1 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:09,640 Speaker 1: This is America's truck In Network with Kevin Gordon. 2 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 2: This is america struck In Network seven hundred at WLW. 3 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:19,240 Speaker 2: I'm Kevin Gordon. I'm joined by Connie Dempsey, Senior Continuous 4 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:23,959 Speaker 2: Improvement Manager, and Deborah Smith, she is the director of 5 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 2: Operations Continuous Improvement. But their involvement in Rush Enterprise's twentieth 6 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 2: anniversary Tech Tech Skills Rodeo. They are part of the 7 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:38,239 Speaker 2: competition committee that actually puts this whole thing together. And 8 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 2: what Jody had talked about the other day was that, 9 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 2: you know, in addition to the full time job and 10 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 2: all the responsibilities, you've got this part time, full time 11 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 2: job that you guys do throughout to hear and so explain, 12 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 2: first of all, how long. 13 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 3: How many times have you, Connie have you done? Have 14 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 3: you done this rodeo? 15 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 1: This is my fourth year being on the committee. 16 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 3: Yes, okay, And you've been with Rush Truck Centers for. 17 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 4: I've been with Rush Truck Centers or RUSSI Enterprises for 18 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 4: twenty three years, okay. And yeah, just got involved a 19 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 4: few years ago doing scheduling and things like that for 20 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 4: the classes. And that's my main responsibility here. 21 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 2: At Deborah, you have a Deborah or Debbie Deborah Deborah. Okay, yeah, 22 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:31,399 Speaker 2: so so I don't want to get the names right, 23 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 2: so I don't assault anybody, makes sense. 24 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 1: Yeah. 25 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 5: So I have been on the Rodeo committee for about 26 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:42,039 Speaker 5: five years, did support before that, and then I've been 27 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 5: with Russian Enterprises for actually almost twenty one years. 28 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 3: Wow, coming up so amazing. 29 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 2: I am blown away by the number of people I 30 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 2: talked to from russ Enterprises that have been there for fifteen, twenty, 31 00:01:58,160 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 2: twenty three, thirty. 32 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 3: It's incredible. 33 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 2: That speaks a lot about well the individuals, but also 34 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 2: Rush Enterprises themselves. 35 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 3: They must be doing something right. 36 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: To Yeah, definitely. 37 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 5: I think there's a lot of opportunity for just being 38 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,359 Speaker 5: able to find your thing at Rush. You know, if 39 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 5: you're a truck sales parts service, there's just really so 40 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 5: many different opportunities for sure. 41 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: And it's a great company. 42 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 3: Yeah. 43 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 2: And so the planning of this, let's go to the 44 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 2: Connie here and so this is not something that's just 45 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:38,679 Speaker 2: wing together. This is all those a full time, full time, 46 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 2: part time job. 47 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 4: Yes, yeah, we start we start planning again in January. 48 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 4: We'll meet as a committee and talk about the past year, 49 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 4: what went well, what we could approve on and things 50 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:57,919 Speaker 4: like that, and then we start planning for the next one. 51 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: So it's a year round. 52 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, and now this year was a lot different than 53 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 2: the years past because it's been well, the first one 54 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 2: twenty years ago was in Nashville, that has been in 55 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 2: San Antonio since. 56 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 3: Yes, I don't know who calling the frame. 57 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 2: I think it was one of your people at breakfast. 58 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 2: Rachel had mentioned that this and I guess it's a 59 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 2: term you guys used. Yeah, but when it's in San 60 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 2: Antonio it's. 61 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 1: Rinse and repeat. Yeah. 62 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 5: Yes, we work with a lot of the same locations, 63 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 5: our contacts that those locations are the same, so they're 64 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:33,239 Speaker 5: really used to what we do. 65 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: Coming here. Of course it's a new venue. 66 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 5: It's all new venues, including our night events, and so 67 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 5: it was definitely. 68 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: It's definitely a new experience. 69 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 2: Oh great, Now, and of course, you guys show a 70 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 2: wrinkle or the whole thing got thrown a wrinkle when four, 71 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 2: I guess four years ago it was decided that we 72 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 2: do that they do the twentieth anniversary back in Nashville. Yes, 73 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 2: so in addition to year of the four year cycle, 74 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 2: year one year, two, year, three, you guys are working 75 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 2: on this show in addition to the San Antonio Show 76 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 2: and that little thing called your normal job. 77 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:17,840 Speaker 1: Right, Yeah, we don't know. We don't think about that 78 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: in November and December. 79 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 2: Okay, but that threw a wrinkle into it too. And 80 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 2: I keep mentioning, I know I've mentioned this several times, 81 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 2: but it absolutely blows me away, the logistics of getting 82 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 2: everybody here, all the equipment, and then the vendors themselves. 83 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 2: As has been pointed out, it bears repeating that it 84 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,480 Speaker 2: is the show itself. Three million dollars to put this 85 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 2: on is sponsored by all the vendors and sponsors, So 86 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:55,239 Speaker 2: not only do they step up to the plate there, 87 00:04:55,760 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 2: but then they bring all their equipment and the trucks and. 88 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:02,599 Speaker 3: The stuff to this location. 89 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 2: So that is a huge expense, and that speaks to 90 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 2: again Rush Enterprises, the value that they put on, the 91 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 2: value that these companies see working with Rush, but then 92 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:18,600 Speaker 2: also getting the exposure to the individual technician. 93 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 3: So I just find that absolutely amazing. 94 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: Yea, our sponsors are phenomenal. 95 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 5: I mean, we definitely couldn't do this without them, and 96 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 5: they do such a great job with communicating to us 97 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 5: so that we know what they need, And yeah. 98 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:37,599 Speaker 1: It's just it's great to have them all here. We 99 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: get to see a lot of them a year after year. 100 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:42,120 Speaker 5: But to throw this in and say, hey, guess what, 101 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:44,160 Speaker 5: we're not going to be in San Antonio where you're 102 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 5: used to it. 103 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 1: You know, they've all done a really great job. 104 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 3: They have they have. Now what are these phone calls like? 105 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 2: Because you said you can contact the suppliers and you 106 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 2: can contact the people to be participating. Is that an 107 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 2: easy call or is it more less something they're expecting 108 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 2: and they're looking forward to jumping on board or does 109 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 2: there need to be arm twisting? And Conte Connie just 110 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 2: looked at me. I've got answering that question. Maybe maybe 111 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:23,359 Speaker 2: I'll push this off on Tabra. 