Trucking News Roundup: Texas RICO Suit vs Brokers, Van Rejections Stick, ATA Tonnage Soft, Tesla Semi Orders

Carriers sue C.H. Robinson and TQL under RICO in East Texas court

FreightWaves reported Sept. 26 that six carriers — Stevens Trucking, Western Flyer Express, Freymiller (D&M Carriers), IWX Motor Freight, Christenson Transportation, and E.O.S. Inc. — filed a federal lawsuit in the Eastern District of Texas accusing C.H. Robinson and TQL of a RICO pattern tied to forced labor and wire fraud.

The complaint alleges the brokers funneled freight through "Illegal Carriers," including chameleon-carrier networks that shut down bad DOT numbers and reopen under new names. Super Ego Trucking is cited as an example network (not named as a defendant) after prior 60 Minutes scrutiny. Plaintiffs also claim the brokers operate like motor carriers — trailers, dispatch, care/custody/control — while keeping broker registration to avoid motor-carrier reporting.

Counsel Trey Duck (Nix Patterson, Austin) said the brokers "sold the safety of American roads to the lowest bidder." Neither broker had issued a substantive response by FreightWaves' publication time.

What it means: Broker liability and carrier vetting are not abstract legal talk — this case was filed in Texas. DFW shippers who want verified asset trucks — and drivers who refuse to compete with chameleon capacity — should stick with carriers that run their own authority. Serious CDL-A seats — company drivers / owner-operators. Freight quote — get one here.

• Source: FreightWaves: New lawsuit approach accusing C.H. Robinson, TQL of RICO violations

Van tender rejections hold near 14% as capacity stays fragile

FreightWaves SONAR Update (Sept. 25): the National Tender Rejection Index is holding near 14% — a secondary peak close to Labor Day levels — with dry van driving most of the pressure. Van accounts for roughly 60%–70% of U.S. tendered freight, so even modest rejection moves matter more than swings in reefer or flatbed.

Zach Strickland stressed demand is not the main story: tender volumes ticked up after the holiday but remain below April. Reefer rejections run near 20% on harvest freight; flatbed near 19%. Midwest markets — Columbus, Joliet, Allentown, Elizabeth, NJ — show the stickiest rejections, with Joliet's rail hub called out. Van spot maps are mostly firming; Atlanta and Greenville, SC are soft spots. Quarter-end usually brings a late push, but Strickland said this van pressure arrived earlier than seasonal norms.

What it means: Fragile capacity still gives honest fleets pricing leverage on some lanes even when volume is not booming. Melissa/DFW company drivers and owner-operators who can cover regional and OTR van — company drivers / owner-operators. Shippers locking Q4 vans — get a freight quote.

• Source: FreightWaves: Van freight tightens up as capacity stays fragile

ATA: August tonnage down 0.5% — capacity, not demand, flipped the market

American Trucking Associations (Sept. 22): the advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index fell 0.5% in August to 112.7 after a 1.2% July drop (July revised lower). Year-over-year August was down 1.6%.

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said the market "flipped" this year because of reduced capacity, not robust demand — tonnage was down in four of the last five months and 4.3% off the March peak, yet "because of all the supply constraints… the market is generally better." Year-to-date tonnage is still up about 1% versus 2025 on early-year strength. NSA index: 116.1, down 0.6% from July.

What it means: Soft tonnage with a firmer feel is the capacity story in one chart. Asset-based fleets that stayed compliant still matter when empty trucks leave the board. CDL-A hiring Melissa/DFW — company drivers / owner-operators. Texas shippers who need a truck that shows — get a freight quote.

• Source: ATA: Truck tonnage index fell 0.5% in August

Tesla lands order for up to 2,500 Semis; factory visits start

Transport Topics (Sept. 23): a shipper-backed coalition (ZET SCALE / ZET Financial) ordered as many as 2,500 Tesla Semi Class 8 tractors, with first deliveries targeted in Q4 2026. ZET Financial would purchase and lease units to participating shippers and carriers; the coalition aims toward a broader 10,000 battery-electric truck deployment goal.

Tesla began high-volume Semi production at its Reno, Nev., plant in April and told IAA attendees it would host carrier factory visits the week of Sept. 21. Planned deployment hubs include Dallas among other major metros. Battery-electric Class 8 remains a small slice of new truck sales industry-wide; most fleets will still run diesel for long-haul economics into the next decade.

What it means: EV headline volume is real for some lanes and shipper programs, but diesel asset capacity still moves most DFW freight today. Drivers and shippers who need trucks now — company drivers / owner-operators / get a freight quote.

• Source: Transport Topics: Tesla lands order for up to 2,500 Semis

FMCSA opens rulemaking to close drug-possession OOS loophole

Transport Topics (Sept. 17): FMCSA granted a Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance petition and started rulemaking on 49 CFR 392.4. CVSA argued that after drugs are confiscated at a roadside stop, a later officer may find no contraband to support a new possession violation — so an out-of-service order can be hard to enforce.

The proposal would mirror alcohol rules: place drivers out of service for 24 hours for drug-possession violations and make it explicitly illegal to drive while that order is in effect. Administrator Derek Barrs said the petition justified opening the process but that a final rule is not guaranteed — public comment still comes next.

What it means: Enforcement keeps tightening around who is allowed to stay behind the wheel. Legitimate Class A CDL holders with a current DOT medical card remain the Maas hiring baseline. Apply — company drivers / owner-operators. Shippers who want vetted capacity — get a freight quote.

• Source: Transport Topics: FMCSA looks to close OOS loophole for drug possession

More news

• Trucking News Roundup: Short-Haul Surge, Diesel Export Ban Talk, Schneider on Tight Capacity, NTDAW Congress Praise
• Trucking News Roundup: ATA Tonnage Dips, Fuel Hauler HOS Waiver, Texas Unlicensed Dump Trucks, ELP Out-of-Service Rule, Non-Domiciled CDL Court Fight
• Trucking News Roundup: 16 Carrier Bankruptcies, EIA Diesel $6.529 Record, DAT Reefer Spot $3.59, FMCSA Motus Inactive Glitch