Next Gen Trucking Talk with Lindsey Trent

In this episode of NGT Talks, Lindsey Trent welcomes Nelson County Area Technology Center instructor Scott Thompson and student Treavon Laning, who recently earned a bronze medal in the SkillsUSA National Heavy Equipment Operations competition. Treavon shares his journey from growing up around farm and construction equipment to competing against the nation's top students and becoming the only...

Jason Wang, Founder and CEO of Free World, shares his remarkable journey from incarceration as a teenager to leading a national nonprofit that trains and places individuals with criminal histories into careers in the trucking industry. After spending years in the juvenile justice system and witnessing firsthand the challenges faced by people reentering society, Jason became determined to create op...

In this re-release of Next Gen Talks, Lindsey Trent sits down with Dave Dein, CDL Coordinator and Instructor at Patterson High School, to discuss the importance of building strong advisory boards for trucking and logistics programs. Dave shares how Patterson High School launched one of the nation’s first high school truck driving programs and explains how meaningful partnerships with industry lead...

In this episode of NextGen Talks, Lindsey Trent sits down with Leah Shaver, President and CEO of the National Transportation Institute (NTI), to discuss the importance of early talent development and why the trucking industry must begin investing in the next generation workforce now. Together, they explore the purpose behind the Career Catalyst Awards and highlight companies that are creating mean...

This episode of NGT Talks features Lindsey Trent interviewing Fran from Double Nickel about how technology—especially AI—is transforming driver recruiting in the trucking industry. Fran explains that recruiting is a critical operational challenge tied directly to revenue, with fleets struggling to quickly connect with qualified drivers while balancing compliance and safety requirements. Double Nic...

In this episode of NGT Talks, Lindsey Trent talks with Kelsea, an attorney who specializes in a unique niche within the trucking industry: helping companies recover lost income, known as downtime claims, after accidents. Kelsea shares how her appreciation for truck drivers began early in life and evolved into a career focused on supporting small businesses and trucking professionals. Through her w...

In this episode of NGT Talks, Lindsey Trent sits down with John Hausladen, President of the Minnesota Trucking Association, to discuss his 30-year journey in the trucking industry and the people who make it so impactful. John shares how the industry’s strong community ties—often built through family-owned companies—create a powerful culture of service, professionalism, and pride. The conversation...

In this episode of NGT Talks, Lindsey Trent sits down with Kimberly Gilles of Driver Training Solutions to discuss how simulation technology is transforming driver training and workforce development across the trucking industry. Gillis shares her journey from a 26-year career in emergency medical services into trucking safety and training, where she now helps fleets, schools, and training organiza...

In this episode of NGT Talks, Lindsey Trent sits down with David Murphy and Dylan West from Key Oil to discuss how they transformed their company’s safety culture and built one of the safest tank fleets in Kentucky. David shares how he entered trucking after serving in the Marine Corps, eventually moving into safety leadership within the waste and fuel industries. When he joined Key Oil in 2013, t...

In this episode of NGT Talks, Lindsey sits down with Liz from Fastenal, a founding member of Next Gen Trucking and a longtime leader passionate about workforce development. Liz shares her personal journey, starting with Fastenal 20 years ago in a part-time distribution center role and growing into her current position supporting HR best practices across distribution centers nationwide and internat...

In this episode of NextGen Talks , host Lindsey Trent sits down with Natalie Williams , a leader in workforce and post-secondary education and the driving force behind Ancora Training . Natalie shares her journey from campus leadership to launching employer-based training models—and how Ancora now partners with community colleges, employers, and government agencies across the country to deliver tu...

In this episode of NextGen Talks , Lindsey interviews Melissa—known online as The Diesel Queen —whose journey into the diesel technician field is as authentic as it is inspiring. Growing up around diesel engines and heavy equipment, Melissa discovered her passion through hands-on classes in high school before attending WyoTech and launching a successful career with John Deere. As one of the few wo...

In this episode of NextGen Talks, Lindsey sits down with Scott Shaw, President & CEO of Lincoln Tech, to explore how one of the most established technical schools in the country is preparing the next generation of diesel technicians. Scott shares his unexpected journey from banking and private equity into skilled trades education, and how 25 years at Lincoln Tech has shown him the life-changin...

In this episode, Lindsey sits down with Brett Pawlowski of Roundhouse Partnerships to unpack his new white paper, Investing in the Future, and why employers must treat early-talent development as a measurable, strategic investment—not a nice-to-have. Brett explains the “black box” between education and employment and lays out a practical, three-phase model—Awareness → Engagement → Recruitment—that...

In this special edition of NextGen Talks, host Lindsey Trent sits down with Jeff from J&M Tank Lines to discuss how his company is tackling the diesel technician shortage by partnering with Wallace State Community College through the innovative Diesel by Distance program. Jeff shares his personal journey from mechanic to director, the steps J&M has taken to invest in young talent, and how...

In this episode of NextGen Talks , Lindsey Trent sits down with Dr. Gina Smith , an educator leading a Supply Chain and Logistics program at Groves High School in Savannah, Georgia. Dr. Smith shares her personal journey from a 25-year career in the automobile industry to nearly a decade of teaching logistics. She describes how she built the program into a pipeline for skilled careers by partnering...

In this episode of NGT Talks, Lindsey sits down with Addison Stout, a 26-year-old from Grand Island Express and a proud member of TCA’s Elevate class, to share her unexpected path into trucking. With a background in business management and no prior knowledge of the industry, Addison took a chance on an interview that launched her career. Four years later, she’s thriving as an Optimal Solutions Spe...

In this episode, Lindsey talks with Nicole, founder of the African American Women Trucking Association (AAWTA).  Nicole transitioned from the insurance industry into trucking, where a failed 3-truck operation and $20,000 loss inspired her to create AAWTA. Now three years in, the organization supports truckers—especially those facing barriers to entry—through education, wellness, mentorship, and co...

In this episode, Lindsey sit down with Bryan Boyd, Senior National Account Manager at Hendrickson, who shares his 26-year journey from the shop floor to managing relationships with top 100 fleets. Bryan reflects on Hendrickson’s "big company, small feel" culture and how training and development—especially for Gen Z—have been vital to retention and growth. We dive into Hendrickson’s recen...

In this inspiring episode of Next Gen Talks, Lindsey Trent interviews Chris Jones, a commercial driving instructor at Gateway Technical College. Chris shares his powerful journey from facing homelessness to building a successful trucking business and now training the next generation of drivers. He discusses Gateway’s nine-week CDL program, the importance of patience and empathy in teaching, and wh...

In this episode, Lindsey Trent sits down with Melanie Simard, Vice President of Safety Compliance at ISAAC Instruments, to explore her inspiring and unconventional journey through the trucking industry. From starting in logistics to driving heavy loads across tough routes, Melanie broke barriers in a male-dominated field and steadily transitioned into leadership roles focused on safety and technol...

In the latest episode featuring Christy Choice from Tenstreet, Christy shared her journey from healthcare software to the trucking industry, highlighting her passion for the field's regulation and continuous learning opportunities. She discussed Tenstreet's comprehensive fleet management solutions that support the entire driver lifecycle, along with exciting new features introduced at th...

In this episode of NGT Talks, host Lindsey Trent engages with Brad Klepper and Marilyn Surber  from Driver's Legal Plan, who share insights into their 35-year history as a national law firm dedicated to defending CDL drivers and motor carriers. The discussion covers the company's affordable legal services, wherein drivers pay a flat fee of $100 per case for traffic violations, with a 95%...

In this episode, Lindsey talks with Natalia Corchado from the International Road Transport Union (IRU), focusing on the critical issues facing the road transport sector. Natalia highlighted IRU’s role in advocating for trucking, bus, coach, and taxi industries, and discussed the organization’s efforts to tackle decarbonization, driver shortages, and digitalization amidst a challenging economic lan...

In this episode, Lindsey talks with Nisrine Masri with Movers Dispatch.  Nisrine, a seasoned professional in the moving and storage industry, shares insights from her two-decade career, highlighting her journey from sales to owning her own moving company for 22 years. The discussion focused on the industry's high-stress nature for clients and the specific skill sets required for drivers, alon...