Clark Transfer – Let’s Get The Show On The Road!
HARRISBURG, PA…. “For four generations, Clark Transfer has been a leader in a very specialized arena,” states President Norma Molitch Deull. “We proudly serve the entertainment industry, providing reliable cost-effective solutions to the logistical and transportation challenges of getting the stuff of live entertainment where it needs to go and when it needs to get there. Since our modest beginnings 75 years ago, much has changed, but one central commitment has remained constant: we are fanatically dedicated to service. You can count on us to get your show on the road. Because there is, after all, “No Business Like Show Business!”
And get the show on the road, they do! Clark Transfer has a 99+% on-time record. The company must deliver on time, every time. However, owner-operators that join Clark Transfer are pleasantly surprised to learn that they earn better than most in the industry while driving tens of thousands fewer miles every year. Most Clark solo drivers earn from 175k to 225k or more, while most teams earn from 275k to 325k or more. Solo drivers nearly all drive less than 85,000 miles per year, and they earn a guaranteed minimum weekly average of $3,500, though most do much better. Teams earn a guaranteed average weekly minimum of $5,000, with most earning much more, while driving less than 110,000 miles per year.
The philosophy for owner-operators at Clark Transfer is: "Drive less earn more. Save wear and tear on your body and your truck." Clark Transfer is leasing contractors throughout the USA with power units for their 100% owner-operator fleet to pull their trailers. All loads are irregular route, and nearly 100% no-touch. Since the loads are time critical, Clark Transfer gives their contractors full and immediate breakdown support. Drivers are paid on all miles - loaded, empty, or bobtail. Tours may last a single week or multiple months, depending on show itineraries, so drivers are compensated for all sitting time. Sometimes as many as 10-20 drivers are dispatched at a time to serve a single show. Currently there are over 100 contractors leased to Clark Transfer and the company would like to bring on 10 to 20 more owner-operators to serve today's strong demand for live entertainment. The lifestyle for Clark Transfer drivers is different than at most trucking companies, but for those who enjoy it, it is a great fit. In fact, the company's very low turnover rate mostly comes from retirements.
Clark Transfer has hauled equipment for Broadway shows including Hamilton, The Lion King, Hello Dolly, and Phantom of the Opera; orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Boston Pops, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra; operas and dance companies like the Metropolitan Opera and Moscow Ballