This fireside chat recap is from FreightWaves’ Small Fleet & Owner-Operator Summit.
FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: Why small fleets and owner-operators are finally getting respect
DETAILS: Prasad Gollapalli and Ben Schuchart discuss how much the economy relies on fleets of 20 trucks or fewer and independent owner-operators. They chat about how owner-operators’ persistence and response to the COVID-19 pandemic makes them worthy of respect. Keeping freight moving during a capacity crunch is no easy task.
SPEAKER: Gollapalli is the CEO and founder of Trucker Tools.
BIO: As Truckers Tools’ chief strategist and solution visionary, Gollapalli has nearly 20 years of experience in management and product strategy with trucking and shipping software companies.
SPEAKER: Schuchart is the vice president of operations for brokerage and carrier sales at Schneider.
BIO: Schuchart is responsible for all aspects of Schneider’s third-party carrier strategy and brokerage operations. He joined Schneider in 2000 as a second-shift customer service representative for the company’s truckload division. Over the years, he has held a variety of leadership positions with Schneider Logistics brokerage division Schneider Transportation Management.
KEY QUOTE FROM GOLLAPALLI:
“In the U.S. truckload market, over 90% of the capacity is provided by these small carriers. Especially in times where freight volume goes from boom to bust or bust to boom, these small carriers play an important role in providing that flexible capacity.”
KEY QUOTES FROM SCHUCHART:
“A part of this discussion we’re having is a theme for me of, ‘How can you make it easier for the small carrier and the owner-operator to secure this blue chip freight from Schneider?’ One of the ways is to meet the carrier where they’re at.”
“Every day, we’re utilizing this capacity to then service our customers and brokerage, so we rely heavily on the small carrier, one-truck, owner-operator fleets to service our brokerage customers.”
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