Truck Yeah! America’s 250-Year Trucking History & Tech Future

Truck Yeah! America’s 250-Year Trucking History & Tech Future

To celebrate America's 250th anniversary, the crews from FleetOwner and FleetMaintenance team up for an epic look at the trucking industry’s deep historical roots and its tech-driven future. From the first horse-drawn wagons that moved goods through the Thirteen Colonies to the 1897 invention of the semi-truck to today's shift toward alternative powertrains, we're breaking down how freight moves America. Plus, we dive into the Right to Repair Act, the multi-year freight recession, and the surprising history of how Henry Ford accidentally invented Kingsford charcoal. Timestamps: * 0:57 – Colonial trade routes and the physical evolution of freight * 3:08 – The 1897 invention of the semi-truck * 5:57 – 13 diagnostic trouble codes * 11:00 – NASCAR roots, North Carolina culture * 13:46 – Eisenhower's interstate vision * 18:05 – Regulatory shifts, alternative fuels * 25:19 – The Federal Excise Tax (FET) debate * 30:44 – The multi-year freight recession * 35:21 – The Right to Repair Act * 44:06 – Holiday plans and how Henry Ford invented Kingsford charcoal

This week in trucking: FedEx Freight, Ohio non-dom CDLs

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking as of June 4: * FedEx Freight completed its LTL spinoff * Ohio is planning the expiration of 5,000 non-domiciled CDLs * Congress considering more truck parking funding * Attempts to repeal the Federal Excise Tax * Diesel fell 17 cents

National Tank Truck Carriers' new chairman, Jeremy Mairs

The National Tank Truck Carriers' new chairman is doing much more than continuing the association's long-held tradition of bald chairmen. Bulk Transporter's Jason McDaniel hosts Jeremy Mairs, president/CEO of Cox Transport and NTTC's chairman, to talk about his experience growing up in the industry and working under California regulations. What does Mairs have on the agenda for NTTC in the next couple years? Timestamps: * 0:33 — Qualifications for tank truck association leadership? * 1:16 — Jeremy met his wife at an NTTC event * 2:33 — Experience as a driver * 6:01 — Cox Petroleum's footprint * 7:41 — How did your upbringing influence your trucking view? * 10:09 — Jeremy's priorities as chairman * 12:00 — FMCSA's Derek Bars * 15:15 — Where NTTC can make the most progress * 18:08 — What is it like operating in California? * 23:54 — The Iran fuel shock * 25:33 — Jeremy's industry outlook * 27:30 — Why stay engaged with NTTC?

This week in trucking: Driver bathrooms, charging consolidation

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking as of May 28. * A House committee passed a surface transportation bill * Motive is updating its dash cam tech offerings * EV charging companies Voltera, Revel are merging * In fuel this week, diesel fell 7 cents

Driver Demographic Cliff: How fleets can survive the workforce aging crisis

There is a fundamental shift happening in how fleets hire, pay, and retain drivers. The trucking workforce is rapidly aging, and the critical population of 45- to 65-year-old drivers is shrinking. What happens when the demographic cliff hits your fleet? In this episode of The Fleet Lead, FleetOwner’s Josh Fisher sits down with Leah Shaver, president and CEO of the National Transportation Institute [https://driverwages.com/], a leading organization that tracks industry drivers’ wages, benefits, and retirement trends. Leah shares her experiences with driver demographics, how carriers approach age differences, driver retention, and more. Tune in to discover: * The Root Causes: Why traditional retention strategies are failing the next generation. * Creative Solutions: How carriers are moving past the “earn your stripes” mentality with flexible scheduling and modern incentives. * The Legal & Cultural Hurdles: Navigating marijuana regulations and the generational communication rift. Episode Chapters & Timestamps * 1:04 – Understanding the Driver Demographic Cliff * 2:06 – The Compounding Factors Restricting Driver Supply * 5:46 – Moving Past the “Earn Your Stripes” Mentality * 8:49 – Creative Scheduling and Modern Incentives * 10:11 – Bridging the Generational Communication Rift * 21:17 – Navigating the Industry’s Marijuana Hurdles * 27:20 – What Modern Drivers Actually Prefer * 34:00 – Immediate Action Items: What Fleets Can Do Today