On Episode 746 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking to OOIDA’s Jay Grimes about his organization’s pushback against AI and autonomous trucks. OOIDA has urged DOT to develop AV standards that are based on documented research and testing data. We’ll find out all about their concerns. How do hotshot loads work? We’re getting a crash course in Hotshot Trucking 101 from Diligent Delivery Systems’ Richard Sharp. Sharp also shares his top tips for peak and hurricane season preparedness. Need equipme...
Aug 14, 2024•45 min
On Episode 745 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is looking at what inventory levels have to say about peak season in trucking. Netstock’s Barry Kukkuk breaks down their latest report. Truck Tech’s Alan Adler is in New York for Cummins’ latest event. We’ll find out what the word on the scene is. Adler also talks about Kodiak’s latest autonomous trucking pivot and Nikola’s financials. NXTStep Vets’ Chris “Gonzo” Gonzalez just got back from his group’s annual VFW National Home motorcycle ride. This yea...
Aug 12, 2024•46 min
On episode 744 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Dooner is talking about an explosion in Ningbo aboard Yang Ming’s YM Mobility. Are lithium ion batteries to blame again? Korber’s Rik Schrader talks about their big deal for MercuryGate. WeatherOptics’ Scott Pecoriello looks at fallout from Hurricane Debby and looks ahead to how the rest of the storm season could impact freight. Verified Carrier’s Andrey Drotenko talks about the $700 million-a-year cargo theft problem this industry faces and how Verified Carri...
Aug 09, 2024•46 min
On Episode 743 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking about August’s red-hot FreightTech M&A. This week, Korber acquired MercuryGate and Bestpass grabbed Drivewyze. What’s driving the deals, and what company will be scooped up next? Leonard’s Express is teaming up with Optimal Dynamics to enhance driver experience and asset utilization. We’ll find out from Mike McGovern how they’re using tech and AI to reshape their transportation network. Engine Technology Forum’s Allan Schaeffer is fresh ...
Aug 07, 2024•46 min
On Episode 742 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is looking at the impact that global unrest and a tanking stock market are having on rates. FreightWaves’ Kyle Taylor breaks down the data and sentiment driving the market. He’ll also tell us the 10 best lanes to run right now. Truckstop’s Brent Hutto shares a new report his firm has conducted with Bloomberg to gauge carrier sentiment. With 44% of carriers concerned about the market, what will that mean for recovery? Hutto also has a freight fraud upda...
Aug 05, 2024•46 min
On Episode 741 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking about a battery fire in California that left drivers stranded for hours. Corey at Dad of Two Roadside talks about how the towing industry acts as a first responder when America’s road warriors are trapped. We’ll also learn about the dangers tow drivers face, how to get out of a jam without needing a tow and why semitruck towing costs so much, and we’ll hear about Corey’s toughest recoveries. We’ll meet Randeep Sandhu and Steven Dempsey, the ...
Jul 29, 2024•45 min
On Episode 740 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking about a pair of trucking companies in Miami that have filed for bankruptcy protection. Also in headlines, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says its hands are tied when it comes to fighting double brokering. Warehouse training enters the cybersphere with virtual reality training stations. Abel Womack’s Jim Hennemann talks about how it works and what kind of results he’s seeing. We’ll also learn what warehouse solutions are in d...
Jul 26, 2024•45 min
On Episode 739 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking to Metafora’s Ryan Schreiber about hard truths in freight and tech. I don’t know who needs to hear this, but Schreiber is here to deliver a dose of reality to the industry. DOTsfty wants to evolve driver training and usher it into the AI era. We’ll hear from a driver and a supervisor who are using the tool to learn if it is helping their fleet. We’re joined by Doyles Sheehan’s Aarron Harshbarger and Brenden Magill as well as DOTsfty’s Tim Bu...
Jul 24, 2024•45 min
On Episode 737 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking about a Microsoft outage that has grounded flights nationwide, closed shipping ports and shuttered trucking terminals. What happened, who is impacted and when will things get back to normal? FreightWaves’ Eric Kulisch gets us the latest news. It takes a flatbed expert to truly rate the strap work. So, I invited J and R Transfer’s Josue Ramos on to teach us how the strap work works. We’ll learn about load securement, best straps and fatherhoo...
Jul 23, 2024•46 min
On Episode 738 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking about President Joe Biden’s sudden withdrawal from the race. Supply chains are on the line this election season as both former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have much different plans for tariffs, electrification and more. It’s a market of pain and gain in trucking. FreightPlus’ Tanner DeHart breaks down the data and sentiment that are driving the market. Is a recovery already underway? What implications will the ele...
