TT RoadSigns Podcast

A truck sends an alert. What happens next matters, especially in winter. How can fleets turn connected technology into smarter decisions? In this episode of RoadSigns, host Michael Freeze is joined by Bob Toews, CEO of TruckDown, for a practical conversation about winter readiness in the connected fleet era. They discuss preventive maintenance, bridging the gap between alerts and response, and why clear communication and established vendor relationships matter when a truck goes down. From aging equipment and storm-driven service demand to the promise of AI-powered predictive maintenance, find out how your fleet can more effectively respond to weather-related disruptions. Tune in now to strengthen your fleet's winter readiness planning.

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For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/how-has-connected-technology-transformed-winter-fleet-operations/.

This episode is sponsored by TruckDown. Visit https://www.truckdown.com/.

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Artificial intelligence is moving beyond experimentation and into real-world trucking operations. Is the industry ready for what comes next?

Recorded live at The AI Summit, co-hosted by TMC and TT, PCS Software CEO Mark Hill joins Seth Clevenger to discuss the advance of AI in the trucking industry. Carriers and brokers across the industry are now incorporating AI into daily workflows and reshaping freight operations and the workforce.

What impact will this have on the broader trucking industry? Is the industry still exploring AI's full potential? Tune in to discover practical starting points to prepare your organization for the future of freight.

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For more information: https://ttn.ws/episode202

This episode is sponsored by PCS Software. Visit https://pcssoft.com/.

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As fleet safety technology accelerates and freight markets begin to recover, fleets are facing fresh decisions about where to invest in safety technology, with AI-powered cameras at the center of the conversation. Recorded live at Samsara's Beyond 2026 conference in Las Vegas, host Seth Clevenger sits down with Arpan Podduturi, vice president of safety at Samsara, to examine how AI, telematics and onboard cameras are converging to protect drivers and reduce risk. The conversation also touches on Samsara's new AI Multicam system, which stitches multiple camera feeds into a 360-degree view, and AI Agent Studio for custom safety workflows. What can fleets actually unlock with the right combination of AI-powered tools? How can operators cut through the hype to find the right starting point for their business? Listen to the full episode to find out how these tools are already changing safety outcomes on the road.

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For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/how-can-ai-and-cameras-enhance-driver-safety/.

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As Transport Topics rolls out its redesigned magazine, the RoadSigns podcast marks its own milestone: 200 episodes. What have eight years and hundreds of conversations with trucking executives, technology developers, economists and maintenance leaders taught us about where trucking is headed? In this episode, hosts Seth Clevenger and Michael Freeze revisit the podcast's 2018 origins, reflect on how trucking technology has evolved and share the trends that surprised them most. They also look forward to Episode 500 and the legacy they hope RoadSigns will leave behind. Tune in for insights from 200 episodes of reporting on trucking’s road ahead.

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For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/looking-back-to-see-whats-ahead/.

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Hydraulic systems quietly power some of the hardest-working trucks on the road, but they're rarely top of mind until something fails. What's the real difference between normal wear and a pump that's been abused, and how can fleets tell the two apart before it costs them downtime? In this episode of RoadSigns, Brad Gulick of Eaton Mobile Power Group joins host Michael Freeze to cover dump pump sizing, flow vs. pressure tradeoffs, filtration best practices and where hybrid and electric PTOs are headed. Listen now to hear what your maintenance team might be missing.

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For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/how-do-dump-pump-systems-really-hold-up-in-the-field

This episode is sponsored by Eaton. Visit https://www.eaton.com/us/en-us.html.

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As summer freight demand climbs and temperatures push equipment and drivers to their limits, fleets face a familiar but costly challenge: roadside breakdowns that ripple far beyond the truck itself. In this episode of RoadSigns, host Michael Freeze sits down with Alex Fraser, Vice President of Customer Operations at Cox Fleet, to unpack how breakdowns test a fleet's safety, compliance and customer service systems all at once. Fraser draws on his work with fleets and service providers to explain how stretched service networks and driver safety concerns intersect during the industry's most demanding season. What actually breaks first when a fleet gets stretched thin: speed, communication or execution? Tune in for a practical playbook to turning summer from a season of reactive scrambling into a disciplined uptime strategy.

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For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/how-can-fleets-turn-summer-breakdowns-into-a-proactive-uptime-strategy/

This episode is sponsored by Cox Fleet. Visit https://coxfleet.com/.

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For fleet operators wrestling with rising maintenance costs and a shrinking technician workforce, the old playbook may no longer be enough. In this episode of RoadSigns, host Michael Freeze talks with Kevin Clark, AVP of Dedicated Solutions at Cox Fleet, to tackle one pressing question: how should fleets rethink their maintenance strategies to stay efficient and resilient over the next several years?

Clark shares frontline insights on modern maintenance strategies, from how to weigh in-house vs. outsourced maintenance to what a high-performing hybrid model looks like in practice. Whether you run a regional fleet or manage a national network, this conversation offers practical guidance on aligning your maintenance strategy, staffing, and equipment mix before you lock in your next budget.

Tune in for the strategic perspective you need for the road ahead.

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For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/can-fleets-stay-ahead-of-rising-costs-and-technician-shortages/

This episode is sponsored by Cox Fleet. Visit https://coxfleet.com/.

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Automated manual transmissions (AMTs) are no longer an emerging technology, they are now a standard feature across many fleets - and the aftermarket is working to keep pace. As a result, fleets and service providers are re-evaluating everything from parts inventories to technician training programs. Is your parts strategy aligned with where the market is going, or anchored in past practices? Does your shop view access to diagnostic software as a core requirement for maintaining uptime, or an afterthought?

In this episode of RoadSigns, Eaton's Jason Dinardo, senior product manager, and Leah Bogle, transmission product manager, join host Michael Freeze to address common misconceptions and examine what today’s drivetrain service environment truly requires. The discussion explores the leading causes of AMT-related comebacks, how aging assets entering second and third ownership are reshaping parts planning and why diagnostics and calibration have become the new bottleneck in the service bay.

Gain a clearer view of how to protect uptime, manage total cost of ownership and perform AMT service correctly the first time. Listen now.

For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/is-your-parts-strategy-keeping-pace-with-todays-amt-market/

This episode is sponsored by Eaton.

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Dispatch remains the nerve center of every trucking operation — traditionally powered by phone calls, spreadsheets and constant problem-solving — and it is being reworked with the help of artificial intelligence. In this RoadSigns episode, host Seth Clevenger speaks with PCS Software CEO Mark Hill to examine what “agentic AI” means for modern fleet operations.

Is automation eliminating the role of the dispatcher, or transforming it? Their discussion explores how this technology can autonomously handle a significant share of routine dispatch responsibilities, including load booking, driver assignment, shipper communication and rate management. In turn, human dispatchers are freed to concentrate on exceptions, strengthen strategic customer and driver relationships, and apply judgement in complex scenarios where human experience remains essential.

How is this technology reimagining what an efficient fleet operation will look like by 2027? For carriers seeking to improve reliability, control costs and stay ahead of competitors, this is a conversation you can't afford to miss.

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For more information: https://ttn.ws/episode195

This episode is sponsored by PCS Software [https://pcssoft.com/]

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With the 2027 NOx emissions rules on the horizon, fleet leaders are finally moving from uncertainty to action. Recorded live at the 2026 TMC Annual Meeting, co-host Michael Freeze is joined by Brian Antonellis, Senior Vice President of Fleet Operations at Fleet Advantage, for a candid look at how fleet leaders should be thinking about capital planning. After years of regulatory whiplash, Antonellis says the industry has entered a period of relative clarity. Fleets now know what the next 12 months look like, and that means it's time to make decisions. If you're asking yourself how to weigh 2026 pre-buy opportunities against incoming technology or whether training your technicians may matter more than the trucks themselves, tune in to this practical conversation for a guide to managing assets through this regulatory transition.

For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/how-can-common-sense-planning-prepare-your-fleet-for-2027-emissions-rules/

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