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090 | Ben Johnson on the Future of Moving: Inside Atlas Van Lines' Bold New Direction
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In this must-listen episode of ACE Relocation Nation, host Dan Lammers sits down with Ben Johnson, Senior Director of Operations at Atlas Van Lines, for an inside look at the trends, technologies, and strategic shifts reshaping the future of relocation.
Together, they explore how Atlas is modernizing operations, improving agent collaboration, and leveraging data to stay ahead in a competitive and rapidly evolving industry. Ben shares his perspective on shipment size trends, driver retention, containerization, and the growing importance of technology adoptionโincluding Atlas' push for tools like CrewPro and more streamlined operational rules.
Youโll also hear insights on:
- ๐ฆ Changing customer behavior and the impact of the Amazon effect
- ๐ Challenges in van operator recruitment and retention
- ๐ง Why building relationships across the agent network is more critical than ever
- ๐ How data-driven decisions are improving service delivery and resource planning
- ๐๏ธ The rebound of metro markets like San Francisco and New York post-COVID
- ๐ Upcoming events: the Atlas Truck Show and the Network Operations Conference
Whether you're a moving industry professional, a logistics leader, or just relocation-curious, this episode offers a front-row seat to how Atlas Van Lines is preparing for a smarter, faster, more customer-focused future
00:00 ๐๏ธ Intro & Guest Welcome
01:08 ๐ Birthdays, Tacos & Cubs Talk
04:00 โพ World Series & DIY Moves
06:00 ๐ก Family Life & Hiring Movers
09:10 ๐ฆ Shipment & Weight Trends
10:50 ๐บ๏ธ Bay Area & NYC Migration Shift
13:20 ๐ Updating Ops Rules & Strategy
15:00 ๐ค Agent Collaboration at Atlas
17:00 ๐ Faster Moves with Containers
19:00 ๐ท Van Operator Shortage & Tech
21:00 ๐ฑ CrewPro & Driver Support
24:00 โก Customer Expectations Rising
25:45 ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ Tech & Traveling with Kids
28:00 ๐คณ Social Media for Communication
30:00 ๐งญ Preview: 2026 Ops Conference
33:45 ๐ป Atlas Truck Show Details
38:00 ๐ฎ Market Outlook for 2026
40:00 ๐ Bravo Week & Best Practices
41:30 ๐ Closing Thoughts
42:45 ๐ฌ Outro & Credits
#AtlasVanLines #RelocationIndustry #MovingIndustry #LogisticsLeadership #VanOperators #HouseholdGoods #RelocationTrends #MovingCompanyLife #DataDrivenOperations #TransportationTech #CrewPro #ContainerizedShipping #CustomerExperience #AmazonEffect #MovingWithTechnology #FleetManagement #SupplyChainInnovation #DriverRetention #LogisticsTrends #MobilitySolutions #CorporateRelocation #MovingSolutions #NetworkOperations #TruckShow2025 #AtlasEvents
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Chapters
1. ๐๏ธ Intro & Welcome โ Dan opens the episode and introduces guest Ben Johnson (00:00:00)
2. ๐ง Birthdays, Tacos & Baseball โ Light intro chat: Taco Tuesday, Jeremyโs birthday, Cubs baseball (00:01:08)
3. โพ Cubs Fandom & World Series Memories โ Benโs sports nostalgia and moving during Game 7 (00:04:00)
4. ๐ฆ Personal Moving Stories โ DIY moves, hiring Shetler, growing families, value of professional movers (00:06:00)
5. ๐ง Lessons from Leading Operations โ Ben reflects on year 3 as Atlasโ ops leader and agency relationships (00:09:10)
6. ๐ Shipment Size Trends โ National account weights up, COD down, customer behavior shifting (00:09:50)
7. ๐ Migration Patterns โ Inbound spikes in Bay Area & NYC, post-COVID urban rebound (00:10:50)
8. ๐ Rethinking Operational Rules โ Deadhead rules, planning zones, modernizing outdated policies (00:13:20)
9. ๐ค Agent-to-Agent Collaboration โ Shifting from centralized to decentralized planning across Atlas (00:15:00)
10. ๐ Containerization Changes Everything โ Smaller shipments move faster, improving delivery windows (00:17:00)
11. ๐ท Van Operator Shortage โ Retirement trends, retention challenges, future capacity concerns (00:19:00)
12. ๐ก Tech Transformation with CrewPro โ Mobile tools, training, and support to modernize van operations (00:21:00)
13. โก The Amazon Effect โ How customer expectations are reshaping relocation timelines (00:24:00)
14. ๐ฑ Parenting & Tech โ Ben and Dan swap stories on flying with kids and streaming vs DVDs (00:25:45)
15. ๐คณ Social Media & Internal Comms โ Atlas agents and drivers Facebook group, communication tools (00:28:00)
16. ๐งญ Network Ops Conference Preview โ March 2026 agenda, open forums, safety, logistics, and fun (00:30:00)
17. ๐ป Atlas Truck Show Details โ Sept 20 event preview, Chino Tacos, Friday night truck light show (00:33:45)
18. ๐ฎ Industry Outlook for 2025โ2026 โ Crystal-ball forecasting and optimism for a strong market rebound (00:38:00)
19. ๐ Bravo Week & Best Practices Council โ Upcoming September events, innovation, and celebration (00:40:00)
20. ๐ Closing Remarks โ Career reflection, praise for Benโs leadership and growth (00:41:30)
21. ๐ฌ Outro & Acknowledgments โ Shout-out to Podtastic, wrap-up (00:42:45)
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