#187. Update And Relaunch

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