• Inland Distribution
  • September 25- 27, 2023 | The Westin Chicago River North

Dean Croke

DAT Freight & Analytics

Principal Analyst

Prior to joining DAT Solutions, Dean was Chief Insight Officer at FreightWaves where he led the freight market intelligence team of Market Experts. Prior to that he was Vice President of Data Products at Spireon where he helped develop new telematics data products in the trucking, passenger automotive and insurance markets. Dean also ran Lancer’s long-haul truck insurance business after spending many years as Vice President of Omnitracs Analytics (formerly Qualcomm) where he developed Data Science technologies including machine learning, complex business rules engines and data analytics for transportation companies.

Croke was one of the original founders of Atlanta-based FleetRisk Advisors (purchased by Qualcomm and now called now Omnitracs Analytics) and has 35 years of experience in data analytics, transportation, supply chain management, mining and insurance risk management. Originally from a family-owned and operated trucking business in Australia, Dean is still actively involved in the trucking business and having completed nearly 2 million miles in Australia as a long-distance truck driver, Croke also owns a 379 Peterbilt show truck known as “The Grumpy Pete” and still holds a U.S. Commercial Driver License(CDL) making him uniquely experienced in the field of data science, supply chain management, risk management and human performance.

Prior to FleetRisk Advisors Croke worked at Lancer Insurance in New York City in 2003 where he developed the widely acclaimed “Risk Never Sleeps” sleep management program for commercial drivers” – a unique approach to managing sleep as opposed to fatigue. Croke has held a number of senior positions at Boston-based Circadian Technologies Inc., global insurer Allianz, regional insurer OAMPS, and was also General Manager of the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) where he played a key role in the development of the TruckSafe and Fatigue Management Program – both alternative compliance programs which have been evidenced in the FMCSA’s recent “Beyond Compliance” initiative. 

Sessions With Dean Croke

Tuesday, 26 September

  • 01:45pm - 02:15pm (CST) / 26/sep/2023 06:45 pm - 26/sep/2023 07:15 pm

    Trucking's Route to a Rebound

    A rebound in freight demand lies ahead, though it’s not clear when that rebound will arrive or how big it will be. Even so, trucking companies, their shipper customers and freight brokers need to prepare before the next market turn. Shippers are enjoying lower rates now, but they’re also selling less product. What will happen when freight demand rises again? What are LTL and truckload carriers and brokers doing to prepare for that eventuality? How will that impact truck capacity? What should shippers do, and how can shippers best use contract and spot markets, and trucking’s different sectors, and regional and national carriers? Will we ever see a market like 2021 again? This panel entertains these questions and more as we look toward 2024.