Listen Now

On this week’s episode of The Oakley Podcast, host Jeremy Kellett sits down with Lieutenant Doug Lafferty of the Arkansas Highway Police to find out what he looks for when dealing with truck drivers as they come across the scale, avoiding CSA violations, and staying safe on the road.Key topics in today’s conversation include:Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: dashcams play an important role (1:45)Introduction to Lieutenant Lafferty (3:03)Difference between a DOT officer and a state trooper (5:47)A typical day for a DOT officer (9:58)Things a DOT officer looks for when deciding to do an inspection (12:33)Post-crash investigations and non-commercial involvements in accidents (19:41)New rules dealing with the 14-hour clock (24:51)Talking tickets and warnings (29:45)Advice on being safer on the road (34:56)Thank you Lieutenant Lafferty for joining us on the show and for keeping our highways safe. Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

The Oakley Podcast is back for its first episode of 2021 as host Jeremy Kellett talks with Randy Rymel, safety manager at Oakley. Randy joins the show to talk about pre-trip inspections and about what’s next for him as he moves into retirement. Key points in today’s conversation include:Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: taking advantage of Oakley fuel discounts (1:47)Making sure equipment is road-ready in the pre-trip inspection (4:54)Is there a list that drivers should go through? (10:00)The three top things that a DOT officer will write you up for (18:37)CSA score affects pay (21:09)Randy’s plans for retirement (28:19)Thank you Randy for coming on the show and for all your work over the past 12 years. We hope you enjoy retirement!Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

*From time to time we’ll re-air a previous episode of the show that our newer audience may have missed.*Our pilot episode of the show is an interview with Justin Oakley, one of the leaders of our family business. On this episode, we talk to Justin about his view on the family legacy and what he sees coming in the future for family-owned trucking companies like ours.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com 

2020 has been one heck of a year. Host Jeremy Kellett encourages our listeners to think back to good holiday memories and make some new ones this year as he wishes a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all. The Oakley Podcast will be back in January.  Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

On this week’s episode of the Oakley Podcast, host Jeremy Kellett is joined by Sherry Eads and Laura Floyd, wives of Oakley owner-operators to find out what life is like from their perspective as they manage their own jobs, being moms and keeping in touch with their husbands while they’re on the road.Key points in today’s conversation include:Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: good driving manners (2:29)Background on Laura Floyd (4:28)Background on Sherry Eads (5:52) Traveling with their husbands on the road (9:40)What’s it like being the wife of a truck driver? (11:42)Teamwork in marriage (17:25)Helping manage the business (24:34)Stressing the importance of good communication (33:50)Thank you Laura and Sherry for coming on the show and sharing your side of the story.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

On this week’s episode of the Oakley Podcast, host Jeremy Kellett is joined by operations manager Nick Dulaney to discuss how much owner-operators can net after calculating base pay, expenses, and bonuses.Key points in today’s conversation include:Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: the driver lifestyle (1:39)Hopper division pay breakdown (6:10)Explaining the anniversary bonus (11:58)End-dump division pay breakdown (15:01)Pneumatics division pay breakdown (20:05)Getting paid for deadhead miles (24:48)Samples of settlement summaries (28:51)Thank you Nick for coming on the show to help explain just how much our owner-operators can make each year.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

On this week’s episode of the Oakley Podcast, host Jeremy Kellett sits down with Peyton Clark and Alex Kin, dispatchers from the end-dump division. With 80 drivers between them, Peyton and Alex help make sure their owner-operators are taken care of, getting miles, and getting to spend time at home. Key points in the conversation:Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: Submit photos for the Oakley calendar (1:10)Meeting Peyton Clark (2:49)Getting to know Alex Kin (6:33)Day-to-day role of a dispatcher (11:44)A message to recruits about working at Oakley (15:02)Driving to Canada (19:50)Places to recruit from (26:56)Retaining drivers (31:41)Positive feedback about owner-operators (37:08)Thank you Peyton and Alex for all of the work that you’ve done as dispatchers to support our owner-operators.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

On this week’s episode of the Oakley Podcast, host Jeremy Kellett sits down with Kell Shenep and Austin Allen, dispatchers from the end-dump division. Kell and Austin are responsible for nearly 100 owner-operators and they share their behind the scenes stories of dispatching. Key points in the conversation:Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: Staying healthy mentally and physically (1:22)Austin’s background with Oakley (3:01)Kell’s background with the company (7:54)Their day-to-day work dispatching for nearly 100 combined owner-operators (12:42)Juggling time for talking with all of their drivers (19:05)Pre-planning and adjusting to changes in plans (24:30)Tracking drivers’ miles and making trips worth the drivers’ time (28:13)Bragging about their owner-operators (33:50)Thank you, Kell and Austin for all of the work that you’ve done in the office to support our owner-operators.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

On today’s special edition of the podcast, Jeremy and Corey host the Oakley Owner-Operators of the Year award show where dispatchers from each division announce their honorees. Each dispatcher has in the ballpark of 50-60 owner-operators and they have to choose an honoree who has excelled in on-time pickups and deliveries, customer service, safety, having a positive attitude, good communication, and keeping up with paperwork among other positive traits. As Owner-Operator of the Year, the winners receive a plaque and decal, free truck washes for a year, and lots of bragging rights.The awards were announced by division:Hopper Division (8:51)End Dump Division (13:29)Pneumatic Division (21:34)Thank you to all of our owner-operators for all of your amazing work and to our dispatchers for announcing these great choices on the show today.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

Jeremy Kellett provides an important update on this additional episode of the Oakley Podcast and is joined by dispatchers Randy Caldwell and Clayton Smith and owner-operators David Carothers and Donnie Williams for the discussion. The announcement highlights the importance of preventing contamination to customer products.Key points in the conversation:Introducing this episode’s panel (1:32)Examples of contamination (6:00)Owner-operator feedback on the situation (9:27)Washouts and keeping the trailers clean (12:23)End dump issues with contamination (25:06)Our responsibility to get the product to the customer the way they want it (30:50)Thank you to this group of dispatchers and owner-operators to help shed light on how we can improve our customer service in this area.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

On today’s Oakley Podcast, host Jeremy Kellett talks with Bradley Simpson and Hunter Horton from the pneumatic division. Bradley and Hunter share inside information about the pneumatic division—freight, customer service, retention, and more.Highlights from this episode include:Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: Keeping your paperwork up-to-date (2:11)Introducing Bradley and Hunter (3:33)Fostering teamwork in the pneumatic division (13:33)The state of the pneumatic division, increased busyness and freight hauled (16:20)Training process for new drivers (20:03)Ideal living locations for pneumatic drivers (21:05)Maximizing hours and retaining drivers (27:51)Freight outlook for the next year (31:54)Compliments from customers (34:04)Thank you Bradley and Hunter for joining the podcast to discuss the state of the pneumatics division.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

In today’s episode of the Oakley Podcast, host Jeremy Kellet is joined by Jared Flinn, co-founder of BulkLoads.com. BulkLoads.com connects shippers, carriers, and brokers together and has a network of more than 10,000 members that moved approximately $7 billion in commodities in 2019. Together they discuss the outlook on the dry bulk industry.Highlights from the episode include:Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: Driving tips for winter (2:52)Jared’s backstory and the history of BulkLoads.com (4:24)Ins and outs of the dry bulk industry (12:26)Surges and trends in commodities (19:03)Discussing the Bulkloads Podcast (28:08)Thank you Jared for joining the podcast to chat about the state of bulk freight.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

In this episode of the Oakley Podcast, Corey Huey fills in as host and leads a roundtable discussion with Kent Childers, Dustin Eagle and Jeremy Paul from the recruiting department. This team has decades of experience and has heard just about every question there is about working at Oakley. Highlights from the episode include:Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: Anniversary Bonuses (2:02)Discussing the commonly asked questions for recruiters like mileage vs. percentage (5:30)Now is a great time to work in the pneumatics division (14:25)How to refer potential new drivers to the recruiting department (19:53)The ideal Oakley driver (26:21)Thank you, Kent, Dustin, and JP for hopping on the podcast to help answer questions about driving for Oakley.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

In this episode of the Oakley Podcast, host Jeremy Kellett is joined by Oakley safety manager Randy Rymel to discuss avoiding distractions on the road. With 71 percent of truck accidents happening as a result of distracted driving, it’s important to make a plan to keep your head in the game while on the road. Highlights from the episode include:Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: Planning ahead to save money on the road (1:46)Talking about distractions with Randy (3:12)How home life and mental distractions can take your focus off the road (10:03)We’re not as good at multitasking as we think we are (15:25)Everyone thinks it won’t happen to them (26:45)Congratulating drivers with a million miles without an accident (32:18)Practical tips for staying focused (33:30)Thank you Randy for discussing the importance of avoiding distractions and staying safe on the road. Keep your eyes on the road, keep your hands on the wheel, and keep your head in the game.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

On this week’s Oakley Podcast, host Jeremy Kellett is joined by a special guest, Al Robertson, the oldest son in the Duck Dynasty family. Jeremy and Al go way back, and they catch up on old times and bring us up to speed on what the Duck Commander crew has been up to since their show ended. Their conversation focuses on new adventures, faith, and family.Highlights from the episode include:Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: Staying cautious and safe on the road (2:45)Introducing Al Robertson (5:07)Discussing life after Duck Dynasty (11:40)Starting and producing the Unashamed podcast (15:01)Honoring truck drivers, the backbone of the economy (22:00)Creating a game-plan for strengthening your ties with your family (25:10)What's Uncle Si been up to? (35:09)Thanks, Al for joining us on the show. If you haven’t heard their Unashamed podcast, you can listen to it here.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

In this episode of the Oakley Podcast, host Jeremy Kellett goes over updates from Oakley departments and talks with Bryan Walden about capitalizing on tire discounts. With tires costing several hundred dollars a pop, it’s important to take advantage of the different discount programs that are available. Highlights from the episode include:Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: Submitting recruiting cards and getting paid for referrals (1:36)Internal updates from safety (3:15), dispatch (9:18), and recruiting (13:45)Talking with the tire discount guru about the discount options (17:48)Questions that drivers typically ask about tire purchases (25:11)Thank you Bryan for joining us on this week’s episode to help our owner-operators save money and be more successful.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

In this episode of the Oakley Podcast, host Jeremy Kellett talks with “Peterbilt Steve” Steve Carbone from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who has one of the best 389 Peterbilt inventories in the country. Their discussion highlights how he manages his business, how he prepares a truck to sell and how he’s built up his inventory.Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: Swapping divisions to change jobs without leaving the company (1:20)Negotiating fuel discount for drivers and breaking down the different discounts (3:42)Getting to know Peterbilt Steve (18:55)Getting a truck ready for sale (26:17)Providing quality customer service after a sale (31:52)Peterbilt Steve’s background with racing and getting in touch with him (34:20)Thank you Peterbilt Steve for joining us on today’s show.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

In this episode of the Oakley Podcast, host Jeremy Kellett talks with operations manager Nick Dulaney about all the ways daily life is impacted by truck drivers in light of Driver Appreciation Week.Points in the conversation worth noting: Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: saying thank-you to drivers for making America a better place to live (1:28)Interesting facts about drivers (3:50)Breaking down each part of the daily routine that’s impacted by products Oakley hauls (6:06)Encountering Oakley products while going to work (11:09)Interacting with driver delivered goods at work (18:15)Heading home and unwinding (25:07)Thank you Nick for helping appreciate our drivers on today’s show.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

Jason Webb and Scotty Crisco, load coordinators on the end-dump division, sit down with host Jeremy Kellett to discuss retention and driver turnover in the latest episode of the Oakley Podcast. Topics talked about include: Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: avoiding distracted driving (1:21)Primary causes of driver turnover and how Oakley keeps turnover low (6:47)Benefits of referrals from our drivers for new recruits (18:46)How talking with dispatch in person can help with retention (30:25)Priorities of ensuring drivers are making money and customers are satisfied with the service (38:05)Thank you Jason and Scotty for taking the time to be on the show.Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com

In the second part of our roundtable discussion, Jerry Dunbar, Robert Tennie and Freddie Baker join host Jeremy Kellett, director of recruiting at Oakley Trucking, to discuss the state of truck driving in 2020. The roundtable guests have more than 110 years of driving experience combined. The three owner-operators represent different segments of Oakley. Jerry comes from the hopper division, Robert from the end-dump division, and Freddie from the pneumatic division. If you missed part one of the roundtable, click here to listen to that episode.Highlights from part one of the roundtable:Need to Know with Vickie Chastain: monthly maintenance reports (2:16)Technique to loading the trailer properly and getting the weights right (3:58)Getting feedback on what Oakley can do to make its drivers more successful (14:10)Adjustments Oakley has made and can make as it continues to grow (26:20)Thank you to our owner-operators Jerry, Robert and Freddie for joining us on the show. Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com