Reinventing a Business: Making a Drastic Shift in Strategy

WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:06.919 Welcome to the road forward, a podcast for trucking industry leaders. This is 2 00:00:06.960 --> 00:00:10.640 the show for industry that's like you, hard working, honest leaders who know 3 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:16.239 there's promise around the next bend, an exciting future for the trucking industry and 4 00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:19.839 a chance for your company to thrive. If you see the opportunity ahead but 5 00:00:19.879 --> 00:00:23.039 don't want to travel the tough road alone, join us, as we talked 6 00:00:23.079 --> 00:00:27.359 with business leaders finding their way forward and a changing industry. Let's get into 7 00:00:27.399 --> 00:00:33.280 the show. Welcome to the road forward. I'm Flynn Holdbrook, your host. 8 00:00:33.320 --> 00:00:37.359 I've got Dane noised with me from Panhandle Express today. Thanks for joining 9 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:39.759 me, Dane. Nice to be here. Plant, thanks for having me 10 00:00:39.799 --> 00:00:44.000 on. So Dane's company, Panhandle Express, has Dan what are you a 11 00:00:44.039 --> 00:00:47.799 hundred thirty trucks. Now we've got the capacity for a hundred thirty trucks. 12 00:00:47.799 --> 00:00:51.640 Were not quite there at this time because of drivers. Yep, I think 13 00:00:51.640 --> 00:00:54.640 you're in the same boat as everybody else we've had on the show recently. 14 00:00:54.759 --> 00:01:00.399 So they're located in the Texas panhandle and they all primarily agricultural commodities and panhandle 15 00:01:00.439 --> 00:01:04.560 has been a long, long term customer of our software company, trucks by 16 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:08.319 WHO sponsors the podcast. In case you don't know, I called up with 17 00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:14.359 Dane last week and he was telling me a little bit about this big business 18 00:01:14.359 --> 00:01:17.920 transition that he went through in two thousand and fifteen. So his company has 19 00:01:17.959 --> 00:01:21.680 been around since two thousand and seven and in two thousand and fifteen they kind 20 00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:26.799 of had this drastic change in the makeup of the business that really forced him 21 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:32.920 to reevaluate his strata. They know want to dive into that a little bit. 22 00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:37.200 Sure I'd like to visit with you about it. So Flint and two 23 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:42.239 thousand and fifteen, as you mentioned, we had to reinvent ourselves. Up 24 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:46.599 until that point, from two thousand and seven to two thousand and fifteen we, 25 00:01:46.719 --> 00:01:51.920 as you mentioned, supplied transportations today girl agricultural industry, but but at 26 00:01:51.959 --> 00:01:57.640 that time we focused on a real lean customer count. We had five or 27 00:01:57.640 --> 00:02:00.519 six customers that made up about ninety percent of our business, and much of 28 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:06.680 that business was was focused around the transportation of coproducts here in the panhandle from 29 00:02:06.680 --> 00:02:10.520 the FTH and all industry. We also marketed the coproducts to feed yards, 30 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:15.680 dairies and ranches and and had the luxury of controlling the freight out of the 31 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:21.080 eth and all plans. Well, as things oftentimes do, the world changed 32 00:02:21.240 --> 00:02:25.159 drastically and we went on. One day we went from having about two hundred 33 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:30.800 loads guaranteed week after week to about fifty loads a day and we had to 34 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:37.280 quickly redefine who we were and how we how we approached our customer base. 35 00:02:37.560 --> 00:02:40.719 But, with that said, you can imagine the the strategy meetings, the 36 00:02:40.759 --> 00:02:46.560 acrimony, the questions that we all had about what to do going forward. 37 00:02:46.599 --> 00:02:50.240 And we really had. We really had only a couple of options. One 38 00:02:50.439 --> 00:02:54.280 is, we could reduce the asset base and and continue on with the existing 39 00:02:54.280 --> 00:03:00.400 business. It was good business and profitable, or we could redef on, 40 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:06.280 reinvent payhandle express, go out to the market and find the customers that that 41 00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:13.080 we could establish relationship relationships with and create a sustainable pathway forward. And we 42 00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:17.520 chose the ladder, but it wasn't without a lot of tumultuous thought process. 43 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:25.080 Well, so redefining ourselfs reinvent payhandle express and and coming up with our basically 44 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:32.520 with mission statement and a vision that the entire and employ based truckers admin fleet, 45 00:03:32.599 --> 00:03:37.159 the entire employee base of paying. How Express could could stick a fork 46 00:03:37.240 --> 00:03:39.560 in and truly believe in and and, as you all know, it's really 47 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:43.879 easy to lose focus. Your in a hurry and you want to make sure 48 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:47.840 that that the world turns out right. So your first gut reaction is to 49 00:03:47.879 --> 00:03:53.639 go establish those relationships with customers and have the customers be the number one priority. 50 00:03:53.840 --> 00:04:00.159 And in all fairness, customers are important facet but for long term sustainability, 51 00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:05.039 we came to the conclusion that ultimately, safety had to be our number 52 00:04:05.080 --> 00:04:10.080 one focus. And the reality is, it's is. That doesn't mean we'd 53 00:04:10.120 --> 00:04:13.719 lose track of our customers. We will learn track of our our employees, 54 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:18.360 but safety for the entire organization, for the entire animal had had to be 55 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:23.720 a focus. And that's easy to say and a lot of people have that 56 00:04:23.759 --> 00:04:26.800 in their mission statement at safeties are number one priority, but we wanted to 57 00:04:26.839 --> 00:04:30.319 live it. We wanted more than just a statement on a piece of Athan. 58 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:32.079 Wow, so, so Dane, what? Let me let me just 59 00:04:32.120 --> 00:04:36.160 get this straight, and I want to clarify for listeners. All of a 60 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:41.360 sudden, seventy five did I do that math right? Seventy five percent of 61 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:46.319 the loads that you were hauling went away and you you were left in this 62 00:04:46.959 --> 00:04:49.360 situation where, okay, we have these two options, right, we can 63 00:04:49.399 --> 00:04:55.519 be smaller or we can completely redefine ourselves and figure out how to go out 64 00:04:55.639 --> 00:05:00.240 and get that business back, whether it's that or different business. And I'm 65 00:05:00.279 --> 00:05:03.319 going to guess that you had a very short window of time to do this 66 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:09.199 in. When that sounds dawning when I hear you replay exactly what I said, 67 00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:13.279 but that's exactly right, and it was. It was a short window. 68 00:05:13.319 --> 00:05:16.480 We actually had about a hundred and eighty days. We knew when that 69 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:19.639 day was going to come, but we had a hundred and eighty days to 70 00:05:19.720 --> 00:05:26.000 gear up, determine a strategy and then put that strategy into action. And 71 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:28.519 and I can't tell you it was as smooth as we'd like to have had 72 00:05:28.519 --> 00:05:32.720 it been, but but we actually went through that pretty pretty seamlessly and and 73 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:35.839 and part of the reason we did that is everybody on the entire team, 74 00:05:35.879 --> 00:05:41.279 including drivers, knew what the new mission was, knew what we were going 75 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:45.839 to look like, and it wasn't it wasn't a faint attempt. We gritted 76 00:05:45.839 --> 00:05:48.439 our teeth and and moved right on through it right. So, all right, 77 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:51.920 I'm now I'm really curious. How did you how did you decide? 78 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:57.279 So I'm just trying to put myself in your shoes and I'm faced with this 79 00:05:57.360 --> 00:06:01.519 challenge. How did you end up deciding that safety should be number one on 80 00:06:01.560 --> 00:06:05.240 top of, let's say, our priorities, right our vision, because I'm 81 00:06:05.240 --> 00:06:09.439 sure that there was a lot of discussion there and I know we're going to 82 00:06:09.480 --> 00:06:11.920 talk a little bit more. I at least I want to talk a little 83 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:15.160 bit more about safety, but I'm just curious for those listening who may be 84 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:18.879 struggling. How do we define our strategy? How did you decide that safety 85 00:06:19.000 --> 00:06:24.959 was number one? So flent frankly, the industry decided for us. And 86 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:30.759 if everybody remembers back to two thousand and fifteen through two thousand and twenty, 87 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:35.879 the regulatory environment and the constraints of CSA and some of the new challenges and 88 00:06:35.959 --> 00:06:42.199 barriers for the transportation industry were really starting to mature. So we had a 89 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:46.639 regulatory component that helped us decide. We also knew that if we were going 90 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:54.040 to be sustainable, we needed a customer base that appreciated safety and put us 91 00:06:54.199 --> 00:06:59.000 a value on that and preferred that their suppliers were capable of performing in a 92 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:04.600 safe manner and having the right CSA scores, the right regulatory compliance component and 93 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:12.600 understanding that when our drivers are on our customers locations there's a certain amount of 94 00:07:12.680 --> 00:07:15.120 risk associated with that for the customers, and the customers are we're starting to 95 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:19.480 get their arms around it and we determined that that there was, there was 96 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:26.639 a not only a stickiness factor to customer retention but but truly a value added 97 00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:30.759 component to our safety program for our customers. And in quite frankly, the 98 00:07:30.759 --> 00:07:36.279 insurance industry helped us make that decision. Everybody knows what what the insurance rates 99 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:41.759 started to do do in the mid you know, in two thousand and fifteen 100 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:45.639 on through two thousand and twenty and even today. And so if we were 101 00:07:45.639 --> 00:07:47.879 going to be able to operate competitively, if we were going to attract the 102 00:07:47.959 --> 00:07:54.199 right type of the customers and we had regulatory compliance component that we wanted to 103 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:58.439 adhere to, it became pretty obvious that that if we focused on safety and 104 00:07:58.439 --> 00:08:03.639 our culture revolved around safety, ultimately we would be sustainable. Now there's a 105 00:08:03.720 --> 00:08:07.959 lot of loose ends to that and that sounds pretty pretty simple. But ultimately 106 00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:13.160 that was that was the motivating factor for it. And so so I'm curious 107 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:16.920 how did, how did your employee base, right, your drivers and your 108 00:08:16.920 --> 00:08:22.079 staff react to that change? How and and and your customers for that matter? 109 00:08:22.519 --> 00:08:26.199 I mean how did you guys experience getting everybody to March in the same 110 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:31.879 direction and understand that, internalize that, as this is now part of the 111 00:08:31.960 --> 00:08:37.200 company culture? I think that that's something a lot of carriers really struggle with. 112 00:08:37.320 --> 00:08:41.000 Right we want to say safeties number one, but then we consistently do 113 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:46.480 things or make decisions that would indicate safeties not number one. Sure, well, 114 00:08:46.759 --> 00:08:50.840 it's not easy in it and it's taken a lot of time. I 115 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:52.759 wish, I wish we could have I wish I could say we it was 116 00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:56.200 easy, we turn it on too switch and everybody started following the drummer and 117 00:08:56.279 --> 00:09:00.279 we headed out over the hills. But that's not quite the case. So 118 00:09:00.360 --> 00:09:07.159 it's been a combination of many factors to get that cultural change to actually be 119 00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:11.000 real. Part of it's come from compensation. Part of it's come from a 120 00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:16.480 real clear message or mission that everybody that's easy to understand and it's simple that 121 00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:20.840 and they have to know the why, to being able to explain the why. 122 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:26.639 It obviously resides and that thought process resides at the top of your company. 123 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:31.000 So so everybody in a management role has to truly believe and if they 124 00:09:31.000 --> 00:09:35.200 don't truly believe, it's probably best that they do something different. It's something 125 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:37.759 you can just talk about. You have to live it and they have to 126 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:41.559 see it top to bottom. So, Flint and all fairness, there's been 127 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:46.159 numerous initiatives that we've taken, some of them more successful than others, and 128 00:09:46.200 --> 00:09:54.039 it's also taken time and some of our more long term employees have really had 129 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:56.919 a radical transition. And in order to do that, and as I've mentioned, 130 00:09:56.960 --> 00:10:01.440 it's multifaceted, we had to come up with a tool and, in 131 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:05.279 all fairness, it took us three or four years to really define what it 132 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:07.159 was. Is it going to get us over the Hump? What was it 133 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:09.960 going to get us to the step where we are today and and where we 134 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:13.519 still maybe we're not perfect, but we're a lot closer than than where we 135 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:18.519 were six seven years ago. And and so, through conversations with several of 136 00:10:18.519 --> 00:10:26.120 our suppliers, insurance under riders, consultants, peers, we determine that that 137 00:10:26.200 --> 00:10:28.879 we ultimately wanted to get a tool to help us get there, and that's, 138 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:33.600 quite frankly, when we were when we were introduced to the concept that 139 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:37.639 that trucks by offers the single platform that can help us manage not only our 140 00:10:37.639 --> 00:10:43.759 safety but are programs that that ultimately we rely on to make some of our 141 00:10:43.799 --> 00:10:48.000 goal yeah, so if you're listening to this episode, I would encourage you 142 00:10:48.360 --> 00:10:52.240 to take a look at last week's episode, which was with Jonathan Shaver, 143 00:10:52.440 --> 