Episodes

Cargo claims are a fact of life for trucking and logistics companies. This episode of the Grawe Pod places a focus on the critical topic of managing cargo claims that take place within the trucking and logistics industry. Grawe Group Founder & CEO Doug Grawe is joined on this episode by Grawe Group Executive Business Partner Gary Randall for a discussion that highlights the initial steps the people behind the wheel and their carriers should take when discovering cargo damage. As you will hear, ...

Over the years, the Grawe Group has had the opportunity to work with a number of trucking companies that utilize independent contractors. While there are no doubt more challenges on the horizon from groups including plaintiffs’ attorneys and the Department of Labor, the proud nature of independent contractors means they will continue to be an important part of trucking’s future. In this episode of the Grawe Pod, we are placing a spotlight on some dos and don’ts when utilizing independent contrac...

According to a recent study, there are now approximately 58 million people in the United States who are engaged in some kind of independent contracting work. One growth sector for contract work is in the area of executive-level consulting. During this episode of the Grawe Pod, we will explore the wide range of considerations that trucking and logistics companies should be weighing when looking to contract with a consultant focused on working in an interim leadership position. In addition, we wil...

After looking inside the numbers from the latest jobs report, it’s no secret that companies across all industries are struggling in some way, shape or form to fill positions. There is also the issue of properly utilizing continuing training to maximize the talents of current employees. In this evolving job market, it has become critical that companies separate themselves with how they recruit, develop and retain talent. In this episode of the Grawe Pod, we’ll take some time to discuss many of th...

The freight market continues to remain challenging and, as this episode of the Grawe Pod points out, it’s a time when trucking and logistics companies should be finding ways to maximize efficiencies and manage cash flow. Podcast host Doug Grawe welcomes Grawe Group Executive Business Partner Gary Randall to discuss the current market and they share thoughts on workable strategies for improving a company’s order-to-cash process with a focus on reducing the days-sales-outstanding metric. From the ...

Recorded just two days following the end of Q1, Grawe Pod hosts Doug Grawe and Gary Randall collaborate on an important discussion covering several key points that trucking and logistics decision makers should consider as they evaluate their company’s performance. What Doug and Gary cover will help as decision makers plan ahead for the remainder of 2024 in an ever-changing market. As you will hear, Doug and Gary will share thoughts on a number of manageable steps that companies can take to revie...

The recent headlines with the news of leadership changes at two of the nation’s largest trucking and logistics companies helped to place the topic of succession planning for your trucking company into the spotlight. In this episode, podcast host Doug Grawe addresses the key questions that trucking companies need to ask when building a succession plan for the business. As Doug notes, one of the first steps is figuring out what the next five, seven or 10 years will look like for your company. Doug...

This episode of the Grawe Pod offers insightful perspective on two timely topics: 1) January’s final rulemaking on Independent Contractor status issued by the Department of Labor. 2) Prevention strategies for cargo theft and mitigating cargo claims. Podcast hosts Doug Grawe and Gary Randall explore the key points on both IC status and cargo security in an episode that will be valuable for trucking and logistics company management as well as trucking professionals behind the wheel. To learn more...

The first 2024 episode of the Grawe Pod features a discussion on nuclear verdicts in the trucking industry and managing multiple businesses within one corporate family. Podcast hosts Doug Grawe and Gary Randall explore a number of key points related to this topic. As you will hear, building and managing the separation of your businesses requires clear business purposes, buy-in and transparency at multiple levels. It also requires consideration of the financial, legal, administrative and operatio...

In this 2023 year-end edition of the Grawe Pod, series host Doug Grawe goes to the bullpen to call on series producer and trucking industry veteran Greg Thompson from the PodWheels Network to join him on the microphone. As you’ll hear, Greg asks Doug to discuss the top challenges trucking and logistics companies faced in 2023. The conversation also dedicates some time for looking ahead at 2024 with Doug offering a few tips for securing more freight and improving key performance metrics. The pos...

In this episode, podcast hosts Doug Grawe and Gary Randall highlight the power and purpose of good performance dashboards for trucking and logistics companies. Doug and Gary will discuss how the use of dashboards can offer companies an important advantage through knowing your fundamentals better than the competition and showing that you have the people and processes to improve your fundamentals. This episode will also explore the recent news of another cyberattack within the trucking and logisti...

Grawe Pod hosts Doug Grawe and Gary Randall dedicate this episode to examine some of the biggest headlines and trends happening this summer, including the impact of Yellow’s closing on its people and the industry. Doug and Gary also discuss what’s taking place these days with driver recruiting and retention efforts. You’ll also hear perspective on California’s equipment rules impacting carriers, brokers and shippers all over the U.S. Additionally, Doug touches on a recent court decision that sta...