Jul 22, 2024•45 min
On Episode 736 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is coming to you live from FreightWaves’ Enterprise Fleet Summit. Covenant’s Matt McLelland stops by the studio to share impressions of his new Cybertruck and to let us know what it is teaching him about electrifying fleets. Estes and Optym partnered on LTL optimization and solutions for a few years now. Now, Kory Harb from Optym and Joshua Newton from Estes talk about how to work with vendors as long-term partners. Tag-N-Trac uses labels to create rea...
Jul 17, 2024•46 min
On episode 735 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Dooner is talking to Travelers Rehman Kahn about how cargo thieves are using AI to steal your freight. We’ll learn what they’re doing and how you can protect yourself. Is the 2019 freight market a blueprint for the rest of 2024? FreightWaves’ Kyle Taylor breaks down the latest data in SONAR to see what it is signaling about freight rates. The 7th Annual Reliance Partners' Modernization of Cross Border Trade is coming up August 6th. Reliance Partners Mark Vicke...
Jul 15, 2024•45 min
On episode 734 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Dooner is talking about a freight ransom ring that is rocking the brokerage industry. Twenty-two brokerages allege Agility Express Inc is holding 36 loads hostage. Super Trucker Justin Martin is back and he’s here to talk about freight fraud, murder and mistress and one trucking company. We’ll also hear about a heroic driver who saved a 1-year old during Beryl. Armchair Attorney Matthew Leffler gets us up to speed on what the Supreme Court’s decision in overtu...
Jul 12, 2024•46 min
On episode 733 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Dooner is joined by Transfix co-founder Drew McElroy. Transfix rode the FreightTech wave from the top to the bottom and came out the other side as a different company. McElroy talks about the company’s latest pivot and why it moved away from being a digital freight marketplace by selling its brokerage unit to NFI. While the news may be trying to gaslight you into thinking remote work is dead, Journey’s Morgan MacDermaid is living the digital nomad’s dream. We’...
Jul 10, 2024•46 min
On Episode 732 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking about Hurricane Beryl making landfall in Houston. The storm has already knocked out power for over 2 million people. Could it trigger carriers’ revenge? With a 75% increase in truck crash fatalities since 2009, is it time to rethink safety? Descartes’ Jerry Veres talks about successful safety culture transformation. Riteload’s loadboard platform promises to connect shippers directly with carriers. We’ll find out from Matthew Kane how it is d...
Jul 08, 2024•46 min
On Episode 731 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is sending you into the Fourth of July with news about C.H. Robinson slashing 50% of its U.S. sales staff. The company is betting big on AI, but will it pay off? They’re the first major broker to really find out if this is a business of human relationship or not. A month ago, Offshift’s Mark Manera and I teamed up to get the industry moving with Squats Across America. Our goal was to get 10 air squats filmed and posted on social media in all 50 states....
Jul 03, 2024•45 min
On Episode 730 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking to trucker and social media influencer Trucking With Tay about fatherhood on the road. We’ll get into the challenges and wins of parenting while over the road. We may also learn the keys to perfectly strapping a load. Cargo theft is a near-billion-dollar problem. Gego’s Joseph Daniel talks about how shippers are using tech to fight back and protect their freight. We’ll also find out about some of the most unusual loads Daniel has tracked. Ne...
Jul 01, 2024•46 min
On episode 729 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Dooner is talking about last night’s disastrous presidential debate performance and how it could sway ocean shipping. With Trump’s promise of a renewed trade war and tariff increases, a great pull forward could be at play. Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association’s Lewie Pugh talks about two of the biggest issues facing trucking: freight fraud and Environmental Protection Agency regulations. We’ll find out what OOIDA is doing to get drivers’ voices heard...
Jun 28, 2024•46 min
On episode 728 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Dooner is joined by Truck Tech’s Alan Adler to break down the autonomous trucking deal between Aurora and Uber Freight. We’ll look into the good, the bad and the ugly of Drivers-as-a-Service. Continuing in autonomy, we’ll also look into Gatik’s strides toward mass production of autonomous trucks. It’s Christmas in July so Reliance Partners is Haulin’ for the Holidays. Jessie Merritt tells us all about the fundraiser that they’re doing along with Tennessee Truc...
Jun 26, 2024•45 min
On Episode 727 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking with FreightWaves’ Craig Fuller about UPS’ sale of Coyote for $1 billion to RXO. They’re breaking down the deal and will look into why Coyote took a loss of over $700 million in the transaction. RXO is now the 3rd biggest freight brokerage. Is this just the start of a summer of M&A? Two thousand employees, 500 of whom are drivers, are out of jobs as Texas-based U.S. Logistics Solutions abruptly shuts down. Fuller will weigh in on this st...
