Save up to 45% on tires

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:13.160 Ye. Welcome back to the Road Forward, a podcast for trucking industry leaders, 2 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:17.239 brought to you by Trucks by the all in one fleet management solution built 3 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:21.120 to empower your drivers to be productive, compliant, and safe. My name 4 00:00:21.160 --> 00:00:24.000 is Alex, and today we're gonna be covering, you know, a little 5 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:27.120 bit of news, some of the stuff at F three, and we're gonna 6 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:32.560 have an interview about how you can save your money as a trucker with as 7 00:00:32.679 --> 00:00:35.799 ridiculous as it sounds, how you can save money even though a ton of 8 00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:38.840 stuff is just going up and up and up in price. So let's jump 9 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:42.560 right in at first, let's talk F three. I'm recording this on Saturday. 10 00:00:42.600 --> 00:00:46.600 We you know, I flew in back to Texas on Thursday, and 11 00:00:46.679 --> 00:00:50.520 so I was hanging out with Matt and Flint and it was it was a 12 00:00:50.520 --> 00:00:52.719 good time. But you know, I had some fun with him, and 13 00:00:52.759 --> 00:00:57.479 I showed Matt a this right here. I found this on Reddit. Apparently 14 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:00.119 this driver is an expert at the claw game. And here's Matt's reaction to 15 00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:11.120 that. I can look at it now. I read the text. Man, 16 00:01:11.239 --> 00:01:15.120 this guy's yeah, he's killing it. He's killing the club game now. 17 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:17.799 Flint has a daughter and I have kids too, and so I showed 18 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:21.519 Flint this one right here. It's just there's a treking company called Baby Shark 19 00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:23.719 Trucking, and you know baby Shark do do Do Do do do? It's 20 00:01:23.799 --> 00:01:34.519 yeah. So here's here's Flint's reaction to this one. It's just yeah shark. 21 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:42.480 Now. As for babe an F three event to review, it was 22 00:01:42.519 --> 00:01:46.640 good. There was a lot of companies there that seemed like a logical integration, 23 00:01:46.719 --> 00:01:48.599 so I know where there's gonna be a lot of follow ups. I 24 00:01:48.640 --> 00:01:51.519 also talked to a handful of people about being a guest on the show, 25 00:01:51.519 --> 00:01:53.439 so that's really exciting. But all in all, it was just there was 26 00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:57.719 room for improvement in the event, but it was by all accounts, it 27 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:00.120 was good. I was glad to be there, and you know, the 28 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:01.959 guys made fun of me for recording them all the time, which is kind 29 00:02:01.959 --> 00:02:07.599 of funny, you recording, But that's all right because I'm there to do 30 00:02:07.640 --> 00:02:10.199 a job which is recorded and document the event. And speaking of jobs, 31 00:02:10.199 --> 00:02:14.000 by the way, you know, look at that segue. Um. Obviously 32 00:02:14.120 --> 00:02:17.280 there's been announced tons of layoffs and you know an article that I saw a 33 00:02:17.280 --> 00:02:23.960 business insider. Electric truck maker Nicola lays off of Romeo Powers workforce in post 34 00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:28.800 hundred forty four million dollar acquisition restructuring. So um, you know, and 35 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:31.080 I think a couple of weeks there was a sentencing for the UM for the 36 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:36.479 CEO and founder. So Nicola is just having a difficult time, okay, 37 00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:40.280 and that's unfortunate. But that's not the only company that's been doing an announcing 38 00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:45.360 a ton of layoffs. Obviously, UM the jobs, the FED Jobs report 39 00:02:45.560 --> 00:02:50.680 came out yesterday and you know it's we're going into a rough season. So 40 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:53.240 you know, so maybe some advice that I could give you is uh ET 41 00:02:53.439 --> 00:03:00.199 Transport on YouTube uploaded a fantastic video right if you're you're if you're a fiver, 42 00:03:00.599 --> 00:03:05.080 UM, you know, we have a quote unquote like forty eight uh 43 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:09.159 person driver or forty to eighty thou drivers shortage in trucking. I I you 44 00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:12.120 know, some people say there is, some people say there isn't, so 45 00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:16.000 who knows, but but still be aware of bs trucking job postings don't fall 46 00:03:16.039 --> 00:03:20.240 for these traps. So a really good video. If you want to check 47 00:03:20.280 --> 00:03:22.840 this out after you've done watching this podcast, you're listening to this. I'll 48 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:24.439 link all of it in the description the show. That's just really good. 49 00:03:24.439 --> 00:03:29.240 If you're a professional driver and you have the experience, you should be you 50 00:03:29.240 --> 00:03:30.919 know, paying attention. If you're going to switch jobs, this might be 51 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:34.159 a really good video for you to check out. And then last week we 52 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:38.000 talked about double brokering and I saw another article freight caviar dot com and that 53 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:43.000 is do people like working