In our latest Team Member Spotlight, we’re showcasing a very talented part of the Velocity family, but we’re also shining a light on a growing service offering! Nic Ycaza is a leading member of our new Flatbed Center of Operations Excellence, which is a specialized team of flatbed carrier reps who handle the rapid-quoting and logistics required to deliver flatbed services at the highest level.
In addition to discussing this exciting new operations team, Nic also talks about what aspects of company culture attracted him to the team and the impact he feels like he can make on Velocity’s future.
How long have you been with Velocity Transport and what brought you to the team?
I’ve been at Velocity for a little over a year now, and for the last few months, I’ve been on the flatbed team. I was actually looking around for my next career move and Velocity reached out to me. I loved their culture, with a start-up mentality, and it seemed like there were opportunities for growth.
Once I visited the office and met the company, I fell in love!
What is so unique about working with carriers rather than customers?
Just like working with customers, working with carriers is about building relationships. But, the nature of the relationships is a little bit different, since you’re working directly with drivers. You’re coordinating rates, getting into the nitty-gritty of their operations, and building trust – they can rely on you and you can rely on them.
It’s a two-way street with carriers. I know I can call them and they’ll drop what they’re doing to help me, and they know the reverse is true too. It’s all about trust.
Can you tell us a bit about the Flatbed Center of Operations Excellence?
So, over the last few months, Velocity has really invested in growing our flatbed service capabilities. At one point, it was a smaller part of what we did, but we unearthed some major flatbed opportunities and now have a dedicated flatbed carrier team. Having this dedicated team has allowed us to sharpen our quoting and logistics processes to a point of precision.
Flatbed carriers are a different breed. They’re more seasoned drivers who typically ONLY handle flatbed loads, so it only makes sense to serve them with a team that ONLY works with flatbed carriers. It’s allowed us to build a large roster of trusted flatbed carriers to serve customers, and it’s benefited the carriers themselves because we can turn around quotes very quickly. We’ve developed a mutual understanding with our flatbed roster that has benefited everyone involved.
What do you enjoy most about working for Velocity?
In addition to the start-up feel I mentioned earlier, it’s the atmosphere. I love my peers and I’ve never felt that way at a previous job. Our team is really diverse, in terms of both people and ideas, and everyone is always open to change. The best idea wins out here, no matter who it comes from. I also love that I can have a real impact on growth. I’m not just going to work, I’m going to a place where I feel like my contributions matter.
How would you pitch Velocity to someone considering joining the team?
Oh man, I do this all the time actually! First of all, you’ll be lucky to join the team, because people don’t leave! They just love it too much here. Thank goodness we’re growing organically and creating new opportunities for new people.
The culture here is unlike anywhere else I’ve worked, management here isn’t like management elsewhere. The benefits are great, they take care of you from the day you walk in, and they care enough to listen to what you have to say. What more could you want?!
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I love going to the gym with my wife, going to my kids’ soccer games, and going on fishing trips with my family and spending time outdoors with them. When I’m not out in nature, I’m a homebody who loves TV and movies. I’m just super family-oriented. We’re all a bunch of foodies, so we’ll often pile in the car and go find some new restaurant to try.
