Ray Remeikis
DNR EXPRESS, INC - Breckenridge, Colorado

Drivers are my most important assets. They deserve a trained leader.

BACKGROUND

Ray moved to the United States in 1999 from Lithuania. His country was suffering tough economic times after post-Soviet independence and he wanted to start fresh as a first-generation American.

He made his way to the state of Colorado, and in 2001 applied for work as a driver’s helper.

Eventually, through grit and perseverance, he qualified to become a contractor’s driver. Although not glamorous, it was solid work.

Ray received an unexpected opportunity in 2002. The contractor who hired him announced his retirement - and despite Ray’s lack of experience as a business owner, he bought one of the contractor’s trucks and became a business owner himself.

MOUNTAINS OF CHALLENGES

Over the course of the next fifteen years, Ray’s business grew.

He added more than twenty trucks covering FXG routes south and west of Denver. If you’re not familiar with the area, its mountainous terrain. Drivers must be self-confident, able to make quick decisions, and unafraid to traverse snowy mountain passes.

Ray is sharp, but lacked a business education. He figured it out as he went but recognized when guidance is better than going at it alone. Remeikis realized he wasn't comfortable negotiating a contract by himself.

That’s when he turned to the experts at eTruckBiz.

I first started with eTruckBiz for negotiation consulting, plus I liked the maintenance part of the software program. My maintenance records were scattered on papers all over the place. I liked that my receipts could be organized into one system. 

​Then, I started using the eTruckBiz Qualified Safety Training Program, too. It's great.

ADAPTING TO CHANGES

“Everything in the operation started happening faster and faster. I was just making it up as I went. I was managing eighteen people, and we weren’t slowing down. The changes kept coming,” says Ray. He planned to enroll Amy in eTruck’s 2020 leadership classes, but then COVID-19 struck.

Obviously, business travel came to a halt. That’s when Ray and Amy were introduced to Dave Bowen, Director of Coaching at eTruckBiz.

Ray and Amy engaged with Dave over five remote online sessions. Each session included a specific agenda and goal, and covered everything managers need to know about leading their drivers.

When asked if it’s worth the investment, Remeikis responds, “Drivers are my most important assets. They deserve a trained leader. An example happened yesterday. A driver was pulled over for speeding through a school zone. He's a good guy but being good isn't enough. You need documentation. Amy reached out to Dave who helped her pull together the safety documentation and put it in order.” Ray continues, “Fortunately, the driver was 100% on his safety lessons. Dave and Amy had developed a system where all the drivers' lessons were current.”

You guys work for us, not for FedEx. I like having your team on my side.

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