Freightwaves iconFreightwavesSep 23, 2026 ~5 min source read

What Smart Supply Chain Operators Are Watching Right Now

The shipper told Ferguson that rates were secondary to liability exposure in the wake of the post-Montgomery ruling, a posture Ferguson described as unlike anything he had previously encountered in years of pitching that account. The shift reflects broader anxiety rippling through the brokerage market following the C.H.

What Smart Supply Chain Operators Are Watching Right Now

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The shipper told Ferguson that rates were secondary to liability exposure in the wake of the post-Montgomery ruling, a posture Ferguson described as unlike anything he had previously encountered in years of...

The shift reflects broader anxiety rippling through the brokerage market following the C.H.

The useful part

The shipper told Ferguson that rates were secondary to liability exposure in the wake of the post-Montgomery ruling, a posture Ferguson described as unlike anything he had previously encountered in years of pitching that account. The shift reflects broader anxiety rippling through the brokerage market following the C.H. Robinson faced a $604 million verdict in which it was found 23% responsible — a share that aligns almost exactly with its $135 million insurance policy.

How it works

  • "I'm still close enough to the business where I understand how we're vetting everything.
  • I can sit down with the client and explain it directly to them, how we're keeping their loads safe, how we're qualifying carriers," Ferguson said.
  • October 26, 2026 The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now Awards F3 Awards Dinner The night before F3.
  • October 26, 2026 The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now FreightTech F3:
  • Future of Freight Festival Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga.

What to take from it

Robinson trial carries direct operational implications for brokers: an attorney present during proceedings told Ferguson that jurors determined shared-employee status partly because C.H. Upcoming FreightWaves Events Compliance Brokerage Compliance Symposium The day before F3. He said plaintiffs' attorneys are increasingly targeting all parties in the chain, including shippers and warehouse operators, pointing to recent amendments to Delilah's Law that now explicitly include both.

Example or evidence

  • On the rate and capacity side, Ferguson described the market as "very uncertain," with fuel costs elevated and capacity still exiting.
  • Volume patterns are also shifting in ways that complicate carrier planning.
  • Ferguson said shippers are concentrating pickups Monday through Wednesday, leaving Thursday and Friday with sharp volume drop-offs week over week.
  • Ferguson said he expects a meaningful slowdown in the first weeks of October as a result.

Details worth keeping

FreightWaves Promo Code: FALLFORF3 Limited Quantity Available. Future of Freight Festival, October 27 & 28th Register Now × John Ferguson of Pivot Supply Chain Solutions joins FreightWaves Today for a straight conversation on supply chain strategy, market conditions and what operators should actually focus on. What's the biggest issue your team is dealing with right now?

Related coverage

  • Freightwaves: Most supply chain teams have more visibility than they did a few years ago.
  • Freightwaves: Sean Dehan breaks down Truckstop strategy and the freight market view on FW Today.
  • Supplychain247: WiseTech's new free dashboard gives shippers and freight forwarders a four-week forecast of ocean freight risk across three major trade lanes.

More context around this story.

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