Small Trucking Company

The Benefits of Hiring a Small Trucking Company

Everyone believes that trucking companies don't have what it takes to compete in this competitive market. And it’s easy to see why: industry giants tend to take the spotlight all to themselves. However, the numbers paint an entirely different picture: an estimated 90% of firms operate only six or fewer trucks in the United States.

Small, family-owned agencies are the backbone of our nation's economy. So, if you still have doubts about whether to work with a small versus a giant one, we’re here to make a case for the little guys and tell you what you’ll get if you sign a contract with a family-owned business.

Small Agencies Are Here to Stay

Many people wrongly assume that businesses don’t stand a chance in the face of corporate entities. After all, they lack the resources, workforce, and drive to do so. Clients prefer to work with large corporations because they see them as more stable, while they perceive businesses as unable to stay afloat. Those who do manage to survive don’t turn a pretty profit.

Of course, if you want to cherry-pick, you can find plenty of examples of failed industries. But at a macro level, enterprises aren’t going anywhere. Over the years, they have only grown in market share, become more efficient and competitive, and currently hold an essential place in the industry.

And it’s all due to their size. Trucking is a unique industry since its revenue depends on the loaded miles driven. So, the only way a business can grow revenue is to increase the number of loaded miles. Big firms do it by increasing the size of their fleet. They add more trucks and hire more drivers to respond to the constant pressure of getting a return on their investment and growing their revenue.

You can argue that this obsession with growth makes big companies ignore one key aspect, which industries take and use to their advantage.

‘It runs in the family.’

Small agencies don’t focus on growth, at least not initially. Instead, they focus on finding, hiring, and training drivers. In these businesses, the drivers become part of the family, and much more care and effort goes into ensuring everyone is happy.

It’s a driver-centric model, and most of the decisions also consider how it could impact the driver since they are the primary source of revenue. This model works because decisions aren’t based on numbers, estimations, and other non-pragmatic elements. However, the same model becomes impossible to maintain once these grow, adding more trucks and drivers.

Benefits of Hiring a Firm

So, we’ve established that small, family-run enterprises aren’t going extinct. On the contrary, their unique selling points will keep them afloat for decades. So, now’s the time to look closely at what a business can offer you and make you forget all about the industry giants.

1. You Are Family too

The basis of these industries is that everyone is part of the family, which automatically extends to you, the client.

With larger firms, you can talk about hundreds of clients weekly, possibly even more. So, clients become a number at one point, which doesn’t happen in businesses.

In a family-run industry, all jobs are prioritized because they can’t afford to lose a client. As a new family member, we listen to your needs, and the company will do its best to meet your expectations.

2. It’s Easier to Run

Big corporations may have a lot of red tape you’ll have to get through. In a way, they have to impose specific rules and regulations because otherwise, they lose control. In a trade, there’s no need for that, as the owner can be kept in the loop (and can keep you in the loop) at all times.

With less red tape, the process can move on smoothly and quickly, which is extremely important, mainly if your delivery is time-sensitive and you can’t wait for the higher-ups to greenlight the shipment.

3. You Can Negotiate

Returning to the “big agencies think you're just a number” argument, they don’t budge on the price. Because they have a lot of jobs to juggle, they establish fixed rates for their services. It’s uncommon to see them come to the negotiation table with an open mind. It’s take it or leave it with them.

However, you can negotiate the final price with them. Don’t expect them to do the job for free, but if you’re a customer coming in with a long-term contract, they’ll most likely be more than happy to make you a good deal.

4. You Can Get to Know Them

Suppose you’re working with a family-run company. In that case, there’s a good chance you’ll be in direct contact with the business owner to discuss the terms and not with a small-time representative of a significant, faceless entity.

Because of this, you can get to know them you’re hiring, ask them questions, and expect valuable information in return (because who knows an industry better than its owner?). That may not seem like such an important selling point, but trust us, it is, as it affects how you communicate with them.

You can be more open about the job, discuss your worries, and get the information you need to rest assured that the shipment will reach its destination unharmed on time.

5. They’re Flexible

Sometimes, the terms of the shipment may change, even after you shake hands on a deal with a firm. And that’s a big problem if you’re working with a big firm because of all that red tape we mentioned earlier.

If the time of shipping, location, or any other terms of the job change, the hauling is placed on hold, and you’ll most likely have to go into another meeting to renegotiate, not to mention the fact that they may not have a driver available for the new terms of the transport if they’re handling a heavy schedule.

But if you’re working with a company you’ve gotten to know and trust, they can be a lot more flexible with these changes, and you won’t have to delay the delivery.

6. You’ll Contribute to the Local Economy

Whether you’re a business owner or an individual in need of a corporation, you can see the importance of contributing to the local economy, mainly if it’s the one you live in now.

Working with a firm is like directly contributing to the local community; you can feel its impacts on various levels.

Disclaimer

While we’ve made a case for businesses, and we do believe they’re great, it wouldn’t be fair to anyone not to acknowledge one obvious downside: they might not be the right one for you.

It’s essential to choose the enterprise you work with based on the particularities of what your needs are. The truth is that, in some cases, family-owned businesses might lack the resources to complete the shipping. Even if you’d rather work with them, you should look at their services first and see if they are right for you.

For instance, do they ship nationally or have the right trucks to move your cargo? Some do, while others may not. But since you’re contracting someone’s services, you must put your needs first to ensure you get what you want.

Choose An Agency You Can Trust

In the argument of big and small companies, everyone’s a winner. It’s tough to asses which one offers the better service unless you look into the subject and start comparing based on the particularities of them and not the size of it.

That said, we have one final piece of advice: choose an enterprise you can trust to get the job done right. Look at their reputation, referrals, and experience in the business before making a decision. It’s the only way to ensure you’ve made the right choice.

And if you want a trucking team you can trust, we’re always up for the task. A1-AT has decades of experience in the trucking industry, so call us now, and let’s see what we can do to help you.