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Small fleets are told that bigger competitors will always out-recruit and out-tech them. But that’s not always true.
This past month, our writer Shefali Kapadia spoke with Jill Quinn, president of Centerline and Skilled Trades at TrueBlue, about why small carriers already have a recruiting edge they aren't using. She also spoke with Jason Park, senior risk program manager at SambaSafety, about turning scattered telematics data into a safety record that actually holds up.
You don’t want to miss these conversations.
- Bianca Prieto, editor
P.S. We want Inside Lane to cover the stories and topics that matter most to you. Hit reply and let us know what you want more of! We read every note.
Small carriers already have the recruiting edge that matters most
Expert: Jill Quinn, president of Centerline and Skilled Trades, TrueBlue
Small carriers aren't losing the driver recruiting race because of budget. They're losing because larger fleets have more visible pipelines, not because they're actually a better fit for drivers. Quinn says the personal connection small fleets offer, direct access to leadership and a clear line between a driver's work and the business is exactly what experienced drivers say they want now. The fleets winning aren't outspending anyone. They're just saying the quiet part out loud, faster than the competition.
Your driver safety data is telling you more than you think
Expert: Jason Park, senior risk program manager, SambaSafety
Speeding made up 37% of major violations in SambaSafety's latest driver risk report, and distracted driving citations climbed 31% over two years. Park says most small carriers still treat each incident as an isolated event instead of connecting the dots. His fix isn't more technology. It's validating the data, prioritizing repeat patterns and documenting every coaching conversation so the record can survive a broker's scrutiny or a courtroom. With litigation pressure rising, a documented safety habit is becoming the difference between winning a load and losing one.
Don’t miss this
Tim Hampton of WEX says fuel needs to be treated as a controllable business process, not a fixed cost, and the fleets managing it actively are the ones protecting their margins. → Stop treating diesel as a passive expense
Lauren Harper of Kodiak AI says autonomous capacity is shaping up to be an opportunity for small carriers, not a threat, especially on long routes where recruiting is hardest. → No human fleet beat this driverless truck's safety score
You’re all caught up!
That's the best of what we published this month. Got someone at your company who would make a great Inside Lane Q&A? We're always looking for voices on driver retention economics, insurance and legal exposure for small carriers, fuel and cost management and what autonomous trucking actually means for a fleet your size.
Hit reply and introduce yourself.
