This episode of Beyond the Bulldog focuses on the one asset truck drivers cannot afford to lose: their health. Our guest is Dr. Lon Morgan, a family practice physician at Friedberg Family Medicine in North Carolina who has spent more than three decades helping patients manage weight, blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol through lifestyle changes first and medication only when necessary. He also speaks from experience, having lost more than 50 pounds himself and kept it off for nearly 30 years.

Dr. Morgan talks directly to drivers about what is realistic in the real world, not in a perfect gym schedule or a perfect kitchen. He explains why most New Year’s resolutions fail, how small daily habits build long term results, and what practical choices truckers can make with limited time, limited options, and a lot of hours behind the wheel. From cutting back on bread, potatoes, and liquid calories to using short walks and simple strength moves to protect your metabolism, he lays out a plan that fits the trucking lifestyle instead of fighting it.

Dr. Morgan discusses:

-His approach to medicine, why he would rather prevent disease than prescribe pills, and how he personally went from 272 pounds to about 220 by changing what he drank, what he ate, and how he used his lunch hour.

-How to build a sustainable “wellness habit,” including realistic goals, the six month window it took him to make exercise non negotiable, and the mindset of not letting every lunch meeting or convenience food derail your progress.

-Practical nutrition for truckers, including why bread products, white potatoes, and liquid calories are such a problem, better choices for snacks and meals on the road, and how to use caffeine wisely without living on energy drinks and sugar crashes.

-Simple ways to stay active on tight schedules, from using a 30 minute break to walk instead of sit, to doing bodyweight movements or light dumbbell work near the truck, to using nationwide gyms or apps when available so fitness fits into life on the road. With straightforward advice and zero gimmicks, Dr. Morgan shows drivers that they do not need a miracle plan to improve their health, only consistent small changes in how they move, eat, drink, and rest. What’s next?

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We sit down with Brian Cooke, vice president of sales and operations at R.W. McCollum in Greensboro, North Carolina, to talk about the tank trailers that keep fuel and other critical liquids moving across the Southeast. From an 80 year family business and a 13 bay repair shop to custom spec trailers and truck mounted tanks, Brian explains how his team supports petroleum, dry bulk, propane, chemical, and food grade fleets with both new equipment and complex repairs.

In this episode, Brian walks through his own path from sweeping floors in the shop to running sales and the office, why long term relationships matter in a shrinking customer base, and how custom aluminum trailers can quietly generate serious money through smarter specs, lighter weight, and longer service life. He also digs into safety systems, disaster relief builds, fleet telematics, and why a trailer is no longer just a barrel on wheels. Brian discusses:

-The story of R.W. McCollum, from its founding in 1946 to becoming an 80 year tank trailer dealership, and how the Cooke family has carried the business forward with sales, service, and ASME certified repairs under one roof.

-How custom aluminum petroleum trailers are spec’d for payload, weight, and longevity, including compartment layouts, hose and cabinet setups, niche disaster relief and transformer oil trailers, and in house upfitting for pumps, filtration, and special applications.

-Safety from the repair bay to the highway, including cleaning and internal inspections, roll stability systems, disc brakes, belly valve shear sections, emergency shutoffs, and the procedures required to weld on gasoline trailers without taking on unnecessary risk.

-The new technology layer on modern trailers, from GPS and geofencing to tire pressure and temperature monitoring, wheel end heat sensing, camera systems, and scene lighting that help fleets manage uptime, reduce accidents, protect drivers, and defend against costly litigation. With a mix of hands on shop experience and long term customer relationships, Brian shows how the right trailer spec and support partner can protect margins, improve safety, and turn a rolling tank into a moving billboard for the brand.

What’s next?

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We are back with Wright Archer, division engineer with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, to continue our deep dive into how roads really come together. In his first episode, Wright walked through planning and design. This time, he takes us through the next stages: how projects are bid, how construction actually happens in the field, and what it takes to maintain roads and bridges so they stay safe for decades. From traditional bid build contracts to design build and construction manager at risk models, Wright explains how NCDOT chooses the right approach for each job, how risks are shared, and why collaboration between designers, contractors, and the department can save both time and money. Then he shifts to the field, describing what happens once the plans are done: clearing and grubbing, earthwork, bridge construction, pavement design for heavy truck loads, traffic control, and inspections. Wright also digs into long term maintenance, from sealing cracks and repainting beams to managing rutting, deer strikes, cable median barriers, stranded motorists, and even the emerging challenge of electric vehicle fires. Throughout, he connects every step back to one theme: keeping people and freight moving safely.

Wright discusses:

-How different project delivery methods work in practice, including traditional bid build, design build, and construction manager at risk, and why NCDOT uses each one depending on complexity, risk, and schedule.

-The step by step process of building a road, starting with work zone setup and clearing, then moving into earthwork, structure foundations and girders, subgrade preparation, and pavement layers designed for heavy truck traffic.

-How traffic is managed during construction, including phasing, detours, lane closures, traffic control plans, and constant coordination between inspectors and contractors to keep work zones safe and projects on schedule.

-The importance of maintenance, from bridge joint and bearing repairs to pavement overlays, diamond grinding, wildlife crossings, cable median barriers, retroreflective markings, and incident response trucks that help stranded motorists and prevent secondary crashes.

With practical examples and stories from the field, Wright shows that a finished highway is only the midpoint of the journey, and that careful bidding, disciplined construction, and ongoing maintenance all play a critical role in road safety. What’s next?

Tune in weekly for new episodes!

Visit the Mack Shop to use your discount code:

https://mackshop.com/

Book a virtual truck tour!

https://www.macktrucks.com/live-tour/