for freight brokerages? Right? Obviously it's not necessarily 54 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:45.879 about double brokering, but you know it was it was a good read. 55 00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:47.639 You know, it's a mixed bag. You know, some brokers, maybe 56 00:03:47.639 --> 00:03:52.080 some of the bigger ones that are known for cheap freight, uh not so 57 00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:53.840 good. But some of the better brokerages, Um, you know it looks 58 00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:55.800 like they're doing all right. Maybe you want to just get out of the 59 00:03:55.840 --> 00:03:58.919 driver's seed entirely. And you're like, hey, well I have a lot 60 00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:01.680 of experience, and so it's like maybe becoming a broker might be a good 61 00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:05.879 idea for you. Look up the reviews of your brokerage that you're thinking about 62 00:04:05.960 --> 00:04:09.520 joining before you join. If you really want to get out of the driver's 63 00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:13.039 seat. Um, so like yes, Steam Logistics is a brokerage based on 64 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:17.120 out of Chattanoog founded company has around a thousand employees. Out of thirty five 65 00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:21.759 reviews, the company holds three point six overall rating. I'm reading this from 66 00:04:21.800 --> 00:04:27.800 the article. I'm not like so you know that is I mean, it 67 00:04:27.800 --> 00:04:30.639 would be interesting to see what, like what the reviews for trucking companies. 68 00:04:30.759 --> 00:04:33.279 Maybe I'll get that article next week. What's really concerning though about the industry 69 00:04:33.399 --> 00:04:38.240 is this diesel shortage. You know, there there's been several articles twenty five 70 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:42.600 days left something like that, so um, obviously they're talking about like if 71 00:04:42.600 --> 00:04:45.680 we don't make any more diesel or important more diesel, there's only twenty five 72 00:04:45.759 --> 00:04:48.279 days left. But I kind of went down the rabbit hole of looking all 73 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:53.800 these fuel articles and whatnot, and I came across Cowboy State Daily dot com. 74 00:04:53.959 --> 00:04:58.920 Okay, this is I believe Wyoming faces potential disaster as diesel supplies evaporate 75 00:04:59.240 --> 00:05:03.079 evaporate. So it's concerning that a lot of you know, people depend on 76 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:09.319 the trucking industry, but diesel is just so expensive it's ridiculous. So this 77 00:05:09.399 --> 00:05:13.959 was a really, really good read of why there's so many issues in the 78 00:05:14.040 --> 00:05:16.480 diesel market in the you know, manufacturing of it and whatnot. So it's 79 00:05:16.519 --> 00:05:19.120 just a really good one. I'm just trying to point you guys all the 80 00:05:19.160 --> 00:05:21.560 directions so that if you're on the road as a trucking company, you know 81 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:26.079 what to look out for maybe help you better prepare. Speaking of preparing, 82 00:05:26.279 --> 00:05:29.519 this brings me to the guests on the show. Um, it's Todd and 83 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:35.759 Garrett from Crown Source Inca almost forgot so and they have a variety of offerings 84 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:42.279 how you as a company, you as a motor carrier can save money on 85 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:45.279 the road, and it's it's been really great. Now I was a motor 86 00:05:45.319 --> 00:05:47.000 carrier, so it's like this would have certainly helped me when I was a 87 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:50.160 motor carrier. So let's just get into that interview and asked Todd and Garrett 88 00:05:50.199 --> 00:05:54.639 these questions. I actually ran into Garrett at the Line Hall summit which we 89 00:05:54.959 --> 00:05:59.879 held earlier this year, and it was just interesting talking to them actually are 90 00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:03.839 pressing some of the problems truckers are experiencing. So we're gonna ask Todd, 91 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:08.439 um, give us some background on your experience, where you come from, 92 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:12.600 and then how this Crown Source in idea came to be. Yeah, this 93 00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:16.199 Crown Source idea came about about five years ago. We launched our offering four 94 00:06:16.240 --> 00:06:21.439 and a half years ago. My experience and procurement and cost savings or cost 95 00:06:21.480 --> 00:06:27.000 reduction solutions has been going on for twenty five plus years. I've spent twenty 96 00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:31.199 plus years in healthcare and built a similar business to Crown Source, but in 97 00:06:31.240 --> 00:06:35.360 the healthcare space, saved as that company saved over a billion dollars. Now 98 00:06:35.399 --> 00:06:41.040 in healthcare, it's done extremely well. We sold that organization back in two 99 00:06:41.079 --> 00:06:44.920 thousand thirteen, and then I connected with our co founder. I'm one of 100 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:48.240 the co founders of Crown Source, Keith ross And who spent about fifteen years 101 00:06:48.240 --> 00:06:51.560 at Yellow Freight. And I point over here because it says they're about a 102 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:55.560 mile and a half down the road here in Overload Park, Kansas. But 103 00:06:55.879 --> 00:07:00.079 he spent about fifteen years with them, running procurement other operations. And and 104 00:07:00.120 --> 00:07:02.879 we actually met through our daughter's high school dance team, and we got to 105 00:07:02.920 --> 00:07:06.040 talk in one day about the needs of the trucking industry. I was getting 106 00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:10.519 out of healthcare at that point in time, and and I said, cash, 107 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:14.160 it sounds like everything that I've built for the last twenty years of healthcare, 108 00:07:14.439 --> 00:07:17.120 sounds like there's really a need in an opportunity in the trucking space. 