RoadSigns A Transport Topics Podcast
Business & Finance
About
From the creators of Transport Topics, RoadSigns is a podcast about trucking's future. In each episode, you'll follow a transportation journalist on a singular pursuit for the most solid answer to a critical question and meet interesting people along the way. Listen at roadsigns.ttnews.com. Do you have a question for our hosts to answer? Tell us here: https://www.speakpipe.com/RoadSigns For RoadSigns extended cuts visit: https://pages.ttnews.com/RS-Bonus-Content-Archive.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=extended-cuts-2023
Episodes
- RS194: How Can Common Sense Planning Prepare Your Fleet for 2027 Emissions Rules?
With the 2027 NOx emissions rules on the horizon, fleet leaders are finally moving from uncertainty to action. Recorded live at the 2026 TMC Annual Meeting, co-host Michael Freeze is joined by Brian Antonellis, Senior Vice President of Fle…
- RS193: Inside the 2026 Top 100 Logistics Companies Rankings — and the AI Revolution Reshaping Freight
Transport Topics has released its Top 100 Logistics Companies list and this year’s rankings highlight an industry defined by resilience, consolidation and rapid technological change. In this episode, TT features coordinator Mike Senatore j…
- RS192: How Is Tire Management Technology Gaining More Traction?
What if your tires could tell you exactly what they need — before a blowout, before a breakdown, before a costly roadside event? Recorded live at TMC’s 2026 Annual Meeting, co-host Seth Clevenger sits down with Ralph Dimenna, chief commerc…
- RS191: How Can Trailers Elevate Fleet Safety and Efficiency?
When it comes to trucking technology, the power unit almost always steals the spotlight — but what about the trailer? Recorded live at TMC’s 2026 Annual Meeting, co-host Seth Clevenger brings on Jeremy Sanders, chief commercial officer, an…
- RS190: What Do Fleets Get Wrong About Aftertreatment Total Cost of Ownership?
Aftertreatment is one of the most misunderstood—and costly—parts of fleet operations. Fleets often focus on invoice price or treat DPF service as a reactive event rather than a preventive strategy. The result is increased downtime, unpredi…
- RS189: What Did TMC Tell Us About the State of the Trucking Industry?
Trucking keeps the country moving—so when the industry hits turbulence, everyone feels it. Recorded live from the ATA Technology & Maintenance Council’s 2026 Annual Meeting, host Seth Clevenger sits down with Chris Spear, president and CEO…
- RS188: How Can Fleets Mitigate Breakdowns and Get Trucks Back on the Road Sooner?
When a truck breaks down mid-route leaving a half-million-dollar load on the shoulder of the highway, how effectively does your fleet respond? Every minute counts and the wrong call can cost your fleet thousands. In this episode of RoadSig…
- RS187: What Should Fleet Managers Prioritize in Planning for the Future?
With uncertainty surrounding rising costs, tight labor markets and evolving emissions rules, it is increasingly difficult for fleet managers to know how best to futureproof their operations. Between a more robust maintenance strategy, adop…
- RS186: Are Autonomous Trucks Outgrowing the Hub-to-Hub Model?
After years of actively testing and operating self-driving trucks on public highways, autonomous technology developers are swiftly moving towards full commercialization. Along the way, the once popular hub-to-hub deployment model, which li…
- RS185: Year-in-Preview: Tariffs, Technology, Safety and an Unclear Freight Outlook
As trucking moves deeper into 2026, the industry faces a landscape defined by uncertainty and transformation. In this episode of RoadSigns, co-host Seth Clevenger is joined by TT's Eugene Mulero and Kieron Greenhalgh to examine the critica…
- RS184: How is AI Raising the Bar for Fleet Safety?
As artificial intelligence usage grows to transform various industries, the trucking sector is harnessing this technology to tackle one of its most critical challenges: fleet safety. Recorded live from ATA's 2025 Management Conference & Ex…
- RS183: Will More Motor Carriers Choose to Adopt Renewable Natural Gas?
Renewable natural gas (RNG) is gaining serious traction in trucking, and Cummins' new 15-liter X15 N engine just changed the game. Recorded live at ATA's MCE, co-host Seth Clevenger sits down with Chad Lindholm, senior vice president at Cl…
- RS182: How Can Public and Private Investments Ease the Truck Parking Crunch?
The truck parking issue is not just an inconvenience; it's costing the industry $100 billion annually in lost productivity. In this episode of RoadSigns, co-host Seth Clevenger sits down with Reed Loustalot, chief marketing officer of Truc…
- RS181: How Can Smarter Maintenance, Data and Technology Transform Fleet Management?
When trucks stop, business stops. Every breakdown and delay has a ripple effect across America's supply chain. So, what's holding your fleet back from maximizing uptime? In this episode of RoadSigns, co-host Mike Freeze sits down with Cox…
- RS180: How Can Smarter Cruise Control Help Fleets Save Fuel and Time?
