E.W. Wylie: Opening New Lanes of Opportunity

(Posted August 2008)

Over-the-road trucking has encountered its fair share of obstacles these days. Yet, despite industrywide speed bumps such as driver shortages, rising fuel costs and a sluggish economy, E.W. Wylie Corporation of West Fargo, N.D., sees continued growth on the horizon.

A successful flatbed carrier operating throughout the United States and five Canadian provinces, Wylie employs 235 people including 50 independent contractors. With an outstanding record for safety and service, flatbed remains the core of their business. Recognizing potential in new markets, the company's recent expansion into heavy haul and wind energy transportation this year has opened new lanes of opportunity for the company.

"With housing and construction starts down, we're seeing our flatbed business level off. Heavy haul and wind tower transportation are fast-growing market segments which could easily become 40 to 50% of our business within a year," says Wylie President Brian Gast. "Expansion into these new markets allows us to continue to grow while diversifying our opportunities."

Big freight requires big equipment and a special breed of driver to pull it. In addition to their fleet of more than 250 open deck and flatbed trailers, Wylie recently added 45 tractor/trailer configurations which can support loads of over 240,000 pounds, tower segments up to 185 feet long and wind tower blades.

With the support and backing of parent company Otter Tail Corporation, once Wylie decided to enter the market, the company was able to get the right people and equipment in place quickly and efficiently. This otherwise high barrier-to-entry means fewer competitors providing these services.

Office, Terminal or Cab: Teamwork Matters

Creating a team culture is a difficult task when the team is spread out across the country but that is exactly what Wylie management set out to do.

"We're committed to empowering all our employees to make a difference in the company," says Gast. "With a new bonus structure designed to reward creative thinking that improves key areas of our business such as mileage, safety, and turnover, our employees have a real opportunity to combine their knowledge and talents to improve our operations."

Careful to prevent "teamwork" from becoming simply a stock phrase within the company, Gast is taking steps to ensure every position is in fact part of the team structure. This is especially true for the drivers out on the road who operate alone. Communication and support for the drivers are key to making this happen. Employee orientations are held at the corporate offices so drivers, staff, and management have the opportunity to meet one another and everyone has faces to put with the voices on the other end of the line.

Because all are working toward the same goals, Gast is seeing individuals within the company step up in their respective roles and areas of expertise for the betterment of the team.

Meeting Challenges Head-on

Rising fuel costs and driver recruitment and retention are among the most critical challenges facing the trucking industry today.

"Fuel conservation has to become a companywide attitude," explains Gast. "The systems we're putting into place will give our people the necessary information to make better decisions regarding fuel consumption and conservation."

Geo-fencing systems for route planning, in-cab real-time data on key metrics such as mileage and integrated mobile communications give employees the tools they need to make those decisions.

These systems will also help drivers get home more often. Wylie is developing new lane structures throughout the country that will not only help get their drivers home more often but will also improve route efficiencies and ensure trucks are available to optimize service to customers .

Combined with one of the highest pay packages in the industry, a lease program designed to help owner/operators succeed and a driver-friendly culture, Wylie continues to attract and train some of the best drivers on the road.

And Gast points out, "We're always looking for great people to hire."

All Roads Lead to Customer Service

If business is a journey, then at E.W. Wylie, customer service is the destination. Despite all the changes happening within the company, quality customer service—the hallmark of E.W. Wylie—remains a constant.

With new services, new lane structures, state-of-the-art systems and an outstanding team behind the wheel, E.W. Wylie is making sure nothing stands in their way of delivering that service to their customers.

For more information, visit www.wylietrucking.com.