#1 - The History of Bryan Truck Line

In our inaugural episode of The Bryan Truck Line Show, we’re telling the story of Bryan Truck Line.  We’ll talk to Owner and CEO Larry Dean and COO Zach Dean, Director of Maintenance Joe Huston, Operations Manager Sheila Miller, and retired employee Dee Keis about what makes Bryan Bryan.  Thanks for joining us for our first episode!  Be sure to subscribe on your favorite platform and look forward to episodes every other week!

Episode Transcript

(00:02):
Welcome to the Brian Truck Line Show.
Episode one.
Let's kick this thing off.
My name is Marcus Bridges.
Some of you know,
me and some of you will know me soon.
We are going to pump out a couple episodes of a month for you on our brand new show here.
And this show is going to do a lot of things for you.

(00:22):
As far as the company is concerned,
it's gonna help with communication and I'm gonna let uh some of our staff members that we're going to interview here in this episode,
talk to you a little bit more about exactly why we are producing this show for Brian Truck Line.
Um I am a former radio broadcaster.
I got this job because I absolutely love talking into a microphone.

(00:46):
And furthermore,
I am endlessly fascinated with trucking and the transportation industry.
Uh We've been making some podcasts for other trucking fleets and now we are so excited to get on board with Brian Truck Line.
I got to spend some time out there at the terminal meet some drivers,
meet a bunch of staff members.
Everybody was very gracious with their time and I greatly appreciate that because that's what this show is going to be about.

(01:12):
It's going to be about Brian Truck Line.
We're going to help,
like I said,
with communication,
we'll help with special announcements.
Uh We might even make you laugh a time or two and we're going to interview drivers,
staff members and industry experts all across the board to bring you exactly what it is that you want to hear the Brian Truck Line show,

(01:33):
as I said,
will pump out two episodes a month.
They will come out every other Wednesday and we will share them at 6 a.m. Eastern Standard Time,
5 a.m. central 4 a.m. in the mountains.
And uh yeah,
3 a.m. over here.
If you're on the west coast with me,
I am an Oregon born and bred broadcaster.

(01:54):
I've spent my entire life in the state of Oregon.
I know that uh Brian Truck Line doesn't get out here very often if at all,
it's a long ways away over here on the left coast.
But technology is going to make that gap between us look like minutes instead of miles.
And uh I'm,
I'm very excited to see where the podcast goes,
how it shapes up who we get to talk to and all of the fun stories and lessons that we're going to learn along the way.

(02:21):
Today's episode is special because we're just talking to you about Brian Truck Line from stage.
One of when this company started all the way up until today.
2024.
Who are we talking to?
Well,
we're gonna have Larry and Zach Dean on the show.
We're gonna talk to a retired employee who I'm gonna keep secret for right now.

(02:42):
Uh,
we're also going to talk to Joe out in the shop and we'll hear from a couple more people as well.
I can't give it all away because it is a little bit of a surprise,
but I'm so stoked that episode,
one of the Brian Truck Line show has officially kicked off.
So without further ado,
let's learn a little bit about how Brian Truck Line came to be the amazing company that it is today.

(03:04):
Less than truckload,
more than trucking.
This is the Brian Truck Line Show from Northwest Ohio to wherever you are with your host,
Marcus Bridges.
Next up here on the Brian Truck Line show.
I am joined by a retired member of Brian Truck Line.
She retired back in August of 2023 and her official title.

(03:28):
Well,
it was kind of all over the place.
We'll just call her the Fix It girl.
Please welcome Dee Ks.
Dee.
Thank you so much for being here today.
Thank you for having me.
No problem.
Now,
uh Zach really wanted you to be on this program because,
uh he felt like he had a lot of history with the company.
Can you kind of talk me through?
Uh,
when you started with Brian.

(03:48):
And how long you were there for?
I started in January of 85 and I retired in August of 2023 and I held several different jobs while I was there.
I dispatched LTL flatbed truck load.
I did payroll.
I did receivables billing.

(04:09):
I did for years taking care of that.
I took care of all the tariffs and the contracts with all the customers as well.
Wow.
So fix it.
Girl.
Sounds like a pretty accurate title.
It seems like if something needed to be done,
we get in touch with Dee.
Well,
yeah,
when I first started there,
I was their very first receptionist before that the phone would ring and just whoever wasn't on the phone would grab the phone.

(04:32):
So when I started,
I was the first receptionist.
Wow,
that's amazing.
So how did you end up coming to work at Bryan Truck Line?
D Well,
they had a gentleman that worked for Brian Truck lines.
He worked for commission and he originally hired me as his secretary.
Well,
then he and Brian Truck Lines parted ways in January of 1985 and I've been working for him since 84.

(05:01):
I worked for him about four months and then Brian Truck Lines kept me on and then I became the first receptionist when they parted ways.
So you have such a long history with the company.
I,
I wonder de when you first started working there,
did you ever envision the company growing to the size that it is today.

(05:23):
No,
I never did.
But technology made it possible.
I mean,
that was one of the big things that I see over the years that has helped it.
I mean,
when I started I was handed a tablet,
a pen,
a map and,
uh,
the telephone and a,
and a wish of good luck.
Right.
Yeah.

(05:43):
Yeah.
And it's like,
here you go.
And that's what I did at 84 for that other gentleman.
I did dispatching and I'd never done anything like that ever before.
So it was totally all new to me.
I mean,
terminology,
the whole thing had no idea of any of it.
So,
uh,
was it a,
a pretty steep learning curve,

(06:04):
I would imagine to,
because I just in talking to as many drivers as I've talked to,
I know that these guys kind of speak a different language than the rest of us.
And if you don't understand it right off the bat,
it can get pretty complicated.
Was it hard for you to learn the terminology and be able to speak the language?
Dee?
Well,
it,
it was right at first but I listened to the other dispatchers just by listening,

(06:29):
you learn a lot and I would say that's where I learned more than anywhere else is just listen to the other people in the offices and,
um,
how they did their job and,
you know,
you,
like,
you got one ear to them while you're doing your own job as if that cross section doesn't make your job any more complicated.

(06:49):
Right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But when you work in the dispatch offices,
I mean,
the phones were ringing and people talking and it was just,
it was a very busy atmosphere.
And what were some of the technology changes that made the biggest differences for you when you were,
uh,
you know,
in your tenure at BT L?
Because I'm sure you saw a lot of them over the years.

(07:11):
Are there any that really stick out in your mind as ones that totally changed your workflow?
Something that really helped you out?
Well,
when the very first computer I ever worked on,
I can't tell you what year it is.
I do not remember,
but we got a system in and we did the independent contractors 1090 nines on them.
And I sat there for like two days and all I did was type in their name,

(07:36):
their ID numbers and how much they earn for the year.
And then the CFO then,
of course,
he printed them all out.
Um,
that's the first computer that I ever used.
And then of course,
being a computer,
it saved all that.
So then the next year when I went back,
I just double checked everything and changed the date in there and their earnings and it was ready to go.

(07:57):
And I'm thinking,
oh,
my gosh,
I would have had to retype all that.
So that was a big,
big thing for me on that part.
And then we had to keep track of all the miles each tractor traveled and they had to be broke down by state because you had to pay highway use tax to each state.

