly expanded its services to corporations, individuals and communities; its revenue has more than doubled; and three mergers were completed in response to heightened industry awareness and the vast and ongoing global impact of supply chains. A trusted industry leader, Abe has served as a longstanding source of thought leadership on emerging trends impacting the supply chain space. He's championed supply chain careers via upskilling and pushed for a broader understanding of supply chain space to those outside of the industry. He was a driving force in the development of the documentary, The Chain: How the World Works, a six-part series aimed to demystify the supply chain industry and highlight its importance in everyday life. Previously, Abe was managing director of the Operations Consulting Group of American Express Tax and Business Services. Abe holds a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University, Kellogg Graduate School of Management; a Master of Business Administration from DePaul University; and a bachelor's degree in business from Northeastern Illinois University.
About the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM)
The Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) is the global pacesetter of organizational transformation, talent development and supply chain innovation. As the largest association for supply chain, ASCM members and worldwide alliances fuel innovation and inspire accountability for resilient, dynamic and sustainable operations. ASCM is built on a foundation of world-class APICS education, certification and career resources, which encompasses award winning workforce development, relevant content, groundbreaking industry standards and a diverse community of professionals who are driven to create a better world through supply chain.
About The Chain: How the World Works – ASCM Docuseries
"The Chain: How the World Works" is a new docuseries produced by The Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM), available now on Amazon Prime. "The Chain" is a bold, engaging exploration of the global supply chain and the people who keep it moving. Through expert interviews, real-world stories, and cinematic storytelling, it offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the systems that power our world. The six-part series dives deep into the challenges and innovations shaping the future of supply chains revealing the hidden infrastructure behind everyday life, from the food in your supermarket to the journey of your favorite pair of jeans. Each episode focuses on a unique topic, for example "The Sports Industry Isn't All About the Game—It's a High-Stakes, Global Supply Chain" and "The Hidden Journey of Pain Relief: How the World's Morphine is Made, Tracked, and Unequally Shared" ASCM's docuseries aims to educate the public, elevate the profession, and highlight the critical role supply chains play in global stability and sustainability. How to watch: The Chain: How the World Works docuseries on Amazon Prime or learn more at ASCM.org.
Key Takeaways: Single-Source Supply Chains in a Fragmenting World
In "Single-Source Supply Chains in a Fragmenting World", Joe Lynch and Abe Eshkenazi, Chief Executive Officer at ASCM, discussthe shift from low-cost efficiency to resilient, regionalized networks. They emphasize that visibility and talent are now the primary tools for navigating global disruption.
The Shift from Invisible to Visible: Historically, supply chains were only noticed when they failed. Abe emphasizes that we are moving toward a world where the "invisible" story of a product—its origin, environmental impact, and labor conditions—is now a core consumer and regulatory demand.
Defining the "Choke Point" Risk: A single-source supply chain creates a critical vulnerability where an entire operation depends on one supplier, region, or facility. While efficient for cost, these "choke points" (like Taiwan for chips or China for pharmaceutical ingredients) offer no alternatives when geopolitical or environmental disruptions occur.
The "Visibility Gap" Beyond Tier 1: Most organizations lack insight into their Tier 3 and Tier 4 suppliers. Abe notes that while visibility at the top level has improved, the deepest disruptions often happen deep in the sub-tiers where vendors lack the resources to handle shocks.
Digital Transformation vs. Talent Investment: While companies are heavily investing in technology like AI and ERP systems for better data, there is a significant gap in human talent. Technology is only as effective as the professionals who possess the critical thinking skills to leverage it.
The Re-balancing of "Just-in-Time" to "Just-in-Case": The industry is moving away from a pure focus on speed and low cost toward "risk-adjusted" decision-making. This includes building inventory buffers, creating flexible contracts with "tariff clauses," and ensuring optionality in logistics routes.
Regionalization and Shorter Supply Chains: Geopolitical fragmentation is pushing the world toward a "multipolar" model. Supply chains are becoming shorter and more regional (nearshoring) to improve security and sustainability, even if this results in higher costs that must be absorbed.
Collaboration as a Strategic Skill: Supply chain management is no longer a siloed back-office function. Success now requires "soft skills" to lead cross-functional collaboration between the Chief Supply Chain Officer, CFO, and Chief Sustainability Officer to balance financial health with operational resilience.
Learn More About Single-Source Supply Chains in a Fragmenting World
The Rise of Freight Orchestration with GoodShip's Derek Netelenbos
23 Apr 2026
00:49:37
In "The Rise of Freight Orchestration with GoodShip's Derek Netelenbos", Joe Lynch and Derek Netelenbos, VP of Partnerships at GoodShip, discuss how an orchestration layer unifies fragmented data to shift logistics from reactive manual tasks to proactive, AI-driven strategy.