109 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:23.120 And so literally about six months after that first conversation was when we started forming 110 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:27.439 Crown Source and so um, it's worked extremely well. We have grown tremendously 111 00:07:27.480 --> 00:07:29.879 in the four and a half years. We looked very different than we did 112 00:07:29.879 --> 00:07:32.639 four and a half years ago. We're not just in trucking, We're literally 113 00:07:32.680 --> 00:07:39.000 in twelve different transportation and specialty fleet industries. So we did if you've got 114 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:43.000 a fleet with tires, you know, and that's crane and rigging and moving 115 00:07:43.000 --> 00:07:46.160 and storage and and and ready mixed conquer you name it, we're in it. 116 00:07:46.600 --> 00:07:50.120 And uh it's it's just gone extremely well in terms of savings, were 117 00:07:50.120 --> 00:07:55.720 passing along companies, right, that's that's really great. I want to get 118 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:59.240 into a little bit more what you wait, like exactly what your offerings are 119 00:07:59.279 --> 00:08:01.360 down the road. But I do want to bring up the point that like 120 00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:07.720 it's frustrating because I was a small carrier and it's like, how on earth 121 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:09.800 would a big company or why on earth would a big company want to work 122 00:08:09.839 --> 00:08:13.920 with you give you any kind of a discount as a small carrier. So 123 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:18.160 the only way you can take advantage of discounts saving on things that just always 124 00:08:18.199 --> 00:08:20.800 keep going up in value. It's like, I don't remember the last time 125 00:08:20.920 --> 00:08:22.759 tires went down in price, right, So it's like the only way you 126 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:28.439 can do it is by collective um, collective bargaining, what collective negotiations? 127 00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:33.039 Yeah, that's a great point. There's really three main foundations to our company. 128 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:37.799 Okay. Number one is where a group purchasing organization. So what does 129 00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:41.759 that mean our sourcing experts, we have almost a hundred years of sourcing and 130 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:46.240 contracting expertise. Well, we call procurement best practice expertise because it's more than 131 00:08:46.279 --> 00:08:52.279 just that. It's literally a nine step process to manage a procurement process. 132 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:56.399 Well, okay, so that's what our team does on behalf of companies, 133 00:08:56.679 --> 00:09:00.600 whether you have a truck of one or or you manage to lead a thousand. 134 00:09:00.600 --> 00:09:05.159 We help all sized companies up in different ways. But but basically it's 135 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:09.039 that group purchasing organization that we built for the small guys what we call the 136 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:13.559 one to eight truck fleets. Typically a fleet of eighty or or less is 137 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:18.039 not going to get a national account discount. You might have a discount with 138 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:20.879 with a tire dealer in your local area, but it's not gonna typically it's 139 00:09:20.919 --> 00:09:24.879 not going to be better than the national account discounts. We can negotiate um 140 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:30.320 using our own buying power. So today we have well over fifty power units 141 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:33.960 in our network, okay um in just a short four years because we're bringing 142 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:37.320 so much value to these companies. And so we use that buying power with 143 00:09:37.480 --> 00:09:41.559 large market leading suppliers like the bridge Stones of the World, or or Imperial 144 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:45.679 Supplies, or you know, just major companies across the boarder. And so 145 00:09:45.799 --> 00:09:50.639 that's that's the foundation of our group purchasing organization that negotiates those discounts on behalf 146 00:09:50.679 --> 00:09:54.200 of the owner operator or a small fleet that can never get that pricing on 147 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:56.559 their own. Secondly, we do a lot of custom sourcing that are are 148 00:09:56.720 --> 00:10:03.360 that same team does a lot of cuss simization with large fleet companies like Navajo 149 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:07.159 Express and Well and GLS and and Eagle Transport. These are just big truckee 150 00:10:07.159 --> 00:10:11.039 companies. We do at large school bus companies, at crane and rigging companies 151 00:10:11.080 --> 00:10:16.120 as well, and we basically customize a program that best meets the specific needs 152 00:10:16.120 --> 00:10:20.039 of those companies, So we're kind of both ends of the spectrum on that 153 00:10:20.120 --> 00:10:24.399 sourcing. And then the unique common denominator to both of those offerings is our 154 00:10:24.440 --> 00:10:30.840 technology platform. Okay, so we have a mobile app today that that truckers 