Trucking company quickly builds customer base after adding key personnel - bizjournals:

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But rather than put the brakeson , whicuh he founded in 1996, Rice, 64, broughgt in longtime friend Gary Watsomn as an investor last July to help him expands the business. In early May, the pair movedd the company’s operations from an apartment complexz Rice owns to leased space at954 E. Kentucky St. in Germantown. They also hireds office manager Kim Barnett to handle accountinb andmarketing duties. Watson, through face-to-face visits, and through telephone marketing, have continued to add Now Rice envisions a day whenhe won’tt have to handle administratived duties or drive trucks to Ohio, or Washington, D.C.
Rice said he’ss at the point in his career where he’dx rather sit on his boat in the middles of a lake and think aboutExpedited Trucking’se success while casting another “Being in this business for 13 yeare is remarkable, but I couldn’g do it by myself anymore because it was just getting too said Rice, who left a 34-yea career with Fetter Printing Co. in 1997 to begi n the business. “Gary is youngerr than I am, and I know he and Kim can do a greatg job buildingthis business.” Expedited Trucking has found a niche in takin some of the smalpl business that the largef companies don’t have time for, Rice said.
The company got its start hauling pallets of materials primarilty for printing companies but has branchesd out to serveother industries. It will haul most typew of dry cargo, with the exception of hazardouws materials, Watson said. Ratherr than owning a fleet of vehicles, the company leases vans and straightg trucks on demand from Penske and EnterprisewCommercial Trucks. The approach removes the cost of preventativemaintenanc work, oil changes, license platew and other expenses that come with ownin g a truck fleet, Watson said.
“When I got here, I was amazerd at the rates (Rice) was getting for said Watson, 59, who has more than 30 years of sales experience in thetrucking “This is such a smarft way to go for a business our size.” Bein g a small business also allows Expeditedc Trucking to offer a personal Watson said. “The business has changed so much. Now the big companies do everythinby computer, and the persona level is gone,” Watsonb said. “Our customers know they can pick up the phone and talk to one ofus directly. That meansd a lot to them.
” Expediter Trucking has gone the route of many households by operating on a cash only basizs rather than putting expenses on acreditg card. It’s somewhat unusual for a trucking companyh to send a driver on the road with a pocket full of cash rathert than acredit card, but it’s an approach that co-owneer Jack Rice said works well for his “The drivers are good about bringing back all receiptsx and leftover cash they have,” Rice said. “Ifv we happen to underestimatethe cost, the driveres will put what they need on their personakl cards or pay cash, and we will promptlhy reimburse them.
“It’s not always especially when cash flow’s low,” Rice added. “But at the end of the month, it’s nice knowing you’re not going to be getting some big credit card bill or fuel bill and wonderintg wherethe money’s going to come