Todd Dills: Hey everyone, it is Todd Dills again with one other Overdrive Radio version. This one for December 16, 2024, the second on this two half sequence reengaging with most of our 2024 Trucker of the Yr aggressive area of owner-operators with test ins on how the 12 months formed up for every particular person proprietor. Likewise thought of recommendation for friends from them amongst homeowners, significantly these with solely quick historical past in enterprise or seeking to get their begin trucking. As with final week’s exit interviews installment with 4 of our Trucker of the Yr candidates, this week we have got a various set of freeway haulers and enterprise homeowners from the principally hopper pulling agricultural help outfit of Zimmerman Ag, fronted by brothers Daryl and Nelson Zimmerman, the previous nominated for the award by the latter recognizing his decade of excellence in service to direct ag clients doing what it takes.
Daryl Zimmerman: To get the job executed. Gotta be there as soon as they need one thing moved, being keen to work and get the job executed when it wants executed.
Todd Dills: We’ll hear from Alpha Drivers Transportations Alec Costerus out of Colorado, who with fellow proprietor Joel Morrow again in Ohio, a rising staff of employed drivers on each side of the international locations is constructing dry and pulling operation with additional progress on the horizon backed by super effectivity positive aspects to manage prices.
Alec Costerus: Really holding the steering wheel is the simple half. There’s a fantastic deal extra to the entire trucking enterprise facet past holding the steering wheel and cargo plannings and whatnot.
Todd Dills: Likewise, Connecticut primarily based Greg Labosky, who’s made strides together with his one truck enterprise in Amazon’s contracting system by maximizing reliability with cautious preventive upkeep, controlling prices with shut document preserving to identify when one thing is.
Greg Labosky: Out blind, head in your shoulders and be ready to have the ability to preserve extraordinarily good tight bookkeeping. Be sure you preserve observe of all of your bills, what you management and people which are fastened.
Todd Dills: Lastly, thought of recommendation for firm drivers prepping for truck possession from owner-operator Mike Nichols headquartered in Wisconsin and leased to Wayne Transports pulling dry bulk freight with pneumatic tankers.
Mike Nichols: As an organization driver it is advisable be considering about startup capital and down fee and I’d simply say that it is advisable deal with that such as you would firewood. save what you suppose you may want after which triple it, if not quadruple it.
Todd Dills: On the opposite facet of a break, we’ll dive in with Daryl Zimmerman for an replace on certainly one of his main objectives for 2024. Ever nearer to full achievement, the constructing of a brand new store at Zimmerman Ag headquarters to raised equip the staff for in home upkeep in addition to opening new potentialities for winter Gradual intervals in Minnesota for out of doors upkeep work. Hold tuned.
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Here is Daryl Zimmerman with a candid reply to the query of properly, how 2024 turned out for the enterprise all instructed, right here we go.
Daryl Zimmerman: Yeah, it, it went fairly good. sort of anticipated it. It wasn’t as busy as typically however we sort of anticipated that for sort of the best way the all of the markets have been and the whole lot occurring out within the world. That sort of set us again somewhat bit, however total it was actual good.
The most important objective I used to be reaching for this 12 months was getting a store up. Did not fairly get there but, however nonetheless working at it.
Todd Dills: Yeah, properly on the best way for positive. We noticed these photos what you guys are engaged on there simply a few months in the past. And have you ever made extra progress since then?
Daryl Zimmerman: Yeah, we obtained the, we’re getting the body able to put up. We obtained that bunch of that laid out the construction. Okay, yeah, that is laying there prepared to face up so getting nearer anyway.
Todd Dills: And that’ll, that’ll open up u some new alternatives proper?
Daryl Zimmerman: Yep, for positive.
Todd Dills: Hold you guys out of the climate, one.
Daryl Zimmerman: Higher than working within the blue sky store now. Yeah, there’s different little tasks I may do for different folks. Throughout the winter we’ve loads of time to work in there however in the course of the summer season it’d be not as a lot. Through the summer season we put in, put in somewhat longer days and with all of the farming and stuff however in the course of the winter positively not as busy the place we’ve extra time at residence there within the store.
Todd Dills: Alpha Drivers Transportations Alec Costerus’ journey by 2024 confirmed some themes just like Daryl Zimmerman’s in addressing the problem of decrease charges with a thought of sequence of strikes to construct direct buyer enterprise. There’s progress consequently on the close to time period horizon as you will hear.
