The final Transfix Take of the year arrives at the peak of chaos — and opportunity — in the freight market.
This week, Jenni Ruiz and NFI’s market expert Justin Maze break down one of the most volatile December surges we’ve seen since the pandemic era. With spot rates spiking, winter weather wreaking havoc, and carriers finally regaining the upper hand, Maze walks listeners through what’s driving the sudden escalation — and what it means as we head into 2026.
Jenni and Maze take you region by region across the U.S. to unpack:
• Why national spot rates are climbing faster than expected, with a potential 20¢ jump by New Year’s
• How winter storms and rollover freight are creating a ripple effect across long-haul and cross-country lanes
• The Midwest’s shocking 5%+ breakouts and what’s behind the biggest surge of any region
• Capacity tightening on the West Coast despite minimal weather disruptions
• The looming non-domicile CDL rulings that could reshape Q1 and Q2 capacity
• Whether this is officially the start of the carrier “revenge market”
Maze also shares his early forecast for 2026 — including how January sets the tone, why a 5–8% annual rate increase is firmly on the table, and what brokers must do now to keep carriers aligned heading into the new year.
It’s our last episode of the year — and one of the most insight-packed.
If you’re a freight broker, shipper, or anyone navigating transportation volatility, this is the year-end debrief you don’t want to miss.
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Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Transfix, Inc. or any parent companies or affiliates or the companies with which the participants are affiliated, and may have been previously disseminated by them. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are based upon information considered reliable, but neither Transfix, Inc. nor its affiliates, nor the companies with which such participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. All such views and opinions are subject to change.
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with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
The final Transfix Take of the year arrives at the peak of chaos — and opportunity — in the freight market.
This week, Jenni Ruiz and NFI’s market expert Justin Maze break down one of the most volatile December surges we’ve seen since the pandemic era. With spot rates spiking, winter weather wreaking havoc, and carriers finally regaining the upper hand, Maze walks listeners through what’s driving the sudden escalation — and what it means as we head into 2026.
Jenni and Maze take you region by region across the U.S. to unpack:
• Why national spot rates are climbing faster than expected, with a potential 20¢ jump by New Year’s
• How winter storms and rollover freight are creating a ripple effect across long-haul and cross-country lanes
• The Midwest’s shocking 5%+ breakouts and what’s behind the biggest surge of any region
• Capacity tightening on the West Coast despite minimal weather disruptions
• The looming non-domicile CDL rulings that could reshape Q1 and Q2 capacity
• Whether this is officially the start of the carrier “revenge market”
Maze also shares his early forecast for 2026 — including how January sets the tone, why a 5–8% annual rate increase is firmly on the table, and what brokers must do now to keep carriers aligned heading into the new year.
It’s our last episode of the year — and one of the most insight-packed.
If you’re a freight broker, shipper, or anyone navigating transportation volatility, this is the year-end debrief you don’t want to miss.
--
Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Transfix, Inc. or any parent companies or affiliates or the companies with which the participants are affiliated, and may have been previously disseminated by them. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are based upon information considered reliable, but neither Transfix, Inc. nor its affiliates, nor the companies with which such participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. All such views and opinions are subject to change.
In this episode of Supply Chain Decoded, we sit down with Sean Smith, VP of Product and Client Services at Denim, for a candid look into what it really takes to build meaningful, transparent products in freight fintech. From his early days in management consulting to scaling a dump truck marketplace, Sean shares how he found his way into freight — and why he's here to stay.
Sean unpacks how Denim is rewriting the playbook for factoring by eliminating hidden fees, prioritizing transparency, and embedding financial education into every interaction. He shares how his team transforms customer feedback into real product features (often in days, not quarters), why AI is a powerful decision partner at Denim, and what it looks like when engineering, sales, and ops actually speak the same language.
Plus: a sneak peek at Denim’s Resolution Hub, how carriers can now self-elect QuickPay, and why it’s time brokers double down on relationship-building.
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Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Transfix, Inc. or any parent companies or affiliates or the companies with which the participants are affiliated, and may have been previously disseminated by them. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are based upon information considered reliable, but neither Transfix, Inc. nor its affiliates, nor the companies with which such participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. All such views and opinions are subject to change.
Transfix
The final Transfix Take of the year arrives at the peak of chaos — and opportunity — in the freight market.
This week, Jenni Ruiz and NFI’s market expert Justin Maze break down one of the most volatile December surges we’ve seen since the pandemic era. With spot rates spiking, winter weather wreaking havoc, and carriers finally regaining the upper hand, Maze walks listeners through what’s driving the sudden escalation — and what it means as we head into 2026.
Jenni and Maze take you region by region across the U.S. to unpack:
• Why national spot rates are climbing faster than expected, with a potential 20¢ jump by New Year’s
• How winter storms and rollover freight are creating a ripple effect across long-haul and cross-country lanes
• The Midwest’s shocking 5%+ breakouts and what’s behind the biggest surge of any region
• Capacity tightening on the West Coast despite minimal weather disruptions
• The looming non-domicile CDL rulings that could reshape Q1 and Q2 capacity
• Whether this is officially the start of the carrier “revenge market”
Maze also shares his early forecast for 2026 — including how January sets the tone, why a 5–8% annual rate increase is firmly on the table, and what brokers must do now to keep carriers aligned heading into the new year.
It’s our last episode of the year — and one of the most insight-packed.
If you’re a freight broker, shipper, or anyone navigating transportation volatility, this is the year-end debrief you don’t want to miss.
--
Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Transfix, Inc. or any parent companies or affiliates or the companies with which the participants are affiliated, and may have been previously disseminated by them. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are based upon information considered reliable, but neither Transfix, Inc. nor its affiliates, nor the companies with which such participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. All such views and opinions are subject to change.
