The Heavy Duty Parts Report

Jamie Irvine

In each episode, Jamie Irvine and his guests have conversations that empower heavy-duty people. They discuss tips, tools, and technology that help heavy-duty parts manufacturers and distributors sell the right parts to fleets, repair shops, and truck operators.

  1. 3d ago

    How Fuel Quality Impacts Fuel Economy, Engine Performance & Maintenance Costs in Modern Diesel Fleets

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 377: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, host Jamie Irvine speaks with Jessica Crabtree, Director of Technical Services, and Garth Redifer, Vice President of Sales at Power Service, about how fuel quality directly impacts fuel economy, engine performance, emissions systems, and maintenance costs in modern diesel fleets.  They explain how changes in diesel fuel, including ultra-low sulfur diesel, biodiesel, and renewable diesel blends, have increased the importance of managing fuel quality, lubricity, injector cleanliness, and fuel storage practices.  The discussion highlights how poor fuel quality can lead to injector deposits, clogged fuel filters, excessive DPF regenerations, reduced fuel economy, increased downtime, and premature wear of fuel system components.  The guests emphasize the value of fuel testing, preventive maintenance, proper fuel storage, and the use of quality fuel additives to improve reliability and lower total cost of operation. They also share real-world results showing significant gains in fuel economy and reductions in regeneration events through effective fuel treatment programs. Links ·         PowerService.com   Sponsors of this Episode The Hub Corp: Introducing the new standard in wheel-end protection: The Hub Corp's revolutionary XTRACTOR™. The only line of heavy-duty hub caps with a built-in 3-Stage Magnetic Oil Filter that safeguards critical axle components under extreme loads for longer. And with the patent-pending HexThread™ cartridge, the XTRACTOR makes hub oil servicing and inspections faster, easier, and cleaner. The Hub Corp: Challenge The Standard. Visit TheHubCorp.com to learn more and join the waitlist.   Fullbay: Fullbay is built for the heavy-duty world, giving your operation the tools to keep your fleet or independent repair shop running. Features like streamlined scheduling, real-time inventory tracking, technician efficiency insights, and detailed reports are how Fullbay helps shops reduce downtime and keep your vehicles on the road where they belong. Check out Fullbay.com/power to maximize your shop’s productivity. GenAlpha: Equip360 by GenAlpha helps manufacturers and distributors grow their parts sales and make life easier for their customers. With real-time insights into inventory, pricing, and order tracking, it keeps customers coming back. Plus, it saves time by automating routine tasks and making repeat purchases simple. Explore Equip360 at GenAlpha.com. Disclaimer: This content and description may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, The Heavy Duty Parts Report may receive a commission.  Follow the podcast to never miss an episode. If you'd like to work with Jamie Irvine directly, you can schedule a meeting with him today.

  2. Aug 31

    The Art of Parts Identification and the Impact on Your Customers

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 376: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, our host Jamie Irvine speaks with Joe Steward, General Manager of Betts Truck Parts and Service, about the ongoing challenges of heavy-duty truck parts identification.  They compare the catalog-based methods of the past with today's digital tools, discussing how modern trucks have become significantly more complex. The conversation explores the costly impact of misidentified parts across the supply chain, including vehicle downtime, missed customer commitments, lost profitability, and strained business relationships.  Joe explains how service providers often go to extraordinary lengths to source the correct part and keep trucks operating, while also highlighting the growing reliance on technology, online catalogs, cross-reference systems, and vendor training to compensate for shrinking industry experience. Both agree that while technology has improved access to information, expertise, attention to detail, and strong customer service remain critical to getting the right part the first time.   Links ·         BettsTruckParts.com Sponsors of this Episode The Hub Corp: Introducing the new standard in wheel-end protection: The Hub Corp's revolutionary XTRACTOR™. The only line of heavy-duty hub caps with a built-in 3-Stage Magnetic Oil Filter that safeguards critical axle components under extreme loads for longer. And with the patent-pending HexThread™ cartridge, the XTRACTOR makes hub oil servicing and inspections faster, easier, and cleaner. The Hub Corp: Challenge The Standard. Visit TheHubCorp.com to learn more and join the waitlist.   Fullbay: Fullbay is built for the heavy-duty world, giving your operation the tools to keep your fleet or independent repair shop running. Features like streamlined scheduling, real-time inventory tracking, technician efficiency insights, and detailed reports are how Fullbay helps shops reduce downtime and keep your vehicles on the road where they belong. Check out Fullbay.com/power to maximize your shop’s productivity. GenAlpha: Equip360 by GenAlpha helps manufacturers and distributors grow their parts sales and make life easier for their customers. With real-time insights into inventory, pricing, and order tracking, it keeps customers coming back. Plus, it saves time by automating routine tasks and making repeat purchases simple. Explore Equip360 at GenAlpha.com. Disclaimer: This content and description may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, The Heavy Duty Parts Report may receive a commission.  Follow the podcast to never miss an episode. If you'd like to work with Jamie Irvine directly, you can schedule a meeting with him today.

