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Gravy Day
The driver is the "face" of the company and a whole lot more. On the road with one of the best
by Bob Gatty
It’s 4 a.m. on a chilly March morning in Springfield and Bill Gibson, flashlight in hand, is checking red plastic bands affixed to tail gate latches to verify the truck that’s loaded and ready for his route in north-central Ohio. I shivered as I watched, hands jammed in jacket pockets against the cold.
Gibson, 49, has been performing this task for Eby-Brown Company, based in Naperville, IL and the largest privately owned candy, tobacco and convenience store distributor in the United States, for 25 years come July. He is part of a team of drivers who work out of the Springfield Ohio Distribution Center delivering products to customers throughout the region.
"Our drivers are the only face that the general public and many of our customers will see of Eby-Brown," says Jeff Bundy, vice-president of operations at the Springfield DC. "Their importance cannot be overstated. It goes far beyond simply delivering the goods and making sure orders are right. They are the face of our company to our customers, and in our company’s view, our customers are next to God."
Gibson rolls open the back door and jumps inside the 24-ft. pup trailer pulled by an International diesel-powered tractor. He carefully checks the load and makes sure the loading bars are in place. At 4:08 a.m., he climbs inside the cab for pre-trip inspection paperwork. The Xata unit times him as he checks the manifests and other documents.
"My departure time is 4:30, but I like to get started a little early because of the traffic from the Honda plant," he says. "It can get pretty busy." On up the road, there is a large Honda automobile facility with an early morning shift. He wants to beat that traffic.
Outside, Gibson checks the settings on the reefer unit, conducts his DOT pre-trip inspection and then completes his Driver’s Vehicle Inspection Report. At 4:24 a.m., he starts the truck, and pulls out of the gate.
"We have a few hundred boxes today – that’s light," he says as we head out of Springfield toward Galion and our first stop, a Moto Mart. There are three stops in Galion, about two hours north of Springfield. "Usually, we have about 500 boxes on this route," Gibson says, "but loads are kind of low, just coming out of winter and all."
On the way, Gibson talks about his job, his customers, his family, some of his experiences, his view of customer service, the company he works for, even a bit about politics and world affairs. He’s clearly well read, well grounded and knowledgeable with high personal standards. He’s not a big man, and his cap covers a mostly bald head. He has a wide, friendly smile that’s contagious.
"This job keeps you in pretty good shape," he says. "This is my 25th year. I’ve been doing this all those years. Boy does time fly. It kind of grows on you."
Gibson says most Eby-Brown drivers work four days a week with scheduled routes. "But you’re on call that fifth day. You get your 40 hours and usually a little more." In fact, before this day is done, Gibson will have put in more than 12 hours and covered 286 miles.
"I would say that four-day week is an incentive to help us keep our good drivers," says Bundy. "I’ve often thought about becoming a driver so I could go golfing another day during the week," he chuckles.
As I sit in the passenger’s seat groggy from getting up at such an inhumane hour, I ask Gibson about his family. I need him to talk, both so I can get to know him a little more and so I can stay awake.
"On June 11, I’ll have my 20th wedding anniversary," he says. "My wife asked me what I’m going to get her. I said, ‘How about another 20 years?’ She said, ‘That sounds good to me.’"
It’s 5:58 a.m. and we’re in Marion.
"We have about a half-hour to go until our first stop," Gibson says. "I was on this route when 9/11 happened. I was with a guy named John. It was his first day. That was a terrible day."
At 6:28, we enter Galion, whose town motto is "Big town close. Small town cozy." "Believe it or not, this is the biggest city we’re going to be in today," Gibson says. "I try to pull in within a half-hour either way so my customers know when to expect me."
Delivering the goods
It’s 6:35 a.m. when we pull into the Moto Mart. Gibson enters data into the Xata and begins moving cigarettes and other products into the store on his two-wheeler.
"He helps me check stuff when he comes in and makes sure we have everything right," says the store manager, Missy Gardner. "He’s right-on. He gets on the phone when something isn’t right, especially if it’s something we’re going to run out of. He is real thorough. He does a good job of keeping out of the customers’ way, too, and he’s never late. When I think of Eby-Brown, I think of Bill and the way he takes care of us. If he decides to hang it up, I don’t know what we’d do."
Meanwhile, Carol Kindler, the assistant manager, watches as Gibson unloads cigarettes. "Do we get any deals today?"
"Yep, Camels, Marlboro," Gibson replies.
"Yea, probably all menthol, though," Kindler responds.
Gibson gets two more dolly loads of candy and snacks, carefully placing it at the end of the aisle. Then, he gets another load of product and takes it to the back room. Three cases of windshield washer fluid are placed next to the display outside. A dolly-full of juices and Gatorade is taken to the back room.
Then, he hops into the back of the truck, replaces the bars, gets some frozen pizzas and refrigerated product from the reefer and takes them into the store. At 7:18, as the first rays of light come through the gray early morning gloom, we pull out of the parking lot.
"Boy, she really thinks you do a great job," I say to Gibson.
"Yea, I’ve gotten to where I like to get around and service my stops and see all my people," he says.
Seven minutes later we’re at the Speedway two blocks away, where Gibson performs essentially the same tasks as he did at the Moto Mart. "He’s the face of the company, him and the other driver," says Jackie Jeffries, the store manager. "He goes out of his way to help. They both do."
Customers are lined up in front of the register so Gibson takes his dolly to the back of the store to avoid them, then comes back around to the office that’s behind the counter.
At 7:56, he checks to make sure everything is right and as he closes up the trailer, the sun makes the pavement glisten, wet from the rain the day before. The store is getting busy now as people stop in for morning coffee and smokes.
The third stop in Galion is a Rich, also operated by Speedway. It’s a much smaller store, but Gibson’s work is no less important to Brenda McMillan, the manager there. "Without those drivers, we wouldn’t get our merchandise," she says. "I rely on both of my drivers. They have a very positive attitude, no matter what. They’re one of the only connections we have with the company."
It’s 8:26 and now we’re heading to Shelby, where Gibson says there are two stores just about across the street from each other – a Marathon and a Clark. We’re heading east and into the sun, bouncing on a two-lane road. "I love the sun," Gibson says, as I feel myself nodding off, eyes heavy, wondering what I’m doing riding in this truck in the middle of nowhere.
Gibson says the next stop is in Shelby, another five miles.
There, the Mickey Mart store manager, Christy Jones, credits Gibson with helping to make sure problems are avoided. "He usually catches it before I do," she says. "That way we can send it back without having to go through calling it in."
Knowing the customer
It’s 9:02 and Gibson is delivering 29 boxes of product. "Jim, take care of that back," he says to an employee who is putting away cigarettes, bending over, a back brace clearly visible. "Don’t hurt it again."
Across the street and down a bit is the tiny Clark store, also owned by Marathon. We arrive at 9:25, and manager Ann Porter says, "We rely on Bill. He knows how to do his job. He knows where everything goes, where we want to put everything."
"That makes everybody’s job easier," he says.
She’s counting product that’s been delivered. "I got 63," she says. "Is that right?"
"That’s perfect," he says.
At 10:01 a.m., we pull into the Mickey Mart in Plymouth, where Gibson is to deliver 17 boxes. "I love my Eby drivers," says Michelle Dillman, the store manager. "They make sure everything is right."
Twenty-three minutes later we’re heading for New Washington, a Mickey Mart that Bill says has a Subway in it. "I am starved," I tell him. "I am really glad to hear that."
Over the next 25 minutes while we’re driving to New Washington, Gibson talks about the importance of customer service. "We have to do whatever we can for our customers," he says. "We can’t lose any customers, that’s a fact."
He recalls the time that he drove two boxes of sandwiches that were not included in the delivery many miles to a customer who needed them. "I think we do a real good job of keeping our customers happy," he says.
Finally, at 10:50 a.m., we’re at the Mickey Mart, a large, shiny unit with a Subway. While Gibson starts unloading 31 boxes of merchandise, I head for the restaurant in the back and a Spicy Italian with extra meat and cheese. Haven’t eaten anything but a glass of juice and a muffin – and that, at 3:30 a.m.
Over the years, Bill has befriended many of his customers.
"You moved in yet?" he asks the Mickey Mart manager.
"I’m settled in and everything is OK," she says.
"I’m glad you’re settled," he replies.
Gibson is obviously friendly and helpful by nature. But there is a very practical reason for his attention, too.
"I don’t want anybody taking a long time to pay their bill because of something I might have done," he says. "I always try to get on their good side. Anybody in any kind of delivery business learns that lesson pretty quick."
Gravy train route
It’s 11:24 and we roll out of the Mickey Mart. "This is my gravy train route," Gibson says. "Some routes can run 600 or 700 boxes. Anything under 400, I consider gravy."
Twenty-six minutes later we enter Bucyrus, roll past the "Good Eats" restaurant to the light right before town. We turn left into the Speedway at 11:55, where Gibson delivers 33 boxes, including cigarettes, cappuccino, foodservice supplies, water, sandwiches, candy, tobacco and snuff, and grocery items.
Back in the truck, he says it’s about 40 more minutes to the last stop in Vanlue.
At 1 p.m., we pull into the Marathon where the owner’s nine-year-old granddaughter, Cheyenne, is proudly signing the credit sheets. "I’ve got a key to the office, too," she says.
"Hey Bill, you know what’s in two weeks?" Cheyenne asks Gibson.
"I know, it’s your birthday, isn’t it?"
"Yup," she says. "I’m going to be 10."
Later in the truck, Gibson explains: "Two years ago, I bought her a little present on her birthday. Then, last year she reminded me. Now she’s reminding me again, the little rascal."
At 1:20 p.m., we’re done at the Marathon, and Bill is eating two pieces of Hunt Brothers Pepperoni Pizza given to him by Cheyenne’s grandmother. "Grab a Hunt," it says on the box.
Now, we have a good two-hour drive back to the DC in Springfield.
Gibson talks about his family, about how he would like to take his wife on a nice trip somewhere for their anniversary. The conversation turns to our nation’s priorities and about how we’re spending so much money in foreign countries while so many people here at home need help.
We talk about movies and music and books. Gibson says he prefers to listen to talk shows on the radio rather than music. And he talks about his job, which he says he really enjoys.
"Eby-Brown believes that we are the key contact between the company and the customer," he says. "They treat their drivers fairly. They definitely show their respect of their drivers.
It’s 3:36 p.m. We pull into the terminal and Gibson drives up to the diesel pump for refueling. We’ve covered 286 miles, delivered 251 boxes of merchandise to nine customers (If I’ve counted right!), and Gibson says it was a "gravy" trip.
Maybe. He did all the work, and I feel like I’ve been beaten with a club.
The company view
Inside the terminal, driver manager Dave Bernas points out that new Eby-Brown drivers get about a month’s training with the company’s top drivers, such as Gibson. "The best drivers I have," he says, are focused on customer service, are good decision-makers, and can solve problems at the store. My good drivers take care of all of the issues out there in the field, and they don’t have to call me, or my assistant managers, too often. Their value to this company is unbelievable. If they didn’t take care of our customers in this way, we would have to have more people on staff to pick up the slack."
He notes, too, the importance of the drivers’ understanding of DOT rules and regulations and their competence behind the wheel.
"If we get pulled over and fail an inspection, it’s a black eye for the company," Bernas says. "If a driver gets pulled over for speeding, it’s a black eye for the company. Our reputation is on the line."
Bernas’ boss, Jeff Bundy, recalls the time that an Eby-Brown driver was pulling into a store to make a delivery when he saw a state trooper getting beat up by a suspect.
"He stopped what he was doing, ran over and pinned the guy to the ground while the state trooper slapped the cuffs on him. Then, he grabbed his two-wheeler and went on making his delivery. Most of my drivers are just that type of guy. I couldn’t ask for anything more."
"Our drivers have to be able to think on their feet," says Bernas. "They have to know our company, our customers, and be able to gain their trust. At Eby-Brown, the customer is second only to God. It’s right here in our handbook."
As this conversation takes place, Gibson checks in and heads for home.
‘I’m ready for a workout," he says. "This was an easy day."
Bob Gatty is a writer based in Pooleville, MD and a regular contributor to Distribution Channels.
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