This week on the Oakley Podcast, host Jeremy Kellett chats with Kent Childers, one of the recruiters at Oakley, and Josh Scales, an Owner/Operator at Oakley. During the episode, the group gears up for the Mid-America Truck Show (MATS) in Louisville, discussing their booth setup and company promotion strategies. They stress the importance of personal connections in the industry. The team covers the practicalities of attending, such as parking and registration, and the benefits of networking and learning at the event, the significance of social media promotion, tips for a successful truck show experience, and more.
Key topics in today’s conversation include:
- The Mid-America Truck Show (MATS) (0:39)
- Oakley’s perspective on the event (4:22)
- History of MATS (5:53)
- Preparation for the show (9:02)
- Reasons for attending (14:24)
- Location and events (16:29)
- Truck championship at MATS (20:00)
- Oakley’s presence at the show (22:32)
- Recording podcasts at the show (25:30)
- Truck parking and shuttle service (27:22)
- Entertainment and activities in Louisville (30:21)
- Ticketing and registration process for MATS (34:28)
- Recommendations for attending the show (36:50)
- Final thoughts and takeaways (40:31)
Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com.
Transcription
Kent Childers 00:12
Our goal is to, you know, put a face with a name. You know, we talked to a lot of people that either heard about us, you call and you’ve talked to or somebody from an advertisement our YouTube videos or Facebook and you talk to a guy a whole lot on the phone several different times of the year. This is an opportunity, you can actually see those guys. And you know, you get to kind of showcase what we have here. We’re all in the same industry here looking for the same goals.
Jeremy Kellett 00:38
Welcome to the Oakley podcast, trucking, business, and family. This show is brought to you by Oakley Trucking, headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The purpose of this podcast is to communicate with Oakley owner-operators and their families by giving them up-to-date information concerning Oakley Trucking and the trucking industry. From business advice to safety updates to success stories. Also to give an inside to outside truck drivers that might be interested in joining the Oakley family. Hi, this is Jeremy Kellett, Director of Recruiting at Oakley Trucking and I’m your host for this podcast. This is the Oakley podcast: trucking, business, and family. Once again we are coming from North Little Rock, Arkansas, at our studio here in our office. And we are coming at you with a new episode this week and we’re talking about the Mid America truck show in Louisville, Kentucky. I got Josh gales and owner operator and a friend of mine sitting in with us got Kent Childers, we’d like to call the senior recruiter sitting in with me, because Ken has done a lot of truck shows over the years and we’re gonna get his input. But what the main thing with this is we’re going to give you our listeners some information about the truck show whether you’ve been or not, this is going to be some good info because we’re gonna talk about maybe what a company goes when it comes to spending money and setting up and what our goal is, as a company at the truck show and any truck shows. But this is the main one, this is really the only one we do now anymore. We used to do a bunch more but and then also get Josh and you know, because He comes every year he goes to the truck show every year and we’re going to get his perspective of a driver coming to the truck show and what to expect maybe what to look for maybe some of the ins and outs and just good stuff that we thing’s gonna be a good episode for you here. So, before we get started, though, I want to thank everybody for subscribing to the Oakley podcast, sharing the information with everybody. You know, I just came out of orientation, talking to a couple of new guys that are here this week. And you know, they talk about how this podcast helped them make a decision where to come here or not. And that really means a lot to me. You know, it’s all because of you listeners out there. And y’all helping us get that information out there to where it shows up in front of these owner operators because like we’ve said in the past I think we got 27,000 subscribers Annabelle, you know, when there’s three, I think it’s 3 million truck drivers that we were that are on the road today that we need them to be part of the Oakley podcast, you know, checking it out every week. So that’s our goal anyway. But anyway, we are looking forward to bringing this to you. I appreciate everybody watching what I do every week if you have suggestions about what you want to hear. On the Oakley podcast, reach out to Amir Annabelle and we’ll try to research it to see if we can get something out there for you for sure. And, as always, check out all our other social media stuff that we’re doing. We really appreciate it.