Alec Costerus: Nicely, the 2 largest challenges that I suppose are hitting everyone Todd is clearly low freight charges and excessive gasoline prices. So the problem has been certainly one of technique. How will we function the vans? Capturing and leveraging our strengths. You recognize from an tools standpoint, driver utilization standpoint, in gentle of these markets. So for instance any person who’s residing off the load board might be dying on the vine as a result of there may be nothing, no worth added that we as an organization or an organization may supply in case you’re simply residing off the load board. So we determined that we might be higher off. first it was with Joel and Travis working collectively and now it is Travis and his brother Connor working collectively as a staff. So we’re capable of present a excessive degree service, get some ah premium to the what I name the bottom charge. In that regard one other technique is been to … We introduced one of many vans out to Colorado the place we work with a devoted buyer. So it is extra of high quality of service than amount of service. So and I feel these are keys that actually has been a key to our survival. I am unable to say that we’re making a living hand over fist. I do not know that anyone is. and so the important thing has been to leveraged our numerous strengths.
Now doing that we’re capable of improve our relationship with our clients. so we are literally including to the fleet in what is often thought of a really troublesome market setting. So we have been really capable of develop and prosper doing that. So we began the 12 months with one. We added not that truck however that truck however we added what was as soon as known as Booberry and I did not just like the title, modified it to Blue Nova as a result of it is sort of an R and D truck out right here in Colorado and I have been driving that. We’re within the means of hiring a driver for that truck. Someday most likely early January we’ll ship that truck again to Ohio and that’ll once more go right into a staff operation. We purchased two older 2015 vans that we’re going toa carry out to a. Excuse me. From Ohio to Colorado. It will be working our devoted buyer enterprise out right here. Devoted clients know they depend on high quality of service, what I name service certainty as a result of they need the reliability as a result of folks’s livelihood relies upon on it. So I feel that is been a key and we have apparently executed a adequate job that they wanna give us extra enterprise and so we’re gonna develop that our enterprise on the east facet. East facet of the nation is extra of a standard kind of enterprise. there will be some devoted clients. numerous it’s working with a main service that we have partnered up with. And that is the place we do the staff operation. Once more, we’re making an attempt to leverage, you realize, with the staff operation. We wish to do extra drop and hooks so we’re utilizing buyer trailers.
We do not have to attend for reside unloads and loading conditions or preserve that to a naked minimal as a result of that takes time and consumes log books and so on and results in much less productiveness.
Todd Dills: New issues on the horizon for alpha drivers transportation, little question. And congrats on profitable pivots within the works to construct enterprise.
Proprietor-operator Greg Labosky too has his eye on progress, but he is taking it gradual for now. Regular as she goes as he works to reinforce profitability in numerous methods, constructing mechanical information to deal with extra upkeep himself. Labosky works solely inside Amazon’s direct contracting system, as he notes in what follows about his 2024 expertise.
Greg Labosky: Thus far with my firm, I have been working solely the Amazon freight contract the place thus far we have been holding the charges themselves haven’t upticked the best way I often count on it to do. So particularly in direction of the fourth quarter, we have been holding pretty regular our present breakdown proper now with gasoline prices added, I have been staying between 1.92 to round 2.10 per mile, together with the gasoline surcharge. So I have been sustaining the identical total. Not with the nationwide averages, however this present day it is about to be what’s anticipated. My total long run was to attempt to get sufficient reserve to presumably take into consideration including a second truck. Proper now at this level, I do not see that occuring this 12 months. Simply by the best way the market is. My lengthy time period remains to be in the long term to inside a 12 months two have two vans working below my firm. So far as my saving grace within the northeast, the gasoline costs even have been decrease than what they began out with. In order that’s been my saving grace so far as sustaining my precise profitability.
My objective is total is to do the vast majority of the work that I can do myself by myself. There are particular issues although that I haven’t got expertise in so far as doing airline work. Far as with the airbreak system, I have somewhat information on that, however sure issues I might moderately have somebody that is extra expertise to maintain. However total, the truck itself been sustaining its personal. I’ve not had, knock on wooden, any actual Main points this present 12 months so far as any to breakdowns apart from thefortunately the emissions management objects the place over time sure parts do have to be changed so far as sensors.
