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Inside The Triangle

Inside The Triangle

By Decker Truck Line, Inc.

Inside the Triangle: A Decker Truck Line podcast, is hosted by Professional Driver Darin Ladlie. We explore everything from trucking industry news and DTL updates, Driver stories and accomplishments, interviews, and more!
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11: New Guaranteed Minimum Pay for Drivers with Abbie Reed

Inside The TriangleSep 03, 2020

00:00
29:17
64: Industry Updates with Steven Hatten
May 22, 202338:22
63: Driver Training
Mar 06, 202344:38
62: Operations Day & Night

62: Operations Day & Night

In our newest episode of Inside the Triangle, learn what Dispatching and Operations looks like from all angles. Our host Darin Ladlie sits down with members from our Night Operations team as well as three of our Fleet Managers from three different Terminals. 

Director of Night Operations WIllie Edgerton, along with Night Operations staff Devante Shivers and Kala Lampe, join Darin to talk about what Operations looks like after hours and what the day (night) in the life looks like. 

Then, Fleet Managers Alexa Anderson (Fort Dodge), Jimmy Mitchell (Bessemer), and Drew Cardy (Missoula) join Darin to chat about what Operations looks like from three of our Decker Terminals. Listen as Alexa, Jimmy, and Drew compare dispatching techniques give advice to our Professional Drivers o how they can be successful.

Lastly, Darin announces the June Drivers of the Month and talks about the Scorecard and Safety bonuses.

With a refreshing new format, our podcast is now monthly and will feature multiple segments per episode. Don’t worry – even with the new format, it will still sound familiar as we have brought back our host, Darin Ladlie!

As many of you know, Darin is now over the road full-time; and the schedule of a full time Professional Driver can sometimes be unpredictable. This gives the podcast a great opportunity to bring in guest hosts! We have already had offers from Drivers and members of our staff and we can’t wait to hear what they have to say in future episodes. If stepping in as a guest host interests you, please reach out to Kati Frahm at ext. 2206 or email podcast@deckermail.com.

If hosting isn’t your thing and you’d rather be a guest on an upcoming episode, please let us know – we want to hear from everyone! We are also accepting topic suggestions and questions you would like answered on the podcast! Again, please send these to podcast@deckermail.com or call Kati at ext. 2206.

Stay tuned. We’re excited for you to hear what's happenin' Inside the Triangle.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!  If you have any topic suggestions or questions you want answered or discussed on an upcoming podcast, email them to podcast@deckermail.com.  Or, you can create a voice memo on your smart phone and email it to podcast@deckermail.com.

Aug 23, 202257:32
61: Updates from the Safety Department

61: Updates from the Safety Department

A brand new episode of the Decker podcast is now available.

Patrice Fourtina (Director of Driver Development) and Rick George (Vice President of Safety) join host Darin Ladlie to talk about the Truck Driving Championships, the Roadcheck Inspection Blitz, and the new Lytx system we are installing in our trucks.

Decker Truck Line competed in the Iowa and the Montana TDC. The following Professional Drivers competed in Montana:

Roy Middlestead
Art Clubb
Lyle Turville
Donny Nealey
Ron Buck

The following Professional Drivers competed in Iowa:

Todd Ouverson
Tom Melton
Mike Graf
Mike Mertz
Felix Perez

Professional Drivers Lyle Turville and Dean Filmer are going to the National Truck Driving Championship in Indianapolis after placing 1st in their respective categories during their state Truck Driving Championships.

Lyle Turville earned 1st place in Sleeper Berth at the Montana TDC.
Dean Filmer earned 1st place in 5-Axle at the Iowa TDC.

Then, Lindy Batcheller (Driver Coach) joins Tammy O’Tool (Vice President of Administration) to go over a brand new Lytx FAQ page that was created to help drivers as we transition from SmartDrive to Lytx.

Lastly, Darin announces the May Drivers of the Month and talks about the Scorecard and Safety bonuses.


With a refreshing new format, our podcast is now monthly and will feature multiple segments per episode. Don’t worry – even with the new format, it will still sound familiar as we have brought back our host, Darin Ladlie!

As many of you know, Darin is now over the road full-time; and the schedule of a full time Professional Driver can sometimes be unpredictable. This gives the podcast a great opportunity to bring in guest hosts! We have already had offers from Drivers and members of our staff and we can’t wait to hear what they have to say in future episodes. If stepping in as a guest host interests you, please reach out to Kati Frahm at ext. 2206 or email podcast@deckermail.com.

If hosting isn’t your thing and you’d rather be a guest on an upcoming episode, please let us know – we want to hear from everyone! We are also accepting topic suggestions and questions you would like answered on the podcast! Again, please send these to podcast@deckermail.com or call Kati at ext. 2206.


Stay tuned. We’re excited for you to hear what's happenin' Inside the Triangle.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!  If you have any topic suggestions or questions you want answered or discussed on an upcoming podcast, email them to podcast@deckermail.com.  Or, you can create a voice memo on your smart phone and email it to podcast@deckermail.com.

Jul 11, 202242:59
60: We're Back!

60: We're Back!

Back by popular demand! A brand new episode of the Decker podcast is now available.

With a refreshing new format, our podcast is now monthly and will feature multiple segments per episode. Don’t worry – even with the new format, it will still sound familiar as we have brought back our host, Darin Ladlie!

As many of you know, Darin is now over the road full-time; and the schedule of a full time Professional Driver can sometimes be unpredictable. This gives the podcast a great opportunity to bring in guest hosts! We have already had offers from Drivers and members of our staff and we can’t wait to hear what they have to say in future episodes. If stepping in as a guest host interests you, please reach out to Kati Frahm at ext. 2206 or email podcast@deckermail.com.

If hosting isn’t your thing and you’d rather be a guest on an upcoming episode, please let us know – we want to hear from everyone! We are also accepting topic suggestions and questions you would like answered on the podcast! Again, please send these to podcast@deckermail.com or call Kati at ext. 2206.

In our first episode back – Darin talks to Ken Cromwell, COO of Decker Truck Line. Ken shares with us the responsibilities of his position and where he believes the industry is headed within the next year or so.

Then the roles reverse as Ken interviews Darin about what it's been like being back on the road. Darin talks about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the industry and how it’s changed since the last time he was over the road full time…17 years ago! And if you know Darin, you know he will tell it like it is!

Then, Darin brings in a special guest to announce the Drivers of the Month, Scorecard bonus, and Safety (SmartDrive & Lytx) bonus! Spoiler alert – the special guest is one of our Drivers of the Month!

Stay tuned. We’re excited for you to hear what's happenin' Inside the Triangle.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!  If you have any topic suggestions or questions you want answered or discussed on an upcoming podcast, email them to podcast@deckermail.com.  Or, you can create a voice memo on your smart phone and email it to podcast@deckermail.com.

Jun 06, 202259:38
59: Driver Spotlight - Todd Ouverson
Aug 25, 202124:36
58: Scorecard Tips with Professional Driver Lisa Ohrmundt
Aug 19, 202131:37
57: Decker Company Store and Decker Merchandise with Stephanie Hade
Aug 12, 202121:23
56: Summer Safety Tips for Truck Drivers with Tyson Vance

56: Summer Safety Tips for Truck Drivers with Tyson Vance

 

Jul 29, 202117:37
55: Night Ops with Alexa Anderson, Allie Leedom, and Juan Rodriguez
Jul 22, 202127:21
54: Fuel Program with Janelle Sorenson, Andrew Mlodzik, and Dale Leman

54: Fuel Program with Janelle Sorenson, Andrew Mlodzik, and Dale Leman

Jul 16, 202141:26
53: Driver Spotlight - Angela Crager

53: Driver Spotlight - Angela Crager

Decker Driver Spotlight: Angela Crager

Jul 01, 202122:25
52: Lease Purchase and Owner Operator Program with Darin Ladlie
Jun 24, 202140:18
51: Recruiting with Anna, Clarisa, and Mitch

51: Recruiting with Anna, Clarisa, and Mitch

Decker Driver Recruiters, Anna Randazzo, Clarisa Bernard and Mitch Dooley join host Darin Ladlie in this week’s episode of Inside the Triangle!

