About this episode

Kelly Anderson discusses driver retention and recruitment challenges in the trucking industry, sharing insights from his Undercover Trucker program.

In this episode of Behind the Wheelhouse on Trucker Talk Radio, Kelly Anderson, founder of the Kelly Anderson Group, joins Jon and Justin for one of the most wide-ranging conversations the show has had. A US Coast Guard veteran, CDL holder, professional driver, driver trainer, recruiter, and safety manager over a 1,700-truck fleet, Kelly has lived every layer of the trucking industry since launching his consulting and training organization on January 1st, 1998, a date he set as a goal four years earlier and hit exactly on schedule. Kelly breaks down why driver retention remains one of trucking's most persistent unsolved problems, and the answer isn't complicated: drivers aren't treated like people. He shares stories from his Undercover Trucker program, where he applies as a real driver and goes through orientation incognito, and what he consistently finds at companies with high turnover. From the fleet manager call the Thursday before orientation to strategic touchpoints that build genuine commitment, he lays out a practical playbook for how companies can stop losing good drivers before they even get behind the wheel. The conversation also covers goal setting and life skills with…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jon Vogt, Justin

Guest: Kelly Anderson

Topics covered

• driver retention
• recruiting
• trucking industry
• safety management
• goal setting
• driver performance
• company culture

Keywords

• driver retention
• trucking
• recruitment
• safety
• goal setting
• company culture
• driver performance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Kelly Anderson Group, US Coast Guard, First Break All the Rules

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