Hammer Lane Legends

Hammer Lane Legends

Brian Merkel and Brian Shipper host conversations with people that drive for a living as they share their wild and crazy experiences from the road. Becoming stranded, bad storms, weird hitchhikers, saving someone from an accident, seeing UFOs, and so much more! If you've experienced it, Brian and Shipper want to talk about it!

Episodes

Back It Up | Rock N' Roll Landscaper

October 3, 2025 • 77 mins
In Episode 33: Rock N' Roll Landscaper, we are joined by Shane, a landscaping professional and metal musician. Shane has been in landscaping for a little while and has many stories to share from on the job and on the road. Not only does Shane tow a 24 foot trailer for work, he's also been on tour and driven for his metal band. Shane has seen many incredible events on the road, so sit back, buckle up, and rock on as he tells us...
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Back It Up| 188: BREAKROOM | Brian & Paul

September 19, 2025 • 131 mins
 In this week's episode, Brian and Shipper wrap up last week's podcast with Paul, by having a Breakroom chat with both Paul and Brian. This episode goes all over the place, and is full of hilarious conversation. From start to finish, this was a great episode. So sit back, relax and enjoy the show!

Angel Tree Farms:
Email: angeltreefarms2019@gmail.com
Website: angeltreefarms.org
Donation: https://www.zeffy....
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Back It Up | 232: Breakroom Chaos

September 4, 2025 • 83 mins
  In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, the hosts dive into a lively conversation filled with personal stories, workplace quirks, and the frustrations of life on the road. They explore everything from truck design evolution and pay structures to the challenges of night shifts and navigating road construction. With humor and lightheartedness, they share anecdotes about home repairs, car detailing rituals, and neighborhood pol...
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Back It Up | 149: Firehouse to Fuel Island

August 29, 2025 • 111 mins
 In this week's episode, 149: Firehouse to Fuel Island; the guys are joined by Bob who spent 22 years as a fireman in Pennsylvania. Early on in his attempt to become a firefighter he was denied due to vision impairment issues, so he picked up a job working in auto repair. Though, it didn't take long for him to get his vision fixed and make his way into the firehouse. From the time Bob was a young boy, he wanted to be a fireman...
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Back It Up | 233: Tennessee Tales

August 22, 2025 • 78 mins
In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, Brian and Jack dive into a candid and humorous chat about life on the road, battling tech frustrations, and the chaos of email overload. They swap personal stories, discuss local happenings, and explore how nostalgia shapes the digital age. From environmental concerns to healthcare and political reflections, the conversation touches on everything from hunting and sports culture in Tennes...
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Back It Up | 235: Haunted Highways

August 15, 2025 • 93 mins
  In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, hosts Brian Merkel and Mike Dre engage in a captivating conversation with Emilio Flores, a seasoned truck driver with over 32 years of experience. Emilio shares his journey into the trucking industry, influenced by his family's legacy, and reflects on the significant changes he has witnessed over the years, including the evolution of regulations and the shift from manual to automatic t...
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263: The Florida Long Haul

August 12, 2025 • 120 mins
 In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, explore the highs and lows of life on the road. Aaron shares stories of fatherhood, slip-seating, and the challenges of keeping shared trucks clean. The hosts dive into Florida’s unique trucking rules, frustrating truck maintenance, canceled backhauls, and varying pay structures. With humor and camaraderie, they recount unpredictable moments—from grocery store deliveries to a Christmas ...
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262: Life Of A Diesel Mechanic

August 5, 2025 • 82 mins
In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, hosts Brian, Brian, and Mike engage in a lively conversation with Richard Robinson, a seasoned diesel mechanic with a wealth of experience. They discuss Richard's journey from a small farm in North Carolina to a successful career in mechanics, the challenges of working long hours in the field, and the impact of hard work on health. The conversation also touches on the evolution of truck ...
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261: Heartbeats On The Highway

July 30, 2025 • 77 mins
 In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, Brian and Mike sit down with Jim to unpack his decades on the road, from the grueling UPS training grounds to the chaos of city deliveries. Jim opens up about the heart attack that changed everything—how he missed the warning signs, what pulled him through, and the lessons it left behind. Along the way, the guys trade laughs and war stories about life behind the wheel, truck-driving com...
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Back It Up | 206: Roadside Resilience

July 23, 2025 • 69 mins
 In this week's episode, Brian and Brian chat with Bobby Jo who shares her wild and intense experiences on the road. She vividly paints the life of a truck driver, highlighting not only the physical dangers of her job, such as narrowly avoiding accidents and dealing with hazardous situations but also the personal challenges she faces as a woman in a male-dominated industry. Bobby Jo’s journey from a dock worker to a respected ...
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260: Back In The Hammer Lane