112 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 5: So now, yes, there was definitely a conversation. In addition 113 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 5: to being the twentieth anniversary, and this is obviously a 114 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 5: very special event for us. Nashville is, you know, considerably 115 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 5: more expensive than San Antonio is, and we're in at 116 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:48,159 Speaker 5: the Gaylord, which is beautiful, and so we did have 117 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 5: to have a conversation and say, you know, our costs 118 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 5: will be higher, so our sponsorships, you know, are a 119 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,919 Speaker 5: little bit higher, And but I feel like everyone was. 120 00:06:58,240 --> 00:06:59,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, they stepped up. 121 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 5: They were all will to you know, push it a 122 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 5: little bit more to be here and to support the 123 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 5: technicians and the parts team that everyone who's competing. 124 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think at four hundred and forty different 125 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 2: vendors here. 126 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: That Yeah, it's amazing. 127 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 2: The great job on your guys part for pulling this off. 128 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 2: That is incredible. So if you are willing to answer 129 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 2: any questions. 130 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 1: Got any question you have. 131 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 2: That one? 132 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, that was a tough one. 133 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 3: Okay. 134 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 2: So as as far as again putting it together, the 135 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 2: meetings and the involvement, so percentage time wise, what is 136 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 2: that or that's a good question. 137 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 4: I think, you know, the first part of the year, 138 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 4: it's you know, we meet I think once a month, 139 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 4: we meet monthly just to kind of start planning things. 140 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 4: And then once we hit about August is when things 141 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 4: really kind of ramp up and we're working on schedules 142 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 4: and the qualifiers and you know, registration, all of the 143 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 4: you know, logistics. 144 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 3: Of everything else thing has to be put together. 145 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 4: Yeah, So then we start meeting you know, two or 146 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 4: three times a month, and then I mean it just 147 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 4: snowballs from there. 148 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, real quick and very you're and with anything else. 149 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 2: I can imagine in August it seems like, oh, that's 150 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 2: so far away, it seems like it, and then all 151 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 2: of a sudden, boom, it's right around the corner. We're 152 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 2: telling you with Deborah Smith is director of Operations a 153 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 2: Continuous Improvement and Connie Dempsey Senior Continuous Improvement. So I 154 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 2: want to kind of lay the groundwork for the next segment. 155 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 2: One of the things we talked about is possibly, you 156 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 2: know how you got involved with Rush Truck Centers, the 157 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 2: career path to get here, and in terms of maybe 158 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 2: encouraging other people as to how they might be able 159 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 2: to maybe think in terms of this as a career, 160 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 2: because as we talked before, it's one of those things 161 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:02,079 Speaker 2: where if you were to think about as a as 162 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 2: a young person, what am I going to do when 163 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 2: I grow up? 164 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 3: This was probably not even on the radar screen. 165 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 4: Well, I will say, twenty three years ago, I don't 166 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 4: know that continuous improvement was really a thing. 167 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:17,719 Speaker 3: There you go, so we'll pick that up. 168 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:22,959 Speaker 2: I'm Kevin Gordon, America struck In Network seven hundred WLW. 169 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:26,839 Speaker 6: I need This is the briefing repord on America's Drugging Network. 170 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 7: On seven hundred WLW. 171 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 8: Team Penske will celebrate its sixtieth anniversary in twenty twenty 172 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 8: six with a year long effort to tell its story 173 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:39,319 Speaker 8: through special events, liveries, and exhibits. Our sixtieth anniversary is 174 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:42,680 Speaker 8: a tremendous milestone for our organization, said Roger Penske in 175 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 8: a statement. The twenty twenty six season will give us 176 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 8: the opportunity to celebrate the people, partners, and fans who 177 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 8: have helped shape Team Penske since nineteen sixty six. Major 178 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:56,599 Speaker 8: highlight of the celebration will be a dedicated sixtieth anniversary 179 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 8: exhibit opening in late spring and the NASCAR Hall of 180 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 8: Fame in Norm Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. Featuring historic cars, 181 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 8: championship memorabilia, and rarely seen artifacts of the team's archives. 182 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 8: The exhibit will showcase the pivotal events that have defined 183 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 8: Team Penske six decades of competition. Fans will once again 184 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:18,080 Speaker 8: enjoy three days of on track action when the stars 185 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 8: of the NASCAR Cup Series and the O'Reilly Auto Parts 186 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 8: Series return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard 187 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 8: Weekend on July twenty fourth through twenty six of twenty 188 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 8: twenty six. The Brickyard Weekend racing lineup will include the 189 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 8: O'Reilly Autoparts, Pennzoil two fifty on Saturday, July twenty fifth, 190 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:39,439 Speaker 8: NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard four hundred Sunday July twenty sixth. 191 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:43,080 Speaker 8: The full practice and qualifying schedule, including for Friday, July 192 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 8: twenty fourth, will be shared at a later date. For 193 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 8: ticket information for the Brickyard Weekend, visit IMS dot com. 194 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:55,440 Speaker 6: This is the racing report on America's Drugging Network on 195 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:57,080 Speaker 6: seven hundred WLW. 196 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 8: Say Dennison for A. 197 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 2: And I'm Kevin Gordon, America struck a Network, seven hundred WLW, 198 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 2: continuing our conversation with Deborah Smith, director of Operations Continuous 199 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:17,840 Speaker 2: Improvement and Connie Dempsey, Senior Continuous Improvement Department. Okay, we 200 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 2: talked before about how the career path was, How did 201 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 2: you come into Rush Truck Centers. 202 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 3: Who wants to take the microphone and start from there? 203 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: I can go ahead and start. 204 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 3: Okay, we'll start with Deborah. 