Freight markets don’t care about your legacy, and family businesses don’t get a “pause” button when the cycle turns.We’re joined by Mike McDonough for a straight-shooting conversation on what it really takes to lead a family-run transportation company in today’s market. We get into the realities behind the numbers: staying disciplined when rates move, protecting service without giving away the farm, and building a business that can survive the downcycle and be ready for the next climb.If you’re a carrier, broker, or shipper trying to make smart decisions in a noisy market, this one’s for you.

Join Nate Johnson along with Dale Prax and Danielle Spinelli as they cover the very real (and very messy) world of cybercrime, cargo theft, and freight fraud — how it all connects, and the big question everyone’s wondering: Are we actually getting better at stopping it? In this episode:• Why fraud and cargo theft are bigger than just lost dollars• How fake carriers, identity fraud, and double brokering really happen• What the data says about progress (and where gaps still exist)• Practical steps you can take today to reduce risk Built for carriers, brokers, shippers, and logistics leaders who want clarity — not fear — around today’s risks. 👉 Subscribe for real conversations at the intersection of freight, tech, and security👍Like & Comment on whether you think the industry is actually getting better at stopping fraud and cargo theft!

Manifest has quickly become a place where business gets done in the supply chain, not just ideas and not just panels. In this conversation, Nate Johnson and Robert Bain are joined by Katie Date, Senior Vice President of Industry Relations & Strategic Initiatives at Manifest, to break down what’s driving that momentum.Katie pulls back the curtain on how Manifest has evolved into a true end-to-end supply chain event, bringing together shippers, carriers, brokers, and freight-tech leaders in one place to create connection, collaboration, and measurable ROI. They discuss how the event has scaled without losing its “supply chain reunion” feel, and why partnerships, funding, and growth opportunities continue to come out of the show floor.You’ll also hear:

• What first-time attendees should expect and how to maximize ROI
• How Manifest balances size with meaningful connection
• Why more carriers and trucking leaders are showing up each year
• How deals, partnerships, and long-term relationships actually get done at Manifest

🎧 Whether you’re attending Manifest, considering it, or simply want a pulse on where supply chain leadership is moving, this episode delivers the context that matters.

Trucking doesn’t just move freight. It changes lives.But only when someone is given a real chance to get behind the wheel. In this live episode of Driving Forward, host Nate Johnson is joined by leaders from the South Dallas Driving Academy, Chris Petersen, CTP and Von Minor, along with professional truck driver Germany Williams. Germany grew up in South Dallas, where the world often felt small and opportunities were limited. A single chance to see more changed his trajectory — leading him to trucking, a career that demanded discipline, responsibility, and resilience, and gave him a way forward. Today, he drives professionally and mentors others, carrying lessons from the road that helped inspire something bigger than his own story. Chris and Von share how the South Dallas Driving Academy was created to tackle one of the industry’s most overlooked barriers: access to driver’s licenses and CDLs. They walk through how the academy is opening doors for students and adults in underserved communities, building partnerships, and creating real career pathways into trucking and transportation. In this episode, you’ll hear:💡 How access, not talent, is often the biggest barrier to opportunity💡 Why one license can change the direction of a life💡 What workforce development looks like when it’s rooted in community💡 Why investing in people matters more than ever in truckingThis conversation isn’t about titles or résumés. It’s about access, belief, and what happens when someone finally gets the keys.

Real conversations don’t wait for perfect timing. They happen wherever truckers are. This special New Year's Day episode of Driving Forward is a collection of real conversations, captured where trucking actually happens. From the Mid-America Trucking Show… to the Trucker’s Jamboree at the I-80 Truck Stop… to a driver sitting in his truck at a manufacturer’s warehouse in Chicago waiting to deliver a load. These moments weren’t planned or polished. They happened in real time, in real places, with people living this industry every single day. You’ll hear unseen footage with Jessica Howington from United Commercial Insurance , who grew up in a trucking family and speaks openly about the sacrifices drivers and their families make and how often those realities go unseen. You’ll also hear from Jamie Hagen of Hell Bent Express, recorded straight from the driver’s seat. Even with limited time, Jamie shares hard-earned lessons about fuel efficiency, discipline, learning the hard way, and what it really takes to survive as a small fleet owner when margins are tight and the freight still has to move. The episode closes with Bill Bess from Allen Lund Company, reflecting on more than 50 years in trucking, from life before deregulation to today’s digital freight world. His perspective bridges generations and reminds us how much the industry has changed, and how much still comes down to trust and relationships. No studio. No script. No filters. Just honest conversations, happening in booths, parking lots, truck stops — and sometimes right before a delivery has to unload.