00:10:56.799 who talked a lot about change management in an organization and and laid down a 144 00:10:56.799 --> 00:11:01.440 framework on how to make some of these big strategy changes. And it sounds 145 00:11:01.480 --> 00:11:05.879 like, from what Dans telling us, that they need you guys nailed it, 146 00:11:05.960 --> 00:11:09.240 like you were right down the fairway with what Jonathan suggested last week on 147 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:13.200 the show on how you communicate with your employees, how you set the corporate 148 00:11:13.320 --> 00:11:18.200 vision and and how you get everybody marching in the same direction. So good 149 00:11:18.279 --> 00:11:22.600 job. Kudos to you guys for being able to make that transition so quickly 150 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:26.399 and efficiently. And I know there's always multi facets and there's a carrot on 151 00:11:26.440 --> 00:11:31.279 top of all of these discussions, but it sounds like it went at least 152 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:35.159 relatively smoothly, and so I want to dive just a little bit deeper. 153 00:11:35.159 --> 00:11:39.879 What was your experience when you mentioned our tool? How was that received by 154 00:11:39.960 --> 00:11:43.799 employees as it pertained to safety? Right, how did you because I think 155 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:48.759 a lot of people really struggle with new technology. How does that Mesh, 156 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:52.679 let's say, with the culture and with the goals like what generally, what 157 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:56.559 was your experience, because you almost went through multiple changes here, right. 158 00:11:56.679 --> 00:12:01.200 You you had to change the corporate strategy, you also had to implement technology. 159 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:05.840 I guess give us just a little bit more about how that win and 160 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:09.480 and what your experience was. So I'm not sure I'm going to be able 161 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:13.320 to do this exactly in chronological order, but I'll give you a little bit 162 00:12:13.320 --> 00:12:16.919 of what went on. So the first thing we had to do is start 163 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:22.720 majoring our performance and we had to measure some of the lead indicators, that 164 00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:30.080 was that we're was resulting in positive change and identify those that had minimal or 165 00:12:30.120 --> 00:12:35.759 no impact whatsoever. So things come to mind. Driving our speeding. We 166 00:12:35.799 --> 00:12:43.960 started watching speeding specifically and we implemented a tool utilize and utilizing technology to watch 167 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:46.000 all the speed events in our in our trucks, so we had a tool 168 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:52.200 out there doing that. We started watching our hours of service and combing through 169 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:56.159 them with a fine tooth comb and at that point we were on paper logs 170 00:12:56.159 --> 00:13:01.399 and then went to elog product and and and gathered that up and answer our 171 00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:07.480 hours of service compliance became perfect. We started communicating and and trying to show 172 00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:09.240 our customers what we were doing. You know, we had the vision, 173 00:13:09.320 --> 00:13:15.200 we had had the goals, we wanted to count our safety record, but 174 00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:18.039 we really didn't have anything tangible that we could sit down on a customers desk 175 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:20.320 and show them. Here, this is what we do and this is why 176 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:26.320 we're different than our competitors. So that was one of the components. Safety 177 00:13:26.360 --> 00:13:30.799 meeting after safety meeting with our drivers, the entire staff, the at a 178 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:35.200 Panhanda express safety meeting the entire staff, driver, managers, add men, 179 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:39.960 human resources, everybody's involved in our safety meetings, and those were held quarterly 180 00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:45.960 with the entire crew and monthly with our drivers. We had monthly tailgate meetings 181 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:50.519 with our drivers and and we focused on what happened to be the animal that 182 00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:56.080 we were trying to conquer the at the time. So we talked about seat 183 00:13:56.080 --> 00:13:58.720 belts at one meeting, we talked about speeding at another meeting, we talked 184 00:13:58.759 --> 00:14:03.320 about road conditions and winter driving at another, and that was on a monthly 185 00:14:03.399 --> 00:14:07.360 basis. So so, as I mentioned, it wasn't smooth and it took 186 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:11.639 a tremendous amount of work. And then when we were introduced to the trucks 187 00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:16.519 spy platform, what we found is is that we could intermingle all of these 188 00:14:16.519 --> 00:14:22.320 different components of our safety program have it interface with our business, with the 189 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:26.720 operation side of our company, and we had a lot less stress, a 190 00:14:26.759 --> 00:14:33.320 lot less friction. The safety and operations and administrative portions of our business kind 191 00:14:33.320 --> 00:14:37.519 of went into one animal and and and one component and it was much more 192 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:41.720 it was much easier to manage and, quite frankly, the success we've seen 193 00:14:41.799 --> 00:14:46.720 in the last two years on all facets of our business has been impressive. 