Caution: Wide Right

It’s that time of year! State truck driving championships have just kicked off from Louisiana and across 40 states holding competitions this Spring and Summer. In June, Pennsylvania and the PMTA is gearing up for their turn to send the best drivers to Indianapolis for the National Truck Driving Championships in August. This is where the best and safest drivers come out to play, and today we have o...

Hey everyone and Welcome to our podcast, Caution: Wide Right, Today we are going to talk about getting into trucking, how to prepare for CDL training, learn a bit about flatbed and specialized loads, and more. With me is one of our own CDL instructors here at CNS Driver Training Center, where we offer 1-on-1 CDL training in Lititz, PA. Dave comes with over 10 years of experience driving trucks, sp...

Today we are going to talk about trucking companies OVERPAYING TAXES in OREGON, my home state, and the industry is finally standing up and suing the state! That’s tight, the Oregon Trucking Association and some of their members, are in a lawsuit against the state of Oregon because the trucking industry is overpaying taxes by over 30%, the state knows about the problem, there are no plans to fix th...

Here we are in 2024… we in the trucking industry are hoping for a freight recovery and reduced recession fees so we can all get back to making money. But while we have been in a freight slowdown, the federal government has not. They have been very vocal about big regulatory changes, no matter the outcry from trucking associations (like ATA or OOIDA) or drivers. Let’s get In the Loop with Luke and...

Now listen… we hear it all the time, “ I need help fixing a bad ‘score’ , what do I need to do?” Basically, “can you wave that magic wand and make things disappear!” The problem is the carrier doesn’t understand that there are different scores, they are based on different factors, and there are different ways to improve each type of score. With me today I have one of our own DOT regulation experts...

Hey everyone and welcome to the podcast, Caution: Wide Right! I’m Luke, your host, and today… shortly after Veteran’s Day, we are going to talk about one vet’s perspective, Ted Danowski, who is on the journey of getting his CDL and starting his owner-operator business. We will discuss his time in the military, why he is getting his CDL, how the training is going, and what he hopes his new career a...

Today we are going to talk about the race for fully autonomous trucking to become reality with hopes to transform the $4 trillion global freight industry. The aim is Level 4 autonomy, meaning full automation without human intervention. If the technology is nailed, then peak hours of travel can be circumnavigated to provide greater assurance on cargo arrival times, partnered with improved safety of...

We all know that in 2018, ELDs were pushed across the trucking industry… but, did you know, that the technology goes back to AOBRDs since 1988! Since then, the telematic and vehicle tracking hardware and software has improved dramatically, helping both truckers manage their time and equipment; as well as carriers manage fleet efficiency and safety. But right now we are dealing with a bottom in the...

With me today is the one and only founder of the Women In Trucking organization, Ellen Voie. Ellen is an internationally recognized speaker and authority on gender diversity and inclusion for women in transportation. She started WIT in 2007 after decades in the transportation industry and saw it grow from hundreds to now over 8,000 members across 10 countries! Women in Trucking basically represent...

Today we are going to talk about how we can disagree about really important things (theology, politics, even moral issues) and still be in relationship, in conversation, and in loving community together. To help me are the authors of their new book ‘Loving Disagreement’: Kathy Khang and Matt Mikalatos… as well as someone who can help bridge the gap to the trucking world: Ron Fraser, President and...

Today we are going to talk about an old 1992 Freightliner semi-truck turned simulator sitting at an old Oregon museum that need a lot of tender love and care so it can run a truck driving simulation again. To talk about this project, I have Stephen Hodges… not only a friend of mine, but a man of many skills… a serial entrepreneur, marketing expert, Program Manager for Student Engagement for the Co...

BREAKING NEWS: In Pennsylvania, there will be no CDL Tests from Aug 24-27 because of upcoming changes. If you take a test and don’t finish before August 24th, you will have to: – Receive a new CDL permit – Pass another driver instruction permit test – Take knowledge theory test again, and – Take the updated behind-the-wheel skills test So, what exactly is changing on the behind-the-wheel skills te...