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Jeremy Kellett 04:16
Alright, let’s get cranked up and start about to start about talking about this Mid America truck show what’s happening Childers may
Kent Childers 04:21
not a lot, not a lot. Get ready for this truck show coming up. What all goes
Jeremy Kellett 04:26
into preparing for the truck show can’t wait actually. I mean, if you go on tour, if you ever go to Canada. We
Kent Childers 04:32
did one year we counted one year but that was several years ago. There’s one year we went to nine or 10 in one year. Yeah. How many Mid America as you’ve been to you thank all of them since you started sending us . We missed the one COVID year you’ve been here for 18 years so you’ve probably been to a pretty good number and we didn’t go in the beginning. Well, for a while,
Jeremy Kellett 04:58
I guess The first Mid America truck show that I went to was probably back in 96, maybe seven, starring Robert Heffley when he took me up there. He was the recruiter at that time. And we drove up there to Louisville, and got there. I got sick, stayed in the hotel room the whole time. He came and got me and we came back home.
Kent Childers 05:21
Yeah, it was.
Jeremy Kellett 05:22
I mean, I was in bed all weekend. It was terrible. It was the first time I’d ever been to a drug show, and I need to get to see it, though. I felt so bad. Anyway, that’s a whole nother deal. No, you know, one thing I do want to get into real quick about this is the history of this place. You know, I was reading a little bit about it, which last year was 2022 was their 50th anniversary, that they’ve done this thing. And that is amazing when it comes to having this kind of truck show. Because I mean, it’s something that started out as a small locking thing and awesome in that thing. 72 And then it just developed along and got bigger and better and more exhibitors and everything else that goes into it. I mean, there’s a lot of history with this truck show. You know, some of it just
Josh Scales 06:16
I know, I’ve been going ever since I was a little kid. Have you? Yeah. I don’t know any of the history. No, I didn’t look at any of us. I know. It’s always been so I’m always look forward to every year how,
Jeremy Kellett 06:27
Okay, young, former Kentucky Motor Transport Association President started this thing back in 72. And he was, it looks like he had Okay, he had one, there’s one in California and one in Boston, but he wanted one in the, in the heart of trucking country in Louisville, Kentucky, and he got it going, you know, back in the day, and it just has, has spread over time, over the 50 years. And it’s, it’s really just made it into where now, you know, everybody goes, if you’re in trucking, I mean, you’re gonna go to this deal, for sure. To see what’s out there. What’s some of the things I guess let’s start frisky and I started with you a while ago. And let’s go and continue that. Let’s get it from a company standpoint of going to the truck show. What does that entail?
Kent Childers 07:23
Well, it really starts here as far as getting ready for it. But we go with a go. Our goal is to, you know, put a face with a name. You know, we talked to a lot of people that either heard about us, from Josh, like you or somebody that you call and you talk to or somebody from an advertised Tasman or YouTube videos or Facebook and you talk to us a whole lot on the phone several different times of the year, this is opportunity, you can actually see those guys and see guys up front, you know, might be the first time you meet them there. You know, you get to kind of showcase what we have here. And you get to see what you know about what he has going on. And you can just tell a lot by looking at each other if we’re all in the same industry here looking for the same, same goals. And
Jeremy Kellett 08:14
I think I will do more for the company. The reason is branding. Exactly what you’re saying, because we have, you know our names out there in a lot of these places. It is a great opportunity to meet people face to face, which we do there. But it’s more of a branding that I wouldn’t say we actually go there to you know, we’re gonna hire somebody from the truck show because rarely does that happen that you’re actually going to do that. I mean, you get it, you get some leads and stuff. But our goal is to go on and prove what you’ve already heard. As somebody you come in there and you can talk to us face to face, you see what we’re doing. Because all the advertising we may have done in the past and you get a good idea. Just Hey, this is Oakley and you get to talk to us face to face that really does help out a lot. It
Kent Childers 09:02
is kind of what you see, what you get. That’s kind of you know, that’s what we’re there to portray there. Yes. What about you know, simple things of getting the booth ready. Ordering stuff starts here before. Yeah, if you want to be ready for it, you know, you need to spend a little time at the truck show kind of looking around and you know, we’ve built our 20 by 40 space there and it’s gotten bigger every year to be comfortable. And there’s a lot of people there that log a lot of miles and you know, and it’s all about trucking, trucking. They’re in there trying to take it all in. We’re more of a place and we’re not wrapped up in your face, but we come in our place, talk to us, take a load off. You know, we try to make comfortable where you can get off that concrete floor and we’ve got actual actually got the NCAA basketball tournament going on you can sit watch so
Jeremy Kellett 10:04
you know how many years have we we’ve ordered everything like flooring for instance. Yep so we put our own Florida yeah are you have most of them are not this year but most time we buy our for you and we put it in totes we load it in a trailer. Yeah. Unloading we ran a three quarter ton truck to pull out the trailer. We would get it there and then you have to unload it. Which is a whole other day. You gotta be there on a Tuesday. Yes show starts Thursday on
Kent Childers 10:39
you set up all Wednesday. Now when I say when you say unload, we’re not you don’t just take it back out of the trailer and set it down. You put it on a dolly and it’s about a 400 yard track to get to where you’re going and you’re weaving in and out of everybody else’s boats that they’re doing the same thing you are you know he could buy it might be as a crow flies 200 yards, but it’s a 400 yard trip. And you got somebody going when you can move your truck and Exactly. You’ve got 30 minutes to get this unloaded. Yeah, listen, man, there’s just meat. But you know, it takes a little bit and it’s more than it’s but it’s we’ll get it done. Well you get it done and you got it.
