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
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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...
KEEP US F...
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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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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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May 7, 2025 • 98 mins
in episode 132: Around the Water Cooler | Josh; Brian and Shipper are joined in studio by Josh, a fellow co-worker at Pitt Ohio. Josh has been on the road for 8 years, and in that time has gone from city driving to line haul, and back to city. He shared the many experiences, from what it's like driving in the city, to what he's enjoyed about his time in the industry. Josh and his brother Zach, who will join us on a later show...
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April 30, 2025 • 101 mins
This is our 200th EPISODE! Thank you for tuning in every week to catch the latest Hammer Lane Legend, sharing their story. Here's to 200 more!
In this week's lively and entertaining episode, we sit down with Donna Lynn, the dynamic and multifaceted wife of Hector, a previous guest and truck driver. Donna Lynn shares her unique perspective on the trucking industry, not from behind the wheel, but from her critical role ...
In this week's lively and entertaining episode, we sit down with Donna Lynn, the dynamic and multifaceted wife of Hector, a previous guest and truck driver. Donna Lynn shares her unique perspective on the trucking industry, not from behind the wheel, but from her critical role ...
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April 23, 2025 • 86 mins
In this week's episode, Brian and Brian are joined by Mikki a former truck driver turned accountant. Mikki shares harrowing near-misses and eerie encounters to the humbling challenges of life behind the wheel, each story unveils the raw and often humorous realities of the trucking lifestyle. She tells us about the adrenaline of dodging reckless drivers, the oddity of hitting an owl, and the grit required to train newcomers. M...
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April 18, 2025 • 72 mins
In this week's episode; Picture this: Alan, a seasoned Uber driver with a treasure trove of stories, from the outrageous to the downright bizarre. Imagine navigating through the streets, only to find yourself amidst the chaos of a furry convention, or inadvertently becoming a confidante to the intoxicated secrets of strangers.
Alan's adventures span the gamut of human experience, from the hilarious mishap of almost spill...
Alan's adventures span the gamut of human experience, from the hilarious mishap of almost spill...
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April 16, 2025 • 115 mins
Ken opens up about life after a devastating neck injury, sharing raw stories of pain, recovery, and resilience. From battles with workers' comp and SSDI to finding humor in goats replacing lawnmowers, he reflects on the emotional weight of chronic pain, lost passions, and adapting to new realities. Blending grit with humor, Ken also dives into the trucking world—old gear, DOT inspections, e-logs, and the mental toll of the ro...
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April 11, 2025 • 128 mins
In this week's captivating episode, we sit down with seasoned trucker and trainer Devin, who shares his rich experiences from the road. Devin's stories offer a blend of humor, insight, and practical advice, covering everything from training new drivers to maintaining health and fitness in the trucking lifestyle. His discussions extend beyond driving, delving into personal growth and the unique challenges of a co-ed trainer. Th...
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April 9, 2025 • 101 mins
Brian, Shipper, and Mike dive into a no-holds-barred conversation that jumps from busted coffee machines and cryptid lore to electric vehicles, rising bills, and government red tape. They tackle unions, social security, foreign aid, and the chaos of executive orders—all while weaving in sharp humor, everyday struggles, and a deep nostalgia for simpler times and classic rides.
Donate to help our Coworker's son during his...
Donate to help our Coworker's son during his...
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March 28, 2025 • 57 mins
In this week's episode, Brian and Brian are joined by Kyle to finish up the multitude of stories he has. He recounts his epic drive across Canada and his family's historical ties to the Alcan Highway. They swap tales of Canadian bacon, Oregon coast road trips, and quirky trucking escapades, including navigating border bureaucracies and military bases. The trio also debate trucking regulations and voting ID laws, weaving in hum...
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March 26, 2025 • 92 mins
Buckle up for a lively ride as the hosts of Hammer Lane Legends tackle wild road stories to the ever-evolving world of trucking tech. With humor and candid confessions, they dive into AI-driven rigs, the struggles of ELDs, and the chaos of modern media. From dog-walking mishaps to political hot takes, this episode is packed with laughs, insights, and unfiltered reflections on life behind the wheel.
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Donate to help o...
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March 19, 2025 • 76 mins
Blockbusters don’t move themselves—Hollywood’s Teamsters do. Scott, a fourth-generation Hollywood trucker, joins Brian, Shipper and Mike to reveal the high-speed, high-stakes world of hauling movie magic. From Avengers to Iron Man, hear how rigs, stunts, and set moves make the impossible happen. Exploding Dr. Pepper trucks? Slicing a Rolls Royce in half? It’s all in a day’s work.
Buckle up for a ride behind the scenes.
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Buckle up for a ride behind the scenes.
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