About Derek Netelenbos
Derek Netelenbos is the VP of Partnerships at GoodShip, the all-in-one platform for freight orchestration and procurement, built for transportation teams, by transportation teams. Derek brings extensive experience building and scaling partnerships and revenue organizations across the logistics and technology sectors. Prior to GoodShip, Derek held leadership roles at Parade, Metafora, Convoy, Groupon and Expedia, where he built and led high-performing teams across sales, sales operations, business development, account management, and strategic partnerships.
About GoodShip
GoodShip is the all-in-one platform for freight orchestration and procurement, built for transportation teams, by transportation teams. GoodShip unifies freight data, surfaces real-time insights, and helps teams move from reactive decision-making to coordinated, data-driven execution. With the recent launch of Laney, the industry's first AI Transportation Analyst, teams can ask questions about their network and receive in-depth answers in seconds through an intuitive, conversational interface. Learn more at www.goodship.io.
Key Takeaways: The Rise of Freight Orchestration
In "The Rise of Freight Orchestration with GoodShip's Derek Netelenbos", Joe Lynch and Derek Netelenbos, VP of Partnerships at GoodShip, discuss how an orchestration layer unifies fragmented data to shift logistics from reactive manual tasks to proactive, AI-driven strategy.
The "Orchestration" Solution: GoodShip acts as an orchestration layer that unifies disparate data from TMS, ERP, WMS, and visibility platforms. This allows teams to move from reactive, fragmented decision-making to coordinated, data-driven execution.
Automated Scorecarding: One of the biggest pain points discussed was the manual effort required to create carrier scorecards. GoodShip automates this process, providing a "single source of truth" that both shippers and carriers can view simultaneously to ensure transparency and performance alignment.
Laney, the AI Analyst: GoodShip introduced Laney, an embedded AI agent that allows users to ask complex, unstructured questions about their freight network. Instead of sifting through pivot tables, users can ask Laney to simulate scenarios—like the cost implications of reallocating volume from an underperforming carrier.
Modernizing the RFP Process: Traditionally, RFPs were "root canal" events done once a year due to their complexity. GoodShip streamlines procurement, allowing shippers to run more frequent (e.g., quarterly) mini-bids with high-fidelity data, which reduces risk for carriers and leads to more resilient pricing.
Expansion to LSPs and Brokers: While GoodShip started with a focus on shippers, the platform has officially expanded to help Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) and brokers. This helps the "sell side" respond to bids more efficiently and manage their own carrier networks with better intelligence.
Rapid Deployment via Flat Files: To avoid the long implementation cycles common in logistics tech, GoodShip specializes in ingesting "flat file" data (spreadsheets, scraped emails, etc.). This allows them to go from contract signing to full deployment in just three to four weeks.
Data as an Asset: Derek emphasized that every company's historical operating history is a "gold mine" of insights. Orchestration is the process of mining that data to uncover hidden efficiencies that were previously buried in tribal knowledge or disconnected systems.
Learn More About The Rise of Freight Orchestration
Navigating Energy Markets with Breakthrough's Matt Muenster
21 Apr 2026
01:06:18
In "Navigating Energy Markets with Breakthrough's Matt Muenster", Joe Lynch and Matt Muenster, Chief Economist at Breakthrough, discuss how data-driven transparency and strategic fuel management help shippers navigate global energy volatility and decarbonization.
About Matt Muenster
Matt Muenster, Chief Economist at Breakthrough, brings extensive expertise spanning energy, freight, and sustainability across global supply chains. In his role, Matt leads a team of supply chain analysts who deliver actionable market intelligence to some of the world's largest enterprise shippers across the food, beverage, retail, and packaging industries.Known for translating complex market dynamics into practical insights, Matt serves as a trusted advisor to executive leaders navigating energy market volatility, freight cycles, and decarbonization goals. He is a sought‑after speaker at industry conferences and a frequent contributor to leading business and logistics publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Logistics Management. Matt holds a master's degree in economics from Bowling Green State University and a bachelor's degree from St. Norbert College.
About Breakthrough
Breakthrough, a U.S. Venture company, is a leading provider of sustainable fuel and freight solutions that reduce costs, improve network efficiency, and decarbonize transportation. Powered by more than $35 billion in annual freight spend data, advanced technology, and deep market expertise, Breakthrough delivers freight optimization and actionable strategies for the world's leading brands, helping transform transportation into a more effective and sustainable ecosystem. Breakthrough is a multi-year Top Food Chain Technology honoree from Food Shippers of America, Owens Corning Supplier of the Year, and recipient of the 2025 Top Supply Chain Projects Award from Supply & Demand Chain Executive and Food Logistics.