(08:19):
And it was based on how many miles we traveled in that state for how many gallons of fuel we purchased in that state.
I don't remember the formula anymore,
but that's what it was based on.
So I had a book with each unit,
uh,
a page for each unit and I'd split it down for quarters and I crossed and down states miles at the end of the quarter,

(08:46):
I'd add them up.
That's how many miles I had for that unit for that state.
And it was all hand,
there was no computers,
nothing.
So,
the next thing that we purchased was something to take care of that and that saved a lot of time because I would just type it in,
it would be there and it would total it all up and everything and you didn't,

(09:11):
a lot of time spent on a calculator and handwriting.
I'm sure.
I'm sure.
Now,
if you're 1985 or 1990 self could talk to your 2020 self and tell them to get really good at using computers.
Would you take that opportunity?
Oh,
yes,
most definitely.
I'm,
I'm still amazed at what I learned over the years.

(09:32):
It's just really,
you s and you think back at where we started then to where we started now and the number of units that we have now on the road and the trailers that we have and the amount of business.
And you think,
man,
I,
I would have never been able to do that on paper today by myself.

(09:54):
Just mind numbing the amount of file cabinets that you would have to keep it all organized.
I mean,
it's,
it's just a crazy world that we live in and it doesn't seem like that long ago that yeah,
he had a calculator in one hand and some pencil lead that was heating up to red hot on the other hand for sure.
So.
Exactly.
Exactly.
And now,

(10:14):
like we used to keep delivery receipts,
bills of lady,
we kept all that for years and years and years and then we'd have file cabinets,
boxes that was just like a paper hoard.
It was horrible.
And,
and now,
I mean,
we keep like three months of paper actually in the office.

(10:35):
The rest they destroy because it's scanned in the system.
Everything's there.
You can send a bill of lading or a delivery receipt or whatever to a customer because everything,
you just email it from our system now and before you would have to fax it,
it's,
now we don't even have a fax machine.
Right.

(10:55):
I was,
I was trying to think when you said that word.
When's the last time I sent or received a fax?
And it's been years.
Yes.
And one aspect is that people don't understand and a lot of the people that work there now,
of course,
are a lot younger than I am.
And you to go to tell them that while we,
we couldn't find the drivers,

(11:16):
we had to wait for the driver to call up.
The driver would be given the load the paperwork,
they would leave.
We had no way of tracking them.
We had no way of knowing where they were.
If a customer called us and says,
where's your truck?
We had to say,
um,
I'm sorry,
but I don't know.
I haven't heard from my driver yet today,
so we'll get back to you as soon as we do.
Well,
if the driver didn't call you,

(11:37):
you had no way of knowing where they were.
You had to wait for your driver to call us.
But now everything is,
you know,
satellite.
We got satellite in the truck.
You punch their number in the computer and there they are.
We know exactly pinpoint right where they're set.
We didn't have all that technology.

(11:58):
It's just so much easier now.
It's just amazing.
It is in a completely different world that we're living in.
No question about it.
Um That's great.
Well,
thank you for sharing that stuff with me.
I,
I always love to hear about the people that were there for transitions into technology because it's one thing,
you know,
I'm,

(12:18):
I'm 39 so I grew up,
I think in fifth grade is when I saw my first computers in the school.
But that pretty much means that I had computers around me for my entire upbringing and it wasn't like that for you.
I mean,
you were,
you were working for BT L when I was born and that means that you're starting out without all of that stuff and not only to have to learn it on the job,

(12:40):
but also to be able to have to know it well enough to train other people on it.
That's a heck of an,
an undertaking.
Excuse me.
And uh it,
it sounds like you did one heck of a job with it.
Dee Yes.
Iii I did fairly well.
I mean,
I had my days where things weren't going well,
of course.
But,
I mean,
you just adapted as we went along and you learn and we have had 1234,

(13:08):
I think we've had four software updates while I worked there,
I think.
And the last one was the biggest one that we had the technology.
I mean,
it was just so big.
There was so much that the system does that even the one we had before didn't do that because technology had grown that much.

(13:30):
And um yeah,
it's just amazing.
It really is.
Mind blowing.
Yeah,
it's hard to,
it's hard to fathom it all in one thought.
Uh But as the fix it Girl Dee,
I wanted to ask you this question because it seems like you had your,
your hands in a lot of departments.
You were helping out all over uh the terminal there.
And I wonder what's the culture like from your standpoint at BT L?

(13:56):
Oh,
yeah.
Overall.
I mean,
I would say most of the time.
Yeah.
I,
I never minded going to work.
I had my family but I enjoyed going to work.
I believe uh I didn't,
I wouldn't have stayed there that long.
I'd have found another job.
Um So many people today change jobs,

(14:16):
boom,
boom,
boom.
And I enjoyed myself.
I got the opportunity to change positions.
So I learned all aspects of the business.
What ma which made it very interesting because you understood from this point to the finished how everything went and it just made it interesting to me.

(14:37):
But as far as getting along,
ev everybody uh over the years got along.
I mean,
you went in,
you did your work and you had time to have your laugh along the way.
And um it was very enjoyable over the years.
Yes,
I can totally see that.
I had a lot of good laughs in the short amount of time.

(14:57):
I was only there for three days,
but I met a lot of really great people and I could tell that the people I was talking to like their job.
They liked the way that they were treated,
they felt like they were paid fairly and,
you know,
they,
uh,
they just generally enjoyed being at work.
So that's,
that's where the question came from was just kind of getting to be a fly on the wall at a place like BT L where there's so much going on and so many people doing so many different things to make it happen.

(15:23):
Uh It's very enlightening to see when a company does that not only efficiently and not only successfully,
but their employees are also smiling through the ordeal.
Uh That's always something to me that is,
is just,
uh it's kind of heartwarming because I know it's not an easy job.
It's not easy on the drivers or anybody at the terminal,

(15:43):
but everybody's in there pulling their weight and uh I think it's really cool.
So just had to squeeze that one in here at the end of the interview,
Dee.
And,
uh,
and I appreciate your,
your comments on it before I let you go.
I do want to give you the floor if there's anything and I'm sure this is a little different for you because you're retired.
So you've probably already had,

(16:04):
you know,
a retirement party where you got to speak,
you can say some things to some people.
But in terms of the Brian Truck Line show,
I'll give you the floor here if there's anything you want to say to any employees of Brian Truck Line management all the way down to,
uh,
the bottom rung.
It does not matter.
Or if there's any of your family members or anything like that,
that might be listening that you'd like to address.

(16:25):
I'll give you the floor here for a couple of minutes before we let you go.
Ok.
Overall,
um,
Brian Truckle had always treated me fairly.
Um,
I mean,
you know,
the family things came up or whatever.
I,
you,
you were allowed to take care of family first to me.
That,
that's the way it was.
And so that was really important to me as a mom raising two boys.

(16:50):
So that was important.
It's family,
they had family,
the owners,
you know,
they got their family,
so they knew what it was all about.
And that was important to me.
And I always felt like if I left there and would go somewhere else,
I wouldn't have that feeling that security to know that if I needed time off to take care of something I could do it.

(17:13):
And so that was really important to me that I could,
you know,
I had that option.
Like I said,
I got along with everybody.
Everybody was great over the years I worked with so many people,
I can't even name them all.
Um,
but it's just,
you know,
it's just amazing the number of drivers that the company has gone through because they've retired and quit and went somewhere else.

(17:36):
But I,
I just overall enjoyed it.
I love dispatching.
That was one of my favorite jobs.
Um Yes,
it was very stressful but it was,
it was a challenge.
It was a challenge to me.
So,
but overall it was just,
it was great.
Some days I wish I could go back to work.

(17:57):
I really do.
But it was time I hear you there.
I hear you there and,
and let me ask you this real quick before I let you go.
How are you enjoying retirement,
Dee?
I am loving it.
I'm loving him.
My husband still drives,
he drives for Brian Truck line.
He has his own truck.
He's leased there.
He goes to Texas and back every week.

