CARRIER SPOTLIGHT – GROENDYKE TRANSPORT

GROENDYKE TRANSPORT

HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN?

On July 12, 1932, Harold Groendyke hauled his first load of kerosene from Borger, Texas, to Beaver, Oklahoma. He drove a two-axle Ford truck equipped with a 3,000-gallon tank mounted on a homemade chassis. That 110-mile, day-long drive pioneered the tank truck industry in the Midwest. It also started what has become the leader in safety, service and overall performance in the tank truck industry.

In 1935, Groendyke moved to Enid, Okla., to be closer to supply sources Champlin Refinery and Eason Oil, and in the late 1930s, Groendyke began operations in Ponca City, Okla.; Ardmore, Okla.; and Wichita Falls, Texas. Groendyke built the first truck stop in Enid in the late 1940s. And the 1950s ushered in decades of unprecedented growth, as we purchased intrastate authorities to expand the company’s footprint into Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado and Louisiana. Groendyke also purchased Texas Statewide Petroleum and Petroleum Products Authority and built terminals in Dallas and Houston. As the company grew, Harold stayed focused on the importance of people. He fostered a culture of respect, integrity and community that lives to this day.

In 1960, we moved our corporate offices to our present location on Rock Island Boulevard in Enid. In 1965, we hauled our first load to Mexico, and in 1988 we made our first delivery to Canada. Groendyke is still family owned. Family members make up most of the board, and John D. Groendyke, son of founder Harold Groendyke, serves as Chairman.

Over the years, our care and concern for customers, the motoring public and our employees has gained Groendyke notoriety as a leader in safety. A founding member of National Tank Truck Carriers, we are the only carrier to win its North American Safety Champion Award for best overall safety record and program in the country eight times. Our first win came in 1973, followed by our second win in 1975. Groendyke also won in 1990, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2016 and 2018. We’ve also won numerous American Trucking Associations safety awards, including Safety Director of the Year, and hundreds of state, insurance and industry awards for safety and service.

In 2019, Groendyke expanded its footprint into the Southeast with the acquisition of McKenzie Tank Lines, a family-owned carrier based in Tallahassee, Fla.

Today, with 40 terminals in 15 states, Groendyke Transport is one of the 10 largest tank-truck carriers in the United States. We haul more than 435,000 loads annually of mostly chemicals, acids, fuels, lubricants and asphalt throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

We are still building on the pioneering spirit, innovative achievements and people focus of our founder, Harold Groendyke. We are committed to providing safe, superior logistics services to consistently deliver value to our customers.

WHEN WAS IT FOUNDED?

July 12, 1932

WHERE ARE YOUR HEADQUARTERS?

2510 Rock Island Blvd., Enid, OK 73701

WHO WAS YOUR COMPANY’S ORIGINAL FOUNDER? ARE THEY STILL INVOLVED WITH THE COMPANY, TO WHAT DEGREE?

Harold C. Groendyke

Born May 10, 1908

Died Oct. 31, 1986

His son, John D. Groendyke, took over as CEO in 1986 and currently serves as Chairman of the Board. The third generation of

the Groendyke family is now involved at the ownership and Board of Directors level. They are proud of the company’s family identity and its standing in the industry.

WHAT DO YOU THINK SETS YOU APART FROM OTHER CARRIERS?

Groendyke Transport has long been considered a leader in safety in the tank truck industry, which is widely considered the safest sector of the trucking industry. Groendyke is the only tank truck carrier to win National Tank Truck Carrier’s (NTTC) North American Safety Champion Award for the best overall safety program and record in North America eight times. Groendyke has won for safety efforts in 1973, 1975, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2016 and 2018.

Groendyke Transport prides itself on its commitment to its people, standing firm on core values of safety, leadership, integrity, respect, change and growth as well as a vision “to be the trucking company you want to grow with.” This statement is in reference to our customers and our employees.

Groendyke invests heavily in safety equipment. All tractors have been fitted with electronic roll stability to help prevent rollovers, and more than 1,000 tractors (more than 93 percent of the fleet) and about 300 trailers are equipped with air disc brakes, which are now standard on all new equipment. Also standard on all new equipment, collision mitigation systems with lane departure detection are now on nearly 900 of our tractors. Groendyke has also moved to a 5-year trade cycle on all tractors, and is nearing the end of the process of equipping all tractors with a SmartDrive camera system that includes forward-facing and in-cab cameras as well as cameras facing down both sides of the trailer.

Groendyke also recently received exemption from FMCSA allowing the use of a pulsating amber brake light that only engages when the brakes are applied. Groendyke proved with several years of data that this light significantly decreased the number of rear-end accidents. A couple of links to stories can be found here: https://www.ccjdigital.com/ccj-innovators-groendykereduce-rear-end-collisions-brake-light/ https://www.fleetowner.com/news/government/ article/21703799/fmcsa-grants-groendyke-exemption-forbrakeactuated-pulsing-lamp

WHAT ISSUE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOUR COMPANY RIGHT NOW?

Much like everyone else, Groendyke Transport’s primary concern today is navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic slowdown. We are working hard to ensure the health and well-being of our employees during this difficult time while also ensuring the company’s success. Maneuvering the uncharted waters of the pandemic has been described by President and CEO Greg Hodgen as “navigating a mission to Mars.” It’s challenging, completely unprecedented and requires full engagement and problem-solving at all levels of the organization.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE GREATEST BENEFIT FROM BEING AN OTA MEMBER IS?