Last week, the entire Recruiting Department was finally able to get together again!  Anna, Clarisa and Mitch took time out of their busy, busy week to do a podcast with Darin about the Recruiting Department at DTL.  They talk about how every Professional Driver has a different personality and communication style, and how here at Decker, our Driver Recruiters are able to use their own approach to recruit Drivers.  Some Drivers are into email, others prefer phone calls, and some love social media!  And at DTL, we truly have a Recruiter fit for any kind of Professional Driver!

Listen closely to hear Clarisa’s fun trivia question at the end.  The first person to answer correctly wins a Pilot Flying J gift card!

Jun 17, 202127:43
50: Communications with Jesse, Kati, and Tammy

50: Communications with Jesse, Kati, and Tammy

In this episode of Inside the Triangle, Jesse Butler (Recruiter), Kati Frahm (Communications Coordinator), and Tammy O’Tool (Vice President of Administration) join host Darin Ladlie to talk about our Maintenance Department Appreciation Week, and also to talk about all the different channels of communication that we have to offer for our Professional Drivers!

As you know, this week is our Maintenance Department Appreciation Week where we give our thanks to this fantastic team. They work endlessly to make sure our Professional Drivers are safe and on the road. We hope you’ve had a chance to shop at one of our 6 shops to grab some lunch and take the time to say thanks to all of the very hard workers in the Maintenance Department.

Jesse, Kati, and Tammy also discuss our various means of communication where we release any news, announcements, updates, and other items that you may need to know about! We also have lots of different social media channels where we post photos, videos, safety messages, and more!

Stick around as Darin goes head-to-head with the Communications Gals in a fun trivia game!

Listen closely to hear Darin’s fun trivia question. The first person to answer correctly wins a Pilot Flying J gift card!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!  If you have any topic suggestions or questions you want answered or discussed on an upcoming podcast, e-mail them to podcast@deckermail.com.  Or, you can create a voice memo on your smart phone and e-mail it to podcast@deckermail.com

Sponsorships: off for this episode

Jun 10, 202137:48
49: Detention Pay with Laura Biberdorf & Megan Laughlin
Jun 04, 202122:56
48: Driver Spotlight - Patrick Barb
May 27, 202121:46
47: TVC with Nick Hillesheim
May 20, 202122:31
46: East Coast Truckers Jamboree with Driver Tim Olden
May 13, 202123:10
45: WorkHound with Melissa Harrison
May 06, 202121:13
44: Equipment & Maintenance with Matt Lynch
Apr 30, 202134:07
43: Driver Spotlight - Chad Hazelton with Special Guest Alan Henderson
Apr 22, 202139:17
42: Bessemer Operations with Jeremy Foster
Apr 15, 202124:35
41: Fleet Manager Spotlight - Cynthia Seagren
Apr 09, 202115:34
40: Driver Onboarding with Katy McFarland

40: Driver Onboarding with Katy McFarland

Katy McFarland, Driver Onboarding Coordinator, joins host Darin Ladlie in this week’s podcast. This episode is jam packed with lots of great info and news! Darin announces Anthony Vasquez as our Grand Champion Driver of the Year! Congratulations to Anthony and to all of our 2020 Division Drivers of the Year: Tom Melton, Todd Ouverson, Chad Hazelton, Tim Olden, and Cyndi & Todd Hopes. Darin also names our Million Mile Drivers for 2020: Martin Blanker, Arthur Clubb, Chad Hazelton, Garry Howard, Shawn Landfear, Adan Lugo-Baez, Tim Olden, David Starrett, Ronald Burken, Ed Woodley, and Allen Chapman. Way to go, congratulations and thank you all for your hard work and dedication to safety!

Next, Katy talks about her new role she has stepped into at Decker: Driver Onboarding Coordinator. Her goal for this new position is to streamline Driver Orientation and help make Orientation a great process for our Drivers. From the moment a Driver walks through the door until the moment they step into their truck, Katy’s goal is to make every step of the way a seamless process for our Drivers!

Katy also talks about her experience as Sherriff’s Reserve for Boone County. She has some crazy experiences while working in law enforcement that she chats about!

Then, Katy and Kati go head-to-head in Trucker lingo trivia!

