Leading the Way at Leonard’s

No matter where you live or what kind of work you do, fuel prices have probably been a source of concern at some point in the past few years. The focus of this episode of Leading the Way at Leonard's is fuel economy and business strategies for managing costs to offset higher prices at the pump. Host Dwayne Knepper is joined by Leonard's Express CEO Ken Johnson, VP of Operations Kevin Adriaansen, and Cost Containment Manager Mitchell Johnson.

Tax season can be stressful but when finances are managed properly, it doesn't have to be a headache. On this episode of Leading the Way at Leonard's, hosts Dwayne Knepper and Ken Johnson have an in-depth conversation with Greg Miller and Sam Irvine from Davie Kaplan, a Rochester, New York-based accounting and financial services firm. Miller and Irvine share advice on how to plan for tax season, how to handle the current turmoil in the financial markets, and what it might mean for people's savings and investment plans. Also, Ken Johnson shares details about a new webinar series that Leonard's Express is hosting to help employees understand, manage and create their financial goals.

The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) is the only trade association whose sole focus is the truckload segment of the motor carrier industry. The association represents dry van, refrigerated, flatbed, tanker, and intermodal container carriers throughout North America. On this episode of Leading the Way at Leonard's, Ken Johnson, CEO of Leonard's Express, hosts three key members of the TCA leadership team: Jim Ward, President; Dave Heller, Senior VP of Safety and Government Affairs; and Jim Schoonover, VP of Education. The group covers a wide range of topics, including the Best Fleets to Drive For award, the Fleet Safety award, TCA's educational programs and sustainability initiatives, and the key legislative issues that TCA is tackling this year. Founded in 1938, the TCA represents operators of over 220,000 trucks, which collectively produce revenue of more than $40 billion in annual truckload revenue.

On this episode of Leading the Way at Leonard's, we honor Women's History Month by recognizing the importance of gender equity in the trucking industry. Our special guest is uniquely qualified to speak on this topic. Leonard's Express Driver Ann McFarland is a finalist for the Women in Trucking Association's Driver of the Year award, one of the most prestigious accolades in the industry.  In a candid conversation with hosts Dwayne Knepper and Ken Johnson, McFarland shares personal stories from her 30-year driving career -- a journey that has spanned more than 3.5 million miles. Topics include overcoming gender bias in an industry that was slow to accept women drivers, mentoring other drivers, and fleet safety.  

Drivers are the lifeblood of the trucking industry, so it's no surprise that transportation providers depend on drivers to be a regular source of feedback. One way to tap into all their experience and wisdom is by establishing a Driver Advisory Board. On this episode of Leading the Way at Leonard's, hosts Dwayne Knepper and Ken Johnson sit down with two members of the Leonard's Express Driver Advisory Board – Lisa Flater and Cal Williard – for an in-depth conversation about how Driver Advisory Boards contribute to higher job satisfaction and better performance for professional drivers and the companies they work for.

On this episode of Leading the Way at Leonard's, hosts Dwayne Knepper and Ken Johnson are joined by Jane Jazrawy and Mark Murrell, creators of the prestigious Best Fleets to Drive For award. Winning Best Fleets to Drive For is a rigorous process. Leonard's Express knows first-hand – they've won it two years in a row. As part of the process, Jazrawy and Murrell collect thousands of survey responses from trucking companies and drivers. As guests on Leading the Way at Leonard's, they share valuable insights on the most notable trends they observed when reviewing this year's nomination forms. Jazrawy and Murrell are also co-founders of CarriersEdge, a leading provider of online driver training for the trucking industry.

Cold chain integrity involves the shipping of temperature-sensitive products along the supply chain. It's largely about keeping perishable foods fresh by maintaining the correct temperature during shipping and warehousing. On this episode of Leading the Way at Leonard's, host Dwayne Knepper speaks with Marina Mayer, Editor-in-Chief of Food Logistics Magazine, and Ken Johnson, Leonard's Express CEO, about the many ways shippers and carriers are managing cold chain integrity to ensure only the highest quality products end up in stores and on people's dinner tables. Mayer also shares details about a prestigious award given by Food Logistics Magazine that Johnson recently won – the annual “Rock Stars of the Supply Chain” award.

January was National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a time to be extra vigilant and focused on combating and ending this unthinkable crime. On this episode of Leading the Way at Leonard's, hosts Dwayne Knepper and Ken Johnson speak with Liz Williamson, Training Specialist for Truckers Against Trafficking, about how the trucking industry is uniquely positioned to fight human trafficking on a daily basis. As a survivor of human trafficking, Williamson has dedicated her life to this important work.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 80-to-90% of American businesses are family owned. One of them is Leonard's Express. On this episode of Leading the Way at Leonard's, owners Ken and Kyle Johnson talk about the dynamics of leading a family business, including the secret to forming a cohesive unit, inside and outside of work. Leonard's Express Financial Analyst Max Herbst (also a family member) joins Ken, Kyle and host Dwayne Knepper for this candid conversation.

