Aftertreatment failures don’t usually show up as one big catastrophic bill — they show up as downtime, repeat derates, misdiagnosed parts, and decisions made under financial stress.

In this episode of The Long Haul Podcast, I sit down with RJ Bordner to break down the real-world economics of aftertreatment from the perspective small carriers actually live with. We talk about post-warranty realities, OEM versus aftermarket tradeoffs, inventory delays, technician variability, and why “good enough” often ends up being the most expensive choice.

This is not a product conversation.
This is a decision-quality conversation for owner-operators and small fleets trying to stay moving in a market where every parked truck hurts.

Follow The Long Haul Podcast

Other FreightWaves Shows

Broker transparency has become one of the most emotionally charged topics in trucking — and for good reason. Small carriers feel boxed out, brokers feel misunderstood, and the conversation often collapses into extremes instead of solutions.

In this episode of The Long Haul Podcast, I sit down with Chris Jolly, better known as The Freight Coach, to slow the conversation down and unpack what transparency actually means in today’s freight market.

We talk about power dynamics, trust gaps, what carriers are really asking for, where brokers draw their lines, and why shouting “full transparency” hasn’t moved the industry forward. This isn’t a debate episode — it’s a reality check for both sides of the desk.

If you’re a carrier trying to understand why this issue feels personal — or a broker trying to understand why trust is so fragile — this episode is for you.

Follow The Long Haul Podcast

Other FreightWaves Shows

Credit isn’t the problem in trucking—misunderstanding it is.

In this episode of The Long Haul Podcast, I sit down with Gerri Detweiler, to break down how credit really works for owner-operators and small fleets.

This isn’t a conversation about products or approvals. It’s about how personal credit, business credit, and cash flow collide in real life—and why too many carriers end up trapped instead of empowered.

If you’ve ever wondered why “good revenue” still feels like financial stress, this episode is for you.

⁠⁠Follow The Long Haul Podcast⁠⁠

⁠⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠⁠

Small carriers already know why this market hurts — rates are tight, fuel moves fast, and freight isn’t forgiving mistakes. What most don’t fully understand is how small daily decisions quietly compound into big financial outcomes.

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Mike Hossted, VP of Sales and Marketing at ATBS, who has spent more than a decade working directly with owner-operators on one thing most avoid: the numbers behind their decisions.

This is not a tax episode.

This is not a fuel episode.

This is a behavior and discipline episode.

We talk about why turnover keeps getting mislabeled as a “driver shortage,” why “taking one more load” often hurts more than it helps, and why the grass is rarely greener — it’s just measured differently.

If you’re trying to survive — or even grow — in a down market, this conversation is about how people are doing it, not selling you anything.

Follow The Long Haul Podcast

Other FreightWaves Shows

Fuel prices just jumped again — up nine cents this week — and for small carriers, that’s not a market trend, that’s a problem.

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Zach Buckner, Senior VP of Sales at OTR Solutions, to dig into what really separates good financial partners from the ones who quietly drain your margins.

Zach shares his journey from sales executive to senior leadership, the lessons he’s learned from a decade in the factoring space, and why OTR is betting big on transparency, speed, and innovation to support small carriers when the market tightens.

This is a conversation between two people who live it — not a sales pitch. If you’re an owner-operator or small fleet trying to manage cash flow and fuel spikes at the same time, this one’s for you.

Follow The Long Haul Podcast

Other FreightWaves Shows

The debate over non-domiciled CDLs has become one of the most heated and misunderstood conversations in trucking. Court filings, enforcement changes, and political rhetoric dominate the headlines — but rarely do we hear from the drivers whose lives are directly affected.

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Jorge Rivera Lujan, an owner-operator with more than a decade in trucking who is currently involved in active litigation related to non-domiciled CDL enforcement.
Because the case is ongoing, this conversation does not analyze legal strategy or argue outcomes. Instead, it focuses on the human impact — how enforcement changes affect work, family, safety perceptions, and community — and addresses common myths surrounding non-domiciled CDL drivers.

This episode is about listening, understanding, and separating fact from assumption in one of trucking’s most emotionally charged issues.

Truck drivers don’t need another feel-good message. They want honesty.
In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Harvey Beech, co-founder of American Truckers United, a third-generation trucking operator who has lived every side of this industry — company driver, small fleet owner, and long-haul carrier.

Harvey speaks plainly about what many drivers feel but few are willing to say out loud: how immigration policy intersects with trucking, why wages have been compressed, how safety standards have eroded, and why the sacrifices of seasoned American drivers often go ignored.

This is not a political episode. It’s a reality check — from someone who was born into trucking and never left it.

Follow The Long Haul Podcast

Other FreightWaves Shows

Every December, thousands of volunteers and hundreds of truck drivers move in unison for one mission: remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach the next generation the value of freedom.

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Courtney George, Director of Transportation and Industry Relations for Wreaths Across America, to explore the heart of a program that relies on the trucking community to carry more than just freight — they carry legacy, gratitude, and remembrance.

Courtney shares how Wreaths Across America mobilizes drivers, carriers, communities, and families across the country to ensure veterans are honored with dignity. We talk about the emotional impact on drivers, the logistics behind such a massive mission, and why goodwill still matters in a world that feels divided and distracted.

This one’s bigger than trucking — it’s about purpose.

Follow The Long Haul Podcast

Other FreightWaves Shows

When you’re running a small fleet, a single breakdown can crush your margins and throw your week off track. In this episode of The Long Haul, we sit down with Tyler Robertson, founder and CEO of Diesel Laptops, to talk about why every small carrier needs diagnostic tools in their own hands—not locked behind a shop’s schedule or inflated repair fees.

We dig into:

If you’ve ever been stranded with a blinking check engine light and no answers, this is the episode that might just save you thousands.

Follow The Long Haul Podcast

Other FreightWaves Shows