Ep. 127: Mark Willis – Road Dog Trucking News

Blair Hefty, senior media manager at Coyne PR, talks about his career in public relations, how things have changed in in that industry in the past 20 years and his love of the motor sports industry. He also talks about the importance of the personal touch in business, the need for in-person events, what he likes about the trucking industry, what frustrates him about it and how we should deal with change. He also shares his thoughts on what makes a good event, including the mixing business with some social and fun time.

Mark Willis, host of Road Dog Trucking News on Sirius XM, talks about his show and how he finds guests, his background in hard news, and the biggest stories of 2025. He also talks about his passion for safety, what drivers are saying about technology and the elements of a good story.

Zhe Wang, principal of RMI’s China program, talks about China’s focus on decarbonizing trucking, the fast growth of what he calls new energy trucks, and what is driving this growth. He also talks about the recent Rush to Zero program, which was modeled on NACFE’s Run on Less, and the program’s role in increasing the confidence in the viability of new energy trucks in the Chinese market.

Adam Klauber, chief sustainability officer at World Energy, talks about the rebirth of World Energy, the importance of education about fuel types and the need for voluntary choice when it comes to fuel solutions. He also talks about the benefits of drop-in fuel solutions, why renewable diesel is a good solution for trucking and about why a diverse approach to decarbonization makes sense.

Matt Schrap, chief commercial officer of Forum Mobility, talks about his career and his special area of expertise in regulatory policy He also talks about why trucking means so much to him, shares his thoughts on the drayage portion of trucking going electric and explains the goal of Forum Mobility. He also talks about HVIP vouchers in California, Tesla and how BEV technology will continue to evolve.

Don Baldwin, retired from Michelin, talks about the origins of NACFE, why he put his personal stamp on starting NACFE and the fuel agnostic Challenge Bibendum. He also talks about the importance of passion in your work, the value of bringing unbiased information to decision makers and the need to establish some guiding principles for your life. He comments on his role as a recruiter/interviewer for the Naval Academy and where he thinks the trucking industry is today.

Graham Richard, advisor to CEOs and founders leading innovation clean economy companies, talks about his affinity for the clean economy, his time in the Indiana State Senate, and his time as mayor of Fort Wayne, Indiana. He also talks about work he has done on energy and its impact on the environment and about implementing an idle reduction solution for his city’s fleet of trucks. And finally, he shares the theme of his life and talks about one of the proudest moments of his life.

Mike McHorse, NACFE’s director of industry engagement, explains why he has diesel in his blood and his family’s long history in trucking. He also talks about his involvement with the launch of the Freightliner Cascadia, Team Run Smart and some of the initial work with autonomous technology. He explains what makes a good value story, what brought him to NACFE, and his love for emerging technologies.

Dan Gage, president of The Transport Project, talks about the process of rebranding an organization, explains what a sustainability solutionist is, and why he thinks now is the perfect opportunity for natural gas. He also explains the different types of feedstocks for RNG, the economics of the fuel and clears up some of the misconceptions.

Rachael Nealer, energy and transportation leader, former executive director of the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, talks about why it is important to break down silos, new models for momentum, and the importance of making research actionable. She also talks about what she thinks can be applied from passenger cars to trucks, and why money is not the only thing needed to transition to a new technology. She also shares what she sees as some of the less common benefits and challenges of EVs and gives some advice on approaching the future.