The story of Lyons Transportation began when John Cochran, who was just 19 years old, purchased his first truck in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1929. The truck cost $40, and Cochran only had $10. He made the remaining payments in installments. The truck, which barely ran, was almost immediately used as the down payment for another truck, a Ford demonstrator truck. He used this truck to haul his first commodities, including beer, gravel, bricks, sand and rocks. At first, the company operated under the...
Interstate Commerce Commission
FreightWaves Haul of Fame: Chicago Express was too successful to remain independent
Harold Goman founded Chicago Express with the help of his wife in 1943. Though the company was named for Chicago, Illinois, it was headquartered in New York City. It was named for its initial route, which ran direct service between New York City and Chicago.
In 1950, the company announced a new terminal was to be built in Syracuse, New York. Though the company had only been in business for seven years, it was now running freight on routes to points in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky,...
FreightWaves Haul of Fame: Terminal Trucking saw success and failure from acquisitions
Terminal Trucking began operations in Indianapolis in 1931. The company experienced nominal success operating routes from the Midwest to the South, with routes as far south as Atlanta. In 1935, Ellis Trucking Company merged with Terminal Trucking, increasing the number of operating units from 6 to 70. The companies functioned together as affiliates throughout the next several years. During World War II, nearly 75% of the trucking firm’s freight was related to the war effort. After the war, a...
FreightWaves Haul of Fame: Indianhead creates a Midwestern legacy of service
Indianhead Motor Line, Inc. was founded by Lester A. Wilsey in 1931 with a nine-year-old Model T truck. With this 1922 truck Wilsey began serving the area surrounding Rice Lake, Wisconsin. In those early days, the company operated under the name Wilsey Truck Co.
However, after several years of business, Wilsey realized a more distinctive name was required if he were to remain competitive. He chose the name “Indianhead” to pay homage to the...
FreightWaves Haul of Fame: Ringsby Truck Lines prospered while trucking was regulated
J.W. Ringsby founded Ringsby Truck Lines in Denver, Colorado when he purchased a new REO Speedwagon in 1932. Ringsby Truck Lines’ first services were less-than-truckload (LTL) and truckload service between Denver and Chicago. Within a short time, Ringsby Truck Lines began establishing service and terminals in other western states.
In 1947, Ringsby Truck Lines made one of its first acquisitions. The company purchased Wyoming-based Russell...
FreightWaves Classics: Victory Express thrived under ICC and beyond
FreightWaves Classics articles focus on various aspects of the transportation industry’s history. If there are topics that you think would be of interest, please send them to [email protected]. This article was originally written for the FreightWaves Online Haul of Fame. To see other FreightWaves Online Haul of Fame articles, follow this link.
Victory Express was founded by Carl Schaefer in 1943 in Medway, Ohio. The company began as a local hauler, hauling “anything and everything”...
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FreightWaves Classics: the ICC and its impact on trucking
FreightWaves Classics articles focus on various aspects of the transportation industry’s history. If there are topics that you think would be of interest, please send them to [email protected]
In Part Three of this series, the impact of the Interstate Commerce Commission on the trucking industry is reviewed. If you would like to read Part One of this series (FreightWaves Classics: Rise and fall – the Interstate Commerce Commission), follow this link. If you want to read Part Two of...
FreightWaves Classics: the ICC and the railroads
FreightWaves Classics articles look at various aspects of the transportation industry’s history. If there are topics that you think would be of interest, please send them to [email protected]
The Interstate Commerce Act was passed in 1887 in response to rising public concern with the growing power and wealth of corporations, particularly railroads, during the late 19th century. At that time, railroads were the principal form of transportation for both people and goods, and the prices...
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FreightWaves Classics: Rise and fall – the Interstate Commerce Commission
Beginning today, FreightWaves will publish articles under the “FreightWaves Classics” banner. The articles will look at various aspects of the transportation industry’s history. If there are topics that you think would be of interest, please send them to [email protected]
Part 1: The rise and fall of the Interstate Commerce Commission
Part 2: The Interstate Commerce Commission’s impact on railroads
Part 3: The Interstate Commerce Commission’s impact on trucking
The Interstate...
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