After an extended break, Haulin’ Assets is back.

In this episode, I explain where we’ve been, why the podcast went quiet longer than expected, and what’s changing as we relaunch. Quarter four was busy, the market shifted quickly, and between operational changes and a major accident, it was time to pause, reassess, and reset.

This episode will feel familiar, but it also marks a more focused direction going forward.

Where We’ve Been

Q4 snowballed faster than expected.

I talk through:

• Why I needed to step away
• How the break stretched longer than planned
• What we’ve been rebuilding behind the scenes

The goal wasn’t just to restart the show, but to make sure it continues to deliver real value.

Financials: The Real Numbers

Here’s how the business performed late last year:

• September: $23,428 profit | $2.16 per mile
• October: –$6,143.88 | $2.26 per mile
• November: $12,877 profit | $2.18 per mile
• December: $27,818 profit | $2.16 per mile

All P&L documents are available in the show notes.

Changes in How We Operate

In October, I took a hard look at our lanes, shippers, and loops.

The takeaway was clear: some lanes we ran regularly were significantly less profitable. As a result:

• We avoid underperforming lanes whenever possible
• We largely stay out of the Southeast
• When we do go there, we head straight back west instead of drifting northeast

That approach saves roughly 2.5 days of transit time, and with a truck costing about $400 per day to sit, those decisions add up quickly. This analysis is now a monthly process.

Market Shifts and a Major Loss

We also saw one of our strongest Q4 pushes in several years, along with new freight contracts coming online.

At the same time, we experienced a major accident that resulted in the loss of a truck and trailer—an event that had real operational impact and contributed to the reset.

The Relaunch

Going forward, Haulin’ Assets is refocusing on the owner-operator.

That means:

• More business-focused topics
• More attention to both the owner and driver side
• More discussion of the owner-operator lifestyle

It's Truck Driver Appreciation Week and before we get into the August 2025 Financials, Craig and I talk a little bit about what that means. I personally want to thank you all for being such a driving force in the economy of this great country. Without you we would not be able to live such blessed lives. I try to make sure my kids understand how important the trucking industry is, especially its drivers. Thank you!

What To Expect From Episode 186

This year is feel more like a regular freight market, something I don’t think we have felt for 6 years, since 2019. That is good and bad. Good, because I think we are going to feel a good 4th quarter bump, which we haven’t seen in a long time. Bad because summer is always pretty tough, and August wasn’t super pretty for us. Let's take a look at the numbers:

• Total miles ran– 104,346
• Deadhead miles– 7,540 (7.2%)
• Total revenue- $209,337.10
• All-in rate-per-mile- $2.01

Haulin Assets had a loss of $6,767.91. We did not get enough miles. We really have to be over 110k to even have a fighting chance. Considering we were so far under, it could have been worse.

Here are the P&L Items we are going to discuss in more detail.

• Revenue
• Damages
• Fuel
• Repairs and Maintenance
• Taxes and Licensing

The last couple of weeks have actually been kind of slow, when it comes to the craziness of trucking so I don't have any really dramatic stories from the road. However, now that Break Safety Week has come and gone I do talk about how it affected our fleet. Leave a comment and let me know what your experience was like.

What to Expect in Episode 185

It’s a pretty normal reaction to be scared of the unknown. Just like Dorothy, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow were scared of the unknown that lurked in the forest as they journeyed to Oz, changes lurking in the trucking industry can be scary too. I thought it would be interesting to talk about some of the topics that seem to be getting a lot of attention these days. Here's how this episode breaks down.

Electric Trucks

I talk about my experience driving an electric vehicle for the last 7+ years and how I think it relates to trucks.

Driverless Vehicles

My Tesla has the "Full Self Driving" feature. It's good, but I think it's going to be a while before we see anything of any significance in capability and quantity in the trucking world. Craig and I talk about why.

The English Proficiency Mandate

A recent crash in Florida that killed 3 has brought this topic to the forefront of the highway safety discussion. Craig and I talk about some of the specifics and how this has the potential to have a significant impact in the not too distant future.