It’s that time of year again! The Expedite Expo is just around the corner and Expediter Services is proud to announce that we are once again the Title Sponsor! Please join us in Booth #235 and at the Expediter Truck Sales exhibit in the End Zone.
At this year’s event, we continue to offer opportunities to Expediters with tried-and-true programs designed to serve Independent Contractors, Owner Operators and Fleet Owners helping them be more efficient, so you Never Stand Alone. In addition, we believe that if you can drive a truck, you can own a truck if you so desire through our PTO program (Path to Ownership), utilizing our MBA (Much Better Alternative) to truck finance. ES staff will also be on hand to assist those looking for opportunities through Expediter Contract Driver Services, Expediter Management Services, Expediter Truck Sales, Expediter Insurance Services and Expediter Equipment Finance. Stay tuned for even more information about the Expo in upcoming issues of Spotlight News.
Another Expo. Another EGG is Hatching!
Join us for the EGG at the Expo as we host our 4th annual EGG (Expediter Group Gathering) on the evening of Friday, July 14th. It’s a great way for Expediters to network, and It gives us the opportunity to once again meet the people we know, and get to know those we don’t. Space is limited, click here to register and to learn more about the EGG at the Expo.
Register now for the EGG, its FREE!
It doesn’t matter where you’re from or even your background. Opportunity is a universal concept that brings out the best in people.
As proof of this principle, Spotlight News shines the light on Willy Cardoso and his father Adilton dos Santos, two men who came to this country from Brazil looking for opportunity and finding it in Expediting. “Our family came to the U.S. about three years ago after getting green cards. I have worked a number of jobs over the years, my most recent job was delivering pizza and cooking. I’m excited at the opportunity to start my own Expediting business,” said Willy.
Always in pursuit of a better career opportunities, Willy kept his options open for ways to earn a better living. “I had a friend of mine with FedEx who got me interested in Expediting. He was telling me about how it was a good business to get into. I looked into it and soon became a Contract Driver for FedEx. The more I learned, the better the opportunity looked. After seven months, I was ready to take the next step. I wanted to be an owner. I began asking around about what is the best way to acquire a truck of my own and someone mentioned that I should contact Expediter
Services and Expediter Truck Sales; that they have a good selection of straight trucks.”
Expediter Truck Sales was able to locate a 2012 Cascadia that was for sale and belonged to an Owner Operator operating under Expediter Management Services. The Cardoso’s utilized Expediter Equipment Finance and as they say, the rest is history! “I was so excited to find a good used truck to start our business. It was a great fit for us and was much less expensive than getting a new truck. Not only were we able to buy a truck at ES, we were able to finance it through Expediter Equipment Finance. It truly was easy finding a truck and financing it all at one place. The ES finance team is second to none and helped us get financing quickly. Good straight trucks are hard to come by in this market, and ours was a good deal and a great value all around.” The future is indeed looking bright for Willy and his dad, and they plan on making the best of it. “We’re picking up our first load now with our newly purchased truck and everything is going fine. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to make more money as an Owner Operator. It truly is a dream come true to work for myself and a blessing to be able to work with my father. We’ve already started talking about building a fleet, possibly as early as this fall. With our new truck, we’ll be working hard toward that goal.”
Everett and Shirley Elder Hooker’s journey to becoming professional Contract Drivers began about the time of the economic down turn in 2008. They had recently moved to Louisiana from Florida, but work was scarce. It was then that they set their sights on Expediting. They signed on with a carrier and began driving for a fleet owner. This opportunity lasted about three years, and according to Shirley, their situation wasn’t ideal, to say the least. “Our carrier began going through some changes at that time and the fleet owner we worked for was very unprofessional. To say he wasn’t a very nice person was an understatement. We knew it was time to make a change.”
Everett & Shirley Elder Hooker
The Hookers soon began talking to some friends in the business and they recommended Expediter Services. “At the time, we were really unhappy with our circumstances, so when we heard about ES, it sounded like a good opportunity,” said Shirley. “I made the call and spoke with one of their recruiters. They had a truck available immediately, so Everett and I made arrangements to pick it up — then my father passed away. I had to immediately travel to Canada for the funeral and to settle his affairs. ES was very good about it and understood that family comes first. About three weeks later, when I was ready to get back to work, ES had another truck for us and we’ve been with them ever since. We soon had the opportunity to go to FedEx Custom Critical and it turned out to be a good fit. It’s been a great ride.”
Support, Freedom & Satisfaction
“Our experience with ES has been very good from the start. I often tell other teams about how they operate and about their level of support. I think the most important things ES gets right is the fact that they let us do what makes us happy. We love to drive! And they let us do just that. ES doesn’t tell us what to do or what loads to take. We run our business the way we want to run it. If we need help, ES is there, but they give us the freedom to do things our way. Another thing that sets ES above the pack is that they take care of their equipment. If we have a problem, they are there to help us get it fixed and back on the road quickly,” said Shirley. “Over the years, ES has approached us about taking the Path to Ownership. But Everett and I are satisfied just where we are. We’ve thought about becoming owners, but honestly, we are much happier being Contractors. All of the maintenance is taken care of by ES and all we have to do is drive and get paid. There’s no judgement on ES’s part, they’re happy to support us no matter what we do, and we like it that way.”
