Happy New Year!

We ended 2019 with a huge project and the team decided it would be a great opportunity for Aaron to document the loading process. Six truckloads and hundreds of thousands of pounds later, Michael asks Aaron about what he learned from the experience. 

We also talk about the 2019 PDQ America Truck of the Year Vote that's happening this week! You can vote here: https://www.pdqamerica.com/pdq-truck-of-the-year-2019

If you're a flatbed or heavy haul carrier and you'd like to be a guest for an upcoming episode, please email aaron@pdqamerica.com 

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the Trucking for Millennials podcast on these platforms:

Michael:
Trucking, trucking, trucking. For, for, for.

Aaron:
Millennials. Millennials, Millennials.

Michael:
Welcome to 2020.

Aaron:
It's 2020. It's a brand new year. New year, new me.

Michael:
Yes.

Aaron:
New [inaudible 00:00:16].

Michael:
New year, same show. New content.

Aaron:
New listener. Hello, new listener.

Michael:
Yeah.

Aaron:
If this is your first time, my name is Aaron.

Michael:
My name is Michael.

Aaron:
And this is Trucking for Millennials. We talk trucking, we talk generational differences. We talk about how to succeed in your career in freight and logistics. And other stuff. We talk about random things, too.

Michael:
Yeah. So, it being the first show of the year. It's 2020 we want to get this started off on the right foot. So, the idea was, today, we're going to talk about a job our company recently did. It was a move from North Texas into Oklahoma, and it went over the holiday time period. So, it loaded out on Christmas Eve, and it actually delivered-

Aaron:
New Year's Eve.

Michael:
Oh, yeah. It loaded up on New Year's Eve, and it's going to deliver, well, at the time of recording, today.

Aaron:
Yeah.

Michael:
So, anyways, we're going to talk about the experience that Aaron had on his first time on location, basically watching a move happen. So, some of the things that Aaron got to see the other day were winch trucks, pole trucks, low boys, flatbeds, step decks, really low boys. Anything else I'm missing there?

Aaron:
Yeah, I mean, those were all the asset, the trucking inventory that was out there. It was exciting because, at one time, we had five or six trucks out there at one point. But they were loading some heavy stuff. 125,000 pounds was one load, 110 was another, 90 was another. So, there's some big, tall things, engines and machines and stuff.

Michael:
So, starting off with the first part of your day, you arrived at location, and tell us a little bit about how it went with you and the person that was coordinating this onsite.

Aaron:
Yeah. So, I'm the media guy, so I'm green to the industry. It's been an awesome six months learning a whole bunch. And drove out there early in the morning. So, I got there at 8:00., It was a two hour drive and I got there at 8:00. But they were already working when I got there. So, they had a couple of winds trucks that were pulling some big engines on skids onto the trucks and stuff. And when I got there, people saw me come in, I'm just in my little four wheeler car. They saw me come in and just kind of gave me a few glances, and I called Robin, our dispatcher here, and just said, "Hey, who's the person that I need to contact?" Because everybody's doing their job. I'm not trying to interrupt things. I'm just trying to document our team and what we're doing and just kind of, as much as I can, tell the story of the work that we're doing out in the field.

Aaron:
So, little did I know, the guy that I talked to was on the phone with Robin, too, so once I called her, he hung up the phone and then started walking over to me as I was talking to her. So, then I got to introduce myself, and he was like, "Yeah, do your thing. Whatever you're doing." I could tell that it's not a common deal that a guy shows up with a bunch of cameras and says, "Hey, I'm going to take photos while y'all load this stuff up," which makes sense. But that's kind of how it started.

Michael:
Yeah. In particular, how comfortable did you get the feeling that people were, you being there, with your equipment and documenting?

Aaron:
I think that most people were just kind of like, "What is he doing, and why does this even seem interesting to anybody else? We're just here because we're working. What is this guy doing?" So, that's kind of the general feeling that I assumed. But the guy that I talked to, the kind of project manager out there was, "It's you're dime. Have fun." You know what I mean? He was like, "Whatever y'all..." You know? "It doesn't phase me any." And that was pretty much the only advice that I got from him. And I just tried to stay out of the way as best as possible, but also get the best shots that I could.

Michael:
So, what was like one of the first things that you saw and you were like, "Oh wow?"