  3. Aug 17

    Brake Safety Week 2026: The True Cost of Brake Violations

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 375: Host Jamie Irvine is joined by Katie Benet, Strategic Account Manager, and Bruce Williams, Senior Director at Marathon Brake Systems, to discuss the upcoming Brake Safety Week and the significant business and safety consequences of brake-related violations. Using industry inspection data showing that over 15% of inspected vehicles were placed out of service for brake defects, the discussion highlights how inadequate maintenance, deferred repairs, and the use of low-cost components can lead to breakdowns, lost revenue, customer dissatisfaction, higher operating costs, and increased liability.  The guests stress that brakes must be viewed as a complete system, with regular inspections, documented maintenance programs, and timely repairs serving as the foundation of both fleet safety and profitability. They also remind fleet operators that while economic pressures may encourage cost-cutting, brake maintenance is one area where investing in safety and reliability delivers substantial long-term benefits for businesses and everyone sharing the road. Links ·         MarathonBrake.com   Sponsors of this Episode The Hub Corp: Introducing the new standard in wheel-end protection: The Hub Corp's revolutionary XTRACTOR™. The only line of heavy-duty hub caps with a built-in 3-Stage Magnetic Oil Filter that safeguards critical axle components under extreme loads for longer. And with the patent-pending HexThread™ cartridge, the XTRACTOR makes hub oil servicing and inspections faster, easier, and cleaner. The Hub Corp: Challenge The Standard. Visit TheHubCorp.com to learn more and join the waitlist.   Fullbay: Fullbay is built for the heavy-duty world, giving your operation the tools to keep your fleet or independent repair shop running. Features like streamlined scheduling, real-time inventory tracking, technician efficiency insights, and detailed reports are how Fullbay helps shops reduce downtime and keep your vehicles on the road where they belong. Check out Fullbay.com/power to maximize your shop’s productivity. GenAlpha: Equip360 by GenAlpha helps manufacturers and distributors grow their parts sales and make life easier for their customers. With real-time insights into inventory, pricing, and order tracking, it keeps customers coming back. Plus, it saves time by automating routine tasks and making repeat purchases simple. Explore Equip360 at GenAlpha.com. Disclaimer: This content and description may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, The Heavy Duty Parts Report may receive a commission.  Follow the podcast to never miss an episode. If you'd like to work with Jamie Irvine directly, you can schedule a meeting with him today.

  4. Aug 3

    How to Promote High Performing People in Your Heavy-Duty Parts and Service Company

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 374: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, Jamie and Jennifer Irvine discuss the challenges and opportunities of promoting employees from within a heavy-duty repair business.  Jamie emphasizes that strong performance in one position does not automatically translate into success in a leadership, supervisory, or sales role. The conversation explores how technicians, lead technicians, shop foremen, service writers, parts professionals, managers, and salespeople each require fundamentally different personality traits, strengths, and workplace behaviors.  Jamie stresses the importance of understanding employees’ natural abilities, maintaining ongoing career-development conversations, and avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach to advancement. He recommends using the personality assessment tool,  Traits to help place the right people in the right roles, improve retention, and create career paths that maximize both employee satisfaction and business performance.   Links ·         Meet with Jamie Irvine   Sponsors of this Episode The Hub Corp: Introducing the new standard in wheel-end protection: The Hub Corp's revolutionary XTRACTOR™. The only line of heavy-duty hub caps with a built-in 3-Stage Magnetic Oil Filter that safeguards critical axle components under extreme loads for longer. And with the patent-pending HexThread™ cartridge, the XTRACTOR makes hub oil servicing and inspections faster, easier, and cleaner. The Hub Corp: Challenge The Standard. Visit TheHubCorp.com to learn more and join the waitlist.   Fullbay: Fullbay is built for the heavy-duty world, giving your operation the tools to keep your fleet or independent repair shop running. Features like streamlined scheduling, real-time inventory tracking, technician efficiency insights, and detailed reports are how Fullbay helps shops reduce downtime and keep your vehicles on the road where they belong. Check out Fullbay.com/power to maximize your shop’s productivity. GenAlpha: Equip360 by GenAlpha helps manufacturers and distributors grow their parts sales and make life easier for their customers. With real-time insights into inventory, pricing, and order tracking, it keeps customers coming back. Plus, it saves time by automating routine tasks and making repeat purchases simple. Explore Equip360 at GenAlpha.com. Disclaimer: This content and description may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, The Heavy Duty Parts Report may receive a commission.  Follow the podcast to never miss an episode. If you'd like to work with Jamie Irvine directly, you can schedule a meeting with him today.

