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is Dave Jackson, who like Kevin Knight, joined the trucking
industry after completing his education.
He started with Knight Transportation 20 years ago.
“I was less attracted to trucking and more attracted to the
culture at Knight,” shared Jackson.
Jackson was born and raised in Phoenix and had heard
different things about the company over the years, and as a
result of an acquaintance with one of the Knights, he found
himself choosing Knight Transportation as a subject of research
in his finance classes at Arizona State University,
studying the carrier’s financial statements and SEC filings.
What Jackson found was a company with good financial
returns and a good growth trajectory.
“I thought ‘Wow, this is an up-and-coming company, one
that cares about its drivers and employees,’” he said.
His intention was to work at Knight for a couple of years,
learning the trucking business, and then going to graduate
school. But his love for Knight kept him there, where he said
he’s been given opportunities far beyond what he could have
expected.
“I’m still learning,” he said.
Jackson became CFO in 2004 and was named president
and CEO of Knight Transportation in 2015, two years prior to
the merger. Now he holds the title of president and CEO of
Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings, leading both Knight
Transportation and Swift Transportation.
Even though he’s years beyond studying Knight Transportation
while at ASU, he hasn’t stopped learning.
“I love to study this industry,” said Jackson. “It’s such a
complex, competitive, fragmented industry, and it comes with
so many challenges. But if you can understand the competition
and understand how you have your company positioned,
you have an advantage.”
During the merger talks, the two carriers decided to maintain
their respective current branding.
“The drivers chose that brand to begin with for a reason,”
he said.
If the carriers had merged the brands and come up with
a new name, Jackson said they would have run the risk of
alienating drivers, who might then choose to leave.
“We wanted to minimize the disruption our driving associates
would experience, so we felt it best to run the two brands
independently,” he shared.
Behind the scenes, the merger provided the opportunity to
leverage economies of scale when it comes to things such as
equipment, technology and accounting.
Jackson was quick to respond when asked about what he
enjoyed the most about leading Knight Transportation.
“It’s the people. We just have the most unbelievable people,
day in and day out,” he said.
“They come in trying to give their best and do so in an
unselfish way. At Knight, they don’t sit around the table with
“
—
I was less attracted to trucking
and more attracted to the
culture at Knight.”
Dave Jackson,
CEO of Knight Transportation
personal agendas. They’ve developed a passion for eliminating
waste and for becoming very efficient, and do so in
a manner that teaches other people in a way that empowers
them. It’s very fulfilling to see the way our people work despite
the tedious nature of the ever-changing trucking industry.
It’s very fulfilling.”
Knight’s culture is also one of autonomy based on open
communication.
“We very much believe in empowerment. We are a decentralized
business where each of our terminals have their own
profit and loss statements,” he said. “It’s not about the terminals
supporting corporate. Instead, they receive a lot support
from us. We want them to be successful.”
Jackson wants to make sure the company’s culture is felt
among drivers.
“We’re hiring all over the place, and I get to meet the ones
who come through Phoenix,” said Jackson. “I’ll always ask
the question, ‘Have you had a chance to feel the culture and
what we as a company are all about?’ They usually nod their
heads in the affirmative.”
Knight’s turnover rate is in the upper 50% range, about half
the average for large carriers in 2019.
Jackson shared that he has been particularly proud of drivers
during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has potentially
placed professional truck drivers in harm’s way.
“Our drivers have totally stepped up,” he said. “And, we’ve
been fortunate that there have been loads to haul.”
In return, the company has taken steps to make sure drivers
have access to the necessities of life during the crisis in the
form of 80 truckloads of provisions that have been dispatched
to 23 terminals. The company is also providing additional compensation
for drivers who stay productive in these times.
Assessing Knight Transportation’s overall success, there
is no doubt that the company has followed the advice set
forth by Kevin Knight in that 2006 interview.
“When I retire, I would want to make sure that our people
were still committed and understood the importance of being
hardworking and were committed to learn and grow,” he said
“Don’t forget where you came from, and don’t ever think you
are as great as other people are telling you. Because if you do
quit learning, you’ll quit changing; you’ll quit adapting, and I
think that’s the key to our success.”
Then and now.
Dave Jackson became president
and CEO of Knight Transportation
in 2015.
Listening, learning, delivering … Communication
is key at Knight Transportation.
KNIGHTS OF THE HIGHWAY
Dave Jackson honors military veterans
by presenting Knight’s very
first Fleet of Heroes truck to Navy
veteran Chris McCarroll.
Executive Leadership
Dave Jackson, President and CEO
Adam Miller, Chief Financial Officer
Kevin Knight, Executive Chairman
Gary Knight, Executive Vice Chairman
Todd Carlson, General Counsel
• 18,877 Tractors
• 58,315 Trailers
• 23,800 Employees
• Revenue (2019): $1,196,810,000
TCA 2020 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 31