1 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: Hi everyone, this is Lee Clasgow when We're Talking Transports. 2 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to Bloomberg Intelligence Talking Transport Podcast. I'm your host, 3 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: Lee Klasgow, Senior Freight Transportation and Logistics analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, 4 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: Bloomberg's in house research arm of almost five hundred analysts 5 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:26,160 Speaker 1: strategists around the globe. Before diving in a little public 6 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:29,479 Speaker 1: service announcement, your support is instrumental to keep bringing great 7 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 1: guests and conversations to you, our listeners, and we need 8 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,839 Speaker 1: your support. So please, if you enjoy this podcast, share it, 9 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: like it and leave a comment. Also, if you have 10 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: any idea for future episodes or just want to talk transports, 11 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:46,159 Speaker 1: please hit me up on the Bloomberg terminal, on LinkedIn 12 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: or on Twitter at Logistics. Leave now onto our episode. 13 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: We're delighted to have Dave Boseman, CEO and President of 14 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 1: c H Robinson, which trades under the ticker HRW and 15 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: as a market cap of around eleven and a half billion dollars. 16 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:04,320 Speaker 1: Dave joined H Robinson in June of twenty twenty three, 17 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: so happy anniversary. With a host of experiences from his 18 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: time working at the Ford Motor Company, Amazon Transportation Services, 19 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: Caterpillar and Harley Davidson. Welcome to the podcast. Dave, thanks 20 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: for being here. 21 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 2: Hey, glad to be here. Lee, thanks for having me now, 22 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 2: c h. 23 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: Robinson's the largest freight broker out there, but people might 24 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 1: not be too familiar with You can just give a 25 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: little background about the company. 26 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, sure can. And excited by the way, Lee, time 27 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:37,400 Speaker 3: flies right. I'm going to my second year anniversary as 28 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 3: CEO of this great company, and I couldn't be more excited, 29 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 3: mainly because Robinson being a one hundred and twenty year company, 30 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 3: it always surprises people when I kind of tell the 31 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 3: tell of the tape with the numbers. But you know, 32 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 3: we managed twenty three billion dollars in freight with over 33 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 3: thirty seven million shipments annually. It really helped create the 34 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 3: modern logistics industry as we know it today. 35 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 2: Robinson. 36 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 3: We're proud that we lead full Truckload LTL, temperature control 37 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 3: and cross border freight and that's really thanks to our 38 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 3: unmatched scale, integrated global capabilities and lead you know, over 39 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 3: thirteen thousand logistics experts across thirty seven countries, so really 40 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 3: good scale here in Robinson. Proud to say it feels 41 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 3: you know if it feels different one hundred and twenty 42 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 3: year company. 43 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 2: It's because it is. 44 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 3: We've been really excited about what we've done in the 45 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 3: last couple of years. I'm proud to the team themselves 46 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 3: and just how much change we've kind of thrown at 47 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 3: them because we've gone through a transfer transformation that's really 48 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:55,800 Speaker 3: I think shown up in the numbers, and we can 49 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 3: talk a lot more about that. But again, we have 50 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:05,079 Speaker 3: the larger freight broker, and I always surprised people when 51 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 3: I say a couple of things that are super important. 52 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:10,799 Speaker 2: Number one, people. 53 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 3: May not realize that, you know, Robinson has an LTL 54 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 3: business are less than trucklow business, and that is for us, 55 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 3: over a three billion dollar business overall. If you think 56 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 3: about it, more than half of our revenues come from 57 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 3: customers that use both our surface transportation and our global 58 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 3: forwarding services we have. You know, when it comes to truckload, 59 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 3: we move the most freight in North America by any 60 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 3: three po and of course that resulted in over eight 61 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 3: billion dollars revenue eight billion dollars of revenue in twenty 62 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 3: twenty four. So some really big, kind of scale numbers 63 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 3: that usually surprise people, and some that I'm super excited 64 00:03:55,760 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 3: about things like our drop trailer because again I'll aows 65 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 3: us to show up like an asset. This is a 66 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 3: business that was almost a billion dollars for US, nine 67 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 3: hundred million dollars of business for US, but it represents 68 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 3: over ten percent of our trucklow volume, so we feel 69 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 3: really good about that. And of course we move more 70 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 3: temperature control freight than any other three pl in North America. 71 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 3: And you know, finally, you know, two million cross border 72 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 3: shipments a year in North America, so we're touching one 73 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 3: out of ten shipments coming from Mexico in So the 74 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 3: bottom line is dealing with eighty three thousand customers. With 75 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:41,279 Speaker 3: that level of scale of shipments, we see it all 76 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 3: and it allows us to have the largest data set 77 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 3: in the industry. And we'll get into that and talk 78 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 3: about it, but it really allows us to get a 79 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:52,040 Speaker 3: good view of the world of logistics. 80 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: So you came into the role from outside the company 81 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: two years ago, you know, an outsider coming in what 82 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 1: was kind of the state of the company, and you know, 83 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,720 Speaker 1: you mentioned the company has been going through a transformation. 84 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: What tools did you bring to the job that has 85 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 1: really changed things for the better? 86 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 2: Over at H. Robinson. Yeah, two years ago. 87 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:15,559 Speaker 3: I tell you, coming in Lee, there was a number 88 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 3: of things happening within the company. First of all, as 89 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:24,359 Speaker 3: you know, we've been in an extended freight recession in 90 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 3: a sense, it's been almost three years, and this is 91 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 3: on a cycle that should last eighteen to twenty four 92 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 3: months or so. And I walked into somewhat right in 93 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 3: the middle of that. And then there were some things 94 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 3: within the company itself. You know, walked into a company 95 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 3: that had an activist investor that that was part of 96 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 3: the company. There was just a lot of things that 97 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 3: were going on, really high short position within the company. 