Marina Ivanov, co-founder of Apex Transit LLC, reflects on the significant challenges faced by the trucking industry and how Apex has adapted to the shifting dynamics. She shares how the company experienced rapid growth from 2020 through early 2022, benefiting from an abundance of freight that made operations smoother. However, since February 2022, the industry has seen a notable decline in freight availability, which has had a profound impact on their business. Marina describes how this shift forced Apex to reevaluate their business model and operations. She admits that while the downturn was difficult, it provided an opportunity for growth. Rather than cutting costs and reducing staff, Marina focused on finding ways to improve internal efficiency and operational processes. She highlights the importance of being adaptable in tough times, emphasizing that companies that can weather the storm will emerge stronger. Marina reflects on how the rapid growth of previous years could have led to complacency, but the challenging environment has allowed her to re-evaluate Apex’s policies and procedures. This period of reflection and reassessment has helped them become more agile and better prepared for the future. Marina stresses that this challenging time has shown the true resilience of those who are truly dedicated to the trucking industry, and she believes that perseverance and innovation are crucial to success in a fluctuating market.