For this episode of Voice Of GO(r)D, I'm very happy to bring you my very own Uncle Chris, who shares with us stories, wisdom, and keys to success, built up from a trucking career that spans back to the 1960s. In 1985, Uncle Chris, Aunt Gina, and his partner Jeff, founded Lakeside Freight Systems in a little office in Oakville, Ontario, and built it into one of Canada's most successful freight brokers, which, after my uncle retired, was eventually sold on to Uber Freight.

Uncle Chris is a high miler that has plenty of stories to tell, and insights one can only develop after having put 79 years on the odometer.

Thanks for listening, and as always, this show is a gift to my fellow drivers, which accepts no donations nor advertising - all I ask is that you pass it around to anyone else who might be interested in listening.

Comments, criticisms, hate mail, I take it all! Contact the show - [email protected]

Lob grenades in my direction on Twitter - https://twitter.com/DriverAutonomy

Subscribe to my Substack, and never miss an episode, or my latest writings - https://autonomoustruckers.substack.com/

Did you know that in Trudeau's Canada we have Political Prisoners being held under conditions and circumstances quite similar to that of The January 6 Protesters in the United States, or of Guantanamo Bay?

Four men are approaching 500 days in prison without yet facing trial, nor given bail, under circumstances that are unbecoming a modern western 'democracy', simply for exercising their democratic rights in participating with Canada's Freedom Convoy, quite possibly the largest and most peaceful protest in Canadian history.

Margaret 'Granny' Mackay joins Voice Of GO(r)D to tell us all about them.

The Coutts 4 -

Anthony (Tony) Olienick

Chris Carbert

Jerry Morin

Chris Lysak

Alberta Political Prisoners Facebook Page -

https://www.facebook.com/groups/622318705558931

In Canada you can send funds to help the defense of these men via Interac E-Mail money transfer to [email protected]

You can write letters to all of the men at the following addresses - use black or blue ink on white paper, using white envelopes, nothing else

Anthony Olienick

Inmate#2200620

Care of Medicine Hat Remand Centre

874 Second Street SE

Medicine Hat, AB

T1A 8H2

Chris Carbert

Inmate #1322255

Care of Lethbridge Correctional Centre

PO Bag 3001

Lethbridge, AB

T1J 3Z3

Jerry Morin

Inmate #2182289

Care of Calgary Correctional Centre

11808 85 Street NW

Calgary, AB

T3R 1J3

Chris Lysak

Inmate #1477491

Care of Lethbridge Correctional Centre

PO Bag 3001

Lethbridge, AB

T1J 3Z3

Thank you for taking the time to write, and for caring.

You can also make a donation to assist with the men's legal defense at GiveSendGo - https://www.givesendgo.com/G9HX4

Contact the show

[email protected]

Find me on Twitter -

https://twitter.com/DriverAutonomy

And on Substack

https://autonomoustruckers.substack.com/

Miss Flatbed Red is a multi-talented artist and musician, and has become well known amongst those who recognize the aesthetic supremacy of classic American Rigs through her fantastic truck sketches. Red shares a little of her life story with us, how she went from being a music student in London, to then becoming a regular at Truck Shows all across the United States, as well as discussing the intrinsic value of beauty and beautiful equipment, and why older trucks reign supreme.

You can find Flatbed Red at her home website - https://www.missflatbed.red/

She posts regularly on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/missflatbedred/

and can be found hosting truck tours on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/missflatbedred

Contact the show! All questions, comments, and criticisms welcome and encouraged - [email protected]

Find me on Twitter - https://twitter.com/DriverAutonomy

And on Substack - https://autonomoustruckers.substack.com/

In what should be the first of many Roundtables, Voice Of GO(r)D brings you a group discussion on what we can infer about society via the quality (or lack thereof) of replacement parts and those of us who operate and maintain the wheels of our economy.

Very happy to bring you Mr Brandon Daily, seminary student and mechanic, along with his father and business partner Mr Mike Daily, as well as truck parts marketing kingpin Mr Joshua Gwozdz, all of whom share their perspectives about the meaning to be found, or that is lacking, within the world of cars, trucks, and the parts and service required to keep them, and society, moving.

Frequently referenced in the discussion is the writer and philosopher Matthew B Crawford, and you can find out all about him and his books here -

https://www.matthewbcrawford.com/

My guests Twitter profiles - go give them a follow!

Brandon Daily - https://twitter.com/B__Daily

Joshua Gwozdz - https://twitter.com/JoshuaGwozdz

As always, feel free to contact the show with any feedback, criticism, suggestions, or hate mail -

[email protected]

You can find me on Twitter - https://twitter.com/DriverAutonomy

and on Substack - https://autonomoustruckers.substack.com/

Former state job training and placement agent "Joe" joins Voice Of GO(r)D to tell us about his experiences with government funded job placement services, and how they are incentivized to push people into the trucking business, wether they are qualified or not, or have any hope of success in the business or not.

