After more than 50 years in the trucking and logistics industry, this company continues to put employees first.

Carroll Fulmer began his career in the trucking industry in 1953, delivering grain and produce to retailers throughout the small town of Aiken, SC. In 1959, he purchased two B61 Mack trucks for long distance produce delivery, and by 1961, he had built up enough momentum to open his first office inside a Union 76 truck stop in Orlando, Fla. Together with his brother Mack, Carroll launched Fulmer Bros. Transfer and Supply.

From those humble beginnings, the company grew exponentially. Now known as Carroll Fulmer Logistics, it operates out of a state-of-the-art facility in Groveland, Fla., serving a number of Fortune 500 companies. A far cry from the tiny office in the Union 76, it has a 12-bay garage for company truck and trailer repairs; a four-door, cross-dock facility; and 1,400 square feet of office space. The company recently added a parking lot to house its trailers, as well as those of other national carriers, as it has leased as a Central Florida drop site.

In addition to its Florida headquarters, the company has more than 30 remote offices and agents across the country, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, North and South Carolina, Wisconsin, Texas, Kansas, California, and Washington state.

Due recognition
Despite its rapid growth over the years, Carroll Fulmer Logistics, now run by Carroll’s children and grandchildren (under his guidance), has never lost its family feel. Employees—its most valuable asset—continue to come first. For starters, the driver’s lounge at the central hub in Groveland is equipped with everything from an ATM to brand new showers and lockers.

To recognize its hard working employees, Carroll Fulmer Logistics bestows the Driver of the Year award annually to deserving employees. Billy Lee Brooks and Randall Moehr are the two winners of the 2005 award and testaments to the company’s family atmosphere. Brooks, 74, had been with the company since 1984, when he started as an owner operator. In 1991, he sold his truck and became a company driver. Starting in 2001, he has been working out of the company’s Waco, Texas branch. Moehr joined the company in 1991 and, at the time of the awards, had been working out of the Hortonville, Wis. branch. He has more than 45 years of experience and has driven more than 4 million miles doing a coast-to-coast run.

In addition, every September the Fulmer family hosts a two-day event where representatives from each office, as well as drivers and their families, gather at the Groveland headquarters. Although employees are required to attend corporate meetings, there is plenty of fun to go around. Friday night, managers and guests are typically treated to a dinner at a local restaurant, but in 2003, Carroll and his wife hosted the dinner at their home. Saturday is spent at a local theme park. Past expeditions have included Sea World, Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure, and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. In 2006, of the company’s 1,000 employees, more than 300 attended.

Fueling growth
To help employees do their jobs as efficiently as possible, Carroll Fulmer Logistics has made significant investments in technology in recent years. In addition to the typical high-speed data lines, and a disaster recovery site in Athens, Ala., the company has adopted Transflo software from Pegasus TransTech for inhouse imaging and work-flow solutions. According to company materials, invoices, proof of deliveries, and information about carriers are stored on an IBM iSeries and a number of optical drivers to retrieve images internally and via the Web, saving the company time and paper.

Comdata is another employee-friendly technology. Instead of the typical paycheck, employees receive a Comdata card, which consolidates purchases, payroll, and security features into one easy-to-use, debit card-type of format.

Carroll Fulmer recently invested $1 million in Trailer Tracs, a GPS tracking system provided by Qualcomm, that enables the company to improve driver and tractor profitability, reduce fuel usage, increase timeliness of delivery information, enhance detention billing, optimize trailer inventory pools and reduce yard checks, maintain visibility in harsh weather, and, of course, improve customer service.

In addition to its investments in technology, the company bought more than 200 new trailers in 2006, and all equipment is upgraded regularly so nothing is more than three years old.

Having a strong foundation now will fuel the company’s growth into the future. Carroll Fulmer Logistics has plans to further enlarge the company’s fleet to meet demands from an increasing number of clients, open additional branch locations, and establish a flatbed carrier operation.

According to company materials, “The tradition of offering the finest service continues. Regardless of the size or direction of growth, Carroll Fulmer Logistics Corp. will not lose sight of the original goals and basic principles that have made the company an outstanding success. Today’s goal is to continue delivering the level of service and integrity that has always distinguished us as a leader in the truckload transportation industry.”