Send us a text About the Podcast: New federal rules on non-domicile CDLs and enforcement crackdowns on drivers’ English language proficiency are creating significant angst in the trucking industry. When coupled with stubborn economic uncertainty, many wonder how this will all impact their business in the coming weeks and months. As a featured guest on the TN Truck Thought podcast, Avery Vise, vice president of trucking at FTR Transportation Intelligence, delivers a data-ba...

Send us a text Held in Denver, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) 2025 Annual Meeting brought together federal and state enforcement officials, carriers and industry experts to explore how safety and compliance are evolving on the road. The meeting highlighted several emerging trends that are reshaping the landscape of commercial vehicle safety. From a crackdown on electronic logging device (ELD) fraud and English language proficiency to delays in medical certifications an...

Send us a text In the ever-evolving world of transportation, one topic is gaining traction among industry professionals, motor carriers, policymakers and independent contractors alike: portable benefits. Legal and insurance experts Greg Feary (Scopelitis Law Firm) and Chris Gulker (TrueNorth Companies), along with hosts P. Sean Garney and Steve Keppler, explored how portable benefits could impact and reshape the future of trucking. TN Truck Thought is a monthly podcast featuring some ...

Send us a text In the world of transportation, we talk a lot about safety – hours of service, compliance, vehicle maintenance and more. But what if we’re missing a critical piece of the puzzle? What if the real root cause of many safety issues isn’t just what happens on the road, but what’s happening in the lives of the drivers behind the wheel? In this episode of the TTT Podcast, hosts P. Sean Garney and Steve Keppler sat down with Dr. Mark Manera (Founder & CEO of Offshift), Tim O’Neil...

Send us a text The trucking industry is bracing for a significant shift in enforcement. On June 25, 2025, a new enforcement directive will take effect, placing drivers out-of-service if they fail to meet English language proficiency (ELP) standards under FMCSA regulation 391.11(b)(2). This change, prompted by a presidential executive order, has sparked intense discussion across the industry – and for good reason. In this episode of the TTT podcast, industry experts Adrienne Gildea (CVSA), Ch...

Send us a text About the Podcast: When a crash happens, chaos follows – but your response doesn’t have to. In this episode, legal expert Steve Stanaszak (Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary) and safety pro John Biblis (TrueNorth) join the team to break down what every carrier and driver can do in the critical moments after a highway accident. From preserving evidence and managing emotions to avoiding costly legal missteps, this conversation is packed with real-world advice t...

Send us a text About the Podcast: Lawsuit abuse and the rise of nuclear verdicts are a crisis in the trucking industry driving up costs, shutting down businesses and hamstringing the industry. We've seen jury awards and settlements in hundreds of millions and even billions of dollars, often far exceeding the actual damages. These outsized verdicts are driving skyrocketing insurance premiums, forcing small and mid-sized carriers out of business, and creating an environment where frivolo...

Send us a text About the Podcast: The autonomous trucking landscape has been a topic of interest and debate for many years within the trucking industry. As we begin 2025, many are anticipating making significant strides in advancing autonomous vehicles (AVs). The recent announcement of a new partnership between Waabi and Volvo, as well as that of Torc Robotics’ planned new autonomous hub in Texas and expansion of offices in Ann Arbor, Michigan, are proof that 2025 could be a pivo...

Send us a text The National Transportation Safety Board is a critical piece in helping to advance transportation safety through their comprehensive crash investigations. With over 10,000 investigations done over the years, their experience and expertise offer valuable insights for improving truck and bus safety for drivers, motor carriers, and government agencies. Joined by Bert Mayo and Shawn Currie, we discuss the National Transportation Safety Board and what they do and what they have fou...

Send us a text Tis the season to be thankful and give praise to all things good in the trucking industry. In this podcast, that’s exactly what we are doing. Joined by Bert Mayo and John Biblis, we discuss what we’re thankful for and all the positives that came from the trucking industry in 2024! Topics Covered: • All time low crash rates • Economy improvements • Government regulations • FMCSA ...

