August 22, 2025 • 28 mins
When we talk about the heart of the trucking industry, we're really talking about people like Kim Heins. Through her decades of organizing events and creating opportunities for drivers to connect and give back, Kim has become a pivotal force in Minnesota's trucking community and beyond.
Key Takeaways:
✅ Unexpected Beginning – Entered trucking community by chance, not family ties; now at ProDrivers using her role as a platform for impact.
✅ Minnesota Truck Driving Championships –
- Co-chair for 20+ years.
- Oversees 9 skill-based classes celebrating safety & precision.
- Events serve as reunions where veterans mentor rookies.
✅ Trucks & Toys Program –
- Supports 24 charities.
- Provides personalized gifts for 3,200+ children annually.
✅ Special Olympics Convoy –
- 22-mile route with truckers & athletes.
- Bridges & roadsides lined with cheering supporters.
- Memorable story of “Spider-Man,” an athlete who overcame hardship and became a joyful participant.
✅ Wreaths Across America –
- Helps honor fallen veterans each December.
- Truckers ensure names are spoken aloud despite Minnesota’s cold weather.
- Strong connection between military service & trucking.
✅ Volunteer Philosophy –
- Schedules major events in different parts of the year.
- Encourages starting small: “Just take that first step.”
- Advocates volunteering from passion, not obligation.
👉 Takeaway: Kim’s decades of service show how one person can connect an entire industry through community, celebration, and compassion.
Ready to make an impact in your community through trucking? Listen to Kim's story and discover how one person can connect an entire industry through service, celebration, and a genuine commitment to making a difference.
Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Click here to join the conversation!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
today on that's delivered.
We're talking to someone whoseimpact on a trucking community
extends far beyond the road.
Kim hines works with prodrivers and is dedicated for
decades of organizing eventswith celebrations for drivers
across amer, getting thecommunities uplifted and drawing
them close to her heart.
She's a co-chair of MTA TruckDriving Championships, a
(00:31):
committee member of MinnesotaLargest Convoy, special Olympics
co-chair of Trucks and Toys anda volunteer of Reefs Across
America.
We're here to show how shejuggles those roles and the
stories that kept her motivatedand why bringing people together
, whether it's competition,celebration or service, is such
a powerful part of truckingculture.
(00:52):
So let's bring her in the show.
Hey, welcome to the show.
How are you doing today, kim?
Speaker 1 (01:02):
I'm wonderful.
How are you?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
I'm doing well, thank you.
We've got great weather outhere and we've got a great show
ahead of us.
Looking forward to hearing moreabout you, and I'm sure our
listeners are as well.
So, yeah, just tell us a littlebit about your background.
What got you involved intrucking, the trucking industry
and those events that have takenplace over the decades?
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Sure, well, I know there's a lot of people out
there who are like.
My dad was in it, my grandpa wasin it and they're my hero and
that kind of grandpa was alwaysmy hero.
But I actually ended up intrucking by accident.
My aunt's sister was working ata place that was actually a
(01:43):
union company, did food delivery, and right out of high school I
swooped into that position andwe did the five-state area of
fast food distribution and thosedrivers they worked their tails
off and, to have the respectnow that I didn't have back then
for all the work those guys hadto do, went on a dare to Texas,
(02:06):
lived in Minnesota in a smalltown out west my whole life,
spun the globe and said no oneis ever going to leave here, so
I will, and ended up in FortWorth with a 26-foot Penske
truck full of my stuff andcalled my grandma when I got my
phone hooked up and said, hey,here's my new number.
I moved and ended up getting myposition with ProDrivers while
(02:29):
I was in Texas and so talked himinto.
After I was there for aboutthree years I talked him into
opening an office in Minnesotaso I could move home, and I'm
still here today.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
That's amazing, man.
So you make things happen, younetwork very well and put people
together where they need to go.
Has a role that ProDriversshaped the way you approach
events like trucking, rodeos andcharitable convoys?
How has that been a factor?
Speaker 1 (02:57):
So ProDrivers is a very big conduit to a lot of
community things.
Prodrivers has something withinit called ProViders, and so we
actually ask all of our officesnationwide to be a part of the
community.
They actually give them timeoff to do whether it be food
(03:19):
banks, whether it be certainthings and I guess I never used
my time for that because almosteverything that I put on is over
the weekend, right, so I nevereven gave it a second thought.
I was just like, yep, this issomething I want to do back.
(03:48):
Oh gosh, it was probably 2012.
And I sat on that board for acouple of years before I started
raising my hand for certainevents that the MTA had.
I started off with the truckdriving championships and I've
been on the state committee forthat for, wow, I think I'm going
on 22 years now.
That is an event that's alwaysbeen near and dear to my heart
and jokingly, I used to say thatit's the most fun you can have
(04:10):
sober right, because it's 16hours and you start planning for
this event in January.
The event used to be a two-dayevent and you spend six months
getting that host location, youknow, revving up drivers,
getting those safety directorsto get those accident-free
drivers to be a part of ourcompetition and the drivers are
(04:33):
very humbling.
I also serve on the Driver ofthe Month Committee for the
state of Minnesota and so we geta lot of those applications for
those wonderful drivers with somany years of service, of those
applications for thosewonderful drivers with so many
years of service, and choosingthose guys as far as you only
have 12 months and there's justso many drivers out there.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Wow For the listeners out there that may not know
what the Truck DrivingChampionship is all about and
what makes it so important forMinnesota's trucking community.
I know this year we get to bethe host in the state of
Minnesota, so maybe you couldshare a little light on that
situation as well.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Oh sure.
So in the Truck DrivingChampionships there are nine
classes that the drivers competein.
It's step, van, straight truck,three axle, four axle, five
axle, sleeper tankers, twins andthese guys and flatbed, sorry
and these guys actually come tothe event.