Key Takeaways: Navigating Energy Markets
In "Navigating Energy Markets with Breakthrough's Matt Muenster", Joe Lynch and Matt Muenster, Chief Economist at Breakthrough, discuss how data-driven transparency and strategic fuel management help shippers navigate global energy volatility and decarbonization.
Navigating "Strait Talk" Volatility: Energy volatility, driven by geopolitical macro forces and refining constraints, has replaced freight rates as the primary driver of transportation costs in 2026.
Precision Through Market-Based Reimbursement: Moving beyond lagging, "one-size-fits-all" indexes, Breakthrough aligns fuel reimbursements with real-time variables including time, price, taxes, and specific origin/destination pairs.
The Referee Effect and Strategic Fairness: By removing fuel from margin negotiations, Breakthrough acts as a neutral party, allowing shippers and carriers to build trust and focus on service and long-term partnerships.
Data-Driven Risk Management via the FELIX Platform: Shippers utilize FELIX (Freight, Energy, Load, Information, and eXperience)—Breakthrough's strategic transportation intelligence platform—to move from reactive cost management to proactive risk management in an AI-driven economy.
Sustainability as an Operational Lever: Breakthrough helps enterprise shippers integrate alternative energy adoption and route optimization into their broader risk-management strategies to hedge against diesel volatility.
Impact on Freight Behavior and Capacity: Energy market disruptions are directly influencing carrier equipment investments and purchasing decisions, which in turn affects linehaul rates and capacity availability through the remainder of 2026.
OCM: The New Standard for Global Imports with Century's Jim McCullen
14 Apr 2026
01:04:02
In "OCM: The New Standard for Global Imports with Century's Jim McCullen", Joe Lynch and Jim McCullen, Chief Technology Officer at Century Supply Chain Solutions, discuss how Origin Cargo Management provides the upstream visibility and tactical control necessary to optimize global supply chains before goods ever leave the factory.
About Jim McCullen
Jim McCullen serves as Chief Technology Officer at Century Supply Chain Solutions, bringing over 30 years of deep expertise in logistics technology, digital transformation, and innovation. He leads global technology teams that pioneer Century's proprietary VIZIV platform, an end-to-end supply chain technology platform designed to manage every aspect of operations with precision, visibility, and scalability. By transforming complex global supply chains into efficient, data-driven ecosystems, VIZIV empowers smarter decisions, anticipates disruptions, and unlocks precision visibility and efficiency. Jim is shaping the future of logistics through decades of hands-on leadership and a visionary approach to human-AI partnership and scalable integrations. His forward-thinking strategy strengthens Century's technological leadership, propels enduring innovation, and positions the company for competitive advantage in an increasingly dynamic world.
About Century Supply Chain Solutions
Century Supply Chain Solutions is a tech-enabled global logistics provider with operations across more than 70 countries. Delivering end-to-end supply chain solutions across ocean, air, ground, and warehousing, Century is supported by a strong physical presence at key origin and destination markets. At the core of Century's offering is Origin Cargo Management (OCM), a comprehensive, upstream solution that manages the flow of goods from purchase order issuance through supplier coordination and origin execution. By working directly with suppliers, carriers, and partners at origin, Century ensures shipments are compliant, optimized, and ready for efficient global transport before they leave the factory. Century's proprietary platform, VIZIV® is powered by predictive AI and provides real-time visibility and optimization across supply chains. Combined with decades of expertise and boots-on-the-ground support, Century helps optimize performance, manage risk, and keep supply chains a step ahead in a dynamic global market.
Key Takeaways: OCM: The New Standard for Global Imports
In "OCM: The New Standard for Global Imports with Century's Jim McCullen", Joe Lynch and Jim McCullen, Chief Technology Officer at Century Supply Chain Solutions, discuss how Origin Cargo Management provides the upstream visibility and tactical control necessary to optimize global supply chains before goods ever leave the factory.
OCM as the Global Orchestrator: Jim defines Origin Cargo Management as the "middleman" between thousands of global vendors and transportation providers, ensuring supply chains are optimized before goods even leave the factory.
Solving the "Goldilocks" Inventory Dilemma: OCM provides the precision needed to keep inventory lean—avoiding the high costs of overstocking while ensuring products are available exactly when the consumer demands them.
The Power of "Automation Exhaust": Using the VIZIV® platform, Century captures data from AI routing engines. This "exhaust" allows for deep scenario planning and smarter decision-making based on trusted, cleansed data.
