COVER STORY


BETTING B ON THE


ORDER


Steve Hanson battles the logistics of Canadian hauling to keep drivers home


BY TODD TRAUB ContributingWriter


There are plenty of good reasons to drive


for Hanson Trucking Inc. After all, how many people can say they


have been to Skookumchuck? Seriously, company general manager


Steve Hanson can recommend beautiful Montana scenery, state of the art equipment and shift work that gets drivers home almost daily. But when you haul wood by-products and residuals into another country, you are sooner or later going to visit some interesting- sounding destinations.


10 “What we try to offer them is where


we are,” Hanson said. “It’s beautiful here in Montana. Most people who were born and raised here want to stay here.” Hanson Trucking Inc. headquarters are


in scenic Columbia Falls next to Plum Creek Timber Co., which is the primary reason for Hanson Trucking’s existence. That and Skip Hanson, Steve’s father. The company began in 1991 when


Plum Creek decided to disband its trucking interest and offered the trucks and business to Skip Hanson, Plum Creek’s transportation supervisor at the time. Skip, who got his


start hauling for Royal Logging and Plum Creek, became the owner of Plum Creek’s nine tractors, 14 trailers and assorted shop equipment as well as becoming the employer of many drivers who transitioned from Plum Creek. “He sat down and visited with them and


so came Hanson Trucking,” Steve said. “We’ve had very strong ties with Plum Creek since that time.” Steve, 52, a former logger who took


over the family business in 2000, made a somewhat similar transition to come to work for Hanson after 20 years with Plum Creek.


ROADWISE | ISSUE 3, 2012 | www.mttrucking.org


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