Carrier Profiles

Carrier Profile: Try Hours

By Jeff Jensen
Posted Sep 25th 2001 5:00AM

try_hours_.jpgTry Hours, Inc. is a Maumee, OH-based expediting company which specializes in the transportation of all forms of expedited freight. Centrally located in the traditional expedited freight lanes, this Toledo-area company was founded in 1989.

A private corporation, Try Hours, Inc. operates primarily in the Midwest, but has authority for 48 states and Canada.

Safety Director John Mueller tells us, "Try Hours specializes in just-in-time and time sensitive freight service. We are a customer-oriented company with a blended fleet of owner/operators as well as company drivers operating a variety of equipment sizes. Try Hours can also handle air charter and air freight needs."

With a current fleet size of around 200 independent contractors and 20 company drivers, this company utilizes a mix of cargo vans, 12'-14' straight trucks and 22'-24' straight trucks.

When asked what the company looks for in a contractor, the Director of Recruiting for Try Hours, Bob Kittel, says, "We look for a responsible, self-motivated person with a good vehicle, who happens to want to make money. Ideally, that person will take most of the runs he/she is offered, instead of waiting for that one golden run to appear."

"An advantage of contracting with Try Hours is that we run more general freight, and we're not as dependent upon automotive freight. Consequently, we don't suffer the drastic shortfalls in freight when the automotive industry experiences a downturn."

John Mueller says, "This year has been a real growth period for us and we look forward to continued growth throughout the rest of 2001."

"In addition to our new outside salespeople, we've added to the corporate side as well, to further expand our in-house efficiency. We've also added personnel in our back haul program to keep our contractors loaded and running."

The independent contractors with Try Hours are required to carry $500,000 non-trucking liability and physical damage insurance. The company provides cargo insurance and primary liability insurance.

A Commercial Drivers License with Hazardous Materials Endorsement is required for any straight truck owner with the company. Cargo vans do not transport placardable amounts of Haz-Mat.

Sleepers are required for the larger trucks; the Try Hours contractors find them to be advantageous.

With company to driver communication via cell phones, pagers and Qualcomm satellite equipment, the company uses a computer oriented dispatch system.

Bob Kittel tells us that one of the concerns of many expediting owner/operators is that the company they're leased to will "overstaff", adding more units than seems to be necessary. He responds to that concern: "Try Hours wants to grow as a company, but not at the expense of our contractors. Before we add large numbers of trucks to the fleet, we make sure that we have the business to support that fleet increase."

"We have new salespeople in Chicago and Dayton, OH, and they're doing a great job in acquiring new accounts and expanding our share of the expediting market. Because of their success, we're adding 20'-24' units in Chicago, Dayton, Cincinnati and Louisville."

Web Information
Try Hours Homepage