This week on Taking the Hire Road, Jeremy Reymer, founder and CEO of DriverReach, is joined by longtime friend and industry leader Eli McCormick, president and CEO of family-owned Bestway Express Inc.
Indiana-based Bestway Express was founded by McCormick’s father and started out hauling furniture to a handful of East Coast cities. After a few years of business and through various connections and partnerships, the company now primarily hauls automotive parts.
“We experienced growth pretty quickly,” McCormick said. “We started with about four trucks and within about seven or eight years, we had grown to about 100 trucks. We now have about 250 trucks and more than 400 trailers across several different locations in the U.S.”
After his father tragically passed in 2006, McCormick had to step up to fill those shoes, assuming the position of president and CEO at age 22.
“I had only six months of industry experience — I was still learning the lingo. I had to grow up really quickly,” he said. “I was fortunate to be surrounded by such incredible and strong leadership — I was putting those pressures on myself. There were so many that were ready to fill the gaps, including myself and my brother.”
Since his start in the industry, McCormick has seen massive change, including in driver schedules and the price of equipment.
“In the industry, it seems to have always been more of a numbers game — you say what you can to get the driver in the door. That hasn’t been the case for us, and luckily, I can see a shift in this in the entire industry as well,” he said.
He added that amid changes in the industry and market, company culture remains paramount. Transparency, honesty and respect directly affect recruiting and retention and go a long way toward showing workers they are valued.
“Rightfully so — most companies are creating ways for drivers to be home on a more consistent basis. For us, this hasn’t changed. We value culture and have always put our drivers and employees first. The majority of our employees have been here for a long time,” McCormick said.
Bestway Express continues to grow as the market and industry evolve, bringing in new people with new ideas, McCormick said. And it will always put employees first.
To learn more about Bestway Express, visit its website.
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