(18:19):
I am babysitting three days a week for my great grandson.
Oh,
well,
I'm sure you're ok with that.
So I am just having a blast just doing whatever I want whenever I want.
And um,
yeah,
spending time with family.
Great.
Well,
I'm so happy to hear it that you're enjoying your retirement dee.
And uh I really appreciate you coming on and sharing some time and some uh some thoughts with us here today on the Brian Truck line show.

(18:45):
I'm hoping maybe in the future we can get a hold of you and get you back on here uh,
to talk about many of the great things that we're gonna be discussing on this show.
All right,
I'll look forward to that.
Thank you.
That's Dee Kai's Fix It girl,
formerly uh of BT L.
Now,
since August 2023 retired and enjoying family.
We'll talk to you soon,

(19:05):
Dee.
Thank you.
Next up here on the Brian Truck Line show,
we've got operations manager,
Sheila Miller on the line.
Sheila,
it's great to have you here on the show.
Thank you so much for being here today.
Thanks for having me now,

(19:26):
Sheila,
Uh Tell me a little bit about how you came to be the Ops manager at Brian Truck Line.
Did you uh get that job right when you started there or did you start a little bit lower rung on the ladder and kind of work your way up to ops manager.
I started as a backhaul dispatcher for truck on and then I moved to the outbound dispatching and from there,

(19:51):
I moved over to be over,
I should say truckload operations and somehow I got maneuvered into operations manager just somehow I,
it kind of sounds like,
yeah,
I have no idea how it happened other than they just kept sliding me over.

(20:11):
Well,
it sounds like you've learned a lot of the aspects of the company uh in your time there working all those different jobs.
So I'm sure you're a perfect fit for that ops manager job.
Uh How long have you been working for Brian?
16 years?
Wow,
that's awesome.
Well,
happy early anniversary.
I'm probably the first person to tell you that,

(20:32):
uh,
since we're still a little bit off of it.
But,
uh,
that's amazing.
What's kept you there for 16 years?
Why,
why stay at Brian that long?
It's treated me pretty well.
It's a good company to work for company or family oriented for the most part.
I don't like looking for jobs.
Yeah,

(20:53):
none of us do.
I can definitely join you in that realm,
for sure.
Sheila.
It's,
when you say family oriented,
are there examples in your time there working at Brian where they've really come through for you and helped you out when you've had maybe a family emergency or you needed to get home for something important.
Uh,
they're kind of always around helping you out with that type of stuff.

(21:13):
Is that true?
Yeah,
like when my boyfriend's dad died,
they didn't have a problem letting me off to go to the funeral and stuff that I was able to head on to take care of them.
That's great.
I love hearing that.
Um,
it's,
it's always nice to know that your company's got your back.

(21:34):
Can you walk me through a little bit,
Sheila,
what Brian truck line looked like when you started 16 years ago and kind of what has changed about the company over those 16 years.
Wow.
I'd say the biggest change is drivers leaving drivers coming in.
That would be the biggest change,

(21:54):
seeing different drivers come and go.
You've been there for 16 years.
You've seen some technology innovations come through for sure.
Uh,
stuff like that make your job any easier over the course of the years or,
or have,
you know,
is Brian always kept up really well with the technology innovations to kind of keep you guys at the cutting edge?
Oh,
wow.
You really touched on a very sore subject that gave me that one.

(22:19):
Talk me through it.
Yeah,
they went from Aurora,
which was easy to use.
Team mcleod,
which I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
How come,
what,
what don't you like about mcleod?
Everything?
It's the most un user friendly system I've ever had.

(22:42):
And how long have you been trying to learn it?
Sheila,
I think we've had this for the last five years.
Oh,
wow.
So,
it's,
it's a headache then if you haven't been able to,
uh,
to,
to get a,
uh,
master on it in that long it's still giving you fits,
then it's just probably,
uh,
uh,
a tough one to learn.
Sounds like a pretty steep learning curve.
Yeah.
Oh,
like I said,

(23:03):
it's a pretty short subject.
Um,
I'm the one that everybody goes to,
to fix things.
Ok.
I got you.
So,
so you're kind of the new Fix it girl there because I,
you know,
I talked to,
uh,
I talked to Dee Keys and she told me that her nickname used to be the Fix It girl around,
uh,
BT L there.
So,
are you the new Fix it.

(23:23):
Girl,
when it comes to uh the software programs,
depending on what it is.
Yes,
I am the jack of all trades.
Well,
that's good.
You look,
I know it can't be easy on you.
I know that puts some pressure on you but uh coming from the other side of the aisle,
it's always nice to have a person like you around.
I will tell you that much for sure.

(23:45):
What would you say,
Sheila,
that the culture is like at Brian Truck line.
Um You already talked about it kind of being a family oriented company,
but as far as you know,
the the day to day there,
what's,
what's the culture like?
How well do you all get along there in the shop?
We get along very well.
Um It's very relaxed environment.

(24:05):
A lot of us dispatchers have great camaraderie between all of us.
We also have it with the drivers.
You know,
there's always stressful moments and stuff you have to deal with,
but like I said,
it's,
it's pretty laid back.
That's great.
I definitely got that impression when I was there,
uh meeting with y'all at the,

(24:26):
at the terminal there.
And uh I,
I could tell that that laid back was a way and,
and not laid back in a negative way either.
I feel like a lot of times laid back gets kind of um skewed as almost like lazy or just not,
not motivated,
but I didn't get that.
What I got out of it was that everybody was relaxed and confident in what they do and that helps things move forward efficiently.

(24:49):
Everybody worked well together.
Um It was just really fun to get to be out there for a few days and,
and meet all of you in person uh,
before we get this show kicked off and,
and start,
you know,
pumping out episodes every couple of weeks.
So I'm gonna turn the tables on you a little bit here.
Sheila.
I wanna ask you,
uh maybe kind of a tough question and you could take your time with it.

(25:11):
But if you were in my shoes right now and you were putting together a podcast for the employees at Brian Truck line,
what types of things would you be talking about on that show?
Uh trying to get out to your drivers or maybe the staff there at the terminal?
Oh,
wow.
And don't hesitate to talk to your dispatchers.

(25:32):
If you have an issue,
talk to them.
If there's a problem with the pickup,
talk to them.
If you're not sure if you're gonna make a pickup,
talk to your dispatchers,
we're pretty flexible and if it's something we can work around,
we're gonna work around that.
Figure it out.
That's great advice there.
I love that.
And I,
I'm obviously as somebody that speaks into a microphone for a living,

(25:55):
I'm huge on communication and it,
it really did seem like you all communicate very well there,
uh,
at the terminal and drivers,
dispatchers,
all of you guys in management alike,
uh,
really do a good job keeping the lines of communication open and,
and we will definitely concentrate on,
uh,
trying to get that message out there to the drivers because it all starts with proper communication.

(26:18):
We can't be playing games of telephone and,
and expecting things to get done around here.
Right.
All right,
Sheila.
Well,
I'm just about up at the end of the clock here.
I know that you've got a lot going on and I want to let you get back to work.
But before I let you go,
uh,
there are,
you know,
drivers listening to this,
there are staff members,
your family might be listening if you told him about it.
Is there anything that you would like to say to anybody before I let you go?

