Beyond The Rig Podcast: Talking All Things Trucking
The “anti-corporate” voice of the trucking industry is Beyond the Rig. Two transportation experts who are not afraid to be honest will show you and tell you what it is like to be a professional trucker. You learn about life on the road through interviews, short stories and industry-related topics in a refreshingly honest way.
Each episode of the Beyond the Rig podcast features love, friendship, respect, and humorous banter from our hosts. Beyond the Rig offers a realistic look at the trucking business and being a professional driver, whether through a competitive talk or by tackling essential issues affecting truck drivers today.
The Making of the Beyond the Rig Podcast
Two people immediately came to mind when the concept of a Knight Transportation podcast was first mentioned: Will Phipps and Linda Dominy. Will needs to join me in starting a podcast, Linda pleaded over the phone. As Will says on his discussion account, I was “voluntarily told” to co-host.
It’s not the first time Linda has sought out Will for a position at Knight, as she did when she took on the role of co-hosting Beyond the Rig. Linda urged Will to apply when he opened up for a job as a DQP facilitator because she believed his ability to relate and his innate people skills would benefit associated drivers.
In Beyond the Rig Host by Will Phipps
With over 22 years of OTR experience with carriers large and small, Will is a truck driver and facilitator. As a trucker, Will is known for being honest and sharing first-hand accounts of the good, the bad, and the ugly in life. He takes a candid look at the interesting world of truck driving without holding back. Expect Will to advocate for the truck driver position both at home and on the road. Will also has a talent for sharing life lessons with other people who aren’t truckers. Will credits his mother, who hired him to do interviews after launching a private investigation company, giving him the gift of gab.
Will has built strong connections within the professional trucking community throughout his career. Will has over 1,100 trucker contacts on his phone and often keeps in touch with them, which is a tribute to his outspoken nature. Will spends much of his time building relationships with “new to the trucking” drivers and helping them adjust to life on the road.
In 1998, Will was looking for a way out of the limited employment opportunities in his small Tennessee town. While reading the career-building section of the neighborhood Sunday paper at his grandmother’s house, Will came across an ad for a trucking company that hires drivers. The interview with the recruiter over the phone was so good that Will found himself in Charlotte, North Carolina, for three days of training. He was determined to make truck driving, his ticket to anywhere in the country, work.
Will recalled wondering how he would maneuver this large vehicle through cities when he initially sat next to a 53-foot trailer. He was quite intimidated and was more concerned with the safety of the general population than mine. Will, who never backs down from a challenge or gives up his aspirations, decided to face whatever the future holds.
Driving a bob-tail truck across North Carolina in the pouring rain at a place called “The Gorge” was one of Will’s first learning experiences. After slamming on the brakes, his vehicle began moving three sixty across a major crossroads. I can still see an old couple pointing at me and saying, “What the hell? That’s not supposed to happen.” Fortunately, no one was there, but Will could still remember the looks on his faces as he passed.
Will’s longest-lasting load was €3.2 million earmarked for the flames. The government authorities demanded his mobile phone and he had to swear that he would not stop for anything. He drove 300 miles and stopped in a half-mile underground tunnel near San Antonio, Texas. Will was not allowed to exit the vehicle while it was being unloaded. After finishing the trip, he realized that there were millions of euros to destroy.
After serving as a transportation manager for a company, Will was hired by a salesman in Knight to return to hauling trucks and overseeing a fleet.
Will believes that working in the transportation industry benefits him and his family. He enjoys all aspects of being a trucker, both the good and the bad. He has learned leadership, maturity and how to pursue his passion by working in the trucking industry. Will wants to share his knowledge and help other drivers reap the same benefits of the profession. “I told people that I am more than just a trucker. I am a confidante, a friend and a counselor. I answer questions. More than trucks is what we share.
On Beyond the Rig Host by Linda Dominy
In the trucking business, Linda is the colleague and friend you’ve always wanted. You can count on her to advocate for truckers because of her commitment to a vital service, her sacrifices for her families and the sometimes misunderstood lifestyle she leads as vice president of driver development for Knight Transportation.
Linda joined the carrier as a Payroll Tax Manager and has worked with the largest trucking fleet in North America for the past seven years. Linda quickly became a favorite with drivers because of her enthusiasm for finding solutions to payroll problems. The Director of Payroll was promoted soon after. Before she knew it, Linda had been chosen by CEO and President Dave Jackson to work closely with him. She went back to help the drivers in the driver development department because she missed having direct contact with them and being able to help them with her concerns.
Linda spent hours in the Buckeye, Arizona terminal, watching and listening to drivers communicate with each other and with Knight Transportation workers and speaking with drivers about payroll concerns. She began to understand how unique and wonderful truckers are now. Linda has the opportunity to highlight the importance of truckers in our daily lives and why we should appreciate and adore them through the Beyond the Rig podcast.
Spotlight on the Behind the Rig podcast
Paul Lien’s story is the best example of how road transport helps people overcome life’s toughest obstacles. Paul describes being homeless after losing his job as an accountant and how the trucking business bailed him out.
