RoadSigns A Transport Topics Podcast

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217

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Aug 2026

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About the show

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

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60 recent

August 20, 202650 min

RoadSigns Turns 200: Looking Back to See What's Ahead

As Transport Topics rolls out its redesigned magazine, the RoadSigns podcast marks its own milestone: 200 episodes. What have eight years and hundreds of conversations with trucking executives, technology developers, economists and maintenance leaders taught us about where trucking is headed? In this episode, hosts Seth Clevenger and Michael Freeze revisit the podcast's 2018 origins, reflect on how trucking technology has evolved and share the trends that surprised them most. They also look forward to Episode 500 and the legacy they hope RoadSigns will leave behind. Tune in for insights from 200 episodes of reporting on trucking’s road ahead. -------- For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/looking-back-to-see-whats-ahead/. -------- Join RoadSigns mailing list: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/join-the-mailing-list/ For sponsorship and guest inquires please visit: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/roadsigns-contact/ -------- For RoadSigns extended cuts visit: https://www.ttnews.com/roadsigns-extended-cuts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

July 23, 202622 min

RS199: How Do Dump Pump Systems Really Hold Up in the Field?

Hydraulic systems quietly power some of the hardest-working trucks on the road, but they're rarely top of mind until something fails. What's the real difference between normal wear and a pump that's been abused, and how can fleets tell the two apart before it costs them downtime? In this episode of RoadSigns, Brad Gulick of Eaton Mobile Power Group joins host Michael Freeze to cover dump pump sizing, flow vs. pressure tradeoffs, filtration best practices and where hybrid and electric PTOs are headed. Listen now to hear what your maintenance team might be missing. -------- For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/how-do-dump-pump-systems-really-hold-up-in-the-field This episode is sponsored by Eaton. Visit https://www.eaton.com/us/en-us.html. -------- Join RoadSigns mailing list: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/join-the-mailing-list/ For sponsorship and guest inquires please visit: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/roadsigns-contact/ For RoadSigns extended cuts visit: https://www.ttnews.com/roadsigns-extended-cuts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

July 9, 202625 min

RS198: How Can Fleets Turn Summer Breakdowns Into A Proactive Uptime Strategy?

As summer freight demand climbs and temperatures push equipment and drivers to their limits, fleets face a familiar but costly challenge: roadside breakdowns that ripple far beyond the truck itself. In this episode of RoadSigns, host Michael Freeze sits down with Alex Fraser, Vice President of Customer Operations at Cox Fleet, to unpack how breakdowns test a fleet's safety, compliance and customer service systems all at once. Fraser draws on his work with fleets and service providers to explain how stretched service networks and driver safety concerns intersect during the industry's most demanding season. What actually breaks first when a fleet gets stretched thin: speed, communication or execution? Tune in for a practical playbook to turning summer from a season of reactive scrambling into a disciplined uptime strategy. -------- For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/how-can-fleets-turn-summer-breakdowns-into-a-proactive-uptime-strategy/ This episode is sponsored by Cox Fleet. Visit https://coxfleet.com/. -------- Join RoadSigns mailing list: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/join-the-mailing-list/ For sponsorship and guest inquires please visit: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/roadsigns-contact/ For RoadSigns extended cuts visit: https://pages.ttnews.com/RS-Bonus-Content-Archive.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

June 25, 202618 min

RS197: Can Fleets Stay Ahead of Rising Costs and Technician Shortages?

For fleet operators wrestling with rising maintenance costs and a shrinking technician workforce, the old playbook may no longer be enough. In this episode of RoadSigns, host Michael Freeze talks with Kevin Clark, AVP of Dedicated Solutions at Cox Fleet, to tackle one pressing question: how should fleets rethink their maintenance strategies to stay efficient and resilient over the next several years? Clark shares frontline insights on modern maintenance strategies, from how to weigh in-house vs. outsourced maintenance to what a high-performing hybrid model looks like in practice. Whether you run a regional fleet or manage a national network, this conversation offers practical guidance on aligning your maintenance strategy, staffing, and equipment mix before you lock in your next budget. Tune in for the strategic perspective you need for the road ahead. -------- For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/can-fleets-stay-ahead-of-rising-costs-and-technician-shortages/ This episode is sponsored by Cox Fleet. Visit https://coxfleet.com/. -------- Join RoadSigns mailing list: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/join-the-mailing-list/ For sponsorship and guest inquires please visit: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/roadsigns-contact/ For RoadSigns extended cuts visit: https://pages.ttnews.com/RS-Bonus-Content-Archive.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

June 18, 202618 min

RS196: Is Your Parts Strategy Keeping Pace With Today’s AMT Market?

Automated manual transmissions (AMTs) are no longer an emerging technology, they are now a standard feature across many fleets - and the aftermarket is working to keep pace. As a result, fleets and service providers are re-evaluating everything from parts inventories to technician training programs. Is your parts strategy aligned with where the market is going, or anchored in past practices? Does your shop view access to diagnostic software as a core requirement for maintaining uptime, or an afterthought? In this episode of RoadSigns, Eaton's Jason Dinardo, senior product manager, and Leah Bogle, transmission product manager, join host Michael Freeze to address common misconceptions and examine what today’s drivetrain service environment truly requires. The discussion explores the leading causes of AMT-related comebacks, how aging assets entering second and third ownership are reshaping parts planning and why diagnostics and calibration have become the new bottleneck in the service bay. Gain a clearer view of how to protect uptime, manage total cost of ownership and perform AMT service correctly the first time. Listen now. For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/is-your-parts-strategy-keeping-pace-with-todays-amt-market/ This episode is sponsored by Eaton. Join RoadSigns mailing list: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/join-the-mailing-list/ Find more RoadSigns Extended Cuts: https://pages.ttnews.com/RS-Bonus-Content-Archive.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

June 11, 202633 min

RS195: Will Agentic AI Automate Dispatching?

Dispatch remains the nerve center of every trucking operation — traditionally powered by phone calls, spreadsheets and constant problem-solving — and it is being reworked with the help of artificial intelligence. In this RoadSigns episode, host Seth Clevenger speaks with PCS Software CEO Mark Hill to examine what “agentic AI” means for modern fleet operations. Is automation eliminating the role of the dispatcher, or transforming it? Their discussion explores how this technology can autonomously handle a significant share of routine dispatch responsibilities, including load booking, driver assignment, shipper communication and rate management. In turn, human dispatchers are freed to concentrate on exceptions, strengthen strategic customer and driver relationships, and apply judgement in complex scenarios where human experience remains essential. How is this technology reimagining what an efficient fleet operation will look like by 2027? For carriers seeking to improve reliability, control costs and stay ahead of competitors, this is a conversation you can't afford to miss. --- For more information: https://ttn.ws/episode195 This episode is sponsored by PCS Software [https://pcssoft.com/] --- Join RoadSigns mailing list: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/join-the-mailing-list/ For sponsorship and guest inquires please visit: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/roadsigns-contact/ For RoadSigns extended cuts visit: https://pages.ttnews.com/RS-Bonus-Content-Archive.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 14, 202619 min

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 Fleet Operations at Fleet Advantage, for a candid look at how fleet leaders should be thinking about capital planning. After years of regulatory whiplash, Antonellis says the industry has entered a period of relative clarity. Fleets now know what the next 12 months look like, and that means it's time to make decisions. If you're asking yourself how to weigh 2026 pre-buy opportunities against incoming technology or whether training your technicians may matter more than the trucks themselves, tune in to this practical conversation for a guide to managing assets through this regulatory transition. For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/how-can-common-sense-planning-prepare-your-fleet-for-2027-emissions-rules/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

April 30, 202652 min

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 joins host Seth Clevenger to break down the biggest movers, notable newcomers and key absences from North America’s definitive ranking of third-party logistics providers. They examine the acquisition strategies reshaping the competitive landscape along with new entrants earning a spot on the list. The conversation then turns to the technology story behind this year’s Top 100 cover: the rise of agentic AI. Mark Hill, CEO of PCS Software, joins Seth to explain why this moment represents a true inflection point for logistics, how carriers and brokers should decide what to automate versus what to keep in human hands and what a practical, successful AI rollout looks like in day-to-day operations. Whether you're tracking the competitive landscape of North American logistics or trying to understand where AI fits into your own operations, this episode offers essential context to inform future planning and investments. For more information: ttn.ws/episode193 This episode is sponsored by PCS Software [https://pcssoft.com/] Join RoadSigns mailing list: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/join-the-mailing-list/ For sponsorship and guest inquires please visit: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/roadsigns-contact/ For RoadSigns extended cuts visit: https://pages.ttnews.com/RS-Bonus-Content-Archive.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

April 16, 202629 min

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 commercial officer at Aperia Technologies to break down the latest advances in tire management technology, including Aperia's own groundbreaking expansion into steer-tire inflation. The conversation also explores how AI is beginning to unlock new value from connected tire data, and how the relationships between fleets, tire manufacturers and service providers are being reshaped in the process. With more than a decade of experience in tire management innovation, Dimenna brings a rare blend of technical depth and commercial perspective to one of trucking's most consequential challenges. Whether you're running a cutting-edge operation or just starting to move beyond the clipboard, this episode offers a practical roadmap. Tune in for a compelling look at what tire management could look like a decade from now. For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/how-is-tire-management-technology-gaining-more-traction/ This episode is sponsored by Aperia Technologies (https://aperiatech.com/) Join RoadSigns mailing list: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/join-the-mailing-list/ For sponsorship and guest inquires please visit: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/roadsigns-contact/ For RoadSigns extended cuts visit: https://pages.ttnews.com/RS-Bonus-Content-Archive.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

April 9, 202627 min

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, and Todd Eicher, vice president of refrigerated products, at Stoughton Trailers to make the case that fleets may be overlooking one of their biggest opportunities for operational gains. Drawing on deep expertise in trailer manufacturing and equipment innovation, the two executives share how advances in thermal efficiency, crash safety, smart chassis technology and autonomous coupling systems are quietly reshaping what's possible for fleet operators navigating thin margins and rising expectations. For a candid look at where trailer demand stands today and where the market is headed, tune in now. For more information: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/episodes/how-can-trailers-elevate-fleet-safety-and-efficiency/ This episode is sponsored by Stoughton Trailers (https://www.stoughtontrailers.com/). Join RoadSigns mailing list: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/join-the-mailing-list/ For sponsorship and guest inquires please visit: https://roadsigns.ttnews.com/roadsigns-contact/ For RoadSigns extended cuts visit: https://pages.ttnews.com/RS-Bonus-Content-Archive.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices