Taz Trucking has announced plans to invest $7.3 million in its Bowling Green, Kentucky facilities to add more truck drivers and support staff for the company’s administrative office and newly built machine shop.

The investment is expected add up to 30 new drivers and 27 support personnel and comes six weeks after completing a $10 million expansion that started in 2017. The previous expansion included a 20,000 square-foot machine shop and truck loading station as well as a 20,000 square-foot office.

“We are ready to grow with the Bowling Green community and increase our capacity to serve our current customers and new customers,” said Tahir Zukic, Taz Trucking president. “We know this will assist in the access to transportation in South Central Kentucky and are excited to be part of the solution.”

Taz Trucking was co-founded in 20014 by Zukic and his wife, who had relocated from Bosnia to the U.S. in 2000 to escape the war-torn country. Zukic got his commercial driver’s license and purchased a single truck. The company has since expanded to more than 80 vehicles, transporting goods to all 48 states in the U.S.

To encourage investment in the Bowling Green community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority approved a 10-year incentive agreement with the company. It is a performance-based agreement that can provide up to 250,000 in tax incentives based on the company’s investment of 550,000 and annual targets to create 27 full-time jobs for Kentucky residents across 10 years and paying an average hourly wage of $17, including benefits across those jobs.

By meeting its annual targets over the agreement term, the company can be eligible to keep a portion of the new tax revenue it generates. The company may claim eligible incentives against its income tax liability and/or wage assessments.

“Taz Trucking is a prime example of what Bowling Green has to offer for those wanting to start and grow a business,” said Bruce Wilkerson, Mayor of Bowling Green. “We are thrilled Taz Trucking decided to call Bowling Green home 19 years ago and applaud them on their continued success.”