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The EEOC announced on May 15 that Central Transport will pay $5.5 million to settle allegations that it failed to hire qualified female drivers and used different recruitment procedures over the past decade. The company denied the allegations but agreed to pay compensation, undergo external review, and enhance compliance training.
Amerit Fleet Solutions announced the acquisition of Pro Reefer, a Canadian refrigerated trailer maintenance service provider, to expand into the Canadian market and enhance its refrigerated fleet service capabilities. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. This marks another acquisition for the company since its partnership with New Mountain Capital.
Volvo Group North America announced a settlement with the California Air Resources Board, agreeing to pay nearly $197 million to resolve allegations concerning undisclosed auxiliary emission control devices on some of its heavy-duty truck engines. The settlement covers approximately 10,000 model year 2010-2016 trucks and includes warranty extensions and software updates for about 7,200 model year 2014-2016 engines. Volvo Group stated it does not admit liability but will record related charges in its second-quarter financial results.
TikTok announced a new multi-year strategic licensing agreement with Universal Music Group (UMG), building on their 2024 partnership. The deal expands creative and commercial opportunities for UMG artists, including ticket sales and merchandise via TikTok Shop, while adding protections against unauthorized AI-generated music. TikTok also highlighted its role in music discovery, citing that 84% of songs reaching the Billboard 200 in 2024 first gained traction on the platform.
Ten years ago, investment banker Solange Velazquez completed the first satellite-based telematics deal, when devices were large and installation took five days. Today, technology has evolved into small, plug-and-play devices with significantly reduced costs. Industry experts trace back to 1988, when Omninet partnered with Qualcomm to pioneer Ku-band satellite mobile applications; now, cellular networks have largely replaced satellite, and GPS data is considered "old school." The term telematics has expanded to encompass broader areas such as fleet management and compliance, with companies like ABF Freight using it as an umbrella term covering sensor and camera technologies. Although some businesses have yet to adopt technologies like GPS tracking, the ELD mandate and the pandemic have accelerated industry acceptance. Startups such as GenLogs are innovating location data applications through camera networks, pushing technology beyond traditional hardware.
TikTok has announced a partnership with Sir Paul McCartney for an exclusive live premiere event, including a Q&A session on TikTok Live on May 27 at 10:30 AM EST / 7:30 AM PT, ahead of the launch of his album 'The Boys of Dungeon Lane.' The event highlights TikTok's growing role in music promotion and discovery.
Torc Robotics announced that Tobias Wessels has been appointed Chief Financial Officer, effective May 12. Wessels will oversee financial strategy to help the company scale and advance the commercialization of Level 4 autonomous trucks.
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling in the C.H. Robinson Worldwide case, determining that freight brokers can face state tort liability for negligent hiring, overturning a prior preemption defense under the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act. Legal experts and industry groups say the ruling, while not a 'doomsday event,' will increase litigation volume and insurance costs, and accelerate capacity consolidation toward compliant large carriers and brokers. The case will be remanded to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals for further proceedings, and subsequent legal conflicts may take years to clarify.
At a Small Business Month showcase in New York, TikTok presented insights from GlobalData research showing that two-thirds of U.S. TikTok Shop users discovered new brands on the platform, with small businesses under $15 million in annual revenue benefiting most. Searches for 'small business' on TikTok rose 479% in Q1 2026, and 89% of SMBs reported sales increases after promoting on the app.
Snapchat has announced a unified approach to its optimization and app measurement capabilities, enabling app marketers to combine Snap ads performance data with insights from their mobile measurement partners. This integration aims to provide a more comprehensive view of campaign performance, supporting informed ad spending decisions.