The TIA Podcast

The drayage market isn't slowing down, it's merely shifting. Driver capacity is shrinking fast, liability rules just changed, and intermodal is having a moment. We brought in some of the sharpest operators in the business to explain what's happening, why it matters, and what brokers should do right now. Just the intel you need to stay ahead in the second half of 2026.

This episode explores how the Digital Standards Development Council (DSDC) is building a common digital language for freight. Learn why EDI still matters, where APIs add real-time value, how standards support AI, and practical steps shippers, carriers, brokers, and 3PLs can take to start adopting them.

Explore how freight brokers can adopt automation without overhauling existing workflows. This episode covers practical strategies for using freight technology to improve carrier sourcing, booking, tracking, compliance, and payment processes while maintaining control over margin and service. Learn how automation can reduce manual tasks, support after-hours coverage, increase operational efficiency,...

In this episode, Alex Winston, Co-Founder and Chief Legal Officer at Expedite All, breaks down what freight brokers need to know about contracts to protect their margins and operate with confidence in 2026. Alex covers the most common, and costly, contract mistakes brokers make, from blanket consequential damages waivers that leave your business exposed, to missing non-solicitation clauses that le...

Listen as Chuck Cook and Cameron Brown from RenovoData break down why disaster recovery is a critical business strategy for freight brokers and 3PLs, not just an IT problem. The conversation covers the key differences between data backup and a full disaster recovery plan, common planning mistakes organizations make, and how cloud infrastructure has modernized recovery capabilities. Chuck and Camer...

In this episode, Tom Curee of Qued and Shawn McLeod of Axle Logistics sit down for a candid conversation about what it really means to use technology the right way in freight brokerage. They dig into how to evaluate new tools without falling for shiny object syndrome, why process improvement has to come before automation, and how to get genuine buy-in across a 700+ person organization. Most import...

Most transportation business owners are building toward a $100 million valuation, and most are doing it wrong. Spencer Tenney, President & CEO of Tenney Group, has spent nearly 25 years advising transportation and logistics companies through mergers and acquisitions. In this conversation, he breaks down the three pillars every owner needs to master: controlling the controllables, respecting th...

AI is no longer a freight industry buzzword, it's a competitive requirement. In this episode, Alex Rigot, Sales Director at Banyan Technology, and Matt Silea, Senior Solutions Engineer, break down how AI agents are reshaping daily freight operations for 3PLs, shippers, and carriers. From exceptions management to predictive tracking to carrier onboarding, they share what's actually working...

What does theft and cargo fraud look like right now? Who does it impact, and what can people do about it? Nick Anderson from Roanoke Insurance Group digs into these hot topics, and gives his perspective.

A great conversation at Capital Ideas with Nick Hubbard of HubFlow centered around what the market is doing, where it's heating up, and where brokers should be chasing automation. If you're interested in the best way to quickly and efficiently take advantage of spot rates, this is for you!

Josh Asbury from Broker Pro/Infinity Software Solutions joined the Live Desk at Capital Ideas to talk about the latest tools that BrokerPro is working on, an what he expects going forward. The conversation centered around how AI is entering the brokerage arena, and what 3PL pros can expect. He also discusses an important partnership with CloneOps.ai, and what that could mean for users of both plat...

Brent Evens from OTR Solutions joined the Live Desk at Capital Ideas to talk about the latest offering, OTR Select. This new tool is aimed to change the game, and help brokers and carriers connect in a way that matters best to them. He also digs into the trends he's seeing in the market, and what might be coming down the pike.

Michael Nolan and Jonathan Britva of Republic Partners joined the Live Desk at Capital Ideas to talk about how brokers should be considering mergers, acquisitions, and what that landscape looks like in 2026 and beyond. Topics include: • The "New Normal" in Logistics M&A: How the market has shifted from the frenzy of 2021-2023 to a more disciplined environment where capital is abundan...

