First, Chad and JP parry and thrust between a Bell’s Two-Hearted and a Sweet Water IPA. Then, they dive into a couple of driver headlines, some tough tariff talk, and then they absorb some exciting tech news. Headlines of the week: Walmart faces $50k fine for allowing truck parking at Illinois store Safeway delivery drivers make history with newly ratified union contract Sen. Corker interview: Trump ‘ready-fire-aim’ on tariffs 162 transportation and logistics companies make the 2018 Inc. 5000 Fi...
Aug 17, 2018•32 min•Ep. 26
JP and Zach Strickland were at the McLeod CFO conference at the Westin in Nashville. We sat down with BiTA Managing Director and co-founder (and FreightWaves CEO!) Craig Fuller and McLeod's VP of Special Projects Ken Craig, also a BiTA cofounder, to talk about the history of the Blockchain in Transport Alliance. We talk about technology alliances, intellectual property, data standards, and, of course, the promise of blockchain. BiTA.studio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...
Aug 14, 2018•28 min•Ep. 25
First, the dynamic freight duo compare Bell’s Two-Hearted (shocker!) versus Drivin and Cryin Straight to Hell IPA. Then, they cover the headlines of the week from Uber to toys to blockchain to Bangladesh. Uber spins off Uber Freight as separate business unit, brings back Lior Ron to lead Toys ‘R’ Us bankruptcy leaves retailers anxious to pick up the slack Maersk, IBM open blockchain platform to world as they seek additional partners The shipbreaking industry where workers die on the shores of Ba...
Aug 10, 2018•36 min•Ep. 24
Surprise, surprise, JP knocks back yet another round of Bell's Two-Hearted, and what's even more surprising is Chad joins the dark side and follows suit. Then, they lay waste to the headlines of the week: Uber shuts down self-driving truck program, leaving questions about Uber Freight's future Weekly Market Update 7.31.18 - Freight markets still cooling but history says not for long August Economic Roundup Federal standards or state's rights? Making sense of Denham and Dynamex Key takeaways from...
Aug 03, 2018•38 min•Ep. 23
JP and market analyst Zach Strickland climb in 'The Grumpy Pete', a customized 2003 Peterbilt, and crack open some Foster's Ales with Dean Croke, FreightWaves' Chief Analytics Officer. We talk about Dean's experiences driving two million miles through the Australian outback, and then we turn to earnings week: Knight-Swift Transportation misses earnings mark with lagging refrigerated segment Werner's earnings trounce the estimates, with EPS almost double a year earlier After a strong quarter, Nor...
Jul 27, 2018•37 min•Ep. 22
JP and market analyst Zach Strickland were at the Westin in Nashville for McLeod's CFO conference and recorded a special episode of What the Truck?!? from the event. They talk about declining lengths of haul in the age of e-commerce, the current environment for mergers & acquisitions in transportation, and the Trump tax reform's impact on new truck orders. Topics included the difference in valuations for asset-light and asset-heavy companies, the importance of culture when considering a deal...
Jul 25, 2018•32 min•Ep. 21
JP brings his standard approach with a Bell’s Two-Hearted while Chad branches out with an absurdly hopped Orpheus Transmigration of Souls. The daring duo then takes on an eclectic mix of trucking headlines. Opponents of EPA loosening glider kits rules get a quick stay from DC court How community colleges are combating the driver squeeze Amazon Prime Day's "Christmas in July" to test supply chain CSX announces record 58.6% OR, says turnaround not finished yet All this followed by a rousing round ...
Jul 20, 2018•32 min•Ep. 20
On this week's episode of What the Truck?!? JP and Chad discuss the benefits of Bell’s Two-Hearted versus Cigar City Brewing's Jai Alai pale ale. They discuss the headlines of the week with a focus on global and domestic economics this week. Trump’s trade war is aimed toward reshoring, but will it work? Can you solve the driver problem by making trucking cool again? A new frac sand giant is born amid an industry shift Shell CEO suggests a swifter ban on diesel cars in the UK Producer price data ...
Jul 13, 2018•33 min•Ep. 19
First, JP cracks open yet another Bell’s Two-Hearted, and Chad explores his options with Hutton and Smith's New England IPA, Promenade. Then, the dynamic logistics duo covers the headlines of the week, with a focus this week on drivers and the disruptions facing the industry in jobs from tech and other market forces. Major tech changes will hurt the for-hire trucking market within the next decade Where are the drivers going? Look no further than the warehouse Then, it's time for 5 GOOD minutes w...
