Everybody says trucking is broken.

Rates are soft. Insurance costs are crushing carriers. Operating expenses keep climbing. Every week another trucking company shuts its doors, another owner-operator parks the truck, and another driver wonders if it's still worth it.

So here's the question:

If trucking is so bad right now, how are some fleets and owner-operators still finding a way to win?

On this episode of Brake Check, Charles Gracey sits down with two trucking leaders attacking that problem from completely different angles.

JR Elrod, President of BAR Transportation, a 30-year trucking veteran who spent more than two decades hauling heavy freight before building a specialized carrier focused on government, project, and niche freight.

Tyler Johnston, General Manager of Mercer Transportation, one of North America's most successful owner-operator carriers, with more than 2,200 contractors and nearly 50 years in business.

Topics include:

Owner-Operator Survival in 2026

Open Deck & Heavy Haul Freight Trends

Soft Freight Markets & Rising Costs

Driver Retention & Profitability

Insurance Costs Crushing Trucking

Carrier-Broker Relationships

Small Fleet Survival Strategies

The Future of Independent Trucking

Whether you're an owner-operator, fleet owner, company driver, broker, shipper, or simply trying to understand where trucking is headed next, this conversation delivers real-world strategies from people living it every day.

Question for the comments:

What's the biggest challenge facing trucking right now: rates, insurance, regulations, freight, or something else?

#Trucking #OwnerOperator #Freight #Logistics #TruckDriver #CDL #FreightWaves #BrakeCheck #Transportation #HeavyHaul #OpenDeck #TruckingIndustry #SupplyChain #OwnerOperators #Truckers

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