205 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 5: Okay, Yeah, So I started at Rush Enterprises twenty one 206 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 5: years ago in our central purchasing department, so placing parts 207 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:40,680 Speaker 5: orders for all of our truck centers. From there, I 208 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 5: really moved through Parts operations, did a little bit of everything. 209 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 5: If you think about you know, we've got customer pricing, 210 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 5: we have customer maintenance. All of our part numbers that 211 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 5: we sell, those have to be set up and maintain. 212 00:11:55,400 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 5: So handled all of that and operations. Let's see, I 213 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 5: was an operations specialist, really supporting all of our parts departments. 214 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 5: So any kind of question that the field has that 215 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:09,320 Speaker 5: they need to help from corporate, it's working through that. 216 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 5: In twenty sixteen, we created our Business Process Management Team 217 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:18,400 Speaker 5: and I moved over there, so started doing process improvement 218 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 5: for Parts operations, really starting to look at how do 219 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 5: we standardize processes across the network and how do we 220 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 5: make things, you know, look the same no matter which 221 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 5: rush truck center you walk into. 222 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 2: Okay, So in terms of as the title describes, Director Operations, 223 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 2: continuous improvement, continuous improvement in terms of the organization itself 224 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,400 Speaker 2: and how these things all come together exactly because they 225 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:46,320 Speaker 2: just don't happen to fall into place. There requires a 226 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:48,560 Speaker 2: lot of planning with that, Oh. 227 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,600 Speaker 5: For sure, yes, I mean yeah, when you have over 228 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 5: one hundred and sixty locations. It's really difficult for all 229 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 5: of them to one know what the best practices are 230 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 5: and know what the process is should be. And our 231 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:04,080 Speaker 5: team does a really great job of improving the processes 232 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 5: and then making sure that everyone knows what they are. 233 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:09,560 Speaker 3: Donnie, how about you? How did you? 234 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 1: Very similar to Debora? 235 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 4: Actually, I started twenty three years ago as a temp 236 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 4: doing purchasing and just. 237 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 1: Worked my way through. 238 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:27,120 Speaker 4: I worked for Rick Touff Truck Carts as the business 239 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 4: manager for about eight years, and then I did some buying. 240 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 4: I was a buyer for a while and then went 241 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:38,720 Speaker 4: to go work for Deborah. 242 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:41,120 Speaker 2: And you know, but again in terms of coordination of things, 243 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 2: I think one of the things that rush enterprises stress 244 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:49,319 Speaker 2: is the fact that Okay, somebody's out on the road. Yes, 245 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:52,120 Speaker 2: if their truck is down, they're not making any money, 246 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:55,680 Speaker 2: and so the key is to get them out back 247 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 2: on the road as soon as possible. So that involves 248 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:03,600 Speaker 2: continuing improvement of making sure that the parts flow are done, 249 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:07,840 Speaker 2: even in some of these challenging times with certain suppliers 250 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:11,439 Speaker 2: and whatnot, making sure that the supply chain is all 251 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 2: there and at the coordination with the individual locations. So 252 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 2: again one hundred and over one hundred and sixty sixty locations. 253 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, yeah, And so that's a lot of what 254 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 4: we do, you know, from warehouse management and making sure 255 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 4: that you know, the parts are where they need to 256 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 4: be and you know, salespeople can find them quickly and 257 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 4: easily to actually delivering the parts. 258 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 1: We kind of have a hand and on a lot of. 259 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 4: That making sure those processes are efficient good. 260 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 2: We're speaking with Deborah Smith, Director Operations Continuous Improvement and 261 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 2: Connie Depsei, Senior Continuous Improvement Manager. One of the things 262 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 2: that is, you know, interesting from the standpoint of this 263 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 2: can continuous improvement and getting parts and everything located in 264 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 2: the right spot is again the logistics end of it 265 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 2: and making sure that they're all available there. But it's 266 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 2: even more than that. From the standpoint of a career 267 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 2: path or the job. I can imagine that you know 268 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 2: a lot of people will say, you know, my job 269 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 2: is boring that you know, doing the same thing over 270 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 2: and over again. I'm guessing that there's probably not a 271 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 2: some things are similar, but every day is different. 272 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 5: It is, Yes, every day is different because I mean, 273 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 5: whether you're looking at parts or service, there's so many 274 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 5: there's just so many things we could fix, right, there 275 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 5: are so many things we can improve, and so one 276 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 5: day we might look at, you know, how are we 277 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 5: going to improve our estimates for our customers? How do 278 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 5: we start to break down where we're wasting time so 279 00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 5: we can get rid of that. And you know, with 280 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:04,840 Speaker 5: us being in operations, we're handling parts, service, our rush, 281 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 5: care team, warranty. You know, we're really covering so many 282 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 5: different areas that yeah, they're just two there. Every day 283 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 5: is a little bit different because we're trying to find 284 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 5: what is the thing that's going to make things easier 285 00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:23,240 Speaker 5: for our customer and make the most impact for the 286 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:24,359 Speaker 5: entire organization. 287 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 2: Now, in terms of that, is that so as you 288 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 2: mentioned that is that you know, continuous improvement over this department, 289 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 2: this department, this department and this department, or is it 290 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 2: all one linear thing? 291 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 5: So on our team, we have four continuous and six 292 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 5: continuous improvement managers. 293 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 1: I have three for parts and three for. 294 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 5: Service, okay, and so in general they'll work on their 295 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 5: own division. But we're a very closely knit team. So 296 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:55,480 Speaker 5: if something you can very rarely make a change in 297 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 5: parts that doesn't affect service and vice versa. So there's 298 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 5: a lot of alignment figuring out like Okay, if I 299 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 5: go change something in parts, how's that going to affect 300 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:07,000 Speaker 5: my technician, how's it going to affect the service advisors, 301 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 5: And just making sure that we keep in mind that 302 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:13,440 Speaker 5: those other impacts. 