What if your trucking business could raise the bar for fuel efficiency and make better fleet management decisions through smarter cruise control? With freight rates depressed and carriers surviving on thin margins, every opportunity to enh…
- RS179: How Is McLeod Incorporating AI Into Trucking Software?
After four decades of providing software to the trucking industry, McLeod is now integrating artificial intelligence into its transportation management systems for carriers and brokers. But, as generative AI tools flood the market and nume…
- RS178: What Did IANA Expo Reveal About the Future of Intermodal Equipment?
The intermodal industry stands at a fascinating crossroads where cutting-edge technology meets fundamental infrastructure. While containers and chassis might seem like straightforward equipment, recent innovations are transforming them int…
- RS177: How Can Fleets and 3PLs Successfully Navigate Uncertainty?
In today's volatile freight market, uncertainty has become the only constant. As tariffs shift overnight, cargo theft grows more sophisticated and AI disrupts traditional operations, how can transportation leaders stay ahead of the curve?…
- RS176: Can Your Fleet Afford to Ignore AI?
In an industry commonly perceived as behind the curve, artificial intelligence is poised to revolutionize how transportation companies operate from the maintenance bay to the driver's seat. And, as adoption rates increase, fleet managers m…
- RS175: How Can Mid-Size Carriers Harness the Power of AI?
Over the past three years, increasingly tight margins have put more pressure on fleet operators to optimize operations and boost efficiency. However, the cost to invest in new technologies and workflow automation has historically been grea…
- RS174: Inside the Rankings: 2025's Top 100 Private Carriers
In this special episode, Seth Clevenger and TT’s features coordinator, Mike Senatore, offer an inside look at the creation of the 2025 Top 100 Private Carriers list, discussing key takeaways, trends and changes in the industry. How have th…
- RS173: How Will Truck Makers Commercialize Autonomous Driving Tech?
The future of trucking is closer than you think. From Norwegian quarries to Texas highways, autonomous truck operations are steadily moving from the testing and development phase toward commercial deployment. How have truck manufacturers,…
- RS172: How Are AI and Data-Driven Insights Transforming Fleet Management and Operations?
Assisted by maturing technologies like artificial intelligence, the transportation industry has quietly become one of the most tech-forward spaces. While generating massive amounts of data every second, AI presents unprecedented opportunit…
- RS171: Inside the Rankings: 2025's Top 100 For Hire Carriers
About half the largest for-hire carriers in North America experienced revenue declines last year — a stark sign of ongoing weakness in the freight market. In this episode, we go beyond the numbers in TT’s newly released 2025 Top 100 For-Hi…
- RS170: What Are the Smartest Strategies for Buying and Selling Fleet Vehicles?
In an industry where timing can mean everything, how do fleet operators make smart decisions about buying and selling trucks amid regulatory shifts, trade tensions, and economic uncertainty? As new emissions rules take shape and the freigh…
- RS169: How Are Tariffs and Technology Changing Cross-Border Freight?
This year’s rising tariffs and shifting trade policies have put cross-border freight in the spotlight. But what happens when politics meet logistics at the U.S. borders? And how can technology keep freight flowing through the uncertainty?…
- RS168: Can Better Maintenance Boost Your Bottom Line?
Got trailer trouble? As fleets push for efficiency and uptime, trailer maintenance is becoming mission-critical — but could small oversights be creating big risks for your operation? In this episode, guest Justin Olsen, Maintenance Directo…
- RS167: Where Will AI Agents Fit Into Logistics Operations?
In trucking, routine communication—like check calls, load updates, and document tracking—can consume hours of back-office time. Now, agentic AI is being used to automate these repetitive tasks across voice, text, and email. But how does th…
- RS166: One Engine, Many Fuels: A New Era for Trucking?
Cleaner trucking is not a question of if — but how. And the answer might lie in an engine platform that can adapt to many different fuel options. In this episode, host Mike Freeze talks with Jim Nebergall, Executive Director of Market Stra…
- RS165: What Do the First Driverless Truck Operations in Texas Mean for the Future of Freight?
Self-driving truck developer Aurora launched its first driverless commercial freight operations in Texas on April 27, achieving a widely anticipated milestone in autonomous truck deployment. Aurora has since returned human observers to the…
- RS164: What Did ACT Expo 2025 Tell Us About Trucking’s Road to Sustainability?
At ACT Expo 2025, one thing was clear: the trucking industry’s energy transition will be even more dynamic and unpredictable than previously expected. In this episode, Transport Topics’ Seth Clevenger, Michael Freeze and Keiron Greenhalgh…
- RS163: Inside the Rankings: 2025's Top Logistics Companies
In this episode, host Seth Clevenger and Transport Topics’ Mike Senatore dive into how the logistics industry is balancing modest growth with major challenges—from rapidly shifting trade policies under the Trump administration to the strat…
- RS162: What Strategies Will Drive the Future Success of Heavy Duty Technicians?
