LIKE FATHER LIKE SON
A FATHER'S DREAM BECOMES A SON'S REALITY

Being successful in today’s economy is tough – especially in the trucking industry. Many companies are thriving while others are just hanging on. Sadly, some trucking outfits have simply given up and gone away. This month we’d like to shed some light on what it takes to succeed by highlighting a company that has grown steadily since its inception (regardless of adversities) and built a solid reputation in the process. But first, let’s look back at a little relevant history.

After over 40 years of driving other people’s trucks, David Ortega Jr. got frustrated and decided to start his own company in 1996. Known for telling dirty jokes, David, who became known as “Dirty Dave” on the CB, decided to call his new company D & D Express. Starting with just one truck (a 1986 Pete 359 pulling a 1974 box trailer), Dave drove all day and his son Robert drove all night. The truck was basically running twenty hours a day. After a few years, the company began to grow due to the hard work, sheer determination and relentless perseverance of Dave and Robert. But, as things often can and do, everything changed in an instant.

On September 27, 2000, the Ortega Family received the phone call no family should ever have to get – being notified that Dave had been assaulted by an unknown assailant who had hit him in the head with something for no apparent reason at all. As he lay in a hospital bed, semi-conscious from a severe brain injury, his son Robert made a promise that he would take care of his mom and the rest of the family if need be. A few days later, on October 2nd, Dave passed away after having a stroke deep within his brain.

Robert had to make a choice – sell everything and close the business or continue on in his father’s honor. Out of respect for both his mom and dad and all they had done for him in the past, Robert decided to build upon what he and his father had started and, ultimately, bring to fruition the dream that David Ortega Jr. was working so hard to make a reality.

Today, just a few short years later, D & D Express Inc., based in Whittier, California, has eight trucks, nine trailers and seven full-time drivers. Focusing on immediate and overnight deliveries throughout California, D & D hauls a little of everything including granite slabs, PVC pipe, lumber, paper, ceramic tile, and just about anything else (besides hazardous materials). D & D is known for their excellent customer service and super-clean equipment. When asked about the “secret” to his success, Robert offered some valuable insights that might help others overcome challenges and grow as well.

Finding that the company had a lot of debt and many drivers who were not doing a very good job, Robert quickly realized changes needed to be made. Utilizing his background in not only the transportation industry but sales and marketing as well, Robert got rid of most of the company’s drivers, sold off some equipment that wasn’t needed, dropped customers that were slow to pay or not paying at all, and began looking for new, long-term, steady business. Hiring new drivers was one of Robert’s first priorities, seeking out mostly young people with a lot of energy, talent and a desire to take care of the company’s equipment.

Robert’s business plan also included buying and maintaining older equipment instead of purchasing new units. Their fleet currently has five classic 359 Pete conventionals, a 379 Pete, a Ford stakebed and an International bobtail van with a liftgate. The older trucks, when properly maintained, are not only reliable and durable, but also cost effective (and cool). During the first couple years, Robert sank most of the profits back into the company by buying these older trucks then refurbishing them, one by one, mechanically and cosmetically. Today, the entire fleet (including the trailers) is paid for – no monthly payments to drain the bottom line month after month. But Robert never purchases anything without first figuring out what his return on the investment will be.

More than just getting his people and equipment up to snuff, it was Robert’s commitment and work ethic that really made the difference in the success of D & D Express. Robert realized early on what it would take to succeed. He works a lot of hours (sometimes 18-20 hours a day), makes quality decisions and is accountable to them, and sets goals which he seeks not to just meet but exceed. “To truly succeed you have to get out of your comfort zone and push the envelope,” said Robert. The next logical question was, “Is it all worth it?” Answering, “Yes, as long as you keep your family first,” continued Robert, “Never put a company (money) ahead of your family because it won’t make you happy and could be gone tomorrow. Happiness comes from family and friends so they should come first.”

