On this episode of On the Front Line: The Safety, Learning & Operations Podcast, host Dr. Gina Anderson, learning scientist and CEO of Luma Brighter Learning, sits down with Graig Morin, co-founder and president of Brown Dog Carriers & Logistics.

Graig shares how his journey from struggling truck driver to logistics entrepreneur shaped a people-first trucking company culture built on trust, safety, and community impact.

This episode explores what happens when someone who has experienced the worst parts of the trucking industry decides to build something better — a company where driver wellbeing, leadership, and doing the right thing come before profit.

From sleeping on a friend’s couch early in his career to leading a respected Maine-based trucking and logistics company,

Graig explains how empathy, humility, and strong values can transform operations, safety culture, and driver retention.

You’ll also hear powerful stories about community service, including delivering sandwiches to veterans, transporting donated medical chairs to emergency rooms during COVID, and supporting local schools in Biddeford, Maine.

Graig’s leadership philosophy is simple:“Do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do.”

In this conversation, Dr. Anderson and Graig explore what that looks like in practice—behind the wheel, in dispatch, and across the trucking industry.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

1. Why allowing drivers time off without explanation can improve trucking safety and driver wellbeing
2. How Brown Dog Carriers supported schools and veterans during COVID
3. What 20 years of poor management taught Graig about building a better trucking company culture
4. Leadership lessons for small trucking companies and logistics businesses
5. How trust and community can improve driver retention and operational performance

Connect & Learn More

1. Connect with Graig Morin on LinkedIn,https://www.linkedin.com/in/graig-morin-840a54147/
2. Learn more about Brown Dog Carriers & Logistics,https://www.browndogcarriers.com/
3. Explore Luma Brighter Learning and Dr. Gina Anderson’s work in learning science and workforce training. https://lumabrighterlearning.com/
4. Interested in being a guest on On the Front Line: The Safety, Learning & Operations Podcast? Apply here. https://www.learningwithgina.com/otfl-guest/

Subscribe for more conversations on:

1. Safety leadership
2. Workforce learning
3. Trucking operations
4. Compliance and risk management
5. Leadership for frontline and mobile workforces

On this episode of On the Front Line: The Safety, Learning & Operations Podcast, Dr. Gina Anderson, speaks with David Price, Executive Vice Chairman of United Petroleum Transports — a 60-year-old, family-founded company that grew from one truck and a bold idea to nearly 900 trucks and 1,500 associates operating across the U.S. and beyond.

David shares what it means to lead with flat hierarchy, why safety isn’t a competitive advantage in tanker trucking, and how innovation in a decades-old industry moves slowly but powerfully. He also opens up about legacy, what it means to carry a family business forward. He talks about why people are the next great challenge in trucking and not technology.

If you’ve ever wondered how real leadership gets built in a high-stakes, high-risk industry, this episode is for you!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. Why frontline workers are the engine, and leaders are just steering wheel How United Petroleum Transports built a culture of trust
2. Where is fuel hauling innovation is heading
3. Why legacy isn’t something you plan

Connect with David on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-price-95863a59/

Want to learn more about David's work? Check out the United Petroleum Transports website, https://www.drive4upt.com/

Check out the Luma Brighter Learning website, https://lumabrighterlearning.com/

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply, https://www.learningwithgina.com/otfl-guest/

Subscribe to On the Frontline for more insights on safety, compliance, learning, and operations in the world of mobile, distributed, and high-risk workforces.

On this episode of On the Front Line: The Safety, Learning & Operations Podcast, Dr. Gina Anderson, speaks with Brandon Randall, Corporate Safety Manager at Performance Food Group.

Brandon sits at the intersection of safety, strategy, analytics, and operations — building systems that turn complex compliance data into decisions leadership can actually act on. But his real passion? The humans behind the data. With a background in education, Brandon brings a rare lens to frontline leadership in trucking and logistics: one that puts people before metrics, every time.

In this conversation, Brandon challenges the industry to stop promoting the best worker and start developing the best leader and shares what it actually takes to close that gap.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. Why promoting your best worker into leadership without training is setting them up to fail
2. How the energy a frontline leader brings either builds trust — or destroys it
3. The shift from measuring everything to measuring what actually matters
4. How data visibility is helping safety teams move from reactive to proactive
5. Why Brandon believes if the answer isn't your people, you're asking the wrong questions

Want to learn more about Brandon’s work? Check out the Performance Food Group website HERE.

Check out the Luma Brighter Learning website HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

On this episode of On the Front Line: The Safety, Learning & Operations Podcast, Dr. Gina Anderson, speaks with Lindsey Trent, President and Co-Founder of Next Generation in Trucking Association, reveals why nearly 60% of Gen Z turns to TikTok and Instagram for career guidance, and how the industry must meet them there with authentic voices, not polished corporate messaging. Lindsey reveals why authenticity beats polish when reaching Gen Z, how giving employees a platform to share their stories creates loyalty, and why listening to young voices isn't just good PR—it's the key to solving the industry-wide talent crisis. She also shares NextGen's groundbreaking "What is Trucking?" social media campaign and the simple ways companies can get involved in their own communities.

If you're struggling to attract and retain younger talent, this conversation offers practical strategies for making an impact in your own backyard.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. Why 60% of Gen Z explores careers on social media—and what trucking must do to show up there
2. How NextGen works state-by-state to build relationships that create CDL, supply chain, and diesel tech programs
3. The power of employee-generated content: Why real stories beat corporate messaging every time
4. How connecting young people to industry professionals reinvigorates current employees

Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn, ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseytrent/⁠Want to learn more about Lindsey’s work?