Aaron:
The winch struck was loading the skid right when I got there, so it was just really impressive because winch trucks are cool anyway. I mean, you've got this huge, strong cable just pulling something right up on the bed, and it seems kind of like an old fashioned way of doing things, but it's not really. I mean, it's a very advanced process to just have the power to pull something that heavy, at the angle that it needs to pull at, onto the bed of the truck. It sounds simple, I guess. You have a big cable and you pull it. It's kind of an obvious thing to do, but it can be quite dangerous and that kind of thing if you think about it, if that cable was to snap or something like that. So, that was really cool to just see that happen. That was the biggest load that I've seen. I've seen a winch truck load something before, but not at that big. So, that was pretty cool.

Michael:
Yeah, that load, wasn't it, it was over a hundred thousand pounds, correct?

Aaron:
Yes. Yeah, it was one of the engines that... Yep. Yep. 110. And then, there was another one that was 90,000. Yeah.

Michael:
Okay. That's a lot of weight. Like you said, being at an angle that-

Aaron:
Yeah.

Michael:
Yeah.

Aaron:
Massive, massive. And I'm going to be posting pictures of the loads on our Instagram so you can see those there at PDQ America.

Michael:
So, overall, one of our top values at PDQ, the number three value is communication is essential. So, how did you see communication happening out there onsite? How was safety a priority, and how was communication something that made sure that safety was happening as well as the customer was taken care of, all the carriers were taken care of? Describe some of that for us.

Aaron:
Yeah. So, I guess I saw it in a few different ways, and that was pretty fun to watch. Because, again, it was like the first time that I got to see a lot of people helping out. A bigger team putting heavy stuff on trucks at one time. So, everybody had the proper footwear, PPE, all that, hard hats, and that kind of thing. So, everybody looked the part. They had great equipment out there, too. Really professional team that was out there. I didn't hear much of the conversations or anything like that because I was really doing casual observing. I was getting shots from afar to be sure I was out of the way and not a distraction, but you could tell that these guys were doing... they had done it before. They knew what was required, what was necessary, and how to get the job done from the very beginning.

Aaron:
So, from what I saw in that aspect, everybody had a understanding of what their role was. There's a guy in the truck, there's got a loading. There are people placed in the proper positions, and they all knew what their specific task was to complete. And then, there was project managers that were kind of observing, and they might walk in between stages of the loading process to just kind of advise or give advice or something like that.

Aaron:
The second time, though, it was pretty cool because once the tall stuff, stuff was like 16, 17 foot high, started to get loaded, that's a very delicate process. You've got something super, super heavy, but you only got like three guys moving it total with the proper equipment. So, you had this pole truck, pole truck driver, and then you had the guy who was actually changing the pole truck to the load. And they had to communicate between each other just through the rear view mirror, essentially. Just, "Oh, come forward." That kind of thing. So, good teamwork there to know how to... There's a lot of touch, I would... on the break or when somebody is doing reverse and that kind of thing, to know where to be and adjust the chains and that kind of thing. So, there was that.

Aaron:
But also, when it came to like tying things up and getting things properly on the trailer, so like you had to get stuff on the trailer just right. So, there'd be times you finally lift it up, you set it on the trailer, but it's like four inches the wrong way or two inches the wrong way on the left side or the right side of the trailer. And it's not going to ride right, or it might be out of compliance or something like that. So, they had to pick it up again, make that adjustment, and throughout this whole process, everybody's making eye contact with each other, just saying, "Okay, we need to... Push, push," or, "Pull it a little bit this way to help it set on the trailer right." So, there's definitely an open communication happening at all times. It was just a really interesting way of how it came together because it was a lot of... Everybody was supremely focused on what they're doing, and because the task at hand was forefront, there was not a lot of chitchat. It was just, the communication that was happening was call and response. It was call and response.

Michael:
So, you could tell there was a lot of experience out there that day. It didn't seem like it was beginner level.

Aaron:
Well, coming from a beginner, I'm definitely the beginner, so everybody looked pretty experienced out there. There might've been a guy who was just as green as me, I don't know. But everybody seemed like they knew what they were doing though. So, yeah, it seemed like there's some experienced guys.

