Channel 19 Experience Trucker Podcast

S1E24 - Buckle Up Buttercup: Math, Mayhem & the Bayou - Also Interview with Barry Trahan

Featuring: Barry Trahan, Load Calculator Breakdown, Autonomous Freight, and Hard Lessons from Recent Carrier Closures
In this jam-packed episode of the Channel 19 Experience, we hit the brakes and check the books. From three big-name carrier shutdowns to a forgotten Stephen King flick that feels eerily relevant — this week, we’re talking about the math, the margins, and the mayhem shaping today’s freight world.
Whether you're leased on, running your own authority, or just watching the market shake, this one’s for you. Stick around as we close with a spotlight on the Louisiana Truck Show with Executive Director Barry Trahan. He shares firsthand experiences and the impact of the show on the trucking community. Get ready to rev your engines and tune in for another informative and engaging episode!
04:17 Quotes of the Week05:46 Bulletin Board - 3 More Trucking Closures10:45 Pretrip - "Trucks" Movie Review15:48 Money Line - Know Your Number, Know Your Business31:54 Interview - Barry Trahan, Executive Director of Louisiana Truck Shows01:20:51 Post Trip
🔗 Mentioned Resources & Tools:
📦 Barry Trahan’s Louisiana Truck Showhttps://www.louisianatruckshows.comhttps://www.facebook.com/LouisianaTruckShow
📊 Truck Business Network (Gary Buchs)https://www.facebook.com/groups/TruckBusinessNetwork
📉 Free Load-Based P&L Calculator:👉 Request via email: inbox@channel19experience.com
📘 OOIDA Cost of Operations Calculator:https://www.ooida.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/OOIDA-Cost-Per-Mile-Calculator.xlsx
🛢️ Fuel Price Checkers:
https://www.dieselboss.com/diesel-prices.htm
https://www.promiles.com/ifta/fuelprice/
📺 Watch "Trucks" (1997) on Amazon Prime:https://amzn.to/4lg6Xd1
🤝 Friends of the Show & Sponsors:
🔧 Trans Carolina Permitshttps://www.transcarolinapermits.com
💸 Superior Trucking Payroll Service (Mike Ritzema)https://www.truckingpayroll.com
🚛 TrueTMShttps://truetms.com
👩‍✈️ Trucker's Wealthhttps:truckers-wealth.com
📬 Contact & CommunityHave a question, feedback, or want a copy of the calculator?Email: inbox@channel19experience.comOr visit: https://channel19experience.com

S1E23 – More Than a Driver: Owning the Load, the Moment, and the Customer | Deb LaBree Interview

In this episode of the Channel 19 Experience, we’re cranking up the spotlight on something every trucker has—but not everyone uses to full power: professionalism.
We kick things off with a challenge from business thinker Dale Dauten: “What ELSE could we do?” That question rolls straight into a powerful LinkedIn post by Landstar agent Elissa Wallace, who reminds us that showing up clean, calm, and on time still matters.
Then we ride into The Money Line, where we break down the impact of customer service in trucking—and why being the face of the freight isn’t just a saying, it’s a responsibility.
Our guest this week is the one and only Deb LaBree—Landstar BCO, trucking coach, Women In Trucking legacy team member, and all-around trucking powerhouse. We talk about her article “Just Whose Customer Is It Anyway?”, the power of attitude at the dock, and why service can be your best strategy when freight is slow and times are tough.
If you’ve ever asked, “Why should I be the one to step up?”—this is your episode. Because sometimes, you’re not just hauling the load... you are the load’s reputation.
🛑 Stick around for a preview of next week’s Customer Etiquette Guide—you won’t want to miss it.
⏱️ Chapters:0:00 – Intro1:15 – Quote of the Week: Dale Dauten4:10 – Bulletin Board: CB Legacy Lives On8:55 – Pre-Trip: Elissa Wallace and “That Magical Freight Moment”13:22 – The Money Line: You’re Not Just the Driver, You’re the Difference27:45 – Interview: Deb LaBree53:10 – Post Trip: Shoutouts & What’s Coming Up Next
🔗 Links Mentioned:
Deb’s website: https://awomantrucker.com
Connect with Deb on LinkedIn: Deb LaBree
Check out upcoming truck shows: http://thetruckshowlist.com
Join the Channel 19 community: https://channel19experience.com
🎧 Don't forget our partners:
Trucker's Wealth:  https://truckers-wealth.com
Trans Carolina Permits:  https://transcarolinapermits.com
TrueTMS:  https://truetms.com
Superior Trucking Payroll:  https://truckingpayroll.com
👍 Like, Subscribe & Share if you believe truckers are more than just steering-wheel holders.📩 Contact us at inbox@channel19experience.com
 

