Safety, Survival, and Speaking Hard Truths with Pamela Polyak

Pamela Polyak was born into trucking. But she didn’t inherit her leadership. She earned it. In this raw, revealing episode of Driving Forward, we sit down with the third-generation CEO of Polyak Trucking to unpack what it really takes to lead in one of the toughest industries on the planet. From growing up in the family business to building her own freight empire, Pamela shares the moments that defined her, from earning respect in her father’s company to leading one of the Midwest’s most trusted carriers. We go deep into the freight industry’s hidden killers: compliance, safety, burnout, and survival. Pamela opens up about why so many small carriers fail, how she helps them get back on track through her consulting work, and why telling the hard truth is an act of service. She talks legacy, pressure, motherhood, and the reality of carrying a company with your name on the door. This conversation is for anyone who’s ever carried the weight of a business, questioned their own path, or fought to keep something alive that mattered. Freight is just the backdrop, this one’s about leadership, resilience, and building something that lasts.