Jeremy Kellett 11:28
Thanks all day, though. Wednesday you know you drive there pretty much Tuesday is a full eight hour day. Somewhat to get there and then Friday or Wednesday you’re there early that morning to unload the trailer. Get your spot started, just get everything unloaded then find your place to park Yep. Which is challenging yourself. And then you gotta start assembling the booth. I mean it’s I
Kent Childers 11:53
I don’t know all that stuff. All those totes that you carry in there. You’ve got to go find a truck and try to bring it back then take everything you carried back out to the train because they’re empty. Yeah. Oh, yeah. It’s a it’s
Josh Scales 12:11
an ordeal. It’s like you’re moving your house. Exactly.
Jeremy Kellett 12:14
Yeah, so full day. Yeah. No, you know, because we try to do it in a nice booth. You know, and we’ve gotten bigger and better every year. I think maybe we just keep coming up with ways to make it nice you know? Would you come to our booth? What do you think about our booth? Yeah,
Josh Scales 12:30
it’s nice Yeah, it’s nice calm and sit down and on the remember you always have the screen up there to where you can show us what load you have around the country and coming times you’ve been in our places and
Jeremy Kellett 12:42
We will do that again this year. This is your first year you’re not gonna watch right get fired you got fired term say the firing and go into drugs. But he is the supervisor from here. So he’s supervising it from here. Oh, okay. You gotta have somebody you got to have somebody back home to supervise.
Kent Childers 13:02
It means you have to answer the phone if you’re having trouble so he
Jeremy Kellett 13:07
barking orders from his desk over here. Okay, that’s how that’s gonna work. Now but finally relieved and we’re gonna send Dustin and Harrison and JP this year to an Annabelle Annabelle first year we’re not making Annabelle ride with them clowns up there though.
Josh Scales 13:29
On her end
Jeremy Kellett 13:30
I bet she could drive you learn a lot right and what they might tell you
Josh Scales 13:37
probably a lot of useless information
Kent Childers 13:41
some that would never need to be repeated.
Jeremy Kellett 13:46
But if you know they’re going to be set up as a process is what I’m trying to get across Wednesday as a full time job to set up and then Thursday the show starts about noon in it. They have VRP known for a couple hours I think and then it showed the public coming in at noon. And then it’s the alarm clock on Thursday and then Fridays. Like to divide it into five and Saturdays like saying something similar hours. So it’s a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Truck Show and Bill it’s a lot of people and a lot of stuff. Josh what to me, what’s a big thing truck drivers go there for
Josh Scales 14:25
I know for me, most times I go there for tools, see what new tools are out there. Because my lease trucks have gotten to the point where electronically they’re controlled so much and that’s the only place I really know to go and you know, find like your computers and stuff to work on them and diagnostic tools, I guess is what I’m looking for. Okay. And, I mean, I go to just like all the new equipment, because I mean, I’m always thinking about maybe upgrading or If not upgrading, you know, maintaining. So that’s what I really go for. It’s kind of a traditionally,
Jeremy Kellett 15:06
I started when I was a little kid. That’s one of the big things that people go for in it. Yeah, yeah. And so your dad, you should take it. Oh, yeah,
Josh Scales 15:14
I grew up farming. It was still cool to see all the trucks you know, and be able to climb up. And
Jeremy Kellett 15:21
you’ve had that in your blood from your dad to you. And now you’re taking your kids. Yeah,
Josh Scales 15:25
exactly. My wife loves going, she loves why she loves going this way, socializing and getting to make the people you know, especially here at Okay, she likes going to Oakley booth. And the way she gets to talk to the people that live. She never really talks to him throughout the year. But she knows. Yeah. We
Kent Childers 15:47
expect her now. Yeah, it means a lot to us in the booth to have our guys there. Just moral support. Yeah. Just somebody to talk to that we know. And that represents Oakley also, and it’s we love to have our guys in Are we sure?
