Flatbed, Fraud & Fighting for Carriers | Aleks Bates on Behind The Wheelhouse

In this episode of Behind the Wheelhouse on Trucker Talk Radio, Aleks Bates, co-founder of Carrier Defender and key figure at PGT Northside, joins Jon and Justin for a raw, unfiltered conversation about life in trucking from the ground up. Born in Toronto, Aleks took a trip to Serbia, saw a different way of living on day two, quit his job, and never looked back. He built dispatch offices overseas, spent years on the carrier side learning the business inside and out, and eventually crossed over into brokerage, joining the flatbed-heavy PGT Northside operation that moves roughly 1,200 loads a day.Aleks breaks down what makes flatbed trucking a different animal entirely, from the physical demands on drivers to the seasonal swings and the specialized knowledge required for permitting and load securement. He shares a firsthand story of a driver who wanted to watch a YouTube video before strapping down a load, and the conversation gets serious fast about the real consequences of overconfidence and under-regulation in open deck freight.The episode goes deep on Carrier Defender, the company Aleks co-founded with Michigan attorney Dan Arteve to protect carriers from false and emotionally-driven reporting on platforms like Freight Guard. He explains how a single bad report from a broker can cripple a 90-truck operation over one driver's mistake, and why he believes brokerages need more accountability in who gets to post public complaints. The discussion also covers the Supreme Court ruling holding freight brokers liable for negligent carrier hiring, the growing sophistication of freight fraud, and why the industry's biggest problem is that nobody works together or shares data across platforms.Aleks also pulls back the curtain on how he built a 13,000-follower LinkedIn following starting with Friday afternoon memes about brokers, and how his media presence through Asset Based and Ilumino Lense grew from a simple desire to give carriers a voice in a brokerage-dominated conversation.Chapters0:00 Intro1:18 From Toronto to Serbia3:23 Work Culture: North America vs. Serbia5:09 AI, Efficiency & Remote Work6:19 Aleks' Trucking Career Path7:41 Building a LinkedIn Following9:01 PGT Northside & Flatbed Operations10:27 What Makes Flatbed Trucking Different11:11 Broker Training & Permit Knowledge Gaps13:51 Driver Recruiting for Flatbed16:07 Carrier Defender Explained19:17 Freight Fraud & Industry Accountability20:18 Advanced Scams & Shipper Verification22:42 Supreme Court Ruling on Broker Liability26:20 Why the Industry Won't Work Together29:54 Closing Plugs & Sponsor ShoutoutsFollow Us!X: https://x.com/trucktalkradioIG: https://instagram.com/truckertalkradioTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@truckertalkradioFollow Aleks BatesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleks-bates-738a82225/Powered by Ready AppThe driver-verification platform protecting brokers, carriers, and shippers from identity fraud, onboarding risks, and unsafe hires.Learn more at: https://ready-app.comSupport GreyCross.orgA 501(c)(3) supporting families affected by roadway tragedies across America.Donate at: https://greycross.org#truckertalkradio #behindthewheelhouse #aleksbates #carrierdefender #pgttrucking #flatbedtrucking #freightfraud #truckingpodcast #owneroperator #freightbroker #truckinglife #cdldrivers #supplychain #logistics #truckdriver #freightindustry #truckingnews #carrierrights