PUTNAM COUNTY – Cookeville-based Averitt Express is expanding by adding two new locations in the Northeast.
Company officials say they have added drop yards in Hagerstown, Maryland, and St. Albans, West Virginia, to help the company better handle growth in that region. The locations are firsts in each state.
“We’re experiencing growth of business with shipments to and from the Northeast. These locations give us flexibility and increase density by allowing us to have a broader reach,” Danny Crooks, vice president of corporate transportation, told the UCBJ.
With the move, Averitt now has approximately 120 total locations, including nearly 90 service centers and 30 drop yards. Drop yards are secured meeting points where drivers can drop off trailers for another driver to continue a run, as well as pick up their Averitt tractor to begin their workweek.
To start, Averitt is looking to hire three drivers at each location and is offering a $5,000 sign-on bonus for those who qualify. Crooks expects the number of drivers to increase quickly in those markets.
Every new hire is brought to Cookeville for paid orientation, which provides a boost to the local economy. It’s also very unique within the transportation industry, he added.
Averitt’s corporate headquarters are located on Neal Street in Cookeville. Established in 1971, the company is a leading provider of freight transportation and supply chain management with international reach to more than 100 countries.
