Brake Check

FreightWaves, Charles Gracey

Join Charles Gracey as he tackles the biggest topics in trucking

  1. We Asked America's Truckers What's Really Happening... They Didn't Hold Back

    1d ago

    We Asked America's Truckers What's Really Happening... They Didn't Hold Back

    There are plenty of people telling you what trucking looks like from a boardroom. We decided to ask the people actually living it. Live from Shell Rotella SuperRigs at Bristol Motor Speedway, Brake Check handed the microphone to America's truck drivers for an unfiltered reality check on freight, regulations, pay, parking, respect, technology, and where this industry is really headed. No talking points. No corporate spin. No pie charts. Just honest conversations with the men and women keeping America moving. Joining Charles are trucking voices with decades of experience: Kenny Ziglar Daniel & Phyllis Snow ("The Goose") Mike Lombard Together, they tackle the biggest issues facing trucking today while hearing directly from drivers walking the show grounds. If you want to know what trucking really looks like in 2026, don't ask an analyst. Ask a trucker. Topics include: The real freight market Driver pay & respect Regulations & government oversight Parking & infrastructure Technology & a dancing cyber truck Recruiting & retention The future of trucking Live reactions from drivers across America If you believe trucking deserves a voice that comes from the road...not the boardroom. Like, subscribe, hit the notification bell, and join the conversation. Because the people doing the job deserve to be heard. #ShellRotella #superrigs #shellsuperrigs #truckshow #Bristolmotorspeedway #Bristol #truckerstellall Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

    50 min
  2. SUPER CYCLE TALK FOR SUPER SUCKERS?

    6d ago

    SUPER CYCLE TALK FOR SUPER SUCKERS?

    Is Trucking About to Repeat Its Biggest Mistake Again? Everyone is talking about the next trucking "super cycle." But who benefits  most from selling such a narrative? Higher rates. Tighter capacity. A new golden era. But haven't we heard this before? On this episode of Brake Check, we're asking the question many in trucking are afraid to ask: Is the industry chasing another hype cycle... or is this time actually different? Joining Charles are three guests with completely different perspectives on the freight market. Tyler Johnston: Mercer Transportation Operations leader at one of America's most respected owner-operator carriers, discussing what disciplined fleets are actually seeing on the ground. Tommy Valenzuela:  Recruiting Professional of the Year, One of trucking's leading carrier advocates, sharing what drivers and fleets are experiencing as hiring, retention, and capacity begin to shift. Sage Outcast: Broker, insurance expert, and one of trucking's biggest pot stirrers Never afraid to challenge conventional wisdom, Sage brings his unfiltered take on freight rates, insurance, broker dynamics, and whether the "super cycle" narrative is fact or fantasy. We tackle: Is the trucking super cycle real? Are freight rates telling the whole story? Why freight rates can rise while freight volume falls. The biggest mistakes carriers made the last time everyone trusted "industry voices" Why costs still threaten profitability. Capacity, recruiting, insurance, and the market signals nobody should ignore. What owner-operators, fleets, brokers, and executives should be watching next. No corporate talking points. No hype. No echo chamber. Just real conversations backed by experience from every side of the trucking industry. If you're a truck driver, owner-operator, fleet owner, carrier executive, freight broker, logistics professional, or simply trying to understand where trucking is headed next, this episode is for you. Subscribe for weekly conversations that challenge conventional wisdom and tackle the biggest issues in trucking, freight, logistics, regulation, and the supply chain. #Trucking #Freight #Logistics #OwnerOperator #TruckDriver #FreightMarket #SupplyChain #MercerTransportation #Broker #Insurance #BrakeCheck #FreightWaves #Transportation #CDL #OwnerOperators #FreightRates Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

