A. O. Easley Trucks, Inc. / History

A.O. And His Truck 1934 A. 0. Easley Trucks was founded in 1928 by the late Mr. A. 0. Easley. As a young man growing up in the piney woods of the East Texas town of Elkhart, A. 0. Easley expressed an extreme passion for transportation. It was in the Elkhart that A. 0. Easley worked with his father farming cotton and peanuts. Based on this farming venture, Mr. Easley and his father derived the need to transport their harvested crops to market. They, in turn, purchased three 1928 flat bed Model T Fords. Unknowingly, this acquisition was the beginning of A. 0. Easley Trucks.

At fifteen years old and very matured, A. 0. Easley made his greatest sacrifice for his family. Being the eldest of four children, with his father now very ill, and on the brink of the "Great Depression"; A. 0. Easley forfeited any possibility of future education. He left school and assumed his father's responsibility of family provider, simply to be able to place food on his family's table. This act of unselfishness, maybe foreign by today's standards, yet created a characteristic that remains a foundation of existence for A. 0, Easley Trucks today: FAMILY DEDICATION.

Recognizing his limited amount of resources, A. 0. Easley then turned to his trucks to provide some means of viable income. After assuming many unprofitable local jobs, Mr. Easley had the opportunity to contract his services to the local county highway department. By transporting the county's sand and gravel, he was able to hire two additional drivers, and drive one truck himself. A.O. And Betty 1942

The sand and gravel movement lasted until the late nineteen thirties for Mr. Easley. It was at this time that Mr. Easley purchased a local saw mill. Hard work was not unfamiliar for Mr. Easley, and as one could imagine, it was hard work and dedication that allowed the saw mill to prosper. As the business grew, more trucks were obtained to transport both the whole and milled timbers for his customers.

Another person was indoctrinated into the world of trucking in 1937, when A. 0. Easley chose Irene Bennett as his wife. Irene would manage book keeping responsibilities from their kitchen table, while A. 0. would direct his concerns to the actual moving of freight.

A.O. And Thomas
Peanuts Hauled In Bags 1959 World War II was upon the nation, and A. 0. Easley was not eligible for enlistment, due to a childhood injury that rendered him permanently blind in one eye. Wanting to patronize his country during time of war, he began to mill and transport lumber to regional army bases.

It was in the mid-fifties that A. 0. Easley had the opportunity to sell his saw mill for a profit. With part of the proceeds, A. 0. Easley then purchased another truck and a thirty-six foot open-top van. The peanut industry was growing locally, and Mr. Easley was interested in pursuing his first passion, TRUCKING. By placing his customer's needs as priority, he quickly developed a respectable reputation among the state's peanut shippers.

The late nineteen fifties and early nineteen sixties brought about strict regulation. Through the pursuit of proper legal channels, A. 0. Easley was able to obtain his first operating authority granted by the State of Texas. (Peanuts, which continues to be utilized at current) The peanut industry's need for Mr. Easley's services increased; and as it did, he purchased additional trucks, additional authority, and moved a temporary office to Gorman, Texas. Gorman was the peanut capital of the southwest, conveniently located in West-Central Texas. Hauling Peanuts 1965

During the nineteen seventies A. 0. Easley Trucks prospered. In 1972 Mr. Easley was joined by his daughter and son in law, Betty and Thomas N. Harrison. This union added additional effectiveness and new depth to the company. Later, in 1972 Mr.Easley purchased a parcel of land in Gorman, which is still serving as our location today. An office, shop, fueling island, and parking area was constructed. The business was growing and additional equipment units were in demand. In addition to purchasing equipment, the practice of obtaining owner operators under contractual lease agreements became common.

Loading Peanuts 1989 A stroke in 1976, almost claimed A. 0. Easley's life and rendered him unable to participate in most business related affairs. After approximately one year of rehabilitation, Mr. Easley regained partial health and, despite his permanent disabilities, became active in his own business again. However, primary responsibilities of the operation were assumed by the preceding generation; thus, the end of an era and the beginning of a new.

The nineteen eighties meant substantial change for A. 0. Easley Trucks. The oil crisis dealt a sluggish local economy, and with increased competition within the realms of our own industry, it became necessary to attain a more diversified company infrastructure. Additional authorities and equipment were purchased. More concentration was focused towards general freight, both local and Interstate.

After many bouts with his declining health, A. 0. Easley passed away in June of 1987. Shortly before his death and recognizing his failing health, Mr. Easley requested two pleas from his grandson, Rhett Harrison. After Mr. Easley's death Rhett was to: one, assure that his family was provided for; and two, that Rhett would continue his business into the next generation. Rhett consented to his grandfather's request, and upon this commitment our company's future was assured for years to come. Going Reefer 1995

While remaining active in the family business, Rhett went on to obtain his BBA with a Management Concentration from a small church school in Abilene, Texas. McMurry University offered excellent studies in the area of Business, while allowing for a spiritual overtone. By obtaining his degree a business with over sixty years of experience, was joined by a higher level of education; a union was formed that allowed experience and education to walk hand in hand, to better endure futuristic changes.Rhett And Contessa's Wedding 1999 Ownership is now shared by the four family members, as are all management decisions. Now, well into the nineteen nineties, A. 0. Easley Trucks has endured the prospers and the pitfall of the nation's trucking economy since 1928. We are proud of this accomplishment and feel as though our very existence buys us a great deal of creditability. When Mr. Easley passed away, he left more than simply another business to his family members. In fact, he passed on a legacy. A heritage that runs through our veins and fuels our hearts. You see, A. 0. Easley Trucks derives from sacrifice, commitment to service, and good old fashioned hard work. As long as there exists a need for transportation; and with the above mentioned, the taking of calculated risks, faith, and a little luck, A. 0. Easley Trucks will continue for generations to come. A.O. EASLEY TRUCKS P.O. BOX 613 700 ROBERTS STREET GORMAN, TX 76454 (254)734-2819 (254)734-3366 FAX Copyright � 1999 A.O. Easley Trucks, Inc.