Stick around as Darin asks a fun trivia question. The first person to answer correctly wins a Pilot gift card from Darin!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!  If you have any topic suggestions or questions you want answered or discussed on an upcoming podcast, e-mail them to podcast@deckermail.com.  Or, you can create a voice memo on your smart phone and e-mail it to podcast@deckermail.com

Apr 01, 202123:04
39: Driver Spotlight - Cyndi & Todd Hopes
Mar 25, 202136:11
38: Driver Spotlight - Thomas Remington
Mar 18, 202133:43
37: Meet Lysa and Jen from the Safety Department
Mar 11, 202121:12
36: Recruiting Department Updates with Abbie Reed
Mar 05, 202119:03
35: Driver Awards Ceremony with Tammy O'Tool

35: Driver Awards Ceremony with Tammy O'Tool

Hey, this is Tammy O’Tool, I was lucky enough to join our host, Darin Ladlie, on this week’s podcast!  We’re very excited to share some information about our upcoming Driver Awards Ceremony!  Darin kicks off this episode with announcing Decker’s January 2021 Drivers of the Month and the January Scorecard Bonus updates. He then explains how the Scorecard Bonus Program rolls into our Driver of the Month/Driver of the Year Program.  As we prepare for this year’s Awards Ceremony, we look forward to featuring any new Million Mile Team Drivers,  our 2020 Division Drivers of the Year, and ultimately the unveiling of our Grand Champion Driver of the Year.

Darin and I also talk about how earning the honor of Driver of the Month can lead to much bigger things.  For Professional Driver Steve Alliger, being selected as Decker’s Grand Champion Driver of the Year has opened the door for him to be nominated as the American Trucking Association’s National Driver of the Year!

Feb 25, 202117:26
34: Driver Spotlight - Lisa Ohrmundt
Feb 18, 202133:52
33: All About Geotab pt. 2 with Jason Sorlien
Feb 11, 202116:52
32: All About Geotab pt. 1 with Ashley Pettus
Feb 05, 202117:53
31: Health & Wellness with Jesse Butler
Jan 28, 202140:06
30: Important Reminders and Tips for all Drivers from All Departments
Jan 21, 202122:28
29: Iowa D.O.T. Sgt. Robert Wittkowski
Jan 14, 202132:05
28: Winter Weather with Matt McConaughey
Jan 07, 202125:47
27: Driver Spotlight - Tim Olden
Dec 31, 202023:11
26: Happy Holidays from Darin and Kati
Dec 17, 202016:10
25: Fleet Manager Spotlight - Gary Northrop
Dec 10, 202030:21
24: Driver Spotlight - Steve Alliger
Dec 04, 202030:11
23: Driver Orientation with Elaine Schlick
Nov 30, 202023:33
22: Winter Truck Driving Tips with Rick George and Tyson Vance
Nov 19, 202019:10
21: Open Enrollment with Andrea Kloberdanz

21: Open Enrollment with Andrea Kloberdanz

Health & Benefits Manager, Andrea Kloberdanz, joins host Darin Ladlie to talk about Open Enrollment and all things Decker Benefits! Andrea goes over all the different insurance options that Drivers and Office/Shop employees have available to them and how to sign up.

You can make changes on at online at http://employeenavigator.com/benefits/Account/Login, or over the phone by calling SISCO at 855-447-4726 ext. 6413. If you have any questions, please contact Andrea at ext. 2530.

Stick around until the end to hear a message from Darin regarding this month’s scorecard and a special announcement about an upcoming guest.


WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
If you have topic suggestions or questions you want answered on the podcast, you can email them to podcast@deckermail.com. Or you can create a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to podcast@deckermail.com

Nov 12, 202012:04
20: Referral Bonus and Minimum Pay with Jesse Butler
Nov 05, 202021:18
19: Driver Spotlight - Crystal Haun
Oct 29, 202028:14
18: HAPPY FLEET MANAGER APPRECIATION WEEK with Michael Erritt and Drivers Charles Ghan, Greg Narciso, and Joseph Parris
Oct 22, 202027:47
17: Fleet Manager Spotlight - Zac Bax
Oct 15, 202033:38
16: Driver Spotlight - Jerry Arthur
Oct 08, 202025:45
15: Fleet Manager Spotlight - Demisha Hubbard
Oct 01, 202035:31