Episodes

ES Community members Heather and Corey Browning look back how decades of trucking experience helped to prepare them for the opportunity to become business owners once again in the trucking industry through the ES Path To Ownership program. As you will hear in this episode, the Brownings’ story shows how the right support system established through the program with ES can help turn hard-earned experience into a sustainable path to truck ownership. Our discussion highlights Heath and Corey’s fir...

There are very few universal truths in trucking, but the fact stands that it is one of the few industries that accepts all paths, backgrounds, and experience. Attitude, aptitude, and the right kind of support can put you on the road to success, regardless of starting point. And for Mike and Becky Tucker, getting into trucking, and eventually becoming business owners, wasn’t exactly a straight line. From Manufacturing to Trucking Coming from the manufacturing industry, the Tuckers decided to tes...

For many drivers and aspiring entrepreneurs, building a trucking business begins with a simple but intimidating question: What’s the next step? On a recent episode of the Success in Trucking Podcast, we sat down with Marcellus Serpa to explore what that step looked like for him and how it led from a single truck to a 25-truck fleet. Marcellus didn’t come into trucking the traditional way. Originally from Brazil, he had no CDL, no driving experience, and no family ties to the industry. What he d...

For Expediter Services community members Maxwell Belin and Jalyssa Campbell, trucking isn’t just a career, it’s family. Growing up around drivers, both Maxwell and Jalyssa saw firsthand how the industry could provide stability and opportunity. Following in the footsteps of family members they both spent time behind the wheel of buses, but eventually found themselves wanting more control over their time, income, and future. Trucking offered that next step, one they decided to take together. Fro...

Making the leap from company driver to owner-operator or fleet owner is one of the most exciting, and demanding, moves in a trucking career. In the latest episode of the Success in Trucking Podcast, Expediter Services sat down with Leah Shaver, President and CEO of the National Transportation Institute (NTI), to talk candidly about what drivers should expect when they decide to take control of their future. Shaver emphasizes that too many drivers focus on the view from the top without mapping t...

What does it take to become a successful fleet owner in today’s trucking industry? We asked Andy and Linda Dixon to answer that question in this edition of the podcast. Andy and Linda have been part of the ES Community for several years and they have built their small company into a small fleet of nine trucks. Through this episode, Andy and Linda provide a wealth of sound advice for anyone considering getting started as owner-operators and owning your own fleet. This discussion is highlighted wi...

Fleet ownership rarely follows a straight line. In a recent interview, we sat down with Andy and Linda Dixon of A&L Trucking LLC to talk about their winding journey into trucking and how persistence, planning, and partnership helped them build a nine-truck fleet. Andy’s introduction to trucking was anything but traditional. He started his career as a plumber before taking a job delivering auto parts in a van. Looking for ways to increase revenue, he moved into a box truck, learning the business...

Building a Strong Financial Foundation for Owner-Operator Success In our next installment of the Are You Ready To Own the Wheel? series, we’re talking about a topic that can make or break your success as an owner-operator—your finances. To round out the series, Colton Lawrence, The Trucker CFO, joined the Success In Trucking Podcast to dig into what it really takes to build a strong financial foundation for your business. Shift Your Mindset: From Driver to Business Owner For Colton, the first ...

In this episode from our Are You Ready To Own The Wheel Series, Colton Lawrence discusses the essential mindset and practical steps needed for individuals considering becoming owner-operators in the trucking industry. Colton, who is a Certified Public Accountant and founder of Trucker CFO, emphasizes the importance of understanding the differences between being a company driver and an owner-operator, particularly in terms of financial management, business planning, and the necessity of a support...

Why the Equipment You Choose Matters If you’re thinking about taking the next step toward ownership, one of the biggest choices you’ll make is the equipment you run. As Danny Vernon, Director of Truck Sales at Expediter Services (ES), shared in the latest Success in Trucking Podcast episode, that decision can shape your business long before you even turn the key. “The truck you choose, and how you choose to finance it, can make or break your success as an owner-operator,” Danny explained. “Get...

For our first episode of 2026, we spent some time talking about new starts in a new year as well as what’s happening within today’s trucking landscape. Our guest is David Withers, the Senior Director of Operations and Recruiting at ES. As you will hear, we focused our conversation with David by discussing opportunities for change where you have a strong sense of control, and making sure that you are well positioned for your best success in trucking.

With this episode of the podcast, we are beginning a special series designed to help anyone thinking about moving into truck ownership or expanding your current fleet. We will be bringing you expert perspectives from both the team at ES and vendors who are a part of the ES Community who will be helping us to explore the wide range of considerations that are a part of making the transition into truck ownership and starting your trucking business. For Part 1, ES Senior Director of Operations and R...