Todd Dills: Subsequent up, Mike Nichols, leased to Wayne Transports and who in 2020 jumped on one of many final of the gliders in a Detroit Sequence 60 powered Freightliner Coronado. He is since put three and a quarter 100,000 miles on ring Dry Bolt Freight. Nichols reported a usually favorable 12 months thus removed from a income standpoint with some exception for prolonged day off with an surprising little bit of downtime involving an unlucky deer.
Mike Nichols: Yeah, 2024 has been I assume I am simply going to name it fascinating. you realize high line income has not been nearly as good because it has been in years prior. however that is not due to any market forces or lack of work. these issues had been sort of granular to me. I used to be off for a number of weeks final winter with sickness, damage after which afterward within the winter I feel in March or April I had a deer strike. in order that put the truck down for a short time. Simply lengthy sufficient the place you realize my my downtime insurance coverage would not choose something up. So you know the way that works rightay. Like I used to be someday. I feel I used to be someday quick. however aside from that although currently it has been it has been sturdy. I did. I was off for per week. I assume it has been about three weeks in the past. I used to be off the total week on the o. IDA board assembly.
I am on the poll this 12 months for the election and have excessive hopes for that. However we’ll see we’ll see if the affiliation feels the identical. For the miles that I’ve ran. my per mile income has been proper the place it must be. You recognize, I feel sort of as you realize I am all in favour of doing a number of different issues in addition to simply placing the nostril to the grindstowdin turning miles. I need, I need the trucking setting to be higher for all of us and I wish to do issues that I can, that I can do inside my, inside my restricted energy. to make that occur. Finished some extra media and political outreach with my my state assemblywoman and state senators, federal lawmakers. You recognize, I am m sort of anticipating that there will be some some modifications coming ahead right here within the subsequent, you realize, o. I do not know, two to say 5 years, in a publish Chevron setting that, perhaps a few of these rules is likely to be curtailed somewhat bit.
Todd Dills: Nichols refers there to the quote unquote Chevron deference doctrine within the judicial system that in essence gave interpretive deference to federal businesses in crafting rules within the absence of statutory readability. That doctrine was primarily put aside by the Supreme Courtroom this 12 months, providing new potentialities for problem to a bevy of guidelines and rules, in some methods at odds or taking liberties with congressional statute. And search for nichels on the poll for alternate board members in case you’re a part of the Proprietor Operator Impartial Drivers affiliation. As was famous a few podcasts again after I spoke to Louis Pugh and OIDA president Todd Spencer. In any other case, Nichols remains to be doing a lot the identical work as he was when Matt Cole profiled the dry bulk Wayne Transport lease Proprietor operator earlier within the 12 months.
Mike Nichols: Dry bulk. Pneumatic Wayne Transports Fairly, a lot simply, just about Midwest. I get down, like I mentioned, I simply got here up from Georgia, so I do get down there. Arkansas, you realize, Ohio, we run issues like that. I imply we’ve masses going in every single place. That is simply sort of the place I have a tendency, to gravitate.
Todd Dills: Lastly, we’ll let the tape roll on all 4 of those homeowners solutions to the query of their greatest recommendation for comparatively new and or aspiring homeowners. Given the various classes realized all through their careers searching for that elusive silver bullet, because it had been, for truck possession. Let’s acknowledge, as does Alec Costerus to start out, that there might be no silver bullet. However hopefully with the number of recommendation right here, there’s going to be one thing you may glean. As famous, we began right here with Alec Costerus Alpha Driver Transportation and can run straight into the voices of each Daryl and Nelson Zimmerman, then Greg Labosky and eventually Mike Nichols. So these 2024 Trucker of the Yr contender’greatest piece of recommendation for friends. Right here we go.
