$1.3M Cargo Theft Recovery, China Southern Orders Boeing Freighters, & ULH Biometrics Case | The Morning Minute

In this episode, we kick things off by examining a massive cargo theft recovery near Chicago that reveals the sophisticated nature of organized freight crime. The Cook County Sheriff's Office recovered two stolen trailers containing over $1.3 million in copper wire and data center equipment at a truck yard in Elk Grove Township. Both trailers had been equipped with stolen license plates and were linked to the same unidentified driver, though no arrests have been announced yet. Next, we shift over to the air cargo sector where a state-owned Chinese carrier is making a landmark move that signals a major thaw in trade relations. China Southern Airlines placed an order with Boeing for seven freighter aircraft, including five of the all-new 777-8F models expected to hit the market in 2028. This represents the first purchase of the 777-8 freighter by a mainland China carrier and comes after China reopened its market to Boeing during President Trump's May visit to Beijing. Finally, we explore how a biometric privacy lawsuit filed in 2021 by an Illinois truck driver has just expanded into a potentially costly class action. A federal judge granted class status to the case against Universal Intermodal Services over fingerprint scanners used at its Harvey, Illinois facility. The broader class definition brings in workers from a Universal Logistics subsidiary and third-party staffing agencies, significantly expanding the scope of potential damages under Illinois' stringent Biometric Privacy Act. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices