This week on the Oakley Podcast, Jeremy Kellett takes the Oakley Podcast on the road to Oakley’s Port 33 terminal in Catoosa, Oklahoma, to introduce dispatcher team members Ethan Homberger and Jeremiah Sheneman. They share their backgrounds, Ethan from box trucks and a side hustle flipping jet skis, Jeremiah from hot shot trucking and a 40,000‑acre farm, and talk about transitioning into dispatch at Oakley. The conversation covers building trust with owner-operators, balancing the needs of customers, drivers, and Bruce Oakley, the realities of over-the-road work versus home-time expectations, and why some drivers succeed while others struggle. Key takeaways for listeners are the importance of communication and realistic expectations, how much dispatchers genuinely care about solving drivers’ problems, and why Ethan and Jeremiah see Oakley as a family-oriented, high-opportunity place for committed owner-operators. Don’t miss this look at trucking from the dispatcher perspective!
Key topics in today’s conversation include:
- Welcome to Today’s Episode from Port 33 (0:42)
- Talking Through the Importance of Port 33 (3:24)
- Ethan Introduces Himself and Jet Ski Flipping Side Hustle (4:38)
- Jeremiah’s Background in Hot Shots and 40,000-Acre Farm (8:41)
- Starting in Dispatch and Learning to Solve Driver Problems (10:20)
- Building Trust With Owner Operators and Early Challenges (12:21)
- Meetings, Oakley Standard, and Need For More Hopper Drivers (15:15)
- Why Some Drivers Succeed or Struggle Based on Work Habits (16:30)
- Balancing Home Time, Customer Needs, and Expectations (18:01)
- Recruiting Mindset at Port 33 and Selling the Oakley Way (20:21)
- The Human Side of Dispatch, and Closing Remarks (22:23)
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.