Elmer Buchta Jr. was elevated to company president of Elmer Buchta
Trucking LLC in 1979 ahead of some older siblings.
While negotiating the trials of a family
business, he also identified three primary
issues hampering increased profitability.
The first issue was
how to maintain a
steady source of
good, qualified truck
drivers. The second
issue was the proper
balance between volume and services and
the ratio of independent drivers and company drivers. The third
issue was the fluctuating cost of fuel,
which was outside the company’s control.
To deal with the driver shortage,
Buchta created a driver training “experience” school, providing a bridge
between the licensing process and
needed experience. The result of the
school over the last three years is an
excellent safety record that has
reduced insurance costs and
increased profits. The continuous supply of drivers has greatly increased
equipment utilization, which also
translates directly to profits.
Buchta also reviewed company data
over a period of time, applying his engineering education and skill, to calculate
a more optimal relationship between the
number of trucks the company owns and
the number of independent truckers it
hires. By optimizing this ratio, profits
have increased substantially during the
last three years.
He also worked diligently with customers to incorporate a provision in contracts to provide for changing fuel prices
with fairness to both the company and
the customer, eliminating the fluctuating
margin caused by fuel cost changes.
HOW TO REACH: Elmer Buchta Trucking LLC, www.buchta.com
or (812) 354-6300
