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.

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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.

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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:

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.

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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:

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

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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:

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.

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Rates are finally climbing... so why are trucking companies still struggling to make money?

ATRI just revealed the highest operating cost in trucking history: $2.336 per mile. Diesel is pushing $5 a gallon AND SOME ARE WORRIED MAY HIT $6. Insurance keeps climbing. Maintenance isn't getting cheaper. So where is the money actually going?

In this episode of Brake Check, we expose the hidden costs draining carrier profits and separate the technology that's delivering real ROI from the expensive hype that's emptying wallets.

First, FreightWaves Enterprise Trucking Analyst Thomas Wasson joins us fresh off the Supply Chain AI Symposium to break down the freight market, exploding operating costs, AI, and the tools that can actually make carriers more profitable.

Then, FOX Business contributor and energy expert Phil Flynn explains what's really driving diesel prices, whether another fuel spike is coming, and how smart fleets can stay ahead instead of getting blindsided at the pump.

If you own trucks, manage a fleet, dispatch freight, or simply want to know where the trucking economy is headed next...
This is the episode you can't afford to miss.

Topics covered:

Brake Check. No fluff. Just the truth that moves trucking

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What's really happening inside FMCSA?

In this exclusive episode of Brake Check, FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs joins us for a candid conversation about the issues shaping trucking today.

No press releases.

No prepared statements.

Just the questions America's truckers and carriers have been asking.

We discuss MOTUS....why FMCSA believed the industry needed it, the challenges during rollout, what went wrong, what's been fixed, and where the platform is headed next.

We also tackle freight fraud, identity verification, randomized MC numbers, enforcement, recent high-profile commercial vehicle crashes, and what FMCSA believes the industry must do to improve safety while protecting legitimate carriers.

Inside this episode:

Whether you're an owner-operator, fleet owner, safety director, broker, or professional driver, this conversation offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from the person leading the agency responsible for commercial motor vehicle safety in America.

If you want honest conversations with the people shaping the future of trucking, subscribe to FreightWaves and never miss an episode of Brake Check.

Because understanding the rules is one thing...

Understanding where they're headed is another.

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Artificial intelligence isn't replacing truckers.

It's giving smart carriers an advantage.

In this episode of Brake Check, we separate real technology from industry hype and show how AI is helping carriers make better decisions, fight freight fraud, and run more profitable businesses.

First, Dale Prax from Truckstop.com and FreightValidate pulls back the curtain on the latest freight fraud schemes, identity theft, fake MC numbers, and the tools carriers can use to protect themselves before a load ever moves.

Then Jacky Zhao, Senior Director of Technology Innovation at Truckstop.com, introduces AVA—the freight industry's first voice-native AI carrier assistant. Learn how voice-powered AI can help owner-operators and fleets search freight, check rates, and stay productive without taking their eyes off the road.

Inside this episode:

The future belongs to carriers that adapt—not because AI is replacing truckers, but because technology is becoming a competitive advantage.
If you're serious about protecting your business, staying ahead of fraud, and running a smarter operation, subscribe for more episodes of Brake Check on FreightWaves.

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Before a truck gets shut down...

Before the lawsuit...

Before the six-figure insurance renewal...

Before the FMCSA audit...

The warning signs are almost always there.

The problem?

Most carriers don't see them until it's too late.

On this episode of Brake Check, we tackle one of the biggest questions in trucking today:

Why do 93% of carriers fail an FMCSA audit with at least one violation—and what are the safest fleets doing differently?

Joining us are two experts who see trucking safety from completely different angles.

Ann Wasson, Founder of Wasson Consulting Group and Certified Director of Safety, breaks down what FMCSA auditors are really looking for, the HOS and ELD mistakes carriers make every day, the compliance failures that fuel nuclear verdicts, and how to prepare before regulators ever come knocking.

Then Sam Watts, Director of Safety & Loss Control at Ten Four Truck Insurance and founder of Wattsmen Diesel House, explains why safety isn't just about avoiding violations—it's about lowering insurance costs, building a culture drivers actually believe in, coaching instead of punishing, and why too many fleets mistake paperwork for protection.

Inside this episode:

Whether you run one truck or one thousand, this episode could save you from your next audit, your next claim, or your next insurance renewal.

Subscribe for more FreightCasts, trucking news, and real talk from the front lines of the trucking industry.

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Every trucking company is buying more technology.

The question is...is it actually making your business stronger or creating new ways to lose money?

In this episode of Brake Check, we tackle the two biggest technology battles every carrier faces today:

Steve Brown from Tenstreet breaks down how AI, automation, and smarter recruiting are changing driver hiring—and where technology still needs a human touch.

Then Jake Persofsky, Founder of Insperia, explains why so many carriers are one cyberattack, ransomware event, or freight fraud scheme away from operational disaster and what you can do today to protect your business.

Inside this episode:

Whether you run one truck or one thousand, this conversation could save your company thousands of dollars and maybe your next load.

If you believe trucking deserves real conversations instead of sales pitches, subscribe, leave a comment, and share this episode with another carrier.

Brake Check.

Real trucking. Real operators. Zero fluff.

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