Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/675319
T ruckstop.com and Let's Truck LLC have announced a partnership designed to promote the education of owner-operators and help carriers create better, stronger, and more profitable businesses. Truckstop.com Chief Marketing Officer Brent Hutto and Let's Truck President and Founder Kevin Rutherford announced the partnership in time for both companies to collaborate prior to the annual CMC event hosted by Let's Truck. is year's event will be held at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, IA, May 16-20. "We are an education company," Rutherford said about Let's Truck. "We are excited about partnering with Truckstop.com as an Industry Solution Partner. We want to teach owner- operators everything they need to know about operating their business. at includes the tools they need: load boards, rates and negotiations and all things that come along with being a carrier. Bringing Truckstop.com's tools to Let's Truck allows us to continue that education and give carriers all the nuts and bolts they need to run a profitable business." Rutherford purchased his first truck at age 22, nearly 30 years ago, and quickly found out he was spending more money than he was taking in. "I almost went bankrupt," he said. "ere was nothing specific about being an owner-operator and creating education for others. In every other industry I was a part of, there was education. If you were an owner-operator, there was nothing." Rutherford said there is the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, but he could not find any meetings through OOIDA or anywhere else that held a meeting for education for owner-operators. "THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE ANNUAL MEETING." "THERE WEREN'T ANY BOOKS. THERE WEREN'T ANY SEMINARS. TRUCK SHOWS JUST DON'T VALUE EDUCATION SEMINARS." Out of necessity, Rutherford began the Certified Master Contractor program, which was formerly held at Harrah's Casino in Las Vegas. "When we first started, if we got 25 people in the room, we considered it a sell-out," Rutherford said. "Now it's a full, five-day program." e CMC event used to offer a certification process, but Rutherford found that most who attended the conference wouldn't spend the money on certification. e certification portion of the event was dropped, but the name remained the same. "If you're a carrier, or if you're wanting to become a carrier and learn how to do this, this is a great conference," Rutherford said. "We consider this as kind of a user conference, but it is primarily education." is year's CMC event will feature five days of information throughout three lanes from which to choose. Lane 1 will focus primarily on start-up items for those just beginning as a carrier, while Lane 2 will teach about profitability of the truck, fuel mileage, maintenance and running an efficient, profitable business. Lane 3 will be geared toward the education carriers need about authority, using load boards, customers, rates, negotiations and more. "Truckstop.com is a technology company," Hutto said. "While most know us for our load board, our tools are designed to help grow your business and make it more profitable. Our partnership with Let's Truck is the perfect opportunity to allow people to see what our tools can do for them." To learn more about Let's Truck or the CMC event, visit LetsTruck.com. TRUCKSTOP.COM, LET'S TRUCK ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP TO BOLSTER EDUCATION Vo l . 1 0 , N o . 3 TRUCKSTOP.COM 9