Alec Costerus: Powerful query and I do not know that there is a silver bullet, you realize, and I used to be interested by this. So one of many issues that, I feel has helped me alongside the best way after I began in 2010, I used to be a sponge for information. So for instance, Kevin Rutherford was on SiriusXM that he now has a podcast. so I used to take heed to a present. I feel it got here on at seven at night time. Typically it will replay at midnight. And so I’d take heed to that and when the oil samples would come up and the man would describe it and then I’d attempt to guess what the reply was earlier than Kevin answered. So, it was very instructional. I do have a finance background, so the precise enterprise wasn’t that massive of a problem. However that most likely is for many new truckers is the problem. You recognize, really holding the steering wheel is the simple half. There’s a fantastic deal extra to the entire trucking enterprise facet past holding the steering wheel and cargo plannings and whatnot. And I feel that is one thing that folk ought to focus on in the event that they wish to get on, on their very own. In the event that they wish to be an organization driver. Then study the whole lot in regards to the precise logistics of being a very good firm driver. If you wish to grow to be, progress from firm driver to perhaps a leased proprietor operator. Which means, you realize, you lease your capability onto like Landstar for instance. Nice, nice profession path as a result of there are lots of people that may help you and information you. you have obtained companies which are obtainable, to assist mentor these folks. after which in fact in case you wanna m. Progress additional and function below your personal authority, you then actually need to have the whole lot addressed. One of many issues that Kevin talked about is having a staff. So you realize, having this relationships. So for instance, earlier Greg talked about doing a little service. So I’m not a technical particular person. I can change shocks and issues like that and do some minor electrical work or the alternator, radiator. Okay, tremendous. Among the inside stuff that is past me. I am unable to deal with it. so we have got folks that may do these issues. Accounting, tax, authorized, these types of issues. We will payroll now. we’ve suppliers that deal with a few of these issues. In order that’s necessary as properly. I assume it relies upon what one’s objective is whether or not you wish to be an organization driver, which is a good approach to begin all through. Know being a real impartial proprietor operator, working below your personal authority s much more accountability as you progress from one to the opposite. So the place you will have a shortfall, it’s a must to fill it in one way or the other.
Daryl Zimmerman: I work in that store for like 4 years earlier than I began trucking. So I sort of realized quite a bit there about vans and the best way to work on them and stuff. In order that, that goes a good distance for proudly owning vans and doing your personal upkeep and stuff.
Todd Dills: Saving cash and simply sort of being comfy with the reliability there understanding that.
Daryl Zimmerman: Proper.
Todd Dills: That you simply did it proper your self. Proper?
Daryl Zimmerman: Yeah. Serving clients as greatest as you can and doing what it takes to get the job executed. Received, gotta be there as soon as they need one thing moved.
Nelson Zimmerman: Being keen to work and get the job executed, what wants executed. I’ve realized numerous it off of Daryl and also you Know he was within the enterprise earlier than I used to be so I took numerous recommendation from him and yeah, he was a giant a part of it for me.
Greg Labosky: I see the largest want for anybody both coming into the trade is way as as an proprietor operator is to have a very good head on their shoulders and give you the chance to have the ability to preserve extraordinarily good tight bookkeeping to be sure to preserve observe of all of your bills, what you may management and people which are fastened to attempt to just be sure you keep on the Prof. Facet, have a very good basic background and being not keen to be closed minded, to be keen to take heed to different folks, have been within the enterprise for some time and likewise be keen to speak to some mechanics. This manner you will have an thought of what’s going on, you may bounce concepts off to folks to attempt to decrease your precise total expenditures on having to pay somebody to do repairs within the lengthy time period and likewise be keen to to study is the important thing to have the ability to take heed to podcast and preserve your information base open and you’ll want to continue to grow as a result of if you cease rising you in all typ of function is useless as a result of it’s a must to be will to alter and bend as wanted and be keen to take your lumps on the highway as far as in case you make a mistake, be keen to select your self again up and preserve progressing ahead and be will to if you do not know one thing to go alongside to get data from somebody that you could be know and simply to be progressing down the highway and don’t overextend your self past your means in case you are keen to make the method work, simply develop at your precise tempo, not attempt to overextend your self as a result of in case you’re overreach, that is what causes most individuals to fail the place they lay an excessive amount of out forward of time and when one thing unhealthy happens your collapsing FL on the highway the place you do not have to precise assets to attempt to choose your self again up.