In honor of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, which is happening from Sept. 14-20 this year, the Success In Trucking Podcast Powered By ES brings you a conversation honoring the men and women behind the wheel featuring the observations of Jason Williams, the President and CEO of Expediter Services. We invite you to join us to hear Jason as he highlights the mile-by-mile work by the professionals on the road who keep the American economy moving.

Each September, the trucking industry pauses to shine a light on the men and women who keep America moving. National Driver Appreciation Week is more than just a date on the calendar, it’s a chance to recognize the incredible contributions professional drivers make every day. At Expediter Services (ES), we are especially proud to honor the members of our community who exemplify hard work, resilience, and dedication. Professional drivers are the backbone of the U.S. economy. As Jason Williams, P...

If you’ve been in the driver’s seat for any length of time, you already know: the road has gotten rough. Unpredictable freight, squeezed margins, and a market that feels like it’s been stuck in a holding pattern. They’re more than just industry headlines. They’re the real-life challenges owner-operators and small fleet owners face every day. And for many, it can feel like you’re out there fighting this fight alone. How ES Is Helping Drivers Navigate Market Challenges In the most recent episodes...

Jeff Tacker from the ES Leadership Team returns to the podcast to continue the conversation on facing the challenges found in today’s trucking market. Jeff serves as the Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Commercial Officer for ES, and he dedicates time on this episode of the podcast to encourage listeners to take action and pursue their dreams in trucking. Jeff talks to us in detail on how the programs at ES are specially designed to provide support for the members of ...

Jeff Tacker joins us for this edition of the Success in Trucking Podcast. Part of the company’s Senior Leadership Team as the Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Commercial Officer for ES, Jeff discusses the challenges faced in today’s market by owner-operators, independent contractors, and small fleet owners in the trucking industry. As you will hear, Jeff offers a number of helpful insights as he walks through the current state of the trucking market and the importance ...

In this edition of the podcast, we will be revisiting the July 15th webinar event that ES hosted. The session was entitled Strategies & Support You Need To Achieve Long-Term Success In Trucking. David Withers, the Senior Director of Operations & Recruiting at ES, provided a number of insights on what’s happening in today’s market that can help owner-operators, independent contractors and fleet owners during the webinar. Leah Shaver, the President and CEO of the National Transportation Institute,...

Thinking about taking the leap to become an owner-operator? Or maybe you’re already rolling but looking to improve profitability? Recently, we had Colton Lawrence, The Trucker CFO, join us on on the Success In Trucking Podcast. Colton shares a number of insights on navigating the financial considers of trucking entrepreneurship.

Thinking about taking the leap to become an owner-operator? Or maybe you’re already rolling but looking to improve profitability? Recently, we had Colton Lawrence, The Trucker CFO, on the Success In Trucking Podcast, and he shared tips on navigating the financial side of trucking entrepreneurship. Here are some of his insights. Trucking Success Starts With Mindset First and foremost, it’s crucial to understand that you’re no longer just driving a truck; you’re running a business. This means yo...

In the edition of the podcast, we will feature a subject-matter expert from one of the many unique services and resources offered through the ES Community. A few years ago, ES began working with the Corporate Chaplains of America. CCA is an organization that offers a wide range of support and even counseling resources to businesses and business communities, including the ES Community. Recently, we had the opportunity to talk with Patrick Harris, who is a member of the Corporate Chaplains of Amer...

For the final installment for our five-part series celebrating the milestone that ES reached in helping to create 300 women-owned businesses in the trucking industry, we will feature our interview with Zakiya Simmons. She is one business of the owners who has utilized the programs and support offered through Expediter Services. Zakiya owns and operates Battlestar Transportation with her husband, Norris. As you’ll hear, Zakiya found her way behind the wheel as a professional driver with the encou...

In this episode of our special series celebrating the milestone of 300 women-owned businesses created within the ES Community, you are going to meet Shannon Wike. As you will hear, Shannon was involved in various roles within the trucking industry before becoming a business owner who runs a single-truck operation while serving as a team driver with her husband. Prior to becoming part of the ES Community, Shannon was a company driver, a dispatcher and a load planner before she made the move to ge...

For this episode in our series celebrating 300 Women-Owned Businesses in the ES Community, you are going to hear the inspiring of Staci Cooley. Before entering the trucking industry, Staci worked in a customer service job as a single mom with four young children. She had always been interested in trucking and, with the support of her Mom and Dad who offered to help take care of the kids, Staci got her CDL and hit the road as a professional driver. Looking for the opportunity to own her own busi...