There are implications in this discussion for the driver shortage narrative, as what Joe worked in was a piece of the stealth corporate welfare system which trucking companies rely on to maintain their churning of bodies through the business, rather than improving drivers working conditions and pay in order to keep them around.
Perhaps if we weren’t shoveling taxpayer money into these systems, those improvements might come naturally.

"Joe" wishes to remain anonymous.

Contact the show, all comments, questions, and criticisms are welcomed -

[email protected]

Find me on Twitter -

https://twitter.com/DriverAutonomy

And my Substack -

https://autonomoustruckers.substack.com/

Voice Of GO(r)D is very happy to welcome Cornell Sociologist Karen Levy, PhD, to discuss her recent book "Data Driven - Truckers, Technology, and the new Workplace Surveillance", which is a very deep dive into the effects of Surveillance Technology such as the ELD on America's truckers. We discuss Karen's interest in how rules are managed and negotiated in practice, and where this intersects with state and corporate desire to use surveillance technology to enforce those rules on workers. Karen's research has found some interesting things about this technology, how it works, what it does and does not accomplish, the marketing around it, and how it affects the working lives of the surveilled. There is much consideration to be drawn from her study for the wider working class.

You can buy Data Driven directly from Princeton University Press -

https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691175300/data-driven

Karen Levy's personal website with more information about her work -

https://www.karen-levy.net/

Karen's Twitter -

https://twitter.com/karen_ec_levy

My own review of Data Driven at American Affairs Journal -

https://americanaffairsjournal.org/2023/02/panopticons-of-the-interstate/

Contact Voice Of GO(r)D! -

[email protected]

Find me on Twitter -

https://twitter.com/DriverAutonomy

Subscribe to my Substack, and never miss an article or podcast -

https://autonomoustruckers.substack.com/

Very old friend and lifelong fully independent owner-operator Trent Lalonde joins Voice Of GO(r)D to discuss his experiences in the business, how to approach it to achieve success, various problems that plague the industry, and how having truck driving recognized as a certified trade will go a long way towards helping solving those problems. Trent also suggests political strategies which would make that happen.

You can find Trent on Twitter -

https://twitter.com/gustoffur

and on Facebook -

https://www.facebook.com/groups/283073555713106/user/723554668/

And here is his Facebook Group 'Trucking is a Trade'

https://www.facebook.com/groups/283073555713106

Contact Voice Of GO(r)D! All comments and suggestions are welcomed -

[email protected]

Find me on Twitter -

https://twitter.com/DriverAutonomy

And on Substack -

https://autonomoustruckers.substack.com/

Today I am joined by Mike Lombard of The Lombard Trucking Podcast, a fitness advocate for truckers whom you may have seen doing pushups or possibly yoga in the parking lot at a truck stop near you. Mike is full of energy and good vibes, and we discuss the importance of fitness to all aspects of your health, including your own self esteem, and for making sure you will be around a long time for your family!

Please check out Mike's TikTok or Instagram page to find out about nutrition and workouts that will work for you - Mike is a friendly and helpful guy, and he wants you to be the best version of yourself that you can be.

Remember, Voice Of GO(r)D takes no ads and charges no admission; all I ask in return is that you make sure this show gets to as many truckers as you know.

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@lombardtrucking

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lombardtrucking/

1stPhorm Fitness App - https://1stphorm.app/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/LombardTrucking

And check out Mike's very own and very active podcast, The Lombard Trucking Show -

https://open.spotify.com/show/3RV5PhQE4omEko507LvjOG

Contact the show! - [email protected]

My Twitter - https://twitter.com/DriverAutonomy

Substack - https://autonomoustruckers.substack.com/

My Old Ice Road Trucking Pal 'Steady' Eddie Plotnikoff joins the show to fill us in on Winter Road 2023, Covid Jail for Ice Road Truckers, his background as a hippie logging truck driver and descendant of Doukhobors, and plays some tunes for us.

You can find Eddie's music here on Spotify -

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7zf40WdQGWnXYL2Gmc5z91

Contact the show!

[email protected]

Follow me on Twitter -

https://twitter.com/DriverAutonomy

And on Substack -

https://autonomoustruckers.substack.com/

This past weekend I was honored to meet up with Lee + Lisa Schmitt, and Jim Heffernan, of the new trucker advocacy organization CDL Drivers Unlimited.

We were all at the Mid- America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky; it was my first time ever going to that great Festival of All Things Trucking, and I highly recommend you check it out if you ever get the chance.

You can read this great interview The Schmitts gave to Todd Dills over at Overdrive Online -

https://www.overdriveonline.com/regulations/article/15306453/new-drivers-advocacysupport-organization-makes-initial-push

CDL - Drivers Unlimited website -

https://www.cdldu.com/

CDL - Drivers and Friends website -

https://www.cdldf.org/

You can follow Lee and Lisa on Twitter -

https://twitter.com/LSchmitt_TAAWTS

Find me on Twitter -

https://twitter.com/DriverAutonomy

Contact the show!

[email protected]

Sing up for my writings and this podcast delivered to your inbox at my Substack -

https://autonomoustruckers.substack.com/