Hello. I'm Jerry Wyatt of Crossville, TN. I'd like to say a few words about Colonial Freight Systems, whom I've been working for for almost thirty years now.

Number 1, I'd like to say that if you expect to get rich quick, Colonial Freight Systems would not be the place for you to work. But, if you're willing to work hard -- keep a right attitude -- you can make as much money with Colonial Freight Systems as you can with anyone. Not only that, when Colonial owes you money, provided you've done your job and your paperwork is correct, you will get your money every week. When you get your money from Colonial the checks don't bounce. And, I can't say that for a couple of other companies that I've worked for.

Over this past thirty years, I've quit Colonial twice. I went to hauling eggs and produce at one time. The egg man I worked for was honest but there wasn't much money in it. I hauled produce, doing wildcatting. When you did get a load, half of the time, if you got your money at all, the checks were hot. I came back and Colonial took me back. I went to Transcold Express in Dallas, TX. The grass looked greener there, so I stayed there about a year. I did make a few dollars more with them than I could have with Colonial, but a year later they were in bankruptcy. I either had to buy the truck I was driving or lose what I had put into it during that year. So, I bought that truck, came back to Colonial, and I've been with them ever since.

One of the things that I like is that there is not an office at Colonial Freight Systems that I can't walk into, including Tom McBride's or Phyllis Keesee's. I don't think Phyllis has even got a door on her office, so there is an open door policy at Colonial.

Another thing I'd like to say something about is the Maintenance Department, handled by Ray Floyd. If Ray tells you anything, it's just that way. There's the Shop, if you have something done to your tractor, which I think the only place to do that is in Knoxville. Your hourly rate there is about half of what it'd be anywhere else and they do good work. I would like to add this: if a mechanic tells you there is something wrong with your truck, that it needs a brake or it needs a little repair to it, you should thank him and not get mad at him, because he's doing you a favor. It's a lot cheaper to fix it there than it is on the side of the road somewhere, 'cause I've done a lot of fixing on the side of the road.

I'd like to say also that I think we've got one of the best management teams at the present time that we've ever had. We've had some good, good management over the years; otherwise, we wouldn't still be in business. But, I do think right now we're headed in the right direction and everybody seems to be working together.

If you're planning on coming to Colonial, I would tell you that if you see me out on the road -- I think there's going to be a picture of me and my truck -- if you see me out on the road -- I don't use the CB radio much -- but, if you'll catch me at a truck stop or a terminal, I'll be glad to talk to you about Colonial because it is a family-owned company and a good place to work.