KyTrucking.net 11 Henry as he retired before I was old enough to be around the shop all the time, but he still came to the office every day, sat in a rocking chair and told stories about how he used to truck. He really had a passion for the industry. Why did you join KTA? I joined when we first opened our Harrodsburg, Kentucky, location. I was looking for a way to get involved with the local trucking community for networking, friendships, and to find ways to give back to an industry that has given me so much. Why is association membership important to Kivi Brothers Trucking? It’s a great networking resource. KTA helps us collaborate with other carriers and is also an educational resource. Every month, the association covers topics to help us keep current on laws, legislation and the industry. How did the company get into customized transportation services? Many customers offer standard flatbed freight, as well as some customized. Thankfully, we had a great team behind us who really showed up to ensure one specific customer was given exemplary service. That customer gave us the opportunity to haul some heavy excavators and although we didn’t currently have the proper equipment, we were not about to let this customer down. We purchased the proper trailer and other equipment needed to be successful with this move and that was all it took — one haul and we were hooked. Please tell us about the open-deck and heavy-haul industry? There’s a large list of what we can haul on flatbeds. The list includes lumber and other materials such as siding, ceiling tile, excavators, machinery and steel coils. We can move regular commodities and any building products. The heavy-haul industry is specialized. It involves moving large, heavy loads of 250,000 pounds or more and can mean having police escorts. Some of what Dakota moves is for mining and forestry projects. He also moves bridges. Please tell us about truckload and less-than-truckload services? Our primary focus is on moving truckloads. If someone needs to move less than a truckload, we can quote part of the truckload instead of requiring them to purchase a whole trailer. It doesn’t involve mail or parcels. Less-than-truckload services are a specialty. It takes a lot of planning and specialization with enough freight to ensure it is profitable. How much work do you do with multi-axle RGNs? We have a 300-truck fleet. Of those, 50 are multi-axle. What are your company’s biggest challenges? We are paying high fuel costs and looking for enough drivers and mechanics. How do you plan to solve those challenges? Fuel prices are higher than they have ever been and EVs are coming; however, we haven’t explored EVs yet. Our long-term goal is to be more efficient. For example, we want to burn less fuel and process paperwork more efficiently. Drivers want to feel involved with something bigger than driving a truck. Our drivers are often away for 2-3 weeks at a time, which can strain families. Our challenge is finding drivers who want to stay in that market. Hiring and retention are both important. We want to continue to have a family-rooted culture within the company, and we are involved with helping drivers tie into that culture. We have an open-door policy and will talk to anyone in the company. What are your thoughts about the trucking industry right now? Everyone is dealing with the same problems: rising costs and shortages continued on page 12 Left to right: Derek, Tyler and Dakota Kivi
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