Hosted by Doug Grawe, the founder and CEO of the Grawe Group, the Grawe Pod is Transportation’s General Counsel Podcast examining key issues for the trucking and logistics industry.
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As Q3 for 2026 begins to get rolling, the Grawe Pod places a spotlight on the opportunities and challenges ahead for trucking and logistics companies in the second half of the year as well as being prepared for 2027. Grawe Group Founder and CEO Doug Grawe is joined by Gary Randall for an insightful discussion covering topics including market strategies, operational discipline, network management and leadership during market shifts to help companies thrive amid ongoing challenges. Gary serves as an Executive Business Partner with the Grawe Group. During this episode, Doug and Gary explore why i
For this episode of the podcast, Grawe Group Founder & CEO Doug Grawe examines two recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that will bring a collection of considerations into a new focus for trucking and logistics companies. Over the course of the episode, Doug offers practical insights on legal considerations as well as approaches for compliance. Before offering observations on the Montgomery vs. Caribe Transport decision by SCOTUS that addressed broker liability, Doug discussed a May 28 ruling by the Court in the Flowers Foods vs. Brock case and its implications for arbitration clauses in carrier
One of the realities of trucking is that the industry is filled with small- and medium-sized businesses. In this episode of the Grawe Pod, we will be exploring a number of the HR challenges that trucking operations with 100 employees or less must navigate within today’s business landscape. For an instructive discussion that covers a host of timely topics, Grawe Group Founder & CEO Doug Grawe is joined on this edition of the podcast by Human Resource experts Alisha Hanson and Ashley Brandbury, the Co-Founders of Build Your Roots HR. Alisha and Ashley take listeners inside the critical support H
Wendy Greenland, the CEO of Openforce, joins the podcast for a thought-provoking discussion that explores AI’s growing impact on transportation technology and some of the key challenges trucking and logistics companies face when navigating the complex landscape of independent contractor management. Grawe Group Founder & CEO Doug Grawe leads the conversation that also takes us through Wendy’s career path, which brought her from being a telecommunications entrepreneur to working in transportation, eventually being called to senior leadership positions with Openforce, an industry-leading provider
With this episode, Grawe Group Founder & CEO Doug Grawe examines the U.S. Department of Labor’s February 26th release of the proposed rule that addresses the classification of independent contractors. Doug highlights the key components of the proposed rule that would rescind the Department of Labor’s 2024 rule related to Independent Contractor status that was issued by the Biden Administration. While looking at what the new independent contractor rule means for trucking operations, Doug also provides historical context regarding the rule, including what’s changing from the existing Biden-era r
Grawe Group Founder & CEO Doug Grawe takes a look inside four topics that have come up quite often in the first weeks of 2026 during conversations with clients and professionals within the trucking and logistics industries. As you’ll hear, Doug opens the podcast by discussing the latest happenings related to broker liability. He notes an upcoming Supreme Court ruling that is expected to address whether or not brokers should be held liable or should face the potential for liability in motor vehicle accidents. The second topic covered by Doug in this episode offers an update on the recent news t
The Grawe Pod opens the year by discussing a collection of strategic questions, including: Is your company prepared to meet the challenges and make the most of the opportunities that will be found in the 2026 trucking and logistics market? Is your Sales strategy aligned with your Operations and Recruiting strategies? Have you defined your ideal customer? Have you properly evaluated your bid participation strategies ahead of the RFP opportunities that are coming up this year? Grawe Group Founder & CEO Doug Grawe and Grawe Group Executive Business Partner Gary Randall begin 2026 by examining a c
The Grawe Pod closes out 2025 by looking ahead to addressing a collection of strategic questions that decision makers for trucking and logistics companies need to consider as they prepare for the year ahead. What do you need to do to position your company to achieve wins in 2026? What are your goals? Do you have the proper alignment across your organization to realize your goals? Do you have the proper processes and accountabilities in place, including analyzing the data? Grawe Group Founder & CEO Doug Grawe and Grawe Group Executive Business Partner Gary Randall hit the key points involved wh
In this episode of the podcast, we will be introduced to Kate Norris, an attorney with 10 years of experience who joined the Grawe Group earlier this year. As you will hear, the bulk of Kate’s previous experience came from working in the healthcare field, and she served for the past six years in the position of general counsel. Grawe Group Founder & CEO Doug Grawe and Grawe Group Executive Business Partner Gary Randall talk with Kate about the most valued lessons she learned from her days in healthcare as well as how she is applying that experience in making the transition to the trucking indu
October can provide trucking and logistics company leaders the opportunity to ask larger, strategic questions centered around how your organization can adjust to make next year better than the year you are closing out. In this episode of the Grawe Pod, we will be addressing a number of forward-thinking questions, including: What’s going to be different about the year ahead? What are you going to do differently to adjust to opportunities in the market? How are you going to look at your company critically? In particular, what will you be looking at every day that tells you whether or not you can
Within the trucking industry and across a host of other industries, managing litigation issues has become a common aspect of running a business in recent years. During this episode of the Grawe Pod, we’ll be discussing the complexities of litigation in the business world, placing a particular focus on addressing litigation situations that trucking and logistics companies can encounter. Doug Grawe, the Founder and CEO of the Grawe Group, welcomes litigation expert Brian Niemczyk as his guest for this episode of the series. Brian is a partner with the Hellmuth & Johnson Law Firm in the Twin Citi
In this episode of the Grawe Pod, we are dedicating some time to place a focus on lease-purchase programs, exploring the benefits and challenges for both the independent contractors behind wheel and trucking companies providing the operating authority. Doug Grawe, the Founder and CEO of the Grawe Group, leads a comprehensive discussion on the topic that includes the legal and operational considerations for trucking organizations with lease purchase programs. Doug is joined on this episode by Greg Thompson, a podcast producer with 27 years of experience in the trucking industry that includes ti
Cedar Abadie, the founder of Iron Resolution Services, is our featured guest on the Grawe Pod as we discuss a host of timely topics, including nuclear verdicts, the growing role of mediation and the increased liability that brokers have with the capacity they utilize. Grawe Group Founder and CEO Doug Grawe is your host for a very interesting conversation with Cedar as two highly experienced transportation attorneys take a look at the challenges that carriers and trucking company decision makers face in these evolving times. As you will hear, Doug and Cedar will open the podcast by discussing t
For the decision makers at trucking and logistics companies, the freight market we are experiencing in 2025 requires the ability to be nimble while still staying true to your strengths as a company. And, as we hear in this episode of the Grawe Pod, today’s market environment also demands a sense of discipline within your fundamentals that incorporates both optimism and realism when evaluating opportunities and executing strategies that fit your operation. Grawe Group Founder and CEO Doug Grawe discusses the current challenges in the trucking market and understanding the ripple effects of opera
One of the toughest challenges for decision makers at trucking and logistics companies is how to harness and utilize the key performance data that can increase efficiency and produce savings while also driving greater profitability. With the immense availability of data in the market today, it’s quite easy for company leaders to be overwhelmed and to feel like you are drowning in numbers and trends. In this episode of the podcast, Grawe Group Founder and CEO Doug Grawe welcomes Swan Webb, a Partner at Results From Data. With a strong background in transportation and logistics, Swan is a self-d
It’s well known among trucking and logistics leaders that balancing multiple interests has long been one of the main challenges within the industry. In this episode of the Grawe Pod, we will be discussing some of the issues faced by trucking companies in relation to motor vehicle accidents, an organization’s safety program and the importance of consistency in operations. Grawe Group Founder and CEO Doug Grawe explores how trucking decision makers can find themselves in a Catch 22 scenario when it comes to safety and productivity. Grawe Group Executive Business Partner Gary Randall joins Doug a
At both the federal and state levels, the changes related to regulations, policies and statutes impacting the trucking industry are happening at an increasingly rapid pace these days. In this episode, the Grawe Pod examines the challenges involved for the management teams of trucking and logistics companies as they navigate the regulatory changes that will have potential impacts on their respective operations. As you will hear, Grawe Group Founder and CEO Doug Grawe discusses approaches management teams can use in evaluating changes at the federal and state levels with Grawe Group Executive Bu
An increase in mergers and acquisitions is one of the anticipated trends as 2025 begins to shape in the trucking and logistics industries. This episode of the Grawe Pod places a focus on key operational considerations that are critical in executing a successful business sale or buy. Doug Grawe, the Founder and CEO of the Grawe Group, takes an in-depth look at the operational keys when executing a merger or acquisition in the trucking and logistics industry with Grawe Group Executive Business Partner Gary Randall. The conversation in this episode emphasizes the significance of having dedicated
To open the 2025 season, the Grawe Pod dedicates our January episode to the always-important topic of driver retention. Doug Grawe, the Founder and CEO of the Grawe Group, discusses a wide range of considerations related to driver retention that fleet executives must weigh with Grawe Group Executive Business Partner Gary Randall. A veteran Operations Leader who has helped companies implement strategies that assist with driver retention, Gary shares his thoughts on building freight networks that promote predictability for the fleet while still addressing the needs of the carrier. Doug and Gary
The Grawe Pod closes out 2024 by placing a focus on the outlook for the freight market in 2025. Doug Grawe, the Founder and CEO of the Grawe Group, is joined by Grawe Group Executive Business Partner Gary Randall to discuss the current state of the trucking and logistics industry, highlighting the growing shift toward optimism in the market. As you will hear, Doug and Gary emphasize the importance of strategic planning for the upcoming year, focusing on how companies can prepare to take advantage of favorable market conditions. The conversation also notes the benefits of taking the time to eva
In this episode of the series, we place a focus on the intricacies of contracts, risk management and liability within the trucking and logistics industries. Doug Grawe, the Founder and CEO of the Grawe Group, is joined by Grawe Group Executive Business Partner Gary Randall to discuss the significance of contracts between shippers, carriers and brokers along with essential contract provisions and their impact on operations. Doug and Gary are also joined by PodWheels Executive Producer Greg Thompson, who facilitates the questions on discussion topics that include managing cargo liability, establ
Cargo claims are a fact of life for trucking and logistics companies. This episode of the Grawe Pod places a focus on the critical topic of managing cargo claims that take place within the trucking and logistics industry. Grawe Group Founder & CEO Doug Grawe is joined on this episode by Grawe Group Executive Business Partner Gary Randall for a discussion that highlights the initial steps the people behind the wheel and their carriers should take when discovering cargo damage. As you will hear, Doug and Gary emphasize the importance of documentation, proper communication and having a well-estab
Over the years, the Grawe Group has had the opportunity to work with a number of trucking companies that utilize independent contractors. While there are no doubt more challenges on the horizon from groups including plaintiffs’ attorneys and the Department of Labor, the proud nature of independent contractors means they will continue to be an important part of trucking’s future. In this episode of the Grawe Pod, we are placing a spotlight on some dos and don’ts when utilizing independent contractors in trucking. As part of the discussion, we highlight the importance of viewing the contractors
According to a recent study, there are now approximately 58 million people in the United States who are engaged in some kind of independent contracting work. One growth sector for contract work is in the area of executive-level consulting. During this episode of the Grawe Pod, we will explore the wide range of considerations that trucking and logistics companies should be weighing when looking to contract with a consultant focused on working in an interim leadership position. In addition, we will also discuss when a trucking or logistics company should look at using a fractional leader to cons
After looking inside the numbers from the latest jobs report, it’s no secret that companies across all industries are struggling in some way, shape or form to fill positions. There is also the issue of properly utilizing continuing training to maximize the talents of current employees. In this evolving job market, it has become critical that companies separate themselves with how they recruit, develop and retain talent. In this episode of the Grawe Pod, we’ll take some time to discuss many of the key questions and considerations that decision makers at trucking and logistics companies should b
