Friday Trucking, LLC featured in "10-4 Magazine"
Owners Dean and Arian Friday of Friday Trucking, LCC and Dean's Peterbuilt 389 rig, named "Lemmy," were recently featured in 10-4 Magazine. (Photo submitted)
By Caroline Rosacker
The state of Iowa is home to 11,420 interstate trucking companies that travel throughout the United States, and 9,200 intrastate companies that travel in Iowa only.
Iowa has a number of small and locally-owned trucking companies that make large contributions to the communities in which they are located providing good paying jobs, a stable working environment and driving local community economies. Trucking companies are located in all 99 Iowa counties, creating a big footprint in the state.
Iowa-based trucks transport 78 percent of the total manufactured tonnage in the state of Iowa, and over 70 percent of Iowa communities are served exclusively by trucks. Iowa's strong agricultural heritage, in addition to the crossroads of two major freight corridors (I-80 and I-35) make Iowa a great trucking state.
Friday Trucking, LLC Passion, Pride, Professionalism
Friday Trucking, located at 431 S. Highway 52 - suite 4 Guttenberg, is a small customer oriented carrier, whose professionalism shines through like their "large cars." They specialize in time-sensitive refrigerated freight. Their team of owner operators and office personnel has generations of experience to assist in your logistical needs. From desk to dock, they've got you covered!
Dean and Arian Friday have known one another since 1991 when Dean moved to Guttenberg. The couple "re-met" in 2006, got married in 2007, and reside in Guttenberg. Dean has one daughter, Claire, and a grandson, Jaxson.
10-4 Magazine
Friday Trucking, LLC owners Dean and Arian, and Dean's Peterbuilt 389 rig, named "Lemmy," were recently featured in 10-4 Magazine. The nationally published magazine has been in print since 1993, and has established itself as a well-respected periodical within the trucking community. 10-4 Magazine is printed monthly and currently circulates approximately 23,000 copies per month. The couple commented, "It was really quite an honor to be featured in 10-4 Magazine. The opportunity is not afforded to many." The full feature story titled The Diesel Addict, by Stephanie Hass, can be found on the company's Facebook page.
Company history
Living and working together can present a challenge. Sustaining the integrity of your relationship and your career when your partner is your colleague can be a job in itself. Dean and Arian have met the challenge successfully. "Dean and I started Friday Trucking in September 2016 as a sole proprietorship. In 2019 we formed an LLC and added my brother, Tony Lake, as an additional owner. We originally worked out of our home, and in January 2020 relocated our office to Ole's Five Star Realty office complex. I have only gone with Dean for a couple of short day trips," said Arian, the company's dispatch accountant and office manager. "I am here in the office dispatching our trucks." Outside the working environment Dean and Arian enjoy boating on the Mississippi River, golfing and riding motorcycles.
"We have seven trucks that are leased on to Friday Trucking – owners, owner/operators, and company drivers," she explained. "We also dispatch for four other companies for a total of 11 trucks that could be on the road. Lindsey Corlett, office assistant, and I work together in the office everyday," she said.
Friday Trucking helps feed Iowans. "Typically our freight is specialty cheese out of Wisconsin, meat – fresh and frozen — out of Iowa and Illinois, and our return trips are mostly loads of tomatoes and mixed produce that we bring back to our area, "said Arian.
"Aside from having authority to operate in the United States, Friday Trucking also has authority to run in Canada as well," she noted. "Because we are refrigerated food haulers, Covid-19 has actually benefited our business and helped us grow. Although it has been an up and down situation for us. We lost a lot of the lanes that we normally ran when the country was shut down, specifically the restaurant and entertainment industry, which makes up about two-thirds of the food consumption in the United States."
Expanding business opportunity
"We were poised with some of the brokers that we had already started building a relationship with, and were able to step in and build on those lanes which specifically delivered to the distribution centers across the country," said Arian. "Covid-19 has been disastrous to many truckers and small companies like ours. Prior to Covid we were ready to buy up to 10 trucks and trailers and really expand our company; however, the banks became very nervous about lending due to the pandemic and the uncertainty it put our nation in," she continued. "Dean and I chose to take a different path than what we planned, and started bringing on owner operators to our company."
With the expansion of more trucks and trailers available, the forward-thinking business couple stepped into a niche in their area. "We were still able to grow the company. Through our hard work and superior service we are now one of the top international small trucking companies in our area. We have two Canadian drivers that cross the border regularly and help bring food to Canada. Our other owner operators that we work with and dispatch trucks deliver food to distribution centers daily to Florida, Arizona, Texas and the Pacific Northwest."
For additional information, call 563-252-0120, or e-mail fridaytrucking16@gmail.com, or online at Friday Trucking LLC at www.fridaytrucking.com or find them on Facebook.
