Power Onward

The food we buy, the goods we use, the products we rely on, none of it just appears. Behind every shipment, every truck on the road, and every delivery is a network of people making it happen.

In this episode, Kim chats with Sydney to talk about the human side of trucking. They explore how truck drivers, engineers, and logistics experts work together to keep the world moving, why sustainability and reliability matter in the industry, and the role Cummins plays in powering everything from big rigs to street sweepers.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
  • How Cummins engines power the trucks that move our world
  • Why trucking is about more than just machinery 
  • How organizations like Women in Trucking are shaping the future of the industry

Articles

Dive into the conversation:
(00:31) Introductions
(01:03) Sydney’s journey into the trucking industry 
(02:09) Welcoming atmosphere in the trucking industry 
(03:32) The grocery supply chain ecosystem 
(04:05) Cummins’ role in transporting goods 
(05:42) Identifying Cummins-powered trucks 
(06:39) Factors influencing companies to choose Cummins 
(07:53) Cummins in various vehicle applications 
(08:32) Innovating the X15 product 
(09:45) The journey of goods to supermarkets 
(12:11) The human aspect in trucking and logistics 
(13:23) Reliability of Cummins-powered trucks 
(14:39) Recognizing people behind machinery 
(16:01) Women in Trucking and career advancement for women

What is Power Onward?

Power Onward is the podcast that unveils how power technology shapes your everyday life.

From the tech powering your daily life to the innovations driving industries forward, we talk about it all.

Brought to you by Cummins, each episode explores what’s fueling the future and why it matters for your mission, business, and community.

Show ID [00:00:03]:
This is Power Onwards, the podcast that unveils how power technology shapes your everyday life.
Power Onward. This is Power Onward, the podcast that unveils how power technology shapes your everyday life.

Kim Nguyen [00:00:31]:
The groceries in your cart didn't just appear there. That avocado, that gallon of milk, that carton of eggs, each one of these things traveled thousands of miles before landing on the shelf. We rarely stopped to think, though. How did this all even get here? Hi, I'm Kim.

Sydney Hayes [00:00:47]:
Hi, I'm Sydney.

Kim Nguyen [00:00:48]:
Hi, Sydney. Thanks so much for coming on the show today.

Sydney Hayes [00:00:51]:
Thank you so much for having me. Kim.

Kim Nguyen [00:00:53]:
I know and I've heard a lot that you're just crazy passionate about trucking, women in trucking, all things trucking. So why don't you start by telling me a little bit more about yourself?

Sydney Hayes [00:01:03]:
Yeah, it's a trucker's life for me, Kim. I'll go back to being in college. So I went to iu. While I was at iu, I interned with a company who was actually a customer of Cummins. And I had no clue that they had that relationship. I ultimately wanted to do something a little bit different than the internship that I did have. So I was looking for jobs, I was applying for jobs like crazy. And then one day out of nowhere, the director of our department reached out to me through LinkedIn and she said, I like your LinkedIn profile.

Sydney Hayes [00:01:39]:
Would you be interested in coming in the interview? And I said, sure. And then about four or five interviews later, I got the full time offer and I signed my life away to Cummins. And I've been with a company now for almost three years. I'll hit my three years mark in June. And yes, as you mentioned, I'm very passionate about trucking and Cummins, but my love for trucking has stemmed through the welcomeness of this industry.

Kim Nguyen [00:02:09]:
What do you mean by that?

Sydney Hayes [00:02:11]:
So thinking that no, just in all honesty, that this is a male dominated field.

Kim Nguyen [00:02:17]:
Sure.

Sydney Hayes [00:02:17]:
Especially within sales, you've got general. Just a lot of men. So I remember my first trade show that I went to. I went with my manager. Great guy, Shout out Steve. I went with my manager and I was nervous because I was like, none of these people really look like me. Like a majority of them do not reflect me on the outside. So I was, I was a little bit nervous.

Sydney Hayes [00:02:42]:
But, Kim, the friendliness and the welcomeness that I was met with was unmatched than anything that I had ever experienced before. People within this industry are so kind and so genuine and truly care about their vehicle and their goods that they're transporting. When I was at that show for the very first time, I saw how nice everybody was, especially being young. And you have people who have been in this industry for years and years normally intimidating. Exactly, exactly. They're seasoned vets. They'll just come up and walk up to me and start a conversation. That friendliness and that warmness is why I entered into the trucking industry.

Sydney Hayes [00:03:28]:
And it's ultimately why I'm still here today.

