From Combat to CEO: The Grit, Faith & Vision Behind Spartan Carrier Group | Freight People Podcast

In this episode of the Freight People Podcast, host Ava Barnes sits down with Carlos Llanes Jr., CEO and founder of Spartan Carrier Group—a man whose story will stick with you long after the episode ends.

Carlos walks us through his bold journey from musician to Marine to multi-million-dollar logistics founder—growing Spartan Carrier from $0 to $54M in just over 3 years, with no outside funding. But this isn't just a business success story. It’s a story of purpose, grit, faith, and building something bigger than money.

You'll hear how Carlos landed Toyota as one of Spartan’s first clients, what it really takes to scale with integrity, and how he views automation not as an end—but as a means to serve people better. He also shares the powerful love story with his wife, the moment he found his faith, and how he's using his business as a platform for impact—from driver retention to AI and CDL schools.

If you're a freight leader, entrepreneur, or just someone craving purpose-driven inspiration, this one’s for you.

Listen to how Spartan is flipping the industry on its head—one mission-led decision at a time.

Timestamps

0:00 — Why automation only matters if it improves people’s lives

1:00 — From musician to Marine to logistics founder

3:30 — Winning Toyota with no backing

8:00 — Walking away from corporate America

14:00 — Carlos's love story + faith journey

27:00 — Building a driver-first company

30:00 — Why Spartan chose Alvys as their TMS

33:30 — Advice for freight founders

35:00 — Carlos’s final message on peace, leadership, and letting go of worry

Learn more about Spartan Carrier Group: https://spartcargroup.com

Follow Spartan on Instagram: @spartancarriergroup

Want tech that grows with you? Check out alvys.com

Subscribe for more raw, real conversations with the people moving freight forward.

#FreightPeople #LogisticsLeadership #SpartanCarrierGroup #Alvys #FaithInBusiness #FreightPodcast #TruckingTransformation

Learn how to turn your TMS into a profit center, not a pain point.

In episode 2, Ava Barnes sits down with Alvys product pros Jordan Kidd and Lucas Allasia to unpack how top-performing carriers are configuring Alvys to streamline operations, slash wasted time, and boost load execution speed.

Jordan and Lucas walk us through:

• The onboarding setups that get fleets live in days, not weeks

• Smart dispatch workflows that eliminate back-and-forth calls

• How carriers are using built-in EDI to land premium freight faster

• Real-time insights that give dispatchers and drivers an edge

• The most common mistakes new users make—and how to avoid them

Whether you’re running 20 trucks or 200, this episode is packed with tactical tips for setting your team up to succeed inside Alvys.

Episode 1 – Building a Cross-Border Powerhouse: The Central Coast Transport Story

In this episode, we sit down with the family behind Central Coast Transport — a thriving cross-border refrigerated carrier that’s redefining how fleets operate across the U.S. and Mexico. Join Gustavo, Carmen, Cesar, and Abijail as they share how they scaled their family-run operation, overcame the complexities of cross-border logistics, and embraced tech like Alvys to drive growth and efficiency.

You’ll hear:

How they built a fast-scaling fleet while keeping operations in the family

The biggest operational challenges in cross-border freight (and how they solved them)

The impact of switching to Alvys — and why they say, “We’re having Alvys for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

Real advice for family-run fleets navigating today’s freight market

Whether you’re a small fleet owner, a dispatcher, or someone exploring cross-border expansion, this episode is packed with firsthand insights you won’t want to miss.

👉 Subscribe and follow for more honest convos from the people moving freight forward.