Jun 24, 2024•46 min
On Episode 726 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking about truckload tender rejections breaking the crucial 5% mark. Anything under 5% is considered inflationary, but can this run last past Independence Day? We’ll see what the data says. Electric trucks are costly and have limited range. However, great strides are being made in the clean fuel space. Clean Fuels Alliance’s Scott Fenwick gives us the 101 on renewable and biodiesel, bio heat, and sustainable aviation fuels. Crackbox Jimmy’s guita...
Jun 21, 2024•45 min
On Episode 725 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is joined at the desk by Covenant’s vice president of sustainability, Matt McLelland. Covenant has just released its Corporate Social Responsibility Report, and McLelland is here to break it down. We’ll find out how they’re collaborating with customers, suppliers and industry partners on meeting carbon reduction goals and embracing innovative solutions in the “messy middle” of decarbonization. Can semitruck charging go wireless? That’s InductEV’s missi...
Jun 17, 2024•46 min
On episode 724 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Dooner is hosting our first-ever trucker health forum. We’ll talk about the new ways that drivers are taking control of their health. I personally joined trucker fitness program Offshift so that I could better understand some of the challenges drivers face while making my own efforts to get in shape. Squat across America with us. You’ll learn about the problem, hear solutions, find out about programs designed for your lifestyle, and find a community of like-mi...
Jun 15, 2024•45 min
On Episode 723 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking about the great Zyn shortage of 2024. One company’s supply chain crisis is another’s competitive advantage. Today, we’ll meet Lucy co-founder John Coogan, whose lip nicotine brand Lucy is making waves. We’ll find out how these products work, learn about their supply chains and find out why their popularity is surging. Got a need for speed? So do NASCAR drivers, but they’re not going around the track without their race cars. How do they get t...
Jun 12, 2024•45 min
On Episode 722 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is back from Future of Supply Chain in Atlanta and he’s talking about a new report looking at the American Trucking Associations. CEO Chris Spear earns $1.9 million, but what are his results? Summer shipping demand is lifting up the truckload market as outbound tender volumes climb above 7% and rates go up 4% above 2023 levels. Will it be sustained, and can the momentum continue? A new survey says 72% of carriers would switch to alternate fuels if it w...
Jun 10, 2024•46 min
On episode 721 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Dooner is coming to you live from FreightWaves’ Future of Supply Chain in Atlanta. We’re getting into LTL, broker tech stacks, machine learning, and collaborative communication platforms. Plus, we’ll get you up-to-date on everything that went down at the event. With special guests Bobby Russell, EVP, Sales at MyCarrier; Philippe-Antoine Lehoux, CEO & Co-Founder at Missive; Yaniv Butel is the Chief Revenue Officer at Fixefy; Liam Purcell, Product Manager at...
Jun 06, 2024•46 min
On episode 720 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Dooner is coming to you live from FreightWaves’ Future of Supply Chain in Atlanta. We’re getting into the tech, people, and solutions that will drive the fate of the industry. With special guests Samantha Foley, Chief Growth Officer at Turvo; Abby Hafenbredl, Account Development Manager at Lean Solutions Group; Chris Mullen, Senior Director, Organizational Safety at Aurora Watch on YouTube Check out the WTT merch store Subscribe to the WTT newsletter Apple Pod...
Jun 05, 2024•46 min
On Episode 719 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking about the stats, trends and behaviors driving this year’s surge in cargo theft. Travelers’ Scott Cornell breaks down how thieves are targeting your freight this summer. The free parking debate exploded on social media this week. We’ll take a deeper look at what the argument is all about. Red Classic has been around since 1902. Spencer Webster joins the show to talk about how this 122-year-old company has been able to navigate and adapt to a ...
May 31, 2024•46 min
On episode 718 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Dooner is taking a deeper look at the case for hurricanes being a spot market catalyst this year. Tesla tells the trucking industry to step up its electric game while trucking leaders clap back at ACT Expo. Truck Tech host Alan Adler breaks down the latest in the wild world of the advancements that may drive freight into the future. Right stock, right place, right time. That’s what Netstock’s Barry Kukkuk is trying to solve. Netstock has launched a tool that a...
May 29, 2024•46 min
On episode 717 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Dooner is back from Miami and is breaking down this week in freight including electric semis’ bad week at Act Expo; Biden’s resurfaced trucking quote; and a driver who killed three has his trial delayed. Sick of hearing about AI in the supply chain? So are we. So instead, we’re going to see some in action. Duke.AI’s Marcus Cooksey shows off a live demo of his AI freight document processing LLM. Brittain Ladd has thoughts on Target’s latest earnings report and ...
May 24, 2024•45 min
