The Logistics of Logistics Private Fleet Net Zero: The Deadhead is Dead with Russ Jones
In "Private Fleet Net Zero: The Deadhead is Dead", Joe Lynch and Russell Jones, CEO & Co-founder of Private Fleet Net Zero, discuss how PFNZ is using AI to eliminate the deadhead of private fleets, turning empty miles into profitable, superior capacity while simultaneously driving significant progress toward net zero.
About Russ JonesRussell Jones co-founded Private Fleet Net Zero to help the 45% of trucks that are in Private Fleets with usually empty backhauls find loads from $50B+ of 3PL freight spend, leveraging his leadership of Cargo Chief, which enables 1,200+ 3PL buyers with $8B+ of spend to buy transportation capacity more profitably. Previously, Mr. Jones co-founded and led two cloud-based physical security firms. He was also the founding CEO of Clearvox Communications, which pioneered the market for cellular phone headsets, which he sold to Plantronics. Beforehand at Adaptec, Mr. Jones doubled a $50M channel products business to $100M. Mr. Jones has been awarded 10 patents, and holds a BSBA with highest honors from Boston University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
About Private Fleet Net ZeroPrivate Fleet Net Zero, PFNZ, is uniquely aggregating 10,000s of trucks with 1,000s of lanes of underutilized, underpriced, theft-free and superior private and dedicated fleet trucking capacity and matching via multi patent-pending technologies and artificial intelligence to $10Bs of freight spend registered on our cloud-based platform, while generating a compelling client ROI. Our network is quickly and efficiently growing both fleets and 3PLs on PFNZ, which is on a path to save 30M+ tree equivalents.
Key Takeaways: Private Fleet Net Zero: The Deadhead- In "Private Fleet Net Zero: The Deadhead is Dead", Joe Lynch and Russell Jones, CEO & Co-founder of Private Fleet Net Zero, discuss how PFNZ is using AI to eliminate the deadhead of private fleets, turning empty miles into profitable, superior capacity while simultaneously driving significant progress toward net zero.
- The Death of the Deadhead: The core problem PFNZ addresses is the massive inefficiency of empty backhauls ("deadhead"), which characterizes nearly 45% of the total US trucking capacity operated by private fleets. The episode explains how eliminating this waste is the key to both operational profit and environmental sustainability.
- The $10B Capacity Solution: PFNZ is uniquely aggregating tens of thousands of private fleet trucks, transforming previously unused lanes into a powerful network. This new capacity is highly desirable to buyers, described by PFNZ as "underpriced, theft-free, and superior."
- AI-Driven Efficiency: Russ Jones details how multi-patent-pending technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are essential to the solution. The AI efficiently matches this newly aggregated capacity with the $10Bs of freight spend from 3PLs registered on their platform.
- The Sustainability ROI: The episode connects logistics efficiency directly to environmental impact. By eliminating empty miles, PFNZ is on a path to save the equivalent of 30 million+ trees, demonstrating that net-zero goals can be achieved through fundamental changes in transportation economics.
- Unlocking New Profit Centers: For private fleet operators, the partnership generates a "compelling client ROI" by turning what was a sunk-cost (the empty backhaul) into a profitable revenue-generating leg, fundamentally changing the economics of fleet ownership.
- A Proven Disruptor at the Helm: Russ Jones brings a deep history of tech entrepreneurship and market disruption, having pioneered the cellular headset market (Clearvox/Plantronics) and successfully built cloud-based physical security firms. His decade of experience leading Cargo Chief provides the foundation for integrating private fleet capacity with the existing 3PL freight market.
- Leveraging Existing Market Structures: The platform's success is built on Jones's knowledge of the brokerage world, leveraging his previous experience at Cargo Chief, which currently enables over 1,200 3PL buyers with more than $8 billion in annual spend, ensuring rapid adoption and integration.