Straight from the TIA Live Desk at Capital Ideas 2026, compensation wiz Beth Carroll of Prosper.io discusses the evolving face of how brokers are paid and compensated in the face of artificial intelligence and new automation tools. If it sounds dry at first glance, take a second one! This was a wonderful chat about things people don't consider, and how these new technologies are changing the w...

From the TIA Live Desk at Capital Ideas 2026, Brian Smith of Banyan Technology talks the evolving landscape of modern broker tech, and what people should be looking for. Topics include: • The growing role of AI in day-to-day freight execution • How embedded AI tools and agents are helping teams interpret signals and act faster • The use of AI to uncover cost-saving opportunities and improve operat...

The most dangerous cyber threats hitting freight brokers right now are not sophisticated hacks. They are fraud schemes designed to exploit the workflows your team runs on autopilot every single day. Listen as three experts break down what a real attack looks like in practice, why size does not protect you, and what to do in the first 24 hours when something goes wrong. The conversation covers carr...

The freight market is tighter than it's been in years, and the brokers winning right now are not necessarily the biggest ones. They're the fastest and the most adaptable. In this episode, three industry veterans for a candid conversation about what is actually happening in the market right now. Spot volume is up 25 to 30% quarter over quarter, capacity is leaving the market at a record pac...

Most brokers are hunting for trucks on the same load boards, chasing the same capacity, competing on the same lanes. Three brokerage experts think there's a better way — and the trucks are already out there. In this episode, they examine a category of capacity that represents 45% of trucks on the road but almost never shows up in a broker's network: private fleets, dedicated fleets, and oc...

Most freight brokers only look at what they pay carriers. Adam Lawhorn, senior analytics consultant at DAT, thinks that's leaving serious money on the table. In this episode, Adam walks through what DAT's shipper spot rate data actually reveals about broker margin — and the findings are counterintuitive. More than half of brokers paying above-market carrier rates still beat average margin....

In this episode, we're joined by Marc Blubaugh, co-chair of the transportation and logistics practice at Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff and outside general counsel for TIA, fresh off attending oral arguments in Montgomery v. CH Robinson at the U.S. Supreme Court. Marc walks us through the history of the F4A, what the circuit split actually means for brokers operating in different s...

In this episode, we sit down with Dhruv Gupta, CEO and co-founder of Drumkit, to work through the real calculus of automation in freight brokerage — where it creates leverage, where it erodes trust, and how to tell the difference before it costs you a customer. We dig into the practical framework he uses to separate what should be automated from what shouldn't, why he thinks AI will actually m...

Cargo theft isn't what it used to be - and that's exactly the problem. In this episode, we sit down with Scott Cornell from Logistiq Insurance Solutions to break down how cargo theft transformed from a regional, smash-and-grab problem into a sophisticated, international operation that's left freight brokers scrambling to keep up. Scott walks us through the staggering numbers including...

Freight brokers spend 90% of their time analyzing stale data—reports that are 30-45 days old. But what if you could operate in real time? In this episdoe, we explore how to shift from descriptive analytics (what happened) to predictive insights (what's happening now). Learn why speed to market beats rock-bottom pricing, how to uncover the "hidden factory" draining your resources, and...

In this TIA Education live stream, CFO Alex Fritz and industry veteran Jim Kenny, PhD, expose the hidden costs that silently drain brokerage margins—and why your team's focus on gross profit might be killing your business. You'll learn: Why a $1,000 load with 10% margin can actually lose you money The transaction cost breakdown most brokers miss (hint: it's over $200 per load) How to c...

Join TIA's Rail Logistics Committee for a critical discussion on the escalating threat of freight fraud and cargo theft in the transportation industry. Industry leaders share firsthand experiences with sophisticated fraud schemes—from stolen high-value liquor shipments with intact seals to organized theft rings targeting nuts and specialty goods. Featuring perspectives from brokers, carriers,...