That’s Delivered Podcast
Welcome to “That’s Delivered” – your ultimate destination for all things trucking and beyond! Here, we take you behind the wheel and dive deep into the world of trucking, delivering stories, insights, and experiences designed to inspire, educate, and entertain.
Our podcast isn’t just about transportation; it’s about reliability, accomplishment, and fulfillment. “That’s Delivered” reflects the sense of completion that comes with meeting promises and exceeding expectations—whether on the road or in life.
Whether you’re a seasoned trucker, a logistics enthusiast, or just curious about the backbone of our economy, this is the place for you. We’ll explore life on the road, uncover how technology is reshaping the industry, and break down the latest regulations impacting drivers and businesses alike.
So buckle up, hit the road with us, and join a community that understands the journey is just as important as the destination. From personal stories to industry insights, “That’s Delivered” brings the best of trucking straight to your ears, promising every mile together will be worth the ride!
That’s Delivered Podcast
Kim Heins – The Heart of Minnesota’s Trucking Community
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!
🔗https://www.treeringdigital.com/delivered
Get your discount for Truck Parking Club click: here
Get your Trucking Ray merch to show that you roll with Trucking Ray and That’s Delivered Podcast! click: here
today on that's delivered. We're talking to someone whose impact on a trucking community extends far beyond the road. Kim hines works with pro drivers and is dedicated for decades of organizing events with celebrations for drivers across amer, getting the communities uplifted and drawing them close to her heart. She's a co-chair of MTA Truck Driving Championships, a committee member of Minnesota Largest Convoy, special Olympics co-chair of Trucks and Toys and a volunteer of Reefs Across America. We're here to show how she juggles those roles and the stories that kept her motivated and why bringing people together, whether it's competition, celebration or service, is such a powerful part of trucking culture. So let's bring her in the show. Hey, welcome to the show. How are you doing today, kim?
Speaker 1:I'm wonderful. How are you?
Speaker 2:I'm doing well, thank you. We've got great weather out here and we've got a great show ahead of us. Looking forward to hearing more about you, and I'm sure our listeners are as well. So, yeah, just tell us a little bit about your background. What got you involved in trucking, the trucking industry and those events that have taken place over the decades?
Speaker 1:Sure, well, I know there's a lot of people out there who are like.
Speaker 1:My dad was in it, my grandpa was in it and they're my hero and that kind of grandpa was always my hero.
Speaker 1:But I actually ended up in trucking by accident. My aunt's sister was working at a place that was actually a union company, did food delivery, and right out of high school I swooped into that position and we did the five-state area of fast food distribution and those drivers they worked their tails off and, to have the respect now that I didn't have back then for all the work those guys had to do, went on a dare to Texas, lived in Minnesota in a small town out west my whole life, spun the globe and said no one is ever going to leave here, so I will, and ended up in Fort Worth with a 26-foot Penske truck full of my stuff and called my grandma when I got my phone hooked up and said, hey, here's my new number. I moved and ended up getting my position with ProDrivers while I was in Texas and so talked him into. After I was there for about three years I talked him into opening an office in Minnesota so I could move home, and I'm still here today.
Speaker 2:That's amazing, man. So you make things happen, you network very well and put people together where they need to go. Has a role that ProDrivers shaped the way you approach events like trucking, rodeos and charitable convoys? How has that been a factor?
Speaker 1:So ProDrivers is a very big conduit to a lot of community things. Prodrivers has something within it called ProViders, and so we actually ask all of our offices nationwide to be a part of the community. They actually give them time off to do whether it be food banks, whether it be certain things and I guess I never used my time for that because almost everything that I put on is over the weekend, right, so I never even gave it a second thought. I was just like, yep, this is something I want to do back. Oh gosh, it was probably 2012.
Speaker 1:And I sat on that board for a couple of years before I started raising my hand for certain events that the MTA had.
