Bots Won't Fix Trucking: Real AI Solutions vs. The Hype | Brake Check

In this episode of Brake Check, we're coming to you LIVE from day two of the Tenstreet User Conference, and we're tackling the massive elephant in the room: AI. Everybody is talking about it, but what does practical AI actually mean for the industry? Charles Gracey hits the showroom floor to cut through the buzzwords and sit down with the heavy hitters shaping the future of freight and driver recruiting. First up, Charles is joined by Steve Brown, CRO of Tenstreet, to break down the highly-anticipated "Tenstreet Assistant." We're not talking about replacing the human element—we're talking about removing the mindless data entry and spreadsheet tracking so recruiters can get back to what matters: building real relationships with drivers. Then, Linnette Torres, Director of Compliance and Recruiting at CPC Logistics, drops in to give us a boots-on-the-ground look at the private fleet sector. Linnette shares CPC's impressive driver benefits, the gritty reality of recruiting in today's unpredictable market, and what it's really like to beta-test these new AI tools. Finally, Charles catches up with Kevin Hall, CEO of CDLLife. They dig into how data intelligence is mapping out the actual driver journey, the critical difference between passive and active job seekers, and why carrier recruiting budgets are finally starting to open back up as the market shifts. No fluff. No spin. Just real conversations about: What "real AI" actually looks like for carriers in 2026 Why the human touch will never be replaced in trucking Surviving the unpredictability of today's driver market No pie charts; No PowerPoints; No sanitized narratives. This is real trucking talk with real trucking people... calling out broken systems, asking uncomfortable questions, and demanding accountability where it's long overdue. If you care about the future of trucking, this is a conversation you can't afford to miss. ⁠Follow the Brake Check Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices