RoadSigns A Transport Topics Podcast

If you're in the transportation industry, you know that COVID-19 has changed the rules of business. New sanitation processes, social distancing measures, and proper hygiene methods now inform everyday processes. At the same time, the pandemic has disrupted supply chains and created market volatility. So, we ask, how are businesses performing under this new work environment? And, what further steps...

COVID-19 has placed significant strain on many freight networks. While some businesses ground to a halt, others raced to meet demand spikes. (problem) So how are third-party logistics providers adapting to meet these challenges? And how will this crisis change supply chains in the long run? To get answers, Seth Clevenger chats with two 3PL (third-party logistics) executives who have had first-hand...

There is no playbook for navigating the COVID-19 crisis. Yet, open communication and access to a virtual work place can ease the transition to a remote environment and help ensure that essential freight arrives on time. But what about those who can't work from home? What about the front line drivers? How can trucking companies adjust their operations to ensure that essential freight keeps moving w...

COVID-19 has been a wake-up call to many businesses and their ability to mobilize rapidly, set up crisis management mechanisms, and build the supply chain resilience that will see them through to the other side. So, what can the supply chain do when disaster strikes? How can fleets, shippers, and 3PLs better prepare for volatile freight demand? In this episode, we find that knowledge is essential....

Two trucks travel together in a tight formation on the highway, linked by connected vehicle technology. When the driver of the lead truck brakes, the following truck automatically follows suit. The two move synchronously along a route, maintaining close proximity and securing improved fuel economy. Test drivers now at the helm of these truck platoons say the experience is a lot like using adaptive...

Much of the trucking industry continues to rely on older onboard technology for mission-critical functions such as electronic logging of driver hours of service. This reliance on legacy systems can hurt reliability and efficiency, particularly with the sunsetting of 3G networks. So, is it time for fleets and their technology vendors to implement faster replacement cycles for onboard tech? How soon...

Driver recruiting and turnover have been persistent challenges for trucking companies, but the industry is also struggling to attract a new generation of technicians to maintain and repair the increasingly high-tech trucks that move the nation’s freight. What's next? Will maintenance shops finally find ways to revolutionize recruiting? To answer these questions, Seth Clevenger sits with the two pe...

Driver safety is paramount for trucking companies, but determining which drivers are most likely to be involved in a crash is no simple task. As it taps into a variety of data sources, predictive analytics software helps to reduce the guesswork. What will this technology reveal? How will it help us mine data and discover behavior patterns in drivers? To get answers, Seth Clevenger turns to the dat...

“Crazy.” “Idealistic.” “Fraud.” “This guy’s dream is nothing more than vaporware.” When you are Trevor Milton, and your ideas challenge the status quo in a major industry like trucking, you hear a lot of names and labels. But you also press on because you believe zero-emission trucks are not only possible but beautiful. So... has it been worth it? And when will these vehicles reach the market? Fin...

In this episode, we’re going to take a fresh look at the road ahead for electric-powered commercial vehicles… How soon will electrification truly take hold of trucking, and in what applications? And what are the obstacles that early adopters will need to overcome? Join Seth Clevenger in Las Vegas, from the show floor of CES 2020, as he interviews Scott Newhouse, Peterbilt chief engineer, and Chris...

What was trucking doing at CES 2020? This is the question that drives host Seth Clevenger to Las Vegas and the event formerly known for crazy consumer gadgets. There, he meets Rich Mohr, chief technology officer for Ryder Fleet Management Solutions, and Stephan Olsen, general manager of the PACCAR Innovation Center. Listen in as these innovators help him see how high tech the industry has become,...

Over the last few years, we've seen a great deal of investment in self-driving technology for commercial trucks. But what about trucking automation designed to support the driver rather than replace the driver? In past episodes, TuSimple Chief Product Officer, Chuck Price and Pronto.ai co-founder and COO, Ognen Stojanovski presented RoadSigns listeners with competing visions for automated trucks....

Last year we set out to answer a question, what does the move towards autonomy mean for the truck driver? Who’s behind the wheel of tomorrow? This year, host Seth Clevenger allows those important questions to resurface in new contexts. As part of a 2020 preview, and a two-part investigation of autonomous today, this episode revisits conversations with some of 2019's most knowledgeable experts in a...

Thanks to the provocative predictions about our connected future, RoadSigns guests presented listeners with a pretty surprising picture of trucking and freight transportation. In this episode, we reflect on those themes and interviews from 2019. Host Seth Clevenger gives fresh commentary on the industry-wide transition to ELD, expansion of tracking and freight visibility technology, and the clarit...

What happens when you eliminate the echo effect, and new conversation enters the board room? How can a more diverse leadership team create a competitive advantage in business? Whether you're running a trucking company or building a technology startup, adding diversity to your team will introduce new perspective. And new perspective might just be the key to taking your company to the next level. In...

How will the Internet of Things shape the future of the trucking industry? Transportation is becoming increasingly connected with more sensors, more data and more insights to help trucking and logistics providers operate more efficiently. So, what’s next? How can fleets prepare for this copious amount of information coming into their back office? In the episode, we head to American Trucking Associ...

Humans are apt to fear change but when a positive future depends on that certain change, it forces them to adapt. In this episode, we discover that industry adoption of active safety technologies such as air disc brakes, collision mitigation systems and lane departure warnings is on the rise. Fleets that implement these technologies see lower insurance costs, reduced collision rates and significan...

A special Thanksgiving message from RoadSigns host Seth Clevenger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Required: freight carriers with access to load visibility data. No others need apply. Suddenly, shippers seem to expect carriers to know, and share, the transit story. And those who cannot rise to the data demand, lose out on the contract. The rise of the stringent shipper, is a new phenomenon. Recent advances in A.I. and machine-learning software fuel this rise. But what does this mean for the sh...

On-board software means lots of trucking data. Machine data, maintenance data, driver data, load data, and all other sorts of road data arrive at the fleet’s back office waiting to be sifted for powerful insight. But that powerful insight requires fleets to have the right back-office software to do that sifting -- and the right (and regulatory compliant) on-board software to do the right kind of d...

NACFE's Michael Roeth has all the answers; in fact, he's found a way to get diesel trucks up to 8.3 miles per gallon. With a focus on the future, Roeth directs the Run On Less program that boasts all things efficient — from innovative technologies and operational practices, to driver capabilities and fuel economy. He approaches efficiency from the perspective of both the driver and the technology,...

Trucking decisions have gone to the machines. The promises sound almost magical: supply your shippers with better freight visibility with one click, better manage your driver profiles and increase retention with this easy software, find the operational silver bullet without having to hire a data scientist. In fact, today, an algorithmic solution exists for almost every trucking and logistic proble...

What does it take to be the National Truck Driver Champion of the Year? According to Remy Braun, the number one thing is passion. Braun, who won his driving crown on September 16, is nothing if not passionate. He has the drive of a champion and the gift of gab. In this live-recorded interview, Braun shares the secrets to becoming a winner, including the rigorous qualifications one needs to obtain...

Until recently, what happened on the road, stayed on the road. Trucking businesses had little opportunity to monitor and measure fundamental parts of their operations, and drivers were on their own to battle claims. The enterprise had no way to see in and suffered as a result. Now, on-board cameras provide that same enterprise with a view of the road and the cab. Fleets use the devices to help wit...

How does an engineering student start with an interest in automated driving wind up as one of the most interesting people in the trucking industry? Meet Ognen Stojanovski, whose curiosity led him to deploy his own autonomous testing operations and clear the hurdle of traditional regulatory paths. Today, this drive toward innovation sees him as co-founder and COO of Pronto.ai – a company at the for...