Think There’s No Driver Shortage? Wait for 2027

CDL school shutdowns, unqualified drivers removed from the road, retiring truckers, and a wave of new manufacturing plants. Carlos M. Llanes Jr., Founder and CEO of Spartan Carrier Group, explains why they add up to a truck driver shortage that will be fully evident by the end of 2027, and why companies that don't invest in trucking capacity will pay whatever it takes to move their freight. Carlos also shares how his five-year-old carrier became one of only 12 serving Toyota in North America and grew to $60M without VC funding, why just-in-time automotive freight leaves no room for error, the relay network that gets solo drivers home every day, why private carriers can make moves public competitors can't, and why nuclear verdicts go beyond a $1M insurance policy. This week's episode is sponsored by Epay Manager, GoodShip, Chain and Resolve Logistics. Interested in sponsoring our podcast? Send us an email at pbj@freightcaviar.com Chapters: 0:00 Intro 1:31 From Musician to Soldier to Ryder 3:51 Building Spartan Carrier Group 6:19 Why He Left Corporate After the Pandemic 10:24 Leadership Lessons From Combat 14:14 Hiring Humble, Hungry, and Smart 18:39 0 to 200 Employees in 6 Months 22:26 Just-in-Time Automotive Explained 25:14 Taking Care of 200 People 28:20 What Toyota Looks for in a Carrier 31:40 Team Lanes With Solo Drivers 35:29 Why Private Carriers Can Cut Rates 38:35 Only 12 Carriers Serve Toyota 42:54 Leading Like a Spartan 47:39 Why the Driver Shortage Is Real 52:03 One Carrier, 10 Revenue Streams 56:29 Freight in 10 to 20 Years 57:58 Spartan Carrier Group by the Numbers 1:00:05 The Road to $100M 1:03:27 Why Theodore Roosevelt 1:04:25 Betting on Tech and Driver Leasing