Jeremy Kellett 16:05
Yeah, it makes a big difference. So let’s talk about the location. You know, because we’re in the West Wing. And I don’t know what booth 6719267192011 is. Same as last year, same as last year. And it’s in the West Wing, which is the old part of the convention center. You know, I guess we’re on the upflush name of the convention center. I guess we need to tell people they don’t know it. But I mean, it’s that Kentucky, Kentucky fair and expo center there in Louisville, Kentucky. Yeah. And so we’re in the West Wing, which is where it started, as I was reading this from the website, that’s where it started was in the West Wing. And then they moved to the big part of it, you know, the north and south. And they said they’re getting rid of the West Wing. They
Kent Childers 16:59
told me this would be the last year for the West Wing. The way I understand it, they’re fixing to tear it down and either add to the North wing. Oh, no,
Josh Scales 17:09
I’m not. When I first started going. I think the south way is the biggest wing. I remember that that whole South wing used to be full of nothing but brand new trucks and everything. And then you had a little hallway, you got to get to the North wing. Now remember that as a kid, and then I remember when they opened it up, it’s like, well,
Jeremy Kellett 17:33
they’ve got you know, I guess a lot of other stuff, you know, because the West Wing fool, the North wing, the South wing that they have is full of people. And you know, they have a full schedule of stuff that takes place there. And when you can’t see it, oh, can you judge? No, I mean, days you go, I’ll
Josh Scales 17:51
just go one day. But generally, most of the time, I know what I’m going there for I know what I’m looking for. My wife kind of calls me a bad person to go to a show with because I’ll go out and start off right in the middle of the show and go somewhere legit, because she likes to walk down the aisle and come back up another aisle. I’m like, I know what I’m here for. We see it, we go to it. Yeah, try but if you were going to actually walk there show and see everything is there at all for I’d say it probably take you two days at least at
Jeremy Kellett 18:22
at least. At least two days. They’ve got you know a bunch of seminars that they do, which they have people bring in from gist speakers FMCSA to all kinds of stuff. They got a concert they have that’s on a Friday night. They also got a truck contract poll this year. Truck and tractor pool that’s sponsored by Mack. Yeah. Mike trailers they’re doing they did that last year, and they’re doing it again this year. Three days full of education, entertainment and networking events to further your career and connect with the industry is just to get on the website. You know, and you can see what all they have going on. It sure is. Sure is how well who’s in concert? To you? Woods. Steel woods with opener Tony justice is ready to go Friday 7pm Eastern at Freedom Hall is free. That is free. Is it free? It’s free. He’s good at concerts. Yeah. Complimentary concert on Friday night. You’re right. That’s right. You know they are free. I haven’t heard of them.
Josh Scales 19:30
Tony, he’s really good at using hate backs the truck driver more than anybody I’ve ever seen as far as an artist standpoint.
Jeremy Kellett 19:40
They’ll get a ride and drive I guess you can ride drafts and trucks or locally to mount to get a ride and drive. It’s what it says. Big Rig builds off. What about the truck? What do they call it? Truck championship. Here we go.
Josh Scales 19:57
Oh yeah, we’re
Jeremy Kellett 19:58
talking now. Now we’re getting into what we do with our throats. How many were sent and once a week to all
Kent Childers 20:06
some guys that are putting into work. I’m sure they’re starting now, who are going to be John McCormack and Jason Jason Harris. And they both look sharp. Yeah, one pull in a pneumatic Moines colony and
Jeremy Kellett 20:23
John’s got a Are they both w 900? Yes.
