I remember my first experience in expediting was a neighbor of ours in Wheaton, IL where we lived at the time. My Dad was parts manager/DC manager of Komatsu's Midwest warehouse in Carol Stream, IL. Our neighbor Doran Baker who was an insurance saleman got rid of his agency and bought a Ford c/v and hooked up with Roberts Express, which is now Fed-Ex CC. Business was so good they added two more trucks, they were Ford F350 Cabs with an attached sleeper and a 14ft box. He drove one and his son Mark drove the other and a daughter drove the c/v. After a while Mark Baker hooked up with MedQuick Express which is now Fed-Ex Supply Solutions. Doran always wanted to take me on a trip with him but I was too young at the time. Doran later left Roberts Express and then leased on with a local guy Chippewa Express. But that is what got me into expedite. They eventually moved away and we lost touch with them as we moved away several years later too.
My first actual start in expedite for me was back in late high school, early college. My Dad ran the parts warehouse for Komatsu, so whenever a machine broke down and the dealer did not have the needed part, usually my Dad did at his warehouse. So I'd go into work with him, pick the part, box it up and usually we'd wait for a cab to come to take it to the airport for a next flight out to its destination. When I got my drivers license I asked him why I couldn't take the parts to the airport myself and make a couple of bucks! He agreed so I created my first business...King Messenger & Cartage. I'd run the small boxes in an 1981 Chevy Citation. Sometime down the road, we bought a 1980 Dodge Ram Cargo Van for $800.00 That thing was so rusty the rear doors did not open from the outside. We made it a father and son project to clean up the van, try to get rid of as much rust and bondo what we could of the body. There was a hole in the van where you could see the ground, but a piece of wood covered that up. Had no heat, winshield wiper motor went out on me one day while driving in the rain.......But I loved that van and nick named it the "Beast".
I took a break from trucking when I went off to college and became a police officer. While living in Atlanta in the late 80's and off duty one friday night. My Dad who by this time transferred with Komatsu and ran their master parts warehouse in Suwanee GA. had gotten a call from one of his foremen. The folks had gone to see a Hawks/Bulls game with a saleman from Roadway Express and they needed some guidance from my Dad.....a machine was down in a coal mine in Beckley WV. and had no way to ship the part. So I volunteered, to drive it myself. *Back then expedite companies were far and few! We called Roberts Express got a quote, and I added in some other figures, gave the customer (the Dealer) the price, they agreed and off I went in the Ford c/v we had. This is how I really started expediting on a part-time basis and it took off from there, whenever a machine broke down, the dealers would ask for me if I could deliver the machine parts. Later I began doing work for some of the air freight forwarders near Atlanta airport too. We chose the name Blue Jay, after the bird as I did research and the Blue Jay is considered a tough bird and does not back down. How I took the name Red Bird, is from my college mascot Illinois State University Red Birds. Expediting has taken me to some great places I might not otherwise have had the opportunity to travel to!
So guys/gals let's hear your stories!
My first actual start in expedite for me was back in late high school, early college. My Dad ran the parts warehouse for Komatsu, so whenever a machine broke down and the dealer did not have the needed part, usually my Dad did at his warehouse. So I'd go into work with him, pick the part, box it up and usually we'd wait for a cab to come to take it to the airport for a next flight out to its destination. When I got my drivers license I asked him why I couldn't take the parts to the airport myself and make a couple of bucks! He agreed so I created my first business...King Messenger & Cartage. I'd run the small boxes in an 1981 Chevy Citation. Sometime down the road, we bought a 1980 Dodge Ram Cargo Van for $800.00 That thing was so rusty the rear doors did not open from the outside. We made it a father and son project to clean up the van, try to get rid of as much rust and bondo what we could of the body. There was a hole in the van where you could see the ground, but a piece of wood covered that up. Had no heat, winshield wiper motor went out on me one day while driving in the rain.......But I loved that van and nick named it the "Beast".
I took a break from trucking when I went off to college and became a police officer. While living in Atlanta in the late 80's and off duty one friday night. My Dad who by this time transferred with Komatsu and ran their master parts warehouse in Suwanee GA. had gotten a call from one of his foremen. The folks had gone to see a Hawks/Bulls game with a saleman from Roadway Express and they needed some guidance from my Dad.....a machine was down in a coal mine in Beckley WV. and had no way to ship the part. So I volunteered, to drive it myself. *Back then expedite companies were far and few! We called Roberts Express got a quote, and I added in some other figures, gave the customer (the Dealer) the price, they agreed and off I went in the Ford c/v we had. This is how I really started expediting on a part-time basis and it took off from there, whenever a machine broke down, the dealers would ask for me if I could deliver the machine parts. Later I began doing work for some of the air freight forwarders near Atlanta airport too. We chose the name Blue Jay, after the bird as I did research and the Blue Jay is considered a tough bird and does not back down. How I took the name Red Bird, is from my college mascot Illinois State University Red Birds. Expediting has taken me to some great places I might not otherwise have had the opportunity to travel to!
So guys/gals let's hear your stories!
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