Send us a text About the Podcast: In this podcast, we take a different approach of just talking shop! Compliance vs safety, government regulations, crash rates, safety and all things about trucking and safety. Joining this episode are guests Jack Van Steenburg and Chad Graber. Topics Covered: • Insights into how government and enforcement work • Compliance versus Safety • Government regulations and priorities • Major hurdles in r...

Send us a text ATRI has been publishing its Operational Costs in Trucking report since 2008 that brings in operational data on all things trucking and freight. This annual report has been influential in helping companies in benchmarking their performance to get ahead of and understand where they are and where they need to go. In this podcast episode, we explore the findings from the latest report and the impacts on the trucking industry. Joining this episode are guests Alex Leslie of ATRI and...

Send us a text In an ever-evolving world, data and cyber security are at an all-time high. With the advancement in back office and vehicle technologies, interconnectivity of systems, AI, and analytics, cyber security has never been more needed to protect your business and your brand. In this podcast episode, we explore the cyber security significance, the impact on the trucking industry and what it will mean going forward. Joining this episode are guests Aaron Voss and Clay Swanson of TrueNor...

Send us a text The “Chevron Doctrine”, a principle that was decided by the Supreme Court in 1984 and has had a significant influence over federal regulations, was recently overturned by this Supreme Court. This doctrine, a pillar of administrative law that has influenced federal rulemaking over the last 40 years, directed courts to defer to federal agencies when interpreting sometimes ambiguous statutes enacted by Congress. In this podcast episode, we explore the Chevron Doctrine, the recent ...

Send us a text Founded in 2014, LEAD ATA aims to "select, prepare, and transform the best and brightest in the truck industry today, to become our leaders of tomorrow." In this podcast episode, we explore the experiences of recent LEAD ATA graduates Manny Hoyt, Manager of Sales Marketing at TrueNorth, Chris Eckhart, Partner at Scopelitis Garvin Light Hanson & Feary, and Dana Spencer, Director of Safety at CRST. They share how the program has significantly impacted their professional lives...

Send us a text About the Podcast: Is there too much data in the trucking industry? Safety and efficiency are paramount in the ever-changing landscape of the trucking industry but how can data help us, what should carriers avoid, how can they navigate the noise, and what are some best practices to be used. Topics include: • Data Awareness and importance, understanding what you have and what you need • What is data important a...

Send us a text The #1 acute violation from FMCSA audits in 2023 was allowing drivers to operate with a suspended or revoked CDL. In the latest episode of the TN Truck Thought podcast, the team shares how fleets can manage compliance as a starting point for safety and to avoid violations, such as this one. They consider how technology can be leveraged in this process, with input from special guest Timothy J. Henry, CEO of Haul. Throughout the episode, the team also explores the in...

Send us a text All motor carriers unfortunately deal with the concern of crashes and how to prevent them. Industry can sometimes be challenged with how best to assess preventability when evaluating crashes, and some wonder whether they even should be making these assessments given the litigious environment in trucking today. FMCSA has understood the value and necessity of preventability by establishing their Crash Preventability Determination Program and through its safety rating process. Ber...

Send us a text About the Podcast: The independent contractor model is under scrutiny again. The wage and hour division issued a final rule modifying the analysis it uses to determine employee and independent contractor classification under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Greg Feary and Chris Gulker join the TN Truck Thought Podcast to discuss the implications of this act and how Independent Contractors should respond. Topics include: • DOL Rule Clarifications &...

Send us a text About the Podcast: Bert Mayo returns to the TN Truck Thought Podcast to flip the script on Sean and Steve and get their predictions on trucking-related legislation, regulations, and related actions for 2024. They consider the implications of an election year and the political climate, as well as other factors when making their predictions for what progress, or lack thereof, they expect to see and the impact it will have on motor carriers, drivers, and independent c...