Ground Transportation Podcast
Take your transportation business to the next level. Kenneth Lucci of Driving Transactions and James Blain of PAX Training share the secrets of growing a successful and profitable ground transportation company. On this podcast, you’ll hear interviews with owners, operators, investors, and other key players in the industry. You’ll also hear plenty of banter between Ken and James. Learn how you can grow revenue, train your team, drive higher profits, and boost owner income. Subscribe today!
Episodes
In this episode, Ken Lucci and James Blain sit down with Douglas Schwartz of Executive Limousine, a self-made industry veteran who went from running small Penny Saver ads in the mid-90s to building a top 10% industry operation with nearly 30 vehicles and 75 employees.
Doug shares how small classified ads led to explosive growth, why he chose margin over fleet size, and how deeply rooted client relationships helped him sur...
Chauffeured transportation scored a 3.8 in the latest Business Travel News survey. Ride share scored a 3.6.
That's too low. And Ken is PISSED 😡
Ken and James analyze the BTN ratings report and explore why the service gap between chauffeured transportation and ride share is narrower than it should be. From affiliate inconsistency and booking friction to pricing transparency and basic execution, this conversation chall...
Customer service across industries has declined — and that creates opportunity for operators willing to raise the bar.
In this episode, Ken Lucci and James Blain discuss what the chauffeured transportation industry can learn from hospitality leaders like Chick-fil-A and The Ritz-Carlton. They explore culture, leadership accountability, and why true service begins long before the chauffeur opens the door.
From “inspect what...
Hustle can start a transportation company—but it won’t scale one.
In this episode of the Ground Transportation Podcast, Ken Lucci is joined by Rick Versace Sr. and Rick Versace Jr. of A1A Global Ground to explore how systems, structure, and hospitality—not nonstop effort—are what truly build long-term value.
Drawing on decades of experience, they discuss why price competition erodes quality, how relying too heavily on affi...
What happens when professional motorcoach drivers make unprofessional decisions—and it all ends up on camera?
In this episode of the Ground Transportation Podcast, James Blain and Ken Lucci analyze real dash cam footage showing unsafe motorcoach behavior, including early turns near pedestrians, rolling stops, aggressive lane changes, and road rage incidents. Each clip highlights a deeper issue: training gaps, lack of acco...
Insurance premiums continue to rise across the ground transportation industry—but the reasons go far beyond individual accidents or safety scores.
In this episode, James speaks with insurance specialist Michael Gaddis about the systemic forces driving higher rates, including claims behavior, litigation trends, nuclear verdicts, and the growing influence of reinsurance markets. Together, they explain why many operators are...
In this solo episode, Ken Lucci outlines the 10-part business planning framework he uses with million-dollar transportation operators to drive predictable profits and long-term financial stability.
Ken explains why most operators struggle—not because they lack effort, but because they lack a clear, executable plan. He walks through the core elements of a real business plan, including revenue targets, financial objectives,...
Human trafficking is happening in everyday places—and often, the people best positioned to stop it don’t realize the power they hold.
In this episode of the Ground Transportation Podcast, James Blain sits down with Lexi Higgins of Truckers Against Trafficking for a candid, eye-opening conversation about what human trafficking really looks like and how transportation professionals play a critical role in prevention and int...
Growing a ground transportation company is hard. Growing one that buyers actually want is even harder.
In this episode of the Ground Transportation Podcast, Ken Lucci speaks with Randy Allen, former CEO of James Limousine, about his journey building a respected regional transportation company and successfully selling it after nearly two decades.
Randy explains how James Limousine:
- Grew from $1M to $4M in revenue over 17...
The transportation industry is at an inflection point — and operators who fail to adapt may not survive the next phase.
In this episode of the Ground Transportation Podcast, Ken Lucci offers a candid assessment of the state of the transportation industry, cutting through noise and speculation to focus on what truly matters for operators today.
Ken explores the pressures reshaping the industry — from insurance and regulator...
In this holiday year-in-review special, Ken Lucci and James Blain reflect on the conversations, guests, and industry moments that made this past year such a pivotal one for ground transportation.
From memorable origin stories and standout interviews to hard conversations about insurance pressure, safety expectations, and industry fragmentation, this episode captures the lessons operators can’t afford to ignore. The hosts ...
Insurance remains one of the most challenging and frustrating realities facing ground transportation operators today. Even companies with strong safety records are seeing double-digit premium increases, shrinking carrier options, and fewer levers to pull at renewal time.
In this episode of the Ground Transportation Podcast, James Blain is joined by Joseph Madiedo, a second-generation transportation insurance specialist fr...
Autonomous vehicles promised safer roads, fewer accidents, and a seamless future — but the real-world footage tells a very different story. In this episode, Ken Lucci and James Blain react to a curated set of shocking, hilarious, and sometimes disturbing AV clips, including Tesla autopilot mishaps, snowy-road confusion, near-miss lane changes, and even a tragic cruise-vehicle incident.
From the “cardboard-box te...
In this episode, Ken Lucci sits down with Natalie Beane, an SBA and business-lending expert who helps small and mid-sized companies secure the capital they need to operate, grow, and survive challenging markets.
Natalie breaks down how SBA loans really work, the differences between traditional banking and government-backed financing, and what transportation operators can do today to make themselves lender-ready....
In this episode, James and Ken break down one of the most critical—and most overlooked—skills in the ground transportation industry: proactivity. Drawing from real operator examples and industry data, they explore how being proactive transforms three essential areas of your business:
• Safety: Why consistency, telematics, training, and “the 72-hour rule” matter more than experience alone.
• Business Dev...
Order the book today: https://www.amazon.com/Unbreakable-Path-Resilience-Pursuit-Greatness/dp/1967424373/
Industry legend Charlie Horky returns to the podcast to celebrate the release of his new book, Unbreakable Path — a raw, fast-moving account of how he built one of the largest limousine companies in the world, lost it all, and rebuilt his life and career from the ground up.
In this conversation, Cha...
What if booking a ride could be as simple—and transparent—as booking a flight?
That question inspired Obi, the world’s first true rideshare aggregator, and the focus of this episode of the Ground Transportation Podcast. Host Ken Lucci sits down with Ashwini Anburajan, CEO of Obi, to explore how the company became known as “the Kayak of Rideshare.”
Ashwini shares her journey from NBC political reporter t...
After a whirlwind season of industry events — from the Chauffeur Driven/NLA Show in Dallas, GBTA, IATR, CBA and more...Ken Lucci and James Blain circle the wagons and unpack the biggest trends shaping 2025 and beyond.
In this Ground Transportation Podcast episode, they share key insights from research, analyst reports, and conversations with owners and operators across the country:
- The data behind a strong re...
For 14 straight years, commercial auto insurance has been unprofitable — and for operators, premiums keep climbing with no end in sight. In this hard-hitting episode, James Blain and Ken Lucci sit down with Tim Delaney, President of the Commercial Auto Division at Lancer Insurance, to unpack what’s really driving your insurance costs — and what you can do about it.
Tim explains how “nuclear verdicts,” rising med...
React to the videos along with us on our YouTube page
Join James and Ken as they explore the chaos of unpredictable driving scenarios in this lively episode. With a guest appearance from John Tyreman, the executive producer of the Ground Transportation Podcast, the team reacts to a series of dash cam videos showcasing near misses, high-speed chases, and outrageous incidents.
They offer expert insights on maintai...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.