Young Brothers operations VP details overtime drivers, LMC effort and booking problems in PUC hearing

Chris Martin, vice president of operations for Young Brothers LLC, testified at a Public Utilities Commission evidentiary hearing in Docket No. 2024‑0255 about operational drivers of cost, steps the company has taken to reduce overtime and improve cargo handling, and ongoing challenges that company witnesses say contribute to the carrier’s financial strain.

Martin told the commission that skilled labor is the single largest operating cost and that labor expenditures represent “approximately 57% of the company’s total operating expenses,” language echoed in written rebuttal filed in the docket.

Why this matters: Labor‑intensive cargo handling, overtime rules derived from collective bargaining agreements and scheduling constraints all affect Young Brothers’ cost base and therefore the revenues it says it needs from rate increases.

Key points from Martin’s testimony - Labor expense share: Martin cited the company’s rebuttal (YBRT‑2) that labor drives roughly 57% of operating expenses and said most of that cost is driven by collective bargaining agreements, manning requirements and overtime rules that he described as largely outside the company’s immediate control. - Overtime structure: Martin testified…