Keep Trucking Personal

In this episode of Keep Trucking Personal, Tyler Kivi breaks down a hard truth the trucking industry has known all along. There is no silver bullet. For years, people have chased the idea that the right truck, technology, lane, or pay structure would make the job easier. Trucking has never been easy. Breakdowns happen, weather hits, and plans change. That reality has not changed. Building on the f...

In Part 2 of this two-part series, Tyler Kivi delivers a direct and honest look at the modern-day truck driver. Last week focused on the foundation trucking was built on and the values that shaped the industry. This episode brings the conversation into today and challenges drivers to take a hard look at what it really takes to succeed long-term. This is not a highlight reel. It is a real discussio...

In Part 1 of this two-part series, Tyler Kivi looks back at the roots of trucking through the story of his grandpa, who drove truck in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. This episode focuses on the fundamentals that shaped the industry long before GPS, cell phones, electronic logs, and modern comforts. Trucking back then required self-sufficiency, responsibility, pride, and grit. Drivers treated the truck,...

As the year comes to a close and New Year’s resolutions start to build, Tyler Kivi shares a timely message about standards, discipline, and preparation. With winter hitting hard across the Midwest, this episode is a reminder that cold weather does not care about intentions or plans. It quickly exposes shortcuts and reveals the difference between cheap effort and best effort. Winter raises expectat...

In this special, no-agenda Christmas episode of the Keep Trucking Personal podcast, Tyler Kivi slows things down and speaks straight from the heart. With Christmas just days away, Tyler shares a message for anyone on the road, or at home, who may be feeling joyful, heavy, tired, grateful, or uncertain. He reflects on the true Christmas story: a real moment in history, rooted in humility, love, and...

In this episode of the Keep Trucking Personal podcast, Tyler Kivi speaks directly to the drivers, carriers, and industry professionals who didn’t tune out when the work got uncomfortable. This is a conversation about real hard work, not the highlight-reel version, but the kind that reveals who is built for the long haul and who was only here for the easy stretch. Tyler breaks down what’s happening...

In this episode of the Keep Trucking Personal podcast, Tyler Kivi takes a direct and honest look at what hard work really means in the trucking industry, especially in a tight and pressure filled market like December. Building on last week’s overwhelming response from drivers and team members across the industry, Tyler talks about the role of discipline, consistency, mental toughness, and daily ha...

In this episode of the Keep Trucking Personal podcast, Tyler Kivi reflects on the momentum coming out of November, one of the toughest months in transportation, and how Kivi Bros. Trucking drivers did the impossible and won the month. With December bringing an even shorter work window, winter weather, and the busiest holiday stretch of the year, Tyler breaks down how drivers can repeat that succes...

In this special Thanksgiving episode of the Keep Trucking Personal podcast, host Tyler Kivi pauses the hustle of the season to speak directly to the men and women who keep our industry and country moving. While most people are gearing up for time with family, long weekends, and full tables, America’s drivers are often gearing up for one of the busiest weeks of the year. Tyler breaks down a truth m...

In this episode of the Keep Trucking Personal podcast, Tyler Kivi from Kivi Bros. Trucking takes a deeper look at winter driving and reveals the real risk drivers face during the colder months. It is not the snow, ice, or wind. It is overconfidence. Tyler explains how complacency slowly replaces discipline, how the familiar can start to feel safe when it is not, and why winter exposes drivers who...

Winter changes everything... the weather, the roads, and even your mindset. In this episode of Keep Trucking Personal, host Tyler Kivi of Kivi Bros. Trucking talks about what it really means to face the season head-on - not just with tire chains and extra gloves, but with grit, preparation, and heart. Tyler draws a moving parallel between life on the road and the story of perseverance from the boo...

In this episode of Keep Trucking Personal, host Tyler Kivi from Kivi Bros. Trucking dives into one of the most common challenges on and off the road: conflict. From shippers and receivers to fellow drivers and even dispatch, everyone faces moments that test their patience. Tyler shares real stories and practical advice on how to stay calm, professional, and in control when tensions rise. He explai...

In this episode of the Keep Trucking Personal podcast, host Tyler Kivi reflects on one of the most powerful lessons he’s learned - both in life and in trucking: the impact of those who give without expecting anything in return. Tyler shares personal stories of the people who shaped him along the way - from Mike Foerst, who taught him discipline and accountability in the shop; to Derek, who opened...

