Freight logistics is always time-sensitive, but some commodities create an entirely different level of urgency.
For Independent Freight Agent Taryn Steele, that urgency becomes especially clear during watermelon season. From roughly May through September, she manages a highly seasonal business where timing, communication, and strong Carrier relationships matter every day.
And she does it as a solo Agent.
That means staying on top of pickups, loading, transit, delivery appointments, customer communication, Carrier needs, and the unexpected problems that are simply part of the logistics business.
In D&L Transport’s Where in the World is D&L?, the Texas Road Trip episode, Taryn shares what it takes to run that kind of operation and why being independent doesn’t mean handling every challenge alone. Her story shows what can happen when an experienced Agent has the freedom to run their business their way, with responsive back-office support behind them.
A Seasonal Freight Business Leaves Little Room for Error
Watermelons move fast.
As Taryn explains in the episode, there is a good chance the watermelons a Carrier picks up were harvested from the field that same day. They may be picked early in the morning, brought to the warehouse, packed, and loaded onto a truck all within a very tight window.
That creates a transportation environment where details matter.
Grocery receivers can have strict appointment requirements, and even a relatively small delay can create a much bigger disruption. Taryn describes situations where missing an appointment by just a few minutes can mean a truck has to wait until the following day.
For an Independent Agent managing that freight, there are a lot of moving pieces to watch at once.
Did every truck make it to pickup? Did everyone get loaded? Are they on schedule for delivery? Is there a problem that needs to be resolved before it impacts the customer or Carrier?
During Taryn’s busiest season, she is managing those questions across her operation largely on her own.
That is why successful Independent Agents need more than experience. They need systems and partners that can move with the same urgency their customers require.
Being an Independent Freight Agent Does Not Mean Doing Everything Alone
Taryn runs her Agency as a solo Agent. She owns the customer relationships, manages her Carrier network, and stays close to the day-to-day movement of the freight.
But running the business independently does not mean she has to create every support function herself.
Freight does not stop at 5:00 p.m. If a Driver needs a lumper in the middle of the night or another operational issue arises, someone still needs to respond.
That is where the support behind the Agent becomes important. During the conversation, Taryn specifically points to D&L’s responsiveness as a key part of her ability to continue operating as a solo Agent. She says that having the D&L team behind her and responding to emails quickly is crucial to making the model work.
For an experienced Independent Agent, that distinction matters.
The right Agent Program should not take over the business the Agent has built. It should provide dependable back-office support around it.
That gives the Agent the freedom to continue owning customer and Carrier relationships while knowing there are people available when operational needs require additional help.
Strong Carrier Relationships Are Built on Fairness and Trust
When freight is seasonal and time-sensitive, a dependable Carrier network becomes even more valuable.
Taryn works with a mix of owner-operators and larger Carriers, and she is intentional about maintaining those relationships.
Her approach is straightforward: Be fair.
In the video, she talks about making sure Carriers receive rates that make sense for the load rather than trying to maximize every possible dollar for herself. Her goal is to treat Carriers as partners and build the kind of trust that keeps those relationships working over time.
That approach becomes especially important during busy seasonal periods when dependable capacity can make the difference between keeping freight moving smoothly and scrambling to solve problems.
For Independent Agents, Carrier relationships are not just a transactional part of the job.
They are part of the business.
A Carrier who knows they will be treated fairly is more likely to want to continue working with the Agent. Over time, those relationships can create a stronger network and more confidence when difficult or time-sensitive freight needs to move.
Freight Agent success depends on more than finding a truck for today’s load. It depends on developing relationships that people want to continue tomorrow.
Protecting Service Quality Can Be More Important Than Adding More Business
More business is not always the right answer.
Taryn has reached a point where she has had to be selective about taking on additional customers to avoid compromising the quality of her work.
That is an important consideration for any experienced Independent Agent.
At a certain point, growth creates a different set of questions.
How much more can the current operation realistically handle? When does it make sense to add another person? How do you expand without losing the level of control and attention customers expect?
Taryn has considered bringing someone into her business, particularly to help during the intense watermelon season. But that decision is complicated because her needs are highly seasonal, and adding another person also means giving up some of the visibility she currently has on every shipment.
There is value in knowing exactly where everything stands.
For Independent Agents, sustainable growth should not mean adding volume simply for the sake of getting bigger. It should mean building a business that can take on the right opportunities without compromising customer relationships or operational standards.
The infrastructure behind the Agent can play an important role in making that possible.
Strong back-office support gives Independent Agents more resources to work with before every new opportunity automatically becomes another responsibility they have to shoulder alone.
Finding Balance in a Business That Never Completely Stops
Freight does not fit neatly into traditional working hours.
Taryn knows that better than most.
As a mother of three, she has spent years figuring out how to manage both her business and the rest of her life. She jokes that her backpack is her “turtle shell” because her computer stays with her. It might be at a soccer game, in the car, or wherever she needs to be so she can respond when the business requires it.
That flexibility is one of the advantages of running an independent business, but it does not mean the work disappears.
Taryn is clear that the balance can be difficult.
Her approach is to be proactive about managing the pressure that comes with the business. As she prepares for watermelon season, she works to build habits around exercise before the busiest period arrives. She also talks about meditation as another tool that helps her manage stress when she makes time for it.
Experience helps, too.
Someone starting in logistics may have to expend significant energy learning how to respond to problems they have never seen before. Over time, Agents become better at navigating familiar challenges while continuing to find creative solutions to the new ones that inevitably appear.
The goal is not necessarily to work less.
For many Independent Agents, the value is having more control over how they work, where they work, and how they structure the business around the life they want to build.
What Taryn’s Story Says About the Right Freight Agent Partnership
Independent Agents usually become independent for a reason.
They want control over customer relationships. They value the Carrier network they have built. They have their own way of working, standards, and vision for the business.
A good Agent Program should respect that.
The purpose of support is not to take control away from the Agent. It is to give them stronger resources behind the business so they can keep doing what they do best.
Taryn’s experience provides a clear example.
She remains deeply involved in the details of her operation. She knows where her trucks are. She manages her relationships. She makes decisions based on what is right for her customers, her Carriers, and her business.
At the same time, she has a responsive team behind her when operational needs arise.
That combination can make independence more sustainable.
The right Freight Agent partnership gives experienced Independent Agents room to run their business while providing the back-office support needed to help keep freight moving when the demands of the job do not stop.