Episode Details

Why does a 48x40 pallet rule U.S. trucking but wreck ocean shipping? This episode unpacks the invisible rulebook governing American freight—from the GMA pallet and the 53-foot trailer to NMFC freight classes and the shift to dimensional pricing. We explore how trade associations, not the government, built this system, why sunk costs in racking and trailers keep it stuck, and what it costs importers at the border where American standards meet the world's.