155 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:35.399 can get access to our discounts tire discounts, especially over the road or at 156 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:37.200 a dealer by pulling up our mobile app. And we have an e commerce 157 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:41.399 marketplace like an Amazon that's pre loaded with four million products, you know, 158 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:48.279 national account discounts saving companies as much as sevent in certain areas that's available on 159 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:52.080 that one stop shopping experience. So we really have to get anything from from 160 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:56.600 one end of the spectrum to another, right because now, and I want 161 00:10:56.600 --> 00:11:00.720 to just you know, tires is definitely a more more common, easier thing 162 00:11:00.759 --> 00:11:03.080 to understand, and it was just so frustrating earlier this year. I had, 163 00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:05.080 you know, I had a semi on the road and I had to 164 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:09.440 go buy a tire for the trailer. Okay, just just I just need 165 00:11:09.480 --> 00:11:13.679 a simple trailer tire, nothing crazy, And the only thing they had was 166 00:11:13.799 --> 00:11:16.559 some seven or eight hundred dollar Michelin and I'm like, I'm not putting a 167 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:20.679 seven or eight hundred dollar Michelin tire on the trailer. That doesn't make any 168 00:11:20.679 --> 00:11:24.759 sense. Those and you know, of course it's like it's it's almost like 169 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:26.919 they're they're they you know, they're hoping something goes bad when you're on the 170 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:31.279 road, because then you're stuck buying it from just the closest place that is 171 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:37.399 unfortunately overcharging. And so you're saying that between the sourcing and the technology, 172 00:11:37.559 --> 00:11:41.120 truckers, even small single guys, single owner operator trucks on the road, 173 00:11:41.159 --> 00:11:45.440 they'll be able to use both of those, your sourcing and your technology to 174 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:48.480 not for that not to happen on the road. Correct, Yeah, exactly. 175 00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:52.559 Our sourcing it's already preloaded National Cats ready to access. Those discounts are 176 00:11:52.559 --> 00:11:56.120 available. All you have to do as a company or as a trucker. 177 00:11:56.240 --> 00:11:58.759 Let's just get signed up. You just set up an account and I could 178 00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:01.279 have Garrett walking through how how simple and easy that is here in a second. 179 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:05.679 But it's so the sourcing and the contracting of the pricing is already pre 180 00:12:05.720 --> 00:12:07.919 negotiated. You just have to because become a customer. Marks. Okay, 181 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:13.840 we have over four thousand tire dealers in our network. They should win We 182 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:18.559 have national account agreements at loves Pilot Flying Jays, which are are really operated 183 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:22.399 by Southern Tire Mark and then Ta Petro and Ambas. So any truck stop 184 00:12:22.440 --> 00:12:26.919 over the road, you're gonna get access to our national account discount pricing, 185 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:31.120 okay, and that covers about twenty different brands. Okay, So that in 186 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:35.279 your right, I mean, Garrett, you can share this, share some 187 00:12:35.320 --> 00:12:37.120 of the pricing and the savings that you know, the price points that we're 188 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:41.639 seeing these owner operators paying today and the discounts of the safety thing you get 189 00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:43.399 with us. Yeah, that's great. So I mean even to your point 190 00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:48.000 there, Alex, you know you mentioned seven eight dars that you see over 191 00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:50.600 there that you know, I talked to these truckers every day and I'm seeing 192 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:54.399 savings really between a hundred and four hundred dollars per tire um and across all 193 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:58.600 these different different brands all over the board, different locations. So as Tom 194 00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:01.720 mentioned, we have over fifteen major brands that we can connect you with that 195 00:13:01.799 --> 00:13:05.120 have national account pricing that's going to bring significant savings. So we see anywhere 196 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:09.639 between ten and fifty really, whether it's you know and over the road at 197 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:13.320 a truck stop or you're broken down and get some ropes, houts, you 198 00:13:13.320 --> 00:13:16.000 know, service, or even just pulling right into an eye. Um. 199 00:13:16.039 --> 00:13:18.960 So that's really the type of savings that we're seeing every day, and obviously 200 00:13:20.039 --> 00:13:22.320 during these equationary time on mean, it's it's tough. Well, you mentioned 201 00:13:22.360 --> 00:13:28.159 this earlier, alex Um. You talk about prior price increases. The average 202 00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:33.759 tire price has gone up since March. Okay, and a lot of drivers 203 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:37.240 if you haven't bought a tire