303 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:17,640 Speaker 2: And then the feedback from the individual locations and what 304 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:20,879 Speaker 2: they're experiencing kind of gives you an idea of well, 305 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 2: how well are we doing? 306 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 4: And absolutely yeah, yeah, I mean a big piece of 307 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 4: that of what we do is you know, the change 308 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 4: management piece and getting that information you know, to the 309 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:36,440 Speaker 4: field and explaining why we're doing what we're doing, and 310 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 4: you know, help train them and make sure that they understand. Yeah. 311 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:43,560 Speaker 2: One of the things I'm picking up from Rush Enterprises 312 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 2: is that not that it's we've been doing this for 313 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 2: a long period of time and we're going to continue 314 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:53,199 Speaker 2: doing this. It's constantly evolving, absolutely and improving, I know, 315 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,879 Speaker 2: you know, going you know, having been an account and 316 00:17:56,960 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 2: going to different well, when you go to different companies, 317 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 2: one of the first things you try to do is 318 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 2: make sure that you look at their flow of paperwork 319 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:09,960 Speaker 2: at the time or how things are moving, and so 320 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:14,480 Speaker 2: that things are in a convenient and well managed and 321 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 2: streamlined situation. And when you start to make those changes, 322 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:21,439 Speaker 2: sometimes there's a little bit of resistance with that, and 323 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 2: so sometimes Deborah has got this big grin on her face. 324 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:30,440 Speaker 2: So apparently this has happened a few times. 325 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:35,440 Speaker 5: I will say that as human beings, we are wired 326 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:40,640 Speaker 5: to resist change, and there are definitely people who are 327 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,360 Speaker 5: more wired to resist change. I always tell I mean, 328 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:47,879 Speaker 5: I tell everyone I am the I do not like change. 329 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:51,679 Speaker 5: I don't like change done to me, and so I 330 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:53,720 Speaker 5: will do change to everyone else all the time, but 331 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 5: don't do it to me. I feel like it makes 332 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:00,479 Speaker 5: me a little bit more qualified to say, Okay, I 333 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:01,520 Speaker 5: do get where. 334 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: You're coming from. I don't like change either. 335 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 5: But we try our best to say this is why 336 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:09,120 Speaker 5: we're doing We're not doing it to make your life harder. 337 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 5: We're trying to make your lives easier and make the 338 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:13,720 Speaker 5: lives of the customers easier. 339 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:17,720 Speaker 2: So a lot of times if it's improved on their end, 340 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:22,119 Speaker 2: then it's improved on the customer's end. Oh that cuts 341 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,240 Speaker 2: down on the complaints from the customers. It makes the 342 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:28,640 Speaker 2: customers happy exactly. Thanks, everybody happy all the way around. 343 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 5: Yeah, I think the biggest thing is a lot of 344 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:35,560 Speaker 5: times our process changes and so involve new systems. New 345 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 5: systems you have to learn, and so eventually we get 346 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:41,440 Speaker 5: to the point where you've learned the new system, you're 347 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 5: comfortable with it, and everyone likes it better than the 348 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:44,639 Speaker 5: old system. 349 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 1: You just have to get there. 350 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,159 Speaker 2: I will start with Connie's final thoughts in terms of 351 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:52,120 Speaker 2: any advice for people that are interested in getting into 352 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:54,239 Speaker 2: this end of the business, if it's something that they 353 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:57,200 Speaker 2: may not have heard about before, or I. 354 00:19:57,119 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 4: Think my advice and I'm going to hope and hopefully 355 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 4: this is okay, but kind of related to women is 356 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 4: you know, I don't think that there isn't a place 357 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 4: in this trucking industry for them. I mean, there are 358 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 4: so many opportunities, especially with a company such as Rush. 359 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 4: You know, it's it's once you get your foot in 360 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 4: the door, there's just there's a lot of opportunity. 361 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, I mean I completely agree with Connie. My 362 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 5: advice I think would be, you know, don't limit. 363 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:32,719 Speaker 1: Yourself, right, I was going to jump in there. 364 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 5: I have no idea that continuous improvement was a thing, 365 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 5: and now I wouldn't want to do anything else. 366 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 3: That's fantastic. 367 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:44,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, Connie, it was really great talking to you. I 368 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 2: certainly appreciate you stopping by. Devora Smith's Director Operations Continuous 369 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 2: Improvement and Connie Dempsey, Senior Continuous Improvement Manager. Thank you 370 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:56,399 Speaker 2: both for stopping by the booths and talking with me 371 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:56,880 Speaker 2: this morning. 372 00:20:56,880 --> 00:20:57,800 Speaker 3: I certainly appreciate it. 373 00:20:57,840 --> 00:20:58,639 Speaker 1: Thank you for having us. 374 00:20:58,640 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 3: All right, have a great day. 375 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 2: I'm Kevin Gordon, America struck in Network seven hundred WLW. 376 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 9: Here's your trucking forecast for the Try State and the 377 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:17,920 Speaker 9: rest of the country. In the Try State, overnight mostly 378 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:20,160 Speaker 9: Claudia and not as cold. The low down to thirty two, 379 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:23,320 Speaker 9: Mostly claudi early Wednesday, then gradually becoming sunny. A high 380 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:26,919 Speaker 9: of forty three. Afternoon. Rain expected Thursday. Highs in the 381 00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:29,920 Speaker 9: mid fifties. Friday, slight chance of snow showers the first 382 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 9: half of the day, otherwise partly sunny and colder, a 383 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:36,120 Speaker 9: high of thirty one. Nationally, the Pacific Northwest scene heavy rain, 384 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 9: impossible flooding this week. The mountain west to the northern 385 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:41,919 Speaker 9: Plains seeing destructive winds and winter weather impacts. For the 386 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 9: Ohio and Tennessee Valley, strong storms are possible Thursday. 387 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 2: This is america'struck in Network seven hundred WLW. I'm joined 388 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:56,760 Speaker 2: by Michael Freese. He is the feature editor of features 389 00:21:56,840 --> 00:22:00,760 Speaker 2: editor Transport Topics out of the Washington DC area. Also 390 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 2: Leo Leo Barrows with truck Trucknews dot Com. He's the 391 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 2: associate editor out of Toronto. So welcome to the program. 392 00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:10,960 Speaker 2: Thank you both for joining me this morning. 393 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:14,159 Speaker 7: Thanks for having us, Kevin, thanks for having me. 394 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 3: Yes, there may be a little delay there. 395 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 2: We got one microphone that they're both sharing, and uh, 396 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:22,919 Speaker 2: but let's start with you, Michael with Transport Topics. I 397 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:24,719 Speaker 2: got to say, I go to your I told you 398 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:26,920 Speaker 2: last night that I go to your side a lot 399 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 2: and I look at a lot of the articles. So 400 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:32,439 Speaker 2: what are your how many times have you been to 401 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 2: the truck rodeo? 