Driver Spotlight: Steven Mark Kelly

For Steven Mark Kelly, trucking was never just a job. It was an intrigue that started in childhood, watching massive rigs roll past and wondering where they were headed. “Just a fascination with trucks being a little guy, seeing all the shiny big trucks drive by and curious, you know, what direction they were going or where they were going.” That curiosity eventually led him to the driver’s seat.

At 16, his uncle, a cross-country driver, gave him his first opportunity. “My mom was real big on boys having some type of job. My uncle used to tell me, ‘I got a job for you. Just gotta come with me.’” That summer, he climbed into the cab and started driving. “They got me in the truck and I haven’t got out.”

Now, with 26 years behind the wheel, Steven has worked in nearly every trucking industry niche—hauling cement, crude oil, jet fuel, and even delivering materials to NASA facilities. But no matter how much he has accomplished, the feeling of being behind the wheel has never lost its appeal.

Finding Home at Knight

After years of running over the road and spending weeks away from home, Steven started looking for something different. It was a conversation with a close family friend that changed his perspective. “He tells me, ‘Hey man, before I get out of here, you gotta get you some type of wife. You stay in that truck all day, and you got all these stories. I need you to have a story with a companion or something like that.’”

That pushed him to look for a job closer to home. “I was seeking out something local.” When he reached out to Knight Transportation, his recruiter worked with him to find the right fit. “She was like, ‘I think I can do something for you. Do some local stuff.’ So I ended up joining the team, and I hopped on.” Though he is still on the road often, working with Knight has allowed him more balance. “I’m closer to home. I can stop a lot more often. But I’m always in the truck.”

What Keeps Him Driving

Steven's relationship with trucking is one filled with love. “I’m like one with the truck, altogether.” The road still excites him, even after decades behind the wheel. “There’s always something new.” He has driven in all 48 states and nearly every major highway. “I was thinking to myself, what highway haven’t I been on? I think I’ve almost been on every highway.” The challenge of mastering different terrains, conditions, and situations keeps him engaged. “I feel way more comfortable in a truck than in a regular car. It’s easy for me to get in the truck and go two, three weeks, four, five weeks, and not even be at home.”

Adapting to an Evolving Industry

While he loves the job, Steven acknowledges that trucking has changed dramatically. One of the biggest shifts has been the rise of technology and automation. “The best way to adapt to things that change is to kind of surrender and remap your thoughts on your rules and regulations. Because if you fight it, you’re gonna give yourself gray hairs a lot faster.”

When he first joined Knight, the advanced safety sensors in the trucks took some getting used to. “When I first came to Knight, you guys had all these sensors on the truck. Versus when I was on the road, I had zero sensors.” Though he recognizes their value, he sometimes finds himself ahead of them. “I would pick up on things a little bit before the sensors, so when the sensor actually beeped, I’d be scratching my head like, ‘Oh my gosh, I saw that two seconds ago.’” Still, he believes technology plays an important role, especially for newer drivers. “Because of the new guys, I think it’s good. Some of the things I see, I just kind of scratch my head, but I get it.”

Mentorship and Safety

Steven’s years of experience have made him a natural mentor. Whether it’s giving advice to a struggling driver or helping someone avoid a dangerous situation, he takes the responsibility seriously.

He recalls one moment that stuck with him—intervening before a fellow driver unknowingly put himself in danger. “I saw a guy, he was hauling iron rolls. The way he had his stuff tied down, I said, ‘Oh man, one crazy stunt and that thing is going through the cab.’” He took the time to show the driver how to secure his load properly, and the driver admitted, “Man, no one ever told me how to tie down.”

At a previous company, Steven also noticed that new drivers were being sent into mountain routes without proper experience. “I start suggesting, ‘Hey, forget all that freeway driving. There’s a lot of mountain work they’re not telling you about.” His push for better training led to changes in how new drivers were prepared, ensuring they got hands-on experience before being assigned to difficult terrain.

A Career Built on Mastery

Steven thrives on challenge, always seeking to push himself in new ways. He recalls a particularly difficult job delivering to a NASA facility. “They asked for experienced drivers only. When you get to the gate, they tell you the only way you can go in is backwards.”

Maneuvering in tight spaces around high-value equipment, he rose to the challenge and became a regular for the job. It’s these moments that define his career, not just getting from Point A to Point B, but mastering the journey. “You almost become like a computer, taking bits and pieces from every scenario to get you where you need to go.”

After 26 years behind the wheel, Steven has seen the industry evolve, faced down the toughest roads, and helped shape the next generation of drivers. But through it all, the heart of trucking remains the same—the freedom of the open road, the skill of the driver, and the challenges that make every mile worth it. “You always find something new,” he says. “And as long as I’m driving, I’ll keep looking for it.”