that a lot of owner robberators are buying tires 204 00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:39.080 every month, right, So if you haven't bought a tire in a few 205 00:13:39.080 --> 00:13:41.840 months, this is why you need to come to our program. Because prices 206 00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:46.799 are continuing to escalate and a lot of it is because of the challenges that 207 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:50.600 are going on in Ukraine and Russia. There's a lot of sanctions that are 208 00:13:50.600 --> 00:13:54.159 that are are being imposed on a lot of these manufacturers. It's not that 209 00:13:54.200 --> 00:13:58.919 tires or being manufactured in Russia or Ukraine, but a lot of the products 210 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:03.360 that go into the manufacturing are produced gonna come out of those countries. And 211 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:07.279 so what's happened is every tire manufacturer has run into inventory issues. I'm sure 212 00:14:07.320 --> 00:14:11.360 you guys have seen it. It's difficult to maybe find the tire that you 213 00:14:11.399 --> 00:14:13.639 want all the time, and so that's a challenge. And because of that, 214 00:14:15.159 --> 00:14:18.720 because the supply has gone down and the demand continues to rise, pricing 215 00:14:18.759 --> 00:14:22.120 goes up. That's the beauty of coming to our program because we're gonna ensure 216 00:14:22.200 --> 00:14:26.399 that you're saving money because these prices are escalating fuels the same way fuel's gone 217 00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:31.720 up over since January. And we have a fuel car program where you can 218 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:35.919 get access to deep discounts that you know, Ta Petro and loves the pilofly 219 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:39.120 J and we're just out of the and best network in the process of that. 220 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:41.879 So really you're gonna get access to two discounts there as well. So 221 00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:46.840 there's a lot of things we can do to save your your customers and and 222 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:50.240 drivers out there a lot of money. Um. And you know you hear 223 00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:52.840 a first fan from Garrett. He talks to these guys ever you know you 224 00:14:52.879 --> 00:14:56.639 guys drivers all the time. Uh, It's it's a it's a huge win 225 00:14:56.759 --> 00:15:00.879 for them, right And it's it's one of those things, like a couple 226 00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:03.200 of things I would saying, Like first, it's it's almost like you get 227 00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:07.480 penalized for not knowing. Right, It's like, where where were you guys 228 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:09.480 from, you know, four or five months ago. Now I'm kind of 229 00:15:09.559 --> 00:15:13.679 kicking myself. It's like, darn, I did overspend on tires, you 230 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:16.240 know, and and and fuel. I mean, I had it. I 231 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:20.399 had a fuel card program that came with my factoring company. But from what 232 00:15:20.440 --> 00:15:24.120 I'm hearing the discounts that are being offered is it was not as good as 233 00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:28.320 you know, the discounts Art discounts will probably better than those factoring companies. 234 00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:31.200 And they also too, is the expanded coverage. Right, A lot of 235 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:35.360 companies out there will have one primary truck stop on their card, whether it's 236 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:37.480 a com Date or a Welex card. We've got all the four major brands, 237 00:15:37.639 --> 00:15:41.600 all four major truck stop changes. Okay, in a bunch of independence. 238 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:43.879 That's the beauty. So you're gonna get discounts, but it's so it's 239 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:48.559 convenience. It's you get amenities, you get discounts, you get anything. 240 00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:50.960 Wherever you're pulling it, you basically could use that card, uh and get 241 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:54.759 some discounts. And so that's really a powerful art in network is as broad 242 00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:58.759 as anything out there in the market, right, and and so, but 243 00:15:58.840 --> 00:16:02.559 I do want to like, you know, if it sounds too good to 244 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:04.279 be true, probably is right, So like, is there some kind of 245 00:16:04.360 --> 00:16:08.799 you know, obviously on Amazon Prime there's their two annual subscription, Like, 246 00:16:10.279 --> 00:16:12.080 how do you know? How does this work? What does it? Does 247 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:15.440 a trucker have to pay an upfront cost? Like? What what is the 248 00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:17.840 situation? How does this program? How does somebody get signed up? What 249 00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:19.759 does it cost? Yeah, that's great, that's a great question. Uh, 250 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:23.120 we know in the trucking industry, margins are thin. You get this, 251 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:26.879 Alex right, the typical trucking company is gonna make between three and a 252 00:16:26.919 --> 00:16:33.320 half and six percent and profitability okay. Uh, we're not here to eat 253 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:37.559 into that profit margin of yours. Okay. We have built technology