What’s the real risk behind a bad hire in trucking, and how do you avoid it?

In this episode of Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast, Rob Carpenter of Truck Safe returns with real-world advice for fleet owners navigating the challenges of hiring. From overlooked vetting steps to systems that prevent expensive mistakes, Rob outlines exactly how to build a safer, more reliable team from day one.

We get into the shift from solo operator to fleet leader, the red flags that often go unnoticed, and the systems Rob uses to protect reputation, reduce liability, and avoid costly breakdowns both mechanical and human.

Like what you hear? Be sure to like, subscribe, and share the show with others in the trucking world.

🎧 Episode Timestamps
📍 00:03:44 – Why hiring is the most overlooked risk for fleet owners
📍 00:04:50 – The hidden cost of bad hires: reputation, litigation, and loss
📍 00:05:12 – A real story that put Rob’s fleet at risk
📍 00:06:13 – The two biggest decisions that shape your business
📍 00:07:46 – How poor hiring ruined a past business venture
📍 00:09:46 – Insurance red flags and vetting that matters
📍 00:10:26 – What small fleets get wrong about risk
📍 00:10:52 – Rob’s “barriers first” approach to low-cost vetting
📍 00:12:18 – Why you must do road tests even if they have a CDL
📍 00:14:17 – Hidden risk: drivers failing other companies’ drug tests
📍 00:15:16 – The difference between PSP and MVR and why it matters
📍 00:17:10 – What violations matter most when screening drivers
📍 00:18:23 – Training or termination and how to judge coachability
📍 00:20:09 – What insurance companies look for in your driver file
📍 00:21:11 – The hidden traps during insurance renewal
📍 00:23:09 – How poor hiring raises costs for everyone
📍 00:24:44 – Will today’s trucking volatility reshape the industry
📍 00:27:58 – Why even old trucks now cost more than ever
📍 00:29:12 – How modern emissions systems kill reliability
📍 00:30:55 – The risks of auto-braking and overloaded electronics
📍 00:32:03 – AI-driven roadside inspections are already here
📍 00:33:35 – The pros and cons of fully automated enforcement
📍 00:35:22 – Can AVs really replace the working driver
📍 00:37:15 – How regulation or the lack of it is changing fleet risk
📍 00:38:00 – The future of enforcement, compliance, and fleet ownership

🎙 About Our Guest
Rob Carpenter is a safety and compliance expert, fleet owner, and founder of Truck Safe, a platform dedicated to helping trucking companies stay compliant and build safer fleets. Through consulting, content, and training, Rob has helped thousands of carriers better understand risk, regulation, and reputation in the modern trucking world.
Learn more at: https://trucksafe.com

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Miles and Mentors is more than a podcast. It’s a movement of real stories, tactical advice, and mentorship to help the next generation of freight leaders succeed.
Reach out at: milesandmentors@gmail.com