When Ken and Jessica Horn made their run to the Stoops Freightliner dealership in Fort Wayne last October, the trip to Indiana represented a very important milestone in the journey they have taken within the ES Community. In their eyes, those final miles covered in going to the dealership truly held the key to their future success in trucking.
Ken and Jessica were comfortable and confident when they arrived at Stoops, where they were greeted by Nate Meyer from the company’s equipment sales team. Nate, the Stoops team, and everyone connected with the Path To Ownership (PTO) program at ES had been working with Ken and Jessica on all the details related to their life-changing purchase. It had been a careful and thoughtful process for Ken and Jessica. Over the previous 10 months, the Horns had taken the time to learn about the full range of services and support available to the ES Community through the PTO program.
Ken and Jessica had also taken the time to get to know ES as they ran as owner operators within the Forward Air Fleet. Meanwhile, the ES team had an opportunity to learn about the Horns and how they handled the demands of running a business while being on the road in the trucking industry. All the miles that had been covered in the PTO program before Nate handed off the keys to the Horn’s new 2021 Freightliner Cascadia had paid off. The relationships had been established and trust had been formed.
“I am really glad that we were able to take our time with the ES PTO program. The 10 months we spent in one of the trucks that ES has with Forward Air allowed us to learn about ES and everything they have in place to help you succeed as independent contractors, explained Jessica. “By the time we got our keys, we were ready to take the next step into equipment ownership. We knew that we could trust ES, and ES knew that they could trust us.”
In looking back at the events that began turning the ignition on a new career path, a call to Forward Air by the Horns to ask about opportunities for owner-operators put the process in motion.
The Horns had reached a point of transition in their trucking careers. They had been a top-running team for their previous motor carrier while driving a series of lease-purchase trucks during an 11-year stretch. Quite frankly at this point in their careers, Ken and Jessica were in search of an owner-operator program that could deliver more to them when they called Forward Air. Fortunately, for Ken and Jessica, the call to Forward Air led to a referral and then a call from the ES Recruiting Department.
“ES respects us as business owners, and they have put everything in place that you need to have to be successful in trucking with a network of services and great support.” ~ Ken & Jessica Horn
Forward Air had always been a company that looked interesting to Ken and Jessica, and it ranked as the top choice on their contact list. In many ways, it was fitting that their call to Forward Air ultimately represented a key moment in determining the Horns’ future career path. When looking back at their time in trucking, the Horns have always been able to find the keys – from the ones you hold that open a locked door and start a truck to the ones that point you to some of life’s most important opportunities.
“Ken and I actually met because I had locked my only set of keys in my truck. We were at a truck stop, and Ken could see we drove for the same company. He wanted to know what was going on and if he could help,” recalled Jessica. “The locksmith had told me it was going to be at least a two-hour wait, and Ken asked if I could try his key in the lock. His key actually unlocked my truck and we were both amazed.”
That moment with Jessica’s truck started a conversation in which they learned they had a great deal in common – including living fairly close to each other in Alabama. Not long after Ken and Jessica first met, they were married and driving as a team.
“When Meghan first talked to us, we didn’t know about ES and how ES works with Forward Air,” recalled Jessica. “Meghan was able to answer all our questions and kept in touch with us. She gave us the time and space we needed to make a decision, and we are thrilled with the choice we have made in going through ES. We have all the support we need, and I can’t say enough about what Lee Burkhalter, our service coordinator from ES, has done for us. We appreciate the fact that Lee and everyone at ES are committed to our success.”
“Jessica and I have both been in the trucking industry for more than 25 years. We have seen a lot in that time,” observed Ken. “We learned first-hand that ES has a great program. ES respects us as business owners, and they have put everything in place that you need to have to be successful in trucking with a network of services and great support. We’ve got the keys to a truck that is our own, and we love our new truck. I wish I had known about ES years ago.”
Recalling the time she first met Ken standing outside of a locked truck years ago, Jessica made a special request of Nate before the Horns met him at Stoops in Fort Wayne to pick up their truck.
“I asked Nate if it would be possible to get two sets of keys to our new truck,” related Jessica. “I didn’t want to take a chance on ever being locked out again. And, just like the way that ES covers every detail, Nate remembered what I asked him. When he gave us the keys, there were two sets. That kind of service and support, with people who really listen to you, is what we’ve come to expect from ES and everyone in the ES Community. Looking back at where we’ve gone with ES and Forward Air, we are glad we made the call that we did.”
Were you one of the many trucking professionals who caught the latest live webinar presentation from ES? Our February 24th event asked and answered some very important questions, including the following:
Are you a professional driver or an aspiring entrepreneur who has considered starting your own trucking business?
