When freight stops moving, every shipper knows the ticking clock becomes a countdown to a service failure, a claim, or a lost customer relationship. For high-value, time-sensitive, and perishable goods, reliability isn’t a perk; it’s non-negotiable.
This is the story of how one of Spot’s National Account Directors, Nathan Lanhart, who manages some of Spot’s most critical lanes for key accounts, defines “commitment” not by contracts, but by showing up when everyone else says no.
The 2 AM Litmus Test: The Difference Between Carriers
The scene: 2:00 a.m. on a Saturday. One of Nathan’s drivers, carrying a crucial, perishable, and high-touch load running into Tampa, is stranded at a weigh station. The problem? A flat trailer tire. The truck is tagged “Out of Service.”
For most carriers, this is a textbook problem solved by a single phone call: roadside assistance.
But for Nathan’s customer, the news was grim: roadside estimated a two-and-a-half to three-hour minimum wait, with no guarantee. For a sensitive shipment with a tight delivery window, that delay was already a potential claim. The typical, institutional response was failing.
Solving the Problem (Not Just Escalating It)
The next standard steps for a logistics professional would be to initiate expensive contingency measures:
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- Transload: Hire two additional box trucks and movers to manually shift the product. Costly, time-consuming, and risky.
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- Repower: Send a fresh tractor to swap out the trailer. Difficult if the disabled truck’s brakes are locked without air.
Nathan chose none of the above. He knew the carrier was close to the receiver—about eight miles. He also knew that the trailer tire wasn’t damaged; it had simply fallen off the bead (the rim seat), leaking air and rendering the vehicle non-compliant.
Instead of escalating the problem up the cost chain, Nathan grabbed his personal truck and drove to the weigh station.
“I was like, ‘Hey, you’re like 15 minutes from me. I’m just going to go get my truck. I’m gonna go meet you out there, see what’s going on.'”
Using his small, on-board air compressor and drawing on old mechanic shop experience, Nathan and his driver spent 20 minutes physically manipulating the massive trailer tire, which can weigh around 100 pounds fighting to get the bead to catch and seal. Finally, they succeeded in reseating the tire and inflating it to get the truck back on the road.
Result: Hours of Delay Averted. Costly Transload Eliminated. Service Maintained.
Building the Network of Trust
Nathan didn’t just save the load; he followed the truck to the receiver. This might seem like over-servicing, but it was a calculated move to reinforce service and open doors for future growth.
At the receiver, he:
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- Verified Quality: Ensured the freshly reseated tire remained stable all the way to the dock.
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- Introduced Himself: Met the dockworkers and warehouse operations team—the people who actually handle the freight.
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- Gained Intelligence: These on-the-ground relationships often provide early intelligence on new lanes or inbound challenges before they are officially communicated to procurement.
Shipper Takeaway: A carrier who invests in on-the-ground relationships—not just with logistics managers, but with warehouse personnel—is gaining valuable, early insights that help you plan better. They put a face with the name on the Bill of Lading.
The Return on Radical Commitment
For shippers, the true value of a partner like Nathan isn’t just in competitive rates, but in the certainty that when an inevitable crisis hits, they won’t default to the easiest or most expensive option.
Customers now automatically entrust Nathan and his team with the hardest, most sensitive freight, often waiving standard bid processes.
The message is clear from his customers: “We’ll send it over to Nathan, and I’m not gonna worry about it.”
The difference between a good carrier and a great one is often the willingness to roll up your sleeves at 2:00 a.m. on a Saturday and do what others won’t. When selecting your next logistics partner, ask yourself who you want to answer the phone when the unexpected happens.