In this powerful episode of Keep Trucking Personal, host Tyler Kivi of Kivi Bros. Trucking dives deep into one of the toughest challenges in trucking, and in life, the slow drift. It’s not always the big storms that knock us off course; sometimes it’s the quiet moments when we stop paying attention. Tyler shares an honest look at what happens when good drivers and good people start to drift. Throu...

In this episode of Keep Trucking Personal, host Tyler Kivi reflects on a powerful week spent with the Kivi Bros. Trucking team in Minnesota - a trip filled with clarity, connection, and reminders of what real leadership looks like. From working alongside CEO Derek, whose mix of humility and humor sets the tone for the company, to witnessing the relentless drive of Dakota and the entire team, Tyler...

In this episode of Keep Trucking Personal, host Tyler Kivi shares a message that’s simple but powerful - one question that can change how we lead, how we show up, and how we finish strong: “How can I help?” Tyler breaks down why this phrase carries so much weight when it’s genuine and how real confidence comes from being willing to lift others up, not from having all the answers. He shares persona...

On this episode of the Keep Trucking Personal podcast, host Tyler Kivi sits down for Part 2 with Kaitlyn Kivi of Kivi Bros. Trucking to unpack the repeatable habits that help drivers win, starting on day one. They dig into how trust is built early through frequent, clear updates, especially in the first 30/60/90 days, and why bullet-point texts, quick “I’m loaded” check-ins, and immediate heads-up...

In this episode of Keep Trucking Personal, host Tyler Kivi sits down with his wife and colleague Kaitlyn Kivi, who has recently stepped into the role of Driver Specialist at Kivi Bros. Trucking. Together, they unpack what it means to truly support drivers beyond the dispatch board: through trust, relationships, and consistent communication. Kaitlyn shares her day-to-day approach to operations, the...

In this episode of the Keep Trucking Personal podcast, host Tyler Kivi of Kivi Bros. Trucking shares a message for National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. Tyler talks about what most people miss when they see a truck on the highway. They notice the load: steel, lumber, cars, or equipment, but not the person behind the wheel. He highlights the focus, patience, and responsibility it takes to do the...

In this episode of the Keep Trucking Personal podcast, host Tyler Kivi welcomes his brother, Derek Kivi, CEO of Kivi Bros. Trucking, for a candid conversation about what Driver Appreciation Week really means on and off the calendar. They open with timely housekeeping on tire chain season - especially Colorado’s I-70 west of Denver - and why preparation, equipment, and quick walk-arounds matter. Fr...

In this episode of the Keep Trucking Personal podcast, Tyler Kivi begins with stories from his early days crossing the Canadian border, highlighting the pressure drivers feel even when every document is in order. Those experiences set the stage for a bigger conversation... driver turnover. Turnover doesn’t just impact companies; it affects drivers, their families, and the entire industry. Tyler br...

In this episode of the Keep Trucking Personal podcast, host Tyler Kivi of Kivi Bros. Trucking takes on the elephant in the room - the way truck drivers are treated both inside and outside the industry. He shares a powerful personal story about being denied access to a restroom at a shipper and reflects on what it reveals about the daily sacrifices drivers face: long hours, time away from family, p...

In this episode of the Keep Trucking Personal podcast, host Tyler Kivi takes a hard look at two situations every driver must be prepared for: CVSA Brake Safety Week and the unexpected call that tests a company’s readiness. With Brake Safety Week happening August 24-30, Tyler explains exactly what inspectors will be looking for: brakes, drums, S-cams, slack adjusters, and more; and why nearly one i...

In this episode of the Keep Trucking Personal podcast, Tyler Kivi, of Kivi Bros. Trucking, digs into one of the most persistent and damaging divides in the trucking industry: the “drivers vs. office” mentality. Tyler challenges both sides to rethink assumptions, rebuild trust, and commit to communication that strengthens the entire team. From the golden days when a handshake was as good as a contr...

In this episode of the Keep Trucking Personal podcast, host Tyler Kivi gets real about what it takes to stay ahead in today’s ever-changing freight world. From the importance of hustle to the power of showing up, Tyler reminds us that success isn’t handed out, it’s earned. He shares a pivotal moment that shifted his mindset: choosing to sit up front, literally and figuratively, and seize opportuni...