The Heavy Duty Parts Report

Send us Fan Mail Episode 372: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, host Jamie Irvine speaks with Josh Ross, CEO of Truck Genius, about how repair shops can turn operational data into profit.  Josh explains how Truck Genius helps shops unlock valuable insights from Fullbay data, making it easier to track key performance indicators, improve accountability, and identify profit leaks.  The...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 371: In this episode, Paul Kunz of Precision Fleet Maintenance discusses his journey from running a side service truck to building a full-scale heavy-duty repair, shop, and parts distribution business driven by a desire to support his family and serve customers better.  He explains the challenges of entrepreneurship in the trucking industry—from fear and long hours to mana...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 370: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, host Jamie Irvine and guest Jason Kramer from Cultivize, discuss how heavy-duty repair shops, fleets, and service providers can dramatically improve revenue by eliminating “leaks” in their sales pipeline.  They explain the critical difference between marketing funnels and sales pipelines, emphasizing that most lost oppor...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 369: This conversation with Daimler Truck’s Mike Young explores the Detroit Gen 6 engine platform and how it prepares fleets for the EPA 2027 emissions standards by building on nearly 20 years of proven aftertreatment technology.  Young explains that the Gen 6 engines focus on reducing NOx through improved thermal management, a new pre‑SCR system, as well as incremental en...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 368: Fleet Advantage’s Brian Antonellis joins our host Jamie Irvine to break down the “procurement paralysis” many fleets are experiencing due to uncertainty, rising costs, and rapid changes in equipment strategy.  Antonellis explains how years of supply chain disruption, upcoming EPA 2027 emissions regulations, and volatile fuel prices have created hesitation around repla...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 367: In this episode, Jamie Irvine talks with Jon Barganier and Spencer Wilson from Allpart Supply about the hidden costs and operational challenges caused by truck and trailer misalignment and frame issues.  They explain how misalignment leads to excessive tire and fuel expenses, premature wear on suspension components, and even driver fatigue, while also creating major l...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 366: The episode reviews Fullbay’s State of Heavy-Duty Repair Report , with Jamie and Jennifer Irvine discussing key industry insights drawn from 900 survey respondents and data from 3,400 Fullbay users.  They explore trends such as the aging workforce, the growth of new repair shops, and the typical shop size and rates. The conversation highlights labor rate increases, te...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 365: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report , Jamie Irvine interviews Daniel Jones, Application Engineer at EnerSys, about how modern heavy‑duty trucks place far greater electrical demands on batteries than ever before.  Jones explains the evolution from flooded batteries to AGM and now to thin plate pure lead (TPPL) technology, highlighting how today’s vehicles—wi...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 364: This episode explores the evolving relationship between dealerships and the independent aftermarket in heavy‑duty parts and service, highlighting how rising equipment costs, advancing technology, technician shortages, and tight freight markets are forcing fleets to make smarter decisions about where they source parts and repairs. Jamie Irvine, joined by Jeremy Smallwo...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 363: Jamie Irvine and Jonathan Larsen explore why data standards—especially cross‑references, fitment data, and images—remain a major challenge in the heavy‑duty parts industry, despite decades of progress in automotive. They discuss how standards like PIES and ACES work, why adoption has lagged in commercial vehicles, and how better data practices can reduce friction, imp...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 362: In this episode, Jamie and Jennifer Irvine break down everything learned at Heavy Duty Aftermarket Dialogue (HDAD), exploring major industry shifts such as Daimler’s move from “e‑commerce” to a broader “digital platform,” heavy investments in facilities and consolidation, and the persistent challenges around cross‑reference data, fitment data, and images.  They discus...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 361: In this immersive episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, Jamie Irvine takes listeners inside HDAW 2026 in Grapevine, Texas — the premier annual event that sets the tone for the heavy‑duty aftermarket industry.  Jamie tours the venue, speaks with the three associations that co‑own the show, and uncovers the scale of the event. Through conversations with show organizer...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 360: In this episode, Jamie and Jennifer Irvine kick off 2026 by breaking down the biggest challenges and opportunities facing heavy‑duty parts businesses. They discuss the rapid rise of AI, the ongoing struggle to recruit and retain skilled people, and the critical need for strong marketing systems that actually convert leads.  