Kim Nguyen [00:03:32]:
We're going to take a stroll down the grocery aisle. Behind every item is an invisible network of farmers, truckers and vehicles. This is like a whole entire ecosystem. It's linking together our entire food supply chain. And we're trying to think through the entire process of how that gets there, how that's made possible. For me, it's humbling to kind of realize, like, how many hands it takes to provide a meal for my family and how it all comes together. So, Sydney, can you help us break down how it all comes together?

Sydney Hayes [00:04:05]:
That is a loaded question. But I will do my absolute best to try to break it down. So first and foremost, gotta say that as someone who works at Cummins, I truly believe in the company. I truly believe in what we're doing. I truly believe that we are powering a more prosperous world. And we do that through a variety of ways. And one of the ways that you mentioned is by transporting the goods that people actually ultimately eat and consume and making sure that we're being there for those families and those loved ones and those people that need that food so they can get that nutrients, then go on to their next day. One of the most cool facts that I like to share with people who are not really familiar with Cummins, but you want to find out where we are.

Sydney Hayes [00:04:50]:
So I have to say that Cummins is everywhere, right? We are everywhere. You just have to look for us. So one example is you're driving down the highway, and if you're in the fast lane majority of the time, like I am, what you can do is you can actually look to the right and you'll see a semi truck driving on the right side in the slow lane, right? And you can actually see if it's Cummins power. The way that you can tell is you look on the driver's side door and there's a Cummins badge on there. And that's an indicator that you can tell that, hey, that truck has a Cummin C on it. Hey, we're powering whatever freight or whatever goods are within that truck itself. So it's really nice to See, like anytime when I'm driving on the street and I look over to see a semi, to have that ability to know that Cummins is in that truck. We are the reason that that good is getting from point point A to point B.

Sydney Hayes [00:05:42]:
Whether it's food, like you mentioned, going to the grocery store or if we're hauling, I don't know, the most precious cargo that we have, children. That's the thing about Cummins is that we're in everything. So I mentioned we're in big semi trucks. This is specifically for the truck market. We're in big semi trucks all the way down to our Ram, heavy duty trucks that are powered by Cummins 6.7 turbo diesel.

Kim Nguyen [00:06:08]:
I know what you mean. There are times that I'm driving and I do see that emblem, that badge, and there's a sense of pride that comes into like, oh, wow, I had no idea. Like I wonder what's in there. And it's almost like it picks my curiosity and I'm like, you know what? My daily commute just got a little bit more exciting because now I'm thinking about what possibilities are being powered through that truck.

Sydney Hayes [00:06:26]:
Right.

Kim Nguyen [00:06:27]:
And given that we were talking a lot about trucking and that, I feel like there's gotta be some factors. What do these companies, businesses and drivers like what are the factors they should keep in mind or why do they come to Cummins for trucking?

Sydney Hayes [00:06:39]:
I would say first and foremost, sustainability. Everything that we do at Cummins has the forefront purpose of powering a more prosperous world and helping our fleets to develop solutions that will ultimately help them meet their environmental sustainability goals. Right. Carry about the environment a lot. Second priority is then providing that performance and reliability that our customers have come to love and know. So I don't want to get too deep into the product. It's hard to. But X15 for you guys, X15 is our bread and butter.

Sydney Hayes [00:07:17]:
That's how we earn the majority of our revenue. That's what makes Cummins. Cummins is the X15 within the EBU, that application. So we power everything from the, you know, those Ram 2,500 to 3,500 pickup trucks, trucks with our 6.7 liter turbo diesel all the way up to those big semi trucks hauling freight that you see on the road. Exactly. There's a whole range and in the middle of that we have the vocational segment. So a lot of what Cummins does is we help power people to do their jobs.

Kim Nguyen [00:07:53]:
Right.

Sydney Hayes [00:07:54]:
We are very big in the vocational segment. So, you know, waste management trucks. We are in those, you know, those little sweeper trucks that clean up the street.

Kim Nguyen [00:08:03]:
The street sweepers.

Sydney Hayes [00:08:04]:
Exactly. We're in those. We're in yard spotters. There's a variety of applications that we support. So I just want to hit home the fact that, hey, we're in everything again. We're in this, we're in X, we're in Y, and we're in Z. I.

Kim Nguyen [00:08:20]:
Feel like I learned something every time we talk because there are just so many facets that. So many touch points.

Sydney Hayes [00:08:25]:
Exactly.