to streamline, 254 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:41.679 standardize, and automate the process to scale this, okay, and because 255 00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:45.000 of that we've grown. We basically have no no, there's no fee subscription 256 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:48.440 fee to get access to our app. Okay, you literally can download an 257 00:16:48.440 --> 00:16:52.519 app. Our account management team will walk you through that. It's just getting 258 00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:56.759 set up on the system. And and so we keep that at no fee 259 00:16:56.759 --> 00:16:57.720 to you. We get So you may be saying, well, how does 260 00:16:57.759 --> 00:17:03.200 Crown Source make money. We get paid an administration or marketing however you want 261 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:06.480 to call it, from all of our contracted suppliers. We have well o 262 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:11.160 our fifty market leading contracted suppliers that we you know, we promote their product 263 00:17:11.240 --> 00:17:15.000 and pass along great discounts. They win, they they sell more product. 264 00:17:15.240 --> 00:17:18.480 Our customers win because they save more money. And if and if both of 265 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:22.680 those parties both win, okay, then Crown Source gets paid. And so 266 00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:26.000 we get paid an administration fee for so the more drivers that come onto our 267 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:30.480 program and save, the more money we make, and the more purchases our 268 00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:36.440 suppliers get. It's really a perfect win win situation. And so that's how 269 00:17:36.440 --> 00:17:40.559 we make it. So we want to keep the expense as to nothing because 270 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:42.119 we want you to make more money. We want you drivers to put more 271 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:48.039 money in their pocket not have to to pay to say right. So, 272 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:52.039 like to to simplify that or to rephrase it, maybe it's like if I'm 273 00:17:52.119 --> 00:17:56.960 some kind of manufacturing I make tires or some kind of trucking parts, and 274 00:17:56.079 --> 00:18:00.440 I want to get my product out the door, right because it's not doing 275 00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:02.839 me any good sitting on my shelves. I want to give my product. 276 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:06.799 I call you, you negotiate a discount I pay you for and you put 277 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:11.960 me in front of fifty truckers in that It's like that that is a win 278 00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:18.319 win. So that makes we eliminate We eliminate a lot of s g NA 279 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:21.640 costs for manufacturers and suppliers, right, And that's how we can get paid 280 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:23.640 some of that, and that's how we can get even deeper discounts. There's 281 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:27.240 just so many variables that come into it that when when you add it all 282 00:18:27.319 --> 00:18:30.119 up, that's how we could pass all these deep discounts. And it's a 283 00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:34.759 very successful proposition for everyone. Yeah, that's perfect. So about the fuel 284 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:37.160 card though I have a diesel pickup truck, does that mean like do I 285 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:40.880 need a deal team member? Could I get the fuel card and get cheaper 286 00:18:40.920 --> 00:18:44.400 fuel? Because then these prices they're not cutting it, dude, No, 287 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:47.599 they're not. Uh. Here's what I would suggest. If you have any 288 00:18:47.640 --> 00:18:51.559 interests or any of your customers have any interests and learning more about our tire 289 00:18:51.640 --> 00:18:53.880 or saving our fuel savings program, just reach out to us. So we're 290 00:18:53.880 --> 00:18:57.440 gonna have an expert walking through every single thing. We'll ask questions about how 291 00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:02.279 you purchase your tires or fuel today, what brands you use where you're buying 292 00:19:02.279 --> 00:19:03.960 them that We're going to make sure that we pinpointed our account. The Answerment 293 00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:07.160 team you know, led by Garrett here, we got a team behind him. 294 00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:11.000 Uh. These guys are here to help solve your problems and make things 295 00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:15.319 easy for you. So they're that's perfect. Do you have the form you 296 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:17.960 want to share with them? How how customers can get signed up on this? 297 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:19.359 Of course? Yeah. We currently have a link set up with linehol 298 00:19:19.400 --> 00:19:23.079 Summit, which is just www dot Crown, source ink dot com slash line 299 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:26.640 whole Summit. Um. So it's just a quick sign up form. It 300 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:29.440 takes about thirty to sixty seconds to fill it out, um, and then 301 00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:33.200 an account manager like myself will be in touch with whomever filled out to sign 302 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:36.680 up form to essentially get your account set up and begin saving immediate. Yeah, 303 00:19:37.640 --> 00:19:40.839 okay, I'll make sure to put that. Yeah, I appreciate