They share real-world stories, insights from...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 359: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, Jamie Irvine speaks with Aaron Rivers, CEO of Emotiv Mobility, and Tim Kelly, the company’s lead engineer, about their development of a hybrid power transfer case designed to modernize commercial vehicle electrification.  Aaron explains how the idea emerged from recognizing the limitations of all‑electric commercial vehi...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 358: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, Jamie Irvine speaks with Bryan Thueson of OptiCat and Moritz Mahler of TecAlliance about the long‑standing challenges in warranty processing across the heavy‑duty parts industry. They explain how manual, inconsistent, and inefficient warranty workflows create high process costs, poor transparency, customer frustration, a...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 357: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, host Jamie Irvine speaks with John Whittet, Chief Customer Officer at Fullbay, about the growing trend of repair shops expanding into parts distribution.  They discuss how shops often begin by stocking basic items for their own repairs and then evolve into full parts and service providers, driven by customer demand for o...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 356: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, host Jamie Irvine sits down with Chris Miller, President of The Hub Corp, to discuss the launch of their groundbreaking XTRACTOR™ hubcap. Unlike traditional hubcaps that simply seal the wheel end, the XTRACTOR™ introduces a built-in multi-stage magnetic and mesh oil filtration system designed to actively remove contamina...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 355 : In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, host Jamie Irvine speaks with Kris Harrington, CEO of GenAlpha, about how buying habits in the heavy-duty parts industry have evolved over the past five years. They discuss the acceleration of digital sales channels driven by customer expectations for convenience, speed, and accuracy, emphasizing the need for businesses...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 354: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, host Jamie Irvine interviews Bill Frymoyer, Vice President of Public Policy at MEMA, to explore the impact of recent U.S. government policies on the heavy-duty trucking industry. They discuss the positive effects of tax reforms that encourage investment, but raise concerns over increased H-1B visa fees that hinder access...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 353: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, host Jamie Irvine speaks with Rick Hanna, Business Unit Leader at SureWerx, about the critical importance of safety when lifting and supporting commercial vehicles. Rick shares insights from recent shop visits where near misses highlighted the need for proper lifting practices, emphasizing the dangers of load shifts caus...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 352: In this episode, host Jamie Irvine interviews Randy King, National Sales Manager at MGM Brakes, who shares insights from his 47 years in the heavy-duty parts industry. The episode explores the differences between MGM’s brake actuator models and their vocational applications, highlighting innovations like the dual thread release bolt and external breather tube technolo...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 351: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, Jamie Irvine welcomes back Dan McClave, President of Switchblade Turbochargers. Dan is a returning guest on the show. If you want to learn all about the origin story of Switchblade Turbochargers and how they create fuel savings for commercial trucks, listen to episode 286 and episode 336 .  In episode 351, Dan discusses...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 350: The Heavy Duty Parts Report returns with a fresh start, hosted by Jamie Irvine, marking a new chapter for the podcast with a renewed mission and format. Backed by sponsors like The Hub Corp and the Heavy Duty Consulting Corporation, Jamie shares his excitement about relaunching the show and expresses gratitude to the community for their support. The podcast now follow...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 349: Problems in business often start with a lack of systems. Our host, Jamie Irvine, shares clips from a past interview with Michael E. Gerber, author of The EMyth. They discuss the need to have systems and the idea that a real business is one that does not rely solely on the owner. Our host also interviewed Steve Harter, owner of Knomatic. Knomatic builds custom solution...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 348: Finding solutions to common problems faced by fleets on their trucks takes innovation. Where does innovation come from? Usually from listening closely to the customer. Simple solutions are often the best. High Bar Brands is a group of innovative companies brought together with one mission – solving problems for heavy-duty fleets. This week we talked to Steve Hansen an...