According to the American Trucking Association, more 50% of commercial truck drivers are over the age of 45. In the next 10 years, almost a quarter of those drivers will reach retirement age. On this episode of Leading the Way at Leonard's, host Dwayne Knepper speaks with two drivers from different ends of the spetrum: Keith Buhcanan has been driving for nearly 30 years and Kolton Sleeth has been driving for five. Keith and Kolton share their perspectives on safety, technology, entertainment, and life on the open road. Leonard's Express VP of People and Development Shannon Struzik joins the conversation to share her insights on recruiting and retaining drivers of all ages.

In March of 2022, the EPA proposed new, more stringent standards to reduce pollution from heavy-duty vehicles starting in model year 2027. On this episode of Leading the Way at Leonard's, hosts Dwayne Knepper and Ken Johnson discuss how fleets can use tools like EPA SmartWay certification to meet these new requirements and become a greener transportation services provider. In fact, many trucking companies are using SmartWay certification to create a competitive advantage and stand out as a preferred carrier by reducing harmful emissions. Plus, David Powers, Technical Support Manager for Cummins, shares details about some exciting new technologies from Cummins that will help trucking companies meet their environmental goals.

Most commercial carriers in the U.S. are small businesses. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 92% of fleets operate six or fewer trucks, and 97% operate less than 20. In this episode, Leading the Way at Leonard's shares tips to help small carriers remain competitive in today's challenging economic environment. Host Dwayne Knepper is joined by Leonard's Express CEO Ken Johnson and two guests who have a deep understanding of the challenges that small fleets and independent operators face: Greg Lefebre, General Manager of Integrated Logistics & Associates and Tom O'Donnell, VP of Logistics for Leonard's Express.

The focus of this episode is one of the trucking industry's most exciting events – the TMC SuperTech Competition. Each year, the Technology and Maintenance Council of the American Trucking Association hosts its National Technician Skills Competition -- the biggest industry-wide competition for professional maintenance techs. Ken Myers from Leonard's Express sister company Johnson Equipment participated in the competition, and he joined Leading the Way at Leonard's to share what it was like "in the trenches." Also from Johnson Equipment, Patrick Johnson shares what impressed him most about the TMC SuperTech Competition as an observer and fan of diesel engine technology. Hosted by Dwayne Knepper and Ken Johnson from Leonard's Express.

On this episode of Leading the Way at Leonard's, co-hosts Dwayne Knepper and Ken Johnson speak with Holly Anderson and Christina Thompson from the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester (BCCR) about breast cancer awareness and inspiring action. Anderson and Thompson point out that the focus on fighting this deadly disease should not end when Breast Cancer Awareness Month ends -- it must be a persistent, year-round effort. Plus, Leonard's Express CEO Ken Johnson shares details about his family's close call with breast cancer and what the company is doing to promote breast cancer awareness throughout the year.

Ellen Voie, President and CEO of the Women in Trucking Association, joins Leading the Way at Leonard's for a candid conversation about gender diversity in the North American transportation industry. Host Dwayne Knepper is joined by Leonard's Express CEO Ken Johnson and VP of People & Development Shannon Struzik, who share their insight on what makes an organization a great place for women to work. Also on this episode, a closer look at the life and legacy of Leonard's Express co-founder Patricia Johnson and the criteria for winning the annual Pat Johnson Award: focus, intelligence, drive, independence, compasssion, respect and integrity.

The focus of this episode is corporate philanthropy. Leading the Way at Leonard's host Dwayne Knepper is joined by Leonard's Express VP of People and Development Shannon Struzik and guests Nanci and Mike Bentley from Inclusion in Motion. They discuss an exciting program in Upstate New York that brings people of all abilities together to learn, play, and socialize -- Inclusion in Motion's Dream Big campaign. Inclusion in Motion aims to be the first certified universal design playground in the United States. Simply put, that means one design for everyone, regardless of physical abilities. As part of its corporate philanthopy program, Leonard's Express delivered five truckloads of raw materials and playground equipment more than 1,000 miles from Delano, Minnesota to Canandaigua, New York. The total value of the Leonard's Express donation was more than $31,000. “We have quickly become a popular destination for schools, adult agencies and even other municipalities to visit," said Nanci Bentley in a recent announcement about the project. "Without the community's support and the backing of donors like Leonard's Express, this playground would not be where it is today. We couldn't have done it by ourselves.”