They do a pre-trip uh test perse that they have to find five
majors and five minor defects,and then there's a written test
(05:38):
that's 40 questions, that'sthat's an 80 points part of
their score.
And then there's a drivingcompetition that has six
problems.
Each problem is up to 50 points.
So each of these classes ofdrivers, whoever takes first
place in each of those classesfor each state competition will
go to nationals, wherever thatmay be, and this year, like you
(05:59):
said, it's at the ConventionCenter in Minneapolis.
Those guys compete against allother states putting drivers in.
So I think we're close to 500drivers that'll be here in the
Minneapolis area.
I believe it is the 19th, 20ththrough the 23rd.
There's two courses running atthe same time and those drivers
(06:21):
are all competing for firstplace for the ATA.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Wow, man, that's amazing, All indoors too, right.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
All indoors.
It's very the first time I wentto the Minneapolis.
It was very strange seeing twocourses going on at the same
time inside, so Wow, great thingto be a part of.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Thanks for doing all that work you do there, and can
you share a memorable momentfrom these championships that
really stuck with you?
Speaker 1 (06:51):
I think one of it is.
We have a club here inMinnesota that I don't think any
other state has, and it'scalled the Matrix.
It's the Minnesota Associationof Truck Rodeo Champions.
So any driver that actuallytakes first place in the state
of Minnesota has an opportunityto be a part of this club, and
this particular club spentmultiple years helping us set up
(07:15):
the course and helping us, youknow, pick up equipment that's
going to be utilized on thecourse.
This group is every singletrucking company you can imagine
in Minnesota that participatesand they always have the drivers
who take first place come doquarterly meetings, and these
guys made me an honorary member,so I go to their meetings.
(07:38):
I don't vote, I didn't earn myway in for sure, but it is
probably one of the things Ihold the most dear to my heart
as far as being a part of this.
Those drivers respected meenough to actually want me to be
a part of them, so that'sawesome.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
That's great.
I'm glad you're part of it too.
Let's talk about trucks andtoys.
Yeah, and trucks and toyscollect over 30,000 worth of
toys for more than, I think,3,200 children every holiday
season, and with volunteersupport.
How did this first get started,or how did you get involved
with this effort?
Speaker 1 (08:24):
effort.
So the Minnesota TruckingAssociation started this program
before I even became a part ofit and they just had a couple of
domestic violence shelters anda couple of churches that they
were kind of.
Having trucking companies setup boxes in their local area and
having drivers or office peopleput a toy in and then they
would gather them up and thenthey would bring them to those
(08:44):
charities.
And today it's grown to.
I believe we serve as 24different charities in the state
of Minnesota.
Last year we have tologistically put together, you
know we have Bemidji and ParkRapids and the Northern
charities along with the cityones, and we, being on the
convoy and being in the truck,driving championships, a lot of
(09:06):
our industry people, our drivers, our companies all intertwine a
little bit.
And so, being being in theconvoy, I have a lady that works
for the Metro Transit PoliceDepartment.
That works for the MetroTransit Police Department and a
few years back she actuallyintroduced some new charities to
us.
So these ended up being some ofour biggest ones 600, 700 kids
(09:34):
at one particular place.
So we ended up having to up ourgame, up our monetary donations
and up our shoppers.
So but we've, we've, we've kindof twinged it just a little bit
so that we're not getting allthis multiple weird things and
trying to figure out whichcharities to go to.
The charities are now giving uslists of children, gender and
ages and we're shoppingspecifically for them.
(09:56):
So it's very cool.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Wow, that's awesome.
Yeah, you know nothing like agift that people can really, you
know, associate with what theywant versus this is what's left.
I got to take it.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Personal like that.
Why do you think this eventresonates so strongly with
drivers year after year?
Speaker 1 (10:16):
I can tell you, when I was a drop location prior to
you know, being a co-chair ofthe event is the drivers that
would bring us stuff have beenin the situation.
Their moms were in thatsituation, their brothers or
sisters went without certainthings, and those were the
people that, sadly, are the onesthat open their hearts and
their wallets, or their or youknow whatever they need to do.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
It's because they've been there before wallets or
whatever they need to do.
It's because they've been therebefore.
That's awesome.
So, man, Minnesota, largestconvoy for Special Olympics.
Let's tell about that how doesit work?
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Why is it such a special event for both drivers
and the athletes?
So I got a friend of mine whoused to work at Halver Lines,
(11:24):
actually got me into it.
She's just like come down seewhat it's all about, and I think
I'm dirt lot in the back thatwe haven't always been at.
We used to start in Blaine butthey actually built a school in
that parking lot so we couldn'tuse it anymore.
So we moved up to Running Acesand what.
Kathy Karkula is the one whobasically had this dream, this
vision, and this year will beour 21st year and I've only been
(11:44):
with them half the time.
So it's a way that driverswhether you're an owner operator
, you have one truck, you have600 trucks and you want to put
five drivers in People put theirshow trucks in.
People put I mean, we havegarbage trucks, we have tow
trucks, we have doubles, we haveevery single truck you can
think of, and these guys allcome up and on Friday night
(12:08):
before the event, most of theowner operators or the
over-the-road drivers will comeup and park the night before and
then the next morning.
I mean we have two hours tocheck in.
I think last year we had 113drivers that we registered,
probably only 20 of them thenight before.
So we're registering driversand you know, as quickly as we
(12:29):
can.
And then these guys also do theopening ceremonies, like all of
the Special Olympics events.
So we have the torch, we haveall of our athletes walking up
to stage, we have probably 25 ofthe best state patrol and local
(12:49):
law enforcement, along with DOTthat uses those trucks, that
has the arrows to move over.
They block all the roads offfor us.
They do all of that.
And we have the athletes thatcome in and and depending on how
many athletes are registered tocome with us, we actually pair
those athletes with a driver.
They get to ride in the truckwith the driver.
(13:12):
We go 22 miles up to the Harrisexit, turn around and come back
and and all along the waythere's people standing on the
bridges, they're waving flags,they're at the park and rides.
They're in the in the woods.
There's people standing on thebridges, they're waving flags,
they're at the park and rides.
They're in the woods, in theditches.
They think this is the neatestthing in the world.
And so we start planning thatevent early summer and that's
(13:36):
coming up in October.
So we always try to have moredrivers and have more people to
participate, but sometimes, youknow, word doesn't get out till
too late.
There's a lot of budgetingissues with some trucking
companies and there's a feeassociated with, you know,
registering your truck.
It's $150 per driver to be in.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Yeah, but that's probably a business write-off
that they can use as well.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Yeah, so yeah, it's a good way to give back.
Do you have a favorite story oran athlete riding along with a
driver that really captures thespirit of the day, and maybe
have something that you hold onto each?
Speaker 1 (14:13):
day, the beginning of the event, when we're setting
up and they're setting up theraffles, and sometimes they'll
have a band the night before.
But Kathy Karkula's nieceAshley, and Louie Nosen, which
he's been at the event everyyear since I've been there I
(14:37):
actually borrow him at the TruckDriving Championships and he
sings the national anthem forboth events.
Um, those two are I.
I show up with a little giftfor both of them every year and
they're they're just.
They motivate me to be there,um, to just see all the faces of
everybody who's there, and alot of these guys always come
back.
But we had, we had, uh, a coupleyears ago we had a new athlete
(14:58):
that showed up that I don't evenknow how he heard about it, but
he goes by a nickname ofSpider-Man and he was telling us
his backstory about being in anorphanage and actually I think
it was Ukraine when he was a kidhe's probably 40s maybe, but I
(15:24):
think they left him in a cribfor like two years and never let
him out and he had some issuesthat pertained from that and
he's probably one of the mostsmiling, bubbly people you have
ever met in your entire life.
And last year FedEx Freight puta couple drivers in for the
first time and he got to ridewith one of our TDC guys that
(15:48):
came to the convoy that year,and it was.
I mean.
The pictures that we took ofjust how big his smile was is
why you do what you do.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Yeah, that is beautiful, great story.
I mean, it's nothing likeseeing their faces, you know,
when you never had a day, youknow, those people are still out
there too, and people likeyourself.
That puts all of us together.
I mean, let's talk about ReefsAcross America.
I mean that's a big event aswell.
A lot of people partake in that.
You've seen that.
You know Reefs Across Americadelivering reefs for honored
(16:21):
veterans.
Yes, how did you get involvedin that program?
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Actually one of my friends over at Cook Trucking.
He did a lot of that puttogether initially and I know
there's a lot of drivers inMinnesota that also go to that.
But the opening ceremony, whenthey're actually honoring each
branch of the service, and thestories that they're telling you
from the backside, the way thatthey want you to say the name
(16:49):
of the person that you'reputting that wreath on on their
grave so that it's never passedaway in the early 1900s or the
1930s and maybe their family isgone now and if we say their
(17:09):
name out loud that means theyaren't forgotten and that's kind
of the gist of.
I know they get nationalfunding.
I know each state's nationalcemetery has a certain amount of
wreaths that you can put out,but we have a lot of Minnesota
companies that actually bringthose trailers into Fort
Snelling.
I got to share that with someof our pro driver offices
(17:34):
nationwide and 90% of ouroffices are in locations where
they actually do that.
So we've been starting to sendpeople from our company, um, to
other locations besidesMinnesota.
But I get, I hear the Arlingtonone is amazing, but I I've
never been to it.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Wow, yeah, that's something to see, Um man.
So what?
What is it like, uh,participating in the ceremony
where the reefs and the gravesites uh, for yourself.
It's, very it's, it's.
Is it like participating in theceremony where the reefs and
the grave sites for yourself?
Speaker 1 (18:05):
It's very, it's humbling.
Let's just say that I think alot of people out there forget
why we're free and a lot ofpeople in our national
cemeteries maybe didn't passaway in action, but they're
there and they earned it and weneed to respect everything that
they did while they were in it's.
(18:26):
There's some rules that goalong with it.
That is explained to you duringthat opening ceremony, but in
Minnesota, sadly, it's alwayslike the second weekend in
December where it's either, youknow, 40 below zero and we're
all freezing to death and tryingto unload trucks and tromps
(18:46):
through snow, and you knowthat's dedication, right, yeah
it is right?
Yeah, it is.
You would be amazed at how manypeople are there.
I mean for for not a lot of.
They don't get a lot ofpublicity.
Let's say they don't put theirstuff on the radio, they don't,
they, it's just on their site.
And veterans are the ones thata lot of drivers that used to be
(19:09):
veterans also are, that arestill veterans, are veterans,
are pushing that, and that's theneat part, is that that kind of
marries into truck driving aswell.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Wow, yeah, that definitely connects.
I mean trucking veterans.
There's a lot of hardworkingmen out there that have put that
time in, and then they're alsostill helping the country by
logistically helping out in thetrucking industry.
So that's good, definitely yes.
So thanks for explaining thatvery well.
I hope you get involved.
So community impact, personalmotivation for yourself.
(19:41):
You're working with pro drivers, so you see a lot of people.
You're involved in so manydifferent causes.
How do you balance them all?
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Well, I always used to tell people I said you know,
at some point I have to work forthe company that pays me, right
.
But I've, I've, I've become abig part of the things that I
have because logistically theywork good off.
(20:13):
And then, once that's over, Istart the convoy, and once
that's over, I start trucks andtoys, and once that's over, it's
Reese.
So it works out perfectly towhere I'm not doing too many
things at one time.
But I work a lot better doingmany things versus trying to
finish one thing at a time,right?
Um, but it's, it's.
I think it's the support thatmy company gives me, such a lot
(20:33):
of support for a lot of thethings that I get to be a part
of.
That is something that I'm verythankful for.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Yeah, I can definitely understand that being
able to have this podcast andhave you on.
I'm thankful for them lettingyou do that as well and also you
taking the time to do that.
I mean, I know you're busy, so,yeah, you're juggling it all
and it goes to show that it paysoff.
So, thank you.
What's driving for us thatkeeps you committed year after
year?
Let's say you know, here goesanother year.
(21:02):
What keeps you going?
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Exactly, I think, because every year's different.
I think in the TDC last yearalone we had 30 rookies and
those guys have neverparticipated before and those
are the ones where you like towatch the veterans take them
under their wing.
Even though they're competingagainst each other, they're
still trying to help them.
That's part of what brings usall to the industry and stays in
(21:29):
the industry is that we're notagainst or for certain companies
, certain people, certain things, because we're all in it
together.
I think that seeing thecamaraderie with all the
veterans, whether it's theconvoy, whether it's TDC, these
(21:50):
guys they show up every year.
That's one time a year whereyou know you're going to see
those people again.
If you don't get to, you knowkeep in touch with them all year
.
So that's.
I think one thing is like Ican't wait to get to the convoy
and see you know so-and-so.
Or the TDC side, where I gothrough the registrations with
our committee, where I gothrough the registrations with
(22:11):
our committee, make sure thatall those drivers are capable of
doing what they signed up for,that they have their time and
that they don't have preventableaccidents and all that good
stuff.
And while we're going throughthose forms, it's like I get to
see the names of those before wemake the running order.
I know who's coming, you know,and it's like, oh good, we get
to see him again.
Or a rookie that was there lastyear, you know, and it's like,
(22:34):
oh good, we get to see him again.
Or a rookie that was there lastyear, you know, I'm so glad
that they're coming back becausethat means we did the right
thing for them.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
That's awesome.
Behind the scenes, the joy thatyou get when you see people
celebrate their victories that'sgreat.
I like hearing that.
So if you were to inspire morepeople to get involved in
trucking- related communityservice.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
what would you say to those individuals?
Maybe a word of advice orsomething?
I think part of it is justtaking that first step, because
I had, I did a what we call herea lunch and learn on the
provider events that I'm a partof, kind of like with what I'm
doing with you, and it soundsvery overwhelming when you think
about all this.
But I didn't start them all thesame year.
I gradually went into those butstart as a volunteer, go to
(23:22):
your local or or state event,see how it all runs without
volunteering initially, see whatit is and then make that
decision but you know it's it isand then make that decision but
you know it's it's.
It's really hard to if you don'tknow someone who's there or you
don't know.
You know it's hard to take thatfirst step and I and I totally
(23:42):
know that.
Just remember that in eventsthat you get to be a part of,
there's a reason that you get tobe a part of it because you
want to be.
It's not someone's not makingyou.
Never do something thatsomeone's making you do.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
Nice, wow, yeah, then it's not volunteering anymore.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Then it's just another job.
You're not, you know.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Wow.
So yeah, volunteering is good.
That's great advice.
I think people can really, youknow, hey, actually they'll look
for you when they're there.
And word of mouth.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
I mean, I've had a lot of people where I didn't
even know that they were goingto be a part of it and I'll hear
my name getting yelled fromacross the room.
And that's another company thatI've done business with in the
past.
I didn't even know where it wasgoing to be there.
So it's kind of like old homeweek in some aspects, you know.
Or if someone finds out you'rea part of it, they're asking you
kind of like Jesse, you knowJesse's like let's do this.
(24:38):
I'll stop by, let me grab somestuff, I'll knock on some doors.
Let's get some moreparticipation this year.
I didn't ask him to do that, hejust said can I?
And I absolutely you can.
You know that's what you want.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Those are the people that you want to be involved in
your stuff.
Yeah, jesse Heron does a greatjob with that.
I mean I was honored to havehim on as a podcast and also him
telling about pro drivers andthe efforts that you guys do
there.
Pro drivers how do they make itall happen to us?
Tell a little bit about prodrivers and their mission.
What is that for if peoplenever heard of ProDriving?
Speaker 1 (25:14):
Yeah.
So what we do is we actuallyDOT qualify drivers with
experience and we take themunder our wing here after
they've got their one year in ofclass A or class B.
We take care of everything onthe backside for the driver.
So we handle, you know, theirunemployment, their benefits,
all their taxes.
They're considered companydrivers.
(25:34):
They're not 1099.
And then we have a lot ofcarriers in different parts of
the country that utilize ourdrivers on a full-time and
part-time basis.
So these drivers have anon-force dispatch here.
We throw, you know, a few openpositions at them.
They get to choose what theywant and we take care of the
(25:57):
rest.
So it's a nice concept for somecompanies just come to us and
say you know what?
You find us two drivers.
This is the position.
We do the recruiting.
We weed through the driversthat may or may not fit.
We take care of all that on thebackside and so kind of.
Some drivers will say it's kindof a head hunting, but it's not
, because I have drivers whoworked for me for 20 years in
(26:17):
Minnesota and they're still herewith me today working for the
same carrier they started at,you know.
So some people want to keep youon our payroll forever, and
some drivers use that as astepping stone to get hired in a
carrier that they may not havebeen able to find on their own.
Very, very cool concept.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
It is great.
And then you guys are all overthe country.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Yeah.
So how about that?
That's a great service.
You're doing great things overthere and, like I said, I really
appreciate you coming on theshow.
It's clear that what bringspeople together is the ways to
celebrate trucking and also theprofessionalism that comes along
with it being able to give backto those who need it most.
So I really appreciate youtalking about those things and
(26:58):
helping other people to step outof their boundaries and their
comfort zone to try a littlesomething here or there
volunteer, if you can.
So it's a skill levelcompetition, holiday toy drive,
special Olympics convoy orhonoring the veterans All of
those are great things to be apart of.
So thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
Yeah, no problem, I do it even if people weren't.
You know, I've been doingthings when people weren't
watching for years, and so it'sjust kind of coming to the
surface now with when you lookat all the things that you're
doing and it's like, wow, thatis a, it's worth every second.
So I appreciate it nice nice,that's great.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
So, uh, you've shown that the road, uh, that connects
us all, it's it's definitelyworth putting in those efforts,
so I appreciate that.
So thank you for joining us andsharing your story, yeah thank
you ray you guys like what yousee or like what you hear, be
sure to share with anotherdriver or another company out
there that's possibly need somehelp with drivers or
volunteering.
That's something that you canall be a part of, so we wanted
(28:03):
to make sure we got this showout there for you guys to hear
firsthand from Kim and all thethings that she's been a part of
.
So thank you so much forjoining.
Das Delivered and that's it fortoday.
today on that's delivered.
We're talking to someone whoseimpact on a trucking community
extends far beyond the road.
Kim hines works with prodrivers and is dedicated for
decades of organizing eventswith celebrations for drivers
across amer, getting thecommunities uplifted and drawing
them close to her heart.
She's a co-chair of MTA TruckDriving Championships, a
(00:31):
committee member of MinnesotaLargest Convoy, special Olympics
co-chair of Trucks and Toys anda volunteer of Reefs Across
America.
We're here to show how shejuggles those roles and the
stories that kept her motivatedand why bringing people together
, whether it's competition,celebration or service, is such
a powerful part of truckingculture.
(00:52):
So let's bring her in the show.
Hey, welcome to the show.
How are you doing today, kim?
Speaker 1 (01:02):
I'm wonderful.
How are you?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
I'm doing well, thank you.
We've got great weather outhere and we've got a great show
ahead of us.
Looking forward to hearing moreabout you, and I'm sure our
listeners are as well.
So, yeah, just tell us a littlebit about your background.
What got you involved intrucking, the trucking industry
and those events that have takenplace over the decades?
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Sure, well, I know there's a lot of people out
there who are like.
My dad was in it, my grandpa wasin it and they're my hero and
that kind of grandpa was alwaysmy hero.
But I actually ended up intrucking by accident.
My aunt's sister was working ata place that was actually a
(01:43):
union company, did food delivery, and right out of high school I
swooped into that position andwe did the five-state area of
fast food distribution and thosedrivers they worked their tails
off and, to have the respectnow that I didn't have back then
for all the work those guys hadto do, went on a dare to Texas,
(02:06):
lived in Minnesota in a smalltown out west my whole life,
spun the globe and said no oneis ever going to leave here, so
I will, and ended up in FortWorth with a 26-foot Penske
truck full of my stuff andcalled my grandma when I got my
phone hooked up and said, hey,here's my new number.
I moved and ended up getting myposition with ProDrivers while
(02:29):
I was in Texas and so talked himinto.
After I was there for aboutthree years I talked him into
opening an office in Minnesotaso I could move home, and I'm
still here today.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
That's amazing, man.
So you make things happen, younetwork very well and put people
together where they need to go.
Has a role that ProDriversshaped the way you approach
events like trucking, rodeos andcharitable convoys?
How has that been a factor?
Speaker 1 (02:57):
So ProDrivers is a very big conduit to a lot of
community things.
Prodrivers has something withinit called ProViders, and so we
actually ask all of our officesnationwide to be a part of the
community.
They actually give them timeoff to do whether it be food
(03:19):
banks, whether it be certainthings and I guess I never used
my time for that because almosteverything that I put on is over
the weekend, right, so I nevereven gave it a second thought.
I was just like, yep, this issomething I want to do back.
(03:48):
Oh gosh, it was probably 2012.
And I sat on that board for acouple of years before I started
raising my hand for certainevents that the MTA had.
I started off with the truckdriving championships and I've
been on the state committee forthat for, wow, I think I'm going
on 22 years now.
That is an event that's alwaysbeen near and dear to my heart
and jokingly, I used to say thatit's the most fun you can have
(04:10):
sober right, because it's 16hours and you start planning for
this event in January.
The event used to be a two-dayevent and you spend six months
getting that host location, youknow, revving up drivers,
getting those safety directorsto get those accident-free
drivers to be a part of ourcompetition and the drivers are
(04:33):
very humbling.
I also serve on the Driver ofthe Month Committee for the
state of Minnesota and so we geta lot of those applications for
those wonderful drivers with somany years of service, of those
applications for thosewonderful drivers with so many
years of service, and choosingthose guys as far as you only
have 12 months and there's justso many drivers out there.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Wow For the listeners out there that may not know
what the Truck DrivingChampionship is all about and
what makes it so important forMinnesota's trucking community.
I know this year we get to bethe host in the state of
Minnesota, so maybe you couldshare a little light on that
situation as well.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Oh sure.
So in the Truck DrivingChampionships there are nine
classes that the drivers competein.
It's step, van, straight truck,three axle, four axle, five
axle, sleeper tankers, twins andthese guys and flatbed, sorry
and these guys actually come tothe event.
They do a pre-trip uh test perse that they have to find five
majors and five minor defects,and then there's a written test
(05:38):
that's 40 questions, that'sthat's an 80 points part of
their score.
And then there's a drivingcompetition that has six
problems.
Each problem is up to 50 points.
So each of these classes ofdrivers, whoever takes first
place in each of those classesfor each state competition will
go to nationals, wherever thatmay be, and this year, like you
(05:59):
said, it's at the ConventionCenter in Minneapolis.
Those guys compete against allother states putting drivers in.
So I think we're close to 500drivers that'll be here in the
Minneapolis area.
I believe it is the 19th, 20ththrough the 23rd.
There's two courses running atthe same time and those drivers
(06:21):
are all competing for firstplace for the ATA.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Wow, man, that's amazing, All indoors too, right.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
All indoors.
It's very the first time I wentto the Minneapolis.
It was very strange seeing twocourses going on at the same
time inside, so Wow, great thingto be a part of.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Thanks for doing all that work you do there, and can
you share a memorable momentfrom these championships that
really stuck with you?
Speaker 1 (06:51):
I think one of it is.
We have a club here inMinnesota that I don't think any
other state has, and it'scalled the Matrix.
It's the Minnesota Associationof Truck Rodeo Champions.
So any driver that actuallytakes first place in the state
of Minnesota has an opportunityto be a part of this club, and
this particular club spentmultiple years helping us set up
(07:15):
the course and helping us, youknow, pick up equipment that's
going to be utilized on thecourse.
This group is every singletrucking company you can imagine
in Minnesota that participatesand they always have the drivers
who take first place come doquarterly meetings, and these
guys made me an honorary member,so I go to their meetings.
(07:38):
I don't vote, I didn't earn myway in for sure, but it is
probably one of the things Ihold the most dear to my heart
as far as being a part of this.
Those drivers respected meenough to actually want me to be
a part of them, so that'sawesome.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
That's great.
I'm glad you're part of it too.
Let's talk about trucks andtoys.
Yeah, and trucks and toyscollect over 30,000 worth of
toys for more than, I think,3,200 children every holiday
season, and with volunteersupport.
How did this first get started,or how did you get involved
with this effort?
Speaker 1 (08:24):
effort.
So the Minnesota TruckingAssociation started this program
before I even became a part ofit and they just had a couple of
domestic violence shelters anda couple of churches that they
were kind of.
Having trucking companies setup boxes in their local area and
having drivers or office peopleput a toy in and then they
would gather them up and thenthey would bring them to those
(08:44):
charities.
And today it's grown to.
I believe we serve as 24different charities in the state
of Minnesota.
Last year we have tologistically put together, you
know we have Bemidji and ParkRapids and the Northern
charities along with the cityones, and we, being on the
convoy and being in the truck,driving championships, a lot of
(09:06):
our industry people, our drivers, our companies all intertwine a
little bit.
And so, being being in theconvoy, I have a lady that works
for the Metro Transit PoliceDepartment.
That works for the MetroTransit Police Department and a
few years back she actuallyintroduced some new charities to
us.
So these ended up being some ofour biggest ones 600, 700 kids
(09:34):
at one particular place.
So we ended up having to up ourgame, up our monetary donations
and up our shoppers.
So but we've, we've, we've kindof twinged it just a little bit
so that we're not getting allthis multiple weird things and
trying to figure out whichcharities to go to.
The charities are now giving uslists of children, gender and
ages and we're shoppingspecifically for them.
(09:56):
So it's very cool.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Wow, that's awesome.
Yeah, you know nothing like agift that people can really, you
know, associate with what theywant versus this is what's left.
I got to take it.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Personal like that.
Why do you think this eventresonates so strongly with
drivers year after year?
Speaker 1 (10:16):
I can tell you, when I was a drop location prior to
you know, being a co-chair ofthe event is the drivers that
would bring us stuff have beenin the situation.
Their moms were in thatsituation, their brothers or
sisters went without certainthings, and those were the
people that, sadly, are the onesthat open their hearts and
their wallets, or their or youknow whatever they need to do.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
It's because they've been there before wallets or
whatever they need to do.
It's because they've been therebefore.
That's awesome.
So, man, Minnesota, largestconvoy for Special Olympics.
Let's tell about that how doesit work?
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Why is it such a special event for both drivers
and the athletes?
So I got a friend of mine whoused to work at Halver Lines,
(11:24):
actually got me into it.
She's just like come down seewhat it's all about, and I think
I'm dirt lot in the back thatwe haven't always been at.
We used to start in Blaine butthey actually built a school in
that parking lot so we couldn'tuse it anymore.
So we moved up to Running Acesand what.
Kathy Karkula is the one whobasically had this dream, this
vision, and this year will beour 21st year and I've only been
(11:44):
with them half the time.
So it's a way that driverswhether you're an owner operator
, you have one truck, you have600 trucks and you want to put
five drivers in People put theirshow trucks in.
People put I mean, we havegarbage trucks, we have tow
trucks, we have doubles, we haveevery single truck you can
think of, and these guys allcome up and on Friday night
(12:08):
before the event, most of theowner operators or the
over-the-road drivers will comeup and park the night before and
then the next morning.
I mean we have two hours tocheck in.
I think last year we had 113drivers that we registered,
probably only 20 of them thenight before.
So we're registering driversand you know, as quickly as we
(12:29):
can.
And then these guys also do theopening ceremonies, like all of
the Special Olympics events.
So we have the torch, we haveall of our athletes walking up
to stage, we have probably 25 ofthe best state patrol and local
(12:49):
law enforcement, along with DOTthat uses those trucks, that
has the arrows to move over.
They block all the roads offfor us.
They do all of that.
And we have the athletes thatcome in and and depending on how
many athletes are registered tocome with us, we actually pair
those athletes with a driver.
They get to ride in the truckwith the driver.
(13:12):
We go 22 miles up to the Harrisexit, turn around and come back
and and all along the waythere's people standing on the
bridges, they're waving flags,they're at the park and rides.
They're in the in the woods.
There's people standing on thebridges, they're waving flags,
they're at the park and rides.
They're in the woods, in theditches.
They think this is the neatestthing in the world.
And so we start planning thatevent early summer and that's
(13:36):
coming up in October.
So we always try to have moredrivers and have more people to
participate, but sometimes, youknow, word doesn't get out till
too late.
There's a lot of budgetingissues with some trucking
companies and there's a feeassociated with, you know,
registering your truck.
It's $150 per driver to be in.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Yeah, but that's probably a business write-off
that they can use as well.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Yeah, so yeah, it's a good way to give back.
Do you have a favorite story oran athlete riding along with a
driver that really captures thespirit of the day, and maybe
have something that you hold onto each?
Speaker 1 (14:13):
day, the beginning of the event, when we're setting
up and they're setting up theraffles, and sometimes they'll
have a band the night before.
But Kathy Karkula's nieceAshley, and Louie Nosen, which
he's been at the event everyyear since I've been there I
(14:37):
actually borrow him at the TruckDriving Championships and he
sings the national anthem forboth events.
Um, those two are I.
I show up with a little giftfor both of them every year and
they're they're just.
They motivate me to be there,um, to just see all the faces of
everybody who's there, and alot of these guys always come
back.
But we had, we had, uh, a coupleyears ago we had a new athlete
(14:58):
that showed up that I don't evenknow how he heard about it, but
he goes by a nickname ofSpider-Man and he was telling us
his backstory about being in anorphanage and actually I think
it was Ukraine when he was a kidhe's probably 40s maybe, but I
(15:24):
think they left him in a cribfor like two years and never let
him out and he had some issuesthat pertained from that and
he's probably one of the mostsmiling, bubbly people you have
ever met in your entire life.
And last year FedEx Freight puta couple drivers in for the
first time and he got to ridewith one of our TDC guys that
(15:48):
came to the convoy that year,and it was.
I mean.
The pictures that we took ofjust how big his smile was is
why you do what you do.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Yeah, that is beautiful, great story.
I mean, it's nothing likeseeing their faces, you know,
when you never had a day, youknow, those people are still out
there too, and people likeyourself.
That puts all of us together.
I mean, let's talk about ReefsAcross America.
I mean that's a big event aswell.
A lot of people partake in that.
You've seen that.
You know Reefs Across Americadelivering reefs for honored
(16:21):
veterans.
Yes, how did you get involvedin that program?
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Actually one of my friends over at Cook Trucking.
He did a lot of that puttogether initially and I know
there's a lot of drivers inMinnesota that also go to that.
But the opening ceremony, whenthey're actually honoring each
branch of the service, and thestories that they're telling you
from the backside, the way thatthey want you to say the name
(16:49):
of the person that you'reputting that wreath on on their
grave so that it's never passedaway in the early 1900s or the
1930s and maybe their family isgone now and if we say their
(17:09):
name out loud that means theyaren't forgotten and that's kind
of the gist of.
I know they get nationalfunding.
I know each state's nationalcemetery has a certain amount of
wreaths that you can put out,but we have a lot of Minnesota
companies that actually bringthose trailers into Fort
Snelling.
I got to share that with someof our pro driver offices
(17:34):
nationwide and 90% of ouroffices are in locations where
they actually do that.
So we've been starting to sendpeople from our company, um, to
other locations besidesMinnesota.
But I get, I hear the Arlingtonone is amazing, but I I've
never been to it.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Wow, yeah, that's something to see, Um man.
So what?
What is it like, uh,participating in the ceremony
where the reefs and the gravesites uh, for yourself.
It's, very it's, it's.
Is it like participating in theceremony where the reefs and
the grave sites for yourself?
Speaker 1 (18:05):
It's very, it's humbling.
Let's just say that I think alot of people out there forget
why we're free and a lot ofpeople in our national
cemeteries maybe didn't passaway in action, but they're
there and they earned it and weneed to respect everything that
they did while they were in it's.
(18:26):
There's some rules that goalong with it.
That is explained to you duringthat opening ceremony, but in
Minnesota, sadly, it's alwayslike the second weekend in
December where it's either, youknow, 40 below zero and we're
all freezing to death and tryingto unload trucks and tromps
(18:46):
through snow, and you knowthat's dedication, right, yeah
it is right?
Yeah, it is.
You would be amazed at how manypeople are there.
I mean for for not a lot of.
They don't get a lot ofpublicity.
Let's say they don't put theirstuff on the radio, they don't,
they, it's just on their site.
And veterans are the ones thata lot of drivers that used to be
(19:09):
veterans also are, that arestill veterans, are veterans,
are pushing that, and that's theneat part, is that that kind of
marries into truck driving aswell.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Wow, yeah, that definitely connects.
I mean trucking veterans.
There's a lot of hardworkingmen out there that have put that
time in, and then they're alsostill helping the country by
logistically helping out in thetrucking industry.
So that's good, definitely yes.
So thanks for explaining thatvery well.
I hope you get involved.
So community impact, personalmotivation for yourself.
(19:41):
You're working with pro drivers, so you see a lot of people.
You're involved in so manydifferent causes.
How do you balance them all?
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Well, I always used to tell people I said you know,
at some point I have to work forthe company that pays me, right
.
But I've, I've, I've become abig part of the things that I
have because logistically theywork good off.
(20:13):
And then, once that's over, Istart the convoy, and once
that's over, I start trucks andtoys, and once that's over, it's
Reese.
So it works out perfectly towhere I'm not doing too many
things at one time.
But I work a lot better doingmany things versus trying to
finish one thing at a time,right?
Um, but it's, it's.
I think it's the support thatmy company gives me, such a lot
(20:33):
of support for a lot of thethings that I get to be a part
of.
That is something that I'm verythankful for.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Yeah, I can definitely understand that being
able to have this podcast andhave you on.
I'm thankful for them lettingyou do that as well and also you
taking the time to do that.
I mean, I know you're busy, so,yeah, you're juggling it all
and it goes to show that it paysoff.
So, thank you.
What's driving for us thatkeeps you committed year after
year?
Let's say you know, here goesanother year.
(21:02):
What keeps you going?
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Exactly, I think, because every year's different.
I think in the TDC last yearalone we had 30 rookies and
those guys have neverparticipated before and those
are the ones where you like towatch the veterans take them
under their wing.
Even though they're competingagainst each other, they're
still trying to help them.
That's part of what brings usall to the industry and stays in
(21:29):
the industry is that we're notagainst or for certain companies
, certain people, certain things, because we're all in it
together.
