Vice President of Sales — Asset-Based Trucking Carrier | Case Study | SearchPath
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Asset-Based Trucking CarrierRetained Executive SearchPublished September 14, 2026

Vice President of Sales

A carrier losing freight to brokers rebuilt its commercial discipline and lifted revenue per mile 24% while cutting empty miles.

The Challenge

A regional carrier with strong assets but weak commercial discipline was steadily losing freight to brokers, running high empty miles, and struggling to fill backhauls in its core lanes.

Our Approach

We recruited a commercial leader from the asset-based sector who paired carrier-sales rigor with network thinking. They rebuilt the pricing model, re-engaged dormant shippers, and aligned sales incentives to lane profitability rather than raw volume.

The Mandate

The carrier had good equipment and good drivers but was steadily ceding freight to brokers who simply sold harder. Empty miles were high, core-lane backhauls went unfilled, and the sales team was rewarded for booking loads regardless of whether they made money.

Leadership wanted a commercial executive who understood asset-based economics — not a broker-style volume chaser — and who could re-anchor the entire incentive structure around profitability.

How We Ran the Search

We recruited from within the asset-based sector, prioritizing leaders who combined carrier-sales rigor with genuine network thinking. The finalist had a documented record of re-pricing freight and realigning sales incentives to lane profitability rather than raw tonnage.

The Outcome

The placed VP of Sales shifted the organization from chasing volume to chasing lane profitability. A rebuilt pricing model and re-engaged shipper base added more than 1,200 loads a month, revenue per mile rose 24%, and disciplined backhaul selling cut the empty-mile percentage by nine points.

24%
Increase in revenue per mile
1,200+
Added loads per month
9 pts
Drop in empty-mile percentage

Client company and placed candidate identities are withheld to protect the confidentiality of our retained search engagements.

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