This episode originally aired earlier this year, and we’re bringing it back on December 25 because the message still matters. Julie Andrich, CEO of Autumn Transport, didn’t step into leadership by title — she earned it. Starting as a dispatch assistant, she worked her way through nearly every role in the company before leading a 100% owner-operator fleet built on trust, accountability, and real relationships. Nate Johnson sat down with Julie for an honest conversation about leading a family business, earning respect in trucking, navigating growth and COVID, and why values like integrity, service, and people-first leadership still matter, especially when the industry gets hard. If you need advice on retaining good drivers and want to build something that holds up over time, this is worth a listen.

2025 was a year that shook the industry: freight recession pressures, fleet shutdowns, bankruptcies, M&A waves, tougher FMCSA scrutiny, a spike in freight fraud, and tech reshaping every corner of operations. In this rapid-fire roundtable, host Nate Johnson teams up with GLCS leaders Susan Mayo, Michael Demers, Robert Bain, and Ed Streeter to break down the stories that defined the year… and the signals pointing to what’s coming in 2026. They tackle the biggest headlines: earnings calls from CH and RXO post-Coyote, the 44% noncompliance rate in CDL schools, tightened ELD certification, shifting shipper expectations, rising fraud schemes hitting carriers and brokers, and how AI, automation, and clean data have become fleets’ secret weapon from profitability to legal protection. Then they look ahead: What will 2026 bring for carriers, brokers, drivers, and tech adoption? Which changes are permanent, and where is the market headed next? Fast, candid, and loaded with real-world insight. This is your year-end reality check and your roadmap for what’s coming.

The average life expectancy of a truck driver is just 61 years.That’s not a number.That’s a warning.Maybe you’ve heard this statistic. Maybe you haven’t.But the real question is, what are you doing to change it?Jeremy Reymer and Dr. Mark Manera are working to change it through Project 61 — a movement and non-profit dedicated to giving drivers longer, healthier lives by reshaping how the industry approaches wellness, lifestyle, and work on the road.With Offshift’s driver-health technology now integrated into Project 61, education and wellness resources are becoming accessible to every driver and every fleet.On this episode of Driving Forward, we break down:📍 How small habits can transform long-term driver wellness📍 The Offshift → Project 61 story and future vision📍 Nutrition, movement & rest - even when you're living behind the wheel📍 Why healthier drivers = stronger fleets, lower turnover, safer roads📍 How technology, community, and awareness can change livesThis conversation isn’t just about fitness.It’s about longevity, dignity, and giving drivers time back.Whether you’re a fleet leader, driver, advocate, or simply someone who cares about trucking, you’ll walk away with something actionable — and something hopeful.→ Learn more. Get involved. Join the movement.Because 61 years isn’t enough.

In this episode of Driving Forward, I sit down with my friend Charley Dehoney to talk about what it really looks like to build in this industry when the stakes are personal. We get into buying and scaling a legacy brokerage, feeling the pressure of payroll, and carrying the weight of knowing other people’s families are tied to your decisions. We talk about growing up in logistics, trying to be a present husband and dad while still chasing big outcomes, and what it costs mentally and emotionally to keep pushing when the easy choice would be to tap out.We also dig into the side of freight most people do not want to talk about in public. The broken billing. The AR black hole. The quiet back office killers who keep companies alive while chaos swirls around them. Charley shares why he built Upwell, how he thinks about cash flow as a growth engine instead of a headache, and where AI and automation actually fit in for real operators. If you live in this space and you have ever asked yourself whether all of this is worth it, this conversation is going to hit very close to home.

In this episode of Driving Forward, Chris DeMillo of Leonard’s Express and host Nate Johnson, fresh off their panel at the Trimble Insight User Conference in New Orleans, break down one of the toughest challenges in transportation technology: getting executive buy-in.Nate and Chris revisit their session, “Selling the Vision: Communicating Tech ROI to Win Executive Buy-In,” and expand on how transportation leaders can move beyond features and functionality to clearly articulate business value.They’ll cover:

💡 What CEOs, CFOs, and owners really care about when evaluating technology investments💡 How to translate features into business outcomes, strategic alignment, and financial impact💡 The difference between presenting ROI… and making ROI believable💡 How to handle tough objections, skepticism, and “we’ve tried this before” fatigue💡 Their favorite takeaways, questions, and reactions from the Trimble Insight audienceIf you’ve ever struggled to champion technology inside your organization, or you’re responsible for explaining ROI to leadership, this episode gives you practical tools, real-world insights, and proven strategies straight off the conference stage.Chapters:00:00 Intro03:40 Trimble Insight Conference Recap05:57 Guest Introductions18:51 Tech Adoption & ROI Discussion30:59 Cost of Tech in Business31:18 Evaluating Legacy Solutions34:32 Tailoring Communication for Execs42:30 Building Trust & Internal Champions53:12 Ensuring Long-Term Tech Value