Episodes
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Our Last Show
Hey everyone, this is our last show of Hammer Lane Legends. As the show has evolved over the years you've seen many different hosts, guests and even producers to help us along the way. Each one has been a key to the shows growth and to the content that was put out, all of which we've been…
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Back It Up | 141: Who Wants to Drive In Snow?! PART 2
Welcome back for PART 2 of episode 140: Who Wants to Drive In Snow?! Brian and Shipper are joined by Daryl for the second part of what can only be considered a marathon. In this part, Daryl dives into what drove him into trucking, his time in the US Army, and much much more!! Once again there is…
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Back It Up | Rock N' Roll Landscaper
In Episode 33: Rock N' Roll Landscaper, we are joined by Shane, a landscaping professional and metal musician. Shane has been in landscaping for a little while and has many stories to share from on the job and on the road. Not only does Shane tow a 24 foot trailer for work, he's also been on tour...
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Back It Up| 188: BREAKROOM | Brian & Paul
In this week's episode, Brian and Shipper wrap up last week's podcast with Paul, by having a Breakroom chat with both Paul and Brian. This episode goes all over the place, and is full of hilarious conversation. From start to finish, this was a great episode. So sit back, relax and enjoy the show!...
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Back It Up | 232: Breakroom Chaos
In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, the hosts dive into a lively conversation filled with personal stories, workplace quirks, and the frustrations of life on the road. They explore everything from truck design evolution and pay structures to the challenges of night shifts and navigating road...
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Back It Up | 149: Firehouse to Fuel Island
In this week's episode, 149: Firehouse to Fuel Island; the guys are joined by Bob who spent 22 years as a fireman in Pennsylvania. Early on in his attempt to become a firefighter he was denied due to vision impairment issues, so he picked up a job working in auto repair. Though, it didn't take…
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Back It Up | 233: Tennessee Tales
In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, Brian and Jack dive into a candid and humorous chat about life on the road, battling tech frustrations, and the chaos of email overload. They swap personal stories, discuss local happenings, and explore how nostalgia shapes the digital age. From…
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Back It Up | 235: Haunted Highways
In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, hosts Brian Merkel and Mike Dre engage in a captivating conversation with Emilio Flores, a seasoned truck driver with over 32 years of experience. Emilio shares his journey into the trucking industry, influenced by his family's legacy, and reflects on the...
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263: The Florida Long Haul
In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, explore the highs and lows of life on the road. Aaron shares stories of fatherhood, slip-seating, and the challenges of keeping shared trucks clean. The hosts dive into Florida’s unique trucking rules, frustrating truck maintenance, canceled backhauls, and...
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262: Life Of A Diesel Mechanic
In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, hosts Brian, Brian, and Mike engage in a lively conversation with Richard Robinson, a seasoned diesel mechanic with a wealth of experience. They discuss Richard's journey from a small farm in North Carolina to a successful career in mechanics, the…
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261: Heartbeats On The Highway
In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, Brian and Mike sit down with Jim to unpack his decades on the road, from the grueling UPS training grounds to the chaos of city deliveries. Jim opens up about the heart attack that changed everything—how he missed the warning signs, what pulled him through,...
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Back It Up | 206: Roadside Resilience
In this week's episode, Brian and Brian chat with Bobby Jo who shares her wild and intense experiences on the road. She vividly paints the life of a truck driver, highlighting not only the physical dangers of her job, such as narrowly avoiding accidents and dealing with hazardous situations but...
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260: Back In The Hammer Lane
In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, hosts Brian Merkel and Brian Shipper reconnect with Zach, who shares personal updates, including health challenges and experiences on the road. The conversation flows through various themes, including humorous trucking stories, unique town names, and the...
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Back It Up| 211: Road Warriors
In this week's episode, Brian and Shipper are joined by Aaron. Aaron's journey into the trucking industry began during the COVID era, marked by the challenges of training and the critical support of a good trainer. He reflects on the waning camaraderie and professionalism among truck drivers and...
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Back It Up | 197: Consider It Forwarded
In this week's episode, we are joined by the ALL POWERFUL Tony Merkel and Jack, our producer. The conversation starts with casual banter and some technical hiccups before diving into discussions about Merkel Media's potential new merchandising. The guys also chat about upcoming winter storms and...
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Back It Up| 209: School Bus Supermom
In this week's special Mother's Day episode, Brian and Patrick Swayze chat with Karen, a seasoned school bus maestro with a decade of steering stories under her belt. Diving into her unexpected love affair with the bus driver's seat, Karen recounts her adventurous shift from trucking to...
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Back It Up | 122: Logistics of The Trade
In episode 122: Logistics of The Trade; Shipper and Brian are joined by Denny, an old friend of Shipper. From a young age Denny has been working in and around the trucking industry. He started off in industrial maintenance, but once he heard of the opportunity driving offered, he made the switch....