Leading the Way at Leonard's host Dwayne Knepper is joined by Leonard's Express Chief Financial Officer Kyle Johnson, VP of People & Development Shannon Struzik, and CEO Ken Johnson to discuss a topic that's near and dear to our hearts -- National Truck Driver Appreciation Week! Learn how the trucking industry celebrates drivers this week and how Leonard's Express strives to recognize and honor drivers 365 days a year, making Leonard's one of North America's Best Fleets to Drive for, according to the Truckload Carriers Association and Carriers Edge.

On this episode of Leading the Way at Leonard's, host Dwayne Knepper talks with Leonard's Express VP of Operations Kevin Adriaansen and CEO Ken Johnson about environmental sustainability. Topics include reducing pollution from smog and soot-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx) to meet EPA requirements, electric trucks and trailers, and SPIER -- a dual induction system that revolutionizes the performance of diesel engines by reducing fuel consumption and reducing harmful emissions.

Kendra Hems, President of the Trucking Association of New York (TANY) shares her insight on some of the industry's greatest challenges and opportunities. Topics include tort reform to protect fleet owners from outrageous lawsuits and "nuclear" verdicts, repealing highway use taxes, the congestion tolling program in New York City, environmental issues, and road speed regulations. Hosted by Dwayne Knepper and Ken Johnson from Leonard's Express.

Most warehousing facilities in the United States are outdated. In a March 2022 report, real estate services giant JLL estimated that the average age of the country's industrial warehouses is 42 years old. Buildings constructed more than twenty years ago account for three-quarters of the total industrial supply, with more than one-quarter of all inventory over 50 years of age.  Leonard's Express Chief Operating Officer Kevin Johnson and Director of Warehouse Operations Jeff Kessler join hosts Dwayne Knepper and Ken Johnson to discuss these trend, and provide a sneak preview of a new refrigerated warehouse in upstate New York that is making a positive impact on the local economy.

Susan Dold from Truckers Against Trafficking joins Leading the Way at Leonard's host Dwayne Knepper and Leonard's Express CEO Ken Johnson to discuss human trafficking – a serious issue that has a devastating impact on victims, but that the trucking industry is uniquely positioned to help solve.

In this special 4th of July edition of Leading the Way at Leonard's, host Dwayne Knepper provides an in-depth look at how Leonard's Express is honoring veterans by giving several of its trucks a military makeover. As part of its patriotic “wrapped truck” program, Leonard's is vinyl wrapping a brand-new truck with a military-themed design for each of its five terminals (Taylorsville, North Carolina; Caldwell, Idaho; Eau Claire, Wisconsin; New Castle, Delaware; and Farmington, New York), and assigning the trucks to drivers who have served in the United States Military. U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Bob Williams and U.S. Air Force Veteran Keith Buchannan join the show , along with Leonard's Express Director of Oganizational Development Tim Owens and CEO Ken Johnson.

Leading the Way at Leonard's host Dwayne Knepper is joined by Canandaigua Driving School General Manager Sam Boncaro and Leonard's Express CEO Ken Johnson to discuss new legislation that allows 18-year-olds to receive their CDL A license. In light of recent driver shortages and supply chain challenges, the recently passed law in New York and other states could bring a much needed influx of talent to the industry. But not everyone is happy about the age restrictions changing, especially those who have concerns about younger drivers making our roads less safe.

Leading the Way at Leonard's closes out the month of May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month, with an important discussion about mental and behavioral health. Leonard's Express recently worked with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to educate employees, especially drivers, and help reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues. NAMI Rochester (NY) Chief Operating Officer Kristina Mossgraber joined host Dwayne Knepper and Leonard's Express CEO Ken Johnson for a candid conversation on a topic that touches many of our lives.  

On this episode of Leading the Way at Leonard's, host Dwayne Knepper talks with Leonard's Express Director of Fleet Safety Katie Griffin, Risk Control Manager Ethan Miller, and CEO Ken Johnson about their top-to-bottom commitment to safety in the trucking industry. The trio discusses their recent “Fleet Safety Award” from the Trucking Association of New York, and dive into what it takes to be New York's “Grand Champion” for safety. 

On this episode of Leading the Way at Leonard's, host Dwayne Knepper talks with Leonard's Express VP of Asset Operations Joe Cologgi and CEO Ken Johnson about their multi-faceted approach to being recognized as one of the trucking industry's best fleets to drive for. Leonard's was recently named one of North America's top 20 fleets to drive for by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) and CarriersEdge.