First-Time Owner. Unlimited Opportunity.

Legendary auto racer Bobby Unser once said: Success is where preparation and opportunity meet. Although Unser was speaking about success and opportunity in general terms, he could have easily been talking about ES’s Path to Ownership (PTO) and the Much Better Alternative (MBA) to truck finance. He could also have been referring to John Giddens, a contractor and subject of our latest Spotlight news article who recently took the PTO and got his MBA to become a first-time owner.
Giddens’ foray into transportation began about four years ago when his brother-in-law introduced him to the industry. “I got into trucking because my brother-in-law was a driver. He was doing pretty well for himself and it was a career path that interested me. I started working as a contractor for several companies over the years and have been successful at it. The only thing is, I just always wanted more, but truck ownership seemed like such a long shot because dealing with a bank was just too difficult, ” said Giddens.
About six months ago, Giddens started looking for new business opportunities and the carrier PTL piqued his interest. “I had heard a lot of good things about PTL from a number of drivers, plus I’m familiar with seeing their trucks on the road. I decided to give them a call and now they’re my carrier of choice. They are a terrific company to work with! Once I got up to speed with them, I mentioned that I was interested in becoming an owner operator. Management at PTL said that I should contact ES because they have a true Path to Ownership and even offer a Much Better Alternative to truck finance. As a matter of fact, they made the call to introduce me to Jeff Tacker, ES’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. He answered a lot of my questions and put me in touch with Danny Vernon, Expediter Truck Sales Manager. Danny asked me what kind of truck I was interested in and immediately went to work. He found me a 2018 Frieghtliner Cascadia at Stoops Freightliner in Fort Wayne, Indiana (Truck Country). It was just what I wanted. The truck features a Thermo King Tri-pack APU and a nice factory sleeper,” said Giddens.
He continues, “I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the buying process was. Once I chose my truck, Steve Kochensparger at Expediter Equipment Finance helped me with my approval. He looked at my work history by talking to the people and companies I had worked with over the years. They all had good things to say about my aptitude, attitude and work ethic. You will NEVER get a regular bank to approve a loan for a truck based on qualifications like that! ES believed in me and my ability to produce and that says a lot about how seriously they take your Success in Trucking.”
Giddens also says he’s benefiting from ES’s programs and support. “The fuel card is great! It’s convenient and saves me money at each fill up. I also like that fact that the ES team is behind me whenever I need help. They’re always friendly and have been there for me no matter what. It’s true what they say, with ES you Never Stand Alone.