For over 70 years Peters Brothers has been hauling freight from livestock in the 1950s to refrigerated loads hauling food coast to coast. They are a family owned company that started with Brothers George and William Peters in Lenhartsville, Pennsylvania to George’s son Gerald Peters, and now Gerald’s nephew Brian. Today, Brian manages 72 trucks, 120 freezer trailers, and 85 employees from the comp...

With us today we have a trucking company that has been around for 40 years who have been heavily involved with the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, and delivers all sorts of loads from the Mississippi River to the East Coast, from Canada to Florida. With me is the President of Jagtrux, Zack Germak. Zack, welcome to the podcast! 00:00 – Intro 00:43 – How Jagtrux Started 02:31 – How Owner-opera...

Now, with me today is not just a local Girl Scout Troop Leader, which my daughter will be excited to hear if a nine-year-old enjoyed listening to her dad talk about trucking regulations! But, even better, with me is Rebecca Oyler, none other than the President and CEO at Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, which has been promoting the interests of the trucking industry since 1928. 00:00 | Intro...

Everyone knows that within the first 12 months of operating as a property carrier within interstate commerce, or 120 days as a passenger carrier, each carrier must undergo a new entrant safety audit. Oh, you didn’t know that? Well, then you must be asking yourself… is it a big deal? Let’s get in the Loop with Luke and find out!

Today, we have James Martin with Keystone Transport and Diamond Fleet Services here with us. James is the owner of Keystone Transport, which started in 2014 delivering high end, blanket wrapped furniture to stores and designers. Shortly after, James started Diamond Fleet Service, a diesel truck repair and maintenance shop for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty trucks with visions to include upcoming...

For those that follow the ATRI research reports, you will have noticed that last year they conducted a Driver Camera Survey… and the results came in a few weeks ago. While previous ATRI research found that truck drivers have very positive opinions about road-facing cameras, there were numerous concerns over driver-facing cameras. Well, we are going to dive into this topic with the experts in the f...

With us today we have some exciting guests… Matt Witmer and Andrew Walker from Shipley Energy, a natural gas, propane, and heating oil transport company serving commercial and residential customers across Central Pennsylvania. In this episode we talk about Shipley Energy’s approach to DOT and HAZMAT regulations, why drivers should work at Shipley, discuss the speed-limiter rule proposal, captive i...

So, what’s better: Urine or Oral Saliva drug testing? While I know many of you listening might not care about how the drug test is handled, that it’s just a part of being a professional trucker or employee, the new rules are critical for your career. So, listen up as we run down the history and science of oral saliva drug tests, discuss which testing method is better from privacy to drugs to detec...

So, you want to make money in trucking? Well, you found the episode to help you out! One of the most important skills to develop in the transportation industry is learning how to find loads. This is especially true for owner-operators and small fleets that are just starting out. There is a lot to talk about, so let’s get In the Loop with Luke and dive in! 00:00 – Make money in trucking 00:26 – Und...

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is planning to expand the number of crash types considered not preventable in the Crash Preventability Determination Program (CPDP), which would allow carriers to have a broader range of non-preventable accidents leave CSA scores unaffected, according to a Federal Register notice. Join CNS’s Jared Kline and John Irwin as they discuss the full...

You wanted more Caution: Wide Right — Another Trucking Podcast and we delivered. In this episode, we have RT Specialty coming on and explaining what they look for when writing a trucking insurance plan. Learn hot to fill up your wallet as we fill up your ears. 0:00 | What are Insurance Underwriters? 2:57 | Insurance for New Trucking Companies 5:28 | Hiring New CDL Drivers 6:20 | Under 21 CDL Pilot...

No… Cash is NOT KING… Cashflow is king. Cashflow is simply the amount of money coming in versus coming out of the company. It is your inflow and outflow of cash. If you have positive cashflow, this allows you to pay bills, reinvest into the business, and build a safety net for maintenance issues, low freight rate cycles, and more. If you have negative cashflow, you can try to survive while living...

In part 4 of our New Venture Roadmap to successfully start-up your trucking company, we will discuss insurance. Not just what coverages you need, but how you can start building a good safety record to help you keep future rates as low as possible.