Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025:
- Cargo theft incidents keep rising in prevalence: in the second quarter, up 4% over Q1 and 33% over Q2 last year.
- The Greenlane company plans two electric-commercial-truck charging corridors -- LA to Las Vegas along I-15, and LA to Phoenix along I-10.
- A truck driver from South Carolina will serve 17.5 years in prison for transporting a minor across state lines to engage in sexual conduct.
Overhaul: Cargo theft just keeps getting worse
Cargo theft recording and prevention firm Overhaul’s U.S. Cargo Theft Report for the second quarter of 2025 reported a total of 525 cargo theft incidents in Q2, representing a slight increase of 4% compared to Q1 but a significant increase of 33% compared to the second quarter of 2024.
Historically, the second quarter has shown varying trends in cargo theft risk, Overhaul noted. In 2023, there was a reduction in theft incidents compared to the first quarter, but in 2024 Q2 showed slightly higher levels than Q1, indicating that the risk remained stable.
A similar pattern was observed for 2025. Regardless, with Q2 in the rear view the riskiest period of the year has arrived. The second half of any given year typically sees an increase in economic and logistics activities -- and consequently in criminal activities, too.
The Southwest quadrant of the U.S., which includes the cargo theft hotspot in Southern California, experienced the highest concentration of cargo theft incidents in the second quarter, accounting for 40% of the total. This marks a shift from the previous trend where the Southeastern quadrant had consistently reported the highest number of incidents. The Southeast still remained significantly affected, reporting 38% of the incidents, with notable high-risk cities such as Dallas and Memphis.Overhaul
The distribution of theft incidents in the second quarter of 2025 was fairly even with 32% in April, 34% in May, and 33% in June.
In the first half of 2025, cargo theft in the United States increased by 10% compared to the same period in 2024, a rise slightly below early-year projections.
Looking ahead, Overhaul expects theft patterns fairly similar to what was observed in 2023 and 2024, when theft activity began to climb as early as July. The firm expects at least a 15% increase in cargo theft incidents.
Overhaul also reported that cargo theft in the U.S. continues to show higher incidence near freight hubs and large cities, leading to hot spots in states such as California (38%) and Texas (21%), which ranked first and second in terms of cargo theft risk. Product categories most at risk included Food & Drinks (accounting for 16% of Q2 recorded thefts) as well as Electronics (16%), followed by Home & Garden (13%).
Notably among product types, metals thefts increased most significantly -- 92% over and above Q1 2025, and 84% above Q2 2024. Within this product type, 43% of thefts took place in California.
Cash thefts increased 51% and 236% over Q1 2025 and Q2 2024, respectively. Thefts within the category also took place primarily in Pennsylvania, which concentrated 55% of all hijacking events against armored trucks with cash in transit.
[Related: California cargo theft horror stories]
Electric truck infrastructure company plans second charging corridor
Greenlane, a company dedicated to building out electric charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure, announced development of its second commercial electric vehicle charging corridor connecting Southern California to Phoenix via I-10.
The company said the corridor expansion is supported by a new strategic partnership with electric truck manufacturer Windrose Technology. Windrose has conducted successful single-charge journeys from Colton, next to San Bernardino in the Inland Empire, to Phoenix, Greenlane noted.
The company’s first electric truck charging corridor was announced for I-15 from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Greenlane opened its flagship charging station earlier this year in Colton, California, which serves as the first of three locations that will make up the I-15 charging corridor.
"Our second corridor was strategically selected to best support the carriers and shippers who keep our economy moving,” said Patrick Macdonald-King, CEO of Greenlane. “Windrose's remarkable achievements during testing demonstrate that our high-performance charging network can handle the most demanding freight operations, giving us confidence that this I-10 corridor will serve as a critical backbone for zero-emission freight.”
The corridor is one of several planned as the company works to develop a nationwide network of commercial EV charging for medium- and heavy-duty fleets. The second corridor includes the Colton location as well as new sites to be developed in Blythe, California, and Greater Phoenix, Arizona.
Windrose's R700 Class 8 electric semi successfully completed single-charge journeys from Greenlane's Colton location to both Buckeye, Arizona, near Phoenix, and Las Vegas with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 74,420 pounds.
Under a new partnership, Windrose will utilize Greenlane’s flagship location in Colton as its base of operations for several vehicles and to power its R700 electric truck for pilot customers along I-15 and I-10. One of the first customers on these routes will be Nevoya, a carrier focused on helping shippers and third-party logistics carriers transition to electric transportation.
[Related: Windrose inside and out: Tesla Semi's best competitor?]
Truck driver sentenced in child abduction case
A South Carolina truck driver was sentenced this month to more than 17 years in prison for transporting a minor from North Carolina to Louisiana and through Mississippi with the intent for the minor to engage in sexual conduct, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Mississippi announced on Aug. 7.
According to court documents, Randy Taylor, 35, of Columbia, South Carolina, solicited a minor online to engage in sexual activity with him. Taylor picked up the 12-year-old outside her home in his 18-wheeler and took the child to Louisiana where he recorded a sexual interaction between the two.
Once alerted to the missing child, FBI agents began tracking the minor and were able to rescue the child at a Vaiden, Mississippi, truck stop. The minor was returned home safely to her family.
[Related: Truckers' anti-trafficking efforts as eyes, ears making a difference with major arrests]
U.S. Senior District Court Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Taylor to 210 months (17.5 years) in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.
“This defendant earned every year of this sentence when he transported a 12-year-old child across state lines and sexually assaulted her,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “[Assistant U.S. Attorney] Parker King and our partners at the FBI and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office have demonstrated that there will be zero tolerance for those who would take advantage of innocent victims.”
The FBI and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.
“Thank God this child’s life was saved and her victimization ended,” said Carroll County (Mississippi) Sheriff Clint Walker. “We certainly appreciate the cooperation and teamwork from the FBI and everyone involved. We do not tolerate child sex predators operating in Carroll County. We remain committed to protecting children from predators. Parents should be more vigilant than ever concerning their children’s online activities. Unfortunately, these types of cases don’t always end this well.”
[Related: Book examines FBI initiative targeting truck-driving serial killers]
