Beyond the Bulldog

Mile Marker 55 – Grant Aschenbeck on Finding Business, Dealership Prep, and Buying Smart

We sit down with Grant Aschenbeck, salesman with Bruckner’s Truck and Equipment in Odessa, Texas, to talk about two sides of the same coin: how owner operators can grow their business through relationships and consistency, and how to show up prepared when it is time to buy a truck. Grant shares how he went from coaching football with no trucking background to becoming a top-performing salesman, earning recognition through Mack’s Bulldog Club trip and winning the Walk the Bulldog sales competition. Along the way, he breaks down what actually creates success in sales, why referrals are underused, and how the best dealership experiences start long before the customer ever walks in the door. Grant discusses: -Building new business as an owner operator, including trust, doing what you promise, and having the courage to ask for referrals -How to get started when you have no network, including building a list, cold calling, knocking on doors, and staying consistent with the basics -How to prepare for a dealership experience, including financing first, understanding your application, and being proactive about lead times and upfitting -What modern dealers provide beyond the sale, including parts, service, uptime support, maintenance contracts, remote updates, and new safety tech like Mack Protect on Mack Medium Duty Trucks If you are trying to land your next customer or buy your next truck, this episode is a practical guide to doing both with a plan and a purpose. What’s next? Tune in weekly for new episodes! Visit the Mack Shop to use your discount code: https://mackshop.com/ [https://mackshop.com/] Book a virtual truck tour! https://www.macktrucks.com/live-tour/ [https://www.macktrucks.com/live-tour/]

Mile Marker 54 – Kelsea Eckert on Crash Claims, Downtime Pay, and Avoiding Insurance Traps

This episode is dedicated to helping truckers who are involved in a crash learn how to protect themselves, handle the claims process, and get back to business faster. We sit down with Kelsea Eckert, attorney with Downtime Claims, a firm focused on recovering compensation when a crash was not the trucker’s fault, including lost revenue from downtime, not just repairs. Kelsea breaks down why many truckers leave money on the table after an accident, how to prove liability and damages, and what to watch for when an insurance company tries to wrap everything up with a quick check and a release. If you are an owner operator or small fleet, this conversation is a practical guide to protecting your income when the unexpected happens. Kelsea discusses: -Why downtime claims exist, what “made whole” really means, and why lost income should be part of the claim, not an afterthought -The essentials after a crash, including dash cam footage, a police report, photos and witness info, and a printed checklist kept in the truck -How to document damages correctly, get a legitimate repair estimate, avoid pressure to use a specific shop, and plan for supplements and diminished value -The biggest claim mistakes to avoid, including filing with your own insurance when you do not have to, and signing any release before everything is fully resolved What’s next? Tune in weekly for new episodes! Visit the Mack Shop to use your discount code: https://mackshop.com/ [https://mackshop.com/] Book a virtual truck tour! https://www.macktrucks.com/live-tour/ [https://www.macktrucks.com/live-tour/]

Mile Marker 53 – Trace Plaugher on Hauling, Building a Fleet, and Mack in Ohio

We sit down with Trace Plaugher, owner of Buckeye Floridian Materials in northwest Ohio, to talk about an unexpected career pivot and the real-world grind of building a small fleet in the vocational hauling space. Trace shares how he went from pursuing a future in medicine to hauling asphalt and aggregate, and why hands-on work, freedom, and long-term stability mattered more than spending decades climbing a traditional professional ladder. Trace breaks down what his company does day to day, how he grew from one truck to multiple trucks, and the lessons that only show up once the bills, maintenance, insurance, and payroll become real. He also explains the biggest challenge in scaling. It is not buying trucks. It is finding and keeping the right people. From pre-trip discipline and preventative maintenance to setting expectations and building trust with customers, Trace gives a clear picture of what it takes to keep a hauling operation running in a seasonal market. Trace discusses: -Why he walked away from the medical track, how construction and asphalt work pulled him in, and why he chose entrepreneurship while keeping his degree as a backup plan -Learning the hard parts of business ownership, especially cash management and reinvesting into equipment, and how an accountant and a real plan changed everything -Growing a fleet the hard way, including why drivers are the most volatile piece, what he looks for in a reliable dump truck driver, and why training someone new can beat breaking bad habits -Why he runs Mack, what he looks for in vocational trucks, and what impressed him most about the new Granite in safety, visibility, and jobsite efficiency This episode is about building something real. A young family, a small business, and a fleet that helps build the communities around it. Trace makes it clear that the reward is not just the trucks, it is the legacy and stability you create for the people depending on you. What’s next? Tune in weekly for new episodes! Visit the Mack Shop to use your discount code: https://mackshop.com/ [https://mackshop.com/] Book a virtual truck tour! https://www.macktrucks.com/live-tour/ [https://www.macktrucks.com/live-tour/]

Mile Marker 52 – Beyond the Bulldog Year One: Best Moments, Biggest Lessons, and the People Behind the Stories

We are celebrating one full year of Beyond the Bulldog, and this episode is a highlight reel of the moments that defined the first season. Over the past year, the show has featured 44 guests and more than 38 hours of conversations across trucking, safety, maintenance, business leadership, history, and the people who keep the industry moving. Mile Marker 52 is a compilation of standout clips and quotes that capture what the podcast is really about: authentic stories, practical lessons, and a deeper appreciation for trucking and the community around it. From the pride of seeing a new truck design on the road, to hard-earned business lessons, to why training and accountability matter, this episode is a quick tour through the best of year one. In this episode, you will hear memorable moments from guests discussing: -Building and designing Mack trucks with a focus on simplicity, purpose, and real-world function -Growing a business the right way, including customer service, relationships, and steady expansion that matches demand -Safety lessons that protect lives, including driver training, accountability, and the value of tools like dash cams -The pride, culture, and legacy behind the Bulldog, and why trucking remains a strong career path for the next generation Thank you for watching, listening, and supporting the show. We are excited for what is next, and we are just getting started. What’s next? Tune in weekly for new episodes! Visit the Mack Shop to use your discount code: https://mackshop.com/ [https://mackshop.com/] Book a virtual truck tour! https://www.macktrucks.com/live-tour/ [https://www.macktrucks.com/live-tour/]

Mile Marker 51 – Lukas Yates on Designing the New Mack Granite and Keystone, and Why Function Comes First

Following the launch of the all new Mack Granite and Mack Keystone, we sit down with Lukas Yates, Chief Designer at Mack Trucks, to go behind the scenes of what it takes to design a truck from the ground up. Lukas explains how Mack design is built around real world function, not styling for styling’s sake, and how every exterior decision has to deliver on visibility, durability, cooling performance, and a truck that still looks right a decade later. Lukas shares how his passion for design started early, from Hot Wheels and Pinewood Derby cars to transportation design school, and how internships with heritage brands shaped his approach to bringing legacy forward without copying the past. He also describes the constant collaboration between design, engineering, suppliers, and leadership to balance performance, cost, and quality without losing what makes a Mack a Mack. Lukas discusses: -What the Chief Designer role covers, how Mack exterior and interior teams work together, and why the guiding light is always function, including visibility, ingress and egress, and cooling performance -His path into design, from early obsession with anything on wheels to learning the craft through intense design programs and internships that pushed skill, collaboration, and creativity -How Mack design language is built, including bold, honest surfaces, strong architecture inspired structure, and creating a timeless look that is unmistakable from a distance -The major challenges behind Granite and Keystone, including designing for extreme vocational versatility, packaging constraints like tire sizes and lighting, integrating sensors and driver aids cleanly, and the moment of seeing a truck you designed finally launch and hit the road This episode is a look into the mindset and teamwork behind Mack’s newest vocational lineup, and why great truck design is equal parts identity, engineering, and relentless attention to the details drivers touch every day. What’s next? Tune in weekly for new episodes! Visit the Mack Shop to use your discount code: https://mackshop.com/ [https://mackshop.com/] Book a virtual truck tour! https://www.macktrucks.com/live-tour/ [https://www.macktrucks.com/live-tour/]