The Fleet Lead

Truck Yeah! America’s 250-Year Trucking History & Tech Future

To celebrate America's 250th anniversary, the crews from FleetOwner and FleetMaintenance team up for an epic look at the trucking industry’s deep historical roots and its tech-driven future. From the first horse-drawn wagons that moved goods through the Thirteen Colonies to the 1897 invention of the semi-truck to today's shift toward alternative powertrains, we're breaking down how freight moves America.
Plus, we dive into the Right to Repair Act, the multi-year freight recession, and the surprising history of how Henry Ford accidentally invented Kingsford charcoal.
Timestamps:
0:57 – Colonial trade routes and the physical evolution of freight
3:08 – The 1897 invention of the semi-truck
5:57 – 13 diagnostic trouble codes
11:00 – NASCAR roots, North Carolina culture
13:46 – Eisenhower's interstate vision
18:05 – Regulatory shifts, alternative fuels
25:19 – The Federal Excise Tax (FET) debate
30:44 – The multi-year freight recession
35:21 – The Right to Repair Act
44:06 – Holiday plans and how Henry Ford invented Kingsford charcoal  

This week in trucking: FedEx Freight, Ohio non-dom CDLs

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking as of June 4:
FedEx Freight completed its LTL spinoff
Ohio is planning the expiration of 5,000 non-domiciled CDLs
Congress considering more truck parking funding
Attempts to repeal the Federal Excise Tax
Diesel fell 17 cents

National Tank Truck Carriers' new chairman, Jeremy Mairs

The National Tank Truck Carriers' new chairman is doing much more than continuing the association's long-held tradition of bald chairmen. Bulk Transporter's Jason McDaniel hosts Jeremy Mairs, president/CEO of Cox Transport and NTTC's chairman, to talk about his experience growing up in the industry and working under California regulations. What does Mairs have on the agenda for NTTC in the next couple years?
Timestamps:
0:33 — Qualifications for tank truck association leadership?
1:16 — Jeremy met his wife at an NTTC event
2:33 — Experience as a driver
6:01 — Cox Petroleum's footprint
7:41 — How did your upbringing influence your trucking view?
10:09 — Jeremy's priorities as chairman
12:00 — FMCSA's Derek Bars
15:15 — Where NTTC can make the most progress
18:08 — What is it like operating in California?
23:54 — The Iran fuel shock
25:33 — Jeremy's industry outlook
27:30 — Why stay engaged with NTTC?

This week in trucking: Driver bathrooms, charging consolidation

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking as of May 28.
A House committee passed a surface transportation bill
Motive is updating its dash cam tech offerings
EV charging companies Voltera, Revel are merging
In fuel this week, diesel fell 7 cents

Driver Demographic Cliff: How fleets can survive the workforce aging crisis

There is a fundamental shift happening in how fleets hire, pay, and retain drivers. The trucking workforce is rapidly aging, and the critical population of 45- to 65-year-old drivers is shrinking. What happens when the demographic cliff hits your fleet?
In this episode of The Fleet Lead, FleetOwner’s Josh Fisher sits down with Leah Shaver, president and CEO of the National Transportation Institute, a leading organization that tracks industry drivers’ wages, benefits, and retirement trends. Leah shares her experiences with driver demographics, how carriers approach age differences, driver retention, and more.
Tune in to discover:
The Root Causes: Why traditional retention strategies are failing the next generation.
Creative Solutions: How carriers are moving past the “earn your stripes” mentality with flexible scheduling and modern incentives.
The Legal & Cultural Hurdles: Navigating marijuana regulations and the generational communication rift.
Episode Chapters & Timestamps
1:04 – Understanding the Driver Demographic Cliff
2:06 – The Compounding Factors Restricting Driver Supply
5:46 – Moving Past the “Earn Your Stripes” Mentality
8:49 – Creative Scheduling and Modern Incentives
10:11 – Bridging the Generational Communication Rift
21:17 – Navigating the Industry’s Marijuana Hurdles
27:20 – What Modern Drivers Actually Prefer
34:00 – Immediate Action Items: What Fleets Can Do Today

EPA 2027 Prebuy: Build slots, fleet strategies, and powertrain planning

The Model Year 2027 prebuy has changed considerably over the last few years. What hasn't changed, though, is that fleets can still expect a several-thousand-dollar premium on the next series of compliant trucks.
Don Davis, executive vice president of national accounts for Fleet Advantage, shares his perspective on the coming prebuy, equipment procurement, and overall truck lifecycle management.
Timestamps:
1:30 – Is there still a prebuy?
3:34 – Are fleets starting to feel constrained equipment availability?
5:19 – How the prebuy changed   
8:32 – The NOX rule's cost increases
9:53 – What should fleets do?

America 250: How NASCAR and North Carolina helped shape American trucking

Transportation is a major part of America's identity, and few regions are as steeped in automotive history as North Carolina. The Spirit of Innovation is more than alive in The Tar Heel State, from NASCAR to truck OEMS.
Fleet Maintenance editor Lucas Roberto visited Charlotte's NASCAR Hall of Fame where Winston Kelly, executive director of the facility, explained North Carolina's automotive culture, how the region's talent draws OEMs like Daimler Truck North America, Mack Trucks, and Volvo Truck North America. He also shared some lessons that commercial vehicle technicians can take from motorsports mechanics.

This week in trucking: New registration system, electric truck rebates

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking as of May 21:
California launched an electric truck rebate program
FMCSA's new registration system is live
Einride has an autonomous deployment in the Midwest
FMCSA announced $217 million in grant funding
Spot rates hit record highs
Diesel dropped 4 cents

International on prebuy capacity: Can carriers still get build slots before EPA 27?

The commercial transportation industry is staring down the EPA 2027 emissions standards. With the chances of prebuy chaos still high, is there a significant risk in waiting too long to secure your build slots?
At ACT Expo, Josh Fisher hosts International's David Hillman to discuss the mid-2026 trucking market ahead of the EPA 2027 emissions regulations, early fleet planning, and International's S13 integrated powertrain.
Timestamps:
1:27 – Growing demand for fleet equipment
4:19 – What is the risk of waiting too long to prebuy?
9:05 – How fleet concerns evolved with connected vehicles
11:07 – What is the single question fleet executives should be asking their dealers to prepare for 2027?

This week in trucking: Broker liability, autonomous boom

Here are the latest headlines from the trucking industry as of May 14:
The Supreme Court affirmed broker hiring liability
Cargo theft bill passed the House
Tariffs bounced in court
Tesla Semi entered serial production
California issued autonomous truck rules
Several carriers are adopting autonomous fleets
ACT Expo featured engine, e-axle, electric truck announcements
Diesel remained at $5.64 per gallon