CIO Bulletin

Western Transport Logistics — A leader in comprehensive trucking transportation and logistics services

Most people underestimate how important the trucking industry is to the economy and how valuable a job it is. However, trucking is responsible for moving almost 70% of all freight in the US, and almost 80% of US communities rely on trucks for the delivery of daily necessities, including raw materials, medicine, food, and a wide range of other items.

Businesses of all sizes rely on the trucking sector to maintain quick delivery times and ship goods securely around the globe. Without trucks, goods could never be transported from rail yards, airports, or ports to their final destinations, as the trucking industry transports much more cargo than trains, planes, or ships.

The US economy would come to a grinding halt if the trucking industry ever collapsed.

Therefore, Western Transport Logistics should be your first choice if you need to hire a trucking and logistics company to help you move your goods across the vast country of the United States. In terms of comprehensive trucking transportation and logistics services, such as chemical storage maintenance, painting and coating, tank replacement, chemical pumping services, site cleanup, and construction projects on-site, Western Transport Logistics is a leader. They provide trucking and specialized logistics services, such as over-the-road flatbed trucking and industrial chemical transport, from their headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona. They are fervently committed to changing America.

Recently, CIO Bulletin spoke to Doug Hancock, the President of Western Transport Logistics. The following excerpts are taken from the conversation.

Q. What inspired the founding of Western Transport Logistics?

My original career was with Cemex Inc. in the US. I held several positions there, including high level positions in procurement, national contracts, and capital projects. When I left, it was time to reinvent what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to develop my own company, and I knew I could do it; I just had no idea it would be in trucking. I don’t drive and never have.

Robert Serano and I started WTL with one truck and one heavy haul trailer. We transported heavy equipment in Arizona and eventually moved to long haul flatbed trucking.

On the chemical side of our business, we had an opportunity with a large multinational company. We did it as an emergency solution but felt like there was something there for us to understand better. Once we did, we felt like these deliveries needed to be done better than what the industry was currently okay with.

Q. What crucial element has the biggest impact on your success?

I have always believed, and still do, in a strong commitment to excellence. We operate with that in mind in everything we do. Equally important is our moral compass for doing the right thing. This has at times been expensive for WTL, but we are committed to doing things right. Along with this, there are a couple of things that have helped us establish who we are.

Hiring the right people for the right job has proven to be one of the most important aspects of success. We don’t always get it right, but it is a part of our management discussions and a high priority for us. After spending many years in my previous career, I was able to create relationships that continue to this day. They have been extremely important both from a customer standpoint and for several management positions in our company.

Our culture is one of trust and respect. With the right people employed, we have been able to create a top-level team that is second to none.

Treating our drivers differently than what the industry typically does. We looked at what we thought we could do differently for them in our company.

Paying our drivers differently than the industry has made a difference. We felt they deserved more than what they typically got, and we still feel that way. Our drivers average over $100K per year, with many being paid considerably more than that. Providing a full line of benefits for many years has also had a big impact.

The WTL Drivers Concierge Program is one of a kind, and I have never heard of anything similar. We developed this program for our drivers' peace of mind while on the road. The different personal issues that come up for them while drivers are away can cause great anxiety. If the family provider is away and the hot water heater goes out, they call our Concierge line, and we take care of it. If someone's car breaks down on the way to school or anywhere else, we take care of it. Often times, the first person we hear from are a spouse or a child. This list goes on and on and has provided great peace to an important group in our company.

Q. How can you develop a branding approach that is intentional and done consistently?

Entering the chemical delivery arena and developing our Trailer Mounted Metering System has taken us into a more specialized area of trucking. This system, for which we received a US patent in 2022, has helped us increase efficiencies and productivity by large margins. So much so, in fact, that we believe it could seriously impact and change the process of liquid deliveries made in multi compartment tankers in the future.

Q. What would ideal conditions for cultivating innovation look like?

I would say the easiest way is to observe something that has not changed in years. You will likely see things that will make you say “That doesn’t make sense” or “Why are they doing it that way”. That was the thought process behind the start of our flatbed metering technology.

Q. What transformational strategies are you putting into practice to stay relevant both today and in the future?

I’m not sure how transformational it is, but I believe that people make the difference and that you cannot effectively conduct business if it is not beneficial for both sides. Instead of asking how we can make the most of this deal, ask how it needs to look to give us the best chance at a long term partnership.

Q. How will the business landscape change in the coming years?

We seem to be at the beginning of an economic cycle of sustained higher interest rates, which will continue to increase costs across the industry. AI will change the interaction of the freight markets. Enhanced driving technologies are around the corner. The one thing that will not change is the need to adapt to and meet the needs of a younger, more dynamic group of drivers. At WTL, we thrive in that kind of atmosphere.

Providing customers with unmatchable trucking services and doing trucking right

Doug Hancock is the President and CEO of Western Transport Logistics.

“Now more than ever, our customers turn to Western Transport Logistics for our specialty experience and capacity to manage important transportation and shipments. Experience matters, and we do it safely, reliably and on-time.”