Brian Lindley is running a successful reefer fleet, but the path he took to get there was hardly typical. “I was a chicken farmer, and in 2012 I began hauling chicken droppings, which are used as organic fertilizer by local farms,” he said, “I didn’t even realize I was in the trucking business until my accountant told me.”
What started as a side business, though, soon included two trucks and two drivers. Then, to keep the fledgling fleet moving, Lindley started negotiating contracts to haul processed chicken. As business grew, so did the size of the fleet.
Today, Wedowee, Ala.-based LB3 is a dedicated contract carrier with 17 tractors, 37 refrigerated trailers, and three dry vans. Its main business continues to be hauling poultry products, although some loads include paper goods and other general freight.
“Early on, we bought used trucks, but after our reefer operation got underway and we began hauling dedicated freight, we knew the fleet had to be dependable,” Lindley related. “That’s when we started leasing from Penske. The leases let us know exactly what our cost will be every month and provide consistency for our growing business.”
Now operating in the LB3 fleet are 2019 through 2021 International LT Series tractors with Cummins X15 engines and Eaton 12-speed automated manual transmissions. Company-owned trailers include Utility models with Thermo King Precedent refrigeration units.
“We’ve been focusing on standardizing our trailer fleet to streamline maintenance,” Lindley said. “In the same way that leasing provides the same services everywhere we operate, we standardize trailer specs and outsource reefer unit service to one provider. We also work with one tire dealer, and we’ve settled on using Firestone and Toyo products.”
For the LB3 trailer fleet, serving as maintenance manager and technician is Todd Martin, who works in a 4,000-sq.-ft. double bay shop. Hired by LB3 from Penske, he brings 25 years of service experience to the operation.
Running the LB3 business and fleet falls to Lindley and his wife Valerie, who also serves as safety manager. One big issue they had to address was the ELD mandate. “We decided on the Omnitracs solution and worked with Transafe, a local reseller, to set it up and to learn the ins and outs of regulation compliance,” Lindley said. “They also encouraged us to use Surfsight dashcam technology.
“Transafe also introduced us to Drivewyze PreClear weigh station bypass systems,” Lindley continued. “All it took was simply turning on PreClear through Omnitracs, and we were up and running in no time. We knew Drivewyze technology made a lot of sense since we were stopping at so many inspection sites. At one Alabama site that’s 30 minutes from our headquarters, we’d never know if we could go right through or be held up for an inspection.”
Now, since its Drivewyze bypass rate is so high, the fleet typically gets a good start to each run. On average, each driver gets close to 20 bypasses per month and for LB3, Lindley noted, that’s a real stress reliever for drivers and a cost savings for the company. “It’s important to take advantage of technology that makes us more profitable,” he stated, “but we don’t look at what things like Drivewyze cost us, just at what it saves.”
The Lindleys also take the same approach to safety, an effort that pays off for the company and its drivers. “When we started, we didn’t know as much about safety and regulations as we should have. As a result, we didn’t have the best CSA scores,” he said. “But after Valerie became our safety manager and put programs in place, we lowered the scores significantly.”
One of those programs was a change in the way safety incentives are paid to drivers. In the past, Lindley explained, the fleet rewarded drivers for clean inspections. “We were paying for good behavior while there was no recourse for bad inspections,” he stated. “Now, our drivers can still receive a bonus for clean inspections and accident-free driving, but if they fail an inspection, they’re penalized financially.
“Those efforts have all paid off,” Lindley added. “In April 2020, we were given the Alabama Trucking Association’s President’s Award as its safest overall fleet for miles driven in the state. Reputation is everything, so it’s very rewarding to know that your hard work has led to an extremely safe, well-run and growing operation.”
