Brake Check

FreightWaves, Charles Gracey
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  • Business
  • Updated Weekly

Join Charles Gracey as he tackles the biggest topics in trucking

  1. 3h ago

    THE $304 MILLION TRUCKING HEIST NOBODY CAN STOP

    Cargo theft is changing fast .... and freight fraud is getting EXPENSIVE. Cargo theft incidents dropped 26% in Q2 2026, yet reported losses surged to $304.6 MILLION. Fewer thefts. More than double the money stolen. So HOW are freight thieves doing it  and who pays when they succeed? On this episode of Brake Check, Charles Gracey sits down with Jared Flinn, founder of BulkLoads.com, and freight risk expert Drew Wilder to expose the new reality of cargo theft and trucking fraud. We're breaking down freight fraud, double brokering, cloned carrier identities, stolen MC numbers, fake certificates of insurance (COIs), cargo claims, broker fraud, vicarious liability and trucking insurance ... including how legitimate motor carriers can get dragged into claims involving freight they NEVER hauled. More importantly: How do you protect your trucking company before it happens? What should you verify before booking a load? How can you spot a fake COI? What happens when a broker disappears? What should you do if someone steals your carrier identity? Who actually pays for stolen cargo? And what documentation could save your company when a claim lands months later? This isn't another conversation about how bad freight fraud has become.This is how you keep somebody else's crime from becoming YOUR bill. If you're a truck driver, owner-operator, motor carrier, freight broker, dispatcher, fleet owner, shipper, insurance professional or anyone working in trucking and logistics, this episode could change what you check before your next load moves. Watch before your next load gets booked. #CargoTheft #FreightFraud #Trucking #DoubleBrokering #OwnerOperator #FreightBroker #TruckingInsurance #SupplyChain Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

    THE $304 MILLION TRUCKING HEIST NOBODY CAN STOP

  2. 5d ago

    Does Trucking Hate Truckers? The Policies Driving Them Out

    Trucking says it NEEDS truckers. So why can't drivers find a safe place to park, why does Washington keep piling on rules, and why does the industry keep screaming “driver shortage” while struggling to keep the drivers it already has? On this episode of Brake Check, Charles Gracey asks the uncomfortable question: Does trucking actually hate truckers? OOIDA's Collin Long joins us from the Washington front lines to break down the truck-parking fight, highway funding, English-proficiency enforcement, the “driver shortage” narrative and what Congress is actually doing that could hit an owner-operator's bottom line. Then Conversion Interactive's Marilyn Surber gets put through the retention gauntlet: Why do good drivers leave? When does a recruiting problem become a BAD JOB problem? Can carriers market their way out of 90% turnover? And what would she actually do to cut it? No press releases. No conference-panel answers. No fluff. Just the policies, economics and management decisions affecting the people behind the wheel. And then we trade Washington politics for horsepower, polished metal and some seriously badass trucks as Summer of Chrome rolls on. Does trucking really value truckers? Let's find out. This is Brake Check. Let's go full stop. #Trucking #TruckDrivers #OwnerOperator #TruckParking #DriverShortage #DriverRetention #Freight #OOIDA #TruckingIndustry #BrakeCheck Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

    Does Trucking Hate Truckers? The Policies Driving Them Out

  3. Aug 11

    Trucking Has a Driver Shortage? Then Explain 90% Turnover

    Trucking says it has a DRIVER SHORTAGE. So why are some  carriers still burning through drivers at 90%+ turnover? Maybe trucking doesn't have a recruiting problem. Maybe it has a job worth keeping problem. On this episode of Brake Check, Charles Gracey digs into why professional drivers leave and why the industry's answer always seems to be recruiting MORE people instead of fixing what sends them out the door. Sherri Garner Brumbaugh, CEO of Garner Transportation Group and former ATA Chair, breaks down what her fleet does differently to retain drivers and faces tough questions about the disconnect between drivers, carriers and the organizations representing trucking in Washington.Then Charles brings on fellow SiriusXM Road Dog host Dan Ronan joins the conversation to tackle the numbers, the driver cycle and what drivers are saying that trucking's boardrooms still aren't hearing. We get into: 90%+ driver turnover The “driver shortage” debate Pay and unpaid working time Home time and dispatch Why good drivers actually leave Recruiting vs. retention The ATA-driver disconnect What successful fleets do differently Whether trucking has built jobs people actually want to keep You can recruit veterans, women, younger drivers and every other untapped workforce in America but if the job doesn't change, you're just pouring more people into a leaking bucket. Stop replacing drivers. Start giving them a reason to stay. This is Brake Check. Let's go full stop. #Trucking #TruckDrivers #DriverShortage #TruckingIndustry #TruckDriver #Freight #OwnerOperator #DriverRetention #BrakeCheck Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

    Trucking Has a Driver Shortage? Then Explain 90% Turnover

  4. Aug 6

    FMCSA’s New MODUS Portal, Highway Bill Shockwaves & The Truth About Fleet Safety

    On this Brake Check Vacation Special, host Charles Gracey runs back two of the most critical regulatory, legal, and safety compliance conversations facing the trucking industry today. First, Brandon Wiseman and Rob Carpenter from Trucksafe join the show to break down what FMCSA’s new MODUS registration system actually means for carriers and brokers. They dive into the legal fallout of recent Supreme Court rulings, discuss what’s inside the massive new Highway Bill proposal (including controversial hair follicle testing provisions), and tackle the question: Are small fleets being regulated out of existence? Then, Sam Watts (Director of Safety & Loss Control at 10-4 Truck Insurance) joins to separate real fleet safety culture from "safety theater". Sam shares hard truths about driver pay structures, continuous CDL monitoring, fighting nuclear verdicts, and how carriers can protect their bottom line before a single crash happens. Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

  5. Aug 4

    Are We in a Freight Super Cycle?

    Welcome back to Brake Check! In this episode, Charles sits down with industry leaders to cut through the fluff, break down current market trends, and deliver real trucking talk. Michael Kroul (CEO of KTI) discusses navigating spot rates, building long-term carrier relationships, and the role of legal risk management and AI in modern freight brokerage. Tyler Johnston (GM of Operations at Mercer Transportation) breaks down the true cost of operating in 2026, the myth of the “Freight Super Cycle,” and why consistency outperforms chasing rates. Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

    Are We in a Freight Super Cycle?

  6. Jul 30

    $6 Diesel Is Coming... Here's How Smart Fleets Fight Back

    Can trucking survive if diesel hits $6 a gallon? And if it does...will AI be the difference between staying profitable and shutting the doors? On this episode of Brake Check, we tackle two of the biggest forces reshaping trucking today. Senior Market Analyst Phil Flynn of The PRICE Futures Group breaks down where diesel prices are really headed, what could send fuel above $6 per gallon, how geopolitics, refinery capacity, and oil markets impact every load you haul, and what fleets should be doing before the next price spike....not after it. Then, Ava Davis from Alvys separates AI fact from fiction. Every software company claims to have AI....but what's real, what's hype, and what actually saves carriers time and money? We dig into AI-powered dispatch, fraud detection, operations, automation, and the tools that are giving smart fleets a competitive edge. Inside this episode: Could diesel really hit $6? Where oil prices are headed through the end of 2026. The biggest risks to fuel prices. What every fleet should watch before buying fuel. The truth about AI Fake AI vs. real AI. How AI is changing the workforce. The smartest moves carriers can make to protect their margins. Whether you're an owner-operator, fleet owner, dispatcher, broker, or trucking executive, this episode delivers practical insights you can use to prepare for what's coming next. The question isn't whether trucking is changing. The question is whether your business will change fast enough to survive it. Subscribe to Brake Check for unfiltered conversations with the people shaping the future of trucking. Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

