Jim Palmer Trucking was founded by Jim Palmer in Missoula, Montana in 1964 with one truck. The company began as a livestock and lumber hauler with intrastate authority. It was not until after deregulation of the trucking industry in 1980 that the trucking company began to branch out into other commodities. This also coincided with a slump in the timber/lumber industry and the closing of a number of sawmills across Montana.
Deregulation was beneficial for the trucking industry overall....