090 | Ben Johnson on the Future of Moving: Inside Atlas Van Lines' Bold New Direction

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 adoption—including Atlas' push for tools like CrewPro and more streamlined operational rules.

You’ll also hear insights on:

• 📦 Changing customer behavior and the impact of the Amazon effect
• 🚛 Challenges in van operator recruitment and retention
• 🧠 Why building relationships across the agent network is more critical than ever
• 📊 How data-driven decisions are improving service delivery and resource planning
• 🏙️ The rebound of metro markets like San Francisco and New York post-COVID
• 🎉 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 🎙️ Intro & Guest Welcome  
01:08 🎉 Birthdays, Tacos & Cubs Talk  
04:00 ⚾ World Series & DIY Moves  
06:00 🏡 Family Life & Hiring Movers  
09:10 📦 Shipment & Weight Trends  
10:50 🗺️ Bay Area & NYC Migration Shift  
13:20 🔄 Updating Ops Rules & Strategy  
15:00 🤝 Agent Collaboration at Atlas  
17:00 🚛 Faster Moves with Containers  
19:00 👷 Van Operator Shortage & Tech  
21:00 📱 CrewPro & Driver Support  
24:00 ⚡ Customer Expectations Rising  
25:45 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Tech & Traveling with Kids  
28:00 🤳 Social Media for Communication  
30:00 🧭 Preview: 2026 Ops Conference  
33:45 🛻 Atlas Truck Show Details  
38:00 🔮 Market Outlook for 2026  
40:00 🎉 Bravo Week & Best Practices  
41:30 🙌 Closing Thoughts  
42:45 🎬 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

ACE Relocation Systems

AtlasNet app on your smartphone
AtlasNet iPhone
AtlasNet Android

Chapters

• 0:00 🎙️ Intro & Welcome – Dan opens the episode and introduces guest Ben Johnson
• 1:08 🧁 Birthdays, Tacos & Baseball – Light intro chat: Taco Tuesday, Jeremy’s birthday, Cubs baseball
• 4:00 ⚾ Cubs Fandom & World Series Memories – Ben’s sports nostalgia and moving during Game 7
• 6:00 📦 Personal Moving Stories – DIY moves, hiring Shetler, growing families, value of professional movers
• 9:10 🧠 Lessons from Leading Operations – Ben reflects on year 3 as Atlas’ ops leader and agency relationships
• 9:50 📈 Shipment Size Trends – National account weights up, COD down, customer behavior shifting
• 10:50 🌎 Migration Patterns – Inbound spikes in Bay Area & NYC, post-COVID urban rebound
• 13:20 🔁 Rethinking Operational Rules – Deadhead rules, planning zones, modernizing outdated policies
• 15:00 🤝 Agent-to-Agent Collaboration – Shifting from centralized to decentralized planning across Atlas
• 17:00 🚛 Containerization Changes Everything – Smaller shipments move faster, improving delivery windows
• 19:00 👷 Van Operator Shortage – Retirement trends, retention challenges, future capacity concerns
• 21:00 💡 Tech Transformation with CrewPro – Mobile tools, training, and support to modernize van operations
• 24:00 ⚡ The Amazon Effect – How customer expectations are reshaping relocation timelines
• 25:45 📱 Parenting & Tech – Ben and Dan swap stories on flying with kids and streaming vs DVDs
• 28:00 🤳 Social Media & Internal Comms – Atlas agents and drivers Facebook group, communication tools
• 30:00 🧭 Network Ops Conference Preview – March 2026 agenda, open forums, safety, logistics, and fun
• 33:45 🛻 Atlas Truck Show Details – Sept 20 event preview, Chino Tacos, Friday night truck light show
• 38:00 🔮 Industry Outlook for 2025–2026 – Crystal-ball forecasting and optimism for a strong market rebound
• 40:00 🎉 Bravo Week & Best Practices Council – Upcoming September events, innovation, and celebration
• 41:30 🙌 Closing Remarks – Career reflection, praise for Ben’s leadership and growth
• 42:45 🎬 Outro & Acknowledgments – Shout-out to Podtastic, wrap-up