The Long Haul

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The trucking world is divided right now — not just over freight, diesel, or regulations, but over who gets to operate on American roads and under what conditions. HR5688, the Domiciled CDL Integrity Act, has set off a firestorm inside the industry. Some support it. Some believe it doesn’t go far enough. Others think it goes too far.

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Lewie Pugh, Executive Vice President of OOIDA, to dig into what the bill actually says, why OOIDA supports it, and how misinformation and social media outrage have reshaped the conversation around non-domiciled CDLs, immigration status, and public safety.

We talk about the difference between protecting American drivers and weaponizing fear, the impact of public perception on policy, and why organizations like OOIDA are now facing more pressure than ever to communicate clearly, transparently, and directly with the people they represent.

If you’ve been confused, frustrated, or fired up by this debate, this episode gives clarity — straight from the source.

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Cargo theft is no longer a random crime — it’s organized, digital, and spreading faster than the industry wants to admit.

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Danielle Spinelli, better known as The Fraud Girl — a veteran broker turned fraud-fighting expert and host of Tell Me Everything. Now with Descartes | MyCarrierPortal, Danielle works on the front lines of vetting carriers, uncovering scams, and helping brokers and shippers stay one step ahead of organized theft rings.

Fresh off a ride-along with the California Highway Patrol’s Cargo Theft Task Force, Danielle gives a behind-the-scenes look at what’s really happening on rail lines, at docks, and in digital load boards — and how small carriers are being targeted, framed, or used without even realizing it.

This one’s not theory — it’s field intel.

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