Category: News

Professional truck drivers are the backbone of the American economy. Visit any grocery store, business, or medical facility, and that becomes immediately obvious. Whether you are buying clothing at a retail store or a filling up your tank at a gas station, nearly every part of our lives is impacted, and made possible, by the work of a professional truck driver.

In honor of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, September 11th to 17th, all of us here at AX Transportation would like to express our gratitude to not only our fleet of drivers but all the truck drivers across the nation. We commend you for your hard work you do each day as you take on one of the most demanding and important jobs in America. We’re thankful for your dedication to delivering freight and ensuring we all have the goods we need for our daily lives.

— Chris Nigro, AX Transportation President

Today, some 3.2 million truck drivers travel our roadways each day – Monday through Friday, and Saturday and Sunday, too. On holidays. In snowstorms. In the sun and the cold. And on special occasions – like their kid’s birthday.

They do their jobs. They battle regulations. They fight traffic. They spend days, weeks, and even months away from loved ones. And they battle illness to keep the goods moving and the economy humming.

This week, September 12^th – 18^th, is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. We want to show our gratitude to our nation’s truck drivers for their hard work and commitment to tackling one of our economy’s most demanding and important jobs.

A BIG thank you!!

Chris Nigro and the Team at AX Transportation!

Growing its fleet to a total of 40 over the road trucks, AX Transportation added 20 new 2019 Freightliner Cascadia tractors to its line for equipment haulage. Each tractor can carry a gross vehicle weight of up to 80,000 lbs., including the tractor, trailer and load. A load can be up to 48,000 lbs. or higher if permitted and only one piece.

“The added equipment gives AX Transportation more flexibility and a bigger footprint across the U.S. while keeping the cost down for customers,” said Chris Nigro, general manager, AX Transportation.

Jeff Elliott, Class A OTR driver, AX Transportation, was among the first to drive one of the newly added Freightliner tractors. Dubbed Julius by Jeff’s wife on its maiden voyage, Jeff hauled a 12 ft. wide Xtreme Cube office cube from the fabrication and assembly facility in Henderson, Nevada, to an Ahern Rentals branch in Greer, South Carolina.

AX Transportation entered two trucks in the first annual Las Vegas Semi Truck Show.

The Las Vegas Semi Truck Show was sponsored by the Southern Nevada Chapter of the American Truck Historical Society. The event was held on April 22^nd at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Bullring and included a truck show during the day and truck races in the evening.

The American Truck Historical Society (ATHS) is the nation’s largest organization dedicated to the collection and preservation of the trucking industry, the history of trucks and its pioneers. ATHS has been growing in popularity with truck enthusiasts, as well as companies in the trucking industry, such as AX Transportation, interested in marketing and showcasing equipment, employee recruitment and networking opportunities. Membership for ATHS increased from 350 in 1977 to 9,000 in 1990. Current membership today is 21,000.

AX Transportation entered two trucks in the show; a Kenworth T680 with Doonon step deck featuring an Xtreme and Snorkel logoed Conestoga top, and to advertise Ahern Rentals, they entered a Kenworth T680 tractor with a new Landoll trailer, showcasing an Xtreme Telehandler XR1245 riding on its deck for Xtreme effect.

Along with over 200 attendees, the company representatives present were Chris Nigro, Transportation Manager, Rob Mortimer, Compliance and Safety Specialist, Robert Hawkins, Fleet Manager for Ahern Rentals and truck drivers, Joe Reisert and Craig Hayward.

Joe Reisert was a lucky winner of $250 worth of tools from the show raffle, and Rob Mortimer participated as an expert judge. The grand prize winner of the show took home $6,000 for the semi truck category, and $1,000 checks went to the pickup truck, as well as the 1988 and older category winners.

For more information on the American Truck Historical Society please visit, www.aths.org and for the Las Vegas Semi Truck Show please visit lvsemitruckshow.com.

A team from AX Transportation and Ahern Rentals toured the Peterbilt facility in Denton, Texas to review day cabs and sleeper cabs during production.

AX Transportation partners with Rush Truck Centers, who are authorized dealers of the Peterbilt brand, for their truck, trailer and tractor manufacturing needs. Due to increased business activity, AX Transportation is investing in a new truck each month for its fleet, in order to move away from outsourcing truck loads. This will ensure a more efficient and streamlined delivery process, as well as being more cost effective and efficient for all companies involved.

This year Rush Truck Centers will produce ten 567 sleeper tractors for AX Transportation, seventy 337 Model 18’s for Ahern Rentals and Xtreme Manufacturing, and fifty 567 daycabs for Ahern Rentals.

Attending the Peterbilt factory tour was Chris Nigro, General Manager for AX Transportation, Robert Hawkins, Fleet Manager for Ahern Rentals and Carlos Burton, Branch Manager of Ahern Rentals Irving, Texas. Peterbilt has the ability to produce 160 semi-tractors at various sizes and types every day, and the team toured the production lines.

Following the tour, Chris Nigro said, “Experiencing the high volume and advanced technological manufacturing capabilities at the Peterbuilt facility was both entertaining and educational for the team. During the visit, the Peterbilt team certified that all specifications put together by Robert Hawkins, for both the Ahern Rentals and AX Transportation fleet ordered were correct and will ensure an increase in operational efficiencies and reduced risk to employees.”

For more information on Peterbilt, please visit www.peterbilt.com.