98 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 3: But I got to tell you, before I took the role, 99 00:05:56,600 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 3: I did my homework and what I saw was a 100 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 3: company that was first mover all the things I just 101 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 3: talked about. It had had generational customers, It had people 102 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 3: who really wanted to win. And I decided to take 103 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 3: the role, and coming in I knew it wouldn't be easy, 104 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:17,039 Speaker 3: but we had to. 105 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 2: We had to change some things. And I underwent a 106 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:25,040 Speaker 2: diagnosis and I've said this a lot publicly, and that diagnosis. 107 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 2: For five to six months, I fashioned myself as a 108 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:33,480 Speaker 2: lean practitioner, so to your question, I really brought a 109 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:38,599 Speaker 2: strong kind of lean operating model in view for a 110 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 2: company that's been around one hundred and twenty years and 111 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 2: lead you know, dove in hard and when you look 112 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 2: at a business, you have to scan it before you 113 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 2: can treat it. And that's what I set out to do. 114 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 3: And coming off of that diagnosis, there were some things 115 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:56,160 Speaker 3: that quite frankly, didn't. 116 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:57,720 Speaker 2: Feel good to the team. 117 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 3: You know, it saw a culture that, for the most part, 118 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 3: we were in a number of companies do this. We 119 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:08,040 Speaker 3: were admiring problems versus solving those problems. We were not 120 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 3: we were not moving fast enough right on our on 121 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 3: our decision making. We were swimming in different lanes. We 122 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 3: just were just we were just not a one Robinson approach, 123 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 3: you know. On the on the good side, I thought 124 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 3: I would see kind of older technology. It was just 125 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 3: the opposite. We had some really good technology and we 126 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 3: really had people who who understood about winning. So there 127 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 3: were some things that we started off pretty good, but 128 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 3: that led to having to start and introduce an operating model, 129 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 3: and we did that at the beginning of twenty twenty four. 130 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 3: It's a lean based operating model. It really drives discipline, 131 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 3: it drives execution, and then put that up against our 132 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 3: technology that we were already driving, and then with generative AI, 133 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 3: which I think we're leading the industry in those two 134 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 3: put us on a path of transformation, bringing in some talent, 135 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 3: changing some things around. And for the last five quarters, 136 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 3: I think you're seeing the result of some of that 137 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 3: transformation and we can certainly double click on on on 138 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 3: a number of those. 139 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, I think you're bringing the lean of 140 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 1: framework into the company, very unique within the brokerage industry, 141 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: and definitely you seeing the benefits. And you know you 142 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: mentioned technology and you use that uh, you know, buzzword AI. 143 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 1: How are you guys using AI? Because at the end 144 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: of the day, the brokerage business is a relationship business. 145 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: So could you talk about, you know, what you're doing 146 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: in terms of implementing AI and how it's making you 147 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:42,319 Speaker 1: more productive? I mean, I'm assuming you're just not cutting heads, right. 148 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 2: No, absolutely not? 149 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 3: Uh And and for us, uh that the words around 150 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 3: general of AI are are serious words that we we 151 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:56,239 Speaker 3: looked at every day from a from a technology perspective, 152 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,599 Speaker 3: and the way we're going about it, it's really about productivity. 153 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 3: And we start and with the way we've kind of 154 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:08,200 Speaker 3: explained this is it's really about order to cash and 155 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:11,079 Speaker 3: if you look down and you start on any of 156 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 3: these things, you have to start by when when an 157 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:15,439 Speaker 3: order is generated or you can call it quote to 158 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:19,719 Speaker 3: cash uh to the point where you receive revenue and 159 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 3: doing that, now everything in between there is a handoff. 160 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 2: Everything, there is an opportunity. 161 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 3: And right now, again, as I said, we have some 162 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 3: of the best logisticians in the world, and what they're 163 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 3: doing right now, you're not maximizing their talents if they're 164 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 3: doing manual medial task every day. And for the most part, 165 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 3: that's what they were doing. And so we saw a 166 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 3: huge opportunity in driving our large language models in generative 167 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 3: AI to to take away those manual tasks. So, for example, 168 00:09:56,920 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 3: if you look at our quoting process LEE, one of 169 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 3: the things I do within this lean operating model is 170 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 3: we do something like go to gimba. It means to 171 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:10,319 Speaker 3: go to the work. And it's been different for Robinson. 172 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 3: I mean, as CEO, I go out spend time with 173 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:17,079 Speaker 3: our great employees, sit at the desk for two hours, 174 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 3: understand the work. But I went out to really talk 175 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 3: about and see our new quoting process, and in that 176 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:26,560 Speaker 3: I had an employee look at me and tell me. 177 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 3: He said, Miss Boseman, this is this has been fantastic 178 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 3: right now as quotes come in, as you can imagine, 179 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 3: we get thousands of quotes today in Robinson, and our 180 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:42,200 Speaker 3: people have to respond to those quotes. They come in unstructured, 181 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 3: they come in and emails things like that. And yesterday 182 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 3: I refer to yesterday and today yesterday. What we would 183 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 3: have been doing on those quotes is, as he told me, 184 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 3: if I get to all of them, and I don't know, 185 00:10:57,240 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 3: I will respond to a Charlotte to fort Worth quote 186 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:02,800 Speaker 3: and I might just put the number in there of 187 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 3: how much. Today we're using our genitive AI technology and 188 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:14,839 Speaker 3: Lee it's giving the details of that load with all 189 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,240 Speaker 3: the heuristics that we were not doing as a human. 