Jul 06, 2018•41 min•Ep. 18
Find out whether JP decides to drink something other than his go-to Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale, while Chad digs in with a Narragansett pilsner. Then, the pair runs down the headlines of the week, featuring a tech-focus: blockchain, automation, autonomous, and electric. SMC3: Blockchain panelists talk current use cases, regulation, and crypto JD.com opens automated warehouse that employs four people but fulfills 200,000 packages daily Amazon unveils plans to ramp up delivery services for their own pa...
Jun 29, 2018•31 min•Ep. 17
JP and Chad crack open a Bell’s Two-Hearted and a Ballast Point Fathom IPA and compare tasting notes. They tackle some of the big headlines of the week: OPEC ready to put more oil into a market that very much needs it The expanded Panama Canal is altering global trade flows UBS: brokerage incumbents reign supreme, disruptors not a major factor. Sweden gets the world’s first road that recharges electric trucks as they move over it Then, they have Five Good Minutes with COO of Thor Trucks, Gio Sor...
Jun 22, 2018•35 min•Ep. 16
Chad and JP pop the top on a fresh brew: Bell’s Two-Hearted and Sierra Nevada Southern Gothic. What's new? Headlines of the week: FTR’s State of Freight: capacity to remain tight, economy is strong but tricky time How the Denham amendment could impact the J.B. Hunt meal break trial The Dallas freight market is leading the country Indian logistics industry suffers from capacity fragmentation and labor shortage They spend Five Good Minutes with Ken Evans and Andy Dishner from Konexial. Then, they ...
Jun 15, 2018•37 min•Ep. 15
JP and Chad crack open a Bell’s Two-Hearted and a Dog Fish Head 60. Then, they hit some of the top headlines of the week. It starts here: Chris Spear highlights agenda at ATA's 2018 NAFC ATA speakers: The future of supply chains and why blockchain is a team sport Hyundai Merchant Marine’s building spree adds to global orderbook 260,000 UPS Teamsters authorize a strike, if necessary Before things get too crazy, they play another rousing round of Big Deal, Little Deal. Transportation job openings ...
Jun 08, 2018•37 min•Ep. 14
JP and Chad pop the top on a couple of fresh brews. JP sticks with the same ol' Bell’s Two-Hearted and Chad branch's out to a somewhat unseasonable Left Hand Brewing Nitro Milk Stout. Then, they briefly take on the headlines of the week: Announcing the release of FreightWaves’ inaugural book publication, Freight 2025: Forecasting the Future Canadian Pacific Teamsters settle strike Brazilian owner-operators shut down the highways Followed by a rousing round of Big Deal Little Deal: What to expect...
Jun 01, 2018•37 min•Ep. 13
JP and Chad crack open a Bell’s Two-Hearted and a Honky Tonk’s country style NEIPA. They discuss Susquehanna’s Transparency18 Takeaways, and Transparency18 Demo Day Top 5 Best in Show. Then, they conduct an exclusive interview with Slync’s CEO, Chris Kirchner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 25, 2018•39 min•Ep. 12
Headlines of the week FreightWaves to take Rise of the Rest winnings and invest in the people of Chattanooga Hyperloop for freight could be faster and cheaper than air Tesla: batteries burning, execs leaving, factory mortgaged Transparency18/FreightWaves 2025 book release/Sonar Five Good Minutes Starring guest Women in Trucking president, Ellen Voie Big Deal, Little Deal? Used truck market is strong and steady: J.D. Power: big deal, or little deal? Sales advance as retailers eye a stronger 2nd q...
May 18, 2018•35 min•Ep. 11
Headlines of the week What is the solution to trucking’s stubborn parking problem? Natural gas-powered trucks are well ahead of electrification Two controversial approaches to “solving” the scarcity of commercially-licensed drivers Five Good Minutes With Mike Matousek, Government Affairs Director of OOIDA. Big Deal, Little Deal? Mother’s Day spikes reefer rates 52% out of Miami: big deal, or little deal? DHL earnings disappoint as the company looks to contain e-commerce delivery costs: big deal,...
May 11, 2018•40 min•Ep. 10
Sponsored by LyncAmerica. Chad Prevost and Zach Strickland (filling in for JP), crack open a Lagunita’s Waldo and a Wicked Weed Lieutenant Dank. Then, they're primed and ready to test Zach's knowledge with the Trucker Lingo game (spoiler alert: he gets a 60%). Then, they're off and running on the big headlines of the week: California Supreme Court ruling could force companies to reclassify contractors as employees The OOIDA-ATA battle breaks out into a full verbal brawl, all in public Nikola Mot...