  5. Jul 20

    Shotgun Repairs: Why Technicians Guess and Customers Pay

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 373: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, Jamie Irvine and co-host Jennifer Irvine explore the problem of shotgun repairs—when technicians replace multiple parts based on assumptions rather than identifying the true root cause of a vehicle issue. They examine how modern commercial vehicles have become significantly more complex making accurate diagnostics more challenging and increasing the risk of unnecessary repairs, downtime, and lost revenue.    Drawing on insights from Derek Ness of Dash Mechanical, Jamie explains that not all technicians have the same aptitude for diagnostics and that shop owners must identify individual strengths, invest training resources strategically, and ensure technicians are assigned to the right roles.    The discussion concludes with practical recommendations for repair shops, including measuring comebacks, evaluating technician capabilities, creating standardized diagnostic procedures, training staff and customers, and building a culture focused on “right part, right fix, first time” to improve reliability, customer trust, and long-term profitability.   Links ·         HeavyDutyConsulting.com   Sponsors of this Episode The Hub Corp: Introducing the new standard in wheel-end protection: The Hub Corp's revolutionary XTRACTOR™. The only line of heavy-duty hub caps with a built-in 3-Stage Magnetic Oil Filter that safeguards critical axle components under extreme loads for longer. And with the patent-pending HexThread™ cartridge, the XTRACTOR makes hub oil servicing and inspections faster, easier, and cleaner. The Hub Corp: Challenge The Standard. Visit TheHubCorp.com to learn more and join the waitlist.   Fullbay: Fullbay is built for the heavy-duty world, giving your operation the tools to keep your fleet or independent repair shop running. Features like streamlined scheduling, real-time inventory tracking, technician efficiency insights, and detailed reports are how Fullbay helps shops reduce downtime and keep your vehicles on the road where they belong. Check out Fullbay.com/power to maximize your shop’s productivity. GenAlpha: Equip360 by GenAlpha helps manufacturers and distributors grow their parts sales and make life easier for their customers. With real-time insights into inventory, pricing, and order tracking, it keeps customers coming back. Plus, it saves time by automating routine tasks and making repeat purchases simple. Explore Equip360 at GenAlpha.com. Disclaimer: This content and description may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, The Heavy Duty Parts Report may receive a commission.  Follow the podcast to never miss an episode. If you'd like to work with Jamie Irvine directly, you can schedule a meeting with him today.

  6. Jul 6

    The Numbers Every Repair Shop Should Be Tracking

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 372: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, host Jamie Irvine speaks with Josh Ross, CEO of Truck Genius, about how repair shops can turn operational data into profit.  Josh explains how Truck Genius helps shops unlock valuable insights from Fullbay data, making it easier to track key performance indicators, improve accountability, and identify profit leaks.  The discussion explores the growing role of AI in analyzing repair shop data, highlighting how tools can surface actionable recommendations, monitor technician performance, optimize inventory management, and automate routine tasks. Josh emphasizes that metrics such as gross profit per hour can have a significant impact on profitability and shares examples of shops improving financial performance simply by measuring and managing the right numbers. Both Jamie and Josh agree that the future belongs to repair shops that embrace data-driven decision-making, leverage AI, and focus on proactive management rather than constantly reacting to problems. Links ·       TruckGenius.ai Sponsors of this Episode The Hub Corp: Introducing the new standard in wheel-end protection: The Hub Corp's revolutionary XTRACTOR™. The only line of heavy-duty hub caps with a built-in 3-Stage Magnetic Oil Filter that safeguards critical axle components under extreme loads for longer. And with the patent-pending HexThread™ cartridge, the XTRACTOR makes hub oil servicing and inspections faster, easier, and cleaner. The Hub Corp: Challenge The Standard. Visit TheHubCorp.com to learn more and join the waitlist.   Fullbay: Fullbay is built for the heavy-duty world, giving your operation the tools to keep your fleet or independent repair shop running. Features like streamlined scheduling, real-time inventory tracking, technician efficiency insights, and detailed reports are how Fullbay helps shops reduce downtime and keep your vehicles on the road where they belong. Check out Fullbay.com/power to maximize your shop’s productivity. GenAlpha: Equip360 by GenAlpha helps manufacturers and distributors grow their parts sales and make life easier for their customers. With real-time insights into inventory, pricing, and order tracking, it keeps customers coming back. Plus, it saves time by automating routine tasks and making repeat purchases simple. Explore Equip360 at GenAlpha.com. Disclaimer: This content and description may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, The Heavy Duty Parts Report may receive a commission.  Follow the podcast to never miss an episode. If you'd like to work with Jamie Irvine directly, you can schedule a meeting with him today.