190 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 3: It's responding to every quote. It's doing it in ninety seconds, 191 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:26,199 Speaker 3: and it's responding back in a conversational manner. So what 192 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:29,120 Speaker 3: that has allowed us to do is twenty four to 193 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 3: seven we're able to make sure we respond to every 194 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 3: quote that comes our way. Our people love it. It 195 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 3: now takes away those manual tasks and allows our people 196 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 3: to do what they're known for, and that is solving problems, 197 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:49,280 Speaker 3: helping customers solve their problems, very hard problems, and really 198 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 3: drive value into their business. And we just put out 199 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 3: a release a few weeks ago to say we have 200 00:11:56,280 --> 00:12:03,200 Speaker 3: officially replaced three million logistical manual task that would have 201 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 3: been done by individuals that are now done by our 202 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 3: generative AI or our large language models, which by the way, 203 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,679 Speaker 3: is a technology that our own engineers are doing. So 204 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,080 Speaker 3: it's not like, I mean, we're on obviously the AZOR 205 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:21,199 Speaker 3: platform with Microsoft, but is our own engineers that develop 206 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 3: these large language models. That is a competitive advantage. It 207 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 3: allows us because they know the business, we can change 208 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 3: things quickly and we own that technology, not like we're 209 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 3: partnering up with someone and have to call them to 210 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:37,280 Speaker 3: make changes. So it's been a huge change in that 211 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 3: order to cash process. We're in the early innings. We 212 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 3: have a long way to go, but I think that's 213 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 3: what you're seeing because it's a different Robinson right now. 214 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 1: Right And so you know, for those that don't follow 215 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 1: the freight brokerage market, can you talk about like the 216 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 1: metric some of the big metrics, high level metrics that 217 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 1: you look at and kind. 218 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 2: Of where. 219 00:12:56,679 --> 00:12:58,960 Speaker 1: Where you were, where you are, and you know, I 220 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: know you laid out a lot of goals at your 221 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: investor day last year. 222 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 2: We did. 223 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 3: I'm glad you saw that too, Lee. That was We're 224 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 3: pretty proud about that investor day. It was our first 225 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 3: investor day we had in seven years, and we feel 226 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,320 Speaker 3: like we laid out a comprehensive story. But it really 227 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 3: comes down to this. In the last couple of years, 228 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 3: we've posted up thirty percent productivity, fifteen percent in twenty three, 229 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 3: fifteen percent and twenty four starts compounding this thirty percent 230 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 3: improvement and productivity and productivity in a sense is a 231 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,960 Speaker 3: measure that we're looking at as shipments per person per day. 232 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:44,959 Speaker 3: It allows us to really measure how we're getting that 233 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 3: and we're doing that. We're getting that in a combination 234 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:50,679 Speaker 3: of again the technology that I just kind of outlined 235 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 3: that allows us to get at that productivity, along with 236 00:13:55,320 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 3: our operating model that has introduced a speed and a 237 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 3: discipline within the company that allows us to the best 238 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 3: way I like to say it is we've gone from 239 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 3: a output based company to an input based company. And 240 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 3: in an output based company, Lee, we and most of 241 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:18,559 Speaker 3: the industry does this, we tend to look at things 242 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 3: after they're in. You know, maybe the quarter is over, 243 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 3: you go back. I always say, you're doing autopsy on 244 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 3: the numbers, but the patient's dead at that point. And 245 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 3: so we've kind of moved to an input base. When 246 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 3: we put things in at Robinson, now we're changing them immediately. 247 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 3: If we're off plan, it shows up it's red. Now 248 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 3: we can go and change that immediately, and that allows 249 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 3: us to really drive that. So shipments per person per 250 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 3: day is a really big one that we're looking at. 251 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 3: An investor day, we also said that we are going 252 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 3: to increase We're going to do two things in this company. 253 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 3: One we're going to grow market share and two we're 254 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 3: going to expand our overall gross margins. And those two 255 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:12,120 Speaker 3: things are vital for a company like ours within the industry, 256 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 3: and I think we've shown that because we have started 257 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 3: to actually grow market share while expanding margins in a really, 258 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 3: really tough macro environment. So I'm really proud of the 259 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 3: team and how they're getting after that. 260 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 2: Right. You know, consensus expectations for c H. 261 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:31,680 Speaker 1: Robinson twenty twenty five our revenues to be down around 262 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:34,600 Speaker 1: six percent, but earnings per share up five percent, So 263 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: I guess that's really that that margins story there, you know, 264 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: the brokerage industry, like I mentioned, it's really it's a 265 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 1: really I mean I view it as really a relationship market. 266 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 1: And you know, the tech only companies, you know, I 267 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 1: think we'll find it harder and harder to survive. Can 268 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:55,200 Speaker 1: you talk about, you know, the culture that you have there. 269 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:57,160 Speaker 2: I'm assuming you know you need. 270 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 1: To bring in younger people, you know, what do you 271 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 1: look for or when you're hiring people out of university 272 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 1: and college to come to the company and grow with you. 273 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, you're first of all, you're right, this is a uh, 274 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:15,960 Speaker 3: this is a people industry. And you might remember obviously 275 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 3: there was the movement of the digital disruptors that really 276 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 3: came into the space and Robinson was not immune to 277 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 3: that and had to uh and had and was impacted 278 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 3: by that. With the digital disruptors coming in and while 279 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 3: the thesis was was laid out that they would disrupted industry, 280 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 3: I think one thing that I think I think they 281 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 3: discovered and the industry discovered is this is not one 282 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 3: that you can just solve just with with with a 283 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 3: digital solution all the way through it has to have 284 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:53,680 Speaker 3: a component of people, and this is why we think 285 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 3: we have the best strategy in the industry, as is 286 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 3: industries leading technology enabled by our people are enabled by 287 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:10,120 Speaker 3: this technology and we have again our people have developed 288 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:16,160 Speaker 3: relationships with customers for many years, and our customers often 289 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 3: cite the reason we do business with you is because 290 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:23,360 Speaker 3: of your people. They know the business sometimes better than 291 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 3: our customers and they can really help solve these problems. 