Spotlight on Success

Commitment and consistency, two hallmarks of marriage, are also keys to becoming both a team driver and an owner-operator. Commitment and consistency are also two of the first words that came to mind when we were talking with Jennifer and Marcus Collier about how they met, teamed up, eventually married, and finally found their way into the ES community through Forward Air.

Jennifer and Marcus Collier

---

Year they Joined ES: 2022

ES Community Carrier: Forward Air

Service Coordinator: David Neese

Fun Facts: The Collier family consists of 3 girls, 4 boys, and an incredible support network.

The Collier’s commitment to each other is a perfect reflection of their ability to work together day in and day out, helping one another through the good days and the bad. The similarities between teaming and being married are not lost on Jennifer, who believes that “team driving is marriage.”

After spending time driving for an owner operator, the Colliers decided to rejoin Forward Air in March 2022, and make the jump into ownership with Expediter Services. Their goal was simple – to find stability and consistency for their blended family of nine.

For the Colliers, the Path To Ownership was an easy decision. They knew that if they had the right support system, a dedicated route, and a carrier that had their back, they could make it work, no matter the challenges on the road ahead.

As you will hear in our most recent Spotlight On Success, the Colliers regard their decision to join the ES family as “the best decision we have ever made…besides marriage.” 

We are proud to have Jennifer and Marcus Collier as part of the ES Community and are delighted to continue supporting them in their Success in Trucking.

If you’re inspired by the Collier’s story and want to grow your trucking business, contact the ES team or call (877) 349-9303, option 4 and let us help support your company with expertise in financial services and technology, relationship lending, and general business support.

Attitude, aptitude, and work ethic are cornerstones of the ES Community, and they are the pillars that Cheryl and Andrew Anderson have built their trucking company upon. The Andersons are proof that having a solid foundation for your business, a little know-how, and a strong support system can LIFT you up for success.

Cheryl and Andrew Anderson

---

Time in the Trucking Industry: 11 Years

Year they Joined ES: 2022

ES Community Carrier: Forward Air

Service Coordinator: David Neese

Fun Facts: The Andersons have always homeschooled their children, and it was their sons that helped give Cheryl the nudge to get her CDL and join Andrew on the road.

In many ways, the story of the Anderson’s, who run MMOB Trucking LLC, is like many husband and wife teams in the industry. After years spent in agribusiness, they were ready for a change, and wanted something that would provide the freedom to build their own business and leave a legacy for their children. The road was calling and the Andersons were ready for the challenge.

After gaining experience as a company driver, and trainer, Cheryl joined Andrew in the truck. The opportunity to get out of a cubicle and build their business their way was a driving factor in choosing to join the ES Community. The Anderson’s vision and experience eventually led them to the Women Owned Business Initiative at ES a year ago and the rest, as they say, was history.

The Andersons describe their start in the Path to Ownership program as “nerve wracking,” but they knew what they brought to the table and knew that they could make it work with the right support system in place. Backed by Cheryl’s experience in finance and marketing, they have  branded their business and built their reputation, serving as the captains of their own ship.

As you will hear in our most recent Spotlight On Success, the road hasn’t always been easy for the Andersons, but their positive attitude and a helping hand from the ES Community have allowed them to forge a path and build their legacy.

We are proud to have Cheryl and Andrew as part of the ES Community and are delighted to continue supporting them in their Success in Trucking.

Editor’s Note: ES is launching Spotlight On Success, a monthly series that will be spotlighting ES Community members and their Success In Trucking stories.

As they began to examine options that would move them closer to family, Michelle and Gary Piatt discovered not only a place to call home, but a true community with the kind of support they had never experienced during their time in the trucking industry. In many ways, the story of how Michelle and Gary found their way to the ES Community speaks volumes on how the team at ES treats ES Community members like part of an extended family.

Michelle and Gary Piatt

---

Time In The Trucking Industry: 18 years

Year They Joined The ES Community: 2011

ES Community Carrier: FedEx Custom Critical

Service Coordinator At ES: David Neese

Fun Facts: Gary and Michelle have referred so many professional drivers to ES without asking for credit for the referral that one of the ES Recruiters handed Gary a set of referral cards a few years ago with his information printed on them.

A little more than a decade ago, the Piatts began planning a move to West Tennessee, which would place them closer to Michelle’s family. Both Michelle and Gary had built up solid resumes as company drivers – with Gary getting his start in trucking after a career as a police officer and Michelle following his lead into the trucking industry.

The Piatts gained the bulk of their experience as over-the-road team drivers for truckload carriers. A few years into the demands of that life, Michelle needed a break from the road and got a position at a hospital. Gary shifted to a trucking opportunity that kept him close to home while they considered what would be next in their lives.

One of the key considerations in making the move to West Tennessee was making sure that Michelle and Gary had a way to support themselves. As they explored the possibilities, they learned about the expedited trucking opportunities through FedEx Custom Critical. Once they got connected with FedEx Custom Critical in 2011, they were then introduced to the team at ES.

As you’ll hear in this Spotlight On Success edition of the Success In Trucking Podcast, Michelle and Gary discovered during their very first load assignment how the entire team at ES lives up to the company motto of Never Stand Alone. The response from the ES Team on that day set the tone for the relationships that Michelle and Gary built inside the ES Community going forward. No matter what might come up as a bump in the road, the Piatts quickly learned that they could trust the team at ES to be at their side and stand with them on every mile of their journey.

Now entering their 12th year as part of the ES Community and driving as part of the FedEx Custom Critical fleet, the Piatts know the move they made to West Tennessee gave them a better home for their family and their careers.

We are proud to have Michelle and Gary as part of the ES Community and are delighted to continue supporting them in their Success in Trucking.