Sign up for information about Haulin Assets Academy here: https://haulinassetsllc.com/2024/01/23/finding-loads-the-process-episode-146/ Check out Fuelstream here: https://www.fuelstreamservices.com/ Traditionally, February is the low point of the year for the trucking industry. If that is the case this year, we have reason to celebrate. Although we didn't rake in huge profits, we did a lot better than we did during the really tough period we had during the middle of last year. Before we jumped i...
Mar 20, 2024•28 min•Ep. 152
Sign up for information about Haulin Assets Academy here: https://haulinassetsllc.com/2024/01/23/finding-loads-the-process-episode-146/ We start this episode off with a funny story about Cruella de Vil the truck, it makes for a good listen. Finding the right loads is one of the most important things to do well with your trucking company. It is also one of the most challenging. That is why I decided to do a series on the subject. This episode is going to wrap the series up and tie it all together...
Mar 06, 2024•44 min•Ep. 151
If you want to hear about the worst experiences I have had with a repair shop, listen to this episode. All I can say is never take your truck to the Freightliner Northwest in the Seattle area. As time goes on, I get more and more comfortable dispatching. One of the best parts of dispatching is the relationships I have been able to build. Relationships is one of the biggest keys to being successful finding loads. What To Expect From Episode 148 Anyone can find loads, it is a lot more difficult to...
Feb 21, 2024•36 min•Ep. 150
January was a good month, it seems like it has been a while since I have said that. It's also been a while since I have told a good "Chris is stupid story" from my adventures on the road. This episode starts with a good one. The silver lining is that it was a good learning lesson that shouldn't cause any serious harm. What To Expect From Episode 147 The last 4 months have been some of the hardest months of my career. They have been tiring and stressful, but it is so nice to see positive results ...
Feb 07, 2024•33 min•Ep. 149
This episode is jam packed with tips to help you find loads for your trucking company. We hone in on the process of finding and booking loads. We also start off this episode by introducing a new project I am working on that is going to be a game changer for many of you. It's called Haulin Assets Academy. It is an online, video based learning system that a team and I have developed to help you take your trucking education to a whole new level. Whether you have 1 truck or 20, Haulin Assets Academy...
Jan 24, 2024•45 min•Ep. 148
Happy New Year!! I am so happy to kick 2023 to the curb. I am optimistic that we will see some good things happen in 2024. Regardless of what happens with the economy, I think the changes we are making will help Haulin Assets continue to improve and become stronger as a company. One thing I know for sure is that this challenging year has taught us lessons that will make us stronger and more profitable than we would have been otherwise. I hope you follow our journey and that some of the lessons w...
Jan 10, 2024•29 min•Ep. 147
Finding loads for truckers is one of the most critical tasks for any trucking company. If you have been following this podcast, you know that up to this point we have used a third party dispatching service to help us find loads. About three months ago we started the process of bringing load finding in house. We are taking about 5-6 months to complete the transition. I am up to dispatching 6 of our 11 trucks and will take on 2 more trucks in about a week and the last 3 in the month or two that fo...
Dec 27, 2023•52 min•Ep. 146
Earlier this week I had one of the crazier days I have had in a long time. Two trucks broke down within a matter of minutes of each other and we had a truck involved in a minor accident. Needless to say, we have a few interesting things to talk about. What To Expect From Episode 143 Another month in the black, but I still feel like we are running on a treadmill getting nowhere. I am beyond ready for a change in the freight market. I was expecting a little better 4th quarter than we are seeing. A...
Dec 13, 2023•24 min•Ep. 145
A breakdown, a tow, a rental truck, another breakdown, getting ignored by a broker and rushing to make appointments, all in a week's work for one of our drivers and the team that supports him. I have said this before, nothing is easy in trucking and the best company owners are people who can solve problems. We had a lot of problems we had to solve throughout that trip. I start off this episode talking about a truck we had breakdown and the excitement that ensued. It all ended as well as can be e...
Nov 29, 2023•44 min•Ep. 144
We finally broke the losing streak, but not by as much as I would have liked. October saw the establishment of several new records, predominantly positive ones. However, the bottom line was not where I would have liked to see it. There is definitely more work to be done, but I feel like we are moving in the right direction. What To Expect From Episode 141 There have not been many months where I felt like all the trucks and drivers were running on all cylinders, but they certainly were in October...
