In The News
Premium Transportation Logistics Chooses Expediter Services To Provide Teams & Comprehensive Services For Entire PTL Fleet
Part of the strategy behind Magnate Worldwide’s acquisition of Premium Transportation Logistics was to reposition PTL as a formidable player in the premium expedited market. While the PTL deal was being finalized during the first quarter of this year, Magnate Worldwide President Mike Welch and Chief Operating Officer Jim Welch began a deep examination of team capacity options within the expedited sector, knowing that finding the right partner meant the carrier could begin to move away from the significant utilization of brokerage resources.
Over the past three months, the Welch brothers have spent considerable time getting reacquainted with Expediter Services, the largest provider of team capacity to the trucking industry’s expedited sector. The result of those discussions inspired PTL and Expediter Services to team up to provide a comprehensive program that will allow PTL to keep the vast majority of the carrier’s premium expedited team service opportunities in house.
The first step in the collaboration between the two companies calls for Expediter Services to provide teams operating 10 straight trucks and 20 tractors to PTL. In addition, Expediter Services has made the commitment to work as a comprehensive service provider for PTL and its fleet going forward. This is an effort that will include assisting in the creation of opportunities and support for independent contractor drivers, owner-operators and fleet owners as PTL grows its customer base and its scope of expedited team freight opportunities.
“There is such a high demand for freight that utilizes team drivers. What we’ve put in place with Expediter Services will allow us to service our customers in a comprehensive manner,” explained Mike Welch. “We have a great need for team drivers with the type of premium expedited freight that is coming into our network. By working with ES, we will be able to utilize independent contract driver and owner-operator teams that will be well-positioned for success within the industry. ES has always been up to the challenge. They have every aspect of the industry covered for professionals who want to enter trucking and for those who want to go into ownership.”
Both Welch brothers are very familiar with Expediter Services from their days with Express-1, one of the pioneering carriers from the expedited transportation sector. Mike Welch founded Express-1 in 1989. (To read about Mike’s return to expedited transportation, click here). Jim Welch served on the Express-1 executive team before exiting the transportation industry nine years ago – during the early days of Expediter Services.
“I can recall when Expediter Services was just getting started, and it is amazing to see just how far they have come over the last nine or 10 years,” said Jim Welch. “Expediter Services contacted us, and we have spent a lot of time with them over the past couple of months. I can’t say enough about their level of professionalism, and it was humbling that Expediter Services reached out to us and wanted to partner with us. We couldn’t have asked for a better partner right now.
“As we got back into the transportation business, we were quick to acknowledge that the only way that we are going to succeed in this industry is with quality partners,” he added. “There’s good money to be made in this business if you have good drivers, good support and good equipment. Expediter Services brings that to us and much more with a very comprehensive program that offers contract drivers everything they need to succeed. I have been highly impressed by the approach that ES takes in presenting motivated professionals the opportunity to become independent contract drivers, owner-operators and fleet owners. ES provides access to the opportunities, the tools and the support for professional drivers to become successful business owners.”
Strong Alignment of Corporate Cultures & Missions
For Expediter Services, the opportunity to establish a strong working relationship with PTL firmly aligned with the company’s desire to provide professionals in the ES Network with quality opportunities for expedited transit runs at premium rates.
“We vetted each other for 90 days or so and what we found out is that we can help each other accomplish our respective goals. Our two companies are well aligned,” said Expediter Services President Jason Williams. “We want the best opportunities for contract drivers, owner-operators, fleet owners and everyone in our program. We know that PTL wants best-in-class team capacity to service customers with premium expedited freight. As we work together with PTL, Expediter Services is thrilled to be providing driving opportunities with access to top-of-the-line equipment, financing, fuel, insurance and all the discounts available for contractor drivers and owner-operators who are part of our network. We also specialize in offering opportunities for drivers to become owner-operators within our program, if they want to choose that option.
“With our two companies working together as we move forward, we believe you’ll really have a dynamic duo serving both the needs of PTL’s customers and the professional drivers and owner-operators in our program,” he added.
“We have tremendous respect for what Mike and Jim have accomplished as pioneers in expedited transportation,” said Expediter Services CEO Paul Williams. “We are excited to have the opportunity to work with them and deliver our industry-proven capability of providing drivers, equipment and the right support to meet their growing expedited team needs. We have the best equipment financing platform in the industry, and we are able to offer ownership opportunities to those who want to become owner-operators, or grow their fleets, to use their driving experience in the loan evaluation process. We are looking forward to being positioned to serve PTL as a kind of a megamall for all their fleet services needs.”
The initial growth strategy that PTL has outlined also fits well with the comprehensive fleet services platform that Expediter Services has in place.
“We are looking to build a customer base and offer services through PTL and our other companies that can meet the needs around high-value, high-visibility and premium-based freight. We feel that we have a terrific start toward building that platform,” said Mike Welch. “We know that capacity in the market could tighten very easily and it’s incumbent upon us to build our fleet to service our current and future customers. The relationship we have established with Expediter Services will provide the capacity and overall support we need that will allow us to grow PTL as we find the right opportunities moving forward.”
Truck Ownership & Growth Opportunities For Professional Drivers
The leadership teams from Expediter Services and PTL are confident that the combined efforts between the two companies will create increased opportunities for truck ownership for new entrants and current professional drivers within the industry. The companies also believe that their partnership will allow fleet owners working with Expediter Services and PTL to grow their fleets with the premium freight opportunities coming into the market.
“If you look at what we’ve set up with our company, we see the market conditions being favorable for owner-operators and contract drivers working with us,” said Mike Welch. “We know the capacity crunch is coming. Our fleet will be positioned in a way to meet increased customer demand and provide good returns for the owner-operators and contract drivers running those miles. Our job in working with ES is to make sure that the miles are available for everyone to be successful.”
As someone who launched Express-1 in 1989 with a 1983 model cargo van and a pickup truck before leading the company to become one of the titans of expedited transportation, Mike Welch holds an undying respect for professional drivers who take the steps to become owner-operators and fleet owners.
“When you are able to see someone take that leap into truck ownership, those are some of the really great feel-good stories coming out of our industry,” he observed. “With Expediter Services, you have an opportunity to become a truck owner, and it’s a great opportunity for people who enter the ES program to make a substantial living.
“One of things that I admire about Expediter Services’ Path To Ownership program is that it is not based on conventional financing,” he noted. “Expediter Services is willing to look at a driver’s work ethic, heart and desire to succeed in this business. We support that approach 100 percent.”
With a decade-long track record of success in bringing new teams into the industry, the ES Path To Ownership (PTO) program offers professional drivers ready access to financing at highly competitive rates within a system that considers work history along with credit history. Additionally, the PTO program provides owner-operators in the Expediter Services network with access to a broad range of new and late-model equipment choices, discounts on fuel, affordable insurance coverage and an industry-leading business support platform designed specifically for OTR drivers.
“From our perspective, Expediter Services is not only the best place in the industry for a new team, but they also are the best place in the industry for an experienced team to be able to grow as a business,” observed Mike Welch. “One of the reasons that we are teaming up with Expediter Services is that they allow people to come into their network and have the very best opportunities from Day One. We are looking forward to providing premium freight opportunities for professionals in the ES Network.”
To request more information about the opportunities being offered by Premium Transportation and Expediter Services, CLICK HERE.