292 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:30,879 Speaker 3: So you have to have that relationship because this is 293 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:34,359 Speaker 3: an industry lead that is hard. It's hard because you 294 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:40,439 Speaker 3: have variability. Things happen, things change, things break, and just 295 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 3: an algorithm itself is not going to solve that. A 296 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 3: person would experience is going to solve that. But now 297 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 3: you know, putting technology, world leading technology in the hands 298 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:54,159 Speaker 3: of those people makes it really powerful and that's what 299 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:57,200 Speaker 3: you're seeing happen at Robinson. So what we look for 300 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 3: we look for some people who number one, they want 301 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:02,720 Speaker 3: to come in. They've got to have that energy, they've 302 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 3: got to have that will to win. We want people 303 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 3: who are curious. We want people who understand that dynamic 304 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 3: of technology, but we also want people who understand customer service, 305 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 3: like to deal with customers like to solve problems. Robinson 306 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 3: is not the company that you go to for simplistic problems. 307 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:26,920 Speaker 3: We solve really hard problems and we do it globally. 308 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:31,400 Speaker 3: So having a workforce come in this energized that wants 309 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 3: to get after it, those are the ones that we 310 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 3: do and we reward them for that when they solve 311 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 3: those problems. So that's what we're constantly looking for and where, 312 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 3: and we're open to anyone who's listening to this. If 313 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 3: you want to join this team and have those characteristics, 314 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 3: then we're the place for you. 315 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:47,919 Speaker 2: Gotcha. 316 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 1: You know you mentioned earlier drop trailers. You know that's 317 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:53,679 Speaker 1: been a big growth area for a lot of you 318 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,120 Speaker 1: know brokers. Can you talk about you know. 319 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 2: Your fleet? Are we going to see C H. 320 00:18:58,080 --> 00:18:59,920 Speaker 1: Robinson trailers out on the highways? 321 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:01,720 Speaker 2: Uh? You know why? 322 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:03,880 Speaker 1: Why why is it so popular? 323 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:08,400 Speaker 3: Well, I'll tell you this is why it's it's popular. 324 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 3: The beauty of Robinson and why I like the model 325 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 3: Right now, we're an asset light company, as you know, 326 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:21,920 Speaker 3: and that asset light company is an advantage I think 327 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:25,159 Speaker 3: within the marketplace because it's it's it allows us to 328 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 3: be nimble, it allows us to be flexible and it 329 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 3: allows us to to really get at it, and the 330 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:34,000 Speaker 3: most important part, it allows us to have a really 331 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:40,200 Speaker 3: good balance sheet that that really allows us to invest 332 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:43,359 Speaker 3: in various times. Right It's been a really tough UH 333 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:46,679 Speaker 3: freight market right now, but we've not stopped investing, and 334 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 3: that's because we have an investing investment great balance sheet. 335 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:52,920 Speaker 3: A lot of that leaning on the fact that we're 336 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 3: an asset light company. However, when it comes to drop trailer. 337 00:19:57,520 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 2: We do both. 338 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 3: We own some trailers, over two thousand trailers that Robinson 339 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 3: actually owns. Our customers like this service, they call on 340 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 3: it and we utilize that service for them. We have 341 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:16,640 Speaker 3: access to over ten thousand trailers through partners through our 342 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:20,159 Speaker 3: we do business lead with over four hundred and fifty 343 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 3: thousand carriers and that allows us to really have access 344 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 3: to various trailers. And again it's a service that shippers 345 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 3: want to want to utilize and so we like to 346 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 3: say it allows us to actually show up like an asset. 347 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:40,440 Speaker 3: That's why I'm so excited about this. The TAM a 348 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 3: total addressable market for the industry that we're going after. 349 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 3: By having these drop trailers allows us to get access 350 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:53,920 Speaker 3: to certain bids that we would normally not have access 351 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 3: to if because some things are you just don't get 352 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 3: access if you if you're not an asset. We're able 353 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:03,120 Speaker 3: to show up like an asset, but we're asset light 354 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:07,040 Speaker 3: and that gives us that flexibility, allows us to go 355 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:10,160 Speaker 3: up that value chain, and it's a key key element 356 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:13,640 Speaker 3: of our growth strategy as well. So that's why I'm 357 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 3: super excited about drop trailer. 358 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:17,680 Speaker 1: Right, you know, I just want to change gears a 359 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: little bit and talk about something that's been you know, 360 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:22,399 Speaker 1: a big concern for a lot of people in the industry, 361 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:26,119 Speaker 1: which is fraud. Can you talk about you know, fraud 362 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 1: generally speaking within the broker industry and what h. Robinson 363 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: you know, is doing to kind of combat it. Yeah, well, 364 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 1: certainly fraud prevention. I mean, you've seen the headlines and 365 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:41,920 Speaker 1: you've seen the numbers. It's a it's a serious issue 366 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 1: within the industry. 367 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:47,919 Speaker 3: Top priority for us at Robinson. I mean, you know, 368 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 3: rising cargo theft. We've strengthened security using advanced technology, rigorous 369 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:59,680 Speaker 3: carr us vetting and real time load recovery. So we're 370 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:02,400 Speaker 3: used in technology to really kind of go at this 371 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:06,119 Speaker 3: and solve this problem. I also, you know, This is 372 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:08,399 Speaker 3: one I'm excited about. When you start talking about our 373 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:12,320 Speaker 3: operating model, these things pop up and I remember the 374 00:22:12,359 --> 00:22:16,199 Speaker 3: meetings that we're talking about in which fraud, you know, 375 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:19,679 Speaker 3: pops up. It allows us to dive deep down to 376 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 3: the part where we can kind of solve this at 377 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 3: a root cause perspective. 378 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 2: But it's something that we're we're driving at every day. 379 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:31,680 Speaker 3: I know that you had a conversation maybe a few 380 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 3: weeks ago before, but we have a partnership, our twenty 381 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:41,760 Speaker 3: twenty four partnership with Highway Yes, and in Highway they 382 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:45,359 Speaker 3: help us with the technology they have in enhancing that 383 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 3: identity protection that contributes to this whole you know, theft 384 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:54,439 Speaker 3: free rate of we're proud to say nearly one hundred 385 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:58,919 Speaker 3: percent in our NAS division, and that's pretty remarkable to 386 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:02,199 Speaker 3: have a theft free rate of almost one hundred percent. 