402 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:35,920 Speaker 7: This is my second year at the second year. 403 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 2: And Leo, I'm a rookie here, me too, rookies here 404 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:45,440 Speaker 2: all right, and he's done, and Michael has done nothing 405 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:48,200 Speaker 2: to help us along to what to expect. 406 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 3: So we've been just thrown into the water. All Thank you, Michael. 407 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:52,960 Speaker 7: It's well worth it, y. 408 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:57,200 Speaker 3: Lare it on your baptism by fire? 409 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:01,520 Speaker 2: So again, I well here second, I'm obviously last year 410 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 2: was in San Antonio and then now this year the 411 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 2: twentieth anniversary up here in Nashville, Tennessee, where they began 412 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:13,679 Speaker 2: twenty years ago. Difference between the two, well. 413 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 10: You know, the you know, the first thing that that 414 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:19,720 Speaker 10: strikes me where the difference between Nashville and San Antonio 415 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:20,560 Speaker 10: is the. 416 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:21,639 Speaker 7: Lack of text mechs. 417 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:26,439 Speaker 10: So yeah, yeah, you have that, but it's really a 418 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 10: you know, Nashville, you know, is a nice convention city. 419 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 10: The you know, the difference you know, being that you know, 420 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 10: this was where the the the Russian Skills radio originated, 421 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 10: so it was very important for the for the. 422 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 7: The company that had to have that, that have this here. 423 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:44,200 Speaker 10: You know, we're in San Antonio, which is the home 424 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:48,040 Speaker 10: base of Russian Destroyer, where you know, everything is a 425 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 10: very much you know, home feeld type of convention. I mean, 426 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 10: it's almost akin to a party exactly. 427 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 2: I was talking to some of the people from Russia 428 00:23:56,440 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 2: Enterprises yesterday and then again at breakfast this morning, and 429 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:02,680 Speaker 2: they were saying that one of us in San Antonio's 430 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 2: kind of washed rents repeat because they're so used to 431 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 2: doing it there. But this was a whole different thing 432 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 2: took them actually started planning this four years ago, and 433 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 2: then of course the logistics of getting everybody here and 434 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 2: getting the travel arrangements and everything. So, h leo, what's 435 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:21,920 Speaker 2: your impressions being their first time, because I'm I'm absolutely 436 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:22,960 Speaker 2: blown away by all. 437 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:23,440 Speaker 7: That I am. 438 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:28,359 Speaker 11: It's really well organized, the people are really nice, and 439 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:30,679 Speaker 11: you get to see a lot of trucks, which is awesome. 440 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:34,720 Speaker 2: Do you guys go to the America Mid America Trucking 441 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:37,119 Speaker 2: Show or Mid America Truck Show down in Louisville. 442 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:41,880 Speaker 7: I have a demand, but I do show Super Riggs. Okay, 443 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 7: so I love that show. 444 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:46,359 Speaker 11: But the good thing over here is what I'm seeing 445 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:50,680 Speaker 11: is I normally talk to drivers, fleet managers, fleet owners, 446 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 11: not that many tech guys, right, and now I interviewed 447 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:57,880 Speaker 11: a lot of them here, and you see how their 448 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:01,520 Speaker 11: brains work. They look at the truck as a buzzle, right, 449 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 11: and they don't. One guy said, I don't let the 450 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:07,960 Speaker 11: truck defeat me. You know what I'm saying. 451 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:09,399 Speaker 3: Yeah, they take it as a challenge. 452 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:10,120 Speaker 7: It's a challenge. 453 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:14,200 Speaker 11: And he said, if I can't die, if I can't 454 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:18,440 Speaker 11: fix the problem, I will go home unhappy. I'll think 455 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:20,800 Speaker 11: about it all night. I'll come back in the morning 456 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 11: and I'll fix it. 457 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 2: You know, that is somebody that is a true student 458 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 2: of the game because they take their work home. You know, 459 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 2: I don't know about you guys, but being on the air, 460 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:33,679 Speaker 2: I've always said that you're either on the air or 461 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 2: you're doing show prep because you know, just meeting people 462 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:40,399 Speaker 2: that's a topic for a show or a topic for 463 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 2: an article. 464 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:42,479 Speaker 7: But the same goes with us. 465 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:45,879 Speaker 11: Be right, but you're always thinking, what's the next story, 466 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 11: what's the next angle? 467 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:51,479 Speaker 6: Will this help me? What should I be asking? So 468 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:55,720 Speaker 6: it's the same thing exactly. Again, we're talking with Michael Freese. 469 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:59,160 Speaker 6: He is the features editor of Transport Topics, Leo Barrow's 470 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:04,639 Speaker 6: truck dot Com Associate editor. So again, overall impressions, are 471 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:08,199 Speaker 6: you delo You had talked about seeing all the trucks 472 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 6: and everything. 473 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:12,720 Speaker 11: The trucks, the skills that these guys have. Uh, these 474 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 11: guys are so talented and a lot of them are 475 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:19,120 Speaker 11: experts in their field. Uh So they really dive down 476 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:21,639 Speaker 11: into the weeds and they know exactly what's happening with 477 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 11: that truck or that engine. 478 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:26,879 Speaker 2: It's awesome to say they are the cream of the crop. 479 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:30,199 Speaker 2: They are and they've got that competitive edge, and it 480 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:34,160 Speaker 2: just proves again talking about how Rush enterprises and how 481 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:36,119 Speaker 2: well run that corporation is. 482 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:36,880 Speaker 3: It is. 483 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:39,199 Speaker 7: And one guy I spoke to, he said he was 484 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:40,680 Speaker 7: competing against. 485 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 11: Last year's first and second place people and he was third. 486 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 7: Uh huh, the same three guys are back here again. 487 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:48,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly. 488 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:48,720 Speaker 7: Yeah. 489 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:52,679 Speaker 2: Now you mentioned about the trucks, and what blows me 490 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:56,639 Speaker 2: away too about all this is the fact that not 491 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 2: only are the are the sponsors here four hundred and 492 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 2: forty sponsors of this which they paid for the event 493 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:08,640 Speaker 2: three million dollars to put this on. And then as 494 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:12,480 Speaker 2: I'm thinking from a logistics standpoint, and as they're recovering accountant, 495 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 2: I'm thinking in terms of the not only the investment 496 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:20,120 Speaker 2: of them paying the money. But then you've got Azuzu, 497 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 2: you've got International trucks, You've got Peter Bilt, You've got 498 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,520 Speaker 2: Voweling that we can just see in the surrounding areas 499 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:30,080 Speaker 2: moving all these trucks. Of what International has two, it 500 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:33,160 Speaker 2: looks like Peter Built has three or four moving those 501 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:37,240 Speaker 2: vehicles here and moving all their people here, because each 502 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 2: one of these booze has five, six seven people with them. 503 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:43,159 Speaker 3: That is a tremendous investment not only. 504 00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:47,920 Speaker 2: For their people, but it speaks well of their relationship 505 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 2: with RUSH truck centers. 