Kent Childers 20:27
Well, I know for a fact that John is and I’m pretty sure the yellow Jason’s yellow is true. Is it a P? P? Yeah. Okay. It’s
Jeremy Kellett 20:34
pretty real. Yeah. I don’t remember how we saw it the other day and I can tell it’s a 2024 Peterbilt. Peterbilt. Okay. All right, brand new Peterbilt. So
Josh Scales 20:42
He was at the Oakley truck show this year. Was he
Jeremy Kellett 20:46
Okay, so he got a little bit of experience in it boy, ain’t nothing like he’s fixed step up. Yeah, these two owner operators, they put in so much time and effort and money into this thing, but it’s what they like to do. You know,
Josh Scales 21:02
I mean, it’s a testament. I mean, I don’t know John personally, but I know every time he shows it, I mean, you gotta think Man, I’ve passed him going up and down the road and he works truck just like us and actually maintain
Kent Childers 21:15
that I actually won one of his divisions last year. Yeah,
Jeremy Kellett 21:20
he did. I mean, the McCormicks are great. They just put so much into it and look forward to loving it. I mean, we’d love them doing it too because it’s a great exposure for us to you know that yeah, I’m looking forward to the CNO and they’ve moved on
Kent Childers 21:35
they’re not out back they’re not behind the West Wing. There’ll be out front the main interest out front that we’re all the drugs will be this year they’re gonna be out front Yeah, well
Josh Scales 21:46
maybe won’t be as windy out there. Yeah.
Jeremy Kellett 21:49
And that’s you know, that might cut into our traffic to be honest with you a little bit because a lot of people will come in the front to go to the West Wing and go out to see the trucks that could cut into some traffic get that way a little bit but that’s okay. Yeah, and windy. I mean, we could be there when it’s snowing. We’ve been when it’s hot. We’ve been when it’s raining, you never know whatever. No,
Josh Scales 22:11
I remember when it was called the shell T prod and polish show I think. Oh well Shell Rotella yeah no
Jeremy Kellett 22:19
longer was that long time we’re gonna go
Josh Scales 22:22
I don’t know I wouldn’t drive and you
Jeremy Kellett 22:25
matching I was it all was a while but what are we doing at our booth can’t
Kent Childers 22:31
Well you’re actually kind of the same thing you know, we’re gonna do some podcasts this year. I know you know we’ve got those lined up and I want to talk a little bit about our guys being there again representing and it’d be a good time like to talk to our guys while they’re there also, you know, get a little word from them out there we’re just out there to meet owner operators company guys you know that we’re given stuff away we are given cups and calendars and you know we always give always have a good little goodie bag and you’ll have your little trifold can go to trial throw candy all the time running free PSPs again this year okay be able to show guys like he said the third zip code and show him what loads we do you know where we pick up and deliver around them discount show given them an idea. Really what all we got going on in their area?
Jeremy Kellett 23:29
Yeah, whether they live in Ohio, Louisville, wow, Arizona doesn’t matter. We can pull that up and show him what loads are coming in and out of within a 50 100 200 mile radius.
Josh Scales 23:41
It was pretty cool there last year. He showed me how many loads were in that area. Yeah, it’s coming in and out. It’s like mind boggling, ya
Jeremy Kellett 23:48
know? It opened your eyes up a little bit to think about that. I mean, it’s to make that happen. But yeah, so I mean it’s gonna be a good booth, it’s gonna grab a big be mentioned dudes podcast, we’re gonna have this big backdrop bigger than the one we had last year. Because last year it wasn’t as wide as the booth and we would start so we record episodes we have stuff set up you know, we have people set up to record episodes where we’d be recording what somebody just walk right in front of the camera while we’re setting a record because we didn’t really have it it didn’t look like it you know, so we had to do a little rearranging this year so we’re gonna we figure stuff out there Yeah, trial we got us a little rope thing. Yeah, I get a gator yeah to keep people from walking while we’re recording. Because they will
Josh Scales 24:39
just want you I guarantee there’s a kid
Jeremy Kellett 24:44
they’ll jump out there and I don’t doubt you Briggs O’Brien. And this by a if you want to. I don’t know if I should say this or not. But if you like to watch, people like to do it. This place You can do some people watching you can come sit on our couch we have a couple of couches there that you can sit on, and a couple of bar stools and you can just do a little people watching this is the place to do it all kinds it takes our gas you gotta love them though. We’re doing a podcast . We’ve already got some stuff set up with Pittsburgh power gaggy and Bruce you know, he’s gonna come do another one. We’re going to talk to our ad Travel Stops people that represent the House products, truckers, final mile rat white air gauges, we got some other ones so we’ve got eight or nine lined up and then we’ll probably throw in maybe hopefully one of our drivers the couple times in there too so it’d be fun we we just do that we do that recording there just because everybody’s in the same place you know, and it’s easier to get it you know, you