How Can Trucking STILL Making Money in 2026? | Brake Check

Everybody says trucking is broken. Rates are soft. Insurance costs are crushing carriers. Operating expenses keep climbing. Every week another trucking company shuts its doors, another owner-operator parks the truck, and another driver wonders if it's still worth it. So here's the question: If trucking is so bad right now, how are some fleets and owner-operators still finding a way to win? On this episode of Brake Check, Charles Gracey sits down with two trucking leaders attacking that problem from completely different angles. JR Elrod, President of BAR Transportation, a 30-year trucking veteran who spent more than two decades hauling heavy freight before building a specialized carrier focused on government, project, and niche freight. Tyler Johnston, General Manager of Mercer Transportation, one of North America's most successful owner-operator carriers, with more than 2,200 contractors and nearly 50 years in business. Topics include: Owner-Operator Survival in 2026 Open Deck & Heavy Haul Freight Trends Soft Freight Markets & Rising Costs Driver Retention & Profitability Insurance Costs Crushing Trucking Carrier-Broker Relationships Small Fleet Survival Strategies The Future of Independent Trucking Whether you're an owner-operator, fleet owner, company driver, broker, shipper, or simply trying to understand where trucking is headed next, this conversation delivers real-world strategies from people living it every day. Question for the comments: What's the biggest challenge facing trucking right now: rates, insurance, regulations, freight, or something else? #Trucking #OwnerOperator #Freight #Logistics #TruckDriver #CDL #FreightWaves #BrakeCheck #Transportation #HeavyHaul #OpenDeck #TruckingIndustry #SupplyChain #OwnerOperators #Truckers Follow the Brake Check Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices