Fikes Truck Line Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Fikes Truck Line celebrates its 25th anniversary this week under the ownership of Jim and Hannah Smith.

Originally founded in 1941 as a regional lumber hauler, the Smiths purchased the company in 1981 and started with just 11 trucks and authority to operate in Arkansas. They have expanded operations steadily over the past quarter century. Today, Fikes has a fleet of more than 500 independent trucking professionals and 48-state operating authority.
The company specializes in the shipment of steel, machinery, building materials and manufactured goods utilizing flatbeds, drop decks, RGNs and side kits. Headquartered in Hope, Ark., Fikes has terminals in Kentucky, Texas and Colorado, and sales offices in Oklahoma and Tennessee.
Several hundred employees, longtime customers, vendors and friends celebrated the occasion on April 8 at the Texarkana Country Club in Texarkana, Ark. The festivities featured photos and memorabilia from the Fikes archives and a video tribute to the Smiths, sharing the company’s unique history and distinctive family-like culture.
Highlights from the company’s history include:
• 1941: Fikes Truck Line is founded by the Fikes family in Arkansas.
• 1981: Jim Smith purchases Fikes Truck Line, an Arkansas intrastate carrier. Among his first leases are owner-operators Gary Salisbury (current senior vice president and COO) and Jerry Davis (current vice president, Safety and Insurance).
• 1982: Fikes moves its headquarters from Pine Bluff, Ark., to Hope, Ark., and receives common carrier authority for Arkansas and the surrounding states.
• 1984: Fikes receives common carrier authority for 22 states, and later in the year gains 48-state operating authority.
• 1987: Recruiting new accounts becomes a top priority and the focus of the first sales office, which opens in West Memphis, Ark.
• 2000: With a solid Texas customer base, Fikes creates an Intrastate Texas Terminal in Fort Worth. • 2001: Targeting accounts and drivers in the Midwest, a regional office is established in Rockport, Ind.
• 2003: The Midwest Operation relocates to a terminal in Owensboro, Ky., and a third terminal opens in Pueblo, Colo., to support operations in the West.
• 2005: Fikes introduces a new logo and brand – Connecting People with Purpose. The Arkansas Business Publishing Group recognizes Fikes and Jim Smith in the top five for “Business of the Year” and “Business Executive of the Year.”
• 2006: Fikes celebrates its 25th anniversary.
To learn more about Fikes Truck Line, visit www.fikes.com or call (800) 643-6611.