Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/212850
T here is a happy ending to the Brent Redmond Transportation story, or at least the present point at which one would look at the future of the Hollister, Calif-based refrigerated goods hauler and conclude that it looks remarkably bright. In fact, with a fleet led by gleaming new company-owned Peterbilt Model 579s, a rock-solid book of current business and some potential major new opportunities brewing, one would find the future very bright indeed. It's just that getting to this point, according to Redmond himself, was an education built upon missteps, miscalculations and prolonged periods of doubt. But today? "I don't wish anything bad on any of our competitors, but somebody has to win," says Redmond, whose firm recently earned Chiquita's Green Transportation Award as well as recognition as Safeway's Carrier of the Year. "With our new Peterbilt Model 579s, their ability to meet Califormia-specific emissions mandates) and draw the best drivers, and the fact that they're safety features and advanced aerodynamics are helping us achieve our Brent Redmond (left), Sue Redmond and company vice-president Jeff Cordova make up the management team at Brent Redmond Transportation, the Hollister-Calif.-based refrigerated goods hauler that has turned its fortunes around with the help of a Peterbilt fleet. ing in those days, but says "the train was still chasing me down the tracks. I was just trying to survive." Among the primary issues limiting Redmond's success was the cost of maintenance for the less-than-premium equipment that made up his fleet. But Redmond persevered and grew his company to a $13 million operation by 2003, when he decided to acquire a $20 million firm that he had once worked for. The acquisition suddenly expanded the carrier's range. But the results, in Redmond's words, were disastrous. "That was absolutely the darkest period of time in the company's history," he says. "We lost money for 18 straight months. Our systems couldn't handle the volume, our procedures were inadequate, we had people who couldn't field their new positions and we still had equipment issues. We got a phD in what not to do. "But what didn't kill us made us stronger." "Money is cheaper than maintenance right now. As a result, these new Model 579s make a lot of sense...." ambitious CSA and fuel economy goals, we are extremely well positioned to thrive. "There's a perfect storm coming. When it all shakes out, I think our Peterbilt Model 579s are going to help make us pretty popular, both with drivers and new prospects." Load broker Redmond got his start in the business brokering loads in 1987 and by the early 1990s had started his own fleet to complement a small corps of dedicated owner/operators. Redmond made a liv- The tide slowly turned for Redmond and his firm, which began adapting to market changes out of necessity. Among those adapatations was a shift to an all-Peterbilt fleet. "The market turned us from a niche market provider to a commodity, but among the lessons we learned along the way was understanding that the market sets the rates, and you have to scale your business accordingly. The customer presumes you are safe and can provide service. Now they're looking at your capacity and pricing." Model 579 introduction Seeking that sweet spot in the formula of maximizing both his profitability and customer service while minimizing pricing, his fleet truck of choice became Peterbilt in 2007. Initially Redmond began integrating the Peterbilt Model 386 into the fleet. Since the introduction of the Model 579 last year, 15 of those have been added to the fleet pushing the total to near 50 Continued on page 10 FIRST CLASS l 9