Hire Truckers Podcast

Hosted by Aaron Craddock

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Explore the world of driver recruiting with the Hire Truckers Podcast! Join us as we talk to recruiting experts, offering industry insights, marketing trends, and motivation to enhance your recruiting skills. Whether you're a seasoned recruiter or just starting, our podcast is here to help you level up your game in the trucking industry.

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August 17, 2026Episode 7123 min

5 Ways to Build a Positive Culture in Trucking

Join Aaron Craddock as he breaks down the leadership principles behind building a high-performing culture. --- Culture can make or break a team. In this solo episode, Aaron shares the principles he’s using to build a stronger organization, from doing hard things and pursuing growth to assuming positive intent, communicating directly, and listening more. For transportation and recruiting leaders, it’s a practical look at how the standards you set and the way you lead can shape team performance, recruiting success, and long-term growth. Follow Aaron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-craddock/ Hire Truckers Website: https://hiretruckers.com/

August 10, 2026Episode 7045 min

How Great Trucking Companies Retain Great Drivers

Join Ginger Craddock and Jerry Curl as they discuss why driver retention begins long before orientation. Learn how strong company culture, intentional onboarding, leadership, and trust help transportation companies retain top talent and build workplaces where professional drivers choose to stay. Follow Jerry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-curl-45383411/ Hoffman Transportation Website: https://www.hoffmantransportation.com/ Follow Ginger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-craddock/ Hire Truckers Website: https://hiretruckers.com/ 00:00 Introduction 05:00 Building Trust With Drivers and Their Families 10:00 Creating a Culture Where Drivers Feel Valued 15:00 Orientation vs. Onboarding 20:00 Using Driver Feedback to Improve Retention 25:00 Why Culture Matters More Than Top Performers 30:00 Leading With Connection and Empathy 35:00 Hiring the Right Driver for Long-Term Success 40:00 Making Retention Everyone’s Responsibility 45:00 Leadership, Culture & Final Takeaways

August 3, 2026Episode 6930 min

What the Best Trucking Companies Do Differently When Hiring Drivers

What separates transportation companies that consistently hire great drivers from those that struggle to fill CDL driver jobs? In this episode, Ginger Craddock sits down with Yvonne Valdez to discuss what separates the best transportation recruiting teams from the rest. Yvonne shares how AI, technology, clear processes, and leadership alignment help organizations hire faster, improve candidate experience, and retain top talent across transportation operations. Follow Yvonne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonne-valdes-1445142a/ Summit Website: https://summitllc.com/ Follow Ginger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-craddock/ Hire Truckers Website: https://hiretruckers.com/ *Correction to the statistic stated at the :55 minute mark. The correct statistics are: - Approximately 25,000 offers - Approximately 9,000 hires annually

July 27, 2026Episode 6818 min

Become a Top 1% AI User in Transportation and Recruiting

Discover how transportation and recruiting professionals can become top AI users in just five minutes a day. Aaron Craddock introduces the ROAD Framework (Reality, Operator, Ask, Deliver) and shares a practical system for using AI to improve recruiting, leadership, operations, and decision-making across trucking companies and enterprise fleets. Whether you're hiring for CDL driver jobs, leading a recruiting team, or building an AI-native organization, this episode provides an actionable framework you can start using today. Follow Aaron Craddock on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-craddock/ Hire Truckers Website: https://hiretruckers.com/

July 20, 2026Episode 6744 min

What a 260-Mile Race Teaches About Success

Join Aaron Craddock and Michael Lombard as they discuss the mindset required to overcome adversity, the lessons learned from completing the grueling Texas Water Safari, and why pushing through discomfort is essential for personal growth, leadership, and success in the trucking industry. Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mlombard1/ Truck Parking Club Website: https://truckparkingclub.com/ Follow Aaron Craddock on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-craddock/ Hire Truckers Website: https://hiretruckers.com

July 13, 2026Episode 6632 min

The Right Way to Introduce AI Into Trucking

Join Aaron Craddock and Christy Choice as they discuss how AI is transforming trucking recruitment, why recruiters aren't going away, and how fleets can use automation to improve efficiency while keeping people at the center of the hiring process. They also explore practical strategies for AI adoption, process improvement, and preparing recruiting teams for the future. Follow Christy Choice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christy-choice-cds-ctp-ab608249/ Carrier Code Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@CarrierCodePodcast Tentstreet Website: https://www.tenstreet.com/ Follow Aaron Craddock on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-craddock/ Hire Truckers Website: https://hiretruckers.com/

July 6, 2026Episode 6541 min

How the Trucking Industry Can Win the Next Generation

Join Aaron Craddock and Lindsey Trent as they discuss how the trucking industry can build a stronger workforce by investing in the next generation. From Gen Z recruiting strategies to career pathways, education partnerships, and employer branding, this episode explores what it will take to secure the future of trucking. Follow Lindsey Trent on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseytrent/ Follow Aaron Craddock on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-craddock/ Visit NextGen Trucking Association: https://nextgentrucking.org Sign Up for the NextGen Newsletter: https://nextgentrucking.org/resources/newsletter/ Visit Hire Truckers Website: https://hiretruckers.com/

June 29, 2026Episode 6430 min

The Secret to Recruiting and Retaining Great Drivers

Join Aaron Craddock and Rebecca Anderson as they discuss what today's drivers are really looking for, why trust and authenticity matter more than lead volume, and how building a driver-first culture leads to stronger recruiting, retention, and long-term success in trucking. Follow Rebecca Anderson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andersonrl/ Follow Aaron Craddock on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-craddock/ Visit the Hire Truckers Website: https://hiretruckers.com/

June 15, 2026Episode 6342 min

How Technology Is Reshaping the Trucking Industry

Join Aaron Craddock and Willie Nelson as they explore the future of trucking through the lens of AI, autonomy, workforce challenges, and industry leadership. From Texas transportation trends to emerging technologies and talent development, this conversation offers valuable insights into where the industry is headed.

June 1, 2026Episode 6242 min

AI, Recruiting & The Future of Trucking Talent

Join Aaron Craddock and Kameel E. Gaines as they discuss the reality behind the truck driver shortage, the power of storytelling in recruiting, and how AI is reshaping hiring, retention, and fleet operations in the trucking industry.