This interview has been edited and condensed for length.
Amazon Relay helps existing carriers grow their trucking business, while Amazon Freight Partner helps entrepreneurs launch one. In March 2025, Amazon led a Mid-America Trucking Show Pro Talk with carriers who have experienced both side of the middle mile journey in Amazon’s transportation network. Watch the video or read the transcription below.
Meet the panel
- Joe Russo of Pinnacle Transport: Began a logistics company in 2001, hauling with Amazon Relay since 2017. 26 units running with Amazon.
- Kevin Howard, an Amazon Freight Partner: Retired Air Force officer. Hauling Amazon since 2020, and Amazon Freight Partner since 2023. 18 units running with Amazon.
How did you get started with Amazon?
Joe Russo: I started before Relay. It was AFXN, the Amazon freight brokerage. We just happened to answer the right email, which led to AFXN, which led to Relay. Relay was a game changer. We were able to see the development as it was being built. It didn’t come out as smooth as it is now. They took a lot of feedback from us carriers and made this fine-tuned machine that allows you to book loads, and you don’t have to invoice. It’s all done for you. Everything’s done net 7, so you’re not using factoring companies anymore. It’s been a fun ride.
Kevin Howard: I started with Amazon back on the delivery service partner* side back in 2020 doing last mile. We always wanted to grow to provide drivers an opportunity to get their CDL if they want to be professional drivers. Timing is everything. Amazon came to us and presented the option to apply for the middle mile Amazon Freight Partner program. It was a no-brainer for us, exactly what we were looking for, and luckily, we were accepted. We’re still running our delivery service partner program as well.
*Last mile. When drivers walk up to your front door and drop the package off.
What’s your main issue with driver recruitment? What do you offer drivers to keep you competitive?
Kevin Howard: It’s dependent on location. Being based out of Nashville, it’s a market I didn’t expect. We get a lot of applicants, but most are just brand new out of CDL school. Most of the experienced folks that we’re looking for with 2+ years, they’re looking for being home daily. They don’t want to be out on the road overnight. They’re looking for more pay and the security not to have to work weekends. So, we changed our schedule to do two days on and two days off and rotate.
Joe Russo: Similar to Kevin, that quality of life is really important to us because driving the truck is stressful. You’re worried about the four-wheels cars cutting in front of you, etc. So, we want to find that right driver with the right temperament. And we lean on our existing drivers. When we introduce a new driver into the family, they do a ride-along to decide if the driver needs extra training.
What advice would you give to trucking companies to create their own best practices?
Kevin Howard: Set the example as the owner of being your own safety officer, showing that you’re invested and safety means everything. Make sure you have a process in place for everything that you do – it helps keep safety up to speed, especially from a compliance standpoint.
Joe Russo: Exactly, it’s all a process – that’s how you have to run your business. Surround yourself with people smarter than yourself. We’ve got a safety director who dots the I’s and crosses the T’s. When a driver is onboarded, he goes through Clearing House and Motor Vehicle Record.
If you’re starting your own trucking company, there’s two words that you need to keep in the back of your head that we rotate everything around, and that’s audits and depositions. Put yourself in the shoes when that DOT officer comes to your office and says, “I want to see everything – your driver files, your logs.” Or if you’re sitting in front of that lawyer, that guy on the billboard who says “Big rig accidents? Call me”. Make sure you’re ready for those answers when he says, “Let me see your ELDs.”
What does Amazon provide to make running your business smoother?
Joe Russo: The Relay app for carriers and drivers is fantastic. It has the option for drivers to navigate from stop to stop, and to communicate with the Relay Operations Center, which is the support wing of Relay. For the carrier, we’re able to do everything the driver can do, plus we can do our dispatch. You can be anywhere and accept and assign a load. As long as you have internet connectivity, you’ve got Relay, which a huge advantage if you’re running your small business.
Kevin Howard: I agree. Relay is a one-stop shop. You can see your asset locations in real time. You can see who’s on the road, if they’re hitting that stop on time or if they’ve got an issue. You just pick up your phone. It keeps up with all your pre- and post-trips, all the maintenance that’s coming through, your PMS. You can see everything, so you don’t have to have any misses.
How do you leverage Relay features to optimize your logistics?
Joe Russo: When all your trips are done for the previous day, you can export a file from Relay and then upload it to your transportation management software. That allows us to not have to type manually for hours on end and to get all the information in correctly so we can build our payroll and invoices.
How has hauling with Amazon accelerated the success of your business?
Joe Russo: The scalability of Amazon’s transportation network. As long as you do right by Amazon, they’ll help support your growth in Relay.
Kevin Howard: Amazon provides a lot of value added services. From the start, Amazon Freight Partners can get support from companies that Amazon contracts with to help in the recruitment process. For onboarding, having an applicant tracking system – a third-party administrator such as JJ Keller. You don’t have to use all these services, but they’re great tools and resources, especially as you’re getting started.
Join Amazon’s freight network
Amazon Relay provides hauling opportunities for dry vans, reefers, intermodal, and box trucks – you bring your own equipment (sign up here). Amazon Freight Partner provides trucks to entrepreneurs so they don’t have to procure their own (apply here).
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. For more about our efforts against fraud and cargo theft, see our trustworthy transportation page.
