Trucking with OOIDA

Anthony Moore had one of those days recently where nothing seems to go right. The South Carolina-based trucker got hit with delays and detours thanks to two separate problems with his truck. After his wife said that God might be trying to keep Anthony from something, he said that maybe God had something else in mind. Turns out, he was right. Later that day, he happened upon an apparent kidnapping...

In celebration of Canada Day – and in advance of Independence Day in the U.S.A. – we’re embracing our similarities and differences with the help of a man who’s developed quite a following doing just that online. Joseph DeBenedictis explains how he went from working for the Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabres and Kelsea Ballerini to comparing food offerings in the U.S. and Canada on YouTube for tens of t...

The rollout of FMCSA’s new Motus registration system has caused quite a bit of frustration out there – and just as many questions. Caleb Sears of OOIDA’s permits and licensing department runs through some of the most common problems people are running into – and some of the most common questions OOIDA is getting. MOST COMMON MOTUS PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW 02:39 Not being able to link USDOT numbers up wi...

Marty Ellis got to cross something off his bucket list recently when he hauled The Wall That Heals – a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that travels around the country. The man who drives the OOIDA tour truck recounts the experience, but only after we get some background about the powerful tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice, courtesy of Tim Tetz, director...

When disaster strikes, the Disaster Relief Haulers spring into action. The nonprofit has a very specific focus: providing hay, supplies and assistance to farmers and ranchers impacted by natural disasters. A recent example – when wildfires broke out recently in Nebraska. In short order, volunteers assembled in Ohio, loaded up their trucks and started up a convoy heading west. Levi Foss, president...

One of the best things about social media is showing the world things they’d never get to see otherwise. And few people are showing the world what Andy Specht is showing them. After starting out in the Marines and working as a mechanic, Andy shifted to heavy hauling. And when he started cataloguing his life online as the Blue Collar Trucker, he didn’t think it would amount to much – until it did....

Every five years or so, Congress releases something known as the Highway Bill. Long story short, it lays out funding and policies for the nation’s infrastructure moving forward. And yes, that includes trucking – especially this year. The Highway Bill is chock full of priorities that OOIDA made sure were prioritized in the months and years leading up to this moment – so much so that OOIDA is callin...

Selling the youth on a career in trucking can be an uphill task, but it’s one Dave Dein takes on with enthusiasm. The former trucker created a CDL program at Patterson High School in California that paves the way for a career in trucking. Dave is one of those people who have found their calling, and he’s more than willing to share it. Plus, if you like classic trucks, Springfield, Missouri is the...

Chances are Steen Gronlund has been on the road longer than you’ve been alive. The octogenarian and OOIDA life member has been trucking since the Sixties and he’s still on the road. We cover it all – from Steen’s early life in Denmark and his start in the business to his growing list of awards, his trucks, his journey to U.S. citizenship and his favorite spot to stop for a bite to eat on the road....

Does all this new truck technology actually make for safer driving? After recent experiences with a high-tech truck and a simpler one, Angela Griffin of the Simple Livin’ YouTube page isn’t so sure. She shares her big takeaways. Plus, Marty Ellis is getting a new truck any day now. The OOIDA tour truck driver reflects on the adjustments he and other drivers need to make when shifting to a new rig...

FMCSA is rolling out a new registration platform called Motus – and if you’ve got a USDOT Number or USDOT Number and Operating Authority, you’ve got a few more days to log in before the new system launches. Julie Otto of FMCSA’s office of registration stops in to explain why the new system should be a big improvement on the old one and what you need to do before May 14. Motus login: https://motus....

The average age of death for truck drivers is 61. That’s not just sad, it’s unacceptable – which is exactly why Jeremy Reymer founded Project 61. He and Dr. Mark Manera, president and chief health officer of the nonprofit, explain how they’re working to reverse the trend – one step at a time. Plus, CVSA roadside inspection specialist Jeremy Disbrow gets us ready for next week’s International Roadc...

A lot of what OOIDA does happens behind the scenes. Case in point: ongoing efforts in Texas to make intersections safer via roundabouts and “innovative intersections.” Generally speaking, those conversations didn’t include the input of truckers in the past – but the Texas DOT is making sure to get that input now. Amanda Austin and Adam Hammons of TxDOT explain what they’re working on, while OOIDA...

If you ain’t first, you’re last – and David Babcock is most definitely first in our books when it comes to Will Ferrell impersonators. Whether it’s Ricky Bobby, Ron Burgundy or Buddy the Elf, David tours the world bringing joy to people’s lives. But that wasn’t always the plan. David shares how it all happened and what life is like masquerading as one of the funniest people on the planet – plus, w...

In the fight against human trafficking, truckers have the means to be frontline heroes. All it takes is a little training followed by action, as Bob Bramwell found out one fateful Christmas Eve. He now uses that experience to encourage others truck drivers to prepare so they’re ready to step up when needed. Plus, Jacob Kirkman of Inland Kenworth is in on the fight too. He explains how they’re usin...

Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life, they say. And if that were to apply to anyone, it applies to James Murphy. It’s quite apparent that the trucker-turned-CDL trainer loves what he does. From the trucking movies that inspired him to become a trucker in the first place to his pivot toward training and his impressions of the up-and-coming crop of truck drivers, we find out...

LJ Lowrey spends his time on Planet Earth as a truck driver, but his voice is living at a much higher altitude. The OOIDA member has embraced amateur radio as a hobby, one that keeps him busy on and off the road. Plus, they say there are two certainties in life. We can’t do much to help with one of them, but we can help when it comes to taxes thanks to Barry Fowler of Trucker Tax Tools, who has so...

Paul Marhoefer isn’t about to let a little setback keep him from attending the Mid-America Trucking Show this year – and that’s because he’s not just attending. The musician/trucker known as Long Haul Paul will be living out a longtime dream, performing on trucking’s biggest stage in Louisville, despite being a bit hobbled. As he tells us, he’s got four bangers lined up, one of which will honor a...

What better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than to take a trip to Ireland for a talk with Ger Hyland, president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, which was founded the same year OOIDA was: 1973. We get the inside scoop on the St. Patrick’s Day holiday from an Irishman’s point of view, and discover that Irish lorry drivers are facing many of the same challenges North American truckers face...

Bill Rethwisch and his family are an American success story. When Bill and his wife Sarah started out their trucking company nearly 20 years, they had one truck. Today? They have more than 40 – and both their sons are poised to follow in their footsteps, led by 18-year-old Luke, who’s racking up wins on the show truck circuit. From the challenges of starting and growing a business and the importan...

When it comes to fishing, there’s not really a right way or wrong way to go about it if you subscribe to the notion that there’s no such thing as a bad day fishing. But if you’re a bit more serious about the craft, science can help. Lifelong friends Corbin Healy and Sam Huckabee are in that latter group. Over time, they realized they wanted answers to questions that would yield more largemouth bas...

Trucking is a stressful profession, and Shaun Lezer knows that as well as anyone. The Utah-based truck driver found himself at a crossroads a few years back, and the path he took has made a world of difference for his mental and physical health. Now, Shaun uses that experience to mentor other truckers going through similar issues. He joins the show to share some tips for getting past the bad and e...

The heyday of Route 66 may be long behind us, but its memory is still going strong for a number of reasons. More than just a road, Route 66 is a symbol of American adventure, history, and culture – a reflection of our growth, struggles, and dreams. In this, the 100th year since it was established, we welcome historian David Dunaway to the show to talk about Route 66’s origin story, its impact on A...

To say 2025 was a busy year is an understatement. It’s also worth noting that it was a productive year as well, with movement on hours-of-service flexibility, non-domiciled CDLs and more. To recap 2025, we call in Todd Spencer, Lewie Pugh and Andrew King of OOIDA before looking ahead to what the Association plans to accomplish in 2026. Join the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association: https...

Every now and then, an idea comes along that makes you wonder why it isn’t already being done. The Congressional Trucking Caucus is a prime example. The idea, just now taking shape, will bring together lawmakers on a regular basis to talk over trucking issues – and take action. Rep. David Taylor of Ohio, who’s spearheading the caucus, joins Trucking with OOIDA to discuss how the idea came about, h...