Laura Cyrus, senior director of industry training and outreach for Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) discusses the valuable position truckers hold when recognizing and reporting human trafficking cases. Cyrus breaks down red flags for truckers to watch for and what steps to take when those red flags come to fruition. She also details how the organization trains trucking companies today and what future plans TAT is making to continue their work to end human trafficking across the U.S.

Spot market challenges have plagued carriers in recent months, affecting small fleets the most. Terry Freeze, director of dedicated services at ArcBest, shares the best tips for small fleet owners succeeding in this challenging market.

Zach Strickland and Ashley Savage discuss strategies for navigating a tumultuous transportation environment.

Staff writer and SiriusXM host Grace Sharkey chats with Trucker Tools CEO Kary Jablonski about strategies for carriers to follow in order to stay profitable and gain revenue in competitive freight markets. Jablonski recommends procedures for load booking practices, rate negotiation and technology utilization and much more.

Justin Martin sits down with Chace Barber to discuss how he's looking to revolutionize the logging industry with his prototype 1962 Kenworth electric/diesel hybrid.

FreightWaves CTO Daniel Pickett and uShip CEO Kris Lamb discuss how some drivers are dealing with the simultaneous pressures from record prices for Diesel and Class 8 equipment, as well as a recent decline in spot rates. Rather than seek shelter by leasing onto large carriers, many OTR drivers are shifting their business to focus on customer direct freight and getting closer to both shipper and consignee.

Landing big shippers to keep your wheels turning 100% of the time is every trucker's dream. Is the juice really worth the squeeze though? Kevin and Paul discuss the pros and cons of working for large Fortune 500 shippers as a small fleet or owner-operator.

We talk with Prasad Gollapalli, Founder, Strategic Advisor of TruckerTools about the various ways drivers and carriers can utilize rewards programs and how brokers can create greater value in the process. We discuss the importance of establishing good relationships with carriers and brokers and how those benefits can pay off.

Running your own truck or small fleet is all about risk versus reward. Kevin and Drew discuss how to evaluate situations and partners to put your business on the path of long-term profitability.

James Bowen, aka The Rooster from BackTheTruckUp.com sits down with Jamie Hagen, "CEO Extraordinaire" of HellBentExpress to talk about "The proper way to start an owner operator trucking company". From knowing how to even start the process, finding out your cost of operations, to getting fully legalized, they will cover the bases for someone wanting to get into trucking from the ground level and rise up to a fleet operator.

Matt Parry, Senior VP of Logistics at Werner joins us today to talk about how asset based brokerages add value and access to smaller carrier’s freight networks. With decades of experience and thousands of trucks, these brokerages can provide additional benefits compared to digital asset light brokerages in terms of customer mix, technology solutions, equipment assistance, and trained staff with backgrounds in fleet operations. With challenges for equipment and freight, having the help of a large carrier brokerage can provide the right equipment and freight mix to keep trucks moving.

Owner-operators are faced with increasing uncertainty in the freight markets but there are steps they can take to handle whatever the freight market throws at them. Understanding your costs and building quality relationships serve carriers better than taking the ‘bear down and hope” approach that small fleets have operated under in the past.

The price of a barrel of crude accounts for roughly 50% of the cost of producing diesel. What makes up the other 50% and how are current conditions creating a spike in these inputs.

SONAR experts Eric Larsen and Zach Blanchard will be looking at capacity scores and rejection rates and how they predict which spot market will heat up in the coming days. By using SONAR in this way small carriers can expect to place their truck in the best markets to increase revenue and reduce exposure to layovers and having to deadhead.

SmartHop cofounder Guillermo Garcia discusses why treating people fairly and supporting each other are the best business practice for smaller fleets.

Ken Kaelin, President of Bottomley Enterprises in Mt Airy, NC joins Ingrid Brown, Host of FreightWaves, “AMERICA On 18 Wheels” in a fireside chat to talk about the economy in trucking today. We’ll be addressing the rising costs of operations, recruiting and retention and back up plans that all small fleets and owner operators face today. Bottomley Enterprises is a 120+ fleet that is growing and you’ll find out how they are conquering the obstacles to succeed while talking freight.