Rickards Transportation: Combining A Love For Trucking and Music
Eight years ago, Josh Rickards started what he describes as a mom-and-pop operation hauling equipment for the entertainment industry. Today, Rickards Transportation has grown from one truck to a fleet of eight.
But trucking wasn’t just a business opportunity for Josh. It was something he’d loved since he was a kid.
“I have a passion for trucking, and I have a passion for entertainment. When I was a little kid, I rode with my uncle. He had a W900L, and I remember he was teaching me how to shift through the gears and all that. And I fell in love with it.“
Many years later, I was working for a record label and I was doing merch, and I was passionate about being a part of that team.”
Eventually, Josh realized he didn’t have to choose between those two worlds.
“After that, I knew I wanted to have something involved in trucking, and my heart and my passion was in entertainment. So when you combine them together, that’s when I knew that ultimately I wanted to drive trucks.”
Learning The Hard Way
Like many small business owners, Josh learned some lessons through experience. His first trailer wasn’t a Great Dane, and as his business grew, so did his understanding of how much equipment affects overall costs.
And as he spent more time hauling for concerts and stadium tours, he noticed a pattern.
“Every show I’d go to, I’d see Great Dane trailers. And at this point, my fleet was kind of a hodgepodge. We had a few different manufacturers, but after looking over our maintenance records, I realized it costs more money to operate poor equipment.“
Trailers Built Like A Tank
Josh says his Great Dane dry van trailers are “built like a tank,” pointing to the attention to detail throughout the trailer, from the rivets to the e-track.
For entertainment freight, durability isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.
“When we load up after stadium show, you’ve got all these trucks, and everyone’s got to get loaded within a certain amount of time to make it to the next show.”
“Cases are just rolling at you, and they are bumping against the walls in the trailer. And that’s the important part. You need a trailer that has the rigidity to handle that beating,” he explained.
Looks Matter
For Josh, his trailers also represent the customers he serves.
“We put a big emphasis on equipment. It’s part of what makes us what we are. And what about the customer, the big names we serve? They have a big name for a reason.“
And one of the first things that your client is going to see when you come rolling in is your trailer. And so, for us, it’s very important the look is there.”
A Partner That Understands Small Businesses
As his company has grown, Josh says the relationship behind the equipment matters just as much as the equipment itself.
“When I’m dealing with Great Dane, I feel like I’m dealing with a person who cares about small businesses. And to me, when you’re sticking with a manufacturer, it’s especially important to choose one that offers high quality and builds in the USA.”
For Josh, building a successful fleet has come down to staying true to his passions, investing in quality, and choosing a dry van trailer that can keep up with the demands of the road.
Ready to discover the dependability of our Champion dry vans? Start here or connect with our team today.
Or if you need a pre-owned or new trailer or truck body that’s in stock and ready to roll, check out our options here.