Kim Nguyen [00:08:26]:
That it's so hard to grasp it all. But when you're putting it like this, it really showcases that full breadth of technology that's possible.

Sydney Hayes [00:08:32]:
What we're doing right now is we're trying to take this kind of X15 product that has been in the market for years and years now, and we're trying to create a new iteration of that existing platform, also keeping in mind that we have the performance, power and reliability to help you get to your next place.

Kim Nguyen [00:08:55]:
I like that. It's like you're taking the DNA of something that has been tried and trued. Ultra successful, but kind of innovating and optimizing it, I guess, the obstacles that are to come.

Sydney Hayes [00:09:05]:
Right, Exactly.

Kim Nguyen [00:09:07]:
That is so interesting. And I think about, like, you know, fuel efficiency and all these other factors that you had said. But something that we talked about earlier. You were talking about the communities and the families. Like, tell me more about the human aspect. I feel prideful, but I'm also quite far removed from like the engine business unit or the ebus mention in my head. I'm like, I'm looking at this avocado. Who has touched this avocado before me.

Kim Nguyen [00:09:29]:
I think I'm handpicking this, but it's been handpicked and transported from one hand to another for so long. So maybe it's more of like the connection between the truck drivers, the farmers, maybe the communities. Or, you know, I'll. I'll let you expand upon that how you see fit, but that's kind of what I was thinking.

Sydney Hayes [00:09:45]:
That's great. So when you're seeing a semi truck drive down the road, again, got a plug that we're not just engines, baby, we got it all. But when you see a truck driving down the road, be very mindful of what that truck is carrying. So we haul a whole bunch of stuff. And sometimes we have companies who haul a whole range of products. So it could be lays chips, it could be, I don't know, kids, toys, clothes. It's a whole variety of things. And to your point, that process, when you go into the store and when you pick up your apple or your avocado, you gotta know that many people have touched it, not touched it.

Sydney Hayes [00:10:34]:
You know what I'm saying? I'm not saying, like, everybody's touching your avocado, but there's been multiple points in getting that avocado ultimately to your hands. So if we back up and we then say, okay, I've got the avocado, how did the avocado get here? I had a Cummins powered X15 truck. Deliver it. What was the journey that they made? So for our market specifically, we have regional hall and then we have line hall. Regional hall is you're staying within your region, so there's no sleeping overnight or driving overnight. You basically go out, you drive, and then you go back to your domicile location. On the other end of that is line hall. And line hall, those people are the trucks that you see have the bigger cab in the back.

Sydney Hayes [00:11:17]:
We call those sleepers. So those have beds in them. So our drivers can, of course, get some sleep if they need to. So if it's a situation where it's more like line haul, then it's the endless possibilities of where that truck has been, where that truck has gone, where that truck is going to is a testament to the power that Cummins has and the willingness that we have to. No matter what good that you have, we will be there for you to provide that reliability and performance to ultimately help you get from point A to point B. Whether it's coming from a warehouse to get to the Walmart store to get your products, or a whole variety of things. And the touch points that you see along the way. Cummins.

Sydney Hayes [00:12:01]:
Cummins is there. You just, again, you got to look for us.

Kim Nguyen [00:12:04]:
I know you're. You're painting this picture. And now I feel like every time I'm on, I'm on the highway, I want to look around and see what else is there.

Sydney Hayes [00:12:10]:
Yeah, you have.

Kim Nguyen [00:12:11]:
What am I missing?

Sydney Hayes [00:12:12]:
I like the metaphor that you use of, like, when you're picking up an avocado. You got to know that there's been many touch points and there's many. There's a process right. Put in place in order to make sure that you have that food and that product that you need. Need in order to go home at the end of the day.

Kim Nguyen [00:12:26]:
I love that there's again, the reassurance, reliability. It's the peace of mind that really, really hammers that point home.

Sydney Hayes [00:12:32]:
Exactly. And it's about the People, right. It's about the people at the end of the day. And Cummins is a company that I truly believe that we champion our people and when we find good people, we keep them. Right?

Kim Nguyen [00:12:42]:
Yes, definitely. And I, you know, I think a lot of that gets lost. We're in the hustle and bustle. Everyone's got their own, you know, their day to day that they go through. But I think at the end of the day, knowing that it's not just for the truck, it's not just for a piece of machinery and equipment, it's for the people that are operating machines and equipment and the people that they come home to, their families, their friends or communities, it's very powerful. Thank you for sharing that.

