Inside The Freight: Craig McGraw on Navigating the Heavy Transport Industry
About this episode
In this episode of The Boardroom Buzz, Jeremy and Jason Julio interview Craig McGraw, Vice President of Trans American Trucking and Warehouse, a New Jersey-based family business founded in 1976 that specializes in logistics, warehousing, and heavy/oversize freight transport. McGraw explains how the company evolved from port container work into moving massive machinery—up to 300,000 pounds on 19-axle trailers—serving industries like nuclear plants and fast-growing data center construction. He describes the relationship-driven nature of sales, frequent travel and industry conferences, and how projects are awarded and managed. The conversation covers scaling limits tied to equipment costs and lead times, operational headaches like high insurance, “nuclear verdicts,” staged accidents, permitting complexity, and the role of political advocacy for trucking infrastructure and permit harmonization. McGraw also discusses community involvement through Seton Hall programs, Team Walker, and the YMCA, and shares views on AI, autonomous trucks, and power demands for data centers.
Learn about:
- Oversize Freight Reality
- How Trans American Started
- What They Haul Today
- Oversize Road Challenges
- Family Roles and Team
- Breaking Into Heavy Haul
- Sales Built on Relationships
- Seton Hall and Mentoring
- Growth to $35M Revenue
- Warehousing and Real Estate
- Fleet Size and Industry Scale
- Insurance Politics and Risk
- Fraud Accidents and Cameras
- Community Boards and Volunteering
- Locations and Scaling Strategy
- Data Centers and Global Freight
- Customs Delays, AI Future and AI Permit Planning
- Family Legacy Leadership
- Service Reputation Culture
- Leading the Sales Team
Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?
• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com
Connect with the hosts:
• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com
Connect with Paul:
• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore
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