(26:41):
Just be safe out there?
A lot of stupid drivers are on the road and little cars,
little trucks just be safe out there.
Sage advice from Sheila Miller,
your ops manager of Brian Truck Line.
Sheila.
I want to thank you again for taking the time to chat with us today and I'm sure we'll talk to you again in the future.
All right.
All right.
Thank you joining us next here on the Brian Truck line show.

(27:10):
I've got Zach and Larry Dean both on the phone at the exact same time and I absolutely love this setup.
Zach.
Thank you so much for being here today.
Yeah,
happy to spend some time here and Larry,
thank you for your time as well.
Yeah,
it's gonna be enjoyable.
Now,
this is uh a company that's obviously uh run by a family,

(27:31):
right?
Uh These are,
if you guys didn't notice in the uh in the intro there,
they're sharing the last name.
So there's something behind that.
Uh Larry,
let's start with you.
Can you tell us about your journey with Brian Truck line?
How it started and how we got to where we are today?
Sure.
I was,
uh,
in college in the early seventies during the summer,

(27:53):
I worked on the dock,
the LP L dock in the evenings,
stripping trailers and reloading,
graduated from college in 1976 and came over full time.
Uh,
after I got out of college,
there was only a certain amount of office jobs at the time because we were so small.
So I drove semi for approximately three years until,

(28:19):
uh,
an opening came available in the office.
And that's when I came into the office about 1979.
And right then is when,
uh,
deregulation hit and we took advantage of that,
that authorities,
interstate authority all through,
uh,
the United States.

(28:41):
And we,
we grew from five trucks and 10 trailers to where we are today.
So anyway,
that,
that's kind of my part of the equation here.
What did those three years behind the wheel,
teach you that you didn't already know Larry how to get along with customers and how to,
uh,

(29:01):
how to work with operations back and forth.
Because I was basically my mother owned the place.
I saw both sides of both management and the driver's perspective,
so to speak.
And I learned a lot from that how to,
how to work with drivers,
how to be fair but firm.

(29:23):
So I got to see both sides of the equation and that it meant a lot to me.
Absolutely.
And,
and there's so few people that end up in your position that have,
have worked,
you know,
you were,
you said you were on the dock,
you were driving,
then you were in the office.
I feel like that gives you a pretty good perspective on what goes on at each arm of the company.
Um I mean,
you might not be able to do Joe's job and go pick a part,

(29:45):
an engine and put it back together.
But,
hey,
that's a special skill set all on its own.
So,
uh I think it's very cool just to know that you,
you have experience in those jobs because it helps you understand what the people are working them uh are going through each day.
And that is valuable in the transportation industry based on my limited experience.

(30:06):
So very cool to hear that story.
It's gonna add on there when we're planning a route or when we're looking at a new,
a new customer or how to make something work that experience in the,
in the chart,
he's able to,
like,
pull things out that I would never think of.
So,
so it's still valuable today when we're talking about,
you know,
doing something new or trying something different,

(30:26):
he sees things that I,
that I don't see because of his experience there.
Absolutely.
I,
and I agree 100%.
It's,
there's such a unique uh perspective behind the wheel of one of these rigs and,
and I don't have that perspective either.
I want to make that clear very early on in this podcast.
Um I,
I get to talk to a lot of drivers,

(30:47):
a lot of people involved in the transportation industry every single day of my life and it has ticked up my degree of respect,
which I already had a giant degree of respect for truck drivers.
And now that I've been doing this job for a while,
it seems like,
uh my respect for truck drivers is more than even,
uh for,
for some of the,

(31:07):
you know,
highest ranking military positions in the country.
It's,
it's crazy how much these people mean to our everyday lives and understanding what they go through out there on the road is Paramount.
So thank you for sharing that with us,
Larry.
I think that's a very,
very cool part of this story,
Zach,
talk me through your background.
A little bit because I,

(31:28):
I know that you started out,
uh,
showing up at Brian Truck lines very early in your life,
uh,
maybe earlier than they wanted you there.
It sounds like,
uh,
go ahead and talk me through it.
Yeah,
definitely.
I mean,
we didn't live too far from the,
from the LTL terminal where the office was.
I think my mom would pop in and maybe drop me off.

(31:49):
She had to run an errand or something or,
or dad would bring me in for the morning that there was school delay or school cancellation or something.
Or even in the summer when I wasn't in school,
I remember always being curious,
probably more curious about like the,
the computers and the office supplies and things like that initially.
But,
um,
just seeing what goes on and I remember like being a little bit frightened of the shop,

(32:10):
there was a gentleman named,
uh,
Bill Grennell who worked with Joe and he was,
um,
his bark was bigger than his bike,
but he was this big old guy with tattoos.
And I remember like,
being like frightened slash intrigued because he was clearly good friends with my dad.
I remember being in,
like,
there's a picture of my dad and I in a,
in one of our cab over trucks and,

(32:31):
and I'm so young that my hair is still like blonde and white,
probably like three or four,
maybe three years old sitting on dad's lap.
In the yard,
you know,
buzzing around in the truck.
I remember,
you know,
dad spent a lot of time there.
My,
my grandmother was there,
my uncle was there.
It just felt like,
you know,
there was,
it was,
it was comfortable for me,

(32:52):
um,
in that sense and I was,
you know,
at that age 34 or five,
I didn't have a clue what was going on.
But then,
you know,
fast forward to like summers where I would pop in and,
you know,
do some of my part time work or in between,
you know,
when I was going back to get my teaching license,
there was times when I would come back and work on just different projects here and there um work on some recruiting things or,

(33:16):
you know,
standardizing some of our processes.
So I kind of been in and out a lot since I came back for the most recent stint in 2018.
I was down in Columbus and I went back to school to get my,
uh MB A from Ohio State when I was finished,
the job that I thought I wanted was not available.
And dad had kind of said,

(33:38):
hey,
what are the chances you want to bring that,
uh,
newfound knowledge and uh come back to the truck line.
It was pretty cool opportunity.
Both my grandmothers and my mom were still alive and,
you know,
family was around and,
um,
you know,
coming back home initially,
I wasn't sure if I would want that,
but then it just made sense.
It's,

(33:58):
it,
it was an easy acclimation getting back into the industry and,
um,
you know,
this area of the country,
it felt,
it felt natural.
And so now you're here to stay,
I assume.
Yeah,
for now I'm kind of bounced around in a couple of different things.
But,
yeah,
that,
that feels great right now.
It feels good.

(34:18):
So this has always been kind of a family oriented thing for you and,
and your dad,
uh obviously we're doing business here,
but the family's always been involved.
How does that carry over to the way that the business is run?
Well,
it's interesting,
you know,
my,
my dad is half owner and my uncle is half owner.
So they both have unique perspectives and,

(34:39):
and skills that,
that they add to the business.
And it's interesting because they're,
they're very much not the same.
So they both have different perspectives,
which is super cool because we get kind of both sides of the coin there as far as me being in that,
I think there's a higher degree of I,
I have a higher standard for success than I would maybe working somewhere else.

(35:01):
Not that I would,
you know,
wash it off if it was,
you know,
and it wasn't a family business,
but you kind of always have that on your shoulder,
whether it was grandma or grandpa or dad or Uncle Ron,
you're kind of um you know,
making sure your,
your goals are bigger that you,
that you,
um your targets are,
are higher that you're more successful overall in that sense.

(35:24):
But I think the fact that it's family and we treat employees like family kind of brings down some of the,
the stress or the formality because everyone knows we're all in this together.
Uh We treat our employees,
you know,
very much like family as much as we can with um you know,
labor laws and whatnot.