506 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:49,840 Speaker 7: Yeah, Kevin. 507 00:27:50,119 --> 00:27:54,080 Speaker 10: And one thing with that, the full sponsorship is truxtaposed 508 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:57,040 Speaker 10: with the soft freight market that we have, this economy 509 00:27:57,080 --> 00:27:59,919 Speaker 10: that we have that in that environment you can have 510 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,639 Speaker 10: an event that's sponsored. 511 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:05,640 Speaker 7: You know, that's a testament to you know, the. 512 00:28:05,640 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 10: Organization of Rush and the relationships with their with their 513 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 10: vendors and and suppliers, and the willingness to be involved 514 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:15,000 Speaker 10: in the event to celebrate their technicians. 515 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:15,320 Speaker 7: You know. 516 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:19,879 Speaker 10: One I also cover the TMC super Tech Competition by 517 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:23,800 Speaker 10: Technology and Maintenance Council, you know, coverage of coverature that 518 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:25,440 Speaker 10: can be available at t T news dot com. 519 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:26,520 Speaker 7: Just to pluck that in the. 520 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:28,480 Speaker 3: Commercial. 521 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:35,640 Speaker 7: It's all good, We're all no, but you just now 522 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:39,960 Speaker 7: but yeah, yes. 523 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:43,160 Speaker 10: The the thing about it is that that the celebrations 524 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 10: of the technician with the lead was referring to earlier, 525 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:48,840 Speaker 10: you know, it's it's it's really great to have that environment. 526 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 10: And definitely when you can get the sponsors involved and 527 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:55,280 Speaker 10: get those suppliers, you get those those parts people that 528 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 10: are all part of that technician network together in that 529 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 10: celebration and in that competition too, just as a reporter 530 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:04,080 Speaker 10: you know who used to do metro reporting too for 531 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:05,800 Speaker 10: for newspapers and sports. 532 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 3: Uh. 533 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 10: You know, this is the closest thing to a sporting 534 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:11,160 Speaker 10: event that we have in our industry. You have the drivers, 535 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:13,960 Speaker 10: but you also have the text and and it's really 536 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 10: this is really hard work, you know, physically and more mentally, right, 537 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 10: So to be able to recognize that and celebrate that 538 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:23,840 Speaker 10: and recognize the best of the best, you know, that's 539 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:25,400 Speaker 10: one that's one great thing about this industry. 540 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:25,960 Speaker 7: I love to come. 541 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, and of course obviously you guys are gonna be 542 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,680 Speaker 2: in the print, gonna be uh talking about the individual 543 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:34,880 Speaker 2: people that want and and that sort of thing. So again, Leo, 544 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:39,080 Speaker 2: we're talking about the uh, the event itself, and any 545 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:40,400 Speaker 2: thoughts in terms of that is. 546 00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 7: Considerably a nice thought. 547 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 11: That game, to my mind, is when you say my 548 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 11: truck needs to be fixed, right, and you think you 549 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 11: send it to a shop and it gets fixed, But 550 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:53,600 Speaker 11: there are suppliers, there are other people who are working 551 00:29:53,760 --> 00:30:02,040 Speaker 11: behind the scenes. It's not just the tech who's fixing it, distributors, suppliers, warehousing, 552 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:06,520 Speaker 11: it's all these bots that come together and it. In 553 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 11: the end, you have your truck fixed. You say, oh 554 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:11,760 Speaker 11: it takes two days. It just cost me two thousand dollars. Yes, 555 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:14,320 Speaker 11: but then you have all these little bots that are 556 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 11: playing into this massive project that's taking place. 557 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:20,520 Speaker 2: But then also part of that is that, you know, 558 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 2: it seems like everybody from the suppliers to rush enterprises 559 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 2: themselves are geared towards this idea that hey, if the 560 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 2: truck's off the road, they're not earning money, and so 561 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:33,560 Speaker 2: we need to streamline this so that we can get 562 00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 2: them in and out as soon as possible. And then 563 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:40,640 Speaker 2: the suppliers themselves being involved and making sure that that happens. 564 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:42,880 Speaker 2: And I think a lot of recognition needs to go 565 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:45,760 Speaker 2: because you know, this is not obviously, this broadcast is 566 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 2: not going out to just rush truck enterprises and individuals, 567 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 2: just going out to you know, the general public and 568 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:53,719 Speaker 2: whether or not they drive an eighteen wheeler or not. 569 00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 2: A lot of these suppliers, a lot of the companies 570 00:30:56,640 --> 00:30:59,520 Speaker 2: are in the you know, the four wheeler and of it. 571 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:03,520 Speaker 2: So it's just the idea that knowing that they are 572 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:07,560 Speaker 2: supporting the trucking industry that basically supports everything that goes 573 00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:11,080 Speaker 2: on as far as everything that is delivered by a truck. 574 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:14,280 Speaker 2: The fact that they support that, you should support them 575 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:15,680 Speaker 2: as the sponsors as well. 576 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 11: I think it's you know, symbiotic when you think of 577 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 11: your truck and you say, you know, the trucking is 578 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:24,200 Speaker 11: the backbone, yes, but then this is the backbone of 579 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:25,320 Speaker 11: the backbone. 580 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:28,239 Speaker 2: Exactly, exactly. We got to take a quick break. Can 581 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 2: you guys hang around for another segment? That'd be fantastic 582 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:33,480 Speaker 2: speaking with Michael Freese. He is the features editor of 583 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 2: Transport Topics. 584 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:37,200 Speaker 3: And out of the Washington, d C. Office. 585 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:41,320 Speaker 2: Leo Barrows trucknews dot Com Associate editor out of Toronto. 586 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:45,560 Speaker 2: I'm Kevin Gordon, America's truck in Network seven hundred WLW 587 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:51,080 Speaker 2: Transport Topics, Washington, DC office and Leo Barrows with trucknews 588 00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 2: dot Com Associated editor located out of Toronto. Now, this 589 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:58,200 Speaker 2: is going to be an interesting mix because I'm curious 590 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:00,600 Speaker 2: for both of you in terms of what you're seeing 591 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 2: as far as the trucking industry. We've all talked about. 