The Long Haul

Every December, thousands of volunteers and hundreds of truck drivers move in unison for one mission: remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach the next generation the value of freedom. In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Courtney George, Director of Transportation and Industry Relations for Wreaths Across America, to explore the heart of a program that relies on the...

When you’re running a small fleet, a single breakdown can crush your margins and throw your week off track. In this episode of The Long Haul, we sit down with Tyler Robertson, founder and CEO of Diesel Laptops, to talk about why every small carrier needs diagnostic tools in their own hands—not locked behind a shop’s schedule or inflated repair fees. We dig into: What makes Diesel Laptops different...

The trucking world is divided right now — not just over freight, diesel, or regulations, but over who gets to operate on American roads and under what conditions. HR5688, the Domiciled CDL Integrity Act, has set off a firestorm inside the industry. Some support it. Some believe it doesn’t go far enough. Others think it goes too far. In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Lewie Pugh,...

Cargo theft is no longer a random crime — it’s organized, digital, and spreading faster than the industry wants to admit. In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Danielle Spinelli, better known as The Fraud Girl — a veteran broker turned fraud-fighting expert and host of Tell Me Everything. Now with Descartes | MyCarrierPortal, Danielle works on the front lines of vetting carriers, u...

In this Thanksgiving edition of Third & Long, Adam Wingfield and co-driver Kaylee Nix break down one of the biggest stories shaking the trucking world: California’s CDL compliance battle with the FMCSA, the threat of losing $158 million in federal funding, and the lawsuits claiming civil rights violations. This episode goes deep into the political tension between state and federal authority, how t...

Truck parking is one of the most talked-about challenges in our industry — but recently, some are claiming the problem doesn’t even exist. In this episode, Adam sits down with Andrew King, Director of Operations at OOIDA Foundation, to cut through the noise. We dig into the flawed assumptions behind a recent parking report, break down federal data from Jason’s Law, and challenge the idea that driv...

In this uncaged episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Sage — CDL driver, O/O, Landstar agent, broker, and commercial auto insurance pro — to tackle the freight industry’s most controversial topics. This one’s not safe for the faint of heart. We dig into broker dishonesty, insurance scams, the broker-agent world, O/O pain points, and what never gets talked about in polite circles. No fluff....

You’ve signed hundreds of rate cons, but have you ever stopped to actually read the fine print? In this eye-opening episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with transportation attorney and Armchair Attorney podcast host Matthew Leffler to dissect a real broker-carrier agreement, section by section. If you’re an owner-operator or fleet owner signing rate confirmations without understanding the lia...

In this follow-up episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits back down with Tyler Harden of TTN Fleet Solutions to dig deeper into one of the toughest realities in trucking — what happens when your truck breaks down and the clock’s ticking against you. Adam also talks to Natasha Sanders, Senior Business Coach for the Amazon Freight Partner Program. They unpack how Amazon is building opportunities for ent...

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Kristy Knichel, CEO of Knichel Logistics, to talk about what it really takes to build long-term broker-carrier relationships — especially in a market where trust is at an all-time low. Kristy shares what she’s learned leading a woman-owned, family-founded brokerage, how she sees small carriers finding success, and what brokers are actually look...

In this edition of 3rd and long, Adam Wingfield and Kaylee Nix tag team the mic to unpack the latest headlines shaking up the trucking world. From Trump’s 25% truck tariff to the crackdown on non-domiciled CDL holders, to viral tweets and the toll on immigrant drivers, no topic is off limits. We break down the implications for small carriers, the legal gray areas many are trapped in, and how some...

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Garrett Allen to talk about the one thing that brokers, shippers, and carriers say they value — but few actually use to make better decisions: data. Garrett unpacks how small fleets can use their own performance metrics to create stronger partnerships, land dedicated lanes, and rise above the noise in a market full of volatility and skepticism....

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Marcus Cooksey, founder and CEO of Duke. AI — a tech platform that helps small carriers simplify bookkeeping, automate back-office operations, and stay in control of their numbers without hiring a full accounting team. We talk about the real barriers small trucking companies face when it comes to automation, why AI doesn’t have to mean “overcom...

