Early Trucking is ready to roll

Early Trucking is ready to roll
After months of planning, finding a location, and moving in, Early Trucking Company began local operations on Friday. The Georgia-based trucking company is the newest business in Brownfield and already has hired more than a dozen local drivers.

ETC is headquartered locally in the old Valley Irrigation building on the Seagraves Highway. The facility and yard suits them well, with plenty of room for its 22 semis and 65 trailers. Jeanne Burton, ETC Safety Director, told the Brownfield News that the local facility has been “perfect for us, so far.”

“The building works well for our office space and the garage is good for maintenance and the yard is big enough for all of our vehicles and trailers,” she said. “The best part is our proximity to Birdsong, which is our main focus right now. They are just down the road and it’s great to be this close, so we can make sure they are well taken care of.”  ETC has worked with Birdsong for decades in Georgia and Virginia and opened the Brownfield facility at the company’s request, Burton said. “In the future, once we get settled, we might service other customers,” she said. “But right now, we are focused solely on Birdsong.”

ETC intends to make an impact locally and be a positive community member, she added. “We buy all of our fuel here and we buy all of our parts here,” she said. “We want to be a part of this city and we have been really impressed so far.”

Fifteen of the company’s 22 drivers live in Brownfield, she said, a higher percentage than they expected, but a number they are proud to have. Those drivers will operate the company’s 20 sleepers and two day cabs, however most trips are inside Texas or Oklahoma.

“Our goal is that most of the time, our drivers will sleep in their own homes,” she said. “We pride ourselves on being good for communities and good for our employees.”
A dispatchers and a mechanic also will work out of the local facility, which was purchased from Select Energy with incentive help from the Brownfield Industrial Development Corp.

David Partlow, director of the city’s economic driver, said ETC is a great addition to Brownfield. “They pay their drivers well, they maintain a high quality fleet, and they emphasize local help,” he said. “That’s a homerun for Brownfield and we’re glad they’re here.”

“We’re ready to get moving,” Burton said. “It’s an exciting time for our company and we’re looking forward to a long relationship with Brownfield.”

Article Courtesy of Brownfield News