592 00:32:03,760 --> 00:32:06,560 Speaker 2: We've all heard about the trucking recession which is now 593 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:09,239 Speaker 2: into the third year where the average is more like 594 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:12,160 Speaker 2: fourteen months, and are we seeing a light at the 595 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 2: end of the tunnel, Do we see things breaking up? 596 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:18,440 Speaker 3: Do we see things moving ahead? So let's start with you, Michael. 597 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 10: Well, you know, especially yeah, as you said, with the 598 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,440 Speaker 10: ongoing soft freight, I don't know if we'll actually I mean, 599 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:26,600 Speaker 10: I think we'll see a light at the end of 600 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:30,520 Speaker 10: the tunnel, but it's just the warning of that light 601 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:32,160 Speaker 10: being another train coming at you. 602 00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:37,400 Speaker 2: Exactly how many have we had to tug or run 603 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:39,040 Speaker 2: away from over the last. 604 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:41,200 Speaker 10: Few years, right, you know, But you know, the industry 605 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 10: so far in the two three years that we're in 606 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:47,320 Speaker 10: this condition, I mean, it's pretty resilient, you know there. 607 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 10: I mean there's still trucks are still moving that the 608 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:55,160 Speaker 10: industry is slowly catching on to the environment that's in 609 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:59,240 Speaker 10: You know, you're you're comfortable in this situation until you aren't. 610 00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:02,440 Speaker 10: And right now I think we have the realization that 611 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:04,920 Speaker 10: we're in a solid space. 612 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:05,200 Speaker 7: You know there. 613 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:07,880 Speaker 10: You know, maybe that first year, in that second year, 614 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:10,080 Speaker 10: there were you know, maybe we're gonna we're gonna turn 615 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:12,280 Speaker 10: this around next year. We're gonna turn this around next year. 616 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 10: Now you know, we're saying this for the third time. 617 00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:17,600 Speaker 10: But however, you know, we we know what we're getting into. 618 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:22,200 Speaker 10: So once the you know, the economic conditions that in 619 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:24,480 Speaker 10: some ways we can't control, get the better, you know, 620 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:27,240 Speaker 10: such as you know, interest rates, you know, such as 621 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:31,000 Speaker 10: you know just you know businesses, regulation, right, regulation, you 622 00:33:31,040 --> 00:33:33,000 Speaker 10: know that that whole cloud. You know, that's a that's 623 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 10: another interview session right there. 624 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:34,960 Speaker 7: Yeah, you know. 625 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:40,000 Speaker 10: So, I mean there's some challenges ahead, and with the 626 00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 10: fixing the problem, it's going to be a long that's 627 00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:43,880 Speaker 10: going to be a long process in itself. 628 00:33:43,880 --> 00:33:45,600 Speaker 7: The turnaround is not going to happen in the month. 629 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:48,600 Speaker 10: The turnaround might happen as long as we've been in 630 00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:51,840 Speaker 10: this recession already. So there's a lot of things that 631 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:53,600 Speaker 10: has to be done on the you know, on on 632 00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:56,680 Speaker 10: the federal level and state level, and also with each 633 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,960 Speaker 10: fleet company right now, you know, holding their head above water. 634 00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:03,160 Speaker 10: So now you know, it's it's the point of just 635 00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 10: moving in this industry and finding out where those spots 636 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:11,080 Speaker 10: where it can thrive and finding those spots and really 637 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:14,359 Speaker 10: let in on trying to get this market up again. 638 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:17,360 Speaker 2: Well, you hit on a very important topic about the 639 00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:22,759 Speaker 2: resilience of the industry itself and people being resilient, and 640 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:27,239 Speaker 2: it always strikes me amazing that you know, if you 641 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:29,719 Speaker 2: just got well, you can't got to have government, you 642 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:33,839 Speaker 2: got to have regulations to extend. But sometimes it's just 643 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:37,400 Speaker 2: like stay to hell away for a little while and 644 00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:40,680 Speaker 2: let us the market will work itself out. So Leo, 645 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:46,319 Speaker 2: what are you seeing in terms of Canada? To mention 646 00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:49,120 Speaker 2: that you said before, you said things are a lot 647 00:34:49,160 --> 00:34:52,120 Speaker 2: different in Canada than maybe down here. It reminded me 648 00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:54,920 Speaker 2: when I was talking that I live in northern Kentucky 649 00:34:54,960 --> 00:34:57,879 Speaker 2: and Cincinnati is right across the river, and a lot 650 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:00,759 Speaker 2: of times people will say that bridge is a lot 651 00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:03,879 Speaker 2: longer than it looks because the life on one side 652 00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:06,359 Speaker 2: of the bridge is a lot different than life on 653 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:08,440 Speaker 2: the other side of the bridge. And we only have 654 00:35:08,640 --> 00:35:13,360 Speaker 2: basically basically a boundary between Canada and the United States, 655 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:17,160 Speaker 2: but that boundary is a lot wider in certain instances 656 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:17,960 Speaker 2: than it looks. 657 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:22,080 Speaker 11: So in Canada we've been dealing with tariffs, the big 658 00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:25,960 Speaker 11: key word, and the goal post keeps them changing. So 659 00:35:26,320 --> 00:35:29,680 Speaker 11: it's harder for companies to plan when you don't have 660 00:35:29,719 --> 00:35:31,719 Speaker 11: a fixed goal post in the right. 661 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:33,040 Speaker 7: That's one thing. 662 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:37,040 Speaker 11: The majority of our trucks comes south of the bottom, 663 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:38,400 Speaker 11: so they come to the US. 664 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:42,320 Speaker 7: That's how it has been all this time. Then you've got. 665 00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:47,200 Speaker 11: Drivers who are being pulled over, right, A lot of 666 00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:49,960 Speaker 11: drivers are now afraid to come south of the bottle. 667 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:51,600 Speaker 7: They don't want to come really. 668 00:35:51,680 --> 00:35:58,279 Speaker 11: Yeah, So a large population of drivers are from other countries. Yeah, 669 00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:01,960 Speaker 11: you know, they have settled in Canada, immigrated, so now 670 00:36:02,080 --> 00:36:05,239 Speaker 11: some of them are not very good in English, so 671 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:07,600 Speaker 11: that breeds fear in their minds. 672 00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:10,520 Speaker 7: They don't want to drive south. So what's happening is. 673 00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:14,719 Speaker 11: All the lanes in Canada getting clogged with drivers who 674 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:18,160 Speaker 11: used to normally drive south of the bottom. That's one 675 00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:23,520 Speaker 11: Freight rates are low as well, so that's another issue 676 00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:26,040 Speaker 11: that we are dealing with. And now we are seeing 677 00:36:26,360 --> 00:36:31,080 Speaker 11: some bankruptcies taking place, so the smaller boys can't play 678 00:36:31,120 --> 00:36:35,400 Speaker 11: in this market, so there are bigger fleets that are 679 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:36,399 Speaker 11: kind of taking over. 680 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:40,319 Speaker 7: You've got also we deal with. 681 00:36:40,239 --> 00:36:45,719 Speaker 11: Something called driver misclassification where drivers are part of a 682 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:50,359 Speaker 11: company but they work as independent contractors, but they are 683 00:36:50,400 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 11: doing the job of a regular driver. So what's happening 684 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:57,880 Speaker 11: is that there's a tax issue there and that's a 685 00:36:57,880 --> 00:37:01,200 Speaker 11: big part of the industry as well, and fleets that 686 00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:06,040 Speaker 11: run that kind of business have a competitive advantage because 687 00:37:06,520 --> 00:37:09,680 Speaker 11: they have savings from. 688 00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:13,240 Speaker 2: Right they don't have them. 689 00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:17,479 Speaker 11: That is used a lot to buy property to lower 690 00:37:17,560 --> 00:37:21,200 Speaker 11: the rates, where other fleets that are playing by the books. 