Robert’s wife wasn’t real excited about the long hours at first, but now she supports him 100%. In fact, she’s now in charge of all the company’s paperwork including the billing, payroll, contract agreements, proposals and their new medical plan (something Robert recently began providing all his employees as an added incentive). But it wasn’t always easy (still isn’t). Robert remembers the days when he’d drive, load and dispatch all day, then go home and do paperwork half the night. In those days, he was lucky to get four or five hours of sleep every night. But that is what it takes to succeed, so that was what Robert was willing to do.

Another way Robert stays on top of things is to get out there and drive a couple days a week. This keeps him in touch with what’s going on out there on the road and allows him to relate to his drivers better. A boss that just sits at a desk all day, and maybe hasn’t even been in a truck for years, doesn’t know what’s really happening now. Robert takes this concept as far as saying that he’s just a driver who happens to also sign the paychecks. And that’s truly how he really feels.

Other ways he helps keep costs down is by not using brokers and keeping his hauls short. Robert finds all of his own loads, most coming from dedicated customers. If you can find the time to get your own loads, you will make a lot more money because you won’t have to give a big chunk to a broker – you get to keep it! All of the trucks in the D & D fleet are daycabs except for one. Serving most of California and Las Vegas, most all of the loads Robert takes are one day turn-arounds. This saves the company a lot of money by avoiding the high costs of overnight stays, overtime pay and drivers spending extended periods of time out on the road. When asked about runs to Phoenix, Robert said they don’t go there at all because it can’t really be done in a day and it’s virtually impossible to get a back haul due to the high amount of line rigs already running back and forth between Los Angeles and Phoenix. The D & D trucks go out early in the morning and are usually back in the yard every night – and that’s the way Robert (and his drivers) like it.

And speaking of the trucks, let’s talk a little about the D & D fleet. All of their trucks and trailers have been dressed up with lots of chrome and custom paint. Robert feels this gives his company more credibility to his customers and helps improve the industry’s image overall. Robert believes that his customers feel more comfortable doing business with someone who seems to care, and hopes that these customers (and would-be customers) realize that he and his guys will take care of their merchandise as well as they take care of their equipment. Having a good looking fleet gets you noticed, and sometimes that’s what it takes to get more business.

Of all the trucks in the D & D Express fleet, one stands out above the rest. After all of the other trucks in the fleet were refurbished, Robert, saving the best for last, went to work on his dad’s original 1986 Pete 359. The truck was beat up and tired but still had a lot of life left in it. After nine months of work, the rig was finished and ready to be put back into service (as well as compete at some truck shows). It recently took 1st Place in the “Most Beautiful Everyday Working Truck” class at a show in Irwindale last October and was a standout at shows in Fontana and Palmdale in September of this year.

The old 3-axle Pete features a 400 Cummins, a 13-speed transmission, air-ride, a 252 inch wheelbase, monster stacks and a lot of chrome, which includes Double JJ headlight brackets, a 14-inch drop visor, a custom front bumper, diamond-plate deck plating and plenty of lights. The interior was also completely restored and upgraded. The truck’s cab and hood were painted metallic gray with four different pearls added to it, while the fenders and frame rails were sprayed black with a purple pearl base. Although it is now adorned with many newer and more modern accessories, the truck still has a very classic look about it. The truck’s current driver, Jesse Puga, has only been around for a couple of years, but has already earned enough trust and respect from Robert to allow him to drive what he calls “Dad’s truck”. There is a lot of sentimental value in this rig so Jesse treats it accordingly. Robert wanted to thank the folks at Rush Peterbilt for all their hard work and for helping fulfill one of his father’s dreams – to have a truck worthy of being in a magazine.

Through his diligence and perseverance, Robert has been able to fulfill the death-bed promise he made to his father. But sometimes when Robert begins to feel lazy or tired, he literally feels his dad’s boot kicking him in the butt to get out the door and get busy. His father taught him to have a great work ethic, and it is now paying off. So if you want to get ahead in trucking be prepared to work hard and long, reinvest your profits back into the company, stay connected to your drivers, don’t get weighed down by debt, always weigh the pros against the cons before making a decision, set goals and seek to exceed them, and always be accountable. These principles have worked for Robert and D & D Express, and we’re sure they could work for you too. Now go get on your road to success and don’t stop until you make it!