When Joel Olson purchased his first dump truck in 1962, he didn’t necessarily anticipate that decades later, he and his wife would have a thriving family-run business with a fleet of 85 trucks and 90 employees.
After gaining several years of experience hauling off-road rock for Longview Fiber Company, Joel Olson had the opportunity to buy a friend’s four log trucks in 1968. That purchase, along with his knowledge of hauling gravel, turned out to be a winning combination. By adjoining the two, he could help build roads and haul logs throughout the area. Soon, Olson decided to transport logs exclusively and by the early 1980s, Joel Olson Trucking had an established fleet that continued to grow.
Today, Joel Olson Trucking is a for-hire interstate trucking company based out of two locations in Washington – one in Vancouver and one in Longview. The company primarily services areas of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California and Nevada, specializing in not only log trucks, but chip trucks, flatbeds, roll-off trucks, dump trucks and more. The majority of the company’s trucks are licensed to haul up to 105,000 pounds in the three northwest states.
“What sets our company apart is that we are a niche carrier,” explained Jeff Powers, dispatcher and company representative. “That is, we don’t look to be everything for everyone. We limit ourselves to a geographically small area of operations and have a limited amount of customers. We strive to do what we do as well as or better than anyone else.”
When asked about current challenges affecting business at Joel Olson Trucking, Powers was quick to bring up something we have all experienced: transportation problems. “Some of our biggest challenges have to do with our day-to-day dealings with the motoring public at large,” he said. “One of our primary operating avenues is Interstate 5 between Portland and Seattle. If you’ve driven that route at all, you’re aware of the congestion and how difficult safe navigation is.”
Other challenges the company currently faces are increasing fuel costs and the mandatory implementation of electronic driving logs that need to comply with strict federal and state regulations. This requirement, Powers said, will put a total limit on the amount of time a driver can work daily and it will restrict the driver’s daily earning potential.
“Once the potential is limited, so is ours as a company,” he said.
Another challenge at Joel Olson Trucking – and really all of the commercial trucking industry – is a long-standing shortage of truck drivers. The industry can be an honorable and potentially lucrative profession, but it’s not always an attractive one, Powers explained.
“We are always seeking to expand our operations,” he said. “We are limited only by the number of qualified drivers available.”
For this reason, the company puts a lot of effort and time into finding the right drivers to hire. Safety is top priority, as is one-on-one communication and on-site training with prospective candidates.
Despite the challenges that come with the industry, Powers said Joel Olson Trucking will continue to go the extra mile and get creative in how they can expand.
“There will always be opportunities for carriers such as ourselves,” he said. “Large carriers simply aren’t set up to be able to offer the personalized just-in-time service that is a hallmark of our company.”
With enthusiasm, Powers added, “We have some very exciting opportunities in the works.”
Joel Olson Trucking
1615 N.E. 78th St., Vancouver and 1040 Columbia Blvd., Longview
Founded 1962
90 employees