    55 min
  3. How Trucking Companies Bleed Money Every Single Day

    Jun 23

    How Trucking Companies Bleed Money Every Single Day

    The most expensive truck in America isn't the one burning fuel down the highway. It's the one sitting still. On this episode of Brake Check, we're exposing the hidden costs that quietly destroy trucking profits every day: empty seats, slow hiring, breakdowns, repair delays, compliance bottlenecks, and downtime that most carriers never properly measure. First, Charles sits down with Tim Crawford, CEO and Co-Founder of Tenstreet, the platform helping thousands of carriers recruit, hire, onboard, and retain drivers. Tim breaks down what's really happening in driver recruiting in 2026, where AI is helping (and hurting), why some fleets consistently keep seats full while others struggle, and the costly mistakes carriers make between a driver saying "yes" and actually getting behind the wheel. Then, Alex Bezzubets, Founder and CEO of myMechanic, joins the show to tackle the other side of downtime: truck breakdowns. Alex explains why roadside repairs still take too long, what a single breakdown really costs a carrier, and how technology is helping fleets get trucks repaired and back on the road faster than ever before. Topics include: Driver Recruiting Trends in 2026 Retention vs. Recruiting AI in Trucking Recruitment Empty Seats & Lost Revenue Fleet Profitability Truck Breakdowns & Roadside Repair Maintenance Strategy Compliance & Onboarding Small Fleet Survival Downtime Reduction Whether you're an owner-operator, fleet owner, safety manager, recruiter, dispatcher, or trucking executive, this episode delivers practical insights on one question every carrier should be asking: How much is downtime really costing your business? Subscribe to Brake Check for straight talk, industry leaders, and the conversations trucking needs to have. #Trucking #OwnerOperator #Freight #Logistics #FleetManagement #TruckDriver #Transportation #BrakeCheck #FreightWaves Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

    51 min
  4. How Can Trucking STILL Making Money in 2026?

    Jun 11

    How Can Trucking STILL Making Money in 2026?

    Everybody says trucking is broken. Rates are soft. Insurance costs are crushing carriers. Operating expenses keep climbing. Every week another trucking company shuts its doors, another owner-operator parks the truck, and another driver wonders if it's still worth it. So here's the question: If trucking is so bad right now, how are some fleets and owner-operators still finding a way to win? On this episode of Brake Check, Charles Gracey sits down with two trucking leaders attacking that problem from completely different angles. JR Elrod, President of BAR Transportation, a 30-year trucking veteran who spent more than two decades hauling heavy freight before building a specialized carrier focused on government, project, and niche freight. Tyler Johnston, General Manager of Mercer Transportation, one of North America's most successful owner-operator carriers, with more than 2,200 contractors and nearly 50 years in business. Topics include: Owner-Operator Survival in 2026 Open Deck & Heavy Haul Freight Trends Soft Freight Markets & Rising Costs Driver Retention & Profitability Insurance Costs Crushing Trucking Carrier-Broker Relationships Small Fleet Survival Strategies The Future of Independent Trucking Whether you're an owner-operator, fleet owner, company driver, broker, shipper, or simply trying to understand where trucking is headed next, this conversation delivers real-world strategies from people living it every day. Question for the comments: What's the biggest challenge facing trucking right now: rates, insurance, regulations, freight, or something else? #Trucking #OwnerOperator #Freight #Logistics #TruckDriver #CDL #FreightWaves #BrakeCheck #Transportation #HeavyHaul #OpenDeck #TruckingIndustry #SupplyChain #OwnerOperators #Truckers Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

    45 min
  5. The Problems in Trucking Aren't Being Ignored... They're Being Protected

    Jun 9

    The Problems in Trucking Aren't Being Ignored... They're Being Protected

    What if trucking's biggest problems aren't being ignored... What if they're being protected? On this episode of Brake Check, Charles Gracey sits down with two of the most outspoken voices in trucking to tackle the issues drivers, carriers, and owner-operators are talking about across America. First, Charles Claburn joins the show. With 30 years behind the wheel, more than 3 million accident-free miles, and decades spent advocating for truck drivers, Claburn shares his unfiltered perspective on retention, training, truck parking, regulations, and why so many trucking companies continue making the same mistakes. Then Mike Cobb, CEO of the Federation of Professional Truckers (FOPT), joins Brake Check to discuss the organization's challenge to the ELD mandate, broker accountability, insurance requirements, FMCSA oversight, non-domiciled CDLs, and what real trucking reform looks like from the driver's seat. Topics include: ELD Mandate Debate FMCSA & Federal Regulation Truck Parking Crisis Driver Retention & Turnover Broker Accountability Insurance Minimums Non-Domiciled CDLs Trucking Safety Owner-Operator Challenges The Future of Professional Trucking Whether you're a driver, owner-operator, carrier, broker, or industry leader, this is a conversation you don't want to miss. Subscribe for more hard-hitting trucking conversations every week. #Trucking #OwnerOperator #ELD #FMCSA #TruckDriver #Logistics #Freight #Transportation #CDL #BrakeCheck Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

    49 min

  6. Jun 4

    The Trucking Bloodbath Isn't Over. It's Just Changing Victims.