finally get everybody around the country to be ever be in one spot. Yeah, we get seven or eight of them recorded and we’re playing them later but it’s always fun in the atmosphere. You know, it’s all your stuff. People hollering in the background, stuff popping and going off and it’s good stuff to do. Oakley Trucking is a 100% Owner Operator company we specialize in Hopper, bottom and dump and pneumatic drivers. We provide the trailer free of charge and you provide the truck. We have a large customer base that reaches the whole United States as well as parts of Canada. The owner operators live anywhere from Texas to North Carolina to Pennsylvania to Wisconsin and everywhere in between and we get them home at the weekend. We take it seriously when you join Oakley trucking because we need you to be successful. Oakley offers great benefits and a competitive mileage base so you know that when your wheels are turning, you’re generating money no matter if you’re loaded or empty. We understand that you want to make a good living and that you make our living. We only take on independent contractors and to be honest with you we are very particular on who we lease on. You must have a good driving record, good work history and a clean dependable truck. So if you’re interested in Oakley trucking or just wants more information, you can go to Oakley trucking.com Listen to our weekly podcast the Oakley podcast and subscribe to our YouTube channel truck parking I guess we need to tell if they don’t know we know much about truck Park I know you
Kent Childers 27:24
where to add it is free truck parking for combos you know truck and trailer or just truck and it’s a little bit different. I think it’s right behind a right by gate one across the street. I think that’s gonna be pretty much out front. But that’s free also I wrote that down here somewhere it’s across from gate one. And they do have you know shuttle free shuttle also this running you back and forth during the show hours.
Josh Scales 27:52
I’ve always come up on my car.
Jeremy Kellett 27:55
Okay, you hadn’t been during the trip?
Josh Scales 27:58
Because I was gonna go home get my wife and children shuttle
Jeremy Kellett 28:01
pickup and drop off locations. taxi rideshare pickup drop off and exhibit hall info so yeah, it looks like you get some truck parking across the street. And then they’ve got a shuttle to bring Oh, there the north parking right there. Oh, it looks like it’s through the main gate though. And then right there so yeah, just look at the website and it’ll show you know if you need to be brought by gate one right across from gate one. Yeah, where you want to park because a lot of guys we’re gonna have owner operators come through while they’re working. This batch gets them through there for a day or two. Let them shut down, go to the show and see everything so you have to have a shuttle go from there one time. We went over to that parking lot. It used to be called Papa John’s.
Kent Childers 28:53
Never told me. I didn’t see it. Looks
Jeremy Kellett 28:57
like I went over there. They had a huge tent. They had a concert going on a flatbed trailer. They had chili. They were cooking. I mean, we had a big time over there. That was the barbecue. That was after hours laugh Oh,
Josh Scales 29:09
okay. I was about a site. Always first to food.
Kent Childers 29:14
likes your head. I like had it going
Jeremy Kellett 29:15
Speaking of food, what kind of good food they got there.
Josh Scales 29:19
Always go for a steak sandwich. I mean, it’s a little costly, but think of Kentucky beef. Something always has its steaks. Algeria is pretty good. Yeah,
Jeremy Kellett 29:28
they have that food court down into the West Wing and they have They’re big. They’re big on barbeque sandwiches. They’re,
Josh Scales 29:37
I forget what they’re called. But more producers associate Yes. Yeah.
Jeremy Kellett 29:40
Yeah, you see them all the time. There’s, you know, finished food. We’re gonna find it. I promise you.
Josh Scales 29:49
Food and refreshments and
Jeremy Kellett 29:50
refreshments. What is there to do? What’s the nightlife look like around here for people that stay in? You know, a couple of nights there. What is there? Do y’all know I’ve always heard
Kent Childers 30:06
well, you know, it really depends you know, I haven’t ever really been sightseeing in Louisville but you know we stay right on the river route between I guess us and Indiana between Louisville Kentucky and Indiana I think that’s Ohio River or shall we say right downtown and there’s a you know, there’s always lots of restaurants lots of food and entertainment down down that way
Jeremy Kellett 30:29
well there’s you can do some walking you can do some walking and it’s all within walking distances some nice restaurants but hey every year we make a trip to Joe scratch and yes every year Yep, gotta go for us we you know we have a couple of people we advertise with typically take us somewhere if we got time and Joe’s Crab Shack is one it’s on the list we don’t get that here little rock. That’s
Josh Scales 30:56
why I was kind of about to ask you. I know where I grew up. We had one but yeah,
Jeremy Kellett 31:01
We don’t get our consulting. No, they don’t get one here. So it’s not very often but there’s some great things to do around Louisville you know at night but I’m telling you if you’re a truck show all day, always even when you get to the motel get your shoes off.
Josh Scales 31:16
Last thing I’d want to be doing and walking
Jeremy Kellett 31:19
I mean, he walks it with a lot of walking. Oh show a lot of walking. Definitely bring your walk and even if they look goofy, well yeah, doesn’t matter if they feel good. Well, because you’re gonna do some walking on your back or thank you new back and everything and there’s a lot of things to see. I mean, because you know, not just tools but there’s I mean, there’s you know, big truck manufacturers that oh, yeah,
Josh Scales 31:48
yeah, I mean, you gotta try it. I love seeing what Mike always has. Cuz I got a new album. More likely it’s gonna show up here in the yard. Yeah.
Jeremy Kellett 32:00
Yeah, it’s just a lot of you know, any kind of product you can think about associated with trucking, anything chrome anything chrome anything polish and then everything in between. I mean,
Josh Scales 32:13
not only that your your little niche markets like like you know for shifter towers and stuff like that got something guys don’t really think about there’s those companies are there that makes sense and it’s like you get to talk and collaborate with them and
Jeremy Kellett 32:30
a lot of innovative stuff there that they’re just coming out with and hasn’t hit the market yet that you can see you know, cuz I remember him having a bunch of AP use different AP users years ago, and then you never heard of it. And then all of a sudden, you’re like, come here they go, you know, and just learn about different things like that.
Josh Scales 32:50
Absolutely. You have to talk to different manufacturers to figure out what will best suit you instead of just writing it on screen or something. You actually got to talk to him
Jeremy Kellett 33:01
getting by truck while you’re there. Good. Unfortunately. She’s not gonna lead you by truck. Oh, Lord, probably not one of the best places by truck.
Josh Scales 33:13
I mean, you still want me to work in Oakley.
Jeremy Kellett 33:16
Still want you to be alive?
Kent Childers 33:19
Yeah, for sure. Officer. You could probably buy one lone spot. Yeah.
Josh Scales 33:22
I’m sure. Last year, they didn’t have as many trucks out as I was expecting. I mean, I know when I was a kid, free roaming Freightliner Peterbilt Kenworth. I mean, their boys were absolutely full with the brand new trucks and like that actually kind of scaled back on from what they used to be.
Jeremy Kellett 33:41
You know, there are a lot of trucking companies that are there to recruit. Specifically, I mean, in those basically the west wing over there. Well, I
Josh Scales 33:51
was at Mercer last year had three or four they had one westwing northwave wing. I mean, I mean,
Jeremy Kellett 33:58
It is their hometown. Yeah. Like it will cover it up. You know,
Josh Scales 34:02
They were there to hire somebody. They’re there to like, so that’s our hometown.
Jeremy Kellett 34:08
What else can we cover here? Thank you. Thank you. What do you need to do if you want to attend the truck show? You need to scan the QR code. It’s a ticket. It’s like a ticket. Like we used to send them out to all of our owner operators. Okay, we used to mail out to them to all of our owner operators we’d get they’d send them to us for free and we mail it to everybody. Instead of mail and everybody to ours you really need this QR code and that’s on the ticket. And we put it on all social media and bio has so you can actually go on there and just scan it and then register on the through that right free there and it’s $10 when you at
Kent Childers 34:49
the gate no or if you don’t work or if you don’t read Okay, gotcha. And you’ve got Yeah, tomorrow, you know, first week or so a march to get ready You stirred, but you had to be pre registered and you’re free to get in. Okay?
Jeremy Kellett 35:03
If not, you just pay me.
Josh Scales 35:08
I didn’t know what you’re doing this year, because personally, I don’t have any social media platforms.
