at Averitt our people fuel everything we do and we're always on the move always growing so our people grow right along with us we hire the best of the best and invest in training every associate to their fullest potential that's why we promote from within and why the best person for the job is usually one of us in fact promoting from within is one of our core values it's as much a part of who we are as red trucks but don't take our word for it ask one of the many hundreds of associates who can tell you firsthand well I started with Averitt Baton Rouge on April the 1st of 1999 I worked part time during that time put my kids on the bus in the morning went to worl work left work in time to get them off the bus in the afternoons in 2006 I went full-time in 2010 I became a frontline leader and kind of worked my way up from there and did everything I could possibly do and learn everything I could possibly learn just so I could get where I am now whether you're part-time or full-time on the dock or in our call center our associates are always first in line for promotions and new job opportunities with Averitt yeah I mean we definitely have the option for growth like I said I mean I've started from the part-time position working up to service center director the numbers speak for themselves nearly 15% of our associates have been growing with us for 20 plus years and we're looking for more more leaders more doers more people who are ready for what's next at Averitt we believe you shouldn't have to switch careers or companies to change your job this is the company that if I started here when I first started I would still be there I'd be one of the people with 30 years ready to grow turn here

When I first got on with Averitt, I wasn't looking to be here for twenty years, but this has been one of my childhood dreams. I was able to accomplish that. My plans were when I came was to only be here, be in the business for eight years. But after I got on with Averitt and saw how I was treated from orientation up to the present time and everything sort of like family oriented. So everything gets to start falling into place. I like working with people. I like meeting new people. So that gave me an opportunity when the training programs are come along to, kind of get something back that what someone allowed me to do, somebody helped me. So I'm trying to give them back to help someone else, someone else that's coming into the industry. And as years progressed, I got real comfortable in what I was doing, had great people I was working with. And everybody knew you by name, not by number, and they treat you just like family. I didn't want to leave the family. That's basically what I didn't want to leave the family. So it's been an awesome experience.

My name is Bob Jones. I've been with Averitt for twenty years as of yesterday. Domiciled out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. It's a good company. We have great benefits, good pay, great equipment, nice uniforms. The people are wonderful and they care. I think that's the most important is that people care. It's a family oriented, family type atmosphere company. Me personally, I feel loved, know, so I stay. But I have noticed we're growing too, you know, we're growing pretty fast and that's really good. It's hard to remember the years, but about five years ago we moved to a new service center. We used to be downtown and we switched locations and just a lot of new people coming in. Our bill count, our business is growing. It's booming actually. Our leadership in Tulsa is wonderful. They are just great people. Justin is great. He really cares about all of us. He takes good care of us all. And that's another selling point for me to tell someone about, you know, to come to work at Tulsa as our management team. Our service center director is just, he's a great guy and he cares about us. And that's important to a lot of drivers. A lot of drivers don't want to go to a company where they feel like they're not treated well or drivers against the company, the rivalry there or they feel intimidated. It's not like that here. Very caring company. And it shows all the way from the top down.

Started with Averitt in late 'eighty one, was put on in 'eighty two full time. Came from a larger freight company, but that company was going out, I felt, and I felt Averitt was coming in because I liked their ideals and I liked their enthusiasm. At that time, Gary, of course, asked me, was a little bit younger and there was a lot of energy going. I got to meet his dad, which was just a gentleman. I liked it and I knew I had a place to stay when he was talking about his kids and he said, The boys. I'm traveling with the boys. And that's what my father always called me and my brother was the boys. So I felt like that I had found a good place to stay with and evidently I have. I've been here thirty five years. We are no longer a small company. We are regional. We can handle it all. Do compete and a lot of times win, most times win with the big boys. And I say that it's just an old timer and that's all it comes with the big boys. We are one of the big boys now. What I tell the drivers is, is to treat the vehicle and the customers just like they are your own. With your vehicle, you're driving, you've got a lot of weight, you've a lot of responsibility out there. You know, need to do it right and you'll do it one time. But don't rush yourself into doing it wrong. We want quality work instead of quantity. And just like our service center director has said, treat this as your own company. You make decisions you would make if you own the company. And I think that gives everybody a little bit of responsibility that they feel like they do own the company. When you're choosing an employer, you can't always look at what's paid an hour. There'll be some that pay more, but you've got to research it. You're sometimes paying a heavy price for making a little bit more money, and the longevity sometimes shorter. So you've got to look in the long run, you've got to go with someone that is embedded in the community and that's going to be there tomorrow. Or in my case, in the next thirty five years.