Would your trucking company be prepared if the Federal Motor Carrier Administration notified you that FMCSA would be conducting an audit of your operation? In this episode of the podcast, Mark Barlar and Daniel Vega from the Reliance Partners Safety Impact Team offer a collection of helpful insights on preparing for and surviving an audit by FMCSA. Reliance Partners Chief Revenue Officer Thom Albrecht serves as the host and moderator of a conversation that allows both Mark and Daniel to call upon their experience as commercial vehicle enforcement officers before they each joined the Reliance Team.

As you will hear, Mark and Daniel note the importance of how understanding the audit process is crucial for compliance. They also explore the factors that auditors consider during an audit, including the significance of acute and critical violations, and how these can impact a motor carrier’s safety rating. Mark and Daniel take time during this episode to discuss the importance of mock audits as part of maintaining compliance and being prepared in case of an audit by FMCSA.

Through this episode of the podcast, originally broadcast as a live webinar by Reliance Partners, we’ll share an update with you on the enforcement of the English language proficiency requirements for CDL and non-CDL drivers, which was in the early stages of implementation at the time of the recording. In this part of the discussion, Mark and Daniel address the current trends in ELP enforcement and the challenges faced by drivers with language barriers, emphasizing the need for proactive measures to ensure compliance and safety on our roads.

Trucking Matters is a production of Reliance Partners in collaboration with PodWheels. To learn more about Reliance Partners, please visit ReliancePartners.com.

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The Eighth Annual Modernization of Cross Border Trade Conference, which is hosted by Reliance Partners, took place in mid-June and it offered a number of valuable insights on what’s happening with cross-border trade between the U.S. and Mexico. Mark Vickers, the Executive Vice President of International Operations for Reliance Partners, started the conference eight years ago and he has championed its growth and evolution through the years.

For this episode, Trucking Matters host Thom Albrecht, the Chief Revenue Officer of Reliance Partners, spent some time with Mark looking back at the eighth edition of the conference. As you’ll hear, the great conversation between Thom and Mark explores the growth of the event, the types of companies that attend, the impact of political changes on trade, and the importance of infrastructure investment. The conversation also covers regulatory changes, challenges related to cargo theft, and the future of cross-border trade, including innovations like the Green Bridge project. Trucking Matters is a production of Reliance Partners in collaboration with PodWheels. To learn more about Reliance Partners, please visit ReliancePartners.com.

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Reliance Partners Safety Impact Team Members Mark Barlar and Daniel Vega return to the podcast to continue the discussion on the guidance related to the decision by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance to make English language proficiency an out-of-service violation. In this episode of the podcast, Mark and Daniel will be responding to questions submitted by the audience members who attended the Safety Matters Webinar that Reliance held not long after the Federal Motor Carrier Administration announced plans to begin ramping up enforcement of English language proficiency requirements for CDL and non-CDL drivers following an executive order from President Trump.

Jackson Alexander, one of the leading agents at Reliance, also joins the conversation to provide valuable perspective as the panel works through a collection of great questions that were prompted by the upcoming changes and the webinar presentation by the Reliance Partners team. Thom Albrecht, the Chief Revenue Officer for Reliance Partners, is your host and moderator for an important discussion that will be of interest to stakeholders across the supply chain. Trucking Matters is a production of Reliance Partners in collaboration with PodWheels. To learn more about Reliance Partners, please visit ReliancePartners.com.

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In this Safety Matters edition of the podcast, we are joined by two members of the Reliance Partners Safety Impact Team to discuss the recent decision by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance to make English language proficiency an out-of-service violation. The guidance from CVSA follows the announcement that the Federal Motor Carrier Administration is ramping up enforcement of English language proficiency requirements for CDL and non-CDL drivers after an executive order from President Trump in late April.

The enforcement of the updated guidance on English language proficiency will no doubt have an impact on CSA driver fitness scores. In the days and weeks following the announcement, the team at Reliance Partners began fielding a lot of questions on the topic and began digging for answers. For this episode of the podcast, you’ll hear expert perspective on the changes from Reliance Safety Impact Team members Mark Barlar and Daniel Vega. You will also hear valuable insights from Jackson Alexander, one of the leading agents at Reliance. Thom Albrecht, who is the Chief Revenue Officer at Reliance Partners, is your host for an informative discussion that provides insights into the potential consequences for drivers and motor carriers as well as recommendations for compliance and training. As you will hear, the panel emphasizes the importance of proactive measures to ensure driver readiness and the potential impact on insurance costs due to ELP violations. Trucking Matters is a production of Reliance Partners in collaboration with PodWheels. To learn more about Reliance Partners, please visit ReliancePartners.com.