Speaker 1:I started off with the truck driving championships and I've been on the state committee for that for, wow, I think I'm going on 22 years now. That is an event that's always been near and dear to my heart and jokingly, I used to say that it's the most fun you can have sober right, because it's 16 hours and you start planning for this event in January. The event used to be a two-day event and you spend six months getting that host location, you know, revving up drivers, getting those safety directors to get those accident-free drivers to be a part of our competition and the drivers are very humbling. I also serve on the Driver of the Month Committee for the state of Minnesota and so we get a lot of those applications for those wonderful drivers with so many years of service, of those applications for those wonderful drivers with so many years of service, and choosing those guys as far as you only have 12 months and there's just so many drivers out there.
Speaker 2:Wow For the listeners out there that may not know what the Truck Driving Championship is all about and what makes it so important for Minnesota's trucking community. I know this year we get to be the host in the state of Minnesota, so maybe you could share a little light on that situation as well.
Speaker 1:Oh sure. So in the Truck Driving Championships there are nine classes that the drivers compete in. It's step, van, straight truck, three axle, four axle, five axle, sleeper tankers, twins and these guys and flatbed, sorry and these guys actually come to the event. They do a pre-trip uh test per se that they have to find five majors and five minor defects, and then there's a written test that's 40 questions, that's that's an 80 points part of their score. And then there's a driving competition that has six problems. Each problem is up to 50 points. So each of these classes of drivers, whoever takes first place in each of those classes for each state competition will go to nationals, wherever that may be, and this year, like you said, it's at the Convention Center in Minneapolis. Those guys compete against all other states putting drivers in. So I think we're close to 500 drivers that'll be here in the Minneapolis area. I believe it is the 19th, 20th through the 23rd. There's two courses running at the same time and those drivers are all competing for first place for the ATA.
Speaker 2:Wow, man, that's amazing, All indoors too, right.
Speaker 1:All indoors. It's very the first time I went to the Minneapolis. It was very strange seeing two courses going on at the same time inside, so Wow, great thing to be a part of.
Speaker 2:Thanks for doing all that work you do there, and can you share a memorable moment from these championships that really stuck with you?
Speaker 1:I think one of it is. We have a club here in Minnesota that I don't think any other state has, and it's called the Matrix. It's the Minnesota Association of Truck Rodeo Champions. So any driver that actually takes first place in the state of Minnesota has an opportunity to be a part of this club, and this particular club spent multiple years helping us set up the course and helping us, you know, pick up equipment that's going to be utilized on the course. This group is every single trucking company you can imagine in Minnesota that participates and they always have the drivers who take first place come do quarterly meetings, and these guys made me an honorary member, so I go to their meetings. I don't vote, I didn't earn my way in for sure, but it is probably one of the things I hold the most dear to my heart as far as being a part of this. Those drivers respected me enough to actually want me to be a part of them, so that's awesome.
Speaker 2:That's great. I'm glad you're part of it too. Let's talk about trucks and toys. Yeah, and trucks and toys collect over 30,000 worth of toys for more than, I think, 3,200 children every holiday season, and with volunteer support. How did this first get started, or how did you get involved with this effort?
Speaker 1:effort. So the Minnesota Trucking Association started this program before I even became a part of it and they just had a couple of domestic violence shelters and a couple of churches that they were kind of. Having trucking companies set up boxes in their local area and having drivers or office people put a toy in and then they would gather them up and then they would bring them to those charities. And today it's grown to. I believe we serve as 24 different charities in the state of Minnesota.
Speaker 1:Last year we have to logistically put together, you know we have Bemidji and Park Rapids and the Northern charities along with the city ones, and we, being on the convoy and being in the truck, driving championships, a lot of our industry people, our drivers, our companies all intertwine a little bit. And so, being being in the convoy, I have a lady that works for the Metro Transit Police Department. That works for the Metro Transit Police Department and a few years back she actually introduced some new charities to us. So these ended up being some of our biggest ones 600, 700 kids at one particular place. So we ended up having to up our game, up our monetary donations and up our shoppers. So but we've, we've, we've kind of twinged it just a little bit so that we're not getting all this multiple weird things and trying to figure out which charities to go to. The charities are now giving us lists of children, gender and ages and we're shopping specifically for them. So it's very cool.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's awesome. Yeah, you know nothing like a gift that people can really, you know, associate with what they want versus this is what's left. I got to take it.
Speaker 1:Exactly.
Speaker 2:Personal like that. Why do you think this event resonates so strongly with drivers year after year?