Sydney Hayes [00:13:04]:
Of course, of course.

Kim Nguyen [00:13:05]:
So you paint this beautiful picture of what it's like to be in a car and see these different trucks and these buses and knowing that we're transporting a variety of things from people to goods and everything in between. So what's one thing you want people to remember the next time they see a Cummins truck on the highway?

Sydney Hayes [00:13:23]:
We have had the opportunity to develop a presence in the market where we are known as being reliable and we are known as being the high performers. So if I had to say one thing. So when you're driving down, you know, 31 south or wherever your interstate is and you look to the right and you see that that truck is Cummins powered, just know that that good is going to get there. Whatever needs to be delivered will be delivered. Whatever good item, food, piece, whether it's a batch of avocados or it's a school of kids, like, you just have to know that we have the reliability to get that person from point A to point B. And if there's something that goes wrong along the way, that Cummins is going to be there for that person, no matter what. That we have the network and we have the connections available to minimize downtime and maximize uptime for that customer. Next time you're driving on the highway, look to the right and if you see a come and see on the driver's side door, just know that we are powering that truck.

Kim Nguyen [00:14:25]:
And earlier you had mentioned, we tend to forget about the people operating these machines, these trucks. Why do you think that's the case? Why do we end up forgetting that there's someone behind the wheel of these street sweepers and these waste management trucks?

Sydney Hayes [00:14:39]:
I think as a human race, to sometimes step back and say, let me think about all of the touch points that this product went through to get there. So an engine, for example, that engine that goes in that truck spends years of testing, just years and years of testing in different environments and different applications and making sure.

Kim Nguyen [00:15:02]:
Fail safe.

Sydney Hayes [00:15:03]:
Exactly. And making sure that that product is quality assured and confirmed and approved to go out ultimately to that customer. So at Cummins, we have teams, specific engineering teams, who are working day in and day out to make sure that that product that ultimately goes into that truck is tested and proven, it's reliable. And then last but not least, it provides the performance that people need at the end of the day.

Kim Nguyen [00:15:31]:
I love that because at the end of the day, every mission matters.

Sydney Hayes [00:15:33]:
Exactly. Exactly.

Kim Nguyen [00:15:35]:
Very comforting. I feel like it's nothing that I worry about because I know that I will find groceries no matter what, for the most part, minus eggs right now. But I think what's nice to know is like that the sense of comfort building, knowing that it will be there and it's a peace of mind. And I think that's really, really valuable. I do want to take a moment to say I love being able to have these conversations with you. And I know that women in trucking is something you're super passionate about. So if you want to take a minute to plug it, please do.

Sydney Hayes [00:16:01]:
Yeah. Thank you so much. So women in trucking is a nonprofit organization that has the primary purpose of career advancement for women in the transportation industry. So we know as women that sometimes our representation isn't as much as in the male dominated field. So what this organization does is it partners with different companies like Cummins. We actually have a partnership with women in trucking to really focus in on the specific opportunities that are not available to women today so we can make them available to women tomorrow. We went to the show last year. We participated in a panel where we were actually able to share with the audience how you could go from a service technician all the way up to a general manager, so that leadership discussion.

Sydney Hayes [00:16:44]:
And we also had a booth where we exhibited an interactive wall where we were inviting women to share their advice on career opportunities for the future and then what excites them about the future and transportation industry. So thank you for. Thank you for letting me plug women in trucking. But I just have to know that there's a great organization to be a part of. Even if you're now not interested in contributing and executing. Then we love to have additional thought partnership, and it would be great to have additional volunteers. So gotta love women in trucking.

Kim Nguyen [00:17:18]:
Well, thank you so much for taking time out of your day to share this Sid all right, so what's the big idea for this episode? The next time you grab a fresh piece of produce at the store where you sit down for a meal, think about the journey that your food took to get there. Behind every banana loaf of bread and carton of eggs is a network of hard working farmers, truck drivers and engineers keeping that whole thing running. And the next time you pass by a truck on the highway, just remember you might be carrying your next meal. Power Onward.

Show ID [00:17:59]:
Thank you for listening to Power Onward. Your support means the world to us. If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate and review on your favorite podcast platform. If you want to dig deeper on what we covered today, check out the show notes for additional links or go to cummins.com podcast until next time, Power Onward we're from Cummins, the company that's been innovating toward the future for more than 100 years. We're no strangers to rapid change, global shifts and economic uncertainty. We want to be your constant during the energy transition, whenever, wherever, forever. Power Onward.