BONNYVILLE - Whether you want a load of building materials, a transmission, tires or pails of ice cream delivered to the local visitors’ centre, the Lakeland region’s newest trucking businesses can carry out the request.
Bonnyville-based Defender LTL serves communities across the Lakeland region, providing industrial, commercial, and individual hauling services. Jordan Antoniuk and his brother Derek – along with their significant others Shaylene and Kirsten – own and operate Defender LTL.
The fast-growing, steady-moving transport business has been in operation for the last six months.
The new freight-hauling business runs with an old-school focus on customer service.
Jordan says that heightened focus on customer service is what sets Defender apart from other trucking companies in the region. Putting the customer first means the brothers make it super easy for clients to get hold of staff at any time of day or night. The customer-first focus also means Defender strives to make all parts of the pickup and delivery process run as smoothly and efficiently as the trucks carrying the cargo.
“The main thing is our major focus on customer experience and quality service,” he said. “I think the other thing that distinguishes us is our ability to be flexible and to make changes based on the customer’s needs very quickly.”
Experience
The Antoniuk brothers have held their Class I licenses since turning 18, more than a decade ago. They’ve also spent years fine-tuning ideas for a local business.
They started rolling with their new business this past April after seeing a gap in the regional market for freight transportation. Starting up a business with a mandate to deliver items to clients around the Lakeland seemed like the logical thing to do, said Jordan.
Defender got on the road with humble beginnings, starting off with a five-ton box truck.
Over the past six months, the company’s fleet has grown to four delivery trucks and two tandem axle tractors.
The growing fleet has been busy delivering a variety of freight to customers across the Lakeland region. Jordan says the requests run from one end of the spectrum to the other – from the oilfield to local commercial deliveries to provincial agencies – and yes, even to ice cream stores.
“We’ve done deliveries for Alberta Health Services, local mechanic and parts shops, and even dropped off buckets of ice cream to the Shaw House in Bonnyville for the local visitor information and interpretive centre,” said Jordan. “Sometimes, it’s just small cardboard boxes that maybe has just one component or one part, but then we get very large loads like entire lifts of siding. So, it’s basically anything and everything.”
Jordan also wants to get the word out that Defender LTL offers free freight delivery to non-profit organizations within the area.
“So far, we’ve already delivered to the Lakeland Humane Society, free of charge, as we want to 'walk the walk' when we stress the importance of supporting local and giving back to our community.”
The owners of the new trucking company say they enjoy providing a variety of services in a vibrant area of the province.
“I think the Lakeland area is a great place to live,” he stated. “There’s been a lot of development…a lot more people coming to the area…there’s new projects being started and new construction as well.”
National Trucking Awareness
With September being National Trucking Awareness Month in many parts of the world, Jordan said it’s a good profession to be a part of. Recognizing truck drivers and truck transport companies helps to raise awareness to the key role carried out – literally – by the industry, he said.
"I think it not only recognizes the work that truck drivers do, but also reminds the public how freight gets delivered to their homes or to local stores where they shop,” he said. “Most items we buy in our local stores have found their way to the shelves by companies and drivers who help keep the economies rolling.”