(35:45):
Um But yeah,
we just,
you know,
everybody tries to take care of each other.
We're here to,
to make some money and go home,
work hard,
play hard type thing,
you know,
we don't want you to be here all the time.
We want you to be with your family and we want you to make a good living so that you can,
you know,
spend quality time with them and,
and,
and do the things that you want to do with your family.
It's not all about work.

(36:05):
Absolutely.
You're,
you're holding up a family legacy here,
not just your own legacy and,
and that's always,
uh that always holds more gravity,
at least,
at least when something like that happens to me.
So,
uh that's,
that's great.
Thank you for that.
Zach.
Uh Larry,
I wanted to turn to you here when you were,
when you were stripping docks or,
or driving for those three years.

(36:26):
Did you ever think that Brian Truck Line would come as far as it's come today?
Was there any prediction in your mind that it was gonna get to where you are right now?
Yeah,
I had,
uh,
I had visions of us growing,
especially in 79 when deregulation and it was,
it was wide open and,
um,
we had good,

(36:47):
uh,
good relationships in Williams County and we had to expand them through Fulton County and beyond in the Toledo area.
That was our target areas when we first got our authority.
And,
uh,
you know,
we went from,
like I said,
five trucks to 100 and 50 trucks,
uh,

(37:08):
over that period of time.
So,
anyway,
so you saw the writing on the wall a little bit that,
uh,
things were headed in the right direction all the way back in 79.
That's really cool.
And how,
how fun has it been to watch it grow?
I mean,
you've been so involved with it for so long now you have to feel,
uh,
a pretty successful and pretty accomplished at this point in time with the company,

(37:28):
I would assume.
Yeah.
Trucking gets in your blood.
It's a fun business.
It's,
it's very stressful.
Don't get me wrong,
but it's enjoyable at the end of the day and making sure everybody's product gets where it needs to be on time.
Uh,
keeping the supply chain moving.
There's a lot of,
uh,
satisfaction in that at the end of the day.

(37:49):
So,
is it as stressful as being a Red Wings fan has been for the last 10 or so years?
That sounds so too.
I hear you there.
That's something you're gonna hear me talk to Larry about whenever he's on because,
uh,
even though I'm way over here on the west coast,
I am a die hard Detroit Red Wings fan and Larry and I,

(38:12):
uh,
we're buddies on that sense.
So that will be something that will be a recurring theme on the podcast,
that's for sure.
But Larry definitely not fair weather fan.
No,
no,
I saw that golf bag the first time I talked to him,
he's got a really good looking golf bag,
I think in the office and my eyes were dry.
I couldn't concentrate.
I saw that and I was like,
well,
I have to ask him about this now.

(38:32):
So I watch every Red Wings game on TV.
There is.
Oh,
that's great.
That's great.
Well,
I know where to go.
If I want an in depth report of how the team's looking,
that's,
that's awesome to have that resource now,
Larry.
Uh,
what are some of the aspects that you try to kind of instill in the company to make BT L such a great place to work?

(38:56):
I,
I've spent some time there at the terminal talking to the employees.
They feel like they're treated like family.
They feel like they're not a number to you and they feel like uh they,
they are respected and listened to at Brian Truck line.
How did you decide that that was the way that this was going to go?
And,
and how do you keep those processes kind of advancing through the times and technology changes to keep BT L such a great place to,

(39:23):
to be an employee.
At first of all,
all of our employees are empowered to make their own decisions and make sure that when they do them,
they're not gonna get chastised.
If they're wrong,
they're gonna learn from their decisions and they're going to uh be better,
you know,
in the long run.
So we just keep uh empowering our people to uh take the lead.

(39:48):
Like I said,
they're not gonna get criticized if they make a wrong decision.
It,
it's worse if they don't make a decision at all and try to pass it off on to somebody else than it is to make a decision and be wrong,
to be honest with you.
So that's more of a family type process that we put in place and,
and um I think they feel more like family when we,

(40:12):
when we take that approach.
I agree and,
and from the sounds of it,
at least from the people I talked to uh I think you're doing a great job with it.
There's,
there's no question in my mind there.
Uh Let's turn and,
and kind of look uh from the past now into the future,
Zach,
what are your plans for the future of BT L?
Big question there?

(40:33):
I hope you were ready for it.
I continue to keep it profitable and stable both for our employees and their families and our investment as a family of our own.
I think continuing to find ways to work smarter and not harder.

(40:55):
So whether that's technology or A I or empowering our teams to make with debts and make decisions that are going to propel us forward.
I think that's gonna be huge.
Just the more efficient.
We are the more productive.
We are the easier it will be for everyone.
So if we can make the same amount of pickups and deliveries and make the same amount of revenue in,

(41:22):
I don't know,
14 hours a day if we could do that in 12.
So everyone has a little better work life balance,
everyone,
you know,
kind of keep the,
the,
the stress levels and,
and that kind of thing is,
is,
is a little bit lower as we can through the use of technology to make sure that we're taking advantage of every opportunity that we're using that technology to gain new business,

(41:46):
to partner with the,
the the businesses that we already do to make their lives easier.
So the value add there is that we're doing what we already do.
But can we take it,
you know,
a little bit better?
A little bit smarter a little bit more productive,
a little bit more efficient and,
you know,
pass some of that savings on to our customers and pass some of that on to our,

(42:07):
to our employees through,
um,
you know,
raises and bonuses.
That's,
I mean,
that's the goal.
It's been a really tough environment the past 18 months,
but a,
a,
as a family,
you know,
my dad's always looking out for our employees.
I mean,
without them,
we have nothing,
right?
And it's,
you know,
close to 100 and 50 families in,

(42:27):
in,
in the area in the county that,
that,
that we're kind of directly responsible for.
So we have to make sure that we're running it in such a way that it's here tomorrow,
it's here the day after that it's here,
you know,
75 years from now,
since it's our 75th anniversary,
we're able to continue that responsible prudent way of running a business that also it's growing and,

(42:49):
and,
and it is evolving to uh what we know to be,
you know,
best case scenario for,
for employees and,
and customers,
you know,
just kind of merging all of that and slowly changing,
right?
You don't wanna just throw the baby out with the bathwater,
but making sure we're doing it in a,
in a,
in a very methodical way.

(43:09):
Absolutely incremental gains.
You know,
that,
that whole idea of if you want to get healthy,
do one push up today,
two push ups tomorrow.
It,
it doesn't seem like you're adding a lot every single day.
But the,
but the change is,
is definitely there and it's,
it's a positive one because you're constantly thinking about growth.
It sounds like.

(43:29):
Yeah.
And,
and also when we know there's some screw ups there,
some things that we're not doing right.
How do we,
how do we lessen the loss,
so to speak or how do we make that incrementally better?
That makes the whole thing,
you know,
a little bit better.
So we're kind of looking at it from not just changes and new things,
but some things that we're doing that we can tweak and improve on currently.

(43:52):
Absolutely.
Well,
gentlemen,
uh,
before we run out of time here,
I want to give you the opportunity,
just kind of open the floor up and let you say anything to any employees that might be listening.
Uh You know,
if you want to talk about uh what you're hoping to get out of this,
uh this show or if you want to talk about plans for the future or just say thanks.
It really is wide open,

(44:12):
Larry.
I'll start with you anything you want to say before I let you go here today.
Sure.
I it's been an incredible run for me,
really enjoyed working with my brother Ronnie.
He's uh nine years older than I am 9.5 and I learned a lot from him.
Um,
we,
uh we had challenges.
We worked them out.

