Truck Thefts, “Shortage” Claims, and the Real Problems on America’s Freight Roads

Cargo theft is spiking, and the high-profile Santo Spirits tequila heist that 60 Minutes just reported—24,000 bottles diverted through a sophisticated double-brokering scam—shows how cyber-enabled fraud now targets routine freight. In the segment and follow-ups, investigators described criminals posing as legitimate carriers, spoofing documents and GPS, and rerouting loads to phantom warehouses; LAPD later recovered about 11,000 bottles, but one truck and the thieves remain missing. 

This theft is part of a broader wave: CargoNet/Verisk tracked thousands of incidents and big year-over-year increases, with California and Texas leading recent surges, and average losses per load rising.

 Federal agencies are flagging the cyber angle. The FBI’s IC3 says internet-enabled fraud losses hit records, and FMCSA has moved to tighten identity/registration rules to curb sham carriers and unlawful double-brokering.  Against this backdrop, a long-running debate persists: is there really a structural “driver shortage,” or is it primarily a pay and turnover problem? A widely cited Bureau of Labor Statistics review found no persistent economy-wide shortage; it argued that market “tightness” can be addressed by higher compensation and better conditions. 

A 2024 study sponsored through the National Academies similarly disputed blanket shortage claims, pushing back on assumptions in some industry forecasts. 

Driver churn remains extreme at some large long-haul carriers—often around 90% annually—which weakens safety culture, drains experience, and constantly resets the skill base. Even DOT leadership has highlighted turnover as a central pressure on capacity. Industry groups disagree. The American Trucking Associations continues to estimate large shortfalls (tens of thousands of drivers) and points to demographics and barriers to entry; it has published updated shortage forecasts and rebuttals to critics. 

Driver advocates like OOIDA counter that new CDL issuances are ample and that the “shortage” narrative masks a retention crisis caused by stagnant real pay, unpaid detention, and cost shifting onto drivers and small carriers. They argue fixing compensation and working conditions would stabilize the workforce.

Another contested piece is the rise of non-domiciled CDL issuance. FMCSA has proposed tighter integrity measures and notes states issue several thousand such licenses annually, while trade press analyses suggest tens of thousands over recent years—fueling debate about standards and vetting. 

Policy wise, the priorities that draw consensus across viewpoints are clear: stop fraud sooner (carrier identity verification, real-time data-sharing), raise the cost of double-brokering and cargo theft (faster cross-jurisdiction tasking, stiffer penalties), and align pay with responsibility to reduce churn and stabilize capacity. Those steps protect shippers, drivers, and consumers—without leaning on narratives that the data does not fully support. 

Sources (complete list)

CBS News, “The Tequila Heist” trailer: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/the-tequila-heist-sunday-on-60-minutes/

CBS News report/transcript: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/double-brokering-guy-fieri-tequila-heist-60-minutes/

San Francisco Chronicle coverage: https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/guy-fieri-tequila-heist-santo-spirits-21087378.php

CargoNet data hub: https://www.cargonet.com/cargo-theft-data/

Verisk/CargoNet 2024 risk report (PDF): https://tapa.memberclicks.net/assets/2025-National-Cargo-Theft-Conferfence/Presentations-for-Sharing/2024%20Annual%20Verisk%20CargoNet%E2%80%99s%20Supply%20Chain%20Risk%20Report.pdf

FBI IC3 2024 Annual Report (PDF): https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024_IC3Report.pdf

FMCSA facts & Pocket Guide portal: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/commercial-motor-vehicle-facts

BLS Monthly Labor Review (2019): https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2019/article/is-the-us-labor-market-for-truck-drivers-broken.htm

NASEM study (coverage): https://www.freightwaves.com/news/nasem-study-disputes-driver-shortage-claims

CCJ on turnover history: https://www.ccjdigital.com/economic-trends/article/15064753/driver-turnover-rate-holding-steady

USDOT roundtable note on turnover: https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/secretary-pete-buttigieg-and-secretary-marty-walsh-host-roundtable-trucking-industry

ATA shortage forecast page: https://www.trucking.org/news-insights/ata-releases-updated-driver-shortage-report-and-forecast

ATA critique of BLS article: https://www.trucking.org/news-insights/ata-statement-flaws-bureau-labor-statistics-driver-shortage-article

OOIDA “Churn” one-pager (PDF): https://www.ooida.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/TheChurn-OnePager.pdf

OOIDA shortage-myth explainer: https://www.ooida.com/2024/truck-driver-shortage-narrative-exposed-as-myth/

Federal Register (non-domiciled CDL integrity): https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/09/29/2025-18869/restoring-integrity-to-the-issuance-of-non-domiciled-commercial-drivers-licenses-cdl

FleetOwner on FMCSA anti-fraud steps: https://www.fleetowner.com/perspectives/ideaxchange/blog/55316304/how-fmcsas-new-rules-are-reshaping-carrier-trust-amid-increasing-cargo-fraud

If you want, I can add a one-slide visual that maps theft hot spots (CA/TX) with brief tips for shippers and small carriers (carrier vetting checklist, GPS hand-off protocols, and document-verification steps).

Please Like & Share 😉🪽

@1TheBrutalTruth1 Oct 2025 Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976: Allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research.