194 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:50.120 Everybody, everybody and all of the components are kind of working together and we're 195 00:14:50.120 --> 00:14:54.320 heading a direction, direction we really like. Yeah, that's that's that's really 196 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:58.480 that's exciting. I'm and I'm look, I'm really proud to be a part 197 00:14:58.519 --> 00:15:01.799 of that, of that story right that our company could be a part of 198 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:05.159 that story. They know. I'm just curious. At the end of the 199 00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:09.679 day, this all comes back to people and it sounds like use you and 200 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:15.039 your team spend a lot of effort and energy making this transition and you mentioned 201 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:18.879 competitive advantage. So how have you seen this play out in the market with 202 00:15:20.039 --> 00:15:24.440 your customers? Has this been as successful and giving given you a competitive advantage 203 00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:30.720 as you expected? I think so. I think so. Our customer retention 204 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:35.679 record is really impressive. We have most, if not all, of the 205 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:39.399 customers that we went out in after the two thousand and fifteen transition. We're 206 00:15:39.399 --> 00:15:45.799 still doing business with them today. We're able to bring tangible evidence that that 207 00:15:45.879 --> 00:15:48.120 what we say we're going to do from a safety standpoint, from a performance 208 00:15:48.120 --> 00:15:52.799 standpoint. We're able to take that information and show them. They feel it. 209 00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:56.519 They know at their services where they want, but the reality is is 210 00:15:58.159 --> 00:16:03.720 they're also getting that service done in a manner that there's no concerns about liability 211 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:07.600 on their their side of the equation. I think they're proud to do business. 212 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:11.320 We're with us and I'm quite frankly, where we're not that we're not 213 00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:15.799 the low price provider out of there in the market and you can't be if 214 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:19.639 you're going to offer the products and and the service that we do, and 215 00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:25.240 we're not embarrassed about that or uncomfortable discussing it. And and so so we've 216 00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:27.840 been able to do that. The other side of the equation point is is 217 00:16:29.320 --> 00:16:33.200 we're a track team the right kind of new customers were we continue to grow. 218 00:16:33.320 --> 00:16:37.519 As the driver market allows, we will continue to grow and and we've 219 00:16:37.559 --> 00:16:41.759 got a pretty good vision on where we're going to be in three to five 220 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:45.080 years and the number of units we want to operate in, the and geographic 221 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:51.039 area we want to operate in and there's some identifiable customers that we'd like to 222 00:16:51.080 --> 00:16:56.039 attract and, quite frankly, the performance reporting that we're getting from trucks by 223 00:16:56.200 --> 00:17:00.600 and has allowed us to go out and attract new customers, and so I'm 224 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:04.359 real proud of that opportunity as well. Yeah, that's that's exciting. So 225 00:17:04.519 --> 00:17:08.240 if somebody's listening to this and they feel like they're on this treadmill day and 226 00:17:08.279 --> 00:17:11.119 you know, you know just like I do, this as a hard business. 227 00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:15.279 If you don't have a niche, trucking in general as a hard business, 228 00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:18.799 if you don't have a niche and some type of competitive barrier. Right. 229 00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:22.519 So if someone is listening to this and thinking wow, that's really interesting. 