Success that’s Real
“As we travel around the country and talk to people in the business, I’ve run into folks that say Expediter Services is a great place for new drivers, and they’re right! But ES is much more than that. It’s a great place for any team that wants the opportunity to be their best. Our success is a result of working hard, loving what we do, and having a knowledgeable and flexible group of people behind us. At ES, the opportunities are real and our success is real. You just have to take advantage of the offerings available and follow your dream, said Shirley”.
A Woman in Expediting
We also took the opportunity to discuss with Shirley her experience as a Woman in Expediting. She was able to give us some insights into what has made her a success and she was happy to share her story with other women looking to get into the business.
SLN: What is the reaction from people when they learn that you’re a women trucker? People who aren’t in the industry think being a women in the trucking business is really kind of cool. Many women even mention that it’s something that they may want to do. Within the Industry, it’s a little bit different. For instance, at truck stops, sometimes the cashiers seem to be a little more attentive to the male drivers. Often they will automatically ask them for their fuel card, where with me, I have to start the transaction by presenting my card to them first. But overall, with our customers (shippers & receivers), I’ve never ran into any kind of problems. I’ve never been treated any differently than anyone else. I attribute that to a couple of things: I am a professional and act accordingly; the other factor is that more women are realizing that they can make a living in this business, and people are becoming more and more accustomed to seeing women in these roles.
SLN: Do you see any barriers to women in the Industry? The way I see it, most women are as capable of succeeding in trucking as well as anyone. My advice for women who are looking to get into the business is to do your homework. If this is something you really want to do, sit down and figure out what you really want out of an Expediting career. For example, do you want to be out on the road, or do you want to be home every week. It’s important to know what you want and what you want out of the business — then start looking for a company that can help you achieve these goals. If you get on with the first company you see and you wind up not liking it, you’re going to wind up quitting. I would recommend that every woman looking to be in Expediting talk to Expediter Services. They have the knowledge and resources to help you decide if this is the right career path for you and tools and services to help you succeed.
We were fortunate to have found Expediter Services when we did. I only wish we had known about them when we first started out. But it doesn’t matter if you’re new in the business or if you’re like us and have an established track record. ES can help you if you want to drive as a career, become an owner or even a fleet owner. If you’re a woman (or a man), I would recommend doing your due diligence and ES should be a part of your research into getting into and succeeding in the industry.
The Spring EGG (Expediter Group Gathering) 2017 was a remarkable success on a number of levels. With this year’s focus being truck sales, an increasing number of drivers became owners, owners became fleet owners, and fleet owners grew their fleets — proving that when you come to The EGG, you truly can bring home the bacon!
Attendees, Speakers, Carriers & Vendor
The EGG hosted a record number of drivers, owners and fleet owners, while a GRADE A lineup of speakers shared their experience and knowledge. Also in attendance was a new and growing number of Carriers from Expediting and general trucking looking for and providing opportunities. Numerous vendors were also on hand to meet and share information. In addition, ES management and staff was glad to have had the opportunity to meet and get to know everyone on a personal basis.
The Hub Grand Opening
A recap of the Spring EGG 2017 wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Open House and the Grand Opening of our new Contractors lounge, The Hub, at the newly renovated and expanded ES offices.
Jeff Tacker, ES Vice President of Operations, was excited to meet our visitors and to show off The Hub and our new facilities. “It’s always great to meet the folks we know and to get to know those we don’t. Our growth and success is due to your hard work and dedication. The ES office expansion and the addition of The Hub is our way of showing our dedication to helping service and support your efforts. We look forward to providing opportunity at every level. We’d also like to thank everyone who attended this year’s EGG.”
Save the Date: The EGG at the Expo
We can’t wait to meet you at the EGG at the Expo 2017!
Expediter Services is once again the title sponsor of the Expedite Expo 2017. We’re also excited to host the third annual EGG at the Expo on July 14th in Lexington Kentucky. It’s another opportunity for Expediters to gather, meet and share information. The EGG at the Expo also helps us to get to know each other on a personal basis. Stay tuned for updates and the agenda. And don’t forget you don’t have to wait for The EGG to buy a truck. It’s what we do every day.
Need a truck? Call Danny Vernon, Expediter Truck Sales at 877.349.9303, ext. 120
We’d like to thank everyone who attended this year’s EGG (Expediter Group Gathering)! It was a great turnout, with lots of opportunity, fellowship and food. We’ll soon be sharing success stories of our guest speakers, attendees and new truck owners in future issues of Spotlight News.
