“In trucking, you’ll cross paths with hundreds of people — but only a handful truly leave a mark. At Steel Transport, I found a team that didn’t just keep me moving down the road — they became family. This chapter isn’t about freight or miles, it’s about the people who made those miles worth driving.”
Before I go any further, I think it’s best to pay homage to the most incredible team I have ever worked with since becoming an independent contractor. Steel Transport’s home terminal is located at 6701 Melton Road in Gary, Indiana. Their phone number is 1-219-939-3000 if anyone is looking for an excellent flatbed company to lease on with!
The best place to start is the Safety Department, the very people who decided I was a fit for this awesome family of workers. At the time I signed on, Mark Solari was the head of Safety. He has since left, and Dave Hutchins stepped into the role. Dave works with three excellent associates:
Christy Ray – My go-to contact for everyday safety questions or information. She is one of the best safety personnel I have ever worked with in my 23 years as an independent contractor.
Sherry Izynski – She walked me through my short orientation process and also helps me with my weight permits.
Juliet Dinkins – The voice I hear on the other end of the phone about 90% of the time. Always kind, knowledgeable, and quick with permit help.
Next, we move into the main office.
Kim Ford is the logbook specialist and ELD (Electronic Logging Device) monitor, making sure our logs are accurate and DOT-compliant.
Jack Neistrom set up my ELDs and dash cams, walking me through step by step to ensure everything synced properly. He works closely with Kim to keep everything in order.
The Bookkeeping Department is run by Kris Fannin, who is the backbone of our settlements. Anytime I’ve had questions or needed to add something, she’s had the answers without fail.
And now we come to the dispatch team, the heartbeat of Steel Transport. They have always had my back, and without them, none of us could do our jobs.
In the Kentucky office, I worked with Charlie (God rest his soul) and his wife Linda. Both were solid people and a pleasure to work with.
At the Gary office, Norma and John were always there to step in if my dispatcher was busy or away. Norma especially went above and beyond for me more times than I can count, and I truly appreciate her.
Finally, I have to talk about my hero — the best dispatcher I have worked with in my 23 years as an independent contractor — Joanie Smith. She was incredibly easy to talk with, unbelievably patient (especially when I had issues, which you know I’ve had plenty of), and she worked just as hard to secure my loads as I did to deliver them. In six years here, I’m sure I tested her patience more than I intended, but she never let me down.
Next to Overnite — the second company I ever worked for — Steel Transport gave me that rare “working family” feel. They looked out for us, and we tried hard to meet their goals.
I hope this chapter introduced you to my Steel Transport family in the way I meant for it to. The following chapters will close out my career with this awesome company and my time behind the wheel as a whole. Please keep reading — I don’t think you’ll regret it.
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#SteelTransport #TruckingFamily #IndependentContractor #DispatchersMatter #TruckingLife #ELD #Logbooks #SafetyFirst #TruckingStories
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