Paper Transport, Inc has humble roots that date back to February of 1990 when co-founders Lennie Shefchik and Roger Grimsley pulled the first loads out of Green Bay, WI. The entrepreneurial spirit and the “get it done for the customer” attitude from the first days have served as the foundation of the culture that drives the company today.
From 1990 to 2001, the company grew from their first 3 trucks to over 100 trucks. Servicing customers 99% on-time to the minute was the fuel for this growth. It was during this period that PTI became a niche service provider for one of America’s largest shippers. It was not uncommon for one of the founders, Lennie or Roger, to jump in a truck and deliver a load on time when the customer was in a pinch. The individual attention to the customer is what set Paper Transport apart from others in the industry and set the table for additional growth. The exceptional service and innovation around the customer lead to growth of another 140 trucks from 2002 to 2009. During that period, PTI opened service in Muskogee OK, Dallas TX and Jacksonville FL.
Since 2009, Paper Transport has furthered its position as an elite carrier in terms of servicing the customer and flexing its entrepreneurship in developing innovative solutions for the customer. Paper Transport has rallied around a strategy of growth and innovation in order to aggressively diversify through additional customers and additional product lines. The company has grown from 240 trucks and 800 trailers in 2009 to over 400 trucks and 1400 trailers today.
Over the past few years, Paper Transport has solidified its position as an innovator in the transportation industry. Relying heavily on technology, the company was well ahead of other carriers in implementing electronic logging, collision avoidance systems, and environmentally and fuel consumption friendly specifications on its trucks.
One of the most critical innovations for Paper Transport over the past few years has been the introduction of natural gas powered vehicles into Class 8 trucking. Although many carriers are simply talking or experimenting with the technology, PTI has stepped out as a national leader in this space. In February 2010 Paper Transport became the first trucking company outside of California to operate class-8 natural gas trucks in an over-the-road application. This bold strategy solidifies Paper Transport’s position as a true innovator in transportation. Currently, more than 25% of PTI tractors are powered by natural gas.
Although natural gas has helped put PTI on the map of innovation, it does not define who we are. Natural gas powered fleets is simply the latest innovation that PTI has been in front of. Throughout the company’s history, the new transportation service offerings were a result of constantly striving to understand and improve our customers’ business. The culture of innovation and elite service is how we conducted business in 1990 and continues to drive how we operate today. Paper Transport is excited to continue to push the edge of innovation in transportation. We understand that each customer and each employee is going somewhere. It is our mission to help each one get there.
