Talking Transports

Decades of technology investment haven’t necessarily made supply chains better. In this Talking Transports podcast, Supply Chain Insights founder and CEO Lora Cecere joins Bloomberg Intelligence senior transportation and logistics analyst Lee Klaskow to discuss why roughly 80% of industry sectors are performing worse than before the pandemic and why only 32 companies in her latest “Supply Chains to Admire” report outperformed peers over the past decade. Cecere explains how market-driven companies can outperform larger global competitors and why functional cost-cutting can hurt margins and inventory productivity. She also explores AI, transportation data, intermodal growth, scenario planning and why supply-chain talent may be one of the industry’s most underestimated challenges.
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Drayage capacity is tightening after years of weak profitability, potentially giving carriers greater pricing power as peak import season gets underway. In this Talking Transports podcast, PortPro Founder & CEO Mike Mecca joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s senior transportation and logistics analyst Lee Klaskow to discuss how regulatory changes and driver availability are reshaping this kind of predominently container trucking that connects port/rail terminals to distribution centers.
Mecca explains how PortPro’s transportation management systems and AI agents help carriers optimize dispatch, reduce empty miles, accelerate invoicing and prevent revenue leakage in a thin-margin business. He also discusses port congestion, terminal coordination, rail consolidation and why drayage’s short hauls could make it well suited for electric trucks. Mecca says 99% of code generated inside PortPro is now AI-generated.
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Moving cargo efficiently depends on moving money just as quickly. In this episode of the Talking Transports podcast, PayCargo CEO and co-founder Eduardo Del Riego joins Bloomberg Intelligence senior transportation and logistics analyst Lee Klaskow to explore how digitizing freight payments is helping eliminate one of global logistics’ biggest hidden bottlenecks. Del Riego explains how PayCargo’s platform connects freight forwarders, ocean carriers, airlines, ports, customs brokers and shippers to accelerate cargo release while reducing payment errors and storage costs. He also discusses how AI is transforming invoice reconciliation, software development, container tracking and workflow automation, why cybersecurity has become a strategic priority, and why he believes the industry is experiencing its first normal peak shipping season since before the pandemic.
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The trucking market is in the early stages of a freight recovery, driven more by a structural reduction in capacity than stronger demand. In this Talking Transports podcast, Schneider National President and CEO Jim Filter joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s senior transportation and logistics analyst Lee Klaskow to discuss why regulatory enforcement, slowing driver availability and years of inflationary cost pressure are creating a more favorable pricing environment for carriers. Filter explains how Schneider is investing in drivers, technology and intermodal services while using AI to improve pricing, freight matching and operational efficiency. He also shares his leadership journey from maintenance team leader to CEO, discusses the company’s disciplined capital allocation strategy and outlines why he believes trucking fundamentals remain constructive despite macroeconomic uncertainty.
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The trucking market is recovering, but surviving the freight recession required resilience, disciplined operations and an unwavering focus on customers. In this episode of the Talking Transports podcast, Apex Transit Solutions CEO and co-founder Marina Ivanov joins Bloomberg Intelligence senior transportation and logistics analyst Lee Klaskow to discuss building a trucking company from a single truck into a nearly 100-truck fleet and freight broker. Ivanov explains how Apex weathered one of the industry’s toughest downturns by prioritizing service, investing in safety and technology and strengthening relationships with drivers and shippers. She also discusses truck parking, regulatory enforcement, women in trucking, AI-driven fleet management and why improving drivers’ quality of life is essential to building a stronger, more sustainable trucking industry.
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