it. 304 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:44.079 I'll definitely put that link in the description and so that people can just 305 00:19:44.119 --> 00:19:47.720 click on it and right away get there. Um. But between you know, 306 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:49.559 obviously it's been a heck of a year and a half and you know, 307 00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:55.119 whether it's the boat or the ship that you know it got stuck in 308 00:19:55.160 --> 00:19:57.759 the what was the suaz Canal or whether it's been these container prices. It's 309 00:19:57.759 --> 00:20:02.319 like, how has been like this past year and a half, like getting 310 00:20:02.680 --> 00:20:06.759 getting these parts, are getting these shipment's deliveries to the US, Like how 311 00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:08.599 like how has that impacted the business at all? What can you like? 312 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:12.480 What can you share about the supply chain? You know, for the most 313 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:18.079 part, Crown sources not take possession any any product. Okay, we know 314 00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:22.319 we source and negotiate the contract at deep national account discount price for you programs 315 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:26.400 directly with the suppliers and manufacturer who distribute the products. So the beauty of 316 00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:30.880 it today is there's really no behavior change. Okay, a driver today, 317 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:33.079 if he needs to buy tires today, he's gonna buy it exactly how he 318 00:20:33.079 --> 00:20:37.440 does today. They're gonna pull into a tire dealer in the truck stop. 319 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:40.759 They're gonna reference the national account number on our mobile app, and they're just 320 00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:45.680 gonna say and so the availability of product that's in those those dealers are out 321 00:20:45.720 --> 00:20:51.640 those truck stops really is dependent on the supply chain, um, you know, 322 00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:55.160 ability for them to manage effectively Crown Source does not get involved in that. 323 00:20:55.480 --> 00:20:59.319 I will say with the vast majority of products that we do have available 324 00:20:59.319 --> 00:21:03.400 through our market ace or through our app we really haven't run into that many 325 00:21:03.400 --> 00:21:06.359 supply chain issues. Tires have been a little bit of an issue because of 326 00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:08.920 sourcing those parts, but that's an issue for every tire manufacturer, So that 327 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:11.920 has nothing really to do with Crown Store. That's just kind of the nature 328 00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:17.240 of the beace U. The companies that we talked to, the major manufacturers, 329 00:21:17.240 --> 00:21:19.240 the tires um they all feel good that they're gonna be coming out a 330 00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:23.279 lot of these challenges by the first part Q one three. So I really 331 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:27.400 don't think there's gonna be any significant issues, uh you know moving forward. 332 00:21:27.880 --> 00:21:32.119 Um, So we're optimistic from that perspective, but there haven't been too many 333 00:21:32.119 --> 00:21:36.079 supply chain issues. Well that that's that's good to hear. That's the that's 334 00:21:36.119 --> 00:21:40.079 really really good because yeah, and and so besides tires, right, I 335 00:21:40.119 --> 00:21:41.440 know, tires is a big one. And that's you know, if you're 336 00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:45.200 doing eighteen tires on your truck and trailer and it's like that you can if 337 00:21:45.240 --> 00:21:52.519 you're saving between fifteen and fift like that's a substantial amount of signific besides tires, 338 00:21:52.519 --> 00:21:55.759 though, what what other parts or what other what other things do you 339 00:21:56.000 --> 00:22:00.160 use source or negotiate UM at these at these uh at the actually great question 340 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:04.440 out. So we have eighteen different major product categories that we have under contract, 341 00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:10.200 from fuel and fuels, over the road, local and bulk. Okay, 342 00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:15.240 two tires, to fleet parts, to maintenance shops supplies, UM to 343 00:22:15.720 --> 00:22:22.960 UM facility maintenance, repairing, operation type supplies, Granger, Imperial, UM 344 00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:26.599 you know, just major major suppliers. They're all market leading suppliers, well 345 00:22:26.680 --> 00:22:33.359 trusted companies that can deliver products overnight to your doorstep on a consistent basis. 346 00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:36.519 A free shipping. We have negive state a free shipping into all of this 347 00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:41.519 office supplies, break room supply, safety and regulatory supplies. J. J. 348 00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:44.559 Keller is a market leading supplier of ours. With that, UM, 349 00:22:44.599 --> 00:22:48.240 you know what am I missing here? Packaging, warehouse storage, warehousing and 350 00:22:48.359 --> 00:22:55.279 storage supplies, UM diesel exhaust fluid diesel exhaust fluid right oil Coolant's I mean 351 00:22:55.319 --> 00:23:00.200 basically anything that a company needs to operate its fleet and it's operates facilities we 352 00:23:00.279 --> 00:23:06.519 have under contract. Okay, so I UM a friend of mine has a 353 00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:10.400 diesel like a repair shop, a deesel mechanic shop, right, so he 354 00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:12.200 would be able to benefit even though he doesn't have any of his own trucks 355 00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:18.799 on the road, he would be able to actually get up on our system. 