387 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:07,439 Speaker 3: We also are leading the industry in collaboration really to 388 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:11,000 Speaker 3: share best practices and stay ahead of all of these 389 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:15,159 Speaker 3: emerging trends. So again, fraud, we're on top of it, 390 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,240 Speaker 3: we're driving it every day, but we're also trying to 391 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:21,440 Speaker 3: be a leader in the space and drive that collaboration 392 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:23,720 Speaker 3: because it's a big one. 393 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:26,960 Speaker 1: In this industry. Yeah, and thanks for that plug, Davey. 394 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:28,879 Speaker 1: If I would recommend people to go back and listen 395 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 1: to my conversation with one of the executives from from 396 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:37,480 Speaker 1: a Highway, A very interesting conversation. So, you know, broadly speaking, 397 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 1: what is the freight market telling you right now? Or 398 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 1: what are shippers telling you? Because you know you mentioned variability, 399 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:47,159 Speaker 1: I think that that and uncertainty are some keywords for 400 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:48,200 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five. 401 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:50,800 Speaker 2: What are you seeing? 402 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:53,200 Speaker 1: Where do you expect the market to go from here? 403 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:53,880 Speaker 2: Yeah? 404 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 3: Well, first of all, I don't think I would surprise 405 00:23:56,440 --> 00:24:00,480 Speaker 3: you by saying if I use the word uncertain to you, right, 406 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 3: that wouldn't surprise you. So there are certainly and let 407 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 3: me just lay it out here, like we deal with 408 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:15,119 Speaker 3: over seventy five hundred retail customers, okay, and they're they're 409 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 3: balancing some some some overall competing factors. So you've got 410 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:27,719 Speaker 3: consumer demand. Consumer demand for the most part is muted, 411 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:33,399 Speaker 3: ocean shipping rates are elevated, and you have tariffs that 412 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 3: are volatile as ever, and if you're if you're a 413 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 3: retail customer, I mean, you have to balance those three things. 414 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:45,399 Speaker 3: And we're here to kind of help those those seventy 415 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:49,880 Speaker 3: five hundred retail shippers deal with this. But but it's 416 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:52,920 Speaker 3: important that everyone kind of understands those competing factors. 417 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 2: You know, if we double click on some of that. 418 00:24:56,359 --> 00:24:59,239 Speaker 3: As an example, you know, the the one hundred and 419 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 3: forty five percent terrors on the Chinese made goods, you know, 420 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:07,520 Speaker 3: they hit just as retailers were bringing in their back 421 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:11,000 Speaker 3: to school merchandise. You know, for the seventy five hundred 422 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:14,400 Speaker 3: retail customers we served, I mean, many of them decided 423 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:18,080 Speaker 3: to import only the most critical items because they had 424 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:20,000 Speaker 3: to make a choice in doing that, and that would 425 00:25:20,040 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 3: be things like backpacks and tennis shoes and things like that. 426 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:29,720 Speaker 3: We saw that with retailers purchasing this this kind of 427 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:35,239 Speaker 3: China plus one China plus two strategy, all of our 428 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:38,520 Speaker 3: retail customers are really trying to decide and we're helping 429 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:42,679 Speaker 3: them with that, like moving it to different origins, you know, 430 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 3: different countries, and trying to bring products in freight on 431 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 3: his way to the port was turned back. Freight already 432 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,160 Speaker 3: at the port was pulled and sent back. They were 433 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 3: just things that would happen when you start getting into 434 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 3: terrafs at this level. And as you know, a tariff 435 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:05,280 Speaker 3: at one hundred and forty five percent, it's really a tariff. 436 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:08,160 Speaker 3: At call it forty five percent, it's really not a tariff. 437 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:13,239 Speaker 3: You start getting into the embargo territory, and in an 438 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:16,959 Speaker 3: embargo territory, that changes the dynamics that are going on. 439 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:20,720 Speaker 3: But now we have this kind of ninety day window 440 00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 3: of lower tariffs, and our retail customers are focused on 441 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:28,119 Speaker 3: the fall holidays. You know, from a planning, procurement and 442 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:31,359 Speaker 3: shipping perspective, you know, there's still time to get that 443 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:35,600 Speaker 3: merchandise in. I mean, domestically, we might see a surge 444 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:39,440 Speaker 3: of freight for like Halloween and Thanksgiving later this month, 445 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 3: so shoppers, you know, may have a fewer you know, 446 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 3: back to school items to choose from. But at this point, 447 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:51,640 Speaker 3: Lee it'll be enough glowing the dark skeletons and fake 448 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:56,520 Speaker 3: vampire teeth that'll probably make it for Halloween. So my 449 00:26:56,600 --> 00:27:00,640 Speaker 3: whole point on that is that our retailers are balancing 450 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:05,920 Speaker 3: a number of things. This uncertainty makes it really hard 451 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:10,560 Speaker 3: for them to plan and and and we're we're working 452 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:12,639 Speaker 3: with them every day to deal with that. And I 453 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:15,320 Speaker 3: don't know that anyone else would would would kind of 454 00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:18,119 Speaker 3: differ with that, and it's just something that that we 455 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:20,959 Speaker 3: have to deal with every day because I don't think 456 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:22,679 Speaker 3: that this disruption will stop. 457 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:23,400 Speaker 2: Yeah. 458 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:26,399 Speaker 1: And and so that being said, are you seeing people 459 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 1: even pulling forward beyond Thanksgiving for like, you know, the 460 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:33,480 Speaker 1: holidays in December? Are people pulling that demand forward as well? 461 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:35,960 Speaker 1: So you could kind of see I don't know, not 462 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:38,520 Speaker 1: a tsunami a freight, but but a big surgeon freight. 463 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:42,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think, you know, it's a it's a good point, 464 00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:46,080 Speaker 3: and we've been looking at it. The ideal timing for 465 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 3: let's just say for Christmas imports, it's more of a 466 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:52,960 Speaker 3: question mark because again there's three major factors. 467 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 2: They are all at play. 468 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:58,639 Speaker 3: Similar to what I talked about that consumer demand is muted, 469 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:03,080 Speaker 3: you know, the ocean rates are elevated, and tariffs are 470 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:08,000 Speaker 3: again volatile. So you know, if you're if you're a shipper, 471 00:28:08,040 --> 00:28:10,679 Speaker 3: it's like what's the bigger what's the biggest gamble you 472 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:12,639 Speaker 3: have to deal with or the bigger gamble that you 473 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:15,919 Speaker 3: deal with during the ninety day window, it's you know, 474 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:20,920 Speaker 3: pulling holiday inventory forward while ocean rates are up and 475 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:25,119 Speaker 3: demandsing those are uncertain, or is it waiting too long 476 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:29,760 Speaker 3: and risking the tariffs go up again. You know, that's 477 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:34,160 Speaker 3: the conversation a number of retailers and retail suppliers are 478 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:37,639 Speaker 3: having with us right now as we kind of navigate this, 479 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:41,200 Speaker 3: this this world of uncertainty. So we are seeing, no, 480 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:45,800 Speaker 3: there's no one solution that's the same. Everyone's kind of 481 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:49,800 Speaker 3: dealing with different solutions. Some of it pull ahead, some 482 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:51,640 Speaker 3: of it wait and see if that makes if that 483 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 3: makes sense. 