  7. Jun 22

    Scaling a Heavy-Duty Parts Business in 2026

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 371: In this episode, Paul Kunz of Precision Fleet Maintenance discusses his journey from running a side service truck to building a full-scale heavy-duty repair, shop, and parts distribution business driven by a desire to support his family and serve customers better.  He explains the challenges of entrepreneurship in the trucking industry—from fear and long hours to managing growth, hiring, and implementing systems—while emphasizing the importance of family values and strong team culture.  The conversation also explores the transition into parts distribution and the complexities of supplier relationships, culminating in the announcement of a new partnership with The Hub Corporation, bringing innovative wheel-end technology to customers and reinforcing the critical link between service providers and manufacturers in keeping fleets on the road. Links ·         Precision Fleet Maintenance  ·         Episode 356: Reinventing the Hub Cap with XTRACTOR ·         The Hub Corporation Sponsors of this Episode The Hub Corp: Introducing the new standard in wheel-end protection: The Hub Corp's revolutionary XTRACTOR™. The only line of heavy-duty hub caps with a built-in 3-Stage Magnetic Oil Filter that safeguards critical axle components under extreme loads for longer. And with the patent-pending HexThread™ cartridge, the XTRACTOR makes hub oil servicing and inspections faster, easier, and cleaner. The Hub Corp: Challenge The Standard. Visit TheHubCorp.com to learn more and join the waitlist.   Fullbay: Fullbay is built for the heavy-duty world, giving your operation the tools to keep your fleet or independent repair shop running. Features like streamlined scheduling, real-time inventory tracking, technician efficiency insights, and detailed reports are how Fullbay helps shops reduce downtime and keep your vehicles on the road where they belong. Check out Fullbay.com/power to maximize your shop’s productivity. GenAlpha: Equip360 by GenAlpha helps manufacturers and distributors grow their parts sales and make life easier for their customers. With real-time insights into inventory, pricing, and order tracking, it keeps customers coming back. Plus, it saves time by automating routine tasks and making repeat purchases simple. Explore Equip360 at GenAlpha.com.  Disclaimer: This content and description may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, The Heavy Duty Parts Report may receive a commission.  Follow the podcast to never miss an episode. If you'd like to work with Jamie Irvine directly, you can schedule a meeting with him today.

  8. Jun 8

    Stop the Leak: How Heavy-Duty Shops Can Turn Missed Leads into Revenue

    Send us Fan Mail Episode 370: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, host Jamie Irvine and guest Jason Kramer from Cultivize, discuss how heavy-duty repair shops, fleets, and service providers can dramatically improve revenue by eliminating “leaks” in their sales pipeline.  They explain the critical difference between marketing funnels and sales pipelines, emphasizing that most lost opportunities stem from a lack of structured processes rather than insufficient tools.  Many businesses invest in marketing but fail to track ROI or consistently follow up with leads, resulting in missed conversions and wasted effort. By documenting workflows, implementing disciplined follow-up (often through automation), and maintaining accountability, companies can capture significantly more business over time—sometimes even closing deals months or years later—while gaining valuable insights into why they win or lose jobs and continuously improving their approach. Links ·         Cultivize.com Sponsors of this Episode The Hub Corp: Introducing the new standard in wheel-end protection: The Hub Corp's revolutionary XTRACTOR™. The only line of heavy-duty hub caps with a built-in 3-Stage Magnetic Oil Filter that safeguards critical axle components under extreme loads for longer. And with the patent-pending HexThread™ cartridge, the XTRACTOR makes hub oil servicing and inspections faster, easier, and cleaner. The Hub Corp: Challenge The Standard. Visit TheHubCorp.com to learn more and join the waitlist.   Fullbay: Fullbay is built for the heavy-duty world, giving your operation the tools to keep your fleet or independent repair shop running. Features like streamlined scheduling, real-time inventory tracking, technician efficiency insights, and detailed reports are how Fullbay helps shops reduce downtime and keep your vehicles on the road where they belong. Check out Fullbay.com/power to maximize your shop’s productivity. GenAlpha: Equip360 by GenAlpha helps manufacturers and distributors grow their parts sales and make life easier for their customers. With real-time insights into inventory, pricing, and order tracking, it keeps customers coming back. Plus, it saves time by automating routine tasks and making repeat purchases simple. Explore Equip360 at GenAlpha.com. Disclaimer: This content and description may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, The Heavy Duty Parts Report may receive a commission.  Follow the podcast to never miss an episode. If you'd like to work with Jamie Irvine directly, you can schedule a meeting with him today.

4.9
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

In each episode, Jamie Irvine and his guests have conversations that empower heavy-duty people. They discuss tips, tools, and technology that help heavy-duty parts manufacturers and distributors sell the right parts to fleets, repair shops, and truck operators.

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