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Back It Up |152: Bigfoot Beer Run
In this week's episode, 152: Bigfoot Beer Run; Brian and Shipper chat with Mike, a beer delivery driver around Colorado. Mike got his start about 27 years ago in vans doing deliveries. He quickly moved on to be a delivery driver for Budweiser. and shortly after Coors, and found out quickly that...
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Back It Up: | 142: Truck Turned Toboggan
In episode 142: Truck Turned Toboggan; Brian, Shipper and Jack are joined by Harry, from the "Great White North"-Canada. Harry got his start as an industrial painter for 15 years, until his friend managed to convince him to start trucking. And that's just what he did. After breezing through his 6...
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Back It Up| 117: Running Independent
In Episode 117: Running Independent, Brian and Shipper talk to Shipper's old friend, Eric. During Eric's time as a trucker, he's had a plethora of experiences that he shares with the guys, and also explains what it's like to be an independent trucker. Eric worked for a few companies, including…
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Back It Up| 150: This Isn't Sunday Driving
In this week's episode, 150: This Isn't Sunday Driving; the guys are joined in studio by Zach, a fellow Pitt Ohio driver. When Zach was a kid, he vowed to never become a truck driver...that didn't work out too well. He started out as a dock worker, while also running a landscaping business, which...
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Back It Up |153: Trash Panda Express
In this week's episode, 153: Trash Panda Express; the guys are joined by returning guest Matt from episode 115: Charged at in the Dark, to share some more stories that he's gathered on the road. Matt, has 27+ years experience in the industry, 18 of which have been with his current company, Estes...
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Back It Up| 132: Around the Water Cooler | Josh
in episode 132: Around the Water Cooler | Josh; Brian and Shipper are joined in studio by Josh, a fellow co-worker at Pitt Ohio. Josh has been on the road for 8 years, and in that time has gone from city driving to line haul, and back to city. He shared the many experiences, from what it's like...
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Back It Up | 200: Office Lanes
This is our 200th EPISODE! Thank you for tuning in every week to catch the latest Hammer Lane Legend, sharing their story. Here's to 200 more! In this week's lively and entertaining episode, we sit down with Donna Lynn, the dynamic and multifaceted wife of Hector, a previous guest and truck…
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Back It Up | 210: Hauling Numbers
In this week's episode, Brian and Brian are joined by Mikki a former truck driver turned accountant. Mikki shares harrowing near-misses and eerie encounters to the humbling challenges of life behind the wheel, each story unveils the raw and often humorous realities of the trucking lifestyle. She...
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Back It Up| 205: Furries In The Fast Lane
In this week's episode; Picture this: Alan, a seasoned Uber driver with a treasure trove of stories, from the outrageous to the downright bizarre. Imagine navigating through the streets, only to find yourself amidst the chaos of a furry convention, or inadvertently becoming a confidante to the...
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259: Midnight Linehaul
Ken opens up about life after a devastating neck injury, sharing raw stories of pain, recovery, and resilience. From battles with workers' comp and SSDI to finding humor in goats replacing lawnmowers, he reflects on the emotional weight of chronic pain, lost passions, and adapting to new…
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Back It Up | 195: Training Wheels
In this week's captivating episode, we sit down with seasoned trucker and trainer Devin, who shares his rich experiences from the road. Devin's stories offer a blend of humor, insight, and practical advice, covering everything from training new drivers to maintaining health and fitness in the...
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258: The Lurker in Lot 6
Brian, Shipper, and Mike dive into a no-holds-barred conversation that jumps from busted coffee machines and cryptid lore to electric vehicles, rising bills, and government red tape. They tackle unions, social security, foreign aid, and the chaos of executive orders—all while weaving in sharp...
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Back It Up| 208: Blizzards and Lot Lizards | Pt. 2
In this week's episode, Brian and Brian are joined by Kyle to finish up the multitude of stories he has. He recounts his epic drive across Canada and his family's historical ties to the Alcan Highway. They swap tales of Canadian bacon, Oregon coast road trips, and quirky trucking escapades,...
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256: AI Apocalypse
Buckle up for a lively ride as the hosts of Hammer Lane Legends tackle wild road stories to the ever-evolving world of trucking tech. With humor and candid confessions, they dive into AI-driven rigs, the struggles of ELDs, and the chaos of modern media. From dog-walking mishaps to political hot...
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255: Hauling Hollywood
Blockbusters don’t move themselves—Hollywood’s Teamsters do. Scott, a fourth-generation Hollywood trucker, joins Brian, Shipper and Mike to reveal the high-speed, high-stakes world of hauling movie magic. From Avengers to Iron Man, hear how rigs, stunts, and set moves make the impossible happen....
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Back It Up |113: Welcome To Wyoming
In Episode 113: Welcome To Wyoming, Brian and Shipper chat with Joe, a fuel hauler from Wyoming. Joe began his journey trucking at a young age. Like many in the industry, his influence came from his father, who had also been a driver. As the guys discuss the pros and cons of trucking and what…
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254: Legends Of The Open Road
In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, Brian, Shipper, and Mike dive into a hilarious and nostalgic conversation filled with personal anecdotes, driving frustrations, and DMV woes. They reminisce about childhood cartoons, classic TV, and the evolution of media while swapping stories about…
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Back It Up | 203: Straight From The Pitt | Greg Szilli
In this week's episode, Brian and Brian are joined by their longtime colleague Greg Szilli. Greg, quickly dives into anecdotes and updates from his life. He then takes a more serious turn as Greg shares a deeply personal health struggle stemming from diabetes that led to the loss of his eye....
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253: Road Warriors
In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, Brian, Shipper, and Mike sit down with Randall to swap trucking stories filled with humor, challenges, and decades of experience. From hauling chickens to mastering flatbed driving, they explore the evolution of truck stops, safety regulations, and the...
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Back It Up | 156: This Guy Looks Demon Possessed! | Elly - Part 1
In weeks episode, 156: This Guy Looks Demon Possessed!; the guys are joined by Ellie, a long time City Transit Driver, for Edmonton, Alberta. Ellie has been in City Transit for more than 20 years, and she has the stories to back it up! In the over 20 years, Ellie has amassed a MASSIVE list of...
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251: Break Room Bonanza
In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, Brian, Shipper, and Mike mix humor with heartfelt moments as they swap trucking stories, debate real ID regulations, and share their thoughts on cruising. The conversation takes a deeper turn with discussions on data privacy, evolving vehicle technology…
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Back IT Up| 181: BREAKROOM WithGary & Lisa
This episode was absolutely wild! Any time we have Gary and Lisa on the show, we never know where the conversation will go. This episode was no different! The conversation was absolutely wild, and went all over the place. It was absolutely hilarious!! We hope you enjoy it! KEEP US FUELED:...
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250: Finding Your Lane
In this episode, Kyle opens up about his emotional journey through career shifts in trucking, from navigating job transitions and agricultural hauling to the fallout of a career-altering accident. The hosts dive into the intricacies of trucking, from delivering spent grain to dairy farms to the...
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Back It Up | 166: Mastering the Road
In this week's episode Brian and Shipper are joined by Kevin, to share his journey around the industry. Scott grew up seeing trucking all around him and developed an interest from a young age. He started out driving for a farmer during the summers as a kid. As he got older, Kevin transitioned his...
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249: Highway Haunts
In this episode, the hosts dive into lively banter about workplace antics, trucking industry challenges, and California wildfires. They explore traffic innovations, the frustrations of modern vehicle designs lacking spare tires, and the nostalgia of classic cars. The conversation weaves through...
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Back It Up | 187: Rolling Strong-man
In this week's episode the guys are joined by Paul in studio. Paul is a seasoned truck driver with 28 years of experience. From tackling weight issues as an overweight truck driver to making a crucial decision to prioritize health and fitness, Paul explores his journey through different shifts…
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248: Wilderness Mechanic
In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, hosts Brian, Shipper, and Mike chat with Vishal, a field mechanic for Cummins and a dedicated fan of the show. Vishal shares his journey into trucking and the challenges of working on heavy machinery in quarries and on the road. The discussion explores the...
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Back It Up | 192: Tour Bus Tales
In this week's episode, Brian and Shipper catch up with Connor, a professional driver for entertainer coaches, who was on episode 42: Rock N' Roll Express. Connor discusses his life post-COVID, highlighting the revival of his work since summer 2021. He details the challenges faced during the...
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247: Back To The Breakroom
In this engaging conversation, the hosts delve into various topics ranging from innovative car rental services to the future of electric trucks and the challenges of satellite internet connectivity. They share practical tips on headlight maintenance and tire safety, discuss the complexities of…
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Back It Up | 124: Sunshine State Trucking
In episode 124: Sunshine State Trucking; Brian and Shipper get to chat with Garrett, a young driver from the sunny state of Florida. Garrett was introduced to trucking from the time he was a youngster, with his dad being a driver, he was always around the lifestyle. When he was old enough…
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246: Life On The Road
In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, hosts Brian Merkel, Brian Shipper, and Mike Dre reunite with Gary for a lively and humorous discussion about life on the road. They share holiday greetings over kiffles, reflect on the evolution of trucking technology, and dive into the challenges of...
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BACK IT UP | 143: The Cable Man
In episode 143: The Cable Man; Brian and Shipper are joined by Shipper's neighbor, Matt, a Union Lineman. Matt got his start with PPL, a local electric company, and after work became tight, he took his talents to the union. He is now a foreman and typically doesn't have to get up in the bucket...
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245: Peanut Butter Roads
In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, hosts Brian Merkel, Brian Schipper, and Mike Dre chat with Luanne, a trailblazing female trucker, about her journey through the trucking industry. Luanne candidly shares her experiences as a woman in a male-dominated field, from navigating discrimination…
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