At the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting in Nashville, conversations centered on the future of the heavy-duty technician workforce, especially as tariffs and stricter emissions regulations continue to reshape the indust…
- RS161: How Can AI Drive Efficiency Gains in Trucking?
Feeling stuck in analysis paralysis? Imagine a tool that cuts through the noise and turns insight into action. In this episode of RoadSigns, we sit down with Deepti Yenireddy, CEO and founder of Boon.ai, to explore how artificial intellige…
- RoadShow Episode 16: Tommy Bazzell
At the intersection of technology innovation, international trade, and industry dynamics, freight transportation is constantly evolving as the future takes shape. In this special episode of RoadShow, Tommy Bazzell, director of strategic sa…
- RS160: How Is AI Impacting the Evolution of TMS Technologies?
Motor carriers and freight brokers have long relied on transportation management systems to efficiently handle functions such as dispatching, load matching and driver management, but the latest advances in technology are unlocking new poss…
- RS159: Can Engagement Initiatives Solve the Technician Shortage in Trucking?
Right now, more than 60,000 commercial trucking maintenance jobs go unfilled, leaving fleet maintenance managers scrambling to keep operations running smoothly. The challenge isn’t just hiring—it’s finding and retaining skilled technicians…
- RS158: How Is Industry Engagement Shaping the Future of Trucking Technology and Maintenance?
Did you know? Education is key to hiring skilled technicians. Engaging high school and college students early can help you become an employer of choice. Did you know? By leveraging telematics and advanced diagnostic tools, fleets can monit…
- RS157: What Did CES 2025 Reveal About the Future of Commercial Vehicle Technology?
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? Well, not in this episode! Join us as we explore the cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of trucking, straight from CES 2025. This year’s event saw exciting advancements in autonomous trucking…
- RS156: Can AI Streamline Phone Operations in Logistics?
Remember when artificial intelligence was still a futuristic idea? As AI continues to evolve, its implications for the trucking industry are both promising and profound. Trucking and logistics businesses can gain a competitive advantage fr…
- RS155: Can Reserved Parking Mitigate the Truck Parking Crunch?
Truck drivers face a growing challenge on the road: finding a safe parking spot. With parking shortages intensifying in high-demand areas, solutions like reserved parking ease the burden. Could this be the trucking industry's breakthrough?…
- RS154: How Can Fleets Control Tire Costs in a Tough Freight Market?
In an industry where profitability is essential for survival, tire management plays a pivotal role in controlling costs for trucking businesses. In this episode of RoadSigns, experts from Sailun Tires dive into strategies for managing tire…
- RS153: What Will 2025 Bring for Autonomous Trucking?
The road to autonomous trucking has been a long and winding one, but 2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for this technology. As self-driving trucks edge closer to commercial deployment, the transportation industry is beginning to expl…
- RS152: How Can Video and AI Maximize Safety in Trucking?
Safety has always been paramount in the trucking industry, but advances in technology are making it possible to improve driver performance and prevent more crashes. John Elliott, a trailblazer in the field, demonstrates how onboard video c…
- RS151: Inside the Rankings: 2024's Top Global Freight Companies
Last year, the world's largest transportation and logistics giants found themselves navigating numerous headwinds, from a decline in international trade and escalating geopolitical tensions to and a growing sense of economic instability. T…
- RS150: How Can Trucking Companies Thrive Amid a Rate Recession?
Did you know that nearly 70% of U.S. freight moves by truck? Yet, many trucking companies are facing significant business challenges in a persistently tough freight market. In this special episode, we pull back the curtain on the freight r…
- RS149: How Can You Protect Your Freight During Peak Season?
Hackers don't take holidays! And neither should your cybersecurity efforts. In an increasingly digital and connected business landscape, the transportation industry faces rising challenges with cybersecurity threats and fraud. In this spec…
- RS148: Why Large Shippers Are Growing Their In-House Trucking Divisions
At a time when for-hire trucking capacity is widely available at competitive rates, many large shippers are still choosing to double down on their own private fleets rather than fully capitalizing on favorable freight market conditions. A…
- RS147: How Can APUs Make Trucking More Sustainable?
Auxiliary power units are becoming an increasingly vital tool for the trucking industry to increase driver comfort while also conserving fuel by reducing engine idling. But to what extent can these systems also enhance environmental sustai…
- RS146: How Can Effective Supply Chain Management Transform Fleet Maintenance?
One of the main hurdles in parts supply chain management is the ongoing issue of product availability. Despite advances, many fleets still struggle with holding vehicles down due to the unavailability of commonly used parts. This problem i…