Carrier Code Podcast

The trucking industry spends a lot of time talking about drivers. This episode puts drivers directly into the conversation.

Avante “CDL Shorty” Jackson and Frankie Faulk share firsthand perspectives on driver pay and respect, training and mentorship, career opportunities, safety, and life behind the wheel.

Together, they offer industry leaders a clearer view of what drivers experience every day and why better communication starts with listening to the people doing the job.

Carrier Code is sponsored by Drivers Legal Plan, CDL ticket defense for professional drivers. Get your free consultation today at driverslegalplan.com

The opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the hosts.

Every year, ATRI's Top Industry Issues List provides a snapshot of the challenges shaping trucking. In this episode, ATRI President and COO Rebecca Brewster explains how the research is conducted, why the findings matter, and what this year's results reveal about the industry's most pressing challenges.

Carrier Code is sponsored by Drivers Legal Plan, CDL ticket defense for professional drivers. Get your free consultation today at driverslegalplan.com

The opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the hosts.

The trucking industry talks a lot about supporting drivers. Charles Gracey wants to know why so few back it up.

Christy and Rocco sit down with the host of SiriusXM's "Trucking Sense" and FreightwaveTV's "Brake Check". A former driver and long-time trucking professional, Gracey has spent his career pushing the industry to do better by its drivers.

The conversation covers predatory pay practices, where association advocacy falls short, and the true difficulties drivers face every day. But it's not all negative, Charles closes with a challenge: stop fixating only on what's broken and start telling the stories of what's working.

An honest look at where trucking is falling short, and what it would take to close the gap.

Carrier Code is sponsored by Drivers Legal Plan, CDL ticket defense for professional drivers. Get your free consultation today at driverslegalplan.com

The opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the hosts.

Telematics is a broader category than most fleets recognize — and understanding that scope is where this episode begins. From there, the conversation turns to how one specialized fleet put telematics to work in a demanding, highly regulated environment.

Adam Karras, Transportation and Compliance Manager at Reliance Oilfield Services, joins Christy and Rocco to share how Reliance built and evolved their telematics program to drive real improvements in compliance and safety scores.

Carrier Code is sponsored by Drivers Legal Plan, CDL ticket defense for professional drivers. Get your free consultation today at driverslegalplan.com

The opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the hosts.

Tank trucking is one of the most specialized segments in the industry and one of the least understood by those outside it.

In this episode, Christy and Rocco sit down with David Price, Executive Vice Chairman of United Petroleum Transports and 2025 Chairman of the Board at National Tank Truck Carriers. They cover the 60-year family history behind UPT, what makes tank operations fundamentally different, and why NTTC is a resource carriers can't afford to ignore.

Carrier Code is sponsored by Drivers Legal Plan, CDL ticket defense for professional drivers. Get your free consultation today at driverslegalplan.com

The opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the hosts.

AI hype is everywhere in trucking, but clarity is not. At the same time, vendors are showing up unprepared, and too many industry professionals are sitting on the sidelines instead of getting involved.

In this episode, Christy and Rocco take on vendor competency gaps, the confusion between automation and AI, and why leadership doesn’t require a title. They also address a growing concern: professionals who complain about the industry but never step up to influence it.

This is a candid conversation about accountability for vendors, for leaders, and for the industry as a whole.

Carrier Code is sponsored by Drivers Legal Plan, CDL ticket defense for professional drivers. Get your free consultation today at driverslegalplan.com

The opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the hosts.

Carrier culture is not a byproduct of good intentions. It must be managed and shaped by leadership behavior, communication standards, and the consistency of daily execution. When those areas lack alignment, operations suffer.

This episode outlines three foundational moves for strengthening carrier culture: improving communication across teams, investing in structured development, and committing to long-term discipline.

Carrier Code is sponsored by Drivers Legal Plan, CDL ticket defense for professional drivers. Get your free consultation today at driverslegalplan.com

The opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the hosts.

Driver mental health is often treated as a personal problem rather than a fleet responsibility, but that framing overlooks how many of the biggest sources of stress are created by fleet design and management decisions. Industry veteran Jason Douglass joins Christy and Rocco to break down how operational choices impact driver wellbeing and what carriers can do to better support the people behind the wheel.

Carrier Code is sponsored by Drivers Legal Plan, CDL ticket defense for professional drivers. Get your free consultation today at driverslegalplan.com

The opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the hosts.

Driver recruiting is often treated as a volume problem, but the downstream impacts show up in retention, safety, and operational stability. Josh Mecca, VP of Recruiting & Retention at Grammer Logistics, joins Christy and Rocco to discuss how carriers can build more sustainable recruiting systems.

Carrier Code is sponsored by Drivers Legal Plan, CDL ticket defense for professional drivers. Get your free consultation today at driverslegalplan.com

The opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the hosts.

Jim Ward, president of the Truckload Carriers Association, joins the show to share an inside look at TCA’s mission, major events, and member programs, as well as the association’s role in shaping the trucking industry, supporting carriers, and recognizing excellence among professional drivers.

Carrier Code is sponsored by Drivers Legal Plan, CDL ticket defense for professional drivers. Get your free consultation today at driverslegalplan.com

The opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the hosts.