(44:33):
We've always been able to work them out.
If I had it to do over again,
I wouldn't do anything any different.
It's been fun.
I,
I take pride in,
um,
knowing that we're a part of a,
a group family here at our work and all of our employees mean a lot to us and,

(44:54):
uh,
I just can't stress that enough.
So that,
that's where I am.
And,
uh I'm at the age now that I'm trying to turn some of these over to Zach and the management team.
Um And then I'll just kind of drift out of it here one of these years.
So,
but it's been fun.
I,
I love my drivers.
I love my mechanics.

(45:15):
I love my office people and uh our dock people.
It's,
it's,
it's just been an incredible run.
So thank you for that.
And you can tell Larry,
I can hear it in your voice.
I can see it in the way that uh the company is run,
that your employees mean the world to you.
And I think that that's a very,
a very cool way to approach what you're doing.

(45:37):
Uh That's not the way that everybody in your position approaches it.
So having that mindset is,
is great for the employees and for the health of the company overall.
Uh Zach on to you,
anything to say before I let you go.
Well,
I,
I guess first and foremost everyone listening to say thank you.
I know that uh it's been a little challenging.
The past couple of years we had some good runs right when I started.

(46:00):
Um,
and we were able to make some significant gains.
And then the past,
I don't know,
18 to 24 months,
it's really been focusing on efficiency,
focusing on um profitability to make sure that we're,
you know,
get out of this little economic slump that we're in that we get out,
you know,
better.
So it hasn't always been easy and it hasn't always been fun.
But I just wanted to say,

(46:20):
you know,
thank you to everyone for your patience while we're figuring this out.
Turing is very cyclical when it's good.
It's great.
Dad used to say and when it's bad,
it's pretty challenging and I don't think we're in like the bottom of the,
you know,
this isn't like the worst thing we've been through.
But,
um,
no,
not even close but it,
but it's been challenging,
right?
We haven't been able to do some of the things that we really,
really enjoy doing.

(46:40):
So I just wanted to thank the employees for that.
And then I really wanna just encourage everyone like this that we're doing this for,
for our employees,
right?
This podcast is yours.
What do you want to hear about?
What do you want to know about?
We'll use it,
you know,
when there's,
you know,
we put something out and it's completely misunderstood and our communication wasn't great and then it,

(47:02):
you know,
the game of telephone happens and one person talks to another person and the whole thing is completely upside down from,
from what we intended,
which is,
you know,
super frustrating on our end that we didn't,
you know,
make it clear,
we didn't do something.
So we're gonna use the show for some of those things,
but mostly it's,
this is your show.
What do you guys wanna know?
What,

(47:22):
WW what's interesting to you?
What do you wanna see,
you know,
behind the scenes?
What,
what do you need to be a little more successful on the road?
Is it,
is it more information about how,
uh,
how we route,
how our customers call stuff in,
you know,
what would be beneficial to,
um,
our drivers to understand,
you know,
from a different perspective or something that they're curious about.
We welcome all of those ideas and we can,

(47:45):
you know,
tied into a,
you know,
show that that is truly theirs and,
uh,
meets their needs and curiosities and,
and how they can feel even more part of the part in the no part,
part of the group.
We want to make sure that everyone feels like they have the information of what's going on.
What's the beat?
What's,
what's,

(48:05):
what,
what's,
you know,
where we headed that type of thing?
Because I think the more everyone is aware,
the better we can all do together.
Well,
said,
and you know,
that's something that I want to bring up to,
from,
from my end of things before I let you go.
Is that the,
just like Zach said,
I've been instructed,
the same,
this show is for the employees at Brian Truck Line and I am here to,

(48:28):
uh,
listen and take in anything that you want to tell me whether you want to be on the podcast as a guest,
you have a suggestion for something for us to talk about.
Uh send that stuff all my way and we will definitely dig into it and that's one of the fun parts about this.
It's your show.
So let's make it a good one.
Zach and Larry Dean,

(48:49):
father and son uh run Brian truck lines and at an absolute fever pitch,
I love it guys.
Thank you so much for not only being here today but for running such a great company and,
and being such a great place for all the employees to work.
I'm really looking forward to the progress of this little show that we're putting together here.

(49:09):
It's gonna be a lot of fun in the very near future.
Zach and Larry,
thank you so much for being here today.
Take Care,
Mark as you're very welcome,
take care Mark.
Have a good weekend next up here on the Brian Truck line show.
I am joined by Director of Fleet Maintenance Joe Houston.

(49:31):
Joe's out in the shop right now.
And he's kind enough to share some time with us on this show.
How's it going,
Joe?
Going?
Real good.
How about you?
Uh,
I can't complain at all.
My friend,
uh,
happy to be here chatting a little bit about Brian Truck Line and,
uh,
I,
I just want to start back at the very beginning,
Joe,
because I know your story goes back a ways.
How long have you been working with Brian Truck Line?

(49:53):
43 years?
That is so amazing.
I,
I think you were the,
the longest tenured employee that,
uh,
that I spoke to while I was there.
And,
uh,
that's just amazing what's kept you there for 43 years,
Joe.
I mean,
I love the place,
you know,
and Ronnie and Larry,
the owners of this company produce so much personal pride all the years.

(50:17):
They're a little bit older than me,
but we plugged along all through this from the beginning,
you know,
they,
they had a good start in this.
But,
you know,
back in the early eighties,
how,
how the company trickled up the ladder and I al I was always brought up,
uh,
you need a job,
you need a paycheck.
You work pretty simple.
Yeah,
exactly.

(50:37):
And how did your,
how did your career path bring you to Brian?
Were you,
uh,
doing something else before or had you always kind of been in the,
in the mechanics field?
What were you up to before you found Brian.
Well,
I was actually,
um,
working for a friend of mine in school.
His dad had a small trucking company.

(50:58):
They had about 12 trucks.
He,
he was a pretty good size farmer in the day,
had trucks and I would go out there,
you know.
Well,
I started off working in a slaughterhouse when I was 14.
And then,
uh,
they went out of business.
I just turned 16.
I went to work for my cousin who owned a gas station,
you know,
right after school and weekends and I could work in there.

(51:20):
But then I'd go to my buddy's place and help him work on his car and stuff.
But his dad who owned a trucking company,
Refiners Transport realized I liked working on stuff.
And soon as I graduated,
he was chomping at the bit I was,
I was actually gonna get signed up and go to the military and he talked me into staying there working on trucks.

(51:43):
Well,
in the process,
he,
they started doing a little bit of outside work and we actually started working on some of the Brian truck line equipment when I worked for Bud.
And that's how,
you know,
we kind of got to know one another.
And then,
you know,
they switched a few things over and,
you know,
they put a,
they put an outsider in charge of the garage that I was working at for Bud.

(52:04):
And,
you know,
one week he said he didn't have enough money to pay me.
He was gonna have to wait till the next week.
It's like,
ok,
and Larry had offered me a job.
It's like,
you bet I will gladly go to work for Brian Truck Line.
I jumped in the next week.
I was working for Larry.
And the rest is history.
Huh?
That's,
that's a great story.

(52:26):
I love that.
It used to be one of your hobbies to help your buddy work on his car and just kind of tinker in the shop and it became a lifelong career for you,
Joe.
That's gotta feel pretty rewarding.
Oh,
yeah,
back in the day I just seemed like what I did and,
yeah,
I just always,
well,
when I worked for my cousin at the gas station I was,
I was just 15.

(52:47):
You know,
but he left me,
start working on stuff in there too.
And then,
but working for Bud got me focused in on,
on trucks,
semis.
And how hard was that?
Uh,
was that to learn?
Was it a,
was it a steep learning curve going from working on,
on four wheelers and passenger vehicles to,
uh,
heavy machinery,
essentially?

