Employee Spotlight: How Operations Drives Bulk Transit

1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:06,080 You ever sit in a meeting and about five minutes in. You're already tapping your pen on the desk, 2 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:12,960 staring at the clock and wondering how this became your life. Yeah, same. Now, every once in a 3 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:18,840 while, though, you'll walk into a meeting and everything just works. It's like it's right in the 4 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:24,680 slot, just past the click. It's tight. It's efficient. People are talking, their be bopping and 5 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:30,320 scatting, but nobody's wasting time. Problems are getting solved. Nobody's hiding. Nobody's pointing 6 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:37,360 fingers. It's just pure execution. And you walk out of that meeting thinking, all 7 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:42,040 right, whoever's running this, they know what they're doing, all right? They got their pants on 8 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:47,520 straight. They got their shoes laced up tight. And that's today's guest. Because here's the thing. We 9 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:52,600 talk to drivers a lot on this show. Uh, we talk about the day to day. We talk about the grind, the 10 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:57,680 job itself. But every once in a while, you got to swim upstream a little bit, and you got to talk to 11 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:02,720 the guy who's helping build the system that all of that runs through. The guy who's making 12 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:08,720 decisions on what freight we take, what customers we partner with, how we grow and don't grow, and 13 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:13,760 how we keep this whole thing from turning into one of those bloated over complicated messes you 14 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:19,679 hear about everywhere else in this industry. And I'll tell you right now, this conversation that 15 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:25,399 we're about to have goes deeper than what I ever expected it would. We're talking about why some 16 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:30,360 companies make this job a lot harder than it needs to be. We talk about why customer 17 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:36,280 relationships are either everything or you've got nothing. Why? Sometimes the smartest move in 18 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:42,040 business is to say no and why. The difference between a driver and a professional is a lot 19 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:47,440 smaller and a lot more important than what most people think. So if you've ever wondered how the 20 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:52,600 decisions get made behind the scenes here at Bulk and Spur, or why things are done the way they 21 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:59,350 are, you're going to want to lean in and pick the volume up just a little bit. Slide into the slot. 22 00:01:59,390 --> 00:02:04,470 Just past the click with me for this one. It's another employee spotlight here on Always 23 00:02:04,470 --> 00:02:10,950 pneumatic, never static. You are listening to Always Pneumatic, Never 24 00:02:10,950 --> 00:02:16,789 Static the Totally Pressurized podcast brought to you by Bulk Transit where we keep the lines clear, 25 00:02:16,789 --> 00:02:21,869 the tanks empty, and the conversation anything but dry. Whether you're running powder pellets or 26 00:02:21,869 --> 00:02:26,149 anything in between. Pull up a seat, crack the windows and let's hit it. 27 00:02:29,190 --> 00:02:35,270 How's it going out there? Bulk and Spur. Welcome into always pneumatic, never static. Thank you so 28 00:02:35,270 --> 00:02:42,110 much for joining us here for episode 11 of your podcast. And I, you know, after we get past 29 00:02:42,110 --> 00:02:48,629 in into double digits, that's when I feel like we're cooking with gas. And, uh, today's episode is 30 00:02:48,630 --> 00:02:54,429 no different. We've got another awesome employee spotlight, a little block of employee spotlights 31 00:02:54,429 --> 00:03:00,229 that we've got going here. Of course, we talked to Tim from safety. Last week we've got an employee 32 00:03:00,229 --> 00:03:04,390 spotlight that I'm not going to spoil for you this week because it's coming up in just a couple 33 00:03:04,429 --> 00:03:09,350 of seconds, so you'll figure out who it is soon enough. And we're also going to have an employee 34 00:03:09,350 --> 00:03:16,310 spotlight next week. Now after that I'm looking for some drivers I need. I don't know, four, maybe 35 00:03:16,350 --> 00:03:22,869 five drivers. However many want to come on, I can welcome as many as six at once. But for this 36 00:03:22,869 --> 00:03:27,709 episode that I've got coming up in a couple of weeks, I will happily break the format and I will 37 00:03:27,710 --> 00:03:33,389 do two segments. If we have enough drivers that want to take part. And what I'm looking for from 38 00:03:33,390 --> 00:03:40,229 you is to come on and share with me some of your off time hobbies. We've talked a lot about 39 00:03:40,270 --> 00:03:45,550 trucking in these first ten, 11, 12 episodes, and we're going to continue to talk a lot about 40 00:03:45,550 --> 00:03:52,309 trucking during the lifespan of this podcast. But part of this podcast is getting to know all of 41 00:03:52,309 --> 00:03:58,749 our drivers. You guys are the stars, after all, and I've always had a lot of fun finding out a bit 42 00:03:58,750 --> 00:04:05,310 about what drivers do in their off time. We all know what you do on your on time. You deliver for 43 00:04:05,310 --> 00:04:11,829 Bulk and Spur. You got a flawless, uh, record in doing so. Your your customer service is top notch. 44 00:04:11,870 --> 00:04:18,429 The business runs like a well-oiled machine. Everybody respects everybody and works together 45 00:04:18,430 --> 00:04:23,230 for the common goal. Right? These are all the things that we do here at Bulk, and Spur it's pretty 46 00:04:23,230 --> 00:04:29,390 simple. Standard operating procedure type stuff, if you will. But I want to pull back the curtain on 47 00:04:29,390 --> 00:04:36,309 what you drivers are doing when that ELD is not logging your time, when that truck is parked and 48 00:04:36,309 --> 00:04:42,709 it is not in motion, what are you up to? Are you playing video games? Are you turning wrenches? I 49 00:04:42,709 --> 00:04:49,429 know a lot of truck drivers like to get into the shop and work on project cars when they're off. Or 50 00:04:49,429 --> 00:04:56,029 maybe it's a motorcycle. Uh, perhaps you're more of an outdoorsman. Maybe you're a hunter, a fisherman. 51 00:04:56,030 --> 00:05:03,029 I would love to talk to all manner of you. Maybe you're a family man, and it's all sports and kids 52 00:05:03,109 --> 00:05:09,510 activities. Bring that to the table too. Let's find out what some of you Bulk and Spur drivers are 53 00:05:09,510 --> 00:05:14,509 doing in your off time. And how are you going to do that? Simple. If you want to take part in that 54 00:05:14,510 --> 00:05:21,029 podcast. Head on over to podcast.bulktransit.com and send me an email. It's very 55 00:05:21,029 --> 00:05:26,909 simple. You can also get in touch with your dispatcher and have them reach out to me. Uh, that 56 00:05:26,910 --> 00:05:32,269 that's a that's a definite way that we can do it. But that's one more degree of separation between 57 00:05:32,269 --> 00:05:39,109 you and I. So let's let's do it the easy way. Once again, the website is podcast.bulktransit.com. 58 00:05:39,510 --> 00:05:45,310 Um, if you bookmark that, that's the whole podcast right there. That's everything you'll ever need 59 00:05:45,350 --> 00:05:50,149 that's contacting me to come on the show, that's listening to the episodes, that's finding out what 60 00:05:50,149 --> 00:05:56,940 the episodes, uh, entail, that's taking the quizzes. That's all of it. Okay. So podcast.bulktransit.com 61 00:05:56,940 --> 00:06:03,820 I need drivers. Reach out to me. Let's talk about some off time hobbies. I've got a 62 00:06:03,820 --> 00:06:08,659 ton of them myself. Okay. I'm just going to go down a little laundry list of things that I would love 63 00:06:08,659 --> 00:06:15,619 to hear if you do. Okay, I'm a golfer, huge golfer, and hey, tis the season. I don't 64 00:06:15,619 --> 00:06:21,059 care that the pollen count is up in the triple digits over here in Eugene, Oregon. And it's 65 00:06:21,059 --> 00:06:27,540 raining most of the time. My butt is out on the golf course once February ends in March hits, so 66 00:06:27,579 --> 00:06:33,179 I'm already a month in. Would love to talk about your game, uh, or your favorite tracks out there 67 00:06:33,179 --> 00:06:38,899 that you like to play? Uh, I'm also a drummer. I've got a cover band that plays pop punk covers blink 68 00:06:38,899 --> 00:06:43,619 182, Green Day, you name it. Uh, maybe you're a musician. You want to talk a little bit about that? 69 00:06:43,619 --> 00:06:49,459 I would love it. Maybe you build model trains, I don't care. The point is, I'm looking for you 70 00:06:49,500 --> 00:06:54,579 drivers. And I wanted to spend the first part of this episode doing a little bit of what we call a 71 00:06:54,579 --> 00:07:01,339 call to action here in the industry. Uh, I want to meet as many bulk and spur drivers as I can, get 72 00:07:01,340 --> 00:07:06,819 as many different drivers on the episode as I can, but I will still talk to you if you've already 73 00:07:06,820 --> 00:07:13,099 been on the podcast. So no restrictions, no holds barred, whatever off time, hobbies you want to come 74 00:07:13,099 --> 00:07:19,859 on the show and discuss and share about. I'm Game podcast.bulktransit.com is the 75 00:07:19,859 --> 00:07:25,499 website that's where you can get in touch with me. Uh, and that probably ends the call to action and 76 00:07:25,500 --> 00:07:30,739 the homework segment of today's episode. So thank you for locking in with me for those first five 77 00:07:30,739 --> 00:07:35,700 minutes. I'm depending on you here and I want to hear from some of you drivers. Uh, what are we 78 00:07:35,700 --> 00:07:41,339 doing today? Well, today is another awesome episode because it's another employee spotlight. I bet you 79 00:07:41,340 --> 00:07:46,099 found out some things about Tim Hamilton last week that you didn't know. Obviously, you work 80 00:07:46,100 --> 00:07:52,660 close with him all the time, but you don't get to have just an unimpeded, Uninterrupted one hour 81 00:07:52,700 --> 00:07:57,859 long conversation with him all the time. Just asking questions about the job and what he's, what 82 00:07:57,859 --> 00:08:02,260 he's up to and how he feels about this, that and the other thing. And that's what we can do here on 83 00:08:02,260 --> 00:08:08,019 the podcast. And like we said last week, Tim and I didn't get to half of what we had written down to 84 00:08:08,060 --> 00:08:12,619 talk about. And so we're going to have Tim on again for that purpose later on in the life of 85 00:08:12,619 --> 00:08:19,619 the podcast expected. And today's episode, I think, will be no different, because when I was in 86 00:08:19,619 --> 00:08:25,259 Columbus at the Plain City terminal for our discovery, when we were there meeting everybody, uh, 87 00:08:25,260 --> 00:08:30,779 trying to figure out what the podcast was going to be about, we got to sit down and have long, 88 00:08:30,819 --> 00:08:37,539 uninterrupted conversations with a lot of staff members. And, uh, this one today, just like Tim 89 00:08:37,539 --> 00:08:44,379 really stood out to me, uh, in his passion for the job and, and just the way that he approaches each 90 00:08:44,380 --> 00:08:50,928 day. Um, I've never seen him come into a meeting with anything but a big smile on his face, which I 91 00:08:50,929 --> 00:08:57,369 will tell you is not the norm across the trucking industry. So I love to see it. And today's 92 00:08:57,370 --> 00:09:04,169 employee spotlight here on Always Pneumatic, Never Static is on Shawn Stephens. And we're going to get 93 00:09:04,169 --> 00:09:05,609 him in here right now. 94 00:09:13,690 --> 00:09:18,968 All right. Welcome back into always pneumatic never static. We've got our guest on board today. 95 00:09:18,969 --> 00:09:24,969 Super excited to have him here. And, uh, I have to say something about this guy before I even 96 00:09:24,969 --> 00:09:30,329 welcome him in here, because, uh, he might add, and I'll say this, too. I've never had a reason to 97 00:09:30,369 --> 00:09:36,250 compliment somebody on this before, but Shawn Stephens runs the tightest weekly meeting that I 98 00:09:36,250 --> 00:09:43,009 have ever been a part of, in any capacity, in any job. All I do for the last four years in this 99 00:09:43,009 --> 00:09:49,968 job is take meetings and record podcasts. But Shawn Stephens joining us now, He, of course, is 100 00:09:49,969 --> 00:09:56,689 your director of operations for Bulk and Spur. And, uh, SHawn, I mean, hats off to you, man. The 101 00:09:56,690 --> 00:10:00,769 most well organized, tight meeting I've ever been a part of. If that's the way you approach 102 00:10:00,769 --> 00:10:06,489 everything that you do at Bulk and Spur, it's no wonder you're so good at the job, man. I. Marcus, I 103 00:10:06,490 --> 00:10:13,329 appreciate it. Thank you. And, uh, I, I try not to keep it too tight. That's actually fairly loose. I 104 00:10:13,330 --> 00:10:19,089 don't want to. I don't want to bore people. We like to cut up a little bit. It's true. And and that was 105 00:10:19,090 --> 00:10:23,129 something I felt, uh, I, you know, I shouldn't even have been in this meeting. You gave me the 106 00:10:23,130 --> 00:10:27,569 privilege of being the fly on the wall here in the in your terminal manager meeting. And that's 107 00:10:27,570 --> 00:10:32,169 what I felt is everybody's personality came out a little bit. But everybody was Johnny on the spot 108 00:10:32,210 --> 00:10:37,729 when it came to reports and everything. And, uh, yeah, I just I was really impressed. And also, you 109 00:10:37,729 --> 00:10:41,810 know what else I noticed in every meeting we've ever come into, you've got a big smile on your 110 00:10:41,810 --> 00:10:48,289 face, man. I get the impression that you like your job, Shawn. I absolutely like my job. I like my job. I 111 00:10:48,289 --> 00:10:54,609 like the people. I am happy to say I do not dread getting up in the morning. That's good, that's good. 112 00:10:54,650 --> 00:10:59,729 Well, let's start out a little bit and talk about some of your experience in the industry and then 113 00:10:59,770 --> 00:11:06,129 kind of walk that into, uh, you finding Bulk. How long have you been in the transportation industry 114 00:11:06,130 --> 00:11:13,049 as a professional? Uh, 28 years. Wow. So a long, storied career. And what type of things is 115 00:11:13,050 --> 00:11:18,009 it? Always been on the op side. What type of other jobs have you worked in the industry? Uh, it has 116 00:11:18,010 --> 00:11:24,969 always been on the op side, uh, exception being I did do a three year stint on the maintenance 117 00:11:24,969 --> 00:11:31,329 side, uh, working with commercial shop operations. So it was kind of a little bit of a deviation and 118 00:11:31,329 --> 00:11:37,650 kind of fun. And definitely, uh, I would say probably a different, um, is it a different 119 00:11:37,650 --> 00:11:43,609 environment, like a different speed over on the maintenance side? Yes, very much so. Very much so. 120 00:11:43,809 --> 00:11:49,679 Always something going on, I imagine. Uh, well, that's really cool. So talk to me about finding 121 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:53,919 Bulk. I know it was kind of an interesting situation where you interviewed and everything, 122 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:59,800 but how did you come about the job? What about it was attractive to you? Well, Marcus, it was, um. 123 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:05,479 It was through. A recruiter had reached out to me, you know. Hey, what do you think of this 124 00:12:05,479 --> 00:12:12,440 opportunity? And at the time, we were living in Texas. Um, nothing against Texas. Uh, but 125 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:18,479 didn't really. It wasn't really a good fit. My wife really wasn't that happy. So, you know, I was I was 126 00:12:18,479 --> 00:12:23,359 looking around, I was open to opportunity. So I was like, you know what? I'll reach out to him, you know, 127 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:28,039 we'll see what happens. So, you know, did my thing with the recruiter. Next thing I know, I'm getting 128 00:12:28,039 --> 00:12:34,359 a, uh, an invite for a virtual meeting. And, you know, it was with, uh, 129 00:12:34,680 --> 00:12:38,399 Brian. I believe it was. I believe it was. I believe it was Brian and Andrea. I can't remember if Brad 130 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:43,479 was on there or not, but, you know, we we had our conversation and, and I thought it went well, but, 131 00:12:43,479 --> 00:12:47,839 you know, it was a good length of time and you know, by the time he got around, I was like, ah, I 132 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:52,039 guess nothing came of it. And next thing I know, I'm getting another phone call from the recruiter. 133 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:58,759 They would like me to fly into Columbus to meet with them, and it 134 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:05,839 loved the idea of it, but unfortunately at the time I was down to person at my operation and I 135 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:11,799 was kind of feeling too old. It was just I could not get away on the weekend, on during the week 136 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:18,239 without it being detrimental to the operation. I just wasn't going to do that. So, you know, I 137 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:22,559 discussed that with the recruiter, figuring, well, I'm probably not going to be able to make this 138 00:13:22,560 --> 00:13:29,439 happen. And and this is kind of what started me raising an eyebrow about 139 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:36,039 Bulk and and about the DeWolf family. The next thing I know, they're offering 140 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:42,919 to set me up to fly out on a Saturday. I'm like, you know, if they're willing to take, you know, 141 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:47,839 go, go all out with that, you know? Yeah, I'll do it. I'll take the Saturday I will, I will fly to 142 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:54,520 Columbus. So they flew me up here, Brian comes to the airport, picks me up, 143 00:13:54,880 --> 00:14:01,759 and I spent the better part of the morning with Brian and Brad and 144 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:08,679 Andrea. And it was. It was wonderful. It was a very conversational interview. We covered a lot 145 00:14:08,719 --> 00:14:15,639 of ground. We really did. And by the time that was done, they took me on a tour of the facility. Uh, 146 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:22,559 took me to lunch, you know, all the good stuff. So Brian took me back to the airport and I felt 147 00:14:22,559 --> 00:14:29,080 really good about it. I thought it went great, and I. I felt so good about these people 148 00:14:29,159 --> 00:14:36,039 that I actually called my wife from the airport and was like, you know, I don't know what 149 00:14:36,039 --> 00:14:42,799 it will take, but I'm going to work for these people one way or another. I want I 150 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:48,598 want to work for these people. It had nothing to do with the company. I had no idea beyond. You know 151 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:52,599 what research I had done. And you know what they told me about the company? It was all about this. 152 00:14:52,679 --> 00:14:59,598 Sure. I you know, I can I can definitely, uh, understand after being there 153 00:14:59,599 --> 00:15:04,519 and getting to meet everybody and sitting in the same room and. Listen, I've worked in the industry 154 00:15:04,519 --> 00:15:09,959 long enough to know, uh, it's few and far between the ownership that's going to come in on a 155 00:15:09,959 --> 00:15:14,759 Saturday and spend half a day with you. Uh, I'm sure you know that in your 30 years in the 156 00:15:14,759 --> 00:15:20,880 industry. Uh, so that had to that had to impress you. Just that alone. That alone did. And then, you 157 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:27,479 know, everything else just. Right. When I'm. I'm sure you've heard people talk about family here 158 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:34,439 and, you know, the, the family atmosphere. That's no joke. It is no joke. It this is truly a 159 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:40,799 family. So it kind of sounds like it was. It was the people, the way they talked, the things they 160 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:46,349 said, uh, and maybe even the things you didn't see right then and there that Saturday, because you're 161 00:15:46,349 --> 00:15:50,710 still here now. You're running a tight ship and and it seems like you're loving it. So even the 162 00:15:50,710 --> 00:15:55,830 stuff that you didn't get to really research must have worked out pretty well. Shawn. Oh, it absolutely 163 00:15:55,830 --> 00:16:02,549 did. Uh, yeah. A little bit of trepidation coming into it. Uh, my background is is bulk chemical 164 00:16:02,549 --> 00:16:09,109 liquid. And I had some familiarity with, with dry bulk, uh, with a couple of the companies I worked 165 00:16:09,110 --> 00:16:15,869 for. You know, we did have some dry bulk segments that I was involved in. But, you know, when it came 166 00:16:15,869 --> 00:16:21,069 to bulk chemical, you know, I was an industry expert. You know, if you ask a question, I, I knew 167 00:16:21,070 --> 00:16:27,909 the answer. I'd done it for a long time. Mhm. So this was a little different. You 168 00:16:27,909 --> 00:16:33,709 know, this was getting into nuances of a segment of, of the industry that I just wasn't familiar 169 00:16:33,709 --> 00:16:39,069 with. Right. So you know, for the first time in a long time I had to learn I had a learning curve. 170 00:16:39,950 --> 00:16:45,308 And it seems like something. Nervous about that. Well, and look, that comes with every job, right? 171 00:16:45,349 --> 00:16:49,629 Changing any career. Especially when you've been at a place for a while. Maybe you've gotten 172 00:16:49,630 --> 00:16:54,270 comfortable, uh, jumping into something new is always going to provide that trepidation for you. 173 00:16:54,270 --> 00:16:58,668 But seems like the learning curve must have planed out for you sometime. How long did it take 174 00:16:58,669 --> 00:17:04,909 before you really felt like it clicked for you? Shawn. Oh, I'm still trying to find the click. No, I 175 00:17:04,910 --> 00:17:11,309 mean, there's just there's been just tremendous support. Uh, my predecessor, Jeff Schram, he did a 176 00:17:11,310 --> 00:17:18,229 phenomenal job of getting me inserted into the operation, making me feel, you 177 00:17:18,230 --> 00:17:23,109 know, comfortable in the position. Before he left. We had a good bit of overlap before he officially 178 00:17:23,109 --> 00:17:29,149 retired, so that was very helpful. And the the the depth of knowledge and 179 00:17:29,150 --> 00:17:35,309 experience it obviously with with the family, that goes without saying, but just within our 180 00:17:35,310 --> 00:17:41,389 organization, the depth of knowledge is just phenomenal. So if I have a question, I've always 181 00:17:41,390 --> 00:17:48,188 got an easy. It's easy to find an answer. Sure, I'll tell you. Uh, Jeff work in both of our dream 182 00:17:48,189 --> 00:17:53,589 jobs, retired from the transportation industry, and is now, uh, managing the grounds of the golf course. 183 00:17:53,630 --> 00:17:57,549 Yeah, I don't know if that's because he just couldn't, uh, couldn't handle not having something 184 00:17:57,550 --> 00:18:02,829 to do or because he wanted free golf. Either way, it's good in my book. What a what a great move for 185 00:18:02,829 --> 00:18:09,389 him, right? I actually got a good laugh at him last time he came in. He had just gotten the, uh, the gig 186 00:18:09,389 --> 00:18:15,109 over the whole thing, and he he just wanted to go in and be a groundskeeper. He didn't want a job. He 187 00:18:15,109 --> 00:18:20,670 just wanted a retirement with a little bit of, of, uh, play on the side. And I was laughing and I was 188 00:18:20,670 --> 00:18:25,869 like, well, looks like you, uh, you ended up getting yourself another full time job. Yep. 18 new babies 189 00:18:25,870 --> 00:18:30,708 to take care of their, uh, every single day. Well that's awesome. You know, we'll get Jeff on the 190 00:18:30,709 --> 00:18:36,669 podcast sometime. You actually. Do. He's a great guy. Yeah, we tried to get him on for the OGs of bulk 191 00:18:36,709 --> 00:18:41,420 episode that we did, but he's busy guy. He's he's managing a golf course, so we just couldn't make 192 00:18:41,420 --> 00:18:47,739 it work. But we will because, you know, that's a peek back into bulks history. Um, and and again, 193 00:18:47,740 --> 00:18:51,659 just a fun guy to talk to. I got to have a conversation with him. I won't lie to you, it was 194 00:18:51,660 --> 00:18:57,219 mostly about golf, but we did talk a little bit about. Yeah, we did talk a little bit about 195 00:18:57,219 --> 00:19:02,379 trucking. So, um, now, Shawn, something that you said to me back when we were at the Plain City 196 00:19:02,420 --> 00:19:06,900 Terminal meeting everybody in our conversation, you sat down with my producer, Jessica and I. We 197 00:19:06,900 --> 00:19:11,900 had an awesome conversation. I think we went for well over an hour, and I was taking just stream of 198 00:19:11,900 --> 00:19:16,060 consciousness notes the whole time. One of the things that really stood out to me that you said 199 00:19:16,099 --> 00:19:22,219 is that in your experience, a lot of companies will overcomplicate things on the operations side, 200 00:19:22,499 --> 00:19:28,459 um, what does that actually look like? And and what does keeping things simple look like in your mind? 201 00:19:28,500 --> 00:19:35,059 On the operations side? This is not that hard of a this is not that hard of an industry, but it can 202 00:19:35,060 --> 00:19:41,780 be made incredibly difficult and especially when you get into larger companies. And 203 00:19:41,780 --> 00:19:48,260 I've, I've worked for some of the biggest players in the industry and they they layer so 204 00:19:48,739 --> 00:19:55,539 much nonsense into their operations that it 205 00:19:55,540 --> 00:20:02,259 buries the, the operators. It just buries them. So I love the 206 00:20:02,259 --> 00:20:09,179 idea of being able to come in to a, a little bit smaller company, a, a family 207 00:20:09,180 --> 00:20:14,578 owned company that has not fallen into the trappings of 208 00:20:15,740 --> 00:20:22,699 big corporate nonsense and, you know, layer upon layer of approvals 209 00:20:22,699 --> 00:20:29,499 to go through to actually get the simplest tasks accomplished. Mhm. It's really it's really a breath 210 00:20:29,500 --> 00:20:36,459 of fresh air. And it, it allows a lot of opportunity to let the experts out 211 00:20:36,459 --> 00:20:43,420 there in the field, you know. Let my managers manage. Let them do what they do best. You 212 00:20:43,420 --> 00:20:49,219 know, I find that with smaller companies, it seems like they especially well-run ones, like bulk. Now, 213 00:20:49,219 --> 00:20:55,900 this isn't the case for all of them, obviously, but for ones that run as well and is as tight as bulk 214 00:20:55,900 --> 00:21:02,379 does, it seems like the ownership empowers the employees to make decisions. Absolutely they do. 215 00:21:02,579 --> 00:21:07,259 And isn't there? Your guys aren't looking over their shoulder all the time, and that goes through 216 00:21:07,260 --> 00:21:11,259 every layer of the business, right? The drivers have told me, look, the dispatch isn't 217 00:21:11,260 --> 00:21:15,459 micromanaging me. We have a relationship. They know what I'm doing. I know what they're doing, but 218 00:21:15,459 --> 00:21:20,420 they're not knocking on my door asking me how it's going or if I'm doing it or anything like 219 00:21:20,420 --> 00:21:25,099 that. And would you say that's sort of the I mean, you just said it about your terminal managers. Let 220 00:21:25,099 --> 00:21:29,859 them manage. That's also probably the way they manage their crews is, look, I'm not going to be 221 00:21:29,859 --> 00:21:35,609 sneaking over your shoulder all day. Do your job. You know how to do it. Yeah, that's that's the best 222 00:21:35,609 --> 00:21:41,689 way to handle it. I've always been a firm believer. Be there for them 223 00:21:42,490 --> 00:21:49,170 rather than micromanage. And due to them, I can't micromanage, just not in my 224 00:21:49,170 --> 00:21:56,129 nature. I. I hate to be micromanaged, so I myself really can't bring myself 225 00:21:56,129 --> 00:22:02,769 to do it. I want to be there for them. And I believe that, you know, the the folks out there in 226 00:22:02,770 --> 00:22:08,769 the field, they feel the same way about the drivers. They get to know them. They get to know 227 00:22:08,770 --> 00:22:13,770 their strengths, their weaknesses, their capabilities. That way, you know they can be there 228 00:22:13,770 --> 00:22:19,249 for them and anticipate a problem that might come up and, you know, give them the help and support 229 00:22:19,249 --> 00:22:24,850 they need. And I mean, you know, is there those times that, you know, we've got to put a little bit 230 00:22:24,850 --> 00:22:30,609 of extra focus, a little bit of extra effort into somebody, of course. And that's fine. I'd rather do 231 00:22:30,610 --> 00:22:36,729 that. And you know, get get the extra effort put up front and you have have somebody really good on 232 00:22:36,729 --> 00:22:42,409 the backside. Sure. Yeah. It's all about that. It's it's sort of a nurturing environment. Right. If 233 00:22:42,409 --> 00:22:46,728 you're going to step in and do the job for him, constantly be looking over their shoulder. You're 234 00:22:46,729 --> 00:22:51,329 probably not building an employee that's capable of of being empowered and making those decisions 235 00:22:51,329 --> 00:22:56,769 in crunch time, right? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you know, some of these guys, they they know a lot more 236 00:22:56,770 --> 00:23:02,129 about this industry than I do. Yeah. You know, let them let them be the expert. Boy, I can tell you 237 00:23:02,129 --> 00:23:07,489 right now, and having been in middle management in a different industry before, uh, you just make me 238 00:23:07,530 --> 00:23:12,009 want to run through a spirit line. High five. And everybody. When a guy with your job title says 239 00:23:12,010 --> 00:23:17,929 that micromanaging is not in my nature, uh, because it's it's prevalent in almost every industry 240 00:23:17,930 --> 00:23:23,368 where people can't let go. They have to control every little aspect of things. And it sounds to me, 241 00:23:23,410 --> 00:23:27,568 I mean, you've got a big team, right? What have you got? Ten terminal managers that you're overseeing. 242 00:23:27,609 --> 00:23:32,849 Um, if you were trying to do everybody's job for him, Shawn, you wouldn't have a smile on your face 243 00:23:32,849 --> 00:23:37,489 at all these meetings. I see you smile and I guarantee it. That would be. I would be a little 244 00:23:37,490 --> 00:23:44,369 frustrated, to say the least. Can you give me some examples where companies might get themselves 245 00:23:44,369 --> 00:23:50,449 in trouble trying to be too smart or over complicated on the ops upside? Um. Is it. Is it too many 246 00:23:50,449 --> 00:23:56,329 systems, too many layers of approval? Um, what what type of things are we really talking about in 247 00:23:56,329 --> 00:24:01,728 specific when we talk about getting too complicated in operations? Honestly, all the above. 248 00:24:01,769 --> 00:24:08,568 So I've seen I've seen companies I actually had this conversation, uh, with, with Brian during the 249 00:24:08,569 --> 00:24:15,249 interview. I've seen companies that have put, you know, put new systems in place. You know, 250 00:24:15,290 --> 00:24:21,729 that the latest and greatest thing. In fact, we are, uh, we're just now getting ready to we're working 251 00:24:21,770 --> 00:24:28,769 towards anyway, a new, uh, uh, TMS platform, uh, transportation management system. And I actually 252 00:24:28,769 --> 00:24:35,569 brought this up in our discovery with the company. We're using a new piece of a new piece of, 253 00:24:35,569 --> 00:24:41,728 uh, you know, technology will be thrown at us, and the next thing you know, it's the 254 00:24:41,729 --> 00:24:48,089 managers that end up spending more and more time feeding the machine than 255 00:24:49,050 --> 00:24:55,370 what the machine is actually warranting. Copy. You know, we're not getting the payback from all the 256 00:24:55,370 --> 00:25:02,089 effort we're having to put into it to, to to keep it going. Mhm. It's just that's only one 257 00:25:02,089 --> 00:25:08,209 example though. I think the biggest thing honestly, is people that are 258 00:25:08,209 --> 00:25:15,010 detached from the actual operations out in the field that 259 00:25:15,010 --> 00:25:21,849 deal with the drivers, deal with the customer's day to day, the the talk. I call them the 260 00:25:21,849 --> 00:25:28,849 talking heads, the talking heads, no more than the about those operations and 261 00:25:28,850 --> 00:25:35,040 those people that are actually living it. And that is nonsense. Absolute 262 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:40,119 nonsense. I, I, you know, I it reminds me of a story. I had a buddy that worked in preventative 263 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:45,759 maintenance for a long time, and his whole job was to go into these big factories and demolish 264 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:51,280 something and rebuild it a different way. And he would be boots on the ground in there, looking at 265 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:56,199 how the pipes have to move and where this staircase needs to be. And and then he would get 266 00:25:56,199 --> 00:26:01,199 the plans from an engineer that had never actually been in the warehouse before. And he 267 00:26:01,199 --> 00:26:07,319 looks at the plans and he says, this can't work. I'm not an engineer. I can't tell you why the math 268 00:26:07,319 --> 00:26:12,919 doesn't work, but I can tell you that there's a wall there, so I can't put a staircase there. And 269 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:17,519 you can't see that unless you've actually set foot in the weeds. Is that kind of what you're 270 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:22,560 talking about is those employees that are out there in the weeds have such perspective for 271 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:28,799 what's actually going on, uh, that, that maybe, uh, maybe they understand it a little bit better. Yeah, 272 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:35,920 100%. You start getting into these companies that want to bring in the the, the 273 00:26:36,239 --> 00:26:43,239 Six Sigma methodologies. And you know, we can we can we can shave off one 274 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:49,559 step over towards a printer or or some nonsense. Right. And and I do speak from experience. I'm 275 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:55,680 actually a Six Sigma black belt. So I've been there done that. And I understand that. 276 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:02,999 It's really so much nonsense when you, when you try to overcomplicate something that at its core 277 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:09,838 should be fairly simple if you just let people do their job. Yep. And communicate. Right. I mean, with 278 00:27:09,839 --> 00:27:14,519 ten terminal managers, the one thing I noticed in those meetings that I opened the interview with, 279 00:27:14,599 --> 00:27:19,599 uh, everybody's communicating, everybody's heard, and everybody has a chance to speak up, uh, to, to 280 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:23,399 get the help or the support that they need. Well, and that's the, that's the that's one of the 281 00:27:23,399 --> 00:27:29,039 biggest points of the meeting every day is so we can talk about what's going on, what do we need? 282 00:27:29,079 --> 00:27:34,920 And, you know, that doesn't preclude the managers from, you know, talking amongst themselves. Way 283 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:39,599 before the meeting. And, you know, even after the meeting. You know, they're always communicating, you 284 00:27:39,599 --> 00:27:45,719 know, their needs looking for you know that that extra capacity. Hey, I'm overbooked by two loads. Do 285 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:50,920 you got any capacity? We can shift things around to help. Yeah, and that's what the 2:00 call does, 286 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:57,920 is it brings all that to the surface and gives everyone visibility. And you 287 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:03,280 could tell. Yeah, it really is beneficial. I think it's beneficial. When I first got here, I was like, 288 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:10,279 man, that's a lot to do this every day. Uh. No. No, it becomes like 289 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:14,119 riding a bike after a while. It's just part of your day, right? The benefit is truly there. It 290 00:28:14,120 --> 00:28:20,839 really is. And they're not long. 15 minutes. Yep. Quick to the point. And, you know, uh, it's, 291 00:28:20,839 --> 00:28:26,629 I guess a little over communication never hurts when you're talking about the distance that you 292 00:28:26,630 --> 00:28:31,969 guys are working over as well? You know, it'd be one thing if these terminals were all five, ten, 15 293 00:28:31,969 --> 00:28:36,349 minutes away and you were able to just go set foot inside of them all the time, but they're not 294 00:28:36,349 --> 00:28:42,509 there as far away as Texas and all over the place down there. So, you know, it's it makes sense to me. 295 00:28:42,509 --> 00:28:49,429 And and again, uh, I was I know I'm kind of heaping the praise on you here, but it seriously is like 296 00:28:49,430 --> 00:28:54,909 I told Jessica, my producer, after that meeting, I was like, if we if Shawn ran every meeting that I 297 00:28:54,909 --> 00:29:00,429 took for the rest of my career, I would retire such a happy guy because I feel like. It'll say 298 00:29:00,430 --> 00:29:06,188 thank you, because the the level of grief that I am going to get from my managers when they listen 299 00:29:06,189 --> 00:29:12,269 to this, you have no idea. So thanks for that. No problem. Hey, set them up, man. All you got to do is 300 00:29:12,270 --> 00:29:16,109 send me their contact info. We'll start getting them in here and get some, uh, get some grease on 301 00:29:16,110 --> 00:29:21,069 them, too, so that you can get back at them. Okay. There you go. I like. That. Yeah, I think it's 302 00:29:21,069 --> 00:29:25,190 awesome. I feel like everybody should be involved. You know, one guy I haven't talked to yet on the 303 00:29:25,190 --> 00:29:31,509 pod. Here is, uh, is Rodney, and he had our temporary tattoo on his face. Uh, when we first started the 304 00:29:31,509 --> 00:29:38,429 podcast. That's dedication. So I'm looking for you terminal managers. I before you give Shawn any guff 305 00:29:38,429 --> 00:29:43,349 about this episode. Just know that your time's coming, okay? That's what we'll put out there. A 306 00:29:43,350 --> 00:29:48,989 little warning. And we're all afraid to ask Rodney where the permanent tattoo ended up. Just throwing 307 00:29:48,990 --> 00:29:55,949 that out there. I love it. So, uh, something else that you said to me. Obviously, a big part 308 00:29:55,949 --> 00:30:01,509 of the job that we're doing here is the customer service angle of it. Sean. Uh, very, very important. 309 00:30:01,510 --> 00:30:07,469 You can tell that the drivers really take pride in having a good customer service, uh, facing 310 00:30:07,469 --> 00:30:12,669 persona. And they want to be clean. You know, it's not a clean job, but they want to keep everything 311 00:30:12,670 --> 00:30:19,469 clean and tight and happy and friendly. Um, you told me back at discovery that if someone hurts a 312 00:30:19,470 --> 00:30:25,870 customer relationship, that their time here might be very short. Why is that line so firm from your 313 00:30:25,870 --> 00:30:32,669 seat, Shawn? Because without them, we we have nothing. Without them, we are nothing. I've 314 00:30:32,670 --> 00:30:39,469 always been a firm believer in a in the layered structure of company first, obviously, 315 00:30:39,749 --> 00:30:46,149 and then customer and driver. The reason for that is without the company, obviously we don't have a 316 00:30:46,149 --> 00:30:53,109 job, but without the customer and the driver, we don't have a company. So they 317 00:30:53,110 --> 00:30:58,829 support the company. The company, the customer gives us the revenue. So 318 00:30:59,709 --> 00:31:06,550 pretty obvious where they fall. But you know, the driver generates that revenue, right? So 319 00:31:06,590 --> 00:31:10,630 you know, those are the those are the most important aspects of this company is that 320 00:31:10,630 --> 00:31:16,709 customer and that driver. And I cannot allow there to be anything that would 321 00:31:16,709 --> 00:31:22,939 jeopardize the relationships with those customers. And if you 323 00:31:21,099 --> 00:31:26,419 damage that relationship, it could have ripple effects for years down the line, just like keeping 324 00:31:26,419 --> 00:31:31,419 the relationship intact. That's not a ripple effect. That's a tsunami. We're we're we're dead. 325 00:31:31,699 --> 00:31:37,219 Yeah, that's a great way to put it. And and so talk to me a little bit about what separates just a 326 00:31:37,219 --> 00:31:43,099 load hauler from a driver that actually understands the customer and exemplifies great 327 00:31:43,099 --> 00:31:48,060 customer service, Shawn. Well, look, I don't want to I don't want to knock any driver out there in any 328 00:31:48,060 --> 00:31:54,219 segment of industry. But, you know, there are there are drivers that bump a dock and then there are 329 00:31:54,219 --> 00:32:00,900 drivers that are hands on and direct facing to the customer. They're 330 00:32:00,900 --> 00:32:07,898 not sitting in a truck, you know, waiting for a lumper to offload their cargo through a bay. We 331 00:32:07,930 --> 00:32:14,369 are out there. We're face-to-face with the customer. We're physically unloading that 332 00:32:14,369 --> 00:32:21,369 trailer into their silo. We're the face. We're the face. We're the face of our 333 00:32:21,370 --> 00:32:26,969 customer to their customer. And that's what I try to preach to these guys is, look, you guys are not 334 00:32:26,969 --> 00:32:33,968 representing Bulk Transit. And if we look bad that our 335 00:32:33,969 --> 00:32:40,729 our customer looks bad. We're their representation. Exactly. It's twofold. It can it's going to reflect 336 00:32:40,730 --> 00:32:46,369 on on your customer and then it's going to reflect on the company after that. And so just 337 00:32:46,369 --> 00:32:51,049 vitally important. And I love the way that you that you kind of laid that out there because that 338 00:32:51,050 --> 00:32:56,489 extra layer, you know, a lot of times, um, a lot of the truck drivers I talked to from different 339 00:32:56,489 --> 00:33:02,209 podcasts will be servicing one customer. They don't have that extra layer of they're getting it 340 00:33:02,210 --> 00:33:07,999 from one customer, taking it to another customer. So very important stuff there. And look, I've 341 00:33:07,999 --> 00:33:13,199 already said it, but when I talk to the drivers on here, you can tell that they're keeping an eye on 342 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:18,520 it, they're committed to it. They're dedicated to doing all those things you just said. I wonder if 343 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:23,520 in your in your almost 30 years here in the industry, Sean, is there something that drivers 344 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:28,319 might not realize that customers are keeping an eye on? Anything that you've noticed over your 345 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:34,520 experience that, hey, I just randomly a driver was doing this really well and the customer was 346 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:40,079 overwhelmed by it. Anything like that that might help him just, uh, pay a little bit closer 347 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:46,439 attention on their next, uh, their next drop off. Honestly. Just professionalism. Uh, it's it's sad to 348 00:33:46,439 --> 00:33:52,879 say that so much within the industry has changed over over those years. And I, I don't want to sound 349 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:58,319 like the crotch of the old fart that's, you know, just just been doing this too long. But there 350 00:33:58,319 --> 00:34:04,949 there has been a lot of changes within the industry. And, you know, it's harder to 351 00:34:04,990 --> 00:34:11,069 find that level of professionalism anymore and that resonates with these customers. It really 352 00:34:11,070 --> 00:34:16,109 does. When you show up and you do the simple things right, 353 00:34:17,790 --> 00:34:24,549 that actually gets noticed. Believe it or not, the simple things right get noticed. That 354 00:34:24,550 --> 00:34:30,949 driver was so, so professional. He was clean cut. He, you know, he engaged with us. 355 00:34:31,389 --> 00:34:38,148 He, you know, whatever it might be or if something goes wrong and let's face it, things go 356 00:34:38,149 --> 00:34:44,629 wrong. It happens. Yeah. That, you know, this happened. But you know, man, that that driver, he was he was 357 00:34:44,629 --> 00:34:50,469 apologetic about it. He wanted to help take care of it. He wasn't wanting to leave until we were 358 00:34:50,469 --> 00:34:57,229 good. Those things mean so much. Just the little things. The simple 359 00:34:57,230 --> 00:35:02,309 things that you would think are just standard. That mean they mean a lot to these customers? Yeah. 360 00:35:02,350 --> 00:35:07,509 I mean, you think about every day what you know, from the customer standpoint, they're just sitting. 361 00:35:07,629 --> 00:35:12,628 The guy that's sitting there is just getting in trucks all day long. That's his job. And if nine 362 00:35:12,669 --> 00:35:16,908 out of ten of those drivers get out of that truck with a scowl on their face and they're mad about 363 00:35:16,950 --> 00:35:22,869 traffic or whatnot, uh, and then that 10th driver in the bulk or spur truck pulls up with a sunny 364 00:35:22,909 --> 00:35:27,669 disposition and a smile on his face that can really go a long way in that customer's day. Oh, 365 00:35:27,710 --> 00:35:32,909 you're absolutely right. It goes a long way in everybody's day. I love it when my wife comes home 366 00:35:32,909 --> 00:35:39,029 smiling, you know, it's. What does that look like? Yeah. You know, it's it's been a few weeks, Shawn. So 367 00:35:39,030 --> 00:35:43,389 she's going on vacation next week, though. I'll be sure to tell you when she comes back, because I 368 00:35:43,429 --> 00:35:48,469 guarantee she'll be smiling after a week off work. Well, just in case my wife listens to this. I get 369 00:35:48,469 --> 00:35:53,189 that every time I come home. Uh, Amen. And the dinners are always cooked perfectly and 370 00:35:53,189 --> 00:35:59,109 everything is right in order. Just how you dreamed it would always be right. Exactly. I'm the same way, 371 00:35:59,110 --> 00:36:05,219 man. I'm the same way I listen, we can see ya on this podcast just as well as we can get ourselves 372 00:36:05,219 --> 00:36:09,779 in trouble. Okay. Hey, you know what? She has supported me in this, in this crazy industry for 373 00:36:09,780 --> 00:36:15,219 almost 30 years, so God bless. That's amazing. That's amazing. And it's a lot. Man, there's long 374 00:36:15,260 --> 00:36:20,339 hours in this industry even if you're not driving. And obviously it encompassed a move from Texas 375 00:36:20,340 --> 00:36:25,659 for you and your family. So uh, but obviously the roots seem like they're in in Columbus at this 376 00:36:25,660 --> 00:36:31,419 point or they're in the surrounding area. You like living in Ohio now? Yeah, yeah, we got us a little 377 00:36:31,420 --> 00:36:37,059 bit closer to home, a little bit closer to family. So, you know, it's we can actually go see people 378 00:36:37,059 --> 00:36:42,779 without having to hop on a plane. That's good. Which is nice. Yeah. That's nice. Now, have they, uh, 379 00:36:42,860 --> 00:36:49,739 have they wrapped you up in the whole Ohio State Buckeyes? Uh, just the, uh, the whole fanatics around 380 00:36:49,739 --> 00:36:56,339 there. Yeah. Look, look, look, look at what they're doing. I understand it, I I'm not going to detract. 381 00:36:56,340 --> 00:37:02,370 I'm coming for you as an Oregon duck. That's all I'll say. We strive. We strive to to someday be on 382 00:37:02,370 --> 00:37:07,889 the same level. And I think we're closer than what people give us credit for. But I digress, because 383 00:37:07,889 --> 00:37:14,329 this isn't a football conversation. It's good to have a goal. It's good to have a goal. Amen to that. 384 00:37:14,330 --> 00:37:20,529 And that's actually a really good segue into the next part here that I wanted to get into. Um, you 385 00:37:20,530 --> 00:37:25,769 you talked a little bit when we sat down together about controlled growth and not just flying out 386 00:37:25,770 --> 00:37:32,449 there willy nilly and, and, uh, taking shots at every single thing that presents itself. Um, what 387 00:37:32,449 --> 00:37:36,929 does that mean in practice? Shawn, talk to me a little bit about how you guys are selective with 388 00:37:36,929 --> 00:37:42,648 the people you do business with and, uh, the controlled growth of Bulk and Spur. It's it's 389 00:37:42,649 --> 00:37:49,248 about partnerships. When we look at control growth, I want to make sure. Okay. Is this something that 390 00:37:49,249 --> 00:37:55,569 we can succeed at? Because the last thing I want to do is make a commitment to a customer, 391 00:37:55,570 --> 00:38:02,129 especially a customer that we're currently doing business with and then fail. Mhm. 392 00:38:03,090 --> 00:38:09,169 So it's always important to look at okay. What is it we're trying to do. Is this in our 393 00:38:09,170 --> 00:38:15,129 wheelhouse. Do we have the capacity to do this or do we need to ramp up. What do we need to do to 394 00:38:15,169 --> 00:38:20,729 make sure that this is successful. And do we know this. Do we know this customer. You know, what's 395 00:38:20,729 --> 00:38:27,168 their track record? You know, is this a customer we want to do business with? Because we don't we 396 00:38:27,210 --> 00:38:34,009 don't as a company like transactional customers, we want. To. Build a relay that 397 00:38:34,010 --> 00:38:41,010 sees us not as a vendor, but as a true partner. Right? Right. Makes sense. Now, what type of things 398 00:38:41,010 --> 00:38:47,689 are you evaluating off the off the jump to see that that it is going to be a true partner? Is it? 399 00:38:47,690 --> 00:38:52,249 Uh, I mean, a lot of times, if I were to ask that question to somebody in ops to tell you, hey, 400 00:38:52,290 --> 00:38:57,320 equipment volume return, like, these are the things we're looking at right off the jump. Are there a 401 00:38:57,320 --> 00:39:01,719 few things that make it into the conversation that you're having with yourself and everybody 402 00:39:01,720 --> 00:39:07,879 there at Bulk before equipment and volume in return? Um, you know, looking for a partner rather 403 00:39:07,879 --> 00:39:13,198 than somebody to vend for? Well, a good bit of it is going to be, you know, where did this who are 404 00:39:13,199 --> 00:39:19,280 they? Where did they come from? Um, you know, why did they reach out to us? What are their needs? You 405 00:39:19,280 --> 00:39:25,840 know, do they have ideal, ideal situations or, you know, we we grow. We grow organically within our 406 00:39:25,840 --> 00:39:31,319 own customer base. But, you know, that only goes so far. You know, we obviously are going to look 407 00:39:31,360 --> 00:39:36,879 outside as well. But you know what is the opportunity again. Is it is it the right fit 408 00:39:36,879 --> 00:39:42,879 before we ever even consider equipment? Can we service. Can we efficiently and 409 00:39:42,879 --> 00:39:49,120 effectively service this customer in these lanes. And we'll look at lanes specifically and say, 410 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:54,878 you know what. These lanes are a great fit. These lanes over here. We'll tell them up front look we 411 00:39:54,950 --> 00:40:01,589 can price these, but they're outside of our network. We have a lot of deadhead. We don't know 412 00:40:01,590 --> 00:40:08,549 that we can effectively, effectively service these at a at a fair market rate. So, you know, 413 00:40:08,590 --> 00:40:14,109 we look at all these things and then beyond that you know we get to the equipment. Do I have enough 414 00:40:14,110 --> 00:40:19,869 volume to dedicate equipment or am I going to have to constantly be washing out? I, I don't like 415 00:40:19,870 --> 00:40:26,829 washing out for load changes because it's hard and it opens up so much 416 00:40:26,830 --> 00:40:32,789 potential for, for, uh, contamination. Right. I'd much rather be able to say, okay, I've got enough volume 417 00:40:32,790 --> 00:40:39,549 to dedicate a trailer. Two trailers, three trailers, whatever it might be. Interesting 418 00:40:39,549 --> 00:40:44,789 stuff there. I, you know, you think about business in general, and a lot of people run their 419 00:40:44,789 --> 00:40:50,070 businesses in the way that if it's an opportunity they're going after, it might. I had a question 420 00:40:50,070 --> 00:40:54,829 here. You kind of already answered it is have you ever turned down a business that looked good on 421 00:40:54,830 --> 00:41:01,789 paper? It sounds like with as, uh, as in-depth as your evaluation is, the answer's probably yes 422 00:41:01,790 --> 00:41:08,429 to that question. Yeah, absolutely. We have I have discussions, uh, typically the discussion will be 423 00:41:08,430 --> 00:41:15,310 between myself and, uh, Phil, our, uh, accounts manager. It'll, uh, you 424 00:41:15,310 --> 00:41:19,469 know, sometimes it'll expand over to Brian and you'll we'll all sit down and collectively, you 425 00:41:19,469 --> 00:41:26,229 know, look at something to determine, okay, can we can we legitimately do this? 426 00:41:26,310 --> 00:41:32,550 Um, and, you know, does it fit what we're trying to accomplish? Sure. So, yeah, we we have we have. 427 00:41:33,110 --> 00:41:36,908 So something else you talked about that we're kind of going to piggyback off that a little bit. 428 00:41:36,909 --> 00:41:41,229 You were just talking about trailers and and your volume and being able to dedicate trailers and 429 00:41:41,229 --> 00:41:47,269 things like that. Your equipment strategy here at Bulk and Spur, um, is something we also touched 430 00:41:47,269 --> 00:41:52,899 about. It's sort of a business strategy in and of itself. Um, you told me back when we were talking 431 00:41:52,899 --> 00:41:58,459 the first time. The equipment is basically a math problem. Um, can you break that down for me? 432 00:41:58,460 --> 00:42:05,419 Somebody that is really bad at math, Shawn, and put that in layman's terms for me. Well, I mean, it's 433 00:42:05,419 --> 00:42:12,419 about it's about it's about revenue versus cost. Obviously. So 434 00:42:13,659 --> 00:42:20,460 will will this piece of business support X number of trailers that are going to be 435 00:42:20,460 --> 00:42:26,580 required to run the business. Mhm. That's that's one thing that 436 00:42:27,260 --> 00:42:31,859 you will find a lot of companies especially you know smaller companies. What do you get into when 437 00:42:31,860 --> 00:42:38,659 you get into the behemoths like Quantic or Grundig or Tremec or you know the, the 438 00:42:38,659 --> 00:42:45,658 huge monstrous carriers, they can afford to have equipment sitting around. 439 00:42:45,780 --> 00:42:49,659 Right. I know some companies that couldn't even tell you where their equipment is. They have so 440 00:42:49,660 --> 00:42:56,529 much of it. Yeah. I've got a, uh, a flatbed, uh, company that I do a show for that has 500 drivers, 441 00:42:56,530 --> 00:43:02,009 but 1500 trailers, and those things are spread from hell to breakfast. Shawn, it's the best way I 442 00:43:02,010 --> 00:43:08,129 can. Best way I can describe. It, man, is. It's crazy. I've. I've seen companies that have. If you go to 443 00:43:08,129 --> 00:43:14,050 their terminal, you'll you'll see out in the back 40. It looks like a scrapyard. Yeah, yeah, I've seen 444 00:43:14,050 --> 00:43:20,050 it too. And and so that basically we're talking about, you know, not having a bunch of equipment 445 00:43:20,050 --> 00:43:25,729 sitting around, that means that you're going to be trading out equipment as equipment ages out. Shawn, 446 00:43:25,729 --> 00:43:30,810 you also mentioned to me that running newer equipment is actually a cost advantage for you. 447 00:43:30,849 --> 00:43:34,449 Can you talk to me about that a little bit? Because I know the drivers are going to love to 448 00:43:34,489 --> 00:43:40,249 hear about this part. Well, and you know what? Obviously this is getting into, you know, a little 449 00:43:40,290 --> 00:43:46,529 bit more of the, you know, the the ownership strategies, but. Right. Yeah. They're, they're not 450 00:43:46,530 --> 00:43:52,999 afraid to put, put to put money into new equipment and cycle through older 451 00:43:52,999 --> 00:43:57,679 equipment. They're not. They're not afraid to do that at all. They do it regularly with tractors. 452 00:43:57,680 --> 00:44:04,559 They actually have a rotation for tractors that they'll that they'll trade out every year. A 453 00:44:04,560 --> 00:44:11,439 block of tractors, okay. For newer equipment. The idea being once you hit a 454 00:44:11,439 --> 00:44:17,919 certain point, that truck is going to be costing you more money than it's able to 455 00:44:17,959 --> 00:44:24,479 generate in maintenance. And if you get out from under it before you reach that point and 456 00:44:24,800 --> 00:44:30,479 get the truck sold where it still has some value, then you know that that puts you ahead of the 457 00:44:30,479 --> 00:44:35,440 game. And the same really goes goes true for trailers as well. Not quite as much. I mean, they 458 00:44:35,440 --> 00:44:42,239 have a much longer lifespan obviously, but because they're willing to take that step and purchase 459 00:44:42,240 --> 00:44:49,119 the equipment and keep the fleet refreshed, it gives us time to bring 460 00:44:49,120 --> 00:44:55,519 older equipment into the shops and, you know, give them a refurbish. Right. Or maybe it's equipment 461 00:44:55,520 --> 00:45:02,199 that is just sold and so underutilized. It makes more sense to just sell it. Yeah. It's not making 462 00:45:02,200 --> 00:45:07,079 any money just sitting there, that's for sure. Yeah, yeah. So it's it's it's all about cycling the 463 00:45:07,079 --> 00:45:13,919 equipment through and keeping it fresh. Sure. That's that's great strategy there. 464 00:45:13,960 --> 00:45:18,719 I, I love to hear that and I the reason I wanted to just touch on it a little bit is like I said, 465 00:45:18,840 --> 00:45:23,879 uh, find me the driver that's not happy with the refreshed fleet. Uh, I haven't met him yet. I don't 466 00:45:23,879 --> 00:45:28,360 know if they're out there or not, but, uh, and something actually, quick question that just 467 00:45:28,360 --> 00:45:32,959 popped into my head because you were talking about it there. Uh, what is the life cycle of a 468 00:45:32,959 --> 00:45:38,439 pneumatic trailer? I've never asked that question before. And I and I can't give you a good answer 469 00:45:38,439 --> 00:45:45,200 because it it's so dependent on the type of work that it's in. Okay. Uh, that makes sense. Yes. Some of 470 00:45:45,200 --> 00:45:52,029 the equipment is in, in such harsh conditions that it's just it's really bad 471 00:45:52,030 --> 00:45:58,869 on the undercarriage, the suspension, the framework, it's hard on it. Sure. So, you know, 472 00:45:58,909 --> 00:46:04,990 that may not last as long as something that is in a a clean environment that, you know, doesn't get a 473 00:46:04,990 --> 00:46:11,589 lot of a lot of beating, uh, the product isn't damaging to the equipment, to the metals. 474 00:46:12,030 --> 00:46:16,909 You got to remember, we're, you know, we're taking some of this stuff into mines, right? Construction 475 00:46:16,909 --> 00:46:23,069 zones. Yeah, stuff like that. So not necessarily the product within the trailer. That's, uh, that's 476 00:46:23,070 --> 00:46:27,468 eating away at the lifespan as much as just the environments outside the trailer that you're 477 00:46:27,469 --> 00:46:32,388 taking them in. That can really beat them up. Interesting. And you know, I my hat's off to a lot 478 00:46:32,389 --> 00:46:38,309 of these. A lot of our drivers are just really good about keeping up with it. We've got we've got 479 00:46:38,309 --> 00:46:44,898 some operations that are just inherently dirty. Mhm. Just it's just the way it is. You know, you've 480 00:46:44,939 --> 00:46:50,619 talked to some of the drivers that handle lines and stuff. Oh yeah. Yep. And we talked to a driver 481 00:46:50,620 --> 00:46:55,218 that was the victim of a flour blowout at one point in time. I mean. I've never heard the term 482 00:46:55,219 --> 00:47:02,019 flower bomb until that episode. I gotta go. I got a good laugh out of that, though. Yeah, right. And, I 483 00:47:02,020 --> 00:47:07,378 mean, you just it's. Look, it's the nature of the business, right. And I, I've interested in that 484 00:47:07,379 --> 00:47:12,939 question because pneumatic trailers are such a specialized thing. And I did wonder is like, hey, is 485 00:47:12,940 --> 00:47:18,459 it the product that beats up the trailers? And, uh, it can be, but, uh, these environments, man, I don't 486 00:47:18,460 --> 00:47:21,659 know if you've ever been down into a mine. If you're listening to this. I know a lot of the 487 00:47:21,660 --> 00:47:27,739 drivers listening have, but if anybody out there, uh, you know, just take a Google tour down into a 488 00:47:27,739 --> 00:47:31,939 mine sometime and see what the roads look like down there, you'll really, uh, get a good 489 00:47:31,939 --> 00:47:37,820 understanding for what Shawn's talking about here. Um, okay. This is this has been awesome, Shawn. We've 490 00:47:37,860 --> 00:47:42,419 covered so much here. I still have a little bit more for you, but I want to give you a little bit 491 00:47:42,419 --> 00:47:48,619 of space here. I've been peppering you with questions like, we're doing a 5:00 news hit here. 492 00:47:48,659 --> 00:47:53,100 Uh, what's what's on your mind right now that you might want to bring up here on? Always Pneumatic, 493 00:47:53,100 --> 00:47:58,299 Never Static. Now that you've got this podcast, uh, you're the star here. What's, uh, what do you want 494 00:47:58,340 --> 00:48:02,059 to say to the people out there listening right now about Bulk and Spur? What you guys have got 495 00:48:02,100 --> 00:48:09,100 going on? I mean, honestly, we've already touched on it. Um, look, we've we've we've got so 496 00:48:09,100 --> 00:48:15,859 much opportunity here to, you know, to be a part of a family. And, you know, that's what I would love 497 00:48:15,860 --> 00:48:21,819 more than anything to see out of these podcasts is for that word to get out. You know, that way you 498 00:48:21,820 --> 00:48:27,378 know, they you know other people can hear the, the excitement. And that's that's one thing I like 499 00:48:27,419 --> 00:48:33,499 about the podcast too, is you get to hear how someone feels about it. You get to hear the tone, 500 00:48:33,540 --> 00:48:39,378 the inflection in their voice. It's not just words on paper. So you can tell when someone is actually 501 00:48:39,379 --> 00:48:46,009 sincere about, you know what they're talking about, how they're feeling about it, versus somebody just 502 00:48:46,009 --> 00:48:50,129 writing something on a piece of paper. I could write something on paper all day long. Right, right. 