484 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 1: You know, you mentioned earlier that we're in a freight 485 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:57,320 Speaker 1: recession and we're in the third year of that recession. 486 00:28:57,360 --> 00:28:59,520 Speaker 1: A lot of people in December that it was going 487 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:02,520 Speaker 1: to be over in twenty twenty five, you know, with 488 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 1: the incoming president and you know, low taxes, low regulation, 489 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:11,160 Speaker 1: very good for business. Obviously tariffs change that. You know, 490 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:13,880 Speaker 1: what are you expecting in terms of the truck market, 491 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:16,160 Speaker 1: because obviously you guys are big buyers in the spot 492 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:20,760 Speaker 1: market in terms of capacity, Are you expecting rates to 493 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:22,440 Speaker 1: remain relatively depressed? 494 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:23,160 Speaker 2: Yeah? 495 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 3: I think as you're seeing it again, this is one 496 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:30,200 Speaker 3: that that you have to double click on because there 497 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:35,440 Speaker 3: are some normal seasonal things that play here, and as 498 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:39,680 Speaker 3: you know, we're we're into right now. What we would 499 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 3: call the produce and beverage season. And for people listening 500 00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:47,600 Speaker 3: to this, I mean obviously on the beverage season you 501 00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 3: start having the kind of peak or pull in for 502 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 3: soda and beer and a number of things going into 503 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:59,200 Speaker 3: the summertime and obviously would produce as well. So so 504 00:29:59,280 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 3: you naturally at this time see an increase right now 505 00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:07,560 Speaker 3: that's happening within within the broker space. So we're we're 506 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:11,840 Speaker 3: kind of dealing with that that seasonality on on rates. 507 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:15,479 Speaker 3: But as you know, there's a two sided part to this, 508 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:19,360 Speaker 3: and we haven't talked a lot about yet, but the 509 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:22,920 Speaker 3: capacity side of the house, that would be the carrier 510 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:27,800 Speaker 3: capacity side, really drives that that kind of rate U 511 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 3: process that we're talking about. And for us at Robinson, 512 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:37,360 Speaker 3: how we're looking at that that carrier capacity. Uh, it's uh, 513 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:40,640 Speaker 3: it's been a world here, Lee and and what I've 514 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:44,600 Speaker 3: said when we were at the Wells conference this week, 515 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:50,480 Speaker 3: and when we start looking at at carrier capacity, we're 516 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 3: starting to call that that that's going to start getting 517 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:59,320 Speaker 3: to somewhat normal in in twenty twenty six. Uh, it's 518 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:01,960 Speaker 3: it's we don't think it's there yet. It has been 519 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:05,080 Speaker 3: burning down. There were a number of reasons that it 520 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:07,960 Speaker 3: was elevated that I'm sure you've talked to other guests on, 521 00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:14,040 Speaker 3: but essentially, through the pandemic, carrier capacity elevated at the 522 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:17,719 Speaker 3: highest rates really in history, and it took time for 523 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 3: that to burn down, and that the reason it burned 524 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:25,480 Speaker 3: down slow, in our opinion, is that in twenty twenty one, 525 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:28,000 Speaker 3: there are a lot of profits that were made and 526 00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:32,280 Speaker 3: assets were paid off. This allowed carrier capacity to really 527 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:35,680 Speaker 3: stay longer into the marketplace. There are other things that 528 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:40,160 Speaker 3: kicked in when it came to banks given favorable rates, 529 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:44,120 Speaker 3: they really didn't want to get into the used truck market, 530 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:48,600 Speaker 3: so they gave favorable terms for carriers to kind of 531 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:52,560 Speaker 3: keep their assets. But we think all of that is 532 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:58,000 Speaker 3: kind of burning through now and getting back down to normalization, 533 00:31:58,120 --> 00:32:00,600 Speaker 3: but we think that'll be in twenty twenty. That's a 534 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:05,000 Speaker 3: key component to start talking about rates that are happening. 535 00:32:05,080 --> 00:32:07,239 Speaker 3: So I think what you're going to see are are 536 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:12,040 Speaker 3: kind of the normal rate increases for seasonality, but but 537 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 3: we still haven't seen We're still bouncing along the bottom here. 538 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:18,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, and from every season in my household, it's it's 539 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 1: an increase in Margarita's for the summertime. And also you 540 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:24,520 Speaker 1: mentioned the Wales conference. For those that want to go back, 541 00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 1: Chris Weatherby the analyst there. He's been a guest of 542 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 1: the podcast multiple times. You should check back what he 543 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:34,480 Speaker 1: has to say about the space. So so it sounds 544 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:36,000 Speaker 1: like you think it's going to come from more on 545 00:32:36,040 --> 00:32:38,600 Speaker 1: the supply side than on the demand side in terms 546 00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:39,640 Speaker 1: of a. 547 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:44,600 Speaker 2: Turn in truckload rates. Did I Did I hear that correctly? Well, 548 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:47,680 Speaker 2: I would say that's gonna it's both, okay. 549 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 3: I mean, you've got to have the carry capacity that 550 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:54,760 Speaker 3: I now on the right side of the equation is 551 00:32:54,800 --> 00:32:58,800 Speaker 3: going to be the demand and and for demand that 552 00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:00,720 Speaker 3: that really has to happen. And I and I would 553 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:04,680 Speaker 3: say for your listeners here from a freight perspective, there 554 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:08,440 Speaker 3: are three key things that we look at here, Robinson, 555 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:12,480 Speaker 3: and that's going to be manufacturing, retail, and housing. 556 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:14,840 Speaker 2: Those three are the. 557 00:33:14,760 --> 00:33:17,760 Speaker 3: Ones that really kind of that that drive freight and 558 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:20,880 Speaker 3: that that we really want to see kind of going 559 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 3: up into the right And to this point, if you 560 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,440 Speaker 3: look at it, they've been somewhat they've been muted right 561 00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:31,720 Speaker 3: with interest rates. Let's talk about housing, you know, that's 562 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:34,880 Speaker 3: been kind of flat to down H certainly as as 563 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 3: we're dealing with with some of the volatility that's happening manufacturing. 564 00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:42,880 Speaker 3: You know the story on manufacturing, it's it's everything from 565 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:48,480 Speaker 3: automotive to industrial manufacturing. It's just you know, it's been 566 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:51,280 Speaker 3: in a in a wait and see uh, in this 567 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:55,280 Speaker 3: kind of period of uncertainty, and so that's kind of 568 00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:57,000 Speaker 3: that's mutant manufacturing. 569 00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:00,720 Speaker 2: And in retail, we talked a bit about our ready. 