Transportation Business Resources

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Malcolm Harris sits facing us at a desk wearing a black leather jacket, with a laptop and a water bottle in front of him. Logo: What the Truck?!? On the left, under the logo, is a list: What My Mechanic Does, What's Broken, The Problem You're Solving, Building My Mechanic, Alex Bezzubets, Distracted Driving, Mike Fackler and Cost of Cargo Theft? Logo: Truckstop.com.
Across the bottom of the screen is a headline scroller. Headline text: The long-sought reforms were made possible by the tentative contract agreement in December with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, following acrimonious negotiations and strikes over two years, and an endorsement from the government of Canada.

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MALCOLM HARRIS: I thought I looked pretty fly today. I got a thrifted jacket, but this guy is putting me to shame right now. Again, representing Travelers. He is their technical director of transportation, Mr. Mike Fackler. Mike, you are now on What The Truck?!? What's going on, sir? How are you? Happy Monday.

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The list on the left scrolls down to put Mike Fackler at the bottom, and it is highlighted green. At the top is a new item, Leveling the Playing Field. The logo changes to Travelers. The screen splits between Malcolm Harris on the left and Mike Fackler on the right. Mike appears in an office, wearing a gray suit.

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MIKE FACKLER: Happy Monday. It's good to be here.

MALCOLM HARRIS: Good to have you, man. Thank you so much for being on the show. And I'm excited to jump into this with you because with April being Distracted
 
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Headline text: Uber Eats launches retail returns feature: Uber Eats on Friday launched a new returns feature allowing consumers to return retail goods purchased on the app with a courier and receive a refund from the convenience of home, a first for the on-demand delivery industry. Retailers participating in the initial phase include Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, Pet Food Express, Pacsun and Petco, which combined have thousands of retail locations across the country. Uber Eats will charge a return service fee, calculated based on the courier's time and distance.

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Driver Awareness month, this is a great time to talk about what's really happening out there on the roads and what fleets can actually do about it. Mike, you work closely with transportation leaders on safety culture and risk. Talk to me. Where do we get started with this?

MIKE FACKLER: Yeah, well, I mean, distracted driving is one of the biggest challenges that we face. And you don't have to drive very far. You go down the road, and you look to your left, you look to your right. You see people on their phones are distracted. And so, the reality is, this isn't going away.

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Text: Mike Fackler, Technical Director, Transportation, Travelers. The list on the left scrolls down to highlight Distracted Driving, and a new item, The Road Ahead, appears on the top.

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And if anything, again, just like I said, there are more distractions now than ever.

MALCOLM HARRIS: There definitely is. I mean, obviously the biggest one is going to be phones. But is there anything else that jumps off the page immediately when you think about the distractions that happen when it comes to trucking specifically that you can share with myself and our audience?

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Headline text: Commodities outrun intermodal in latest rail freight data: Grain, petroleum and chemicals led a strong week for U. rail freight while intermodal traffic continues to limp through early 2026. Total weekly traffic reached 500,040 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending April 11, better by 1.

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MIKE FACKLER: Oh, well, I mean, when you think about distractions in it as a whole, it's much bigger than just a driver problem. It’s a, you know… you think about all the responsibilities, all the things that drivers are trying to balance. Tight schedules, communication demands, they've got multiple responsibilities. They're trying to juggle all these things at once. And they're trying to get to where they're going and trying to get there safely. And so, there's just so many things that are going on that it's not just a problem for the driver to solve.

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Headline text: New York to lose 73 million dollars playing licensing games with the Duffy: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced today that FMCSA is formally withholding
$73,502,543 from the state of New York after the state failed to complete required corrective actions following a federal audit that found a 53 percent failure rate in the state's non- domiciled commercial driver's license program. Of the 200 sampled records, 107 were issued in violation of federal law. On March 13, FMCSA issued a formal response refuting New York's claims of compliance and reiterating that the state had not completed the required rescission of noncompliant licenses.

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We see it as a leadership and a culture problem. So leaders of an organization, they can't just say that drivers shouldn't be distracted and leave it at that. Actually, leaders of an organization, we create what actually happens. I mean, we have influence over things that happen.

And so, when an accident happens, people always point to the things that drivers should have done, or could have done differently, and if they were distracted. But the distraction is just a symptom of a bigger issue. And if we want to address distracted driving, we have to step back and ask ourselves, what kind of culture are we building, and what behaviors are we reinforcing every single day?
 
MALCOLM HARRIS: I could not agree more with you. I think leadership is paramount when it comes to that. And let's stay here for a second because you've mentioned it and touched on it. But really, what does good leadership actually look like when it comes to preventing distracted driving? All the way from the top of these massive organizations to the driver that just started two weeks or somebody who's not necessarily established as they should be.

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Headline text: Knight-Swift cuts Q1 guide; remains upbeat on TL fundamentals: Knight-Swift Transportation cut its earning guidance for the first quarter, citing mostly company-specific headwinds. The update sent shares more than 3% lower in after-hours trading on Thursday. Adjusted earnings per share are now expected to range from 8 to 10 cents in the first quarter.

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MIKE FACKLER: That's a conversation we had with a lot of our insureds and people in the industry is what do we do? How can we respond to this challenge? And organizations are not powerless. Our messaging, our approach always starts with accountability. It has to start with accountability. And accountability applies to everyone. We're talking about not just the driver, everyone. And leaders really set that tone. They're responsible for setting the tone.

And you knowing, and I think there's a difference between knowing distracted driving is a problem and then actually doing something about it, are two different things.

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Headline text: At TIA meeting, freight brokers brace for Supreme Court decision: Scottsdale, AZ
- The Transportation Intermediaries Association annual Capital Ideas Conference here has two issues looming in the background that have the potential to upend the freight brokerage industry, one of which will arrive over months and years and another which could land at any time. The longer-term impact comes from AI. But that is solidly embedded in brokerage already, as evidenced by the large number of sponsors, exhibitors and speakers at the meeting, all of them offering AI-related services to the 3PL community and trying to differentiate themselves from a growing pack.
 
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And awareness is only the starting point. And so, organizations that have clear policies, consistent enforcement, leadership that models the right behavior are the ones that actually move the needle in this regard.

And so, you know, if leaders are taking calls while driving, they're texting quick updates from the road, they're joining meetings while behind the wheel, it's those decisions that build your culture. And it's in those small everyday decisions that your culture gets locked in.

And in response to that, leaders should look towards what expectations are they setting? And they should communicate those expectations clearly. And I think too that it's not just talk the talk but also walk the walk, and model the behavior yourself. And hold everyone accountable, including yourself to the same standards. No exceptions.

MALCOLM HARRIS: No, no. I absolutely love that no exceptions piece.

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Headline text: Fuel surcharges trigger spike in parcel shipping costs: ground and express parcel shipping costs are on pace for a third consecutive record quarter as parcel carriers, responding to soaring crude oil prices caused by the Iran war, stack higher fuel surcharges on top of accumulated general rate increases, according to a quarterly market report from TD Cowen investment bank and AFS Logistics this week. The analysis, which leverages freight audit and payment data from shippers of all sizes, predicts that both air and ground fuel surcharges are likely to continue rising should elevated oil prices persist and that they won't quickly roll back once the conflict ends and crude prices drop. While the term, new normal, may conjure unpleasant memories of the COVID era, businesses should brace themselves for a new normal of elevated fuel costs, said AFS Logistics CEO Andy Dyer in a news release accompanying the report.

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Because in trucking, as you know, and we've been around for quite some time, there's always pressure, deadlines and good drivers who have been with you a long time have clean records,
 
operational demands. Now question for you is, how do companies truly balance that no exception with the things that I just kind of conveyed to you?

MIKE FACKLER: You know, I had a football coach that told me, he said accountability is the ultimate form of leadership. And expectations, they cannot be implied and they cannot only be spoken, just like we said. And so, failing to take action also sends its own message. And so if leaders don't address instances of distracted driving, if there's different rules for different drivers, then employees, they pick up on that. They're smart. They're smart people.

And so when you have an organization that lacks a clear, I guess, strategy and clear policies around what the expectations are around distracted driving, then without that, you're effectively telling drivers that staying connected and staying distracted is more important than staying safe.

And so, regardless of who it is -- and, again we hear it, oh, this is my best driver, whatever. But leaders should say, hey, I'll call you back when I'm parked, leaders should you know, instead of responding in the moment. And again, you can't have different rules for different people because when you do that, things start to break down.

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Headline text: Shipper groups ask STB to make key U.P. N.S. merger agreement documents public: Four shipper groups have asked federal regulators to make public a key section of the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger agreement, arguing that the railroads improperly shielded material that outlines when U.P. could walk away from the deal. The section, known as Schedule 5.8, was omitted from the railroads' Dec.

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And you can't make an exception and say, well, again, this is one of our best drivers. So allowing employees off the hook, failing to enforce your expectations, that's what undermines your safety culture, and that's what leads to the problems that we see. And again, just plain and simple, you can't have different rules for different people.
 
MALCOLM HARRIS: Could not agree more with you, Mike. That football coach that shared that insight with you, it's definitely worked out for you and the things that you're doing at Travelers. So tell Coach, if you still have that relationship with him, that he's done you good. All right?

MIKE FACKLER: Yeah.

MALCOLM HARRIS: Any final words, you know, or things of advice that you want to convey with our audience from not only yourself, but the team at Travelers and things that you guys are currently working on as well, Mike?

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Headline text: Is cargo theft costing 60 billion dollars annually? What that number actually represents: Last week on What The Truck, Malcolm Harris discussed a stat that has been making its way around the industry, putting cargo theft and freight fraud at just 0.0036% of freight.

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MIKE FACKLER: Well, I think, you know, that it's important to keep in mind here that the goal isn't to eliminate every single mistake, but it's to build culture over time, and try to enforce those expectations that we do the right thing even when no one's watching. And it's not one single incident that defines organization, but it's the thousands of small decisions that happen before it.

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Headline text: Green light for Strait of Hormuz shipping could take six months after the war's end. It could take six months or longer for ships to be cleared for transit through the Strait of Hormuz, even after the Iran war is over. That's because Iran has mined the narrow waterway that guards the entrance to the Persian Gulf. In 1991 it took the United States six months to recover 1,300 mines after the Iraq war -- a task that led to the destruction of two American warships, a source with knowledge of -- text cuts off.

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And so, you know again, I think we just need companies to ask themselves, do we have clear policies around distracted driving? Are the expectations communicated and are they reinforced consistently? And also, too, is leadership actively involved?

MALCOLM HARRIS: I think that is great words of advice. Again, representing Travelers as their technical director of transportation, Mr. Mike Fackler. Mike, thank you so much for hopping on the show. I saw, what was that, a EKU and a Louisville Cardinal behind you.

MIKE FACKLER: Yeah, man. So that's where I paid tuition to.

MALCOLM HARRIS: As long as it's not to University of Kentucky. I'm a Tennessee Vol. We're going to have to have some words.

MIKE FACKLER: There you go. There you go. We share that. We share that.

MALCOLM HARRIS: Awesome. Awesome. Well, Mike, thanks so much for being on the show. Looking forward to having you back next time. You did great.

MIKE FACKLER: Thank you, Malcolm. Have a good one. MALCOLM HARRIS: Yes sir. You as well. You as well.
Copyright 2026 The Travelers Indemnity Company. All rights reserved.

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Text: Freight Waves What the Truck? Logos: Dolly's Tennessean Travel Stop, Presented by JJ Keller and Associates, Inc., Registered, Since 1953. News headlines scroll across the bottom edge as Malcolm Harris speaks to Michael Vincent. Various topics fill a border to the left.

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MALCOLM HARRIS: We just talked about powerful women and let's keep that theme going because right now we're joined by Samantha Greene. And again, she's Regional Underwriting Officer at Travelers. Samantha, are we a big Dolly Parton fan? Hello. Welcome to What the Truck.

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Samantha smiles. She appears on a separate feed, broadcasting from a medical examination room.

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SAMANTHA GREENE: Hi. Thank you. Thanks for having me.

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The topic changes from Dolly's Travel Stops to Samantha Greene.

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My first podcast experience and you have to put me up after Dolly. Thanks.

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Michael Vincent.

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MICHAEL VINCENT: Right. Yeah, it's a little difficult to follow.

SAMANTHA GREENE: Just small shoes to fill there.

MALCOLM HARRIS: Yeah. No, we are excited for you and I think you're going to do great. Now, you've got a few things to tell us about the state of women in trucking today. And again, we're thrilled to have you here. And let me just get into it.

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The topic changes to State of Women in Trucking.

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When it comes to -- how do I want to say this? What's the state of women when it comes to trucking right here today?

SAMANTHA GREENE: Yeah. Of course. First off, I want to start by saying that when we're talking about women in trucking, we're not just talking about women truck drivers.

MICHAEL VINCENT: Yeah.

SAMANTHA GREENE: Women make up about 4% of long-haul Class A CDL drivers, but that number hasn't meaningfully moved in about 15 years. So women play all kinds of roles in trucking, from dispatch and safety risk managers to brokers, warehouse operators and executives. In fact, the latest women in trucking index shows that nearly 28% of C-suite roles, 34.5% of supervisory leadership roles and nearly 30% of board seats in trucking organizations are now held by women. So while the female driver representation has plateaued, leadership representation is growing, which is a really great sign.

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She nods.

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MICHAEL VINCENT: So the 4% that you mentioned of drivers, of women that are drivers or drivers that are women actually, right? Yeah, not women that are -- 4% of women are drivers. Did you know? No, 4% of drivers are women. What are the challenges that they're facing? What keeps that at that 4%?

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She nods. Malcolm, Samantha and Michael appear in split screen. The topic changes to Challenges Ahead.

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SAMANTHA GREENE: Yeah. So safety is a big one, especially for over-the-road drivers. There's been meaningful progress there, such as the American Trucking Association's Women in Motion Group has partnered with Trucker Path to create an app that identifies truck stops with specific safety features, like lighted parking and bathrooms, 24/7 access and on-site security. The facilities that meet seven specific safety standards are clearly marked in the app, so it's very easy to find. And it's a good step forward for women in general.

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Michael nods.

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While safety infrastructure improvements matter for women, they improve the conditions for the entire workforce. And beyond that, we really need to consider the broader structural realities of trucking in general. Drivers work up to 70 hours a week, with safe parking remaining limited, and the time away from their families can be significant. So at the end of the day, safety improvements matter, especially for women, but the real opportunity is addressing the core challenges of the profession that impact all drivers, not just women. So it's a bigger issue.

MALCOLM HARRIS: Now, Samantha, you've mentioned the broader definition of women in trucking. What does this actually look like in practice practically?

SAMANTHA GREENE: Yeah. So you know what, it looks like connection and mentorship, both formally and informally. There's organizations, like Women in Trucking, that are -- they're building leadership pathways and networking platforms to create conversation and connection amongst women. I've been at industry conferences and general trucking events in the past and I've been told, it's so great to see another woman here. And I think that connection matters. It reinforces that you all belong in the room.

MICHAEL VINCENT: Very, very good. So what should carriers and industry leaders really be thinking about right now in terms of what women can bring to the industry, the impacts that women can make in the transportation industry?

SAMANTHA GREENE: Yeah, that's a really great question. And honestly, it's part of a much bigger industry issue. The industry is facing a workforce sustainability challenge. One contributing factor is a succession problem. We have aging drivers. The average truck driver is 47% and the average owner operator is 56. And only about 20% of drivers are under 35, compared to 35% of the overall labor force.

So that adds up to a looming replacement problem. As baby boomers and Gen X drivers retire, those seats have to be refilled. But the bigger issue is retention. Turnover rates at large carriers exceed 90%. So while the industry has been able to recruit drivers, keeping them is another story. Then you can layer women into that equation. Women represent an available workforce segment that the industry has not meaningfully expanded into.

Attracting women drivers could help address the broader industry workforce issue, but you also need to consider that women tend to enter the profession later, often around age 40. So improving working conditions while helping all drivers in general could help recruit women in particular, which in turn helps strengthen retention across the board. Long-winded, but to get back to your question, I think there's three things carriers and leaders should focus on.

One, safety infrastructure. As I mentioned earlier, it's critical for all drivers, but particularly critical for attracting more women. Retention strategy. Research shows younger drivers prioritize a healthy work-life balance, stable career paths with strong company culture and better training. So again, this applies to the industry at large, but could help attract women since women enter the profession later, when flexibility and balance matter even more.

Solving the driver retention issue, it's not just about compensation. It's about designing a career people want to stick with long term because who doesn't want a career they love? So finally, the third final thing, mentorship and visibility. As discussed in the beginning, women representation and leadership is improving, and that creates a pipeline effect and we need to be using that. If we want that 4% driver number to improve, the industry has to be intentional in these three areas.

MALCOLM HARRIS: Thank you so much, Samantha. I hope, again, your first podcast experience was everything that you were expecting, and I really appreciate you being on the show.

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All three smile.

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SAMANTHA GREENE: Thank you for being kind. Thanks for having me on.

MICHAEL VINCENT: Fabulous job, Samantha. Thank you. Peace.

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Logo: Travelers.

Copyright 2026. The Travelers Indemnity Company. All rights reserved.