S1E22 Breaker One-Nine: Ground Shaker’s Legacy and the Changing Meaning of Independence

In the Bulletin Board segment, we uncover a legacy that stretches across generations—a Facebook post from Nick Clendaniel led us to a CB card collection, a long-lost documentary, and a family whose handles were as legendary as their road stories. Ground Shaker. Tear Drop. Pepsi Girl. Dream Weaver. This is CB radio culture at its finest.
In the Pre-Trip, we check the gauges with our Quote of the Week and take a winding book review detour through Lot Lizards by Fred Greene. 
Then in The Money Line, things get personal. A prank call turns into a gut check. A forgotten trucking memoir makes us question how we define freedom. And a Facebook fight over what it means to be an "Owner Operator" pushes host Tony to reevaluate his own assumptions. This segment isn’t just about trucking—it’s about how the American Dream got rebranded… and sold off.
Whether you’re a CB veteran or a new-school driver trying to make sense of today’s freight landscape, this episode’s got something for you. It’s raw, it’s reflective, and it’s one for the archives.
📡 This one’s a double-clutch hit of history, heart, and hard truth. Don’t miss it AND don't for get to press Subscribe
Check out all of our content on https://channel19experience.com
Other Podcast Links:CB Cards Post: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16dYjRNEJX/
"On the Boulevard" Documentary YouTube Link:  https://youtu.be/QrPCKWvITww?si=GtOU8LFelRDN63ny
Brooke and Jubal Second Date Update (Rachel and Josh):  https://youtu.be/VWHcC4vxAA0?si=leeghQBfnXwA0DDj
Trucker's Wealth:  https://truckers-wealth.com
Trans Carolina Permits:  https://transcarolinapermits.com
TrueTMS:  https://truetms.com
00:12 Episode Intro03:25 Pretrip Topic 1 - Quote by Elizabeth Thornton04:29 Pretrip - Breaker One-Nine for Ground Shaker – A CB Legacy Lives On12:43 Pretip - Website14:30 Pretrip - Lot Lizards by Fred Greene Book Review19:14 Money Line - When Assumptions Break Down and Independence Gets Redefined40:46 Post Trip

S1E21 – Straighten Up and Roll On: Parking Lot Etiquette, Walcott Jamboree & Road-Tested Truths

Welcome back to the Channel 19 Experience Trucker Podcast! This week, we're double-clutching through trucker culture, road wisdom, and real-world experience.
🛑 First up, we lay down the law on Parking Lot Etiquette—the do’s, don’ts, and downright disgusting. If you’re backing in with your high beams on or leaving your lunch wrappers in the lot, this one’s for you.
🎪 Then we roll into a recap of my day at the Walcott Jamboree at the legendary Iowa 80 Truck Stop. From historical rigs and the Trucker Olympics to a little diesel-fueled prophecy that may or may not have jammed up an overpass—yeah, that happened.
💰 In the Money Line, we talk about adjustment—not your fifth wheel, but your mindset. Tony shares a critical turning point in his trucking career: going from chasing leftovers on the fax machine to learning how real truckers play the game, maximize miles, and level up when the road throws curveballs.
📢 New website is live! Check out our fresh setup, new resources, and etiquette quizzes:👉 https://channel19experience.com
🔔 Like, Subscribe, and Share with a fellow driver who needs to hear it.📨 Got a story to tell or a topic you want covered? Drop a comment or reach out on the site.📦 This episode is sponsored by:
Superior Trucking Payroll Service:  https://truckingpayroll.com
Trucker's Wealth:  https://truckers-wealth.com
Trans Carolina Permits:  https://transcarolinapermits.com
TrueTMS:  https://truetms.com
🧠 Key Topics:• Trucker Parking Lot Etiquette• Walcott Jamboree recap• Reefer freight lessons & backhaul strategy• Learning dispatch dynamics• How to “look for a better move” in trucking• Trucking history at Iowa 80 Museum
#truckingpodcast #channel19 #truckstopetiquette #WalcottJamboree #moneyline #freightlife #parkinglotproblems #owneroperator #truckhistory #cbculture #truckerstories

