Craig Transportation Co. Stays True to Roots While Continuing Progress.

Very few companies can say they have survived the Great Depression, both World Wars, long gas lines of the ‘70’s, deregulation in the’80’s and today’s record fuel prices.  Craig Transportation Co. has done just that.  Founder N.S. Craig adopted the motto, “It Can Be Done” in 1927 and it still accounts for the company’s success today, 81 years later.

In humble beginnings, N.S. Craig operated a grocery huckster route in 1911 near Pennville, Indiana, with a mule drawn wagon.  This grocery store on wheels delivered provisions directly to residences and farms.  In 1914, the mule was replaced by a Model-T Ford, which gave N.S. more power to load more goods and deliver to his customers faster.  In 1928, N.S. bought his first trailer that was 60 feet in length to pull automobiles.  While returning empty from a delivery of automobiles in 1932, N.S. came upon a truck accident rollover involving a load of glass bottles.  N.S. offered to haul away the  broken glass.  This was the first load Craig Trucking moved as a freight hauler.

The company continued to grow and its leadership passed to N.S.’s son, the late Dale Craig.  Dale relocated the company to its current location in Perrysburg, Ohio, by acquiring an all owner operator company in 1962. Dale truly believed in his owner operators.  He understood the effort it took to survive as an owner operator driver and the daily sacrifices it took to make ends meet.  Dale always knew each and every driver who worked for him because the personal touch was very important to him.  Craig Transportation Co. specialized in refrigerated and frozen commodities throughout the Midwest.  Dale was always reminded that the large red arrow logo pointing forward on the sides of his trailers symbolized the saying “never look back.”  Dale said, “Things change and we must adapt tothe changes.”  This is a piece of advice Craig’s third generation leader, Lance Craig, keeps in mind each day.

Lance has brought on board his oldest son, John Craig, who represents Craig’s fourth generation in trucking. Both Lance and John continue to focus on Dale’s value of fostering a personal touch with Craig drivers and staff.  The company works hard at investing in its people.  The people focus is evident in its low 35 percent driver turnover rate.  The management and staff of Craig Transportation Co. work hard to understand drivers’ wants and needs but more importantly, they monitor the progress of these needs each day.  If things start to turn downward, the staff learns of it quickly and works to resolve problems before they get out of hand.   

One of the biggest values Craig Transportation Co. brings to independent contractors is making weekend home time a reality.  “Craig is very family oriented and understands the necessity for our drivers to get home when they need to.  Empty promises don’t fly well here,” says Lance.  “Our world needs to be golden and we work real hard to make sure that happens”

For the folks at Craig Transportation Co., it’s all in a day’s work keeping in mind the founder’s wisdom:

“It Can Be Done!”