Eassons Transport
Annapolis Valley apples are enjoyed across the country. And the tasty treats planted the seed for the success that Eassons Transport enjoys today. In 1945, Bill Easson started a trucking company, hauling Cortland and MacIntosh apples around Nova Scotia. Today, his three sons, Paul, Peter and Tom, run a fleet of 280 vehicles across Canada and the U.S.
Eassons has recently partnered with the province, becoming a "Come to life" charter member, putting the "Come to life" logo on the back of every vehicle in its' fleet. "This has been a good place for us to do business, so we should be promoting Nova Scotia across North America," says Dave Miller, manager of personnel and safety. The "Come to life" logo accompanies panoramic scenes of Nova Scotia, such as the Cabot Trail's Keltic Lodge, on the side of the tractor trailers. The arrangement is a good fit, since Eassons continually strives to develop long-term relationships. The strategy has served the family well during the last half century. Eassons has always been a family affair. Bill's brother Phil joined the company in the 1950s. Bill handled the dispatch and the office, and Phil took care of maintenance and equipment. Today, the senior Easson brothers have retired and Bill's three sons own and operate the company. Paul Easson is a chartered accountant who graduated from Saint Mary's University and looks after finances and operations. Peter Easson has a business administration degree in marketing from Acadia University and handles sales. Tom Easson is a graduate of Nova Scotia Community College and is a registered mechanic. He manages the purchase and maintenance of equipment. From the late 1950s to the 1980s, Eassons Transport expanded beyond apples and fruit. It added committed runs throughout Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to transport everything from fish to dry goods.
The company also secured a contract for CP Inter-Modal in Nova Scotia. Dave Miller says a credible, straight-forward approach has made such growth possible. "We've approached it one person at a time, one thought at a time, one idea at a time." Since the 1980s, Eassons long-haul business has extended to Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island. With the decline of the fishing industry in the mid- and late 1980s, hauling from Newfoundland was drastically reduced and Eassons turned to new markets and opportunities. With its easy access from Nova Scotia, the Eastern seaboard of the United States quickly became the backbone of the trucking routes for delivering time-sensitive, fresh and frozen food. Over the last decade, Eassons Transport opened a dry freight division in Moncton, N.B. and purchased two smaller Atlantic Canadian transport companies. It also opened offices in Newfoundland and Toronto to better manage its business.
The company employs about 200 people and sees the future as "bright and booming," says Miller. "There is the capacity to expand." To assure customer satisfaction, the company has modernized since the days of hauling apples. Innovative satellite tracking and communications were added to its refriderated tractors in the 1990s. Five years ago, Internet tracing was introduced, allowing customers to track shipments on the Internet, receiving up-to-date satellite position histories. An e-mail delivery confirmation service was also introduced, allowing customers to receive confirmation the second the driver updates his shipment status via satellite. Eassons is also an acknowledged leader in workplace safety. As long-standing safety award winners, occupational health and safety is taken seriously. "We are very tough on safety. We are very proud of our safety record," says Miller adding the company always scores high on its practices and procedures. He says accidents are decreasing annually.
Doing what it takes to be an employer of choice is critical for the company as it works to attract and retain people. Miller says the company wants to be seen as an honourable employer that allows its drivers to be professional.
"This isn't an industry that comes with a textbook. It is more a school of hard knocks," he says. The Eassons see enhancing the community as part of their mission. Recently, retired founders Bill and Phil, donated land for a new $6-million rink and sports complex in Berwick dubbed the "Appledome" to acknowledge their roots. What does the future hold? Tom Easson says they will continue to expand in North America's eastern corridor. The company has also formed ETL logistics or Eassons Transport Limited Logistics as a value-added service for existing customers. Miller says the innovation and the creative use of technology will continue and so will the company's focus on being the best. He says being seen as a worthwhile, honest, company helps bring people to their doorstep as employees and customers. "Doing everything right with all the small decisions will lead us into the future," he says. "Being a family owned company allows us to do the right things."