(53:08):
Oh,
yeah.
You know,
it's like everything,
all part of that is a stepping stone where you're used to,
you know,
to,
to bring a car in and put brakes on it,
to bring a semi in,
put brakes on it.
It's the same,
same concept,
but a whole different job.
You know.
So,
yeah,
it's a,
every little bits and pieces.
But,
uh,
once again,
if you're around the right people,

(53:28):
um,
and here's a good 11 of the old guys that was there,
he wasn't at that particular time old,
I think he was only in his forties,
but here I was 17 old Billy and,
but he,
he drove for him but yet he would do major work for him because he worked for a international harvester dealer in his early years.
So he would,
he would work with me,

(53:49):
show me stuff and we just moved right along and as luck would have it,
then Bud went out of business a few years after I went to work for the truck line and then Bud come to or Billy come to work for us,
which was great is all,
you know,
I had my best buddy and then he plugged along.
Unfortunately,
he didn't,
you know,
he was gonna retire,

(54:10):
but passed away instead.
But anyways so little bits and pieces of everything,
but it's all a learning curve to,
to be involved in it,
be a part of it.
And then um all the above.
But yeah,
it's not something you just jump into.
Sure,
sure.
You gotta get your feet wet and uh and kind of work your way up that ladder.
It,
it sounds like now I do want to talk a little bit.

(54:33):
You,
you mentioned being around the right people talk to me a little bit about the people at Brian Truck Line because I've,
I've gotten to meet and sit down across the table from a lot of you and I was very impressed with the people at Brian Truck Line.
Uh,
everybody had a great attitude,
gracious with their time and I can't help but feel like if that's how they were for a guy that they just met that day,

(54:57):
uh,
they must just bend over backwards for somebody that's been there for 43 years and you probably do the same for them.
Yeah,
I mean,
you gotta have a,
how many pieces are in a pie and it takes every piece,
everybody has to work together to make it work.
You know,
whether you're at the top of the chart,
the bottom of the chart in the,
in the middle,
you're all a piece of the pie.

(55:18):
Let's,
let's all be a piece of it and work together.
Absolutely.
Well,
said over the years,
Joe,
43 years,
there's been a lot of,
of advancements in the field,
uh just in the transportation sector in general.
Uh How has it been to kind of see Brian adapt with those changes in technology over the years?

(55:39):
I'm sure that there's produced some headaches,
but I'm sure that you,
it's also made your job easier in some aspects,
you know,
to back up however many years you want to,
you know,
you back up.
Well,
let's back up 40 years ago,
you know,
when,
you know,
when an engine come,
303 150,000,
you better be overhauling it.
It needed overhauled,

(56:01):
uh,
the new stuff today,
you know.
Well,
man,
I don't want to be negative but back into some of the pre eis emission days there for a hot minute,
what stuff was lasting?
A million miles without ever touching it and the new stuff today,
you know,
you're,
you're sometimes pretty good 700 to a million miles after that.

(56:23):
It,
it's pretty much over with,
so it was doing really good and unfortunately,
which I like to breathe,
uh,
good,
clean oxygen and have,
have my lungs feel good.
Uh,
I'm not,
I'm not basing the new emission stuff,
but as we've tiptoed along with all the carb compliant that we,
the industry has evolved into and it,

(56:44):
it really,
you know,
from,
uh,
2000 or is one that really switched lanes up the ladder to be a cleaner,
you know,
all diesel engines to be super clean,
not putting out the,
the exhaust fumes and everything.
But unfortunately,
to be in the maintenance side of all this to maintain the exhaust systems and all of the emissions on the new stuff has become 10 times more involved than the everyday maintenance of trust.

(57:15):
And it,
it seems like the,
you know,
that's,
that's a theme throughout the industry is the,
the red tape that,
uh,
the government kind of wraps around you guys.
Uh,
every couple of years is always going to,
uh,
to cause you to have to basically learn the new laws and,
and stay within them.
And that's a little bit of a challenge,
I imagine.

(57:35):
Uh,
just because it's constantly coming out,
there's no end to that road.
Um Not to be nosy.
Now,
are you out in California?
I'm actually up in Oregon,
so not quite as bad.
No,
no,
you,
you have a piece of it.
You,
you're not.
I didn't know because uh we also uh buying truck line,

(57:56):
uh transport rentals.
Uh We are part of its national lease.
They're nationwide what it is.
It,
it allows dealerships,
carriers,
transportation people to belong to that where it gives us the luxury of the buying power of major corporations.
But every year there's a maintenance directors clinic we go to and it's amazing to,

(58:20):
to even though our dealerships and,
you know,
we're pretty much all freight liner,
all Detroit diesel up to date with that.
We have meetings with them periodically about every quarter,
just bits and pieces of things trying to stay up to date.
And,
you know,
I,
I'm with the dealerships every day,
almost with a question on something.
But at these meetings there,

(58:42):
there's different clients and everything from California all over the globe.
But we have the major manufacturers there getting us up to date on,
you know,
the 2024 compliance,
the 2027 compliance,
the 2030 compliance.
It's just amazing to sit there and look into that how things,
well,
compared to where they were in 2004 when they really introduced the beginning stages of the emissions to where they're at today and where they're going to continue with it.

(59:11):
I mean,
some of it is,
it's really cool to see how clean things are gonna be.
But then the other side of the fence,
I'm not real sure on our particular what we're used to a diesel engine will even be around in 2030 you know?
Sure.
And that's,
that's kind of the way of the Buffalo where technology is concerned.
It's only a matter of time until something becomes obsolete and they come out with something better.

(59:35):
And it,
well,
and I think that's the fun part about it is better,
is a relative term?
Is it better for everybody or is it a headache for the shop and the drivers love it or do the drivers hate it?
And the shop loves it?
Uh,
I'm sure there's all manner of those types of dynamics that move through the industry.
Definitely 100% right there.

(59:55):
And I will compliment all trucks today,
how comfortable,
how easy they are.
The,
the,
the,
how the fuel economy has really gone up over the years compared to what it was.
You know,
it's,
I can't complain that their stuff today is so much more comfortable and there's bits and pieces where you have a,

(01:00:16):
a free ride for,
you know,
you might have a good hunter.
I mean,
we,
we over service our fleet,
we have them in here pretty much every week where a lot of fleet that it might be once a month,
every quarter.
But we try to take care of everything nonstop,
keep our eyes on it and stay on top of it to,

(01:00:37):
to try to actually save money,
you know,
and you can tell too,
being there personally that the equipment is in good shape.
And the other thing that gives me a little bit of a peek behind the curtain there is that the drivers seemed happy and uh drivers aren't happy when the equipment's not in good shape.
So.
Oh,
yeah,
I mean,
we do have some older ones still,

(01:00:58):
you know,
I'm,
I'm hoping,
uh somewhere once again,
let's see how 2024 flows.
I mean,
I think we're staying somewhat steady.
I don't know.
Do you,
do you deal with just trucking customers or a little bit of everything?
You know,
I,
I'm,
I'm mostly making uh podcasts right now and episodes for trucking fleets.