Jeremy Kellett 35:12
So we used to mail them, just to take it to the house. We’re looking for him. Yeah, so you’re gonna need it. We’ll give you some way to get down here. But that way, you can just go to our social media, you can get the QR code, you can’t get it off the website, can you? I haven’t seen it where you can get it. So yeah, you have to scan that QR code register. And through that, and I guess you’ll have something when you get to the gate, I don’t know, an email, okay, get an email. And then you show that when you get there. And hopefully we’re telling you right here about I’m sorry, we’re trying to wing this as we go here. But it’s not like it used to be
Kent Childers 35:53
Yeah, we’ve not done this before this way. But you’ll still have to go the front gate and get your badge everybody’s got to have a badge, you’re just
Jeremy Kellett 36:02
got heavy bags and got your name on there because people are gonna scan it and figure it out and see who you are. And we use those badges a lot. I mean, it gives me your name and I can talk to you and I can say your name, you know and visit with you a little bit Till’s usually if you’re an owner, operator or company driver or fleet owner or mechanic or whatever you are, you know,
Josh Scales 36:21
I will have slight doubt about the Oakley may not may not know I work for Oakley, but it seems like more personable than most those
Jeremy Kellett 36:30
that we try to be comfortable. Unless it’s some of those we know, people watching that maybe? I’m just kidding. We welcome everybody to come in and visit with us. We’d love to visit with you. So. Alright, I think we’ve covered everything I think is good. I, you know, the Mid America truck show truck shows in general are really not I don’t think a lot of the general public know about. And it’s really something to go to, to understand a little bit more about trucking. You know, whether it’s just the industry as a whole. And, you know, you get to talk to so many truck drivers. And guess what, they’re just like me, you know, we’re just, we’re all just alike, and we are able to communicate well. But you’ve learned so much. I learned so much. Every time I go to when the stroke shows you see whether it’s products that Josh likes to do, whether it’s people that can’t go on me, you know, we’ve learned so much from everybody at this stuff. And it’s just, I recommend if you hadn’t been to a truck show, especially the Mid America truck show in Louisville, Kentucky, March the 21st to the 23rd Recommend you trying to make plans to get there. Where to stay, we didn’t really discuss that. Good luck, you’re on your own. If he waited this long. It may be tough to get a close motel room. But if you’re gonna drive, if you’re gonna stay in a motel room and drive your car there, leave early to get there because you gotta go through the line and you have to pay a parking fee to get in there. So we shouldn’t get there early so you won’t get stuck in line too long. But anything that I had fellas? Oh, good. Just
Kent Childers 38:11
come by. See 67192 We’d love to meet you guys.
Jeremy Kellett 38:15
You ain’t gonna be there. You got fired.
Kent Childers 38:18
Our gods would love to meet you guys.
Jeremy Kellett 38:22
You’d be calling shots from the office, though.
Josh Scales 38:24
Hey, because your phone will be blowing up.
Jeremy Kellett 38:27
Because I’ll be there. I won’t be there till Thursday. We’re going to man Elizabeth’s driving down when we’re driving down Thursday. We’ll get there sometime Thursday afternoon but we’ll be there all day Friday all day Saturday.
Josh Scales 38:40
It’s definitely a good time. I didn’t say that a while ago but it’s definitely a good time to meet all the people like he said, put faces to the names and everything like that because I mean, I know with Oakley so many of us guys. I talked to so many people online and have never met him yet. Yeah. Yeah.
Jeremy Kellett 38:55
And we’ve got you know, of course got to recruiters, we got to safety. Yeah, going. Anybody else dispatch going.
Kent Childers 39:01
Nobody dispatches here. Couldn’t get nobody there on spring break stuff coming on vacation
Jeremy Kellett 39:10
Missing out. Because we do try to get the young ones to go so they get a full effect of it. Like Annabelle. Who’s gonna get this here? Oh, yeah. Oh, I’m gonna get educated this year. Yeah, luckily, my wife will be there. You can team up with her and she Oh, she’s gone several times. So she’ll be glad to visit with you and show you the ropes and who to hang around with. Oh, my good stuff. I appreciate everybody listening to the podcast. Just couldn’t do it without you listeners out there and sharing the message and subscribing and we really appreciate it. We’re gonna come at you with some more good information this year and 2024 We got some stuff lined up and we’re excited about it. So be sure and stay tuned. Watch it Every Wednesday and spread the word, we appreciate it. We’ll talk to you next week. Thanks for listening to this episode of the Oakley podcast: trucking, business, and family. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to rate or review the show on the podcast platform of your choice and share it with a friend. We love hearing from our audience, so if you’ve got a question, comment, or just want to say hello, head over to our website, theoakleypodcast.com, and click the “leave a comment” button. We’ll get you a response soon and may even share some of the best ones here on the show. We’ll be back with a fresh episode very soon. Thanks for listening.