Today's freight market is like a poker game

Want to start a heated discussion at the Thanksgiving dinner table this year? Ask whether the driver shortage is truth or a myth. If you take the OOIDA's opinion — it's a longstanding myth. What say you?

In addition to this week's regular lineup, we've got a heartwarming story about two drivers with a combined century of driving experience between them who hauled The People's Tree from Alaska to Washington, D.C. Happy Thanksgiving!

Today's Lineup
🔷 Your turkey's supply-chain journey to the Thanksgiving table
🔷 Today's freight market is like a poker game
🔷 Big truck OEMs sued in an alleged EV conspiracy
🔷 FMCSA moves ahead with changes to safety rating system
🔷 Trucking's nuclear verdicts keep getting worse

 ⬆️ $3.539

AVG. COST OF DIESEL PER GALLON IN U.S. AS OF 11/25, UP 0.048¢

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

From Alaska to D.C.: Transporting The People's Tree

Once just a sapling nestled in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, a Sitka spruce grew quietly under towering giants. This fall, it was chosen to embark on a 3,000-mile journey to become a beacon of holiday cheer.

After a several-week trip, that tree now stands proudly on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, carrying the spirit of Alaska to the nation. The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, affectionately known as The People’s Tree in tribute to the U.S. House of Representatives, has graced the Capitol every holiday season since 1970. Each year, a different National Forest is chosen to provide this iconic tree, celebrating the unity and natural beauty of the nation.

The journey of this legendary tree wouldn’t have been possible without Lynden Transport drivers John Schank and Fred Austin — two extraordinary men with nearly 100 years of combined driving experience and 10 million accident-free miles. Together, they guided the People’s Tree on its final route to the nation’s capital, spreading joy and tradition to towns along the way.

This year’s tree, transported on a custom Hale Trailer and a Kenworth T680 tractor, made 11 stops across the country before reaching its destination. Thanks to Kenworth’s TruckTech+ connected truck technology, people across the U.S. could track the tree’s journey in real-time as it traveled from Alaska to Washington, D.C.

For Schank, a proud “farm boy” from North Branch, Mich., the journey brought a personal surprise. In Fort Wayne, Ind., 70 of his relatives turned out to greet him with signs, hugs and handshakes. “It felt like a homecoming,” Schank tells The Inside Lane, reflecting on how far he’s come — from small-town roots to delivering a tree to the Capitol.

Schank’s white beard and twinkling eyes even had kids along the way mistaking him for Santa Claus, a role he happily embraced. This marks his second time delivering The People’s Tree, having first taken on the honor in 2015.

For Austin, who will soon celebrate his 90th birthday, this was his first time embarking on this special trip. A native of North Pole, Alaska, the symbolism of the journey wasn’t lost on him. “It’s incredible to be part of something so meaningful,” says Austin.

This isn’t just a story about hauling freight. It’s about tradition, the dedication of drivers like Schank and Austin, and the essence of the holiday season: gratitude for where we come from, appreciation for what we have, and hope for where we’re going. -Bianca Prieto

See more photos in The Inside Lane.

Above, from left: Drivers John Schank and Fred Austin (Courtesy of Lynden Transport)

Truck driver shortage: industry problem or just a myth?

Trucking stakeholders have long debated the realities of a driver shortage, and the topic came up once again at a recent FreightWaves event. 

The panelists — including an executive from the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which has long disputed the driver shortage — said the bigger problem is high turnover. 

"There is definitely a shortage ... of adequate pay and benefits for drivers," one panelist says.

Why this matters: Reframing the driver shortage as a driver turnover issue may shift how fleets address recruitment and retention.  

Get more details at FreightWaves.

• TURKEY TRANSPORT: Track a turkey's journey from farm to table
• BRIGHT OUTLOOK: FTR predicts stronger freight rates in 2025
• RISK ALERT: Cargo theft risk high today through Monday
• TRUCK FLIP: Dash cam records driver tipping over

2021: The good ol' days of trucking

"We often look back longingly at 2021 as the time when things were so perfect in the trucking industry." - Trucking Made Successful

Remember shippers clamoring for capacity and the nice high rates of 2021? YouTube creator Trucking Made Successful notes that it wasn't just the rates the industry saw back then, but also the consistent market and rate environment. In contrast, today is like "playing poker with the universe."

Check out the video here. 

EQUIPMENT

Truck OEMs blasted over alleged EV conspiracy
The biggest truck manufacturers and the California Air Resources Board inked a partnership to focus on EV manufacturing, but not everyone is happy about it. Nebraska filed a lawsuit against the OEMs, and the American Trucking Associations called on the truck makers to abandon the agreement. 

Why this matters: Opponents of the partnership say it would reduce the number of diesel trucks at a time when EV charging infrastructure is still sparse and electric trucks are more expensive — in short, leading to higher costs for fleets. (Nebraska Examiner)

SAFETY

FMCSA plows ahead with changes to safety ratings

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will make a handful of changes to its Safety Measurement System after gathering industry feedback and comments. The changes include reorganized safety categories, a bigger focus on recent violations and more. 

Why this matters: Safety is paramount in trucking, and fleets will need to take note of how the revamped system affects their safety ratings. Carriers can preview here how the changes affect them. (Overdrive)

LEGAL

Why trucking's nuclear verdicts are getting worse

Nuclear verdicts are nothing new to the trucking industry, but they're skyrocketing with awards in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Why? "It’s not because of bad judges, or bad laws, or bad lawyers or bad juries. The answer is anger," says attorney Jennifer Akre.

Why this matters: Multi-million dollar jury awards are becoming a necessarily evil of operating in the trucking sector. It's yet another risk fleet executives have to take into account. (Heavy Duty Trucking)

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The Inside Lane is curated and written by Shefali Kapadia and edited by Bianca Prieto.