(01:01:19):
That is kind of my,
my,
uh my ballpark,
if you will just curious,
just casual conversation with,
with other customers.
Does it seem like their freight is still staying pretty steady?
It ebbs and flows Joe.
Um,
I know 2023 was not a great year for anybody.
Uh based on,
on what I've heard,

(01:01:40):
you know,
it was,
there's people that are staying afloat and they're in good position.
Um,
they,
they still have freight but they're not,
they're not making as much as they were,
uh,
back during COVID and,
and,
you know,
even before that,
so it's been a little rough out there,
to be honest.
Yeah.
Ok.
Well,
I mean,
one minute it seems like things are flowing really perfect.

(01:02:02):
You know,
there's times it might even be creeping up and then the next thing,
you know,
it's like,
oh,
do on it.
We're kind of downshifted here a little bit what's going on,
you know?
But,
absolutely,
no,
it's,
it's that and being able to last in the industry for 43 years while also navigating those waters of,

(01:02:22):
uh,
just constantly changing freight market.
It's,
it's,
uh,
quite a testament to you,
Joe and,
and,
uh,
your fortitude and your abilities and your skills that you've,
you've rode that wave and here we are today,
uh,
you know,
doing a podcast about it.
It's kind of crazy to think that it's all come as far as it has.
And that actually kind of leads me to my next question when you first started,

(01:02:46):
uh,
with BT L 43 years ago.
Did you ever think that the company would be where it is today?
Yeah,
they were,
I mean,
those two brothers,
it was a perfect combination because they both had their expertise on which lanes to,
to focus in on work together,
make it happen.

(01:03:07):
And for the main thing,
make things grow,
make things grow,
uh improve tiptoe up the ladder.
And they,
they were good operations,
people,
uh sales force they would work with,
you know,
still insurance companies to be uh dot compliant.

(01:03:28):
Just everything about the trucking industry.
They were just on it hard when they first,
I shouldn't say first got into the business.
I mean,
their dad and two others were part of Brian truck climb in the early years.
And then when their dad passed away and then their mom basically bought the other two guys out.

(01:03:49):
Uh That's when Ronnie Larry because Larry was still,
I think in college at that time,
late,
late seventies.
Yeah,
but once they actually pretty much bought their mom out and took their business completely over,
I'm gonna say,
I think that was about 82 when they did that.

(01:04:11):
They were tiptoeing right off the ladder then too.
But then they really took off and wanted to make this company get bigger and bigger.
And then in 87 they brought,
bought out another trucking company B and H Industries,
which is a flatbed division.
And,
you know,
we were based in B and they had built a new facility and everything in Bryan that was built in 80.

(01:04:35):
Well,
they,
they built the,
the new uh facility in Bryan in 8382 to 83.
Uh ok,
let me back up another step.
They had bought Archibold Truck line out,
I think in nine,
the tail end of 80 just before I started because we were in Archbold in another town as far as the office and shop.
But yet there was still a little dock in,

(01:04:57):
in the Bryan location and they built a new facility there and going back to my original,
you know,
they bought a flatbed division out in 87 which their customer is Trace Brass,
which is Wheeling Group,
which is a mile up the road here.
And they wanted to combine buying truck line and B and H in the same facility.
So that's why they bought this corner where they're at to be right next door to uh the B and H customer.

(01:05:25):
And then as far as the Brian customers,
Brian was a big part of the customers.
But at that particular time,
you could probably make a good 2030 mile circle for all of our major customers.
That's great.
And,
and being that close to him,
being able to give him that,
that type of top echelon service that Brian offers,
uh I'm sure is a huge part of the reason that Brian Truck Line has seen the success that it has over the years.

(01:05:51):
Oh,
yeah.
Yeah.
And it's,
I can't emphasize it.
It is,
it is so important.
It's so great to have your customers in your backyard where you can take care.
I mean,
you can,
you can leave here and drive five minutes and you're backing after their dock,
taking care of them.
You know,
you don't want to have to.
I mean,
we have great customers beyond that.

(01:06:12):
Don't get me wrong.
But I,
I love having core customers that close to the home front.
Yeah,
I,
I can,
I can totally understand that.
Joe.
Well,
listen,
before I let you go here,
I've,
I've taken up quite a bit of your time already this morning and,
uh,
but I do just wanna ask one thing because I think it's a question on everybody's mind after 43 years with,

(01:06:33):
uh,
with Brian Truck Line.
Uh,
what do you see in the future,
Joe?
How much longer you got before you're gonna hang it up and go do a little fishing or golfing,
whatever it is that you like to do.
Well,
I thought about another 43 but I'm thinking it may be more just a,
just a couple and it's just like you mentioned,
let's go have some fun,
especially,
uh,
here in a couple more.
Well,
I'm not,

(01:06:54):
I can't,
I'm gonna say a couple more years probably we'll see how it all goes.
But part of me I doesn't ever want to leave,
but the other part of me,
well,
my lovely bride of 43.
No,
it'd be 44 years next month.
Recommends that Joe.
Let's retire and have fun.

(01:07:15):
Ok,
I'll listen to her,
you know,
we're recording this interview on Valentine's Day.
So it's probably pretty hard to say no to what your lovely bride is,
uh,
recommending today of all days.
Right.
Well,
yeah,
and today is a very special day.
You can't wait to get home and give her a hug.
But,

(01:07:35):
yeah.
No,
that's,
that's the other part of it,
which I do at this point in time in our life.
We're,
we're,
I mean,
we'll both be 65 this summer.
Uh,
you want to be able to downshift a little bit and just enjoy.
How many more years do you get?
Nobody knows,
you know.
And so let's take advantage of it when we can.
But yeah,

(01:07:56):
we'll see how it goes another year or two or three or whatever and hold it up.
I,
I don't think I'm gonna stay another 43 at this point in time.
I hear you,
Joe.
I hear you.
Well,
you run a tight ship over there at the shop at Brian Truck Line and I really appreciate you sharing some time with us here today.
Uh,
really looking forward to getting you back on the show in the future and,

(01:08:17):
uh,
thank you so much for,
uh,
for being here with us.
Well,
thank you and I just hope you have a good day and trickle into the weekend.
Have fun.
How about that?
It sounds good,
Joe.
Take care of yourself.
We'll talk to you soon.
All right,
take care.
That's Joe Houston,
Director of Fleet Maintenance for Brian Truck Line.

(01:08:41):
That's gonna wrap up our very first episode of the Brian Truck Line show.
Thank you all so much for tuning in.
Please remember to click that subscribe button on whatever platform you use.
If you're on uh Spotify or Google Podcasts,
itunes,
all you gotta do is hit that subscribe button and it won't cost you a cent,

(01:09:01):
but it will tell you every time we have a new episode of the Brian Truck line show and just for everybody's sake,
we are doing those every other Wednesday.
Uh right here,
wherever you find your podcast,
I wanna say thanks to Larry and Zach Dean de Keys.
I wanna say thanks to Joe Houston uh out there from the shop and I want to say thank you to Sheila Miller.

(01:09:27):
Everybody that shared their time with me today on this podcast is sort of a,
a picture from above of why Brian works so well.
Everybody was willing to jump in and help out here and we got some great interviews and answered some awesome questions and we're going to continue to do that on this show.
We will constantly be talking to staff members and drivers and industry experts that can help us understand why things are the way they are.

(01:09:54):
Help us eliminate games of telephone and connect the dots and maybe we'll even have a little bit of fun along the way.
This has been episode one of the Brian Truck line show with me,
your host,
Marcus Bridges.
Thanks for tuning in and stay safe out there.
Drivers.
Thanks for joining us for this episode of the Brian Truck Line show.
Don't forget to subscribe,
rate and review the Brian Truck Line show on your favorite platform and tune in for new episodes every other Wednesday until next time,

(01:10:22):
stay safe and keep it rolling.