Michael:
Yeah. I think one of the things that you had mentioned, just whenever you and I were chatting about this, that I thought that was neat that you observe was where the pole truck operator was working with the driver and how they were lining up those loads. And how he has to be sure that that big compressor didn't start swinging or-

Aaron:
Oh, yeah. It's kind of wild how, when you picture it, of you have this pole truck, and then it's four feet off the ground. And then, it's just attached by one chain that's keeping it up there. And then, as they drive forward, the momentum starts to swing this 90,000 pound piece of equipment around, and it's up to one guy who's probably 170 pounds to keep it from swinging too much. And he has to put all of his weight into it, and the driver has to be aware of where he's at and how much it might be swinging and what kind of force he's putting on there. So, yeah, it was interesting to watch, and I mean, they were doing it like they were walking their dog. But it's not that, it's way bigger than that. Yeah.

Michael:
So, overall, how would you rate your experience? Did you enjoy getting out of the office? I mean, most of the time you're in the office. You work pretty closely with our brokerage team and myself and others that are right in the middle of operations, so you get a good dose of it on a daily basis. But how was it being able to see these guys and get to see the other side of the phone call?

Aaron:
It was really cool. I really appreciated the opportunity that I got to just be on that side a little bit more because I was thinking of it on the way home. I was thinking about like, what if, after my drive today... Of course, I'm in a small car, but what if I'm in a big truck, and I'm having to navigate through traffic in a huge truck for X amount of hours, say, two and a half, like they did. And then, I arrive there, I arrive at my location, and now I have to solve a jigsaw puzzle. And then, after I solve the jigsaw puzzle, I have to like carry it on my back and hopefully everything... And it must get to the spot in the exact same way that it was assembled. You know what I mean?

Aaron:
Because I was like, it's not as simple as just putting something on the truck. It's a very complicated process. It's a delicate process. It's a technical process. And there's always something that comes up like, "Oh, I didn't anticipate for this to happen," or maybe it's weather conditions or it's... "I need this strap or chain, and I don't have it. I got to make up for that somehow some way." And there's a little bit of creativity in there, too. So, it was cool to see the guys, our team, and the team that we had worked with on load work together in that way of like, "Okay, well, based on my experience, this is what I think we should do," and, "Okay, if you're going to do it, come in from this way. Oh, maybe you need a backup instead of pull out this way." Everybody's trying to say solve the same problem, and it's really just a huge Rubik's cube, it's a huge puzzle piece that you just have to put together.

Aaron:
And it was cool to observe that because everybody was in their own element of just solving this problem. And it's something that isn't documented a lot. There's just not a lot of documentation of it. And I did feel a little awkward at first because I knew that a camera guy doesn't go out to these type of locations very often, if at all, but I did feel like it was a good... I felt grateful for the opportunity because I get the chance to tell the story from a different lens or at least showcase it. And there's plenty of people taking photos of their truck and their load and that kind of thing. Shout outs to you if you're a listener who documents your day to day loads that you're taking.

Aaron:
But at the same time, I think there's not enough, there's not enough public consumption of people doing this type of work out there. So, it was cool to see it in that respect and see them for the experts that they are. Because if we didn't have them, we wouldn't have a lot of things that we have. And especially for heavy haul stuff, I mean, that's a dangerous job. I mean, these things were tall, and they were climbing on top of them like it was nothing, because they're used to it. But safety was a priority for everybody.

Aaron:
But who knows, a gust of wind could make this a lot more challenging of a job and very, very dangerous, and you're out there... I mean, we're in the middle of West Texas, and there's not like we're in a thriving metropolis and there's a hospital right there. And of course, there's probably some kind of medical care, but still, it's like, what if something did go wrong, go off, and you're out there in the middle of nowhere, essentially? It illuminated a lot of those things of just like there's not enough attention and not enough gratitude paid to individuals who do heavy haul and this type of work, because it is skilled labor, for sure.

Michael:
Yeah. What I think from where I was sitting on New Year's Eve, what was really cool for me to see is just how much progress we've made as a team and getting to listen to Robin really manage this thing from a desk. And I think a lot of times the broker can be discounted, especially whenever we're moving these big loads. And I think there was around, I think at the end of it, there were probably... Total, there were probably five to 10 companies that made this whole thing work. So, we had equipment go on our trucks, we had equipment go on brokered trucks, we lined up the equipment that was going to load this. We worked with the escort companies, we had to work with the different escort company in Oklahoma, we had to deal with permits in both states.