Nov 15, 2023•27 min•Ep. 143
I have some good news and some bad news.... October is going to break some records, in a good way. Before we can get to October, we have to get through September, which broke a record in a bad way. What To Expect From Episode 140 September is our 4th month in a row with a loss, but I am pretty confident that streak is going to end with October. The freight market continues to struggle and so does our bottom line. Here are the numbers for September. Total miles ran– 103,808 (We essentially had on...
Nov 01, 2023•28 min•Ep. 142
Normally this episode would be a financials episode, but I have had a crazy couple of weeks and am up against a flight and won't have time to finish the books for September before it's time to record. Last episode I mentioned that we have a bit of a change in the works and that's what we are going to talk about. Haulin Assets is going to bring dispatching in house. What To Expect From Episode 139 Your 20 Dispatch has been with us since day 1 and has been a huge part of our business. I wouldn't k...
Oct 18, 2023•22 min•Ep. 141
"Many a Mickle Makes a Muckle" is an old Scottish phrase. It was popularized in the United States by George Washington, but he actually got the phrase wrong. I'm not going to explain how here, to learn about his mistake, listen to the episode. The phrase basically means many little things make a big thing, or many little changes will have a big impact. If you want to hear the phase being said with a Scottish accent, click here . What To Expect From Episode 138 I think this is a great episode wit...
Oct 04, 2023•42 min•Ep. 140
I start off this episode talking about an overside load crash here in Utah that could have been catastrophic. It was a totally preventable crash and resulted because of what I would call extreme negligence. It's an interesting story and one of those situations where we should all learn from someone else's mistakes. It is easier that way. What To Expect From Episode 137 It was another tough month, but I am seeing more and more signs that we are turning the corner. I have my fingers crossed that w...
Sep 20, 2023•29 min•Ep. 139
National Truck Driver's Appreciation Week is almost upon us, so we thought it would be a good time to do an episode that is a tribute to the truck drivers of America. Before we hit the main topic I talk about my most recent trip on the road taking a load to Phoenix. Let's just say it wasn't the most smooth run I have ever done. You'll have to listen to the episode to hear all the juicy details. What To Expect From Episode 136 Trucking is one of the most demanding and important jobs in the United...
Sep 06, 2023•46 min•Ep. 138
One of the most challenging things for me to do when I was on the road was to maintain good health and fitness. Especially during the winter. My recent trip was a good reminder of that and I want to share some of the things I do while I am on the road. What To Expect From Episode 135 Health and fitness can mean a lot of different things, during this episode Craig and I are going to focus on 3 different aspects nutrition, mental health and fitness. The biggest keys to be successful in any one of ...
Aug 24, 2023•51 min•Ep. 137
Another tough month. June, July and August are some of the harder months of the year. The months with losses are really getting old. It can be discouraging. The economy and the freight market have always had peaks and valleys, good times and bad times. That is predictable, we know we are currently in a valley, but we also know it will get better and we will see good times again. Meramec Solutions is the sponsor for this episode. If you have any need to hire drivers, they are a great option that ...
Aug 09, 2023•30 min•Ep. 136
Check out today's sponsor, Meramec Solutions: https://meramecsolutions.com/hirenow It’s no secret that trucking is really tough right now. That fact has caused me to do a lot of thinking lately about what can I do to help get Haulin Assets in a healthier place. One of the things I decided to do was look at the loads we have been hauling to see if I could find any positive or negative trends that we could improve on. In this episode, Craig and I are going to take a look at what I have found. What...
Jul 26, 2023•38 min•Ep. 135
Check out today's sponsor, Meramec Solutions: https://meramecsolutions.com/ The roller coaster continues. We were pretty high last month, that means we're pretty low this month. Before we dive into the numbers Craig and I talk a little about some analysis I have been doing on the brokers and shippers we have been hauling the most for. I think it is going to help us focus in on relationships we want to develop and others we might want to let go. I think you'll see an episode on this subject in th...
Jul 12, 2023•29 min•Ep. 134
In business you have to expect the unexpected and sometimes you get pleasantly surprised. After months of disappointment, a good surprise was a breath of fresh air and put a smile on my face. By no means are we out of the words yet, but I am starting to get more and more confident we have hit bottom and may even be on our way back up. What To Expect From Episode 131 For the first time in a while I am excited to show the numbers to everyone. So, without further delay: Total miles ran– 102,460 Dea...