Are you a current owner-operator, fleet owner or independent contractor looking to strengthen and grow your business?
Is there knowledge, experience and support available that understands what’s needed in today’s trucking market?
As part of our ongoing effort to provide helpful insights and real solutions to entrepreneurs and trucking business owners, the Start Your Own Trucking Business webinar examines the current conditions in the trucking market. We discuss the opportunities that are available for starting and growing a trucking business and addresses the range of challenges that today’s entrepreneurs face.
For this webinar, ES secured subject-matter experts who address the key issues and current conditions in the trucking market.The webinar is a panel discussion moderated by Leah Shaver, the President and CEO of the National Transportation Institute. Leah, who also serves as a host on SiriusXM’s Road Dog Trucking Radio Channel 146, leads the discussion in the style of a fireside chat. ES President Jason Williams and ES Chief Operating Officer Jeff Tacker is part of the industry expert panel that includes Nate Meyer, who is part of the Equipment Sales Team from Stoops Freightliner. In addition, the webinar panel features the perspective of veteran professional drivers Ken and Jessica Horn, who share their experience of becoming owner-operators and starting their own business through the programs and support offered by ES.
Attendees of this webinar will get an opportunity to see the level of support and the network advantages ES provides to business owners and contractors through the company’s programs. Most importantly, this webinar speaks to trucking professionals who are interested in starting or growing their own trucking businesses will learn why this is the time and ES is the place. We highly recommend you check out this webinar replay.
Click here to watch the replay of Start Your Own Trucking Business: Why Now Is The Time and This Is The Place. Save the date for our next webinar Start Your Own Trucking Business: Where The Rubber Meets The Roadon March 24th, at 2PM EST.
ES is proud to have Stoops Freightliner serve as the Title Sponsor for the IN-SITE 2021 Series.
Are you a professional driver or an aspiring entrepreneur who has considered starting your own trucking business?
Are you a current owner-operator, fleet owner or independent contractor looking to strengthen and grow your business?
Is there knowledge, experience and support available that understands what’s needed in today’s trucking market?
If you are looking for answers to any of these questions, ES would like to invite you to join us for our IN-SITE 2021 Webinar entitled, Start Your Own Trucking Business: Why Now Is The Time and This Is The Place. This free webinar will air live Wednesday, February 24 at 2:00 PM EST. Replay will be available for registrants.
As part of our ongoing effort to provide helpful insights and real solutions to entrepreneurs and trucking business owners, the Start Your Own Trucking Business webinar will examine the current conditions in the trucking market. We will discuss the opportunities that are available for starting and growing a trucking business, and this webinar will also address the range of challenges that today’s entrepreneurs will face.
ES has secured subject-matter experts who can address the key issues and current conditions in the trucking market. The webinar will be a panel discussion moderated by Leah Shaver, the President and CEO of the National Transportation Institute. Leah, who also serves as a host on SiriusXM’s Road Dog Trucking Radio Channel 146, will be leading the discussion in the style of a fireside chat. ES President Jason Williams and ES Chief Operating Officer Jeff Tacker will be a part of the industry expert panel that will also include Nate Meyer, who is part of the Equipment Sales Team from Stoops Freightliner. In addition, the webinar panel will feature the perspective of veteran professional drivers Ken and Jessica Horn, who will be sharing their experience of becoming owner-operators and starting their own business through the programs and support offered by ES.
Participants in this webinar will get an opportunity to see the level of support and the network advantages ES provides to business owners and contractors through the company’s programs. Most importantly, attendees who are interested in starting or growing their own trucking businesses will learn why this is the time and ES is the place.
To register for the live webinar presented February 24 at 2:00 PM EST or to watch the replay of Start Your Own Trucking Business: Why Now Is The Time and This Is The Place, click here.
ES is proud to have Stoops Freightliner serve as the Title Sponsor for the IN-SITE 2021 Series.
As the trucking industry begins to roll into a New Year, ES is making plans to continue to share the knowledge and expertise from the members of ES Community in 2021. Last year, as COVID-19 global pandemic began to impact all of daily lives, ES launched the IN-SITE 2020 Online Series, which focused on exploring the opportunities and resources that are available for small businesses in trucking through the ES Community. The response to the offerings from IN-SITE 2020 within the ES Community and within the trucking industry has inspired ES to plan an IN-SITE 2021 Online Series.
ES is currently in the process of examining possible topics and subject-matter experts for IN-SITE 2021 as we develop online programming that can speak to the needs of owner-operators, independent contractors and fleet owners. Our team at ES is excited about the opportunities and possibilities that are ahead in 2021, and our IN-SITE 2021 programming, featuring a new series of webinars and more episodes of our podcast, will seek to help place those who access our program content in the best position to succeed.