May 04, 2018•29 min•Ep. 9
JP and Chad pop the top on a couple of fresh brewchachos. After announcing What the Truck?!?’s new sponsor, LyncAmerica, they break down the top headlines of the week: Driver recruiting, retention efforts focus on pay packages as turnover expected to climb Earnings reports from Knight-Swift, Covenant, UPS, and Landstar Eggs and lettuce recalls: could blockchain help? Then Chad and JP played Big Deal or Little Deal? to close out the show: Container ship traffic is humming along: big deal, or litt...
Apr 27, 2018•33 min•Ep. 8
Chad and JP crack open a cold one, then Chad quizzes JP on truckers’ nicknames for U.S. cities. After the game, they break down the top headlines of the week: Top 5 ways to be a “shipper of choice” Daseke bets heavy on oil with Aveda acquisition The next big thing in LiDAR is tiny--and massively scaleable CSX takes aim at trucking Finally Chad and JP play a game of Big Deal or Little Deal? China-U.S. container rates fall for 32nd straight week: big deal, or little deal? Oil, aluminum, nickel pri...
Apr 20, 2018•36 min•Ep. 7
Chad and JP pop the top on a fresh beer. Then, they play a quick round of Riddle Me This. Then, they process the top headlines of the week: ELD hard enforcement begins Capacity Crunch: Carriers seek better retention methods XPO joins digital freight booking push Reefer rates climb out of Salinas, Central and Imperial Valley Then, Chad and JP do their level best to run down the rest of the week’s news in under two minutes on Big Deal, Little Deal? How the flattening yield curve affects trucking: ...
Apr 13, 2018•34 min•Ep. 6
Chad and JP pop the top on a fresh beer. Then, they play a quick round of Fake Headline or Real? Then, they process the top headlines of the week: The trade war escalates. Is 2018 the year of the trucking capacity crunch? Should drivers’ pay be doubled? What’s the deal with coal and the BNSF? Then, Chad and JP do their level best to run down the rest of the week’s news in under two minutes on Big Deal, Little Deal? Big Deal or Little Deal? The FMCSA moves to exempt mirrorless trucks from federal...
Apr 06, 2018•29 min•Ep. 5
JP and Chad pop the top on a fresh beer. Then, it's Storytime, followed by top stories: FMCSA's Chief Martinez gets an earful at the Mid-America Trucking Show. Driver retention drives the debate at the Truckload Carriers Association Annual Meeting. Vapor and Hangar announce a merger to create drone technology infrastructure across the U.S., starting in Chicago. Amazon and other tech companies have a very bad week. Then, JP and Chad do their level best to run down the rest of the week's news in u...
Mar 30, 2018•36 min•Ep. 4
JP and Chad discuss the transportation and logistics news stories of the week. The episode kicks off with the game “Did you know?” where Chad quizzes JP on his knowledge of cryptocurrency lingo. Then Chad brings up the self-driving Uber pedestrian fatality in Arizona and we wonder how the Volvo’s sensors didn’t pick up the victim. Next up is The Great Tesla Debate between Chad (bull) and JP (bear) in reaction to the automaker’s recent negative headlines. Chad and JP discuss how the Austin mail b...
Mar 23, 2018•34 min•Ep. 3
JP and Chad discussed major topics of the week related to the rash of public announcements from tech startups about the real-time operations of autonomous Class 8 semis. They’re among us. Waymo, Uber, Tesla, Starsky all had big news, while Embark’s possibly biggest achievement (a Level 4 autonomous coast to coast trip) last month went largely unnoticed. What do these industry outsiders have to offer the trucking industry? They also discussed the seasonal softening of spot rates on the West Coast...
Mar 16, 2018•37 min•Ep. 2
Shell unveils its new truck. Run On Less achieves 10 miles per gallon. Uber Freight deploys driverless trucks and the last mile revolution continues. All this and more on this episode of What The Truck?!? Chad reports on his trip to the ATA's Technology and Maintenance Council conference in Atlanta, where he saw Airflow and Shell's futuristic Starship truck. JP mentions the Run on Less fuel efficiency study, and the conversation turns to electric trucks by Tesla and Thor, and then recent autonom...
Mar 09, 2018•31 min•Ep. 1