691 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:22,160 Speaker 7: Cannot play in the same field. 692 00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:26,799 Speaker 2: So is there more of a push to eliminate or 693 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:31,440 Speaker 2: not have is reclassify them as employees as opposed to 694 00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:34,319 Speaker 2: that pushes on That seems to be a little bit 695 00:37:34,440 --> 00:37:37,239 Speaker 2: contrary to what we have in the United States, if 696 00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:39,759 Speaker 2: I'm not mistaken, there seems to be a lot more 697 00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:43,319 Speaker 2: independent truckers to prefer that as opposed to. 698 00:37:44,160 --> 00:37:46,239 Speaker 10: In some ways, you know, I mean to to what 699 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:47,799 Speaker 10: Lee was saying. I mean, I don't want to go 700 00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:49,600 Speaker 10: out on a limb, but I mean, but I wouldn't 701 00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:52,200 Speaker 10: say half half. But you know, but I think there's 702 00:37:52,239 --> 00:37:53,760 Speaker 10: there's a point that you're making, Kevin. 703 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:55,839 Speaker 7: You know, sort of like uh. 704 00:37:56,080 --> 00:37:59,200 Speaker 10: In my former life, I used to cover the distribution 705 00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:04,400 Speaker 10: right uh industry, and one of the things was just 706 00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:06,680 Speaker 10: that association that you were just talking about, Leo. Just 707 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:09,799 Speaker 10: you walk into a federated store to buy something. You 708 00:38:09,800 --> 00:38:12,000 Speaker 10: ask the owner, you know, is are are you a 709 00:38:12,040 --> 00:38:14,960 Speaker 10: federated story? He'll say no, I'm I'm independent. But you 710 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:18,719 Speaker 10: know he's relying on Federated for all all those costs, you. 711 00:38:18,640 --> 00:38:20,800 Speaker 7: Know, for for it time to be up in this window. 712 00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:25,160 Speaker 7: So there's a little bit of pushing pushing pull off 713 00:38:25,160 --> 00:38:25,400 Speaker 7: of that. 714 00:38:25,480 --> 00:38:25,640 Speaker 11: You know. 715 00:38:25,640 --> 00:38:28,480 Speaker 10: There there's some independent drivers who you know who who 716 00:38:28,520 --> 00:38:31,480 Speaker 10: want that relationship right, while there are others as as 717 00:38:31,560 --> 00:38:33,360 Speaker 10: Leo was just saying, you know, they're a part of 718 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:36,759 Speaker 10: a system, right, but the way that they proceed it's 719 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:39,360 Speaker 10: you know, they're they're independent, so you kind of you know, 720 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:42,480 Speaker 10: you can you can have that dynamic, right, I mean, 721 00:38:42,600 --> 00:38:43,520 Speaker 10: I think it's kind of fifty. 722 00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:46,880 Speaker 2: So at the time we have again speaking with Michael Freese, 723 00:38:46,880 --> 00:38:50,600 Speaker 2: Transport Future Editor, Features Editor Transport Topics out of the 724 00:38:50,640 --> 00:38:53,879 Speaker 2: Washington d C Office, and Leo Barrows truck news dot 725 00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:56,680 Speaker 2: Com Associated editor, to mean to cut you off, Leo, 726 00:38:56,800 --> 00:38:59,360 Speaker 2: but in terms of what you're seeing in terms of 727 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:02,600 Speaker 2: the economy and what's going on in Canada, you're saying, 728 00:39:02,600 --> 00:39:03,840 Speaker 2: a light at the end of the tunnel. 729 00:39:03,840 --> 00:39:05,880 Speaker 3: Do you think this is going to last a lot longer? 730 00:39:06,200 --> 00:39:09,360 Speaker 7: You hopeful or were hopeful, will be always hopeful. 731 00:39:09,719 --> 00:39:14,160 Speaker 11: What I have seen while speaking to fleets, some of 732 00:39:14,200 --> 00:39:20,680 Speaker 11: them are now focusing on drivers retention, because when so 733 00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:23,799 Speaker 11: now as you know that, fleets are holding on to 734 00:39:24,440 --> 00:39:27,960 Speaker 11: trucks trailers for longer periods of time, But there will 735 00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:30,520 Speaker 11: come a time when you need a new truck, but 736 00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:34,120 Speaker 11: it takes a while to procure that truck, six months, 737 00:39:34,160 --> 00:39:37,200 Speaker 11: eight months, You have to book them right now. What 738 00:39:37,239 --> 00:39:41,840 Speaker 11: you can sort of control is drivers, your maintenance cad. 739 00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:45,640 Speaker 11: So if you have the best drivers available when that 740 00:39:45,760 --> 00:39:50,040 Speaker 11: light does come, you have the people ready to go. 741 00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:54,839 Speaker 11: The trucks will come, you know, the trailers will come, 742 00:39:55,239 --> 00:39:58,400 Speaker 11: but if you don't have the people when that opportunity comes, 743 00:39:58,640 --> 00:39:59,360 Speaker 11: you're going to lose. 744 00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:02,080 Speaker 2: That's kind of along lines what we're seeing as far 745 00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:04,440 Speaker 2: as the economy in terms of the no higher, no 746 00:40:04,640 --> 00:40:07,880 Speaker 2: fire situation kind of I guess lessons learned from the 747 00:40:07,880 --> 00:40:11,680 Speaker 2: pandemic when businesses shut down and then trying to regear 748 00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:15,720 Speaker 2: everything back up, trying to find qualified employees, suppliers, supply 749 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:19,000 Speaker 2: chain issues and that. So, Michael, what are your impressions 750 00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:22,920 Speaker 2: in terms of where you're seeing the industry and turning around. 751 00:40:22,640 --> 00:40:25,120 Speaker 10: And well, you know, just from the nuts and bolts 752 00:40:25,160 --> 00:40:26,560 Speaker 10: that we were just talking about, it's kind of want 753 00:40:26,600 --> 00:40:29,799 Speaker 10: to take a ten cos a few of things. One 754 00:40:29,800 --> 00:40:32,839 Speaker 10: thing that we talk about in the office and a 755 00:40:32,920 --> 00:40:36,799 Speaker 10: lot is artificial intelligence. But you know, I mean, that's 756 00:40:36,840 --> 00:40:39,759 Speaker 10: such a buzzword, but I think we're getting into the 757 00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:42,279 Speaker 10: stage right now where we're going to have to figure out, 758 00:40:42,320 --> 00:40:45,680 Speaker 10: if we haven't already in some spaces where this can 759 00:40:45,719 --> 00:40:50,680 Speaker 10: work effectively in the trucking industry. I mean, we're past 760 00:40:50,680 --> 00:40:53,680 Speaker 10: the stage of you know, slicesed dices, right, you know, 761 00:40:53,920 --> 00:40:54,560 Speaker 10: And I think you. 762 00:40:54,600 --> 00:40:58,640 Speaker 2: Know, as you mentioned about artificial intelligence, possibly the rescheduling 763 00:40:58,680 --> 00:41:02,080 Speaker 2: of things and the schedule and as far as the 764 00:41:02,200 --> 00:41:04,960 Speaker 2: routes are concerned, so there's not as much debt heading, 765 00:41:05,080 --> 00:41:08,200 Speaker 2: there's you know a little bit more coordination, a little 766 00:41:08,239 --> 00:41:12,520 Speaker 2: bit more I guess coordination in terms of taking this 767 00:41:12,640 --> 00:41:14,600 Speaker 2: route versus that route and that sort of thing. 768 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:17,920 Speaker 3: But there's other areas where AI just I mean. 769 00:41:17,680 --> 00:41:20,399 Speaker 10: But yeah, it's also I mean, it's so much more 770 00:41:20,480 --> 00:41:22,000 Speaker 10: than you know, a GPS. 771 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:23,840 Speaker 7: But it's also even when. 772 00:41:23,680 --> 00:41:25,400 Speaker 10: You get down I mean, we're at a tech event, 773 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:29,480 Speaker 10: you know right now, you know, preventive maintenance strategies right, 774 00:41:29,600 --> 00:41:33,160 Speaker 10: and schedules greatly impact you know, when you talk about 775 00:41:33,239 --> 00:41:35,879 Speaker 10: artificial intelligence. That's that's one thing I mean, but even 776 00:41:35,920 --> 00:41:37,920 Speaker 10: on that side when when it comes to PM, you 777 00:41:37,960 --> 00:41:39,799 Speaker 10: know you have the innovation of the parts that you're 778 00:41:39,840 --> 00:41:41,280 Speaker 10: working on now exactly. 779 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:41,600 Speaker 7: Yeah. 780 00:41:41,640 --> 00:41:45,680 Speaker 10: So the limits of of you know, of an oil 781 00:41:45,800 --> 00:41:48,440 Speaker 10: change just as simple as that. Exactly that have changed, 782 00:41:48,960 --> 00:41:52,520 Speaker 10: have changed instead of the innovations outline of motor oil and. 783 00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:56,359 Speaker 2: Gentlemen, I'd like to continue this on forever, but we're 784 00:41:56,440 --> 00:41:58,160 Speaker 2: up against clock here and I hate to do this, 785 00:41:58,239 --> 00:42:00,279 Speaker 2: but I would probably heavy back on the program having 786 00:42:00,360 --> 00:42:02,319 Speaker 2: some time down the road throughout the year. 787 00:42:02,520 --> 00:42:02,719 Speaker 7: Thanks. 788 00:42:02,840 --> 00:42:03,759 Speaker 3: Talk about this again. 789 00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:07,360 Speaker 2: My guests been Michael Freese, Features Editor, Transport Topics, Washington, 790 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:11,520 Speaker 2: the DC Office. Leio Barrows trucknews dot Com, Associate editor 791 00:42:11,600 --> 00:42:12,200 Speaker 2: out of Toronto. 792 00:42:12,480 --> 00:42:14,440 Speaker 3: Gentlemen, thank you so much for joining me. I certainly 793 00:42:14,440 --> 00:42:15,000 Speaker 3: appreciate it. 794 00:42:15,280 --> 00:42:19,880 Speaker 2: I'm Kevin Gordon, America's Trucking Network seven hundred WLW