Changing the Way Owner-Operators Think with Todd Amen of ATBS

Freight Nation: A Trucking Podcast

In this episode of Freight Nation: A Trucking Podcast, host Brent Hutto is joined by Todd Amen, President and CEO of ATBS.

Join them as they explore:

• How Todd and his brothers learnt their work ethic from their father
• The challenges of getting drivers interested in ATBS’ services
• What it’s like to work with your brothers
• And much more!

Todd is President and CEO of the American Truck Business Services, often known as ATBS, providing bookkeeping, accounting, tax, and business consultation services for truck drivers since 1998.

Episode Highlights:

[03:11 - 08:15] In the early ‘60s, Todd’s dad left farming and bought a truckline with three trucks. He had three sons, Todd and his brothers, and they all worked there from the age of twelve, doing every job imaginable. Learning the business from the ground up, Todd fell in love with the industry and knew his future was somewhere within it. He and his brothers ended up taking over the truckline when their dad retired, and he left them to do it, knowing they knew what they needed to keep it successful. This meant they could make and learn from their own mistakes instead of being micromanaged anytime he was back in town. They ran the business until 1998, when they sold it to start ATBS, but they all learned to be hardworking from their father, and Todd is passing the same lessons down to his children.

[11:47 - 15:45] When ATBS started, nobody really used the Internet. This meant that just getting the idea for the service out into the market was difficult. They were able to partner with trucklines to find customers, and as their goal was to educate both the fleet and the drivers, this proved fruitful for both parties. The hardest thing was ultimately getting drivers to actually participate. It was an uphill challenge, as most only cared about pressing pedal to the metal and getting through as many miles as possible as fast as possible. They didn’t care about their MPG or cost per mile, and so they had to tease them with the benefits of making more money. However, when Hurricane Katrina hit and fuel costs spiked, suddenly drivers were hungry for information.

[25:21 - 27:12] Working with family is a big part of being in the trucking industry, with many family-run companies across the country. Todd has been working with his brothers for over 35 years since they started when they were just twelve years old. With just three of them, it’s been easy to avoid big arguments over the best steps to take as there will always be a majority vote and it’s never the same two against one situation. Todd likens it to having a board without needing to have a board, as they’re not afraid to be honest with one another when things aren’t going to work. It wouldn’t work for everyone, but it works for them, and has done for several decades.
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