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In our debut episode for our 2025 season, Trucking Matters will be providing listeners with a preview of what you can expect when Reliance Partners hosts the eighth annual Modernization of Cross-Border Trade Conference in Laredo, Texas, on June 17th. Trucking Matters Podcast host Thom Albrecht, who is also the Chief Revenue Officer at Reliance Partners, welcomes Mark Vickers to the podcast. Mark is the Executive Vice President of International Operations at Reliance Partners.

In providing a preview of the popular conference, Thom and Mark explore the significance of modernization in cross-border trade, the growth of the annual event in Laredo and the networking opportunities it provides. The conversation also looks into the impact of tariffs on trade relations between the U.S. and Mexico, emphasizing Mexico’s continued importance as a business partner. While the news on tariffs remains an evolving story heading into the June 17th event, Mark continues to see a landscape where US-Mexico trade will experience further growth.

As Mark shares, the upcoming conference will feature speakers representing some of the largest cross-border motor carriers as well as leading cross-border customs brokers and freight brokers. Attendees will include representatives from the U.S. and Mexican governments along with a host of professionals from the private sector. Trucking Matters is a production of Reliance Partners in collaboration with PodWheels. To learn more about Reliance Partners, please visit ReliancePartners.com.

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In this episode of the Trucking and Safety Matters podcast, hosted by Tom Albrecht, Chief Revenue Officer at Reliance Partners, the focus is on cross-border trade and the role it will play in the future of logistics. Our guest is Mark Vickers, who is the Executive Vice President and Head of International Logistics at Reliance Partners. As you will hear, Mark discusses the evolution of the Seventh Annual Modernization of Cross Border Trade Conference in Laredo. Mark shares the story behind the evolution of this annual meeting, which he organized to foster better relationships and trust between U.S., Canada, and Mexico logistics stakeholders.

As part of this episode, you will hear Mark elaborate on the challenges and transformative solutions in cross-border logistics, particularly in the realm of cargo insurance, emphasizing the introduction and importance of a “borderless coverage” program. This program addresses the inadequacies of traditional Mexican cargo insurance laws, offering comprehensive protection for high-value goods moving across borders, which is crucial for maintaining trust and operational efficiency in an industry propelled by geopolitical changes and economic demands.

To learn more about Reliance Partners, visit the company’s website, ReliancePartners.com.

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For this Trucking Matters edition of the Reliance Partners podcast series, we will be getting a ground-floor perspective on the state of freight and how to stay afloat in challenging times from Chad Boblett. As the creator of Rate Per Mile Masters Group on Facebook, Chad has become a valued resource for a Facebook Community that has grown to more than 36,000 members. Chad also founded and operates his own trucking business, Boblett Brothers Trucking, which he launched in 2011 following 10 years of military service in the Marine Corps. Your host for the podcast is Tom Albrecht, the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Revenue Officer at Reliance Partners. As you will hear, Thom and Chad had a wide-ranging conversation that included topics covering finding better loads and rates regardless of the cycle, the advantages of running a power-only operation, how to improve your safety scores and why, in Chad’s view, he believes it is better to have your own authority rather than positioning yourself as a lease-operator.

To learn more about Reliance Partners, visit the company’s website, ReliancePartners.com.

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Reliance Partners brings you another Trucking Matters edition of our podcast series as we will continue our deep dive into the market conditions and the capacity trends in the trucking industry. Our expert panel looking at the state of capacity is once again Craig Fuller, the CEO of FreightWaves, Tim Denoyer, Vice President of ACT Research, and Chris Pickett, founder of Pickett Research and author of the Pickett Line Newsletter. Chris also serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Flock Freight. As part of the discussion, you’ll hear our panel share their respective views on the prospects for individual freight sectors. Your host for the podcast is Tom Albrecht, the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Revenue Officer at Reliance Partners.

To learn more about Reliance Partners, visit the company’s website, ReliancePartners.com.

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We are taking the opportunity to expand the scope of our series by bringing you a Trucking Matters edition of the podcast, and we will begin a discussion on the state of capacity during this episode. You will be hearing from three of the leading experts on all things related to capacity. Our guests will be Craig Fuller, the CEO of FreightWaves, Tim Denoyer, Vice President of ACT Research, and Chris Pickett, founder of Pickett Research and author of the Pickett Line Newsletter. Chris also serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Flock Freight. Your host for the podcast is Tom Albrecht, the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Revenue Officer at Reliance Partners.

To learn more about Reliance Partners, visit the company’s website, ReliancePartners.com.

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In this episode, we will take a deep dive into the granular, detailed approach that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has taken in developing the expansion of regulations related to commercial motor vehicle inspections. Reliance Partners Safety Team Members Mark Barlar and Daniel Vega are back on the podcast to answer questions and provide some examples of how the changes from FMCSA can impact carriers and drivers on a number of fronts, including CSA points. Safety Matters is hosted by Tom Albrecht, the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Revenue Officer at Reliance Partners.

To learn more about Reliance Partners, visit the company’s website, ReliancePartners.com.

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