Women in Expediting: Joy Franklin

Welcome back to Spotlight News as we continue our online series Women in Expediting. You may have noticed from earlier stories, women are making great strides in all areas of Expediting and taking on roles traditionally held by men. They’re not merely taking on these roles, they are exceeding as drivers, owners and managers, while complimenting the team environment at the same time. Their talents are needed and welcomed in the industry.

We introduce Joy Franklin, a nurse who, along with her boyfriend and business partner Alvin Shipp, decided that owning their own straight truck would be a great investment in their future. They recently purchased a 2012 Cascadia dry unit and hit the road this past July.

SLN: What brought you to Expediting?
My boyfriend, Alvin Shipp and I had been talking about starting a business together for quite a while. Since I’m a nurse, one of our goals is to open an assisted living facility sometime in the future. We looked at several different businesses to provide the income to help us make this happen. Alvin was already a contract driver with Expediter Services, signed on with Panther. I approached him with the idea of truck ownership and he thought being owners would be a great opportunity.

SLN: Tell us about the process of buying a truck?
I did a lot of research online and chose Expediter Truck Sales. I filled out a contact form, telling them what my goals were and that I was interested in buying a truck. Danny Vernon, ETS Truck Sales Manager called me back the next day. We spent time discussing what I wanted to do. He was able to find the right truck for us, a 2012 Cascadia from ES’s fleet. He soon put us in touch with Steve Kochensparger at Expediter Equipment Finance. The process was straight forward and happened pretty fast. In a short time, we had our truck and it was on the road making money.

SLN: As a woman, what was it like going through the process of buying a truck at Expediter Truck Sales?
I have to say, the experience was really good. I don’t feel like they treated me differently in any way. The buying and financing process could not have gone more smoothly. I was treated with respect throughout the entire transaction.

SLN: Tell us about the the truck you purchased and how you plan on running your business?
We felt since this was our first truck, it made more sense to go with a little older unit. We got a good deal, which included an extended warranty, providing us with a level of comfort as we get used to being business owners. The truck itself is incredible. The interior is like new — that’s what really sold me. Even though Alvin and his driving partner will actually be spending time in the truck, I was impressed with the accommodations.

My role as truck owner will be to manage the finances and to make sure Alvin and his driving partner have what they need while they’re out there on the road. Also, I just learned how to use T-Check and I’m excited about that! It’s like running a real business. I know there’s more to learn, but with Expediter Services support, I’m confident that I can be up to speed quickly.

SLN: Since you’re a woman, and a nurse, how do people react when they find out that you’re in the Expediting business?

When people find out I’m in the trucking business they always ask me how I was able to do it. There is that novelty about being a women, but for the most part they always ask a lot of questions because they’re also interested in the business. I tell them about Expediter Services, and how we found our truck at Expediter Truck Sales, and how we did our financing through Expediter Equipment Finance. It’s such a sound business move, it’s actually good for men or women looking to get into Expediting.

SLN: What is your advice for women looking to get into Expediting?
I say to anyone looking into getting into the business, just follow your first instinct and do it. I think it’s a good investment that shows good results in the end. Our plan is to work hard, then purchase more trucks as we grow. With Expediter Services, fleet ownership is a proven business model and we plan on leveraging it to its fullest extent.

Thanks Joy, for sharing your experience about Women in Expediting with us.
Stay tuned for another edition of Women in Expediting in a future issue of Spotlight News!

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