Case study:
Fast Forward LLC

“We get our money’s worth. We really do.”

– Ernie and Michelle Hall of Fast Forward grow their business with the Truckstop.com Load Board.

How a husband and wife team went from running a van to operating their own trucking company using Truckstop.com.

Ernie Hall spent 25 years as a commercial contractor but needed a new job after breaking his wrist in a snowmobile accident. He and his brother-in-law bought some vans, subcontracted with a distribution center, and started running lanes in Idaho. There have been a lot of ups and downs along the way, but today with his wife Michelle, Ernie is running a thriving trucking company – Fast Forward LLC.

The challenge

After investing in multiple vans and a DOT authority, Ernie’s subcontract abruptly ended. They upgraded the vans to a tractor (the “million-mile molly”) and started hauling milk. They were making money and got a second truck, but there wasn’t enough milk to keep it moving. They bought a dry box, and Michelle got a crash course in using load boards and booking loads.

They quickly learned that most load boards provide nothing more than a very basic service – no rates tools, no reviews, and nothing to help you protect yourself and your business. And because of Ernie’s dynamic personality, their trucking company was attracting other people (shippers, drivers, etc.) that wanted to work with them. They were trying to figure out how to run a new business efficiently while also growing very quickly.

“When we started out, and I was doing property management. He needed help finding loads when he was on the road, didn’t have internet service, and couldn’t search the load board. I started looking for loads to get him moving.”

– Michelle Hall, Fast Forward LLC

The solution

The Fast Forward team tried a number of free load boards. They kept coming back to Truckstop.com because of the resources available for finding reputable brokers, getting better rates, and making sure you get paid – tools to help protect yourself and your business.

“Before I got Michelle’s help, it was kind of a wreck. Once I asked her to get on board and we got things operating smoothly, she found Truckstop.com and a few other things that were really critical in making this work” Ernie said.

The results

Now that Ernie and Michelle rely on Truckstop.com Load Board Basic to find 85% of their loads, they’re enjoying smart and steady growth without the growing pains. They use Credit Stop to make sure they work with reputable brokers they can build long-term relationships with. They know they’ll get good rates and get paid faster. And gone are the days of cash-flow worries, thanks to features like quick pay. Nearing retirement age, Ernie and Michelle get peace of mind knowing the Truckstop.com Load Board will ultimately make them more money.