In an industry that’s constantly struggling


with driver recruitment and retention, Jasa Transit faces an extra hurdle in finding owner- operators who have the skill set needed. Tus, whey they sign one on, they do their best to keep them. “We’re a medium-sized company and work


hard at making sure the driver is valued,” said Rick. “Te first driver we ever hired was still here until retiring a year ago; now he works for us as a company driver. Driver turnover is very low and our aim is to have 100 percent driver retention.” Customers like that, too, the Jasas said.


When you have a dedicated driver showing up week in and week out, that allows you to build a stronger relationship with that customer, something their drivers – business people in their own right, Linda noted – are good at. “We have a great group of professional


drivers,” she said. “Tey have to have a minimum of two years experience, a clean driving record, and be 24 years of age.” Another incentive they have incorporated


is a lease-purchase program for their drivers, providing financing for truck purchases.


It’s not just drivers that have longevity at Jasa,


but employees in every facet of the company. “Our operations manager, Russ Wulf, has


been here since 2001,” said Rick. “Deb Wendt, our billing manager, has been here since 2002. And Dave Tuttle has been our wash rack manager since we built the wash in 2005.” Ingram Tank Wash, an affiliate of Jasa


Transit, is a key element of their business today. When hauling food-grade products there are exacting requirements for cleanliness. “Te wash rack is a good fit for us,” said


Rick. “Our major food-grade customers are here in this area, and it make it both efficient and economical for us to handle our cleaning, as well as serving other carriers. All of the food-grade hauling businsses require frequent tank trailer cleaning.” “Food grade products have always been


sealed,” said Linda. “After the wash, seals are put on. Upon loading the customer breaks the seals and checks the numbers; every seal has to match what is on the wash ticket. Tey load the trailer and it’s resealed, and now those numbers are on the bill of lading. When unloading, the seals are checked on the bill


of lading to make sure they match. Ten, and only then, can the trailer be unloaded. “Tere has been an increase in rules and


regulations for food safety, such as Good Manufacturing Process and the Food Safety Act. Processes which we are part of because of the chain of custody ensuring the product is safe,” she said. Te tank wash uses 3M swabs in tanks


to make sure they are clean, and it has a redundant thermometer system to ensure the tanks are rinsed at 190 degrees for 15 minutes. Te system is by Sanimatic, which Rick said is a major player in clean-in-place washing systems; their smaller systems are well-respected in the food-grade and pharmaceutical industries. “Most of the food-grade carriers run


Kosher equipment,” Rick said. “Our facility and trailers are certified Kosher by a rabbi every year, and the certificate is displayed on our website.” Jasa Transit hauls soybeal oil, livestock feed


additives, food-grade lactic acid, and dry bulk sugar and flour, among other products. Tey work with clients like Evonik, Cargill, Bunge, ADM, Corblon, NatureWorks, United Sugars, EP Minerals, Minnesota Soy, and the farm co-op AGP to carry agricultural products to customers. Te business isn’t too different today from


when Jasa Transit was founded. “Actually, the biggest change is just probably


the volume of it,” said Rick. “Way back when I first started, there was some food-grade hauled but the plants weren’t nearly as large and didn’t handle the kind of volume they do today. “Tere’s also been a lot of consolidation on


the processing side of the industry,” he said.. Larry Johnson, president of the Nebraska


Trucking Association, lauded the Jasas for finding their niche in the industry and succeeding in it. “Rick and Linda are great members of the


NTA,” said Johnson. “And they’re a great team that values their drives and their safety record. Just an all-around great company.” While Jasa Transit falls at about the


midpoint among NTA members in terms of size, Johnson noted “they have grown quite a bit since their inception, which hasn’t been all that long ago.” NT


14 NEBRASKA TRUCKER — ISSUE 1, 2016 — www.nebtrucking.com


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