By Esther Fung

Shares of trucking companies such as Old Dominion and J.B. Hunt are up Thursday after a Supreme Court ruling regarding broker liability raised expectations that there could be more business directed to the largest carriers.

The high court today ruled that a man struck by a truck coordinated by C.H, Robinson, a freight brokerage, can sue the firm for negligent hiring. Brokerages match customers who need their goods transported to motor carriers. Brokers face increased verification responsibilities and may direct customers to the larger trucking companies that have more resources for safety programs compared with smaller or newer carriers.

Thursday's decision also could gives the biggest players leeway to raise trucking rates. Shares of Old Dominion Freight Line, J.B. Hunt Transport Services and Saia are all up 4% or more in afternoon trading. Shares of brokers like C.H. Robinson, are down. The S&P 500 is up 0.8%.

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 14, 2026 14:02 ET (18:02 GMT)

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