Roeth: Letty and I are grateful

It’s customary to use Thanksgiving as a time to reflect on things we are grateful for, and I have done so in this space several times over the 11 years I have been blogging for FleetOwner. And I am going to do it again here in 2025 because I don’t think you can express gratitude too often.

I want to start by saying I am grateful for all the people who, during the past year, have offered condolences or a kind word on the passing of my wife, Letty, late in 2024. I am especially grateful to people who share stories about their interactions with her, talking about how she inspired them, supported them, or made them feel special. And I cannot express how grateful I am to the people who allowed me to share my own Letty stories with them.

My new reality has been supported in large part by individuals with the trucking industry, which is one of the reasons I am thankful to be a part of it. I cannot speak about what happens in other industries, but in trucking, people who start out as business acquaintances often become friends. At least that has been true for me.

My podcast, Trucking Efficiency with Mike Roeth and Friends, bears this out. What makes my podcast a bit different from some others out there is that to be a guest on it, you and I have to be friends. No exceptions. Somewhere in each podcast, I ask my guest how we met and became friends. A high percentage of people on my podcast are people from the trucking industry whom I have gotten to know beyond the confines of what we do for a living. In other words, many of my best friends are trucking folks.

I am also grateful to the 13 fleets that participated in this year’s Run on Less – Messy Middle. We ask a lot of the fleets that commit to being in the Run, including letting us drag a video crew to their location for a whole day to take personnel away from their jobs to spend time talking to us. And the fleets are also asked to publicly share data on how their trucks are performing during the Run. Fleets participating in the Run are willing to do this because they believe it is important for the entire industry to become more efficient, so they share their knowledge and experience. When you think about it, these fleets do a selfless act by joining.

I am also grateful to all the trade associations and other groups that make space for NACFE staff on the stages of their meetings, conferences, and conventions. By doing so, they allow our work to be exposed to a wider audience so that more people can take advantage of the things we learn in confidence reports, guidance reports, and through the various Run on Less activities.

I’m also grateful for the people who challenge us and question our findings and messaging. They help ensure that we remain unbiased and agnostic, which, I think, is one of our strengths.

Finally, I am grateful to all the people I meet whlle traveling from place to place in my RV. I have had countless interesting conversations with people I’ve met at diners, cafes, bars, and restaurants whle traveling. These brief encounters enirch my life and provide new stories to share with my family and friends.

This past year has been tough as I travel through it without Letty, but it has also been uplifting and wonderful in so many ways. She is proud of me and also grateful to you all! I am discovering new ways to find joy and to keep her spirit alive. I am grateful to all of you who have supported me on this new journey.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!