503 00:48:50,129 --> 00:48:56,769 So if I wanted to get a word out, it it it really is. That is just the the level of care 504 00:48:57,009 --> 00:49:03,810 within this company. You know, there are so many times that these drivers, they get 505 00:49:03,810 --> 00:49:09,369 paid so much more above, you know what, we actually charge the customer in some instances because 506 00:49:09,409 --> 00:49:15,249 it's the right thing to do. You know, Brian's first thought in any situation is, you know, what do we 507 00:49:15,250 --> 00:49:18,769 need to do to make sure the driver is taking care of what, you know, what do we do to make sure the 508 00:49:18,769 --> 00:49:25,009 drivers hold? Yep, yep. You can tell. And then listen, it comes from everybody that I've talked 509 00:49:25,010 --> 00:49:31,649 to. Everybody has said that whether it be safety, the drivers, terminal managers, yourself. And then 510 00:49:31,649 --> 00:49:36,929 of course when we had Brian and Andrea and Brad on here, they said that themselves. And it's one of 511 00:49:36,929 --> 00:49:41,999 those things where you can beat the drum for that stuff all day long. But if it doesn't happen in 512 00:49:42,000 --> 00:49:48,159 practice, people won't be, um, pontificating about it. Is is, I guess, the way I'll put it, even though 513 00:49:48,160 --> 00:49:54,398 that term has a bit of a negative connotation. I don't think so for something like this, because it 514 00:49:54,399 --> 00:49:59,478 really does have the gravity to change people's lives for the better. There's a lot of people, Shawn, 515 00:49:59,479 --> 00:50:05,359 that get up every day, that hate their job, and I've not talked to one person in the ecosystem of 516 00:50:05,360 --> 00:50:11,238 Bulk and Spur that has that air about them. Yeah. Hey, from somebody that has been there, lived it, 517 00:50:11,239 --> 00:50:17,678 done it. Yes, it it is. It is refreshing to enjoy 518 00:50:17,960 --> 00:50:22,999 what you're doing and the company you're doing it for. Yeah, yeah. And who surrounds you when you're 519 00:50:22,999 --> 00:50:27,759 doing it, man? That's that's great stuff. What do you think you're the most proud of in your time 520 00:50:27,759 --> 00:50:34,198 at Bulk and Spur that you've accomplished, uh, anything that sticks out to you. Wow. That's a that 521 00:50:34,199 --> 00:50:40,639 that's a good one. I mean, just, you know, building it to me, just building the relationships. Yeah. I 522 00:50:40,639 --> 00:50:47,600 mean, I'm I'm not the one doing anything. You know, I'm probably probably one of the most, most, 523 00:50:47,600 --> 00:50:53,638 most useless people in this company. Well, you have a you're you're a Six Sigma black belt. I mean, 524 00:50:53,639 --> 00:50:59,119 come on, we can put you to use if we needed to. Right. But that is not what we need. I, I want to be 525 00:50:59,120 --> 00:51:05,199 I want to be here to support. I want to be here when someone needs me to help. To help guide. To 526 00:51:05,200 --> 00:51:11,479 answer questions. To. To keep things as, as best I can pointed in the right 527 00:51:11,480 --> 00:51:17,159 direction. So the fact that people have developed a trust in you is something that you're really 528 00:51:17,159 --> 00:51:23,839 proud of. It sounds like. Yes. Thank you. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I do feel that, you know, it's I see a 529 00:51:23,840 --> 00:51:30,759 difference between when I first got here and now, as far as, you know, how the people 530 00:51:30,879 --> 00:51:37,270 respond to me. The relationships that have developed, I feel. Or at least I 531 00:51:37,310 --> 00:51:43,349 hope, that there's trust. And that's what I want more than anything, is, you know that they know. 532 00:51:43,389 --> 00:51:49,589 Look, I'm I'm I'm here for you. If I've got something to say that we need to work on, it's 533 00:51:49,590 --> 00:51:56,509 because I want you to succeed. And if you're doing something great, man, I want to make sure 534 00:51:56,510 --> 00:52:03,189 you know that. That that is kick ass. Man, that is awesome. Love you. Look, it's true, man, I see it. 535 00:52:03,189 --> 00:52:07,629 You've complimented me on podcast episodes. You know how good that makes me feel to see an email 536 00:52:07,629 --> 00:52:11,749 come through from one of you guys saying, hey, that was a good episode. I mean, that's all people need. 537 00:52:11,790 --> 00:52:15,270 You know, you stop and and tell somebody they're doing a good job when they're doing a good job. 538 00:52:15,270 --> 00:52:19,709 Once in a while, it can go a long way, and it builds that trust that you're talking about. And 539 00:52:19,709 --> 00:52:25,709 that camaraderie that makes the job fun makes the job easy to accomplish. Um, you know, it's a it's a 540 00:52:25,709 --> 00:52:30,669 it's a big, well-oiled machine. We've talked about it and it's spread out all over the place. But you 541 00:52:30,669 --> 00:52:35,219 guys do a great job in that, uh, in that communication department. I can see that because 542 00:52:35,220 --> 00:52:39,659 of how much communication I have to send your guys's way just to make the podcast happen, you 543 00:52:39,659 --> 00:52:44,259 guys are always Johnny on the spot all the way to the highest levels of management. And that to me 544 00:52:44,259 --> 00:52:50,620 really says something about the way you view all your employees, the entire company, and and what, 545 00:52:50,659 --> 00:52:55,259 you know, whatever is going on in their day is equally as important as what else might be going 546 00:52:55,259 --> 00:53:01,819 on in somebody else's day. You can really feel it, Shawn, for sure. Um, the level of care out there, you 547 00:53:01,820 --> 00:53:07,939 know, amongst everyone is just phenomenal. And look, nobody's perfect. You know, there's always things 548 00:53:07,939 --> 00:53:14,699 that you have to work on. I've always believed, hey, look, you focus on their strengths and 549 00:53:14,699 --> 00:53:20,179 that's what you drive forward with. And then you can work on the weaknesses. It's okay. Right? Yeah. 550 00:53:20,219 --> 00:53:24,658 Take a little bit of time every now and then. Work on the short game. We need it. Uh, it's obviously 551 00:53:24,659 --> 00:53:29,579 it's costume strokes out there, right? Yeah. Yeah. You we're never going to be short on the golfing 552 00:53:29,580 --> 00:53:34,330 references here. Especially when I got a fellow golfer on the line with me. So, uh, let's zoom out. 553 00:53:34,330 --> 00:53:40,090 I'll be a golfer. I that would be completely out of context. With what? Okay, uh, a hacker, that's 554 00:53:40,090 --> 00:53:46,929 where I'm at. I'm out there aerating the course, taking chunks out of it. So there you. Go. Uh, let's 555 00:53:46,929 --> 00:53:51,169 zoom out a little bit here, Shawn, and talk about the industry at large. Just for a couple minutes 556 00:53:51,169 --> 00:53:56,050 here. I've had you on for for quite a long time now, but you're a very knowledgeable guy in this 557 00:53:56,050 --> 00:54:02,689 industry. And, uh, what we're seeing right now, obviously, the, uh, environment internationally is 558 00:54:02,689 --> 00:54:08,449 causing diesel prices to go up. At the same time, we're having a lot of capacity loss in the 559 00:54:08,449 --> 00:54:15,090 industry. We're seeing rates start to crawl back up. We're seeing rejection rates rise. Uh, a lot of 560 00:54:15,129 --> 00:54:20,689 that doesn't necessarily touch pneumatics, but I know that it does. We've it's way in there. How are 561 00:54:20,690 --> 00:54:26,209 we feeling right now about the market in general? I know that that by and large bulk is healthy. You 562 00:54:26,209 --> 00:54:31,409 guys have got great relationships that run and your drivers are rolling. Uh, but but what's the 563 00:54:31,409 --> 00:54:37,570 temperature right now from your seat on the industry at large? I mean, if you look at the 564 00:54:37,570 --> 00:54:44,570 industry at large, there are segments that are that are really, really struggling. Uh, 565 00:54:44,649 --> 00:54:51,648 one good thing about this company and about our, our segment of the industry is 566 00:54:51,649 --> 00:54:58,530 it's very niche. Um, it's it's highly specialized that does provide at least 567 00:54:58,530 --> 00:55:05,408 a little bit of an insulator to, you know, what we're seeing out there. We're not immune by any 568 00:55:05,409 --> 00:55:11,889 stretch, but it does help, you know, us to be able to function 569 00:55:11,889 --> 00:55:18,889 within that, that that smaller bubble, which is which is really good. I think it's really good. Um, 570 00:55:18,889 --> 00:55:23,529 I think there's a lot of opportunity out there right now. More than, uh, more than you might even 571 00:55:23,770 --> 00:55:29,759 realize. Uh, drivers, you know, that's, you know, that's one of the biggest things is. 572 00:55:30,600 --> 00:55:36,559 Look, we need drivers just like everybody else needs drivers. So if I were to say anything, being 573 00:55:36,560 --> 00:55:42,238 a focal point right now, it's, you know, let's let's get our driver count up. Let's get the people 574 00:55:42,280 --> 00:55:49,279 behind the wheel. They can make this happen. There you go. Well, we're going to turn to Rachel 575 00:55:49,279 --> 00:55:54,239 Dellaposta next week to talk to her for her employee spotlight. So we'll check in with her and 576 00:55:54,240 --> 00:55:58,678 see how she's doing on getting you those drivers, the right ones in the truck so you guys can keep 577 00:55:58,679 --> 00:56:05,239 moving everything. She does a phenomenal job. She does. And I have I this these last three episodes 578 00:56:05,480 --> 00:56:11,159 between Tim, yourself and Rachel are three that I really look forward to because three awesome 579 00:56:11,159 --> 00:56:17,399 conversations. I felt like I had a friend in the room after we left those conversations, and I 580 00:56:17,399 --> 00:56:22,359 think it's really shown here, is I get to actually sit down and talk to you guys on record. Uh, Shawn, 581 00:56:22,400 --> 00:56:26,639 this has been a phenomenal conversation. We've gone through everything that I've got here for 582 00:56:26,639 --> 00:56:31,629 you. I always clear just a little bit of space at the end of each interview for final thoughts. This 583 00:56:31,629 --> 00:56:36,429 can be shout outs in case you would like to say hi to your wife in case she listens. Uh, shout outs 584 00:56:36,430 --> 00:56:40,949 to employees. If there's anything we left on the table that you'd like to discuss, we can do that 585 00:56:40,949 --> 00:56:46,029 here as well. The floor is yours, my friend. Director of Operations for Bulk and Spurs, Shawn 586 00:56:46,030 --> 00:56:51,628 Stephens. Thank you so much for the time. Final thoughts from you today before we let you go. Well, 587 00:56:51,629 --> 00:56:56,509 you kind of put me on the spot with the shout out to the wife. So if I don't do it now, it's not 588 00:56:56,510 --> 00:57:02,629 going to look good. So obviously shout out to my lovely bride, Lou Ann. I'd