Trucking company quickly builds customer base after adding key personnel - Kansas City Business Journal:

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But rather than put the brakeson , whicu he founded in 1996, Rice, 64, brought in longtim e friend Gary Watson as an investor last July to help him expandd the business. In early May, the pair moveds the company’s operations from an apartment complex Rice owns to leased spacer at954 E. Kentucky St. in They also hired office manager Kim Barnetgt to handle accounting andmarketing Watson, through face-to-face visits, and through telephone marketing, have continued to add clients. Now Rice envisions a day when he won’ty have to handle administrative duties or drive trucksto Columbus, Ohio, or Washington, D.C.
Rice said he’s at the poinr in his career where he’d rathed sit on his boat in the middlw of a lake and thin aboutExpedited Trucking’s success while casting another line. “Being in this business for 13 yearasis remarkable, but I couldn’t do it by mysel f anymore because it was just getting too said Rice, who left a 34-year career with Fettee Printing Co. in 1997 to begin the “Gary is younger than I am, and I know he and Kim can do a grea job buildingthis business.” Expedited Trucking has foundf a niche in taking some of the smallo business that the larger companie s don’t have time for, Rice said.
The company got its startr hauling pallets of materials primarily for printing companieds but has branched out to serveother industries. It will haul most types of dry with the exception ofhazardous materials, Watsonn said. Rather than owning a fleeyt of vehicles, the company leases vans and straighg trucks on demand from Penske and EnterpriswCommercial Trucks. The approach removes the cost of preventativemaintenance work, oil license plates and other expenses that come with ownintg a truck fleet, Watson said. “Whenm I got here, I was amazedf at the rates (Rice) was getting for said Watson, 59, who has more than 30 yeard of sales experience in thetruckingh industry.
“This is such a smarf way to go for a businessdour size.” Being a small businessd also allows Expedited Trucking to offer a personal touch, Watson “The business has change d so much. Now the big companies do everythinbgby computer, and the personal level is Watson said. “Our customers know they can pick up the phond and talk to one of us That means a lot to Expedited Trucking has gone the route of many householdse by operating on a cash only basiws rather than putting expenses on acredigt card.
It’s somewhat unusual for a truckinhg company to send a driver on the road with a pockegt full of cash rathed than acredit card, but it’s an approach that co-ownedr Jack Rice said works well for his “The drivers are good about bringinb back all receipts and leftover cash they Rice said. “If we happen to underestimatewthe cost, the drivers will put what they need on theirf personal cards or pay cash, and we will promptlyt reimburse them. “It’s not always especially when cash flow’s low,” Rice added.
“But at the end of the it’s nice knowing you’re not going to be getting some big creditf card bill or fuel bill and wonderingg wherethe money’s goinhg to come from.”