ATA Featured Member: J&L Transportation
Phoenix-based J & L Transportation was incorporated in January 1987 as a distribution, drayage, warehouse and intermodal service provider. J & L currently serves all of Arizona, Reno-Sparks, Nevada and Sonora, Mexico with its fleet of 25 tractors and 25 trailers. Some of its principal customers include Intermodal Marketing Companies; Hub Group, Alliance Shippers, Exel Transportation, Ryder Logistics as well as trucking companies like Werner Enterprises, US Express, Swift Intermodal, USA Truck and JB Hunt.
J & L Transportation’s principals and management team have more than sixty (60) years of combined transportation experience. J & L President and Owner Micheal Jimenez is a Los Angeles native who got his start working in trucking in high school, when he worked for Griley Freightlines moving product from El Segundo to the Los Angeles International Airport Commissary three nights a week.
Jimenez says the mission of J & L is to recognize its customers’ needs and fulfill those needs through high-quality service. Mr. Jimenez keeps a slogan on his desk–“the buck stops here”–to remind him of his commitment to his customers.
J & L became a member of the Arizona Trucking Association (then AMTA) on July 1, 1989. In the past 21 years, Jimenez has served as chairman of the Safety & Maintenance Council, the state truck driving championships, on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee and as ATA’s chairman in 2002-2004. His company has won numerous fleet safety awards and driver awards over the past two decades. Jimenez currently serves on ATA’s Executive Committee and also is a member of American Trucking Associations (www.trucking.org), the Intermodal Association of North America (www.intermodal.org) and the Uniform Intermodal Interchange Agreement (www.uiia.org).
When asked about the major challenges today for truck operators, Jimenez replied: “Though each facet of our industry faces its own challenges, I am most concerned about the public’s view of trucks and our industry. If we lose support in the public arena, this allows our opponents to gain strength against us in the form of regulations that are neither reasonable nor warranted in this business climate.”
In discussing what prompted him to join ATA (AMTA), Jimenez said: “As the owner of a young company, I struggled to wear many hats (sales, compliance, operations, etc.) in the growth of J & L. I needed help, so I first turned to my venders for support, but they did not share the same challenges in compliance my business was facing. I then stopped by the Arizona Motor Transport Association and found the Safety Council. I was hooked; it was like getting Google ten years before its time. Through the years the networking helped bring J & L to the high-caliber carrier it is today.”
When asked to define the most important benefits ATA membership brings to J & L, Jimenez responded: “Today the Arizona Trucking Association provides me with current updates and changes proposed within the industry and the means to voice my opinion on those changes; a superb range of training for me as well as my staff; and the ability to get support from other members facing the same challenges within our industry.”
He added: “Lastly, let’s not forget the fun side of ATA members that somehow comes out at each event. Who knew there would be such talent, just waiting to be released!”