With the midway point in 2023 on the horizon, the Grawe Pod has dedicated an episode to examine several key questions related to longer range planning and maintaining a focus on reaching your company’s goals. Podcast hosts Doug Grawe and Gary Randall discuss the importance of planning and asking the right questions, including the following: What do we need to do to reach our goals? Who will be responsible? What are the deadlines? Is the planning clear? Is it properly aligned? This episode is par...

In today’s transportation landscape, trucking companies are crunched by the prevalence of nuclear verdicts, the shortage of quality drivers, and multiple viewpoints from Operations, Safety, & Recruiting. With this episode of the Grawe Pod, Doug Grawe and Gary Randall are back to talk about driver qualification guidelines and the qualification process. Doug and Gary explore a number of key points on this topic through their discussion while offering some helpful insights. The post Driver Qualifi...

For our first episode of 2023, the Grawe Pod addresses one of the oldest questions facing a trucking company: Should we go with an independent contractor fleet, an employee fleet or a fleet that utilizes both ICs and employee drivers? Podcast host Doug Grawe is joined by Grawe Group Executive Business Partner Gary Randall for a wide-ranging discussion on this topic. Doug and Gary walk listeners through what has become a debate that trucking company owners have faced for generations. Spoiler Aler...

Posting a recycled job ad on Indeed, conducting four rounds of interviews and utilizing a copy-and-paste approach with job qualification requirements are not cutting it in today’s market. During the People Episode of the Grawe Pod, we will be sharing a collection of insights that address attracting, hiring and onboarding non-driving talent into your transportation organization. Doug Grawe is your host for the podcast and he will be joined on this episode by Grawe Group Executive Business Partner...

With this episode of the Grawe Pod, we will introduce you to the newest team member of the Grawe Group, Steve Youngquist. Along with introducing Steve and welcoming him to the team, Grawe Pod hosts Doug Grawe and Gary Randall will be engaging Steve to draw from his expertise in working through various cycles in the trucking and logistics market. As you’ll hear during this episode, some version of a down market may be on the way. The market changes on the horizon will require carriers to meet the...

In this episode of the Grawe Pod, we will explore a very important aspect of mergers and acquisitions as the M&A activity is once again heating up in the transportation industry. Grawe Pod hosts Doug Grawe and Gary Randall discuss the subject of mergers and acquisitions from the perspective of having a plan for implementation in place that can be well executed once the decision is made to buy or sell. With years of experience in leading Operations and Administration on both the selling sides and...

In this episode of the Grawe Pod, we focus on the areas of business development and sales. Your podcast hosts Doug Grawe and Gary Randall center the discussion during this episode on the importance of knowing your company’s differentiators for your customers as well as making sure your whole team knows them. Don Grawe, a veteran logistics professional with a wealth of experience in the area of business development, is the featured guest for this episode. Don delivers a great perspective on under...

One of the realities of transportation and logistics is that companies will encounter emergency situations. During this episode of the Grawe Pod, hosts Doug Grawe and Gary Randall of the Grawe Group discuss the importance of being prepared and having the proper planning in place when unexpected events, one-off situations and emergencies arise. Doug and Gary are joined on this edition of the Grawe Pod by Greg Thompson, a media relations professional with extensive experience in the trucking indus...

There is no question that world events are raising the profile of cyber attacks even higher. Big and small trucking companies can be targets for attacks. In this edition of the Grawe Pod, Nate Johnson from GLCS joins podcast hosts Doug Grawe and Gary Randall to discuss cybersecurity, preventing issues and responding to events. The post Discussing Cybersecurity: How Prepared Is Your Company? appeared first on PodWheels.

In the first episode of 2022, the Grawe Pod will be examining a few key questions trucking executives should be asking at the beginning of the year, including: What action are you going to take in Q1? What are you going to get done in Q1 to set the table for a big 2022? Your podcast hosts Doug Grawe and Gary Randall will be sharing insights related to driver retention, employee retention, and IC program tips carriers can use to make lasting improvements in Q1. The post Win 2022 With A Good Star...

As 2021draws to a close, the Grawe Pod takes a look at the value of using the little December and January downtime to work on your business. Your podcast hosts Doug Grawe and Gary Randall discuss how December and January can offer a chance to lift your head out of the day-to-day. Doug and Gary walk through some examples of ways that trucking and logistics companies can take advantage of the few breaks to think about your business, your area, your metrics, your people and your alignment. The pos...

Podcast hosts Doug Grawe and Gary Randall discuss the headline-grabbing topic of nuclear verdicts in trucking. As you will hear, nuclear verdicts can be prevented in 3 ways: (1) investing in a robust, proactive defense that tells your safety story to the jury; (2) advocating for reasonable reforms of litigation rules to curb abusive lawsuits and abusive plaintiff tactics; and (3) developing and maintaining a safety culture that goes above and beyond base-level compliance and focuses on preventin...