Chameleon carriers.
Shut down one DOT number.
Open another.
Same trucks. Same players. New identity.
In this episode of Brake Check, we expose how some carriers are exploiting loopholes to dodge accountability  and how that behavior impacts insurance rates, broker trust, and the reputation of every honest operator on the road.
We break down:
• What a “chameleon carrier” really is
• How DOT number resets happen
• The safety and insurance consequences
• Why compliant small carriers pay the price
• What enforcement agencies are doing about it
• How brokers and technology platforms are fighting back
Featuring conversations with:
• Lewie Pugh, EVP of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
• Dan Lindsey from the Broker Carrier Summit
This isn’t about attacking small carriers.
It’s about protecting honest ones.
Because a new DOT number should not be a reset button.
If you run clean, this conversation matters to you.

#Trucking #FreightNews #DOT #CarrierCompliance #BrokerCarrier #SupplyChain #BrakeCheck

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Is trucking entering a new era?

In this episode of Brake Check on FreightWaves, we examine two forces shaping the future of freight workforce development and legal accountability.

First, Lindsey Trent of the Next Generation in Trucking Association joins us to discuss the mission of the next generation in trucking. Are we finally fixing the pipeline? What are we getting right  and where are we still missing the mark?

Then we turn to the Supreme Court ruling in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC with Shannon Everett of American Truckers United.

We break down:
• What the ruling actually means
 • Whether broker immunity is narrowing
 • Insurance and liability ripple effects
 • The impact on small carriers
 • Non-domiciled CDL concerns
 • Whether this strengthens accountability  or destabilizes freight

This episode connects the next generation entering trucking with the legal framework they’re stepping into.

Because when liability shifts, capital shifts.

When capital shifts, freight shifts.

Welcome to Brake Check.

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Charles is on the floor for day 3 of Manifest. He talks to:

Host Charles Gracey takes the show on the road to Manifest in Las Vegas, the epicenter of logistics and supply chain innovation. In Part 1 of our “Live From Manifest” series, Charles hits the showroom floor to catch the pulse of the industry and sit down with the heavy hitters shaping the future of freight.
In This Episode:
Market Insights with Craig Fuller: The Founder and CEO of FreightWaves joins us to discuss why he is “so bullish” on the 2026 freight market. Craig breaks down high-frequency data, the return of carrier pricing power, and why he believes 2026 will be “epic” for truckers.
Legal Landmines with Matthew Leffler: “The Armchair Attorney” weighs in on the critical importance of maintenance, the dangers of non-compliance in the supply chain, and whether Doctor Doom could resist the One Ring.
Solving the Scheduling Struggle: Tom Curee, President of Qued, explains how they are tackling the “it sucks” reality of appointment scheduling to bring connectivity and efficiency to the dock.
Industry Advocacy with Dale Prax: The freight veteran from Freight Validate and Truckstop.com dives deep into the fight against fraud, the need for better driver retention, and why the industry must band together to create the supply chain that drivers actually deserve.
Whether you’re a carrier, broker, or shipper, this episode is packed with the optimism, raw data, and “common sense” solutions you need to navigate the road ahead.
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell so you don’t miss Part 2!

In this episode of Brake Check, we’re getting into what’s really going on in freight right now — and yeah, things are finally getting interesting again.

Charles Gracey sits down with JP Hampstead from FreightWaves to break down why the truckload market is suddenly way more volatile than what we’ve seen the past couple years. Winter storms, rising tender rejections, tightening capacity, spot rates heating up — we explain what all of that actually means without the fluff. If you’ve been wondering whether this market shift is real or just another fake-out, this conversation puts it into plain English.

We also dig into earnings and outlooks from major carriers like Old Dominion, Heartland, and CFI, talk inventory levels, tariffs, and why some shippers are trying (and failing) to lock in last year’s rates. The big question: is this finally a sustainable rebound, or are we setting up for another crash?

Then we shift to the people side of trucking with Kevin Hall, CEO of CDLLife. We talk driver recruiting, why drivers are being way pickier right now, what a “quality driver” actually means, and why respect matters more than most job ads want to admit. If you recruit drivers, manage drivers, or are a driver, this part hits home.

And to wrap it up, Malcolm Harris jumps in for some real talk on the current freight temperature, broker vs carrier perspectives, and why relationship-based freight might finally be making a comeback.

Markets, money, drivers, relationships — it’s all in here.

This episode of Brake Check asks the question the trucking industry keeps dodging:

Who actually benefits from the way this system is built, and who’s left paying the price?

We kick things off with Tim Crawford, CEO of Tenstreet, breaking down the real people trends shaping trucking today. From hiring shifts and workforce pressures to what carriers and fleets need to be watching right now, Tim cuts through the noise and lays out what’s ahead in a freight market that’s anything but stable.

Then we bring in Lewie Pugh, Executive Vice President of OOIDA, to tackle the growing disconnect between drivers and carriers. We dig into who benefits from that divide, what legislation is coming, and...most importantly...how drivers and small carriers can actually get involved instead of being talked over.

And then we shift gears.

Danielle Chaffin joins the show to expose a serious question facing the industry:

 Why is the Department of Defense moving freight with non-domiciled drivers and unverified carriers and what does that mean for safety, security, and accountability?

This is real trucking talk with real trucking people...calling out broken systems, asking uncomfortable questions, and demanding accountability where it’s long overdue.

If you care about the future of trucking, this is a conversation you can’t afford to miss.

Welcome to Brake Check.