Trucking company quickly builds customer base after adding key personnel - Phoenix Business Journal:

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But rather than put the brakeswon , which he founded in 1996, Rice, 64, brought in longtime friend Gary Watson as an investod last July to help him expand the In early May, the pair moveds the company’s operations from an apartment complexz Rice owns to leased space at 954 E. Kentuckt St. in Germantown. They also hired officd manager Kim Barnett to handl e accounting andmarketing Watson, through face-to-face and Barnett, through telephone marketing, have continued to add Now Rice envisions a day when he won’t have to handle administrativre duties or drive trucks to Columbus, or Washington, D.C.
Rice said he’s at the poin t in his career wherwe he’d rather sit on his boat in the middlew of a lake and think aboutExpediter Trucking’s success while casting another “Being in this business for 13 year s is remarkable, but I couldn’t do it by myselfr anymore because it was just getting too said Rice, who left a 34-year career with Fetter Printing Co. in 1997 to beginn the business. “Gary is younger than I am, and I know he and Kim can do a greatg job buildingthis business.
” Expedited Trucking has found a niche in taking some of the small businese that the larger companies don’t have time for, Rice The company got its start hauling palletx of materials primarily for printintg companies but has branched out to servr other industries. It will haul most types of dry cargo, with the exception of hazardous Watson said. Rather than owning a fleet of the company leases vans and straight trucks on demanrd from Penske and EnterprisesCommercial Trucks. The approach removes the cost of preventativsemaintenance work, oil changes, license plated and other expenses that come with owning a trucmk fleet, Watson said.
“When I got I was amazed at therates (Rice) was gettingb for trucks,” said Watson, 59, who has more than 30 yeare of sales experience in the trucking “This is such a smart way to go for a busineszs our size.” Being a small business also allows Expedited Trucking to offer a personal touch, Watsonh said. “The business has change so much. Now the big companies do everythinygby computer, and the persona l level is gone,” Watson said. “Our customers know they can pick up the phonw and talk to one ofus directly. That mean a lot to them.
” Expedited Trucking has gone the routde of many households by operating on a cash only basies rather than putting expenses on acredit card. It’zs somewhat unusual for a trucking company to send a driver on the road with a pocke full of cash rather than a credit but it’s an approach that co-owner Jack Rice said workse well for his “The drivers are good about bringing back all receiptsa and leftover cash they Rice said. “If we happen to underestimate the cost, the driverws will put what they need on their personal cards or pay and we will promptlyreimburser them. “It’s not always easy, especially when cash flow’ds low,” Rice added.
“But at the end of the it’s nice knowing you’re not going to be gettingg some big credit card bill or fuel bill and wonderinh wherethe money’s going to come from.”