356 00:23:18.359 --> 00:23:22.440 Yea. So it's not you're not just we have several of them set 357 00:23:22.519 --> 00:23:25.960 up today with us. So it's not just trucking companies, right. But 358 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:30.200 it's like if you are somehow doing some kind of operations where you're maybe you 359 00:23:30.200 --> 00:23:34.240 are servicing trucks or you're doing something in that regards, you could have shop, 360 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:37.200 if you manage a maintenance shop, you definitely need to call us because 361 00:23:37.240 --> 00:23:41.319 we have we have ever did you I will pass it on to him. 362 00:23:41.319 --> 00:23:45.880 That's fantastic, um okay. And then obviously the podcast is called The Road 363 00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:48.119 Forward. Where do you see I know you mentioned a little bit earlier that 364 00:23:48.200 --> 00:23:52.359 you know in Q one things are gonna like like things are gonna improve supply 365 00:23:52.440 --> 00:23:56.200 chain wise, but where do you see the you know, the trucking industry 366 00:23:56.440 --> 00:23:57.880 going as a whole, Like what is what is your outlook you know on 367 00:23:57.920 --> 00:24:02.119 the roadboard so to speak. Well, you know, we're definitely in some 368 00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:06.920 inflationary times. Right, one could say bordering on a recession um but that's 369 00:24:06.920 --> 00:24:10.480 a lot of the talks when you when you look at the analysts around this 370 00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:15.480 industry, and I'm hearing sometime in the February to April time frame that hopefully 371 00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:18.200 that will start coming back out, especially for owner operators who are competing in 372 00:24:18.279 --> 00:24:22.279 the spot market. It's a difficult time, right the carriers, the carriers 373 00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:26.400 who have contracted you know, contracts, you know, they're not they're not 374 00:24:26.440 --> 00:24:30.359 struggling. We have some very large fleet companies that are doing really, really 375 00:24:30.359 --> 00:24:33.920 well. From what we're hearing, is for the owner operators and small fleets 376 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:36.359 that compete in the spot market, that's gonna come back around. We know 377 00:24:36.440 --> 00:24:38.839 this is cyclical. This is now the time for them to get prepared, 378 00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:41.599 get set up, get prepared, and you know, with a company like 379 00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:45.480 us, to get going, because we do think that's gonna come back in 380 00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:48.839 our forecasts, believe that by Q two of next year, things are gonna 381 00:24:48.839 --> 00:24:51.960 be you know, coming back to to you know, a good strong position. 382 00:24:52.359 --> 00:24:55.920 And that's exciting too because it's probably the February time frame we're gonna launch 383 00:24:55.920 --> 00:25:00.440 our new version two over the road try her saving the app if you will, 384 00:25:00.759 --> 00:25:03.559 which will have more than just tires. Okay, it'll integrate our fuel 385 00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:10.799 program, but it's also gonna expand our emergency roads uh road roadside service offering 386 00:25:11.160 --> 00:25:14.240 to repair offering, to a lot of cool things that we're gonna be able 387 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:15.960 to do. It's kind of like the one stop shop for a driver. 388 00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:19.759 Everything he needs to do to save, to managees this truck, he's gonna 389 00:25:19.759 --> 00:25:26.160 have available here, and there'll be some cool incentives and rewards and referral programs. 390 00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:27.839 There's a lot of cool things we're gonna do to continue to give back 391 00:25:27.920 --> 00:25:33.240 to the community. I'm smiling over here because I remember I got towed one 392 00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:37.720 time and it was like thirty on that savage rug. It was just I 393 00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:41.519 was so hurt. I was like, my goodness, it was like three 394 00:25:41.519 --> 00:25:45.519 miles too. It was the worst. Oh my gosh. So uh yeah, 395 00:25:45.559 --> 00:25:48.680 that's that's great. So if you're not signed up with Crownsource, check 396 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:51.279 them out. We'll put a link in the description. Um. But that's 397 00:25:51.400 --> 00:25:53.079 that's exciting, man, This is you're doing fantastic work. It was good 398 00:25:53.079 --> 00:25:56.799 to meet you guys at the linehol Summer. I appreciate you taking the time 399 00:25:56.039 --> 00:26:00.759 any final thoughts, final words you todd Er, Gary? No, none 400 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:04.039 for me? How about you? Garret? Okay, well, I love 401 00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:07.519 to love to work with your folks, and um, you know we're here 402 00:26:07.559 --> 00:26:08.839 to help in any way we can't, so all right, Well that's gonna 403 00:26:08.839 --> 00:26:11.400 do it for this week's podcast. Let me know in the comments down below 404 00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:15.799 what you think, leave us a review, and I apologize it's a couple 405 00:26:15.839 --> 00:26:18.119 of days late because of the whole F three event, and I look forward 406 00:26:18.160 --> 00:26:23.240 to seeing you next week. By H