The Founder's Journey

16 years of experience. 1.5 years of building. One mission to fix freight.

From The Wheel to The Code

This isn't just a startup story. This is 10 years behind the wheel, 6 years studying dispatching, and 1.5 years teaching myself distributed systems—all to build something that actually understands the freight industry from the inside out.

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Phase 1: Foundation

10 Years Behind The Wheel

2008 - 2018

A decade of over-the-road trucking. Hauling freight across all 48 states. Experiencing every broken system firsthand—dispatch delays, miscommunication, margin erosion, and the isolation that comes with the job.

What I learned: The freight industry runs on relationships, trust, and timing. Technology was supposed to fix these problems but kept making them worse because nobody building the tools actually understood what we needed.

10 Years Driving
48 States Covered
1000s Loads Hauled
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Phase 2: Business Education

6 Years Mastering Dispatching

2018 - 2024

Founded Fast&Easy Dispatching LLC as a hobby company to teach myself the business side of freight. Took on 2 clients while still driving—not for profit, but to study every detail of how dispatching actually works.

Deep-dived into logistics operations, rate negotiations, carrier packets, load boards, broker relationships, compliance requirements, and the business economics that make or break small fleets and independent dispatchers.

  • Learned rate negotiation strategies and market dynamics
  • Understood carrier packet processing and compliance
  • Studied load board systems and broker relationships
  • Documented every workflow, pain point, and inefficiency
  • Built the knowledge base that would become ELDA's 75+ course modules
6 Years Learning
75+ Course Modules Created
💡
Phase 3: The Turning Point

Stepping Away With A Promise

Early 2023

After 16 years in freight, I made the hardest decision: step away from driving. But I couldn't leave without giving back to the industry that made me who I am.

The Promise: Build the tools we actually need. Create education that's accessible. Protect human decision-making as AI transforms freight. Keep it free for those who need it most.

The Problem: I wasn't a developer. I didn't know distributed systems. I had ideas but no technical foundation to build them. So I made another decision— teach myself everything from scratch.

Phase 4: Self-Education

18 Months of Intense Learning

Mid 2023 - Present

Taught myself distributed systems, AI agent orchestration, Flutter development, backend architecture, database design, API integration, protocol design—everything needed to build an entire ecosystem from scratch.

The Method: Learn by building. Document everything. Save every conversation, every experiment, every version. Build real solutions to real problems instead of following tutorials that don't apply to freight logistics.

  • Mastered distributed systems architecture
  • Built 30+ specialized AI tools and agents
  • Designed the Logbook protocol that powers the ecosystem
  • Created FED TMS from the ground up
  • Architected ELDA's alignment-focused education system
  • Developed Highway Watch Yard's human verification layer
1.5 Years Building
30+ AI Tools Created
3 Full Apps Built
Packet Pilot Cargo Connect Big Bear Legal Logger Whisper Witness + 25 more tools
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Phase 5: Ecosystem Design

Building The Three-App Vision

Late 2023 - Early 2024

Designed the complete OpenHWY ecosystem architecture—three interconnected apps that work together while maintaining clear boundaries and purposes.

ELDA: Free education and alignment for everyone entering logistics. Gamified learning, emotional support, basic TMS to get started.

FED TMS: Commercial product for serious freight operations. Advanced features, automation, and the infrastructure backbone that funds OpenHWY's mission.

Highway Watch Yard: The human verification layer for AI-assisted freight booking. Protecting drivers and brokers as automation expands.

  • Created the Logbook as universal identity system
  • Designed agent specialization (ELDA, FED, HWY agents)
  • Built separation of concerns between apps
  • Architected the non-profit + for-profit business model
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Phase 6: Beta Launch

Opening The Doors

December 2024 - Now

After 1.5 years of solo building, it's time to bring people into the mission. ELDA is ready for beta testing. The Logbook system is functional. FED TMS is in development. The foundation is solid.

This is where you come in. Early founders get to shape the tools, test features, provide feedback, and help establish OpenHWY as a protected non-profit educational foundation that can't be bought out or shut down.

  • ELDA beta access with 75+ course modules
  • First Logbooks issued to founders
  • FED TMS dashboard available for testing
  • Founder badges and community forming
  • Direct feedback line to shape development

🎯 Where We Are Now

18 months of solo development. Three apps architected. 30+ AI tools built. 75+ course modules created. The infrastructure is ready. The mission is clear. The beta is launching.

We're approximately 85% complete on ELDA and ready to ship.

85% Complete
ELDA Beta Ready
⚙️ FED In Development
📅 HWY Planned 2025
🏁 Almost There

Be Part of This Journey

This is more than a product launch. It's a mission 16 years in the making. Join the founders program, get your Logbook, and help shape the future of freight education.

Join The Founders Program