Blue Ribbon Podcast

We're approaching 30 days into the crisis that has gripped the entire world. Markets are shut down and people are terrified to leave their homes. We talk about what we have seen in our own interactions with the market and what we think the future could hold. The Blue Ribbon Business Model is being proven in this time of uncertainty. No debt and low cost of operation positions us to still be here l...

Things have certainly escalated quickly since our last episode on March 13th. We break down the hysteria surrounding the actions of the state and media and how it has affected the trucking industry. We also answered some listener email. Buckle up and grab a helmet. You won't need a ventilator for this episode!

For us, silence is not an option. We have watched the world lose its mind over the last couple days. Events are cancelled, markets have crashed, people are terrified. We are not allowing the fear to distract us. This is an important episode. We need to talk about what this means for today and what it means for the future. SHOW NOTES: BLOCKCHAIN - Ted Talk by Betina Warburg https://www.ted.com/talk...

This episode contains a lot of things that need to be said. We live in a time when information flows more freely than at any time before in all of human history. The answer to nearly any question you can think of is available IF you are willing to spend the time seeking it out. In the year 2020, being ignorant is a choice. Unfortunately, it seems like being ignorant is also a preference for a lot...

We have recently had a truck open up because a driver had a family medical issue at home and he could not be on the road any longer. We started going through applications we've received since we started doing the podcast. What we found are that people are asking a lot of the wrong questions.

This is a hot topic and one that we need to set the record straight on. Too often i will hear people say that Landstar takes 35% of the revenue. While it is true that 35% of the linehaul revenue goes to Landstar, it is important to understand where that 35% goes, what it pays for, and who it truly belongs to

We recently discovered an article that talks about how Farmers are buying decades-old tractors because they can acquire them at a fraction of the cost of new equipment and they can actually repair them without the need for complicated computer diagnostic equipment. We use this opportunity to discuss why Blue Ribbon buys ten year old trucks that others have discarded.

In this episode we take a moment and reflect on 2019 and talk about things we're looking forward to in 2020.

We’re back with the first new episode of 2020 and we answer a couple of great emails we received from our listeners. The answers will cover what processes to use when you’re looking at a truck and also how to consider the value of one brand of truck over another.

I’ve seen a lot of posts on social media over the last couple weeks with the #DecadeChallenge hashtag. People would take a picture from 2009 and put it with a picture from 2019. It was an interesting contrast to see the difference in people’s lives over ten years in the social media age. We thought it would be fun to run through the years 2009-2019 and compare our own stories. Neither one of us sa...

DECEMBER 1, 2019 Before you make the decision to become and Owner/Operator, it’s very important for you to ask yourself “Why am I doing this?” Owning and operating your own truck or trucking company can be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. It can also be a nightmare. If you aren’t prepared with the right mindset and expectations, your journey to self-employment can be a very bumpy road.

In the last week, Landstar has begun notifying its BCO's (Business Capacity Operators) that they can only continue to be leased to Landstar if they: move out of the state or accept that they cannot pick up any loads in the state where they reside. We took this opportunity to discuss the elements of this story that no one else is talking about - Where did this come from and where do we go from here...

We have teased this story over the last few episodes. At the end of 2018, we came across a truck that we considered adding to the fleet. This would be the first truck we would buy together. We had to go through a lot to get this truck legal and operating. It’s been a great learning experience. Strap in and enjoy the ride!

In this episode Chris and Larry talk about ways to ensure profitability and success by taking full responsibility for your actions and understanding the market you work in.

This is an episode about responsibility. Sometimes we may have to look in the mirror to find the source of our problems. Chris and Larry have both had experiences in business where they realized that some problems were self-induced. We are in a tight freight market. Rates are down. It’s not as easy to find those high-paying loads as it was last year. Instead of looking for someone else to solve yo...

In Episode 55 we talked about how the Trucking Industry provides a unique opportunity to build wealth with very little financial investment. “Truck and Grow Rich” is a play on words that describes how easily an individual with an attitude of service and a work ethic to earn a million dollars in as little as ten years. In this latest episode, we discuss managing risk. What we prescribe in our progr...

There is a lot of negativity in the trucking industry right now. There are too many trucks available for the number of loads to be hauled and that has affected the rates. Our aim in this episode is to look beyond all that and attempt to show you that a unique opportunity exists in this industry that doesn’t really exist anywhere else. Obtaining and keeping a CDL is VERY easy to do. If you can get...

This has been a hot topic over the last few years. There are many truck operators and truck owners that will argue until they turn blue that they can legally pay drivers on a 1099 instead of a W2. The intent of this episode is to make the point that it is in fact NOT legal and it is both a really stupid way to run a business and also a stupid way to be paid. Drivers should NEVER accept a 1099 cont...

Zeke Goodwin is my closest and best friend. You've heard him on the podcast before. I brought him on the show this week to allow him to share his story of how he rebuilt his life through his job as an over the road driver. He was jobless and homeless. It was a dark and scary time. The trucking industry doesn't get enough credit for how it provides a way for people with little or no assets to earn...

In this episode of the show, Larry sits down with fellow Landstar BCO Steve Wheeler. In addition to his experience as an owner/operator, Steve has experience as an accountant and bookkeeper. Their conversation is about “keeping score.” You cannot know the health of your business if you do not possess the statistical data to measure what freight you can haul and what you can’t. Larry and Steve also...

Fuel is the biggest expense for a truck operator. In this episode, Chris and Larry discuss the methods and principles of fuel - where and how to buy it and how to manage consumption.

In this episode, Larry and I discuss how Blue Ribbon manages to survive and grow in a market where rates are down. With the news breaking nearly every week that another trucking firm has closed its doors and left drivers out of work, how is it that we are growing our fleet and looking for new opportunities? The answer lies in the foundation of the company and the decision that are made when we acq...

This is the episode I’ve been waiting 18 months to produce. From the moment I met Larry Long, I knew he would be the perfect addition to this podcast. He is a great storyteller and has an unbelievable wealth of knowledge and experience. He’s owned and worked in multiple businesses and industries for nearly 50 years. In this episode, we talk about the unconventional route he took to end up in the t...

This is a special series on the decade that made me. Each episode will chronicle my journey from 2008-2018 through successes and failures, and ultimately to redemption.

This is a special series on the decade that made me. Each episode will chronicle my journey from 2008-2018 through successes and failures, and ultimately to redemption.