Mike Nichols: I’d, I must say I echo simply about the whole lot that that I’ve heard you guys say. positively be keen to study you realize after I’ve been on this enterprise, you realize in some aspect of the truck in enterprise for properly over 30 years now and I nonetheless study stuff each day. And in order quickly as you suppose that you have mastered it and you realize all of it, you have resigned your self to not studying anymore. And so you do not wish to get to that level as a result of there may be any person on the market, many individuals on the market that know one thing that you do not know. And I’ve all the time had that mindset and that is served me very properly from you realize, the time I obtained began on this enterprise on the ripe outdated age of 18. you realize, be keen to confess that you do not know and that you may’t. There’s some issues that you may’t do. Ah, emphasize and intensify your sturdy, your sturdy traits, your sturdy fits. However however be keen to, you realize, to confess the place, the place you fall quick and set up good relationships, good relationships with distributors, all distributors. you realize, folks that may assist you and people who might be synergistic with your corporation. you know, I’d, I must, you realize, I’d, I assume I’d go on to say I’d advocate, you realize, clearly not doing what I did. Do not, do not bounce into this enterprise by shopping for a truck. That is, that is usually not a, that is not a good suggestion. In fact that was a distinct enterprise setting again then than it’s now. However I’d, I’d completely advise any person to have at least two years expertise as an organization driver and ideally three to 5 working within the enterprise. Getting a way of the large accountability, working a Class 8 tractor trailer entails and likewise exploring which trucking subspecialty, the could be proprietor, operator, leased operator finds interesting as understanding that’s essential to understanding the best way to spec your tools. one factor I would positively inform anyone that is up and coming is assuming that the would be proprietor operator or independ lease driver is just not independently rich or in any other case related with a member of the family established within the biz. as an organization driver it is advisable be interested by startup capital and down fee. And I would simply say that it is advisable deal with that such as you would firewood. Save what you suppose you may want after which triple it. If not quadruple it and you will be, you will be grateful that you simply did. And you realize, earlier than you even take into consideration going to a truck dealership and vans and falling in love with a shiny newer used truck, pull all three of your credit score bureaus annual credit score report, do Com. It is free. You will get a disclosure from every annually. And you are able to do your self a giant favor by working in your credit score rating. since you know as, as a brand new truck operator, whether or not it is leased operator or somebody with their very own authority, you are going to be perceived as a better threat each on the financing facet and the insurance coverage facet. And having a better credit score rating, say 720 or extra will go a good distance in direction of mitigating, these, these challenges, from the financing and insurance coverage underwriter standpoint. And in addition then on that similar notice, do not settle for the APR that is quoted by the dealership. Store round and keep in mind that the dealership will nearly all the time attempt to promote you on a charge that is greater than what you may in any other case qualify. And the opposite factor I would positively advise isn’t, ever, by no means signal on to a lease buy settlement. There’s an inherent battle of curiosity as the identical entity financing your tools can be the identical entity paying your settlement. And in my view and expertise, only a few of these preparations work to the profit, of the proprietor operator. The lease buy association permits, the unscrupulous service to revenue, you realize, on an extra income stream and the bid masses for a lot cheaper than the extra sincere and infrequently smaller service counterparts. that is most likely my greatest recommendation to.
Todd Dills: Any individual that desires to personal a truck, as have others. All through our reporting on assets across the nation for owner-operators, Nichols went on to encourage affiliation membership, particularly referencing the Proprietor Operator Impartial Drivers affiliation the place he’been a member for a few years. Likewise, although impartial carriers with authority can take benefit of of assets with membership on the nationwide affiliation of Small Trucking Firms and particular person state trucking associations too current lots in the best way of assets and alternatives for networking, advocacy to the state and native lawmakers and extra.
Earlier than we finish, a phrase of encouragement from proprietor operator Greg Labosky. That jogs my memory of one thing. 2023 Trucker of the 12 months semifinalist Debbie Desiderato, longtime impartial out of Virginia, one thing she needed to say in the course of the wrap of final years program. In essence, for any trucker pursuing success with an proprietor operator enterprise, she had it. By no means simply lay down and hand over, she mentioned. Here is Greg Leboskis model of that to take us out by to the tip.
Greg Labosky: Naysayers say that you wouldn’t have the ability to suced use all that detrimental data and detrimental vitality that they’re offering and be keen to show them fallacious to as greatest your capacity to indicate them that you may certainly succeed.
Todd Dills: And you’ll with the precise work put in. All of those males live proof of that. Heres a giant due to Labosky. Likewise Daryl and Nelson Zimmerman of Zimmerman ag, Alec Costerus of Alpha Drivers Transportation and proprietor operator Mike Nichols for his or her time and perception.
