This is my new company, Clark Transfer, Inc. A trucking company since 1949, just that fact alone is incredible. A company with actual customers. That’s going to be a switch instead of working with all of those brokers. A 3% turnover rate when the industry average is over 100% a year.

I’ve hauled a lot of tradeshows, performances of various kinds and a few plays in-between all the store fixtures, pad wrap and general freight. The secret to dealing with shows of any kind is absolutely being on time. Hurry up and wait and wait some more. It’s always funny when a general freight guy is at a tradeshow complaining about how long it’s taking and he was there long before those other people were. Everyone around him just starts cracking up. You’re not in line, you’re waiting for a lot of different things, they try and move tradeshows in a certain order, if your booth is in front they don’t want your stuff in the way while they load the rear of the floor.

I’ve done a corporate event that required a few trucks going in to Times Square in the middle of the night, unload one at a time on the sidewalk. Timing was fun, if you got there too early, you drove around the New York City block, too late and you have 30 union guys standing around collecting double time.

There’s No Freight Like Show Freight

I don’t think these Broadway shows and other performances are going to be that new to me. So far everyone has been more than nice and I like the way they do business. For example, their Headquarters building looks like they’ve been in the same building since 1949. It’s a little rough on the outside and the inside is functional and not too nice. A few of the freight companies I’ve been to, their buildings were more like castles, the inside and the offices were extravagant, all done on the backs of the drivers, while their trucks looked like crap. No those aren’t my Socialist tendencies showing, you can be modest and still be successful, while not rubbing your employees faces in the extravagance they earned for you.

I know they use email for their dispatches, weekly direct deposit and the owner operators are supposed to have their own fuel cards of some sort already, they will give advances on a comcheck if needed. I don’t know how they do their logbooks, but hopefully I can continue using my Drivers Daily Log program.

I still can’t get over a trucking company that’s been around since 1949 and it’s not Schneider, Werner or one of the giant companies out there. Their history page is really interesting, the intention was to share Broadway shows with the rest of the country.

From what I’ve heard from not only the people I’ve talked to, but my friend that’s been there for awhile, is that new owners have a hard time adjusting to the difference in general freight and show freight. It’s not just stuff any more, it’s stuff that people are waiting on and need to have there on time, no matter what. You’re meeting crews, equipment and keeping a schedule, in-between all of the sitting around and waiting. For drivers that are used to driving 3000 miles a week, sitting around is hard to get used to. But it’s not how much you drive, it’s how much you make. Get over the -  if you’re not moving you’re not making money mentality and you’re halfway there.

If an owner operator team or solo is really interested can run Canada and doesn’t mind New York City and the Northeast, let me know and I’ll try and answer any questions you may have from a drivers perspective before you call the recruiters. Plus any driver reference will mean more than just calling cold. Plus if there’s still a recruiting bonus, I want to make sure you’re the kind of driver that understands this kind of freight and  will stick around for over a year and yes, I want credit for showing you this company you would have never found on your own. As of this writing they are still hiring, owner operators only. Email me at my regular contact page.

Update: First impressions can be deceiving. Read my other Clark Transfer posts or just go straight to where I quit at Driving for Clark Transfer.