CCJ selects O&S Trucking as Innovator of the Year

Springfield, Mo.-based O&S Trucking’s efforts to carry the same amount of freight in nine loads that used to take 10 and to brand that offering to gain a competitive edge earned the trucking company the distinction as Commercial Carrier Journal’s 2010 Innovator of the Year. O&S Trucking executives received the award at the annual CCJ Innovators Summit, which was held Feb. 3-5 in Duck Key, Fla.

CCJ featured O&S Trucking as an Innovator in May 2009 for its MegaTruck program, which involves exchanging equipment weight for cargo weight. By working with customers in strategic lanes, O&S Trucking is able to maximize product weight per truck at 48,000 pounds without losing revenue. In fact, the equipment operated under the MegaTruck program averages more miles per week than regular over-the-road trucks.

“MegaTruck also reduces our carbon footprint,” says President Jim O’Neal. “It is the right thing to do.” O’Neal credits Rick Johnson, O&S Trucking’s chief operating officer, with the formulation and execution of the MegaTruck program. O&S Trucking is pursuing other efforts to make MegaTruck more cost-effective, including the adoption of a MegaTruck glider kit.

CCJ’s editors concluded that as packaging becomes smaller and freight density increases, efforts like MegaTruck could help address fuel efficiency, driver availability and sustainability concerns – not just in refrigerated transportation but in dry van applications as well.

In addition to MegaTruck, CCJ recognizes O&S Trucking’s efforts to educate owner-operators, including a board game to make learning business skills interesting and engaging.

O&S Trucking is the first company CCJ has recognized more than once as an Innovator. In January 2005, CCJ featured O&S Trucking for its strategic planning process. In the five years since, the trucking company has transformed itself from nearly 100 percent dry van to nearly 100 percent refrigerated transportation. CCJ allows a trucking fleet recognized as an Innovator to seek nomination again after at least three years have elapsed, and the nomination must be for a different innovation.

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Other finalists for Innovator of the Year – all recognized in 2009 – were Bay & Bay Transportation, Averitt Express, Con-way Freight, The Evans Network, U.S. Foodservice, Bison Transport, Ruan Transportation, Transport America, USA Truck and Carlile Transportation Systems.

The CCJ Innovator of the Year program is sponsored by Castrol, J.J. Keller and PeopleNet.