I think that seeing thecamaraderie with all the
veterans, whether it's theconvoy, whether it's TDC, these
(21:50):
guys they show up every year.
That's one time a year whereyou know you're going to see
those people again.
If you don't get to, you knowkeep in touch with them all year
.
So that's.
I think one thing is like Ican't wait to get to the convoy
and see you know so-and-so.
Or the TDC side, where I gothrough the registrations with
our committee, where I gothrough the registrations with
(22:11):
our committee, make sure thatall those drivers are capable of
doing what they signed up for,that they have their time and
that they don't have preventableaccidents and all that good
stuff.
And while we're going throughthose forms, it's like I get to
see the names of those before wemake the running order.
I know who's coming, you know,and it's like, oh good, we get
to see him again.
Or a rookie that was there lastyear, you know, and it's like,
(22:34):
oh good, we get to see him again.
Or a rookie that was there lastyear, you know, I'm so glad
that they're coming back becausethat means we did the right
thing for them.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
That's awesome.
Behind the scenes, the joy thatyou get when you see people
celebrate their victories that'sgreat.
I like hearing that.
So if you were to inspire morepeople to get involved in
trucking- related communityservice.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
what would you say to those individuals?
Maybe a word of advice orsomething?
I think part of it is justtaking that first step, because
I had, I did a what we call herea lunch and learn on the
provider events that I'm a partof, kind of like with what I'm
doing with you, and it soundsvery overwhelming when you think
about all this.
But I didn't start them all thesame year.
I gradually went into those butstart as a volunteer, go to
(23:22):
your local or or state event,see how it all runs without
volunteering initially, see whatit is and then make that
decision but you know it's it isand then make that decision but
you know it's it's.
It's really hard to if you don'tknow someone who's there or you
don't know.
You know it's hard to take thatfirst step and I and I totally
(23:42):
know that.
Just remember that in eventsthat you get to be a part of,
there's a reason that you get tobe a part of it because you
want to be.
It's not someone's not makingyou.
Never do something thatsomeone's making you do.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
Nice, wow, yeah, then it's not volunteering anymore.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Then it's just another job.
You're not, you know.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Wow.
So yeah, volunteering is good.
That's great advice.
I think people can really, youknow, hey, actually they'll look
for you when they're there.
And word of mouth.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
I mean, I've had a lot of people where I didn't
even know that they were goingto be a part of it and I'll hear
my name getting yelled fromacross the room.
And that's another company thatI've done business with in the
past.
I didn't even know where it wasgoing to be there.
So it's kind of like old homeweek in some aspects, you know.
Or if someone finds out you'rea part of it, they're asking you
kind of like Jesse, you knowJesse's like let's do this.
(24:38):
I'll stop by, let me grab somestuff, I'll knock on some doors.
Let's get some moreparticipation this year.
I didn't ask him to do that, hejust said can I?
And I absolutely you can.
You know that's what you want.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Those are the people that you want to be involved in
your stuff.
Yeah, jesse Heron does a greatjob with that.
I mean I was honored to havehim on as a podcast and also him
telling about pro drivers andthe efforts that you guys do
there.
Pro drivers how do they make itall happen to us?
Tell a little bit about prodrivers and their mission.
What is that for if peoplenever heard of ProDriving?
Speaker 1 (25:14):
Yeah.
So what we do is we actuallyDOT qualify drivers with
experience and we take themunder our wing here after
they've got their one year in ofclass A or class B.
We take care of everything onthe backside for the driver.
So we handle, you know, theirunemployment, their benefits,
all their taxes.
They're considered companydrivers.
(25:34):
They're not 1099.
And then we have a lot ofcarriers in different parts of
the country that utilize ourdrivers on a full-time and
part-time basis.
So these drivers have anon-force dispatch here.
We throw, you know, a few openpositions at them.
They get to choose what theywant and we take care of the
(25:57):
rest.
So it's a nice concept for somecompanies just come to us and
say you know what?
You find us two drivers.
This is the position.
We do the recruiting.
We weed through the driversthat may or may not fit.
We take care of all that on thebackside and so kind of.
Some drivers will say it's kindof a head hunting, but it's not
, because I have drivers whoworked for me for 20 years in
(26:17):
Minnesota and they're still herewith me today working for the
same carrier they started at,you know.
So some people want to keep youon our payroll forever, and
some drivers use that as astepping stone to get hired in a
carrier that they may not havebeen able to find on their own.
Very, very cool concept.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
It is great.
And then you guys are all overthe country.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Yeah.
So how about that?
That's a great service.
You're doing great things overthere and, like I said, I really
appreciate you coming on theshow.
It's clear that what bringspeople together is the ways to
celebrate trucking and also theprofessionalism that comes along
with it being able to give backto those who need it most.
So I really appreciate youtalking about those things and
(26:58):
helping other people to step outof their boundaries and their
comfort zone to try a littlesomething here or there
volunteer, if you can.
So it's a skill levelcompetition, holiday toy drive,
special Olympics convoy orhonoring the veterans All of
those are great things to be apart of.
So thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
Yeah, no problem, I do it even if people weren't.
You know, I've been doingthings when people weren't
watching for years, and so it'sjust kind of coming to the
surface now with when you lookat all the things that you're
doing and it's like, wow, thatis a, it's worth every second.
So I appreciate it nice nice,that's great.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
So, uh, you've shown that the road, uh, that connects
us all, it's it's definitelyworth putting in those efforts,
so I appreciate that.
So thank you for joining us andsharing your story, yeah thank
you ray you guys like what yousee or like what you hear, be
sure to share with anotherdriver or another company out
there that's possibly need somehelp with drivers or
volunteering.
That's something that you canall be a part of, so we wanted
(28:03):
to make sure we got this showout there for you guys to hear
firsthand from Kim and all thethings that she's been a part of
.
So thank you so much forjoining.
Das Delivered and that's it fortoday.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.