Jun 28, 2023•35 min•Ep. 133
FuelStream can help you save money on fuel! One thing I have always been pretty sensitive about on this podcast is making the podcast feel like it is a promotion for some of my other businesses because that is not the point of the podcast. I feel like we have done a pretty good job of that, up until now. This episode is going to be a bit of a shameless plug for a business under the Motor Carrier HQ family that we have not talked about. And you know what, I feel really good about doing it because...
Jun 14, 2023•53 min•Ep. 132
Craig and I start off this financials episode by talking about one of the things that has the biggest impact on just about any business's financials, sales. We have been doing some work to get more loads directly from shippers. Building new relationships with shippers is all about sales. We talk about the sales funnel and how sales is a numbers game. Every healthy company does some kind of selling and we hope you learn something new from this discussion. What To Expect From Episode 129 I'm feeli...
May 31, 2023•37 min•Ep. 131
Before we dive into the past, present, and future of the freight market, we talk about a big change we made . We hired an operations manager. It is a huge step for a company like ours, especially as small as we are and considering the freight market we are in. Craig and I discuss why we thought this was a smart decision, even though on the surface, it may seem like a dumb one. What To Expect From Episode 128 The freight market has been really tough for a year. When is that going to change? In th...
May 17, 2023•36 min•Ep. 130
We had one truck sitting for the entire month of March, that definitely had an impact on things. The infamous egg load occurred around the end of the month. It will have more of an impact on April's numbers than it did in March. Needless to say, March was an eventful month. We talk all about it during this episode. Make sure to give it a listen. What To Expect From Episode 127 The tough months keep racking up. With that being said, it could have been worse, we were positive and at least moving i...
Apr 26, 2023•26 min•Ep. 129
If you are trying to grow a fleet of trucks, I can just about guarantee your biggest challenge is hiring good drivers. With a nationwide shortage of about 80,000 drivers and a driver turnover rate close to 100%, hiring and keeping good truck drivers is extremely difficult. How does a growing carrier not have their lunch eaten by the big guys when it comes to recruiting? That's what we'll cover in this episode.... After we talk about a recent load of eggs we hauled that had some challenges and en...
Apr 12, 2023•50 min•Ep. 128
Being financially smart is less about intelligence and more about having a plan and being disciplined. I think being a rocket scientist verse running a marathon is a good comparison. Having a high financial IQ is more akin to preparing for a marathon than being a super intelligent person. Not everyone is going to have the intelligence necessary to be a rocket scientist, but I think just about anyone can get to the point where they can finish a marathon. It might take years to get there, but if y...
Mar 29, 2023•46 min•Ep. 127
Things have been a little hectic for me the last couple of weeks. That means this episode is not as robust as I would have liked. There is some great info in it, so I think it is definitely worth a listen. What To Expect From Episode 124 February ended up being better than I thought it was going to be, but definitely not a good month. At least we didn't lose money. Craig and I dive into how things went this month. I also talk a little about insurance because our insurance renewal is coming up in...
Mar 15, 2023•33 min•Ep. 126
I have been asked to do an episode on how we spec our trucks by several listeners, so here you go. It's a complicated topic full of lots of different opinions and there is more than one way to skin a cat. I would love to hear your opinion on things, comment here or on the Facebook post for this episode. We have now purchased 9 brand new trucks from two different dealers and two different makes. We have learned a lot along the way, but as I have prepared for this episode I have learned even more....
Mar 01, 2023•48 min•Ep. 125
We had one of our best months in quite a while, but honestly, I am a bit disappointed. I though it was going to be better. Right at the end of the month, I-80 in Wyoming was shut down for several days because of weather and a big 50 vehicle pileup. That resulted in several of our loads that should have delivered in January being delayed and not arriving at their destination until the beginning of February. On a positive note, that will probably make February's numbers better than they would have...
Feb 15, 2023•29 min•Ep. 124
Whether you are an owner operator or a fleet owner, Worker's Compensation or Occupational Accident Insurance is something you will have to deal with. They are two different types of insurance, that are for a similar purpose. The basic concept is the same from state to state, but each state has some differences. Make sure you figure out what your state's differences are so you follow the law. A good place to start is your state's office that oversees this type of coverage, you can find their cont...
Feb 01, 2023•29 min•Ep. 123