Tactical Agility via "Vibe" Technology: Century's Vibe system allows importers to instantly "flip a switch" to halt or divert cargo during disruptions (like tariff changes or port fires), replacing manual chaos with automated control.
Direct Cost Savings & ROI: Century drives value by consolidating smaller shipments into full containers (CFS-CY) to eliminate "shipping air" and utilizes duty reduction programs to strip inland origin costs from taxable goods.
Giving Logistics Teams "Superpowers": By providing a single source of truth, OCM shifts logistics teams from "messy execution" and manual tracking to a proactive, consultative role backed by certified performance facts.
Upstream Action for Downstream Gain: The most impactful supply chain decisions happen at the origin. By managing the "black hole" of vendor bookings and factory compliance, Century ensures a smoother, more predictable journey to the final destination.
Learn More About OCM: The New Standard for Global Imports
REPOST: Smarter Landside Logistics with Brian Kobza
09 Apr 2026
00:35:11
In "Smarter Landside Logistics", Joe Lynch and Brian Kobza, Chief Commercial Officer at IMC Logistics, discuss leveraging IMC's asset-based capacity, actionable visibility, and end-to-end services—all underpinned by strong relationships—is essential for achieving greater control and cargo velocity in the critical first and last mile of the supply chain.
About Brian Kobza
Brian Kobza is the Chief Commercial Officer at IMC Logistics, with over 20 years of experience in the transportation and supply chain industry. His expertise covers various aspects of the sector, including positions at marine terminals, ocean carriers, ports, and landside logistics companies. In his current role, he oversees all commercial activities and new initiatives to ensure profitability and market leadership through a focus on customer experience and cargo velocity. Brian firmly believes that relationships are vital in this industry, and that enterprise growth and supply chain efficiency can be attained through fostering deeper customer relationships and partnerships. Prior to his appointment with IMC Logistics, Brian served in operational and commercial roles at Global Container Terminals, The Port of Virginia, CSX, Hyundai Merchant Marine, and Maersk. In addition to professional roles, Brian holds volunteer positions as the 2025 President for the Traffic Club of New York and as an Advisory Board Member at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Brian is a proud alumnus of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, where he earned a BS in Marine Engineering and secured his United States Coast Guard 3rd assistant engineer's license. Further enhancing his business acumen, Brian obtained an MBA in International Business from Amberton University.
About IMC Logistics
IMC Logistics provides smarter landside logistics, giving clients greater control through the first and last mile. Starting as a regional drayage provider with just one truck and one driver, IMC Logistics has grown across the U.S. to be a leading marine drayage operator in the U.S. IMC Logistics provides drayage, container storage, transloading, intermodal rail, chassis provisioning, project logistics, SmartStacks and destination cargo management services. IMC Logistics delivers their clients' supply chains with actionable visibility, asset-based truck capacity, industry leading sustainability, and long-established regional expertise across the nation.
Key Takeaways: Smarter Landside Logistics
In "Smarter Landside Logistics", Joe Lynch and Brian Kobza, Chief Commercial Officer at IMC Logistics, discuss how to achieve greater cargo velocity, supply chain efficiency, and market leadership by leveraging actionable visibility, asset-based capacity, and deeper customer relationships across the first and last mile.
Freight Market Reality: The industry is currently navigating an unprecedented 3.5-year freight recession, emphasizing the critical need for operational discipline and stable partnerships to ensure market survival and cargo velocity.
The IANA Imperative: The Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) and the IANA Expo 2025 in Long Beach are essential for the intermodal industry, serving as the primary platform for crucial collaboration, shared insights, and showcasing future-focused technology.
Relationships Drive Efficiency: Fostering deeper customer and partner relationships is the most vital philosophy for achieving both enterprise growth and significant supply chain efficiency across the first and last mile.
IMC's Asset-Based Leadership: IMC Logistics, the largest drayage provider in the USA, demonstrates that true "smarter landside logistics" means leading with asset-based truck capacity, ensuring reliable service and market stability.
Actionable Visibility: Modern logistics demands more than simple tracking; the key differentiator is providing actionable visibility—data that enables clients and partners to make immediate, informed decisions, thereby improving predictability.
Combating Industry Risks: A major focus must be placed on deploying robust strategies to combat growing threats like freight fraud, cargo theft, and cyber-security vulnerabilities to protect supply chain integrity and valuable assets.
Sustainability Leadership: Integrating industry-leading sustainability is a core requirement; IMC, as a market leader, is driving this by investing in EV and Hydrogen drayage vehicles at the Port of Long Beach to significantly reduce emissions.
Cargo Velocity Mandate: Smarter commercial strategy must be anchored in two non-negotiable goals: rapidly increasing cargo velocity and maintaining a relentless focus on the superior customer experience.