be remiss if I didn't 589 00:57:02,669 --> 00:57:09,549 shout out to my daughter Kaylee as well, so get that out of the way. But yeah, it we've we've 590 00:57:09,550 --> 00:57:16,189 covered a lot and I've really enjoyed it. Um, feels good to be able to have a conversation about 591 00:57:16,190 --> 00:57:22,148 something I'm excited about. And I'll be honest, it's, it's it's refreshing to have a company that 592 00:57:22,149 --> 00:57:27,869 I'm able to work for that I am excited about. Yeah. So, you know, I want to share that. I want other 593 00:57:27,870 --> 00:57:34,429 people to come in and see it and realize it, you know, opportunities to 594 00:57:34,470 --> 00:57:40,070 grow. Absolutely. Well, it sounds like they're getting some leaf blowing going right outside 595 00:57:40,070 --> 00:57:45,549 your window. They're so glad you can hear that. That's all right. It'll put our put our editor 596 00:57:45,550 --> 00:57:49,749 Mike, to work. I actually just saw him. He walked away. So, uh, he knows that you're you're in here 597 00:57:49,790 --> 00:57:53,990 doing something important. But, Shawn, thank you so much. Director of operations for Bulk and Spur. 598 00:57:53,990 --> 00:57:59,149 You've got a wide open invitation to come on this show anytime you want to. Uh, if we can ever make 599 00:57:59,149 --> 00:58:04,830 anything easier from, uh, from your seat, uh, by helping, getting the message out or or spreading 600 00:58:04,830 --> 00:58:09,549 information. We're happy to do it, man. Thank you so much for the time today. This has been awesome. I 601 00:58:09,549 --> 00:58:14,389 appreciate it, Marcus. I've really enjoyed it. You're very easy to talk to, so looking forward to 602 00:58:14,389 --> 00:58:19,148 the next time around. All right. Sounds good. Take it easy, Shawn. We'll be right back. All right. 603 00:58:27,179 --> 00:58:33,339 What an episode today here on Always Pneumatic, Never Static. I can't thank Shawn enough. Uh, you 604 00:58:33,339 --> 00:58:37,939 know, whenever I get somebody in here and you look up and you've already been talking for 40 minutes, 605 00:58:37,940 --> 00:58:42,819 and it seems like you're only a third of the way through what you've prepared to talk about. That's 606 00:58:42,820 --> 00:58:47,099 when you know that things are going good. It happened with Tim. And I'll be honest, it happened 607 00:58:47,100 --> 00:58:52,139 with Shawn. I got to a lot of the things I had prepared for Shawn, but there's a lot more that we 608 00:58:52,139 --> 00:58:57,620 could still get to. And so we'll get him back on this show very soon. Um, you know, I love doing 609 00:58:57,620 --> 00:59:04,099 these employee spotlights because it is rare that you get to sit down. Shawn said it right there at 610 00:59:04,100 --> 00:59:10,819 the end of the conversation. It's rare that you get to sit down and speak openly at length about 611 00:59:10,819 --> 00:59:15,979 something that you really enjoy. You know, it could be a conversation where maybe you're in a room 612 00:59:15,980 --> 00:59:21,899 talking about your favorite football team or, or your favorite, uh, golf ball, whatever it may be. But 613 00:59:21,900 --> 00:59:28,529 that's kind of a bouncing around conversation. This is more of a focused conversation. And Shawn 614 00:59:28,530 --> 00:59:34,210 did such a great job, man. Just knocked it out of the park. Um, really pulling back the curtain a 615 00:59:34,210 --> 00:59:41,129 little bit and giving us a look at why things run so well here. 11 episodes in, I can tell you things 616 00:59:41,129 --> 00:59:45,850 are running well. We've talked to enough people to know you guys are happy doing what you're doing 617 00:59:45,850 --> 00:59:52,370 and you're happy doing it, who you're doing it for and who you're doing it along with. So that that's 618 00:59:52,370 --> 00:59:58,569 been said. Right. We've put a point on that. We've made that point. Um, now we can talk about why a 619 00:59:58,569 --> 01:00:04,529 little bit. And, uh, last week with Tim, this week with Shawn, that's two of the big whys, right? Safety. 620 01:00:04,529 --> 01:00:11,129 It's a big thing in trucking. Operations, uh, we probably don't operate very well without them. 621 01:00:11,129 --> 01:00:16,849 So, uh, next week, we're going to jump in again to another employee spotlight and bang out three of 622 01:00:16,849 --> 01:00:22,449 them in a row. Here. We're going to welcome Rachel Dellaposta, as I mentioned from recruiting, and 623 01:00:22,449 --> 01:00:27,849 we're going to talk all about what it takes to get some good drivers in it, Bulk and Spur. And 624 01:00:27,850 --> 01:00:32,689 we've got them. I've talked to them. I've talked to a bunch of them, man. They enjoy the job. They do 625 01:00:32,689 --> 01:00:38,489 great work. Uh, and they, they've said, I think a couple of them on the air here. This is the last 626 01:00:38,489 --> 01:00:43,530 company I'll ever work for. If they'll keep me. That's saying something, man. There's a lot of 627 01:00:43,530 --> 01:00:49,849 turnover in this industry. You don't have to do 28 or 30 years in it like Shawn did. Uh, or has excuse 628 01:00:49,850 --> 01:00:54,649 me to be able to tell that it's a high turnover industry, the transportation industry, especially 629 01:00:54,649 --> 01:01:00,729 with drivers. So when we got drivers coming on here saying, man, I'm sticking around or hey, I 630 01:01:00,729 --> 01:01:05,650 stuck around, uh, and and I'm not there anymore because we have talked to retired drivers on this 631 01:01:05,650 --> 01:01:11,769 show as well. Um, it just says something, man. And listen, actions speak louder than words. That's 632 01:01:11,769 --> 01:01:16,569 something I think we're all familiar with now. And, uh, what those of you that have come on the show 633 01:01:16,570 --> 01:01:22,679 have told me is that the actions, um, that everybody at Bulk and Spur takes from the Dewolf's 634 01:01:22,920 --> 01:01:28,798 all the way down. Those actions are what really tell the story, because people don't just say it. 635 01:01:28,839 --> 01:01:34,519 It's not just lip service. They actually live it. They actually execute it every single day. And it 636 01:01:34,519 --> 01:01:41,079 shows. It shows so much. We made a gosh dang podcast about it, and we're so happy to welcome 637 01:01:41,080 --> 01:01:46,559 any of you that want to come on here and talk about the greatness that is this company that you 638 01:01:46,560 --> 01:01:51,399 work for. We want to talk about the culture that we've established here. We want to talk about the 639 01:01:51,399 --> 01:01:56,879 day to day. Uh, we'll talk about anything. Next up is something that I really can't wait to talk to 640 01:01:56,879 --> 01:02:02,479 you guys about. After we talk to Rachel next week, the following week we will be talking to drivers 641 01:02:02,480 --> 01:02:07,639 about their off time hobbies, and you got to get in touch with me. I told you off the top of the 642 01:02:07,639 --> 01:02:12,239 show, I want to remind you, it's not often that I get into homework at the end of the show, but this 643 01:02:12,239 --> 01:02:16,840 is a homework assignment for you if you're interested in coming on the podcast and talking 644 01:02:16,840 --> 01:02:23,309 about underwater basket weaving. Um, spear fishing for orca. Uh, perhaps you 645 01:02:23,310 --> 01:02:29,110 have, uh, you're one of the few people that have run down a deer and tackled it only to kind of 646 01:02:29,149 --> 01:02:35,749 catch and release it like a trout. I do not care if you drift race go karts on the 647 01:02:35,750 --> 01:02:42,629 weekend. Love to talk to you about it. Um, if your whole thing is to sit down with a fat Sudoku 648 01:02:42,629 --> 01:02:48,389 book and a hot cup of coffee, tell me what that does for you. I want to talk about them. Hobbies 649 01:02:48,390 --> 01:02:54,030 are so important in our daily lives, and especially working a job that's as demanding as 650 01:02:54,069 --> 01:03:00,789 what Bulk and Spur driver's job is. Uh, so get in my inbox by heading over to 651 01:03:00,830 --> 01:03:07,549 podcast.bulktransit.com. Uh, you heard Shawn say it at the end there. I'm not patting myself on the back 652 01:03:07,549 --> 01:03:14,110 here, but I am easy to talk to, and I that. Listen, my mom's been telling me that for years. 653 01:03:14,110 --> 01:03:19,139 And you, you always listen to your mom, so I've believed it. I believed it about myself since I 654 01:03:19,139 --> 01:03:24,819 was a young kid. I don't know what it is. I don't necessarily think it's a skill that I hone. I'm 655 01:03:24,819 --> 01:03:31,340 generally curious, and I want to talk to you about what you're doing when that truck is off. So hop 656 01:03:31,340 --> 01:03:38,179 on over to the website once again, podcast.bulktransit.com, and send me an email. You can also catch up with 657 01:03:38,179 --> 01:03:42,739 all the episodes over there. There's quizzes up there to test your mettle. See if you've really 658 01:03:42,739 --> 01:03:49,059 been paying attention during these episodes. And of course, we've already given away two really 659 01:03:49,059 --> 01:03:54,379 sweet cooling vests. Uh, we will have another giveaway coming up around the bend sometime. We're 660 01:03:54,379 --> 01:03:59,299 going to space it out a little bit. We don't want to, uh, you know, just blow out and give everything 661 01:03:59,299 --> 01:04:04,499 that we've got to give away. Away. In the first ten, 15 episodes. We gotta. We gotta make you guys 662 01:04:04,499 --> 01:04:08,699 carrot and stick this thing a little bit. We do have some cool giveaways coming up, and they will 663 01:04:08,699 --> 01:04:15,459 be up there on the website, podcast.bulktransit.com, uh, once we get around to it next week. Look 664 01:04:15,459 --> 01:04:21,100 forward to Rachel Dellaposta making her podcast debut. Can't wait to talk to her. We had a fun 665 01:04:21,100 --> 01:04:26,619 conversation out there in Columbus and the following week we talk off time hobbies. So get 666 01:04:26,620 --> 01:04:32,339 your emails into me right now. This has been Always Pneumatic, Never Static. I want to say again 667 01:04:32,339 --> 01:04:38,339 a huge thank you to Shawn Stephens, Director of Operations for Bulk and Spur gave us almost a 668 01:04:38,340 --> 01:04:43,699 full hour on the air here today. I can't thank him enough. Awesome stuff. We're going to continue to 669 01:04:43,699 --> 01:04:50,420 bring you great content every single Wednesday at 5 a.m. local time. So be safe out there, Bulk and 670 01:04:50,420 --> 01:04:57,339 Spur, and we'll see you next week. And that's all she blows for today's episode of 671 01:04:57,339 --> 01:05:03,739 Always Pneumatic, Never Static. Your number one and probably only Pneumatic Trucking podcast, brought 672 01:05:03,739 --> 01:05:09,339 to you by Bulk Transit. Thanks for rolling with us today. Till next time, stay safe, keep those lines 673 01:05:09,339 --> 01:05:11,219 clear and keep it pumping.