570 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:05,160 Speaker 3: UH same thing the tariffs, UH is just uncertainty in 571 00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:09,719 Speaker 3: the economy and all of that is it's just a 572 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:12,640 Speaker 3: a wait and see game on doing that. We certainly 573 00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:15,319 Speaker 3: would like to see that that go up into the right. 574 00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:20,120 Speaker 3: I don't see that that occurring for the most part 575 00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:21,479 Speaker 3: in this year. 576 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:24,920 Speaker 2: And you see that that call out as well. This 577 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:25,640 Speaker 2: is why at. 578 00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:28,640 Speaker 3: Robinson we're we're you know, we're we're looking past the 579 00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:33,080 Speaker 3: macros and saying to ourselves, we're going to do the 580 00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:37,480 Speaker 3: self help within our company UH and making sure we're 581 00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:42,279 Speaker 3: we're driving a fit, fast focused approach within Robinson UH 582 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:47,520 Speaker 3: and just and and outgrowing the market despite whatever condition 583 00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:52,120 Speaker 3: it is in. Our approach is to is to outgrow 584 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:57,080 Speaker 3: the market or drive higher highs and higher lows within Robinson. 585 00:34:57,120 --> 00:34:59,520 Speaker 1: That's our approach, right, and and the outlook for you 586 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:02,839 Speaker 1: guys more optimistic. At twenty twenty six, consensus has you 587 00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:06,480 Speaker 1: guys with revenues up five percent and fifteen percent earnings 588 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:09,359 Speaker 1: per share growth, so you know, back to double digit 589 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:13,480 Speaker 1: EPs growth in twenty twenty six, assuming everything goes as planning. 590 00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:17,440 Speaker 1: You mentioned some of those economic drivers. It's worth noting 591 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:20,279 Speaker 1: the ism has been a contraction territory for twenty nine 592 00:35:20,320 --> 00:35:23,959 Speaker 1: at the last thirty one months, which is obviously not good. 593 00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:27,799 Speaker 1: Consumer confidence is pretty low, and you know, organt rates 594 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:31,239 Speaker 1: are high, so hopefully things will turn around and that 595 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:34,520 Speaker 1: could paint a better twenty twenty six. Can you talk 596 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:37,719 Speaker 1: about your your freight forwarding business and kind of how 597 00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:39,680 Speaker 1: that complements your brokerage business. 598 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:45,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, well, I love our freight forwarding business and for 599 00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:49,480 Speaker 3: a number of different reasons, I think it makes us 600 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:54,120 Speaker 3: different than the industry and than and the competition we're 601 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:58,000 Speaker 3: we're allowed to see. We opened this conversation by saying, 602 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:01,719 Speaker 3: you know, fifty percent of our our revenues come from 603 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:06,080 Speaker 3: you know, our customers that are using both our our 604 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:10,600 Speaker 3: global forwarding as well as our nast services. Uh It 605 00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:14,279 Speaker 3: allows us to have a visibility globally. We like to 606 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:18,640 Speaker 3: say that, you know, we're we're taking product from China 607 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:23,280 Speaker 3: to North Carolina every day, and I don't know that 608 00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:26,520 Speaker 3: that anyone can say that because we're moving global goods 609 00:36:27,560 --> 00:36:31,640 Speaker 3: and so so our forwarding UH business is super important 610 00:36:31,719 --> 00:36:35,800 Speaker 3: for us in doing that. The other reason I really 611 00:36:35,880 --> 00:36:39,040 Speaker 3: like the business is, you know, we're putting that business 612 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:43,840 Speaker 3: through our operating model that I talked about earlierly and 613 00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:46,600 Speaker 3: and it's really reacted favorably to that. 614 00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:47,719 Speaker 2: UH. 615 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:50,359 Speaker 3: And this is a business that if you look last year, 616 00:36:52,120 --> 00:36:57,360 Speaker 3: the bear case on Robinson, right, the bare case is that, hey, Dave, listen, 617 00:36:58,120 --> 00:37:02,600 Speaker 3: when the market returns UH. You know, Robinson typically at 618 00:37:02,920 --> 00:37:06,719 Speaker 3: costs back in on a recovery market. And and we've 619 00:37:06,760 --> 00:37:10,640 Speaker 3: been fighting that barecase. And I feel pretty confident as 620 00:37:10,680 --> 00:37:15,520 Speaker 3: I'm talking to UH two shareholders that that listen. You know, 621 00:37:15,560 --> 00:37:18,560 Speaker 3: we have a Canarian a coal mine with our global 622 00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:22,200 Speaker 3: forwarding business. You look at that business last year, UH, 623 00:37:22,239 --> 00:37:27,480 Speaker 3: it grew each quarter UH year over year, while while 624 00:37:27,480 --> 00:37:32,200 Speaker 3: we're reducing headcount expense and overall expense in the business. 625 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:34,239 Speaker 2: So and essentially we we we. 626 00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:38,759 Speaker 3: Disconnected headcount growth from volume growth uh off of the 627 00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:41,680 Speaker 3: model that that we were we were driving and they 628 00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:45,160 Speaker 3: and they drove productivity uh within that business. 629 00:37:45,640 --> 00:37:47,120 Speaker 2: So we're super excited about that. 630 00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:52,319 Speaker 3: Now we're starting to take the technology stack focus that 631 00:37:52,360 --> 00:37:56,720 Speaker 3: we intentionally use within NAS and we feel good about 632 00:37:57,200 --> 00:38:00,600 Speaker 3: the turnaround story we've had in our largest business, US, 633 00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:03,560 Speaker 3: in our NAS business, and we're now about to focus 634 00:38:03,600 --> 00:38:06,920 Speaker 3: that within Global Forwarding and so you know, we think 635 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:11,399 Speaker 3: there's even more goodness to come within that business as 636 00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:14,480 Speaker 3: we go forward and apply what we know is a 637 00:38:14,520 --> 00:38:19,040 Speaker 3: winning technology stack on top of an already rigorous operating 638 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:22,080 Speaker 3: model there and so that business just gives us that 639 00:38:22,160 --> 00:38:27,400 Speaker 3: flexibility globally to drive overall solutions for customers. 640 00:38:27,960 --> 00:38:30,560 Speaker 1: So, you know, you mentioned the fact a couple of 641 00:38:30,560 --> 00:38:32,720 Speaker 1: times that one of your goals is to win share. 642 00:38:33,120 --> 00:38:36,040 Speaker 1: So is that the main place where you're winning share, 643 00:38:36,120 --> 00:38:39,279 Speaker 1: like your winning share in your forwarding business from a 644 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:43,000 Speaker 1: brokerage customer and your vice versa maybe a forward customer 645 00:38:43,040 --> 00:38:46,760 Speaker 1: you're winning the share to come to your brokerage business 646 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:50,640 Speaker 1: or is it just going out and getting new business? 647 00:38:50,880 --> 00:38:54,480 Speaker 1: Like how would you characterize how you're winning share or 648 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:55,399 Speaker 1: where you're winning share? 649 00:38:56,120 --> 00:38:57,759 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'd say i'd say it's both. 650 00:38:57,920 --> 00:39:01,640 Speaker 3: So we're we're winning share in our and obviously in 651 00:39:02,160 --> 00:39:06,240 Speaker 3: our broker's business and our nas business, we're winning shared there. 652 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:09,799 Speaker 3: And we're doing that obviously in some of the things 653 00:39:09,800 --> 00:39:16,160 Speaker 3: we've talked about already with our proprietary technology, using that 654 00:39:16,520 --> 00:39:21,879 Speaker 3: to get better pricing dynamics, doing that to get better 655 00:39:21,960 --> 00:39:28,000 Speaker 3: costing dynamics, giving us that optionality and that leverage to 656 00:39:28,520 --> 00:39:32,359 Speaker 3: drive that improved market share. And we're doing the same 657 00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:38,000 Speaker 3: thing within global forwarding, allowing us to capture some share 658 00:39:38,040 --> 00:39:43,040 Speaker 3: growth as well within that business. So we're doing it 659 00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:46,960 Speaker 3: in both to do that, but a long way to 660 00:39:47,040 --> 00:39:50,800 Speaker 3: go as well. And that's what we laid out really 661 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:53,600 Speaker 3: an investor day, and while we feel good about those 662 00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:57,000 Speaker 3: numbers we laid out going out to twenty twenty six. 663 00:39:57,600 --> 00:40:00,000 Speaker 1: So, you know, let's talk a little bit about you 664 00:40:00,160 --> 00:40:03,560 Speaker 1: if you don't mind. You know, we mentioned happy anniversary 665 00:40:03,840 --> 00:40:08,400 Speaker 1: your second year uh in the jobs, so congratulations. So 666 00:40:08,520 --> 00:40:11,480 Speaker 1: how did you get into transportation because you know, C. H. 667 00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:15,839 Speaker 1: Robinson wasn't necessarily your first transport stop, can just talk 668 00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:18,279 Speaker 1: about you know, how you kind of stepped into it, 669 00:40:18,320 --> 00:40:19,920 Speaker 1: which a lot of people if they're not born into 670 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:22,319 Speaker 1: it that's kind of how they get into transports. 