Are your roads—and trucking regulations—ready for the future? Discover what's really happening behind the scenes as the trucking industry faces its biggest changes in years.

In this riveting episode of Transportation Nation, Senior Vice President of Safety and Government Affairs at the Truckload Carriers Association, David Heller, joins Bennett’s own Caitlyn Folks and Lee Gentry for an urgent conversation about upcoming challenges, breakthroughs, and misconceptions in trucking today. As the expiration of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act draws near, David Heller breaks down what Washington’s looming legislative decisions mean for truckers, carriers, and the motoring public.

You’ll get an inside look at:

• Why highway infrastructure funding is in jeopardy—and what it really costs to keep trucks and roads safe
• What most policymakers still don’t understand about trucking compliance, technology, and regulation
• How leading carriers like Bennett are raising the bar in safety, advocacy, and driver training

Don’t miss David Heller’s illuminating thoughts on the impact of new tech, the truth behind driver safety, and the real role of government in shaping industry standards. Plus, hear heartfelt stories highlighting the everyday heroism of America’s professional truck drivers—true “Highway Angels” whose acts of service rarely make the headlines.

Whether you’re a trucking professional, policymaker, driver, or just want to know more about what keeps America moving, this episode is packed with insights, practical advice, and an inspiring look into the road ahead.

Subscribe for more conversations like this—where we spotlight the people, purpose, and progress driving transportation forward.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Professional Truck Drivers: Safest on the Road
01:01 Highway Trust Fund Challenges Explained
03:27 Funding Truck Parking and Infrastructure
04:01 Electric Vehicles and Fair Road Funding
05:18 Time to Eliminate Outdated Excise Tax
06:35 Policymakers Misunderstand the Trucking Industry
08:10 Why Trucking Stories Matter in Washington
10:03 Debunking Truck Driver Misconceptions
12:18 Technology: Assist, Not Replace Drivers
13:34 ELDs—From Controversy to Acceptance
14:37 Protecting Both Drivers and Motoring Public
16:03 Show Up: How Great Carriers Stay Prepared
18:10 Fast-Tracking Regulations & Optimism for Trucking
20:22 Raising the Bar: Bennett’s Safety Culture
21:33 Communicate, Communicate: Regulators and Unintended Consequences
23:33 The Highway Angel Program: Unsung Trucking Heroes

LINKS:

Truckload Carriers Association (TCA)
https://www.truckload.org/

Highway Angel Program (TCA)
https://www.truckload.org/highway-angel/

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/

Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs)
https://eld.fmcsa.dot.gov/List

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
https://aaafoundation.org/

What happens when changing immigration laws and ramped-up enforcement collide with America’s trucking industry? Find out in this eye-opening episode of Transportation Nation as we welcome David Heller, Senior Vice President of Safety and Government Affairs at the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), for a no-nonsense look at the seismic regulatory shifts about to hit the road.

Hosts Lee Gentry and Caitlyn Folks sit down with David Heller, a trusted voice in trucking policy with over two decades of experience shaping safety and regulation across the nation. Together, they untangle the complex web of immigration, licensing, and safety enforcement that’s redefining what it means to be a professional truck driver in 2026—and what these changes mean for carriers, drivers, and the American economy.

Key takeaways from this episode:
Learn why stricter enforcement on non-domiciled CDLs and English language proficiency is creating dramatic shifts in driver availability—and what this means for carriers large and small.

Discover how truck driver training schools are coming under unprecedented scrutiny, and why enforcement isn’t just about drivers, but every link in the trucking safety chain.

Hear the untold impact of truck parking shortages, including the surprising ways it affects not just driver livelihoods but the safety of everyone on the road.

Along the way, David Heller dispels myths, shares data-driven insights (did you know 3.8% of all CDL holders could be sidelined?), and explains how policy changes are affecting labor, rates, and the standard of professionalism across the industry.

Don’t miss this candid, informative, and forward-looking conversation—essential listening for anyone in or around the world of trucking, logistics, or transportation policy.

Subscribe for more conversations like this, and stay ahead of the curve on the issues shaping the future of transportation.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Industry Shift: Prioritizing American Drivers
02:29 TCA’s Mission to Improve Industry Safety
04:07 Immigration & Licensing: Impact on Safety and Jobs
07:32 Enforcement Ramps Up: Non-Domiciled CDLs and English Proficiency
10:00 Executive Orders Shifting Regulatory Landscape
13:07 Capacity Crisis: 300,000 Drivers May Exit Industry
16:51 Trucking Schools Under Scrutiny
20:01 Compliance Reviews: Safety Fitness Determination Explained
22:06 Hours of Service Flexibility Pilot Program
25:15 ELD Enforcement: Cracking Down on Fraudulent Logging
26:14 Truck Parking Shortage: $7,000 Lost Per Driver Annually
28:59 Congressional Push for $755 Million in Truck Parking
30:21 Closing: Safety, Parking, and What’s Next

Christmas truly wouldn’t be possible without our highway heroes: the real Santas behind the wheel! On today’s Christmas episode of Transportation Nation, Katlyn and Lee are joined by Bennett’s founder and CEO, Marcia Taylor, and President David Pittman—sitting down to talk about the true reason for the season, and the people who keep it moving.

Together the Bennett team reflects on:
Trucking’s role in Christmas—72% of all Christmas gifts are delivered by truck.

Touching family traditions, from homemade crosses beneath the Christmas tree to the legendary Bennett Christmas party surprise wedding.

The power of giving: how Bennett supports Toys for Tots, local schools, and charitable causes, all rooted in faith and community spirit.

This conversation is your invitation to remember what we’re celebrating this week—and to champion and thank all those working tirelessly behind the scenes to deliver the magic of Christmas.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Christmas Meaning: The Birth of Christ
01:07 Honoring Truck Drivers as Real Santas
02:11 Eye-Opening Trucking Industry Christmas Stats
04:24 Marcia Taylor on Family Traditions
08:29 Favorite Scripture: Isaiah 9:6
11:01 Creating a Family Cross Tradition
14:14 Heartfelt Giving: Bennett's Pay It Forward
18:28 Wedding at Bennett Christmas Party Story
22:21 Bennett’s Santa Tradition Through the Years
29:21 Wreaths Across America: Honoring Fallen Heroes
35:04 Emotional Impact of Placing Wreaths on Graves
38:10 The Power of Giving: Taylor Foundation Milestone
42:43 Highway Heroes: Recognizing Truck Driver Sacrifice
47:17 Lee’s Christmas Scripture Reflection
50:49 Closing Prayer & Three Wise Hosts
51:06 Surprise Christmas Poem Honoring Drivers