Beginnings
Brothers Galen and Carroll Rouse found Roadway Express in 1930. Their first shipment consisted of a load of tires from Akron to St. Louis.
Competition
Railroad companies pushed for regulation to restrain competition, and Congress passed the Motor Carrier Act in 1935. The Interstate Commerce Commission oversaw standard rates, and Galen envisioned great potential in this new climate.
Status
The regulations of the late 1930s helped to limit competition and the trucking industry was elevated to the status of a public utility. This allowed Roadway Express to hold exclusive rights to its productive routes.
Expansion
World War II brought an increased demand for transportation by truck. Roadway Express began to replace owner-operators with hired drivers in 1945. By the early 1950s the ratio of truck-to-train ton-miles had doubled.
Changes
In 1956 Carroll sold his interest to the public for around $5 million. In the next decade, Galen expanded the number of network terminals to 135, and further acquisitions in the 1990s led to expansion into the markets of Europe, Canada and Mexico.
Article Written By Derek Bullard
Derek Bullard has more than 25 years of writing experience and is published in Backpacker, Toy Shop, and Murderous Intent Mystery Magazine. Bullard has a business degree from The University of Oklahoma, and has a background in sales, marketing, and administration.
