Taylor Truck Line Inc

As Taylor Truck Line Inc. owner Rob Taylor sees things, there's nothing very complicated about building a successful trucking company. There are just three rules: Pick up and deliver on time, all the time; do everything possible to service your customers; be open minded and completely honest.

Rob learned these principles from his father Jerry, who began trucking full time in 1957, and soon established himself as a man to whom "customer service" was more than a mere slogan. It was the foundation of his business. Slowly, but solidly, Jerry began to add trucks to his fleet, always careful not to grow beyond his ability to provide customers with the highest quality service, and drivers with a fair, friendly place of employment. In 1989, Rob bought the company from his father and, after several years, began expanding its dry van and flatbed operations.

Today, Taylor Truck Line Inc. is a thriving carrier, transporting a variety of products across the country. Its continued growth is driven solely by the demand of customers, many of whom are America's premier manufacturers. And although their transportation needs differ, they all have one requirement in common: consistent high quality service. To the people who make up Taylor Truck Line Inc., trucking is not a job; it's a way of life, a career, an essential part of the American economy.

This attitude is what separates Taylor from its competitors. It is the difference between toil and fulfillment, between service that's adequate and performance that's excellent. The effect of Taylor Truck Line's positive attitude is apparent in all the key indicators. The company's on-time record is one of the best in the industry. Its safety rating is among the highest. Freight claims are almost nonexistent. And the annual percentage of driver turnover is low by any standard.

Running a successful trucking company today takes more than good tractors and trailers and drivers. It takes a willingness to change with the times. Here too, Taylor Truck Line Inc. excels. The company's management has always viewed change as a normal business process, where growth and diversification are dictated by customers' needs. During the past several years, for example, truckload capacity has increased enormously, and the number of services has doubled.

Taylor now offers dedicated fleets, electronic data interchange, just-in-time deliveries, LTL capability in certain lanes, team drivers and system-wide satellite communications. For additional logistic needs, the company also provides full-service freight brokerage through Taylor Logistics Inc. It's hard to imagine where the future will lead technology and the trucking industry. But, wherever it is, Taylor Truck Line Inc. will be there as well, in step with the cutting edge. Of course, not everything is subject to change. Taylor's founding principles -- that promises to customers will be honored, that transactions be honest, that employees be respected and paid fair wages, and that relationships be based on trust -- all remain unaltered from their inception almost five decades ago. When Jerry Taylor started the company in 1957, business deals required no more than a handshake, and customer service was a personal commitment. Today, trucking has become much more complex, but to the people of Taylor Truck Line Inc., customer service is still a commitment to be made personally and taken seriously.