    $6 Diesel Is Coming... Here's How Smart Fleets Fight Back

  7. Jul 28

    The End of "We Didn't Know" in Trucking: $604 Million Reasons Why

    The trucking industry just entered a new era...and "we didn't know" may no longer be enough. After the Montgomery v. Caribe decision, brokers are facing unprecedented scrutiny over how they select motor carriers. Then came another massive Texas verdict involving Home Depot and C.H. Robinson, raising new questions about broker liability, negligent selection, and whether every catastrophic truck crash is now a lawsuit waiting to happen. At the same time, freight fraud and cargo theft continue to explode, costing the industry hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Identity theft, stolen MC numbers, double brokering, cargo theft rings, and organized fraud are forcing carriers, brokers, and load boards to rethink how freight moves across America. In this episode of Brake Check, Charles Gracey sits down with TIA President & CEO Chris Burroughs, former TIA Chairman Jeff Tucker, and Truckstop General Counsel Lynsey Pickenpaugh for one of the most important conversations in trucking this year. Inside this episode: What Montgomery v. Caribe really changed The legal impact of the latest Texas nuclear verdict Is every broker now exposed to negligent selection lawsuits? Why 92% of carriers have no federal safety rating Should FMCSA define what a "safe carrier" is? The future of broker liability How modern freight fraud actually works Identity theft, stolen MC numbers, and cargo theft What Truckstop is doing to stop fraud before it starts The one mistake carriers and brokers can't afford to make Whether you're a truck driver, owner-operator, carrier, freight broker, safety director, attorney, shipper, or fleet executive, this episode explains what has changed, what hasn't, and what every transportation professional needs to understand before the next load moves. The rules are changing. The lawsuits are getting bigger. The fraudsters are getting smarter. Are you ready? Join the conversation in the comments: Should FMCSA define what makes a carrier "safe," or should the industry remain responsible for making that decision itself? #Trucking #Freight #BrokerLiability #FreightFraud #CargoTheft #Transportation #FMCSA #TruckingNews #OwnerOperator #FreightBroker #Logistics #BrakeCheck #CDL #SupplyChain #MotorCarrier #TruckingIndustry Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

    The End of "We Didn't Know" in Trucking: $604 Million Reasons Why

  8. Jul 23

    The Trucking Crackdown Is Here: Avoid These Mistakes Before It's Too Late

    The trucking crackdown is here. The question is...will your company survive it? FMCSA has rewritten the playbook. CSA has undergone its biggest overhaul in years. English proficiency enforcement is back in force. DataQs are more important than ever. And freight fraud has exploded into one of the biggest threats facing carriers today. One bad inspection. One stolen identity. One double-brokered load. One compliance mistake. That's all it takes to turn a profitable trucking company into tomorrow's cautionary tale. In this episode of Brake Check, Charles Gracey sits down with two industry experts who have worked both sides of enforcement. Rob Carpenter, VP of Compliance at TruckSafe, shares what carriers need to know about FMCSA audits, driver qualification files, freight fraud, identity theft, double brokering, compliance, and protecting your business before criminals or regulators...show up at your door. Then John Seidl, former Wisconsin State Motor Carrier Trooper and FMCSA Investigator, explains what inspectors are really looking for during roadside inspections, how the new CSA scoring system affects carriers, how English proficiency enforcement is playing out in the real world, and how DataQ challenges can remove violations that never should have been written in the first place. In this episode: The biggest FMCSA and CSA changes every carrier needs to know What inspectors are actually looking for roadside How to survive an FMCSA audit Driver qualification file mistakes that can cost you The freight fraud scams targeting carriers today Identity theft, double brokering, and fictitious pickups explained How to protect your authority and your business How DataQs really work and when you should fight a violation The inspection mistakes that destroy CSA scores Practical compliance strategies every fleet can use today Whether you're an owner-operator, small fleet, safety director, dispatcher, broker, or trucking executive, this episode delivers practical advice you can put to work immediately. If you're serious about protecting your business, lowering risk, and staying ahead of the next enforcement wave, this is one episode you can't afford to miss. Subscribe to FreightWaves for more trucking news, carrier insights, and industry-leading conversations. Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows

    The Trucking Crackdown Is Here: Avoid These Mistakes Before It's Too Late
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About

Join Charles Gracey as he tackles the biggest topics in trucking

Information

  • Creator
    FreightWaves, Charles Gracey
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    55
  • Copyright
    © Firecrown Media Group 2026
  • Show Website
    Brake Check

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