230 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:27.880 Maybe safety could be our competitive differentiator. What, what advice do you 231 00:17:29.319 --> 00:17:33.200 would you give somebody, having gone through all of this, were to actually 232 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:37.480 see results now on the other side. As I know, it's taking a 233 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:42.240 long time, but what advice would you give them? Embrace barriers. Obviously 234 00:17:42.279 --> 00:17:47.640 you're buried the barriers in the industry or your friend, and so embrace them. 235 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:51.359 So many folks fit there are not comfortable with it and complain about it 236 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:55.240 and try to work around the barriers. But but in all fairness, regulatorier 237 00:17:55.319 --> 00:18:02.200 barriers, performance barriers, driver attraction and and retention, those are barriers that 238 00:18:02.200 --> 00:18:06.920 you need to embrace. Figure out, figure out through strategic meetings, what 239 00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:10.079 it is that you're going to do about any particular barrier that's out there and 240 00:18:10.119 --> 00:18:12.599 embrace it and enjoy it, because it's going to be a it's going to 241 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:15.920 be a hurdle that your competitors are going to struggle with. That that's one 242 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:19.559 thing. So so look at them as your friend. Make sure that your 243 00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:26.599 vision is sold both up and down the leadership chaine and the vision and the 244 00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:30.519 mission, because people won't perform unless they know the why. It's really easy 245 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:36.240 to show the how and and and give the map or the playbook forward for 246 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:40.720 the how, but unless the folks know the why and truly believe in it, 247 00:18:40.759 --> 00:18:44.119 I think you're going to continuely struggle. And we're not champions at that. 248 00:18:44.599 --> 00:18:48.200 We work hard at it and we continue to try to articulate exactly what 249 00:18:48.279 --> 00:18:52.039 the company's mission is, and the more we do it, the more successful 250 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:56.240 we seem to be. Yeah, that's that's really good advice. So overcommunicate, 251 00:18:56.720 --> 00:19:02.599 be sure that you're talking about the why and train for the how and 252 00:19:02.759 --> 00:19:06.839 embrace the barriers. That's that's really solid advice. I think they I appreciate 253 00:19:06.920 --> 00:19:10.759 that. Sure. So, Dame, if somebody's listening to this and and 254 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:12.599 they think hey, I really want to get a hold of you, what's 255 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:17.839 the best way? You can contact me with my email at address. It's 256 00:19:18.039 --> 00:19:23.279 d noise, dny see at panhandle expresscom. We also you can also visit 257 00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:29.799 our website at pay and handle expresscom. Very good and I'm curious. So 258 00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:33.799 kind of last question here, Dane, since this is the road forward, 259 00:19:33.400 --> 00:19:40.200 what is on your mind for you or your company over your road forward for 260 00:19:40.279 --> 00:19:45.920 the next twelve months. Well, at present, the the challenge that that 261 00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:53.079 resides in every department of our company is driver retention and driver recruitment and how 262 00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:56.119 can we be a company that the drivers out there, they're in tight supply, 263 00:19:56.359 --> 00:19:59.920 want to, want to come to, want to embrace and want to 264 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:03.400 make a career out of working for paid Hando Express and, quite frankly, 265 00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:07.480 will probably live that for the next twelve, eighteen months. We've got some 266 00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:14.160 really exciting ideas. Our compensation has has changed radically. The safety bonuses that 267 00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:19.759 we offer quarterly are significant and we're real proud of the program we've put in 268 00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:25.480 place. We launched a new program in January of this year. That is 269 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:30.200 the primary component is our driver safety score and, quite frankly, our average 270 00:20:30.279 --> 00:20:37.279 driver score increased from the fourth quarter of two thousand and twenty one. Our 271 00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:41.200 average score was just under nine hundred, and we can go through the metrics, 272 00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:45.119 but it was just under nine hundred and we had about twenty drivers under 273 00:20:45.160 --> 00:20:49.720 a hundred fifty and we consider e fifty the threshold that that's not acceptable. 274 00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:53.319 Well, after the first quarter of two thousand and twenty two, we had 275 00:20:53.480 --> 00:20:59.039 every drive, we had all but two drivers in our fleet attain a driver 276 00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:03.480 score that allowed them their their coreterly bonus. So so we made some radical 277 00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:10.000 moves and in ninety days in our driver scores are are impressive and we're starting 278 00:21:10.039 --> 00:21:12.799 into the second quarter in and those scores are up above what anything that we 279 00:21:14.160 --> 00:21:21.400 ever imagine. With that we have really felt that that culture change has happened. 