ES will be providing more details on IN-SITE 2021 in the near future. If you have not already joined us for our previous webinars and podcasts, ES would like to invite you to check out our IN-SITE 2020 Online Series. We have assembled all three webinars from 2020 and our podcast catalog on one, easy-to-access web page. The webinars and podcasts cover a range of topics that still remain timely as we enter a new year.
To access our full collection of webinars and podcasts from IN-SITE 2020, please click here.
By Leah Shaver, President & CEO of The National Transportation Institute
I want to take a moment to reflect on 2020 and plant some seeds as you plan for 2021. First, my genuine, heartfelt thanks to all of you for what you are doing to keep our country moving through this difficult time. During the coronavirus pandemic, as professional truck drivers continue to deliver necessities across North America, I am cheering for you, I worry about you, I hope the best for you and today, I am so happy to connect with you!
I own and operate the National Transportation Institute (NTI), where we serve information and support to folks who employ or contract with professional drivers or work with companies that do.We aim to deliver opportunities for fleets to grow, to attract additional workers, and then expand in their marketplace with that appropriately compensated, engaged, and retained workforce.We also help service organizations expand into the trucking industry.I serve as an officer on the board of directors of The Women In Trucking Association, and I work part time as a talk-radio host on SiriusXM’s Road Dog Trucking Radio.
Consider their motto – With ES You Never Stand Alone.As a small business owner myself, I know the cost of your time.There are countless hurdles that you must navigate, obstacles to overcome, expenses that must be covered, fires to put out.So many of you have told me how much easier it is to operate with ES behind you.ES does not stop at financing the truck – their community provides support and leverage – they provide carrier advocacy, so business owners can focus on generating revenue, and not on day-to-day issues, and they also leverage their experience and contacts to negotiate and make available a variety of other resources and services to their business community.
ES does what they say they’ll do – At NTI, we tell our customers that numbers tell a story.ES has some of the lowest turnover of any company we survey.Career path is vital, and it’s something that is missing from many professional drivers’ careers.In a traditional workplace, progression from one stage of work to another ultimately peaking in our career is expected.Becoming an Owner-Operator has satisfied that need for drivers historically, and to do so with support at ES, ensures an owner’s extra safety net for success. As you examine your current support system, think about doing the same thing you’re doing now, without that safety net.
Drown out the noise of what is around you – The shortage of qualified workers is real to any company in the business of moving goods right now. What does that mean to you?It means that most companies looking to add capacity are putting their best foot forward in ads, the pitch, the sale, all the while hoping to convert you from interested to sitting in their seat.Most companies eliminated growth plans and overhead from March through May, but by August, I was quite impressed at the number of trailer orders vs truck orders.As companies seek to respond to the demand for capacity, many are targeting Owner-Operators and promoting Lease Purchase.Not every shiny temptation merits investigation.
You didn’t come this far to only come this far – Consider your time and investment and ask yourself:How much have you invested in your equipment?How far have you come on your journey?Why did you start in the first place? You have made a commitment that betters your future so if you walk away, what are you leaving behind?
Decisions have consequences, good or bad – Quick decisions lead to quick deficit – In 20 years of working in this industry, I often find that folks that make quick decisions about their next career stop don’t consider the cost of the move. We’ve been tracking pay outcomes for professional drivers for 25 years.Drivers that switch jobs make 26.2% less in their first year at a motor carrier than full-year drivers at the same company.
Focus on the road ahead – After a rocky start, 2020 has shaped up to prove how vital your role is in North America.It’s the year to thank a trucker and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon.The outlook for 2021 and beyond is stellar so do not drop your momentum. Do a self-assessment as you wrap up this year to determine what you can do to improve margins and meet with your service coordinator to communicate your needs, worries, goals and achievements.Meet with your CPA to evaluate plans before you wrap up the year and visualize how you and your business are positioned at the end of next year, and the year after that.
Look inside your circle as you evaluate and reach out to see what growth opportunities exist for you.
Get in on the conversation next week as I’ll be hosting Road Dog Live 12/21-12/23 1600-1900 ET.My holiday plans are cancelled due to COVID so join in and share some holiday cheer!Don’t have SiriusXM?SiriusXM wants you to know just how grateful we are for your ESSENTIAL service with free access just for professional drivers! Feel free to share with your friends! http://www.siriusxm.com/ThanksTruckers#thankatrucker#spreadsunshine #bettertogether
When Ken and Jessica Horn made their run to the Stoops Freightliner dealership in Fort Wayne last October, the trip to Indiana represented a very important milestone in the journey they have taken within the ES Community. In their eyes, those final miles covered in going to the dealership truly held the key to their future success in trucking.