S1E20 The Freight Fight — Independence, Integrity, and Idiocy

This week on the Channel 19 Experience, we’re blowing the smoke off the stack and diving straight into a red, white, and blue mess of headlines and hard truths. It’s Independence Day weekend, and we’re talking freedom with responsibility—starting with a whiny UK article about American trucking policy that didn’t even make it out of first gear.
We break down freight fraud with real talk from brokers and dispatchers—Jason Rabine and Clint Larby expose the double-dealing dumpster fire that’s still burning on the load boards. Then in the Money Line, we dig into a 2011 FMCSA report showing that Limited English Proficiency drivers have higher crash and violation rates—and how California, of all places, practically ghosted enforcement.
And don’t miss our interview with Ryan Carraux from D&E Transport, the dispatcher wrangling Danger Dave and Mile Marker Mike. He shares what it’s  like on the ops floor, how dispatchers survive the madness, and who he’d bet on when it really counts (spoiler: somebody’s feelings are gonna get hurt).
Grab a hot dog, hit that Jake brake, and tune in—because freedom ain’t free, and trucking sure as hell ain’t easy.
Visit our website for more great content:  https://channel19experience.com
Episode Links:
The Independent Article about speed limiters:  https://www.aol.com/rules-remove-safety-devices-semi-161102341.html
Jason Rabine LinkedIn Post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jason-rabine-b0416533_this-is-how-screwed-we-are-last-week-i-posted-activity-7345480131521519618-cRNM?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAADNVXgBMjEgyDD14uXXQCA9fIAN7pG2Ur8
Clint Larby LinkedIn Post:  https://www.linkedin.com/posts/clint-larby-1b630b198_aita-activity-7343320805839147008-RTMc?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAADNVXgBMjEgyDD14uXXQCA9fIAN7pG2Ur8
USDOT Report on ELP and Safety:  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/9462
Don't Forget to Visit our Partners:
Superior Trucking Payroll Service:  https://truckingpayroll.com
Trucker's Wealth:  https://truckers-wealth.com
Trans Carolina Permits:  https://transcarolinapermits.com
TrueTMS:  https://truetms.com
Make sure to like, follow, subscribe, and share.  We've got work to do!

S1E19 The Breaking Point and the Diesel Prophet — A Freight Storm Forecast

Breaker 1-9, buckle up. We’re rolling through freight storms and economic truth bombs in this one.
In Episode 19 of the Channel 19 Experience Trucker Podcast, we kick things off with stories that cut deep—like Pat Hill’s tribute to truckers and their wives, shared by Koolhand Danny C. Hall. Then we head down under to Australia with Brendon Ryan’s letter, “The Breaking Point,” and compare how bad it really is across the trucking world.
But the real thunder rolls in when Dieseldamus makes his first appearance. He ain’t Wall Street. He ain’t D.C. He’s a diesel-soaked, CB-crackling freight prophet who reads the smoke signals of this industry—and his prediction? A massive capacity collapse, consumer collapse, and freight rate spike that could break the system wide open.
We wrap it all up with a grounded convo with Todd Waldron, VP of Carrier Experience at Truckstop.com. We talk fraud, tools, and what’s next for the load board world. No fluff. Just facts, freight, and the voices that keep the wheels turning.
🚛 Topics Covered:
Pat Hill’s “Truckers and Trucker Wives” – a tribute to grit and grease
The state of trucking in Australia vs. America
Dieseldamus Forecast: inflation trap, labor purges, capacity collapses, and what comes next
Tech talk and trucking trends with Truckstop.com’s Todd Waldron
Episode Links:
Danny C Hall's Facebook Post - Pat Hill Story: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1E2iS7MuSu/  
Brendon Ryan's "The Breaking Point": https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15vgYXXtyc/
What the Truck?!? Podcast interview with DOT Secretary Duffy:  https://youtu.be/d1lZIb-84z0?si=YrNB86no_-blZ1HY
Truckstop.com:   https://truckstop.com
Superior Trucking Payroll Service:  https://truckingpayroll.com
Trucker's Wealth:  https://truckers-wealth.com
Trans Carolina Permits:  https://transcarolinapermits.com
TrueTMS:  https://truetms.com
Make sure to like, follow, subscribe, and share.  We've got work to do!
 

S1E18 Trucker Poetry, Three Arm Trucking and Danger Dave Returns

S1E18 Trucker Poetry, Three Arm Trucking and Danger Dave Returns
In this exciting episode, Tony delivers a wealth of trucking stories and industry insights. This week, we have a special poem reading of a poem written by Sherae Moore, founder and president of the SHE Trucking Foundation. Tony shares his own rollercoaster trucking journey, with a funny incident featuring a book, 'Three Arm Trucking and Other Tales from the Highway' by Gary Bricken. In the interview segment, Danger Dave returns, recounting his adventurous and challenging week as an owner-operator. Don't miss out on exclusive tips, stories, and interviews that connect the dots of the trucking life. 
Be sure to visit our website for more content https://channel19experience.com
Fuel Island Etiquette Form Link:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2HPnobsWOgYlVrilHFj_A7Zf-JDFYGyiSuAaqPJPgvUAO_w/viewform
Other Show Links:
Superior Trucking Payroll Service:  https://truckingpayroll.com
Trucker's Wealth:  https://truckers-wealth.com
Trans Carolina Permits:  https://transcarolinapermits.com
TrueTMS:  https://truetms.com
Make sure to like, follow, subscribe, and share.  We've got work to do!
03:05 Pretrip Topic 1 - Sharae Moore's Poem "10 Hours Down"05:33 Pretrip Topic #2 - I've had it wiht this industry11:42 Pretrip Topic #3 - Three Arm Trucking15:53 Money Line31:35 Interview 1 - Danger Dave Returns01:36:33 Post Trip

S1E17 Finding Trucking Friends, Per Diem and 2 interviews - Eric Verdiguel and Mike Ritzema

S1E17 Finding Trucking Friends, Per Diem and 2 interviews - Eric Verdiguel and Mike Ritzema
In this episode of the Channel 19 Experience Trucker Podcast, host Tony celebrates Father's Day and shares heartfelt messages for all types of fathers. The show covers a range of topics including safety tips for the summer driving season, a bulletin board discussion from Reddit about making friends on the road, and detailed insights into the benefits of paying per diem for truck drivers. Special guests include Eric Verdiguel discussing his career in trucking and new technology, and Mike Ritzema from Superior Trucking Payroll Service, who explains the ins and outs of per diem . Don't miss the post-trip segment and the shout-outs to community members and other trucking resources.
Like, follow, subscribe and be sure to visit our website for more content https://channel19experience.com
Fuel Island Etiquette Form Link:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2HPnobsWOgYlVrilHFj_A7Zf-JDFYGyiSuAaqPJPgvUAO_w/viewform
Other Show Links:
Superior Trucking Payroll Service:  https://truckingpayroll.com
Trucker's Wealth:  https://truckers-wealth.com
Trans Carolina Permits:  https://transcarolinapermits.com
TrueTMS:  https://truetms.com
03:32 Pretrip - Quick Hitter - Kids on the road04:55 Pretrip - Bulletin Board - Finding Friends11:50 Pretrip - Forgive Me Waymo22:01 Interview #1 - Eric Verdiguel01:19:56 Money Line - What is an Owner Operator?01:31:02 Interview #2 - Mike Ritzema02:19:23 Post Trip

S1E16 Where to put my tandems, First Etiquette Quiz and a Trip Back Home - Interview with Verlen Larsen

S1E16 Where to put my tandems, First Etiquette Quiz and a Trip Back Home - Interview with Verlen Larsen
In this episode we debut the Bulletin Board, this weeks is about Where to put my tandems.  We also debut the first Etiquette Quiz starting with the Fuel Island Etiquette Quiz.  Before we get into the interview Tony talks a little about his trip back home to Minnesota.  Verlen Larsen joins the show this week and shares his perspective on his career in trucking and the English Language Proficiency enforcement changes. This episode focuses on the simple yet powerful concept of 'do.' From inspiring actions to motivating words, this script is all about taking initiative. Join us as we explore what it means to 'do' and how small actions can lead to big changes.
Like, follow, subscribe and be sure to visit our website for more content https://channel19experience.com
Fuel Island Etiquette Form Link:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2HPnobsWOgYlVrilHFj_A7Zf-JDFYGyiSuAaqPJPgvUAO_w/viewform
Other Show Links:
TrueTMS:  https://truetms.com
Trans Carolina Permits:  https://transcarolinapermits.com
00:00 Intro02:34 Pretrip Topic 1 - Bulletin Board09:26 Pretrip Topic 2 - Fuel Island Etiquette Quiz13:24 Pretrip Topic 3 - Trip Back Home28:25 Interview 1 - Verlen Larsen01:36:50 Money Line01:40:05 Post Trip

S1E15 The Open Road: Memorial Day Reflections and Trucking Legacy

In this Memorial Day episode of the Channel 19 Experience Trucker Podcast, host Tony covers a range of topics vital to the trucking community. From the latest enforcement of English language requirements for CDL drivers, updates on the Aurora self-driving trucks pilot program, to Warner Enterprises’ decision to cut their 401k match, Tony touches on the key issues impacting drivers today. He also reflects on Memorial Day, sharing personal anecdotes and the importance of commemorating those who have served. Tune in for a blend of industry news, personal reflections, and actionable advice for truckers!
Like, follow, subscribe and be sure to visit our website for more content https://channel19experience.com
Other Show Links
TrueTMS:  https://truetms.com
Trucker's Wealth:  https://truckers-wealth.com
Trans Carolina Permits:  https://transcarolinapermits.com
00:00 S1E15 Memorial Day Reflections and Trucking Legacy02:33 Pretrip Topic 1 - English Language Enforcement07:52 Pretrip Topic 2 - Aurora Autonomous Trucks11:34 Pretrip Topic 3 - Wonderful Werner16:32 Money Line - Memorial Day30:15 Post Trip
#Trucker#TruckingLife#TruckersOfYouTube#TruckerPodcast#TruckingPodcast