Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026:
- Cargo thieves went after the money in 2025.
- MCSAC regs-advisory committee wants industry nominations.
- Mac LTT is now Mac Trailer.
Cargo theft activity flat in 2025, but loss value surged
The overall number of cargo theft incidents stabilized in 2025 compared to 2024, but the real story of cargo theft during the year was the cost of losses.
Verisk CargoNet reported that estimated losses from cargo theft in 2025 surged to nearly $725 million, a 60% increase from 2024, representing a shift by thieves to focusing more on high-value shipments.
According to CargoNet’s annual analysis, the average value per theft rose to $273,990, up 36% from $202,364 in 2024. Verisk CargoNet
CargoNet recorded 3,594 supply chain crime events across the United States and Canada in 2025, essentially unchanged from the 3,607 events reported in 2024. Yet incidents involving confirmed cargo theft rose sharply, increasing 18% year-over-year from 2,243 to 2,646.
“Criminal enterprises are becoming more selective and sophisticated, targeting extremely high value shipments rather than relying on opportunistic theft,” said Keith Lewis, vice president of operations at Verisk CargoNet. “This strategic shift explains how losses can rise 60% even as overall incident volume holds steady.”
[Related: What we mean when we say 'freight fraud': Ways to defend against the hydra-headed monster]
Geographically, theft activity continued to expand beyond traditional hotspots. California remained the most impacted state with 1,218 incidents, but activity shifted away from Los Angeles County (down 11%) toward historically lower-risk regions such as Kern County (up 82%) and San Joaquin County (up 44%).
Several other states saw significant increases, including New Jersey (up 50%), Indiana (up 30%), and Pennsylvania (up 24%).
Shifts in targeted commodities were also notable, the firm reported.
- Food and beverage products experienced the largest increase, with 708 thefts -- a 47% jump from 2024.
- Meat and seafood products and tree nuts were particularly affected, with trends varying by region. Meat and seafood were heavily targeted in the Northeast, especially New Jersey, while tree nut thefts were more common on the West Coast.
- Metals theft also rose 77%, driven by ongoing demand for copper products.
- Electronics: Thieves changed just what they targeted in this category last year. Theft of consumer-grade electronics such as televisions and personal computers declined, while enterprise computer components and cryptocurrency mining hardware increased.
- Vehicle related products -- including tires, auto parts, and motor oils -- also remained attractive to thieves, with a notable focus on engines and components bound for domestic vehicle assembly plants.
[Related: Cargo theft proliferation ups the ante on truckers' prevention]
Looking ahead for 2026, CargoNet expects continued targeting of high-value technology products, particularly RAM modules, storage drives, and enterprise computing equipment.
Theft-by-deception rings are also anticipated to increase their focus on misdirecting shipments tendered to legitimate carriers, sidestepping compliance controls that have traditionally centered on the tendering process itself.
CargoNet noted that it’s also monitoring developments around non-domiciled CDL enforcement. The firm said many complex cargo theft schemes rely on acquiring existing motor carriers with strong load histories. Increased enforcement may reduce available capacity and expand the pool of carriers for sale, potentially creating new opportunities for criminal enterprises to establish fraudulent operations.
[Related: Prime time for cargo theft: $18M vanishing every single day]
FMCSA wants nominations for Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is soliciting nominations for two committees that report to the agency on trucking-related issues.
The Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee provides advice and recommendations about needs, objectives, plans, approaches, content, and accomplishments of the motor carrier safety programs carried out by FMCSA and motor carrier safety regulations.
The MCSAC was established in 2006, and its charter was renewed in December. It’s expected to meet twice per year. The committee will report to the Transportation Secretary through the FMCSA administrator, and will be made up of no more than 20 members. The members will include representatives of the motor carrier industry, including small business motor carriers and individual commercial motor vehicle drivers; safety advocates; and enforcement officials.
Past members of the committee are welcome to apply, FMCSA said. The Department of Transportation is interested in ensuring membership is balanced fairly in terms of the points of view represented and the functions to be performed by the advisory committee.
[Related: The biggest little voice in trucking]
Qualified individuals can self-nominate or be nominated by any individual or organization. To be considered for MCSAC, nominators should submit the following information:
- Name, title, and relevant contact information (including phone, fax, and email address) of the individual requesting consideration
- A letter of support from a company, union, trade association, academic, or nonprofit organization on letterhead containing a brief description why the nominee should be considered for membership
- A short biography of nominee, including professional and academic credentials
- An affirmative statement that the nominee meets all MCSAC eligibility requirements
Nominations must be submitted by Feb. 23. Information on submitting a nomination can be found here. Nominees selected for appointment to MCSAC will be notified by return email and by a letter of appointment.
Additionally, FMCSA is seeking nominations for its Medical Review Board, which is made up of no more than five members selected from medical institutions and private practice. The MRB provides FMCSA “with medical advice and recommendations on medical standards and guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators of commercial motor vehicles, medical examiner education, and medical research,” according to its charter.
[Related: FMCSA again extends truckers' post-exam paper med card use]
Mac LTT tanker brand aligning under Mac Trailer
Mac Trailer Enterprises this week announced that the Mac Liquid Tank Trailer (Mac LTT) brand is now formally aligned under Mac Trailer.
The company said the rebrand unifies all operations across all facilities and product lines, and the transition applies to liquid manufacturing locations, including Ohio, Michigan, and Montana.
The merger was established in late 2025, with rebranding efforts beginning in January 2026. As part of this alignment, the standalone Mac LTT brand will gradually be phased out, with products, people, and facilities continuing forward under the Mac Trailer name.
“Mac LTT changed the liquid tank trailer industry, and we are excited to continue the legacy of innovation as we grow together,” said Bill McKenzie, President of Sales for Mac Trailer Enterprises. “This alignment allows us to better serve our customers by bringing additional resources, expanded support, and a more unified approach to the market,”
Mac Trailer said it’s proud to expand its product offerings to the liquid hauling industry, including refined fuels, chemicals, food grade products, and more.
“This is a positive step for customers,” said Matt Niemeier, Director of Liquid Tank Trailer Products. “By aligning under Mac Trailer, we are creating a stronger platform to support long term product quality, consistency, and service across the liquid tank market.”
