Freight Doesn’t Kill Most Carriers — Cash Flow Does | The Long Haul

Most trucking companies don’t fail because freight disappears. They fail because cash flow breaks first. In this episode of The Long Haul Podcast, Adam sits down with Michael Bunton to discuss one of the most overlooked realities in trucking: cash flow management. Michael’s background is unique — from professional baseball with the Chicago Cubs organization to human performance coaching before entering transportation finance and working directly with small carriers across the Southeast. This conversation breaks down: Why profitable carriers still go out of business The dangerous cash flow cycle many small fleets ignore Why emotional decision-making destroys margins The hidden operational costs small carriers overlook What owner-operators misunderstand about factoring And why discipline matters more than revenue This episode is not about promoting factoring. It’s about understanding how trucking businesses survive. ⁠Follow The Long Haul Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices