Trucking Vets Start ProActive Logistics Solutions

ProActive Transportation Inc.
Owner: Robert L. Shoptaw and Tim Hoyt
Address: 414 S. Arkansas St., Rogers 72756
Phone/Fax: (479) 621-1077/(479)621-0115
Hours: 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Startup date: Sept. 15

Robert L. Shoptaw and Tim Hoyt started ProActive Logistics Solutions Inc. in July 2002 with a plan to provide the best transportation brokerage service possible. They didn’t know then that their commitment to service would lead to the opening of their own trucking company.

Hoyt said the company has its eye on warehousing too, with plans to obtain or build warehouse space locally and in several strategic locations nationwide.

Access to its own warehousing and distribution centers will allow ProActive to offer reverse logistics and load consolidation services, Hoyt said. He explained that reverse logistics provides return shipments of problem loads.

ProActive Logistics Solutions and ProActive Transportation made $8 million in sales in 2004, with $212,000 coming from the trucking division that launched in September. Shoptaw believes the trucking division will do $1.3 million in sales this year, mostly in refrigerated food loads.

ProActive launched the new division with five company trucks and three owner/operator trucks it leases. Shoptaw and Hoyt, who each had trucking logistics experience, expect to double the number of trucks their firm operates by 2005’s end.

In addition to Shoptaw and Hoyt, ProActive has seven employees in the new trucking division, which includes five drivers, two support staff and 10 in the logistics division.

Hoyt and Shoptaw spent about $160,000 to launch the new business, financing half of it and investing the other half personally. They believe the new trucking company will turn a profit this spring.