Speaker 1:I can tell you, when I was a drop location prior to you know, being a co-chair of the event is the drivers that would bring us stuff have been in the situation. Their moms were in that situation, their brothers or sisters went without certain things, and those were the people that, sadly, are the ones that open their hearts and their wallets, or their or you know whatever they need to do.
Speaker 2:It's because they've been there before wallets or whatever they need to do. It's because they've been there before. That's awesome. So, man, Minnesota, largest convoy for Special Olympics. Let's tell about that how does it work?
Speaker 1:Why is it such a special event for both drivers and the athletes? So I got a friend of mine who used to work at Halver Lines, actually got me into it. She's just like come down see what it's all about, and I think I'm dirt lot in the back that we haven't always been at. We used to start in Blaine but they actually built a school in that parking lot so we couldn't use it anymore. So we moved up to Running Aces and what. Kathy Karkula is the one who basically had this dream, this vision, and this year will be our 21st year and I've only been with them half the time.
Speaker 1:So it's a way that drivers whether you're an owner operator, you have one truck, you have 600 trucks and you want to put five drivers in People put their show trucks in. People put I mean, we have garbage trucks, we have tow trucks, we have doubles, we have every single truck you can think of, and these guys all come up and on Friday night before the event, most of the owner operators or the over-the-road drivers will come up and park the night before and then the next morning. I mean we have two hours to check in. I think last year we had 113 drivers that we registered, probably only 20 of them the night before. So we're registering drivers and you know, as quickly as we can. And then these guys also do the opening ceremonies, like all of the Special Olympics events. So we have the torch, we have all of our athletes walking up to stage, we have probably 25 of the best state patrol and local law enforcement, along with DOT that uses those trucks, that has the arrows to move over. They block all the roads off for us. They do all of that.
Speaker 1:And we have the athletes that come in and and depending on how many athletes are registered to come with us, we actually pair those athletes with a driver. They get to ride in the truck with the driver. We go 22 miles up to the Harris exit, turn around and come back and and all along the way there'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 the bridges, they're waving flags, they're at the park and rides. They're in the woods, in the ditches. They think this is the neatest thing in the world. And so we start planning that event early summer and that's coming up in October. So we always try to have more drivers and have more people to participate, but sometimes, you know, word doesn't get out till too late. There's a lot of budgeting issues with some trucking companies and there's a fee associated with, you know, registering your truck. It's $150 per driver to be in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but that's probably a business write-off that they can use as well.
Speaker 1:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so yeah, it's a good way to give back. Do you have a favorite story or an athlete riding along with a driver that really captures the spirit of the day, and maybe have something that you hold on to each?
Speaker 1:day, the beginning of the event, when we're setting up and they're setting up the raffles, and sometimes they'll have a band the night before. But Kathy Karkula's niece Ashley, and Louie Nosen, which he's been at the event every year since I've been there I actually borrow him at the Truck Driving Championships and he sings the national anthem for both events. Um, those two are I. I show up with a little gift for 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 a lot of these guys always come back.
Speaker 1:But we had, we had, uh, a couple years ago we had a new athlete that showed up that I don't even know how he heard about it, but he goes by a nickname of Spider-Man and he was telling us his backstory about being in an orphanage and actually I think it was Ukraine when he was a kid he's probably 40s maybe, but I think they left him in a crib for like two years and never let him out and he had some issues that pertained from that and he's probably one of the most smiling, bubbly people you have ever met in your entire life. And last year FedEx Freight put a couple drivers in for the first time and he got to ride with one of our TDC guys that came to the convoy that year, and it was. I mean. The pictures that we took of just how big his smile was is why you do what you do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that is beautiful, great story. I mean, it's nothing like seeing their faces, you know, when you never had a day, you know, those people are still out there too, and people like yourself. That puts all of us together. I mean, let's talk about Reefs Across America. I mean that's a big event as well. A lot of people partake in that. You've seen that. You know Reefs Across America delivering reefs for honored veterans. Yes, how did you get involved in that program?
Speaker 1:Actually one of my friends over at Cook Trucking.
Speaker 1:He did a lot of that put together initially and I know there's a lot of drivers in Minnesota that also go to that.
Speaker 1:But the opening ceremony, when they're actually honoring each branch of the service, and the stories that they're telling you from the backside, the way that they want you to say the name of the person that you're putting that wreath on on their grave so that it's never passed away in the early 1900s or the 1930s and maybe their family is gone now and if we say their name out loud that means they aren't forgotten and that's kind of the gist of. I know they get national funding. I know each state's national cemetery has a certain amount of wreaths that you can put out, but we have a lot of Minnesota companies that actually bring those trailers into Fort Snelling. I got to share that with some of our pro driver offices nationwide and 90% of our offices are in locations where they actually do that. So we've been starting to send people from our company, um, to other locations besides Minnesota. But I get, I hear the Arlington one is amazing, but I I've never been to it.
Speaker 2: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 grave sites uh, for yourself. It's, very it's, it's. Is it like participating in the ceremony where the reefs and the grave sites for yourself?
Speaker 1:It's very, it's humbling. Let's just say that I think a lot of people out there forget why we're free and a lot of people in our national cemeteries maybe didn't pass away in action, but they're there and they earned it and we need to respect everything that they did while they were in it's. There's some rules that go along with it. That is explained to you during that opening ceremony, but in Minnesota, sadly, it's always like the second weekend in December where it's either, you know, 40 below zero and we're all freezing to death and trying to unload trucks and tromps through snow, and you know that's dedication, right, yeah it is right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is. You would be amazed at how many people are there. I mean for for not a lot of. They don't get a lot of publicity. Let's say they don't put their stuff on the radio, they don't, they, it's just on their site. And veterans are the ones that a lot of drivers that used to be veterans also are, that are still veterans, are veterans, are pushing that, and that's the neat part, is that that kind of marries into truck driving as well.
Speaker 2:Wow, yeah, that definitely connects. I mean trucking veterans. There's a lot of hardworking men out there that have put that time in, and then they're also still helping the country by logistically helping out in the trucking industry. So that's good, definitely yes. So thanks for explaining that very well. I hope you get involved. So community impact, personal motivation for yourself. You're working with pro drivers, so you see a lot of people. You're involved in so many different causes. How do you balance them all?
Speaker 1:Well, I always used to tell people I said you know, at some point I have to work for the company that pays me, right. But I've, I've, I've become a big part of the things that I have because logistically they work good off. And then, once that's over, I start the convoy, and once that's over, I start trucks and toys, and once that's over, it's Reese. So it works out perfectly to where I'm not doing too many things at one time. But I work a lot better doing many things versus trying to finish one thing at a time, right? Um, but it's, it's. I think it's the support that my company gives me, such a lot of support for a lot of the things that I get to be a part of. That is something that I'm very thankful for.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can definitely understand that being able to have this podcast and have you on. I'm thankful for them letting you 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 pays off. So, thank you. What's driving for us that keeps you committed year after year? Let's say you know, here goes another year. What keeps you going?
Speaker 1:Exactly, I think, because every year's different. I think in the TDC last year alone we had 30 rookies and those guys have never participated before and those are the ones where you like to watch the veterans take them under their wing. Even though they're competing against each other, they're still trying to help them. That's part of what brings us all to the industry and stays in the industry is that we're not against or for certain companies, certain people, certain things, because we're all in it together.
Speaker 1:I think that seeing the camaraderie with all the veterans, whether it's the convoy, whether it's TDC, these guys they show up every year. That's one time a year where you know you're going to see those people again. If you don't get to, you know keep in touch with them all year. So that's. I think one thing is like I can't wait to get to the convoy and see you know so-and-so.
Speaker 1:Or the TDC side, where I go through the registrations with our committee, where I go through the registrations with our committee, make sure that all those drivers are capable of doing what they signed up for, that they have their time and that they don't have preventable accidents and all that good stuff. And while we're going through those forms, it's like I get to see the names of those before we make 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 last year, you know, and it's like, oh good, we get to see him again. Or a rookie that was there last year, you know, I'm so glad that they're coming back because that means we did the right thing for them.
Speaker 2:That's awesome. Behind the scenes, the joy that you get when you see people celebrate their victories that's great. I like hearing that. So if you were to inspire more people to get involved in trucking- related community service.
