Meet the Joes Russo. Based in Seminole, Florida, Papa Joe and Joey have run their trucking company Pinnacle Transport since 1996. The father-son team started in home delivery before transitioning to tractor-trailer work. Then in late 2017, they were introduced to Amazon Relay. That’s when they went from 4 trucks to 32 trucks. We talked to the younger Joe Russo to hear all about his family’s transportation journey.
Tell us what your business looked like before Relay.
We went down a real dark road with a customer of not getting paid on time to the point where we found ourselves in a tremendous amount of debt, trying to keep up with working for them while waiting to get paid. And then they eventually replaced us with their own trucks.
But when one door closes, another opens, and we were fortunate enough to meet some folks from Amazon.
How did switching to Amazon Relay allow your company to grow?
They gave us a shot in Miami on local runs, and that was our sweet spot. We were just knocking these things out on time, every time. And then we copy and pasted that opportunity in Tampa as well as Orlando. Eventually Relay’s contracts became available.
Amazon Relay has the volume, and if you’re a high performer, you’re given more opportunity. If a carrier was looking to join Amazon Relay, I would encourage them to jump in with both feet, but come in with performance in mind.
What is it like working with your dad?
We’ve been through a lot and at no point would I go through those battles with anyone but him. It’s a very, very cohesive relationship. We play to each other’s strengths, and we’re not trying to step on each other’s toes. And our love of cars is genuine. We can’t wait to get to the next car show. We can’t wait to do the next improvement to our cars. It’s in our blood.
What would you say each of your strengths are?
My role with the company is operations and relationships with Amazon and our vendors, trying to do what’s best for each of them. His role primarily is reaching out to the drivers on a daily basis. I mean, he was in trucking during the days of unions. There’s nothing that the drivers could say to him that he’s not heard already. And he’s got that kind wisdom and gentle nature where he can diffuse whatever’s going on and kind of allow the driver to vent and then be a part of the solution.
We’re in this position right now thanks to Amazon, that we can be ourselves and help our drivers grow their businesses, and we wouldn’t change a thing.
How have your drivers been essential to your company’s growth?
They perform well beyond the call of duty. When we set a goal for them, they try to exceed that goal based on their loyalty to us and their loyalty to their families. We know that when we go to bed at night, those guys have our backs. We know they will pre-trip their trucks and arrive to their first pick-up at least 15-20 minutes early. They know that they can call us 24/7 and I don’t think they can go anywhere else to have that same responsiveness.
How has it made you feel to see that your success has also led to your drivers’ success?
It’s amazing to see a driver that you meet through an advertisement for a job, to then perform so well that we’ll say, ‘What can we do to help?’ Sometimes that includes financing a truck for them, co-signing on a truck to see them grow. We’ve got a driver in Indianapolis who started with one truck and now he’s got 12. We’ve got a driver in Miami that started with one truck and he’s now at 14 trucks.
It’s beyond words. When you see their success, when they didn’t have anything, they couldn’t get a loan from a bank, but we believed in them. Their loyalty and dedication was all the collateral we needed.
And what do your drivers like about Relay? What makes the difference for them?
Our drivers like using the Relay app because the user interface is seamless and makes it very intuitive. We’ve tried other platforms and it’s just not as user-friendly for the driver as what Amazon is trying to create. And they’re constantly getting feedback from drivers, trying to make it better.
“When you’re a carrier for Relay, you’re not just a number, you’re also people. They give you the opportunity to voice your concerns.”
Why should other carriers join Relay?
Using Amazon Relay is the best decision you’re going to make. I’ve been down the road, I’ve tried ‘em all. Just try Amazon Relay because you’re going to get everything in a one-stop shop. You’re going to be able to assign your drivers, and you can actually pull up the Maps feature in Relay and track loads as they go. When the load is complete, you’ll be able to see it in the history tab within Relay.
And of course, getting paid within seven days is fantastic. Most companies where you want to have an advance or get paid early, that’s a big deal. Cashflow is king, right? So, Amazon has taken the factoring company out of the mix. So, for that seven-day net payment, if you were doing that for a major broker, that would cost you two to three more percent.
“If you’re a new carrier and you’re looking to find dedicated work with great user interface, look no further than Amazon Relay.”
And is Amazon Relay convenient for you?
The freedom of Relay is the availability to work anywhere. I can use my phone, iPad, desktop. It’s all right there, as long as I have connection. So, if I’m at the airport or visiting relatives, I’m on with Relay. If one of our drivers has an issue, I can easily look it up and address it. We’ve been working from home since 2018, so when the pandemic hit, we were already in mid-season form.
How would you define success?
I would define success by Sunday afternoon when all my kids come home for dinner and we just sit around talking, laughing. Usually they’re clowning me, but that’s fine. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Want in on the growth?
Start your Relay application on desktop or our app on iOS or Android. But first, check out Relay’s carrier requirements to make sure hauling for Amazon is the right fit for your business.
Disclaimer: Amazon does not tender loads through any third-party load boards. Any Amazon loads posted on third-party load boards will only be tendered directly to approved and onboarded carriers via the Relay web portal or Relay mobile app. If you are interested in hauling loads for Amazon, sign up and book directly on relay.amazon.com.