July 16, 2025 • 107 mins
 In this episode of Hammer Lane Legends, hosts Brian Merkel and Brian Shipper reconnect with Zach, who shares personal updates, including health challenges and experiences on the road. The conversation flows through various themes, including humorous trucking stories, unique town names, and the challenges of technology in trucking, particularly with People Net. In this engaging conversation, Zach shares humorous and insightful...
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Back It Up| 211: Road Warriors

July 9, 2025 • 87 mins
 In this week's episode, Brian and Shipper are joined by Aaron. Aaron's journey into the trucking industry began during the COVID era, marked by the challenges of training and the critical support of a good trainer. He reflects on the waning camaraderie and professionalism among truck drivers and candidly discusses the strain his career choice put on his relationship with his mother, though he has found peace with it.

...
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Back It Up | 197: Consider It Forwarded

July 2, 2025 • 81 mins
In this week's episode, we are joined by the ALL POWERFUL Tony Merkel and Jack, our producer. The conversation starts with casual banter and some technical hiccups before diving into discussions about Merkel Media's potential new merchandising. The guys also chat about upcoming winter storms and their travel plans, sharing funny stories and inside jokes. They talk about creative cooking methods, like making grilled cheese sandwiche...
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Back It Up| 209: School Bus Supermom

June 26, 2025 • 74 mins
 In this week's special Mother's Day episode, Brian and Patrick Swayze chat with Karen, a seasoned school bus maestro with a decade of steering stories under her belt. Diving into her unexpected love affair with the bus driver's seat, Karen recounts her adventurous shift from trucking to chauffeuring party-goers. Amidst hearty laughs over quirky mishaps, she sheds light on the roadblocks women face in this male-dominated field...
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Back It Up | 122: Logistics of The Trade

June 18, 2025 • 73 mins
In episode 122: Logistics of The Trade; Shipper and Brian are joined by Denny, an old friend of Shipper. From a young age Denny has been working in and around the trucking industry. He started off in industrial maintenance, but once he heard of the opportunity driving offered, he made the switch. He's been on the logistics side and the driving side for Air Products, and has really enjoyed his time there. There was a lot talked...
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Back It Up |152: Bigfoot Beer Run

June 11, 2025 • 93 mins
 In this week's episode, 152: Bigfoot Beer Run; Brian and Shipper chat with Mike, a beer delivery driver around Colorado. Mike got his start about 27 years ago in vans doing deliveries. He quickly moved on to be a delivery driver for Budweiser. and shortly after Coors, and found out quickly that there is a true beer rivalry. In his first few weeks driving he found out the importance of being trained on what you use, especially...
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Back It Up: | 142: Truck Turned Toboggan

June 4, 2025 • 90 mins
 In episode 142: Truck Turned Toboggan; Brian, Shipper and Jack are joined by Harry, from the "Great White North"-Canada. Harry got his start as an industrial painter for 15 years, until his friend managed to convince him to start trucking. And that's just what he did. After breezing through his 6 weeks of training, in the crazy Canadian winter, he was off to the races, or slow crawls. This was full of great stories and entert...
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Back It Up| 117: Running Independent

May 28, 2025 • 95 mins
 In Episode 117: Running Independent, Brian and Shipper talk to Shipper's old friend, Eric. During Eric's time as a trucker, he's had a plethora of experiences that he shares with the guys, and also explains what it's like to be an independent trucker. Eric worked for a few companies, including Pitt Ohio, before settling on being an independent trucker, so buckle up and get ready to run independent with him!

KEEP US F...
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Back It Up| 150: This Isn't Sunday Driving

May 21, 2025 • 110 mins
 In this week's episode, 150: This Isn't Sunday Driving; the guys are joined in studio by Zach, a fellow Pitt Ohio driver. When Zach was a kid, he vowed to never become a truck driver...that didn't work out too well. He started out as a dock worker, while also running a landscaping business, which he still operates to this day. He eventually worked his way from dock worker to driver, and started delivering throughout New Jerse...
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Back It Up |153: Trash Panda Express

May 14, 2025 • 91 mins
 In this week's episode, 153: Trash Panda Express; the guys are joined by returning guest Matt from episode 115: Charged at in the Dark, to share some more stories that he's gathered on the road. Matt, has 27+ years experience in the industry, 18 of which have been with his current company, Estes Express. When he joined us last time, Matt shared some great experiences, including being charged at by what he thought was some cre...
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