671 00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:25,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, for sure. 672 00:40:25,160 --> 00:40:30,000 Speaker 3: I you know, leave my my background started in Harley 673 00:40:30,080 --> 00:40:33,440 Speaker 3: Davison Motor Company and UH and I did really on 674 00:40:33,520 --> 00:40:37,160 Speaker 3: both sides, the operational side and and the and the 675 00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:38,880 Speaker 3: product engineering side. 676 00:40:39,480 --> 00:40:39,719 Speaker 1: UH. 677 00:40:39,760 --> 00:40:43,080 Speaker 3: And my my background is engineering as well, UH and 678 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:46,000 Speaker 3: and and then driving that when you're in manufacturing, you 679 00:40:46,480 --> 00:40:51,120 Speaker 3: always kind of touch logistics and in some form of 680 00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:54,120 Speaker 3: fashion you don't realize it earlier in your career, but 681 00:40:54,239 --> 00:40:58,120 Speaker 3: you're you're becoming this kind of logistician, uh if you're 682 00:40:58,160 --> 00:41:02,440 Speaker 3: doing kind of deep manufacturing. And obviously from from Harley, 683 00:41:02,520 --> 00:41:05,600 Speaker 3: I went to to Caterpillar and and and in some 684 00:41:05,640 --> 00:41:09,640 Speaker 3: of my assignments and Caterpillar, from global mining to UH 685 00:41:09,719 --> 00:41:13,160 Speaker 3: to global purchasing, I really would have got on the 686 00:41:13,200 --> 00:41:18,560 Speaker 3: world stage when it came to overall logistics doing roll 687 00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:22,880 Speaker 3: on roll off, dealing with really big large carriers like 688 00:41:23,000 --> 00:41:27,439 Speaker 3: Willenius Wilhelm and and and others, and just dealing with big, 689 00:41:27,719 --> 00:41:32,160 Speaker 3: large logistics of obviously large equipment that we were manufacturing 690 00:41:32,160 --> 00:41:33,360 Speaker 3: and moving around the world. 691 00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:36,160 Speaker 2: And then it really kind. 692 00:41:36,040 --> 00:41:39,600 Speaker 3: Of hyper changed as I went from KAT to Amazon 693 00:41:40,239 --> 00:41:43,080 Speaker 3: with a mission of helping to build the middle mile 694 00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:48,480 Speaker 3: transportation business within Amazon UH and doing that with a 695 00:41:48,680 --> 00:41:54,399 Speaker 3: large a swath of technology UH professionals as well as 696 00:41:54,440 --> 00:41:58,239 Speaker 3: operational professionals, and proud of what we built there from 697 00:41:58,400 --> 00:42:04,920 Speaker 3: from air molds to sort centers to ground transportation carriers, 698 00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:09,399 Speaker 3: Amazon Free partners, all of that building that up kind 699 00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:13,319 Speaker 3: of kind of thrust me into the logistics space at 700 00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:17,959 Speaker 3: scale and then a short stint obviously at Ford Motor 701 00:42:18,040 --> 00:42:23,239 Speaker 3: Company and touching that business, but coming to Robinson is 702 00:42:23,360 --> 00:42:27,839 Speaker 3: bringing all the industrial as well as the tech experience. 703 00:42:28,040 --> 00:42:32,200 Speaker 3: Putting that all together, I think lended itself well to 704 00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:35,160 Speaker 3: take on the seat because I was able to see 705 00:42:35,280 --> 00:42:39,880 Speaker 3: the experience of the speed of that technology and driving 706 00:42:39,880 --> 00:42:43,600 Speaker 3: that technology in a space that wasn't used to it, 707 00:42:43,640 --> 00:42:48,600 Speaker 3: but being very familiar with the industrial side of overall logistics. 708 00:42:49,160 --> 00:42:52,560 Speaker 3: And that's what makes this so exciting with this transformation, 709 00:42:53,040 --> 00:42:56,640 Speaker 3: as that the technology that we're doing and the discipline 710 00:42:56,680 --> 00:43:00,640 Speaker 3: and operating is different that I think in the industry 711 00:43:00,680 --> 00:43:04,080 Speaker 3: and I think and it separates us from the industry 712 00:43:04,120 --> 00:43:07,560 Speaker 3: and the competition and really starts to kind of drive 713 00:43:07,680 --> 00:43:12,040 Speaker 3: us to be this kind of technology space company serving 714 00:43:12,160 --> 00:43:17,080 Speaker 3: an industry that is used to traditional logistics and I 715 00:43:17,120 --> 00:43:19,320 Speaker 3: think that's what you're seeing here. But that's how I 716 00:43:19,320 --> 00:43:22,240 Speaker 3: would answer that in kind of my evolution within the space. 717 00:43:22,719 --> 00:43:25,759 Speaker 1: And and you know, I guess you know in this role, 718 00:43:25,960 --> 00:43:28,720 Speaker 1: what is your favorite part of the job. My favorite 719 00:43:28,760 --> 00:43:31,759 Speaker 1: part of the job is the people. I've always been 720 00:43:32,400 --> 00:43:33,840 Speaker 1: a people person, and it's. 721 00:43:34,440 --> 00:43:38,880 Speaker 3: It's seeing that that glitter that gleam in the eye 722 00:43:39,719 --> 00:43:45,040 Speaker 3: of a person who says, yes, I get that I am. 723 00:43:45,719 --> 00:43:49,000 Speaker 3: I've got that energy, I've got that curiosity, I've got 724 00:43:49,000 --> 00:43:54,120 Speaker 3: that excitement that I just discovered something. Innovation is so 725 00:43:54,160 --> 00:43:57,840 Speaker 3: important to me, and discovery is so important to me. 726 00:43:58,080 --> 00:44:02,200 Speaker 3: And walking in here and getting a number of people 727 00:44:02,239 --> 00:44:06,120 Speaker 3: who had the DNA of winning and just recharging that 728 00:44:06,200 --> 00:44:09,440 Speaker 3: we like to say, getting our swagger back at Robinson, 729 00:44:09,480 --> 00:44:12,240 Speaker 3: seeing people wake up every day and had a twinkle 730 00:44:12,960 --> 00:44:15,839 Speaker 3: to say, yes, I don't even want to go home. 731 00:44:16,120 --> 00:44:20,600 Speaker 3: I want to keep like driving this this winning innovation. 732 00:44:21,680 --> 00:44:24,560 Speaker 3: That is the best part of my job, interacting with 733 00:44:24,680 --> 00:44:27,160 Speaker 3: people and seeing that that innovation come to life. 734 00:44:27,480 --> 00:44:29,960 Speaker 1: Super And I always like to ask, you know, my 735 00:44:30,000 --> 00:44:32,400 Speaker 1: guests to this final question. You know, if you have 736 00:44:32,440 --> 00:44:36,080 Speaker 1: a favorite book about transportation or leadership that really resonated with. 737 00:44:36,040 --> 00:44:41,080 Speaker 3: You Yeah, kind of a little a little one dated 738 00:44:41,400 --> 00:44:45,520 Speaker 3: right now, that's a that's a that's a hard question 739 00:44:45,600 --> 00:44:48,240 Speaker 3: because there's so many that I kind of like touch 740 00:44:48,520 --> 00:44:54,160 Speaker 3: and but there was one. It's called The New Abnormal. 741 00:44:54,760 --> 00:44:59,080 Speaker 3: It was reshaping business and supply chain strategy beyond COVID nineteen. 742 00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:04,600 Speaker 3: That was you'll see chefe and in twenty twenty. But 743 00:45:04,840 --> 00:45:07,440 Speaker 3: it kind of gets at a number of these things 744 00:45:07,480 --> 00:45:12,120 Speaker 3: around companies really starting to look and get in into 745 00:45:12,239 --> 00:45:17,320 Speaker 3: the resiliency of supply chains and really goes deep around 746 00:45:18,080 --> 00:45:21,240 Speaker 3: that ability to have to shift the supply chain based 747 00:45:21,280 --> 00:45:24,280 Speaker 3: on these kind of big events. And I would argue 748 00:45:24,280 --> 00:45:26,759 Speaker 3: that you can go back even further. You can go 749 00:45:26,840 --> 00:45:29,480 Speaker 3: to the financial crisis of two thousand and seven two 750 00:45:29,520 --> 00:45:32,839 Speaker 3: thousand and eight, in which companies started to look and say, hey, 751 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:34,920 Speaker 3: we've got to pay attention to this, We've got to 752 00:45:35,000 --> 00:45:40,280 Speaker 3: drive a different intentionality in our supply chains. 753 00:45:41,080 --> 00:45:42,960 Speaker 2: And I think it started to happen all through that. 754 00:45:43,080 --> 00:45:44,600 Speaker 3: But I thought that was a pretty good book that 755 00:45:44,719 --> 00:45:48,720 Speaker 3: touched on a number of different factors that we're still 756 00:45:48,719 --> 00:45:51,320 Speaker 3: talking about hot and heavy today. 757 00:45:51,800 --> 00:45:53,640 Speaker 1: Well, I have to check that one out, and I 758 00:45:53,719 --> 00:45:56,560 Speaker 1: want to thank you Dave for your Tom and your insights. Today, 759 00:45:57,120 --> 00:45:59,840 Speaker 1: we're coming up at the end of our time together. 760 00:46:00,520 --> 00:46:00,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. 761 00:46:00,840 --> 00:46:04,480 Speaker 3: Thanks Lee, and I just want to say again you're 762 00:46:04,719 --> 00:46:08,440 Speaker 3: you're doing a really nice job in the space. Your 763 00:46:08,600 --> 00:46:11,560 Speaker 3: audience is great. I'm not being biased here, but thanks 764 00:46:11,640 --> 00:46:14,279 Speaker 3: for having me on and being part of your the 765 00:46:14,360 --> 00:46:17,359 Speaker 3: audience that you've had on, You've had some really good conversations. 766 00:46:17,719 --> 00:46:20,960 Speaker 1: I appreciate your kind words and much continued success to 767 00:46:21,000 --> 00:46:24,279 Speaker 1: you and C. T. Robinson during this transformation. I also 768 00:46:24,320 --> 00:46:26,239 Speaker 1: want to thank you for tuning in. If you liked 769 00:46:26,239 --> 00:46:29,479 Speaker 1: the episode, please subscribe and leave a review. We've lined 770 00:46:29,560 --> 00:46:32,000 Speaker 1: up a number of great guests for the podcast. Come 771 00:46:32,040 --> 00:46:36,200 Speaker 1: back to hear conversations with C Speed executives, shippers, regulators, 772 00:46:36,239 --> 00:46:39,000 Speaker 1: and decision makers within the freight markets. Also, if you 773 00:46:39,000 --> 00:46:41,919 Speaker 1: want to learn more about the free transportation markets, check 774 00:46:41,960 --> 00:46:45,000 Speaker 1: out our work on the Bloomberg terminal at big or 775 00:46:45,040 --> 00:46:48,520 Speaker 1: on social media. This is Lee Glasgow signing off and 776 00:46:48,520 --> 00:46:50,200 Speaker 1: thanks for talking transports with me.