280 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:25.960 Our drivers of body and they're enjoying the competitiveness of the of the program 281 00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:30.039 and they're able to that that's a tangible number that they're comfortable living with and 282 00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:34.559 they're comfortable with the scoring system and and it's been real impressive. So so 283 00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:40.119 those are some things that we're real proud of and opportunities we offer our drivers. 284 00:21:40.599 --> 00:21:42.920 Yeah, that's that's really that's really cool. And I think everybody is 285 00:21:42.920 --> 00:21:48.039 struggling day with recruiting and retention, right, and it sounds like you guys 286 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:51.480 know that there's more word to do there, but you're coming up with fresh 287 00:21:51.559 --> 00:21:53.920 ideas. You know what's the all saying? If you repeat the same thing 288 00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:56.960 over and over again, and I'm going to busch on my George Bush, 289 00:21:57.000 --> 00:22:00.799 I'm going to butcher the saying, but I think we all know it right. 290 00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:03.440 We have to have fresh ideas and find new ways to accomplish what we 291 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:07.759 need to. Dan, thanks so much for being with me today. You 292 00:22:07.880 --> 00:22:10.440 Bet, but I enjoyed it. Thank you. Yes, sir. So, 293 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:12.440 for those of you listening, things going to stay on after the show. 294 00:22:12.519 --> 00:22:15.880 We're going to we're going to ask him the fast five. So if 295 00:22:15.880 --> 00:22:18.240 you don't know about the fast five, these are five rapid fire questions that 296 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:22.720 we ask every guest on the podcast and we then email them out to our 297 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:27.039 email subscribers after the show. So if you have not subscribed to go to 298 00:22:27.079 --> 00:22:32.799 the road forward podcast CASTCOM. There's a box kind of toward the right of 299 00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:38.000 the page. They're typing your email. That's the road forward podcastcom. And 300 00:22:38.279 --> 00:22:41.119 if you're listening to this, look we really love reviews. If you if 301 00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:47.160 you've enjoyed this episode, tight take ten seconds wherever you're getting your podcast, 302 00:22:47.640 --> 00:22:51.119 click on that little review button the number of stars that you would give us. 303 00:22:51.160 --> 00:22:53.200 We obviously love five star reviews, but if you don't feel like we 304 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:57.079 were five stars, leave us a review anyway, because we really value your 305 00:22:57.119 --> 00:23:00.920 feedback. And if you leave us a review, go ahead and send us 306 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:04.240 a text message at eight zero, six, six, four two, five, 307 00:23:04.519 --> 00:23:08.279 three, eight zero and give us your address. We've got some cool 308 00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:11.720 gear that will send you just as a little thank you for listening to the 309 00:23:11.799 --> 00:23:17.000 show and taking a second to leave us a review. So thank you so 310 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:21.119 much for joining us. And if you are listening to this and you're thinking 311 00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:29.119 what is remember that our industry is changing rapidly and you need to sit back 312 00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:37.400 and think strategically about your businesses road forward. If you manage a truck feet, 313 00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:41.079 you go to bed every night driving that three am phone call, because 314 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:45.319 that call is never a good one. Either your drivers tell you they have 315 00:23:45.400 --> 00:23:48.559 a flat tire and the shipment's delayed, or they were shut down and take 316 00:23:48.599 --> 00:23:51.039 it it at the way station. If the thought of those middle of the 317 00:23:51.160 --> 00:23:55.240 night calls keeps you up at all hours. truckspy can help trucks by gives 318 00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:59.920 managers total visibility into what's happening on the road. Companies use our hardware to 319 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:03.799 make sure their fleets are productive and safe, so that managers like you can 320 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:07.799 see in real time where their trucks are and what they're doing. More trucks 321 00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:11.839 make it on time and without issues or losses, helping you rest easy. 322 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:17.119 Learn more at trucks by DOT IO. You've been listening to the road forward, 323 00:24:17.400 --> 00:24:21.400 the show for trucking industry. That's like you. If you want to 324 00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:23.839 hear from other business owners who've seen trends come and go, all the while 325 00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:29.519 building lasting businesses that keep America running, make sure you're subscribed to catch more 326 00:24:29.559 --> 00:24:32.720 episodes. To easily find the show on your favorite podcast player, go to 327 00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:36.799 the road forward podcastcom. Until next time, keep your eyes on the road 328 00:24:36.880 --> forward.