Groendyke highly values the opportunities OTA offers for benchmarking and sharing best practices with industry peers, especially with regards to safety. Networking and aligning with industry peers on regulatory issues in one united voice is also invaluable.

WHAT SUCCESSES AND FAILURES HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED WITH YOUR COMPANY?

Our biggest recent successes can be seen in answers to previous questions in this survey regarding our NTTC North American Safety Champion awards, our recent FMCSA exemption, our commitment to safety equipment and our focus on people. We also see our current response to the pandemic as an overwhelming success. Our employees have bought into rigorous health protocols such as social distancing, regular washing of hands, disinfecting work stations and wearing masks. Our communication with employees has been regular and consistent. And we have made sound financial decisions to ensure we protect our employees’ jobs and the viability and strength of our business for the long term.

As with any company in business for 88 years, we’ve had our share of both successes and mis-steps. We prefer not to use the term failure because in these mis-steps we find our greatest learning experiences. We closely investigate when things don’t go as planned and look for the root cause. We’ve had great success with this process, which has allowed us to stay successful over the years.

For example, another of our biggest recent successes is our shift from a dispatch group located at each of our 40 locations to a centralized dispatching model. We currently have two planning centers now, which has greatly increased our efficiency and our cohesion as one company. During the transition, we had a lot of growing pains and hiccups that required course corrections. But because we noticed them and addressed the root causes, they helped us create a better system.

HOW DO YOU MAKE AN IMPACT ON/IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

Groendyke Transport employees about 1,400 people in 40 communities across 15 states.

Many of our locations support their local communities through holiday and other outreach programs. For example, our Wichita, Kan., terminal does a bike drive for Christmas every year, where employees donate bikes to give to children in need. Our Houston terminal does something similar, collecting gifts for local children. Last year, they collected for children with special needs. Our terminals also regularly participate in community events, such as parades for Veterans Day.

In Enid, Groendyke Transport is a member of the Enid Chamber of Commerce. Groendyke puts teams together and participates in several fundraising wellness events such as 5K runs for various causes. Groendyke also is heavily involved in the United Way and regularly gives to local charities and in support of local businesses. Many of Groendyke’s employees are also involved in community organizations and volunteer work.

IF YOU DIDN’T GET INVOLVED IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE DOING?

Greg Hodgen, President and CEO: If I wasn’t in trucking, I would be a college professor or a leader in the movement to clean up our oceans.

Holly McCormick, Vice President of the Talent Office: I’d be in HR but in a different industry. But I like trucking. It’s real and authentic. I especially enjoy working for a family owned company.

David Snapp, Senior Vice President: I’ve often asked myself that, but have yet to come up with an answer. Other than oilfield for a short period, trucking has been my entire adult life. I don’t think anything else would satisfy my need for a challenge.

WHAT DO YOU ENVISION TRUCKING TO LOOK LIKE IN THE NEXT 5-10 YEARS?

Over the next five to 10 years, we expect the average load to travel a shorter distance. We see alternative energy sources becoming more prevalent for tractor power. While we also see more autonomous trucks, we believe the tank truck industry, especially when it comes to hazardous materials, not adopting autonomous trucks for a long time to come, if ever. As part of the economic downturn due to COVID-19, we also see fewer companies surviving the next 5-10 years. With drivers becoming more and more scarce, we hope to see more partnerships between carriers and shippers/consignees to increase driver utilization and standardize schedules. We believe this would help make the most of the drivers currently available and make truck driving more appealing as a career.

NEW MEMBERS

Our diverse membership enables us to represent the interests of the trucking industry in Oklahoma. Together we are driving Oklahoma forward. Help welcome our new members today!

ALLIED MEMBERS

BROWN & BROWN OF OKLAHOMA, INC. Houston Brittain 208 N Mill Street Pryor, OK 74361 https://bb-ok.com/ Services Provided: Insurance Company

CARRIER MEMBERS

CONTINENTAL DRIVE AWAY Crystal Stone 1000 W. Wilshire Blvd Suite 208 Oklahoma City, OK 73116 www.continentaldriveaway.com Services Provided: Continental Drive Away is a proven logistics partner. We provide drive away and tow away transportation services. JOE MORTEN & SON, INC. Randy Oligmueller 1309 West 29th Street South Sioux City, NE 68776 https://www.joemorten.com/ Services Provided: When you need commercial truck insurance, you want a trucking insurance agency that has been in the trucking industry for decades and has seen it all. Whether you’re a driver, an independent owner-operator, or a motor carrier managing a fleet of commercial vehicles, our team has the experience you need to help you navigate the ins and outs of trucking insurance.

J&B HEAVY HAUL, INC. Jimmy Jernagin 2724 S. Vermont Ave Oklahoma City, OK 73108 www.jandbheavyhaul.com Services Provided: J&B Heavy Haul is a family owned and operated asset-based carrier providing turnkey logistical solutions.

FOUR J TRUCKING DRIVE AWAY Dawn Brown 9145 N 22nd West Pl Sperry, OK 74073 Services Provided: For Hire, General Freight