Michael:
Just so much goes into a move like this, and it's cool. I mean, a lot of our listeners out there, they're probably used to, especially if they're on the heavy haul side, but those that aren't, when you get to really see what all goes into this, there's not one person that's a part of that project that shouldn't, like you said, be appreciated for their role in it. And every single person is so critical. I mean, this thing moved over the holiday, through the holidays, so you had guys that were sitting at truck stops spending their New Year's Eve at a truck stop, had to spend all New Year's Day there. This is all sacrifice that they made, their families made. And it's just so cool that this is part of the logistics industry. I think that shows the nature of the people in this industry, what we care about, what we're about, how we work together. Teamwork is critical. I just think this put on the best of the best of what transportation has to offer.

Aaron:
Yeah, yeah. It really did do that. Yeah, I totally agree. That is something that I was reflecting on as I was watching these guys work. There was probably 10 guys out there at one time working together, putting heavy equipment on trailers and ready to work. And it's New Year's Eve, I know that I'm going to go home and have dinner and be with my wife and hang out and party or whatever, but they're going to be responsible for millions of dollars of equipment. And they're going to be overnight somewhere that they've never been before or out in the middle of nowhere in the cold, all that kind of stuff. And I was just like, "Man." And nobody would be of the wiser, is the thing. Nobody would care about them. Nobody would think about them. And on the most dangerous driving day of the year, you've got millions of dollars of equipment on the most dangerous time, dangerous evening of the year, and you're transporting some precious cargo. So, hats off to them. They deserve what they're getting paid and if not more.

Michael:
Well, man, Aaron, we appreciate you sharing your experience, and it sounds like you had a good time out there. You made a good impression for PDQ. You also got to see some of our drivers meet some of our vendors and our other carriers. So, really excited for how you represented us out there, and I'm glad you were able to share your story on Trucking for Millennials.

Aaron:
Yeah, man, it was fun. It was fun. It's going to be the first of many, hopefully. Hopefully, I can continue to do different things like that, and maybe get some interviews next time.

Michael:
Yeah. And I mean, if you're a heavy haul carrier out there listening to our show or a heavy haul driver, we'd love to hear from you and hear some of your input on different topics we may be able to talk about from the heavy haul perspective. And we'd love to even chat with some of y'all on the show to get some of your experience and what the younger Millennials... A big question mark I have is, this stuff, you don't get good at that stuff without experience, but how do you get that experience and how can we be encouraging younger truck drivers to maybe take the leap from just over the road drive-in or over the road flatbed hauling... And I'm not discounting that, but the heavy haul, it's its own monster. And so, how do we encourage the younger generation to be getting into that line of work in the trucking industry?

Aaron:
Yeah, yeah. That's a good question. And it would be awesome to have a phone call. We can do a simple phone call and have you live on the show just like this and talk to you about it. So, that would be really, really cool to line up in the next few weeks. Because heavy haul, I mean, that's not getting automated away.

Michael:
No.

Aaron:
There ain't no robot you can program to do what these guys did the other day. So, for sure.

Michael:
Well, awesome. Well, thanks for tuning into our first show of 2020. We look forward to bringing you a lot more great content this year. I'm looking forward to hopefully having some good conversations with some of our listeners and then also bringing on a wonderful guest to keep showing the younger generation how the transportation industry is growing and how it can be impacted or how it can impact us and how we impact it in so many ways.

Aaron:
Yeah. Yeah. And let's see, this is coming out on Monday, and this is your chance. We do a truck of the year.

Michael:
Truck of the year.

Aaron:
Okay. So, let me back up here. Every week on our social media, we do truck of the week, so you take pictures of your loads, your loaded truck, your truck out in a cool place, and you send it to us. And then, we as a team, select the truck of the week, the featured truck of the week. That truck of the week gets posted and entered into a monthly competition, truck of the month, where in the four weeks in the given month, we do a truck of the month vote, which is a community vote. So, we post all four trucks that come in, that make it through the truck of the week, then everybody on our Instagram and Facebook votes for their favorite to win truck of the month. And now, we're taking it up a notch for truck of the year. So, we started trucking a month in August, so we have five trucks entered in the 2019 truck of the year. And that vote is happening now. It's happening on our website. You can see it in the show notes. So, we just need your vote, they need your vote, and the winner of the truck of the year gets a $500 donation to their charity of choice. Just a fun thing that we're doing to kick off the year and just a competition, friendly contest of truckers everywhere.