Speaker 1:what would you say to those individuals? Maybe a word of advice or something? I think part of it is just taking that first step, because I had, I did a what we call here a lunch and learn on the provider events that I'm a part of, kind of like with what I'm doing with you, and it sounds very overwhelming when you think about all this. But I didn't start them all the same year. I gradually went into those but start as a volunteer, go to your local or or state event, see how it all runs without volunteering initially, see what it is and then make that decision but you know it's it is and then make that decision but you know it's it's.
Speaker 1:It's really hard to if you don't know someone who's there or you don't know. You know it's hard to take that first step and I and I totally know that. Just remember that in events that you get to be a part of, there's a reason that you get to be a part of it because you want to be. It's not someone's not making you. Never do something that someone's making you do.
Speaker 2:Nice, wow, yeah, then it's not volunteering anymore.
Speaker 1:Then it's just another job. You're not, you know.
Speaker 2:Wow. So yeah, volunteering is good. That's great advice. I think people can really, you know, hey, actually they'll look for you when they're there. And word of mouth.
Speaker 1:I mean, I've had a lot of people where I didn't even know that they were going to be a part of it and I'll hear my name getting yelled from across the room. And that's another company that I've done business with in the past. I didn't even know where it was going to be there. So it's kind of like old home week in some aspects, you know. Or if someone finds out you're a part of it, they're asking you kind of like Jesse, you know Jesse's like let's do this. I'll stop by, let me grab some stuff, I'll knock on some doors. Let's get some more participation this year. I didn't ask him to do that, he just said can I? And I absolutely you can. You know that's what you want.
Speaker 2:Those are the people that you want to be involved in your stuff. Yeah, jesse Heron does a great job with that. I mean I was honored to have him on as a podcast and also him telling about pro drivers and the efforts that you guys do there. Pro drivers how do they make it all happen to us? Tell a little bit about pro drivers and their mission. What is that for if people never heard of ProDriving?
Speaker 1:Yeah. So what we do is we actually DOT qualify drivers with experience and we take them under our wing here after they've got their one year in of class A or class B. We take care of everything on the backside for the driver. So we handle, you know, their unemployment, their benefits, all their taxes. They're considered company drivers. They're not 1099.
Speaker 1:And then we have a lot of carriers in different parts of the country that utilize our drivers on a full-time and part-time basis. So these drivers have a non-force dispatch here. We throw, you know, a few open positions at them. They get to choose what they want and we take care of the rest. So it's a nice concept for some companies 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 drivers that may or may not fit. We take care of all that on the backside and so kind of. Some drivers will say it's kind of a head hunting, but it's not, because I have drivers who worked for me for 20 years in Minnesota and they're still here with me today working for the same carrier they started at, you know. So some people want to keep you on our payroll forever, and some drivers use that as a stepping stone to get hired in a carrier that they may not have been able to find on their own. Very, very cool concept.
Speaker 2:It is great. And then you guys are all over the country.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So how about that? That's a great service. You're doing great things over there and, like I said, I really appreciate you coming on the show. It's clear that what brings people together is the ways to celebrate trucking and also the professionalism that comes along with it being able to give back to those who need it most. So I really appreciate you talking about those things and helping other people to step out of their boundaries and their comfort zone to try a little something here or there volunteer, if you can. So it's a skill level competition, holiday toy drive, special Olympics convoy or honoring the veterans All of those are great things to be a part of. So thank you so much.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no problem, I do it even if people weren't. You know, I've been doing things when people weren't watching for years, and so it's just kind of coming to the surface now with when you look at all the things that you're doing and it's like, wow, that is a, it's worth every second. So I appreciate it nice nice, that's great.
Speaker 2:So, uh, you've shown that the road, uh, that connects us all, it's it's definitely worth putting in those efforts, so I appreciate that.
Speaker 2:So thank you for joining us and sharing your story, yeah thank you ray you guys like what you see or like what you hear, be sure to share with another driver or another company out there that's possibly need some help with drivers or volunteering. That's something that you can all be a part of, so we wanted to make sure we got this show out there for you guys to hear firsthand from Kim and all the things that she's been a part of. So thank you so much for joining. Das Delivered and that's it for today.