Is the constant tension between brokers and carriers just bad communication, or is it a sign of a deeper issue? In this powerful episode of The Long Haul, host Adam Wingfield sits down with Annique Lesage, the freight-savvy broker and coach known for her direct, no-fluff truth bombs on TikTok. Annique shares her incredible journey from handling customs to becoming a successful broker, and opens up...

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with tire expert Kamard Johnson to talk about one of the most overlooked — and most expensive — parts of a small fleet’s operation: tires. From hidden fuel losses to downtime disasters, Kamard breaks down the real cost of running the wrong tires, buying from the wrong places, and ignoring what’s right in front of your truck. This episode is packed w...

When the market feels like it’s 3rd and Long every damn day, you need real voices in the huddle. In this special episode, Adam sits down with Kaylee Nix for a laid-back, wide-ranging conversation about what’s really going on in freight. From English testing crackdowns to used truck trends and questionable tariff policies, nothing’s off-limits. Buckle up — we’re calling an audible and going for it...

In this solo episode of The Long Haul, Adam tackles one of the freight industry’s most loaded topics — the crackdown on English Language Proficiency and the targeting of non-domicile CDL holders. What starts as a safety policy is revealing deeper issues around bias, access, and who gets to belong in trucking. If you're ready for a raw, honest conversation about what’s really happening, this one's...

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Jessica Dotson, Director of Business Development at Multi Service Fuel Card, Vice Chair of the Women in Trucking Foundation Board, and Chair of the BCS Women in Logistics Events Committee. Jessica’s story didn’t start in an office—it started at home, supporting her husband on the road as a trucker’s wife. That experience gave her a firsthand vi...

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Tapan Chaudhari, Founder and CEO of Bubba AI, to talk about what happens when artificial intelligence stops being a buzzword and starts booking freight. Tapan isn’t a tech outsider—he’s the founder of TruckX and has spent years building tools for small carriers and owner-operators. Now with Bubba AI, he’s tackling the one thing that eats up mos...

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Todd Waldron, Vice President of Carrier Experience at Truckstop and former CEO of Q Carriers, to unpack what the next chapter of load boards really looks like. This isn’t a fluff piece about digital freight. Todd’s sat in the chair, run the trucks, and now helps shape one of the industry’s most-used platforms. The conversation digs into Truckst...

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Nick Klingensmith—freight industry veteran, endurance athlete, motivational speaker, and author of Selling, Inspired!—to talk about what it really takes to finish the year strong. If your goals slipped somewhere between rate dips and long weeks on the road, Nick’s bringing the mindset and mental discipline to get you back in gear. From sales st...

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Mike Ernst, President of Expedite All and a 25-year freight industry veteran, to talk about one of the most slept-on opportunities in trucking: Small Truckload (STL). From cargo vans to box trucks and straight trucks, STL is on the rise—driven by tight delivery windows, high-value freight, and a shift away from one-size-fits-all shipping. Mike...

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam chops it up with Robert McCutcheon, VP of Strategy and Growth at TAFS, to dig into the stuff that keeps small carriers afloat—or breaks them down. We’re talking factoring terms most folks overlook, the real cost of fuel cards, and how to make smarter money moves in a market that’s already tight. Rob brings years of experience across finance, logistics, and tr...

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Dale Prax—Marine Corps veteran, 30-year freight insider, and founder of FreightValidate—to expose the freight fraud epidemic that’s hitting small carriers the hardest. From ghost carriers and fake dispatchers to double brokering rings that steal freight and wreck reputations, Dale breaks down exactly how these scams work—and why the FMCSA isn’t...

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Clay and Nick from FreshX to talk about one of the biggest shifts happening in the freight market right now—reefer LTL. They break down how food and beverage shippers are rethinking distribution, why reefer LTL is gaining momentum, and how tech is finally making it accessible to small carriers. If you’ve got a reefer unit and you’re tired of ch...