    Everyone keeps saying trucking is recovering. So why are carriers still closing their doors? Why are drivers still frustrated? Why do brokers think the sky is falling? And why does it feel like the people making money in freight are playing a completely different game than everyone else? On this episode of Brake Check, we're cutting through the noise and exposing what's really happening inside trucking in 2026. Michael Kroul, CEO of KTI, joins us to discuss freight markets, brokerage, shipper expectations, carrier relationships, technology, automation, and whether brokers will even exist in the next decade. Julie Bernard of New Legend Inc. joins us to talk driver recruiting, retention, onboarding, company culture, new equipment, and what drivers are actually looking for in today's market. We tackle:  The real state of the freight market  Why some companies are growing while others are disappearing  The future of freight brokers and 3PLs  Driver recruiting myths that need to die  Why retention matters more than recruiting  New trucks, technology, and the battle for driver talent  What trucking may look like over the next 5 years The freight market is changing. The winners are adapting. The losers are making excuses. The question is simple: Which one are you? Sound off in the comments: Who's under the most pressure right now .... Drivers, Carriers, or Brokers? And if you're in trucking, logistics, freight, supply chain, or transportation... Subscribe now because nobody is having these conversations like we are. #Trucking #Freight #Logistics #TruckDriver #OwnerOperator #FreightBroker #SupplyChain #Transportation #CDL #FreightWaves #BrakeCheck Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

    52 min
  7. The Two Biggest Ways Trucking Companies Die in 2026

    Jun 2

    The Two Biggest Ways Trucking Companies Die in 2026

    Today on Brake Check, we're tackling the two biggest threats facing trucking in 2026. First, Matt Roherty from CarrierForge breaks down what it really takes to go from company driver to business owner. From MC authority and compliance headaches to startup costs, profitability, and avoiding the mistakes that kill most new carriers in their first year, this is the roadmap every aspiring owner-operator needs to hear. Then Scott Cornell from Logistiq Insurance Solutions joins the show to expose the cargo theft epidemic sweeping through freight. Fictitious pickups. Identity fraud. Double brokering. Coverage gaps. Cyber-enabled theft. The threats have evolved—and many carriers and brokers don't realize how exposed they really are until it's too late. If you're thinking about getting your own authority, running a small fleet, brokering freight, or protecting the business you've built, this episode is required listening. Starting a trucking company  Cargo theft and freight fraud Insurance coverage mistakes  The future of owner-operators  Broker liability and risk #Trucking #OwnerOperator #CargoTheft #FreightFraud #TruckingBusiness #BrakeCheck #Freight #Logistics #TruckingIndustry Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

    47 min
  8. Trucking’s Soft Market Is a WAR | Who Survives What Comes Next?

    May 28

    Trucking’s Soft Market Is a WAR | Who Survives What Comes Next?

    The trucking industry is at a breaking point. Spot rates are crushed. Small carriers are disappearing. Brokers and carriers are battling over transparency, pricing, and survival while AI and automation are rapidly changing the game. On this episode of Brake Check, we bring together a hard-hitting roundtable discussion on the real future of trucking: Why carrier attrition is accelerating Whether the “market cycle” excuse is finally dead The truth about broker margins and transparency What load boards MUST become to survive How AI is already reshaping trucking operations What owner-operators need to do RIGHT NOW to survive the next 2 years Who actually benefits when small fleets disappear No fluff. No corporate talking points. Just real conversations about where trucking is headed — and who may not make it there. If you’re a driver, owner-operator, broker, fleet owner, or anyone who cares about the future of freight, this is the conversation the industry needs to have. Subscribe to Brake Check for real trucking talk from the front lines of freight. Guests: Dan Lindsey & Paul Gibson from the Broker Carrier Summit Dale Prax with FreightValidate Nate Johnson with GLCS John Howland with Truckstop.com Jessica Dotson with Triumph Jacob Thomas with BridgeHaul #Trucking #Freight #OwnerOperator #Logistics #TruckDrivers #FreightBroker #CDL #SupplyChain #AI #SpotMarket #LoadBoards #BrakeCheck Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

    47 min
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About

Join Charles Gracey as he tackles the biggest topics in trucking

Information

  • Creator
    FreightWaves, Charles Gracey
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    41
  • Copyright
    © Firecrown Media Group 2026
  • Show Website
    Brake Check

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