Check out the Next Generation in Trucking Association website, ⁠https://nextgentrucking.org/⁠

Check out the Luma Brighter Learning website, ⁠https://lumabrighterlearning.com/⁠

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply, ⁠https://www.learningwithgina.com/otfl-guest/

On this episode of On the Front Line: The Safety, Learning & Operations Podcast, Dr. Gina Anderson, speaks with Nikki Thomas, Vice President of Industry Affairs at the American Trucking Association and leader of ATA Women in Motion. Nikki has three years of transforming how the trucking industry supports women and 20+ years in program and event management.

Nikki explains how a partnership with Trucker Path solved the critical truck parking safety gap for women drivers, why "leading from the front" means making others shine, and how she's building networks that keep talent in the industry. Her approach to innovation—taking one step, trying one new thing, and showing up excited—demonstrates why community-centered leadership creates lasting impact.

If you're navigating male-dominated industries, building inclusive programs, or leading teams through innovation, this episode will show you the power of strategic partnerships and quiet persistence.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. How Nikki's strategic partnership with Trucker Path created a safety solution accessed 64 million times
2. Why leadership means creating opportunities for others to shine, not chasing titles
3. The seven critical safety features women drivers identified for truck stops
4. How forward-thinking technology and virtual training tools are attracting the next generation to trucking
5. Why starting earlier with student outreach could transform industry talent pipelines
6. Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn ⁠HERE⁠.

Want to learn more about Nikki’s work? Check out the American Trucking Association website ⁠HERE⁠.

Check out the Luma Brighter Learning website ⁠HERE⁠.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply ⁠HERE⁠.

Subscribe to On the Frontline for more insights on safety, compliance, learning, and operations in the world of mobile, distributed, and high-risk workforces.

On this episode of On the Front Line: The Safety, Learning & Operations Podcast, Dr. Gina Anderson, speaks with Blake Grolmus, SVP of Government Relations at Iowa Motor Truck Association.

Blake challenges the "tenure trap" that keeps fresh voices on the sidelines. He shares why his best safety innovations came from people outside the safety team. Drivers who asked "why do we do it that way?" changed everything. He reveals his leadership approach: never ask someone to do what you wouldn't do yourself.

Tune in to discover why the best innovations come from unexpected voices, and how quiet leadership opens doors.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. Why breakthrough ideas come from non-experts in the room
2. How to create space for newcomers in a longevity-driven industry
3. The leadership lesson of being remembered for people, not accomplishments
4. How small frontline changes move entire industries forward

Connect with Blake on LinkedIn HERE.

Want to learn more about Blake’s work? Check out the Iowa Motor Truck Association website HERE.

Check out the Luma Brighter Learning website HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

Subscribe to On the Frontline for more insights on safety, compliance, learning, and operations in the world of mobile, distributed, and high-risk workforces.

On this episode of On the Front Line: The Safety, Learning & Operations Podcast, Dr. Gina Anderson speaks with Tom Johnston, Safety Manager at Keizer Management, LLC, who's spent nearly 30 years proving that the best safety culture isn't built on enforcement—it's built on empathy.

Tom shares why safety leaders must reject the "safety cop" mentality, how his role as a caregiver for his wife shaped his leadership philosophy, and what the transportation industry gets dangerously wrong about driver home time and mental health. His open-door approach and habit of daily kindness have earned his team multiple National Safety Council awards—not through rules, but through genuine connection.

If you're a safety manager, operations leader, or anyone responsible for people in high-risk work, this episode will challenge how you think about compliance, culture, and what it really means to bring everyone home safely.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. Why the "safety cop" approach fails and what works instead
2. How caregiving experience translates to better safety leadership
3. The #1 thing Tom would redesign in the transportation industry to reduce accidents
4. Why letting drivers talk isn't a waste of time—it's a safety strategy
5. How to identify team strengths and position people where they'll thrive
6. Tom's advice for making kindness a daily leadership habit

Connect with Tom on LinkedIn HERE.

Want to learn more about Tom’s work? Check out the Keizer Management, LLC website HERE.

Check out the Luma Brighter Learning website HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

Subscribe to On the Frontline for more insights on safety, compliance, learning, and operations in the world of mobile, distributed, and high-risk workforces.

On this episode of On the Front Line: The Safety, Learning & Operations Podcast, Dr. Gina Anderson speaks with Elizabeth Nicholson, Director of Education and Training for the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA). With experience spanning medical societies, airport associations, and now trucking, Elizabeth brings a member-first mindset to workforce development.

Elizabeth challenges the passive learning epidemic plaguing busy carriers—where employees complete training but nothing changes on the ground. She shares her vision for practical, application-based education where learners implement best practices, report results, and earn certification through real-world impact, not just screen time.

Tune in to discover why Elizabeth believes the greatest gift leaders can give is confidence—and why she's building TCA's reputation as the go-to destination for transportation education.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. Why "watch the video, check the box" training fails small carriers juggling seven roles
2. How to shift from passive learning to application-based education with measurable results
3. The power of listening to subject matter experts when you're not the content expert yourself
4. How one committee meeting sparked an unbudgeted recruitment and retention training series
5. Why investing in employee education is actually investing in their confidence—and your bottom line
6. Leadership lessons from someone who wants to be forgotten but remembered for impact

Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn HERE.

Want to learn more about Elizabeth’s work? Check out the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) website HERE.

Check out the Luma Brighter Learning website HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

Subscribe to On the Frontline for more insights on safety, compliance, learning, and operations in the world of mobile, distributed, and high-risk workforces.