Roy Craigen on Building Smarter Fleets Without Load Boards | A Trucking Podcast
Miles and Mentors Trucking Podcast
Release Date: 05/21/2025
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Miles and Mentors Trucking Podcast
What simple marketing moves put a brand-new carrier ahead of half the competition? In this episode of Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast, Webster Jorgensen shares practical, first-week marketing advice for new carriers and small fleets. Drawing on more than a decade leading digital marketing at Shamrock Trading and now running his own agency, Demand Stack, Webster breaks down what really matters for trucking companies trying to stand out online. From understanding market cycles and building a simple Google Business Profile to creating a basic website and asking for reviews, Webster explains...
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Miles and Mentors Trucking Podcast
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Miles and Mentors Trucking Podcast
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From First Turn to Fleet Wisdom with Chemistry Howard | Ep 54
Miles and Mentors Trucking Podcast
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Smart Hiring Strategies for Trucking Fleets with Rob Carpenter | A Trucking Podcast
Miles and Mentors Trucking Podcast
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From Dispatcher to Global Strategist with Wolfgang LaMarca | Ep 52
Miles and Mentors Trucking Podcast
What does it look like to rise from the dispatch desk to the top floor of global freight strategy? In this episode of Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast, Wolfgang LaMarca joins us from Hong Kong to share his decades of logistics leadership across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. From his early days in local distribution to advising multibillion-dollar firms and startup founders, Wolfgang has seen it all and brings a rare, holistic view of how freight connects the world. We talk shop about real-world trucking, the evolution of tech like IoT and AI in logistics, and what it means to build both...
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Miles and Mentors Trucking Podcast
What does it take to start over in a new country and build a successful trucking company from the ground up? In this episode of Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast, Bek, founder of Bek Logistics and an immigrant from Uzbekistan, shares how he launched and scaled a fleet in the U.S. after starting in agricultural transport overseas. His journey, from exporting produce in Central Asia to running a multi-truck operation in America, is packed with insight, grit, and the kind of hard-earned wisdom every driver-turned-owner-operator should hear. From dealing with border customs abroad to...
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Miles and Mentors Trucking Podcast
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Building Freight Trust Through Transparency with Ryan Suydam | A Trucking Podcast
Miles and Mentors Trucking Podcast
What if the biggest competitive edge in freight isn’t rates or routes but trust? Too many freight professionals underestimate the power of reputation until it’s too late. In a high-stakes industry plagued by fraud and fragmentation, the ones who win are those who build trust first, transactions second. In this episode of Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast, Ryan Suydam, agency owner at RKC Logistics under Armstrong Transport Group, shares what it means to be known as “The Trusted Freight Guy.” With over two decades of experience, Ryan dives into building resilient broker-carrier...
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Building a Load Board from Scratch with Nisrine Masri | Ep 47
Miles and Mentors Trucking Podcast
What if the most overlooked corner of the logistics industry held your next big opportunity? While most tech innovation in freight focuses on dry van or flatbed operations, Nisrine Masri saw a different gap. One that’s plagued moving and storage for decades: backhauls, fragmented labor sourcing, and outdated tools. With over 20 years in the industry and a passion for solving real problems, she built Movers Dispatch Board from the ground up. No outside funding, just grit and know-how. In this episode of Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast, Nisrine shares how she transitioned from running a...
info_outlineWhat if scaling your fleet meant skipping the load board altogether?
In this episode of Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast, Roy Craigen, founder and president of Transcom Fleet Services, delivers decades of wisdom from the cab to the C-suite. Raised in the industry and seasoned through transforming trucking companies across North America, Roy explains why most startups fail and how to build lasting, compliant, and efficient operations instead.
From managing small fleets to overseeing 200 terminals, Roy shares tactical, real-world insights on fleet structure, compliance risks, and the power of direct customer relationships. Whether you're running one truck or twenty, this episode is packed with mentorship gold for trucking entrepreneurs ready to grow the right way.
Like what you hear? Be sure to like, subscribe, and share the show with others in the trucking world.
🎧 Episode Timestamps
📍 00:00:00 – Meet Roy Craigen, President of Transcom Fleet Services
📍 00:01:04 – Roy’s start: born into trucking and driving trucks at age six
📍 00:04:05 – From pulling A-trains to managing national fleets
📍 00:07:30 – The story behind Transcom and what sets them apart
📍 00:09:00 – Why Transcom gets behind management, not in front
📍 00:11:01 – Helping small and massive fleets, from 6 vans to 200 terminals
📍 00:13:35 – Why 90% of new fleets fail and how to prevent it
📍 00:15:57 – Hidden compliance costs and fines every operator should know
📍 00:17:52 – The dangers of scaling without structure
📍 00:20:12 – Why Roy never used load boards, even when scaling to $150M
📍 00:22:09 – Build local customer relationships, not broker dependency
📍 00:26:01 – Key advice for launching a fleet today
📍 00:27:06 – The hidden value in reading trade publications, including the ads
📍 00:28:10 – "Float the boat" and how to reduce equipment wear and fuel waste
📍 00:29:25 – The moral duty of every driver on the road
📍 00:30:33 – How to contact Roy and learn more about Transcom
🎙 About Our Guest
Roy Craigen is the President and Founder of Transcom Fleet Services (https://transcomfleetservices.com), a hands-on operational consulting firm serving trucking fleets across North America. With over 20 years of leadership in award-winning logistics operations, Roy helps companies, from small local outfits to multinational carriers, build better systems, stay compliant, and avoid costly missteps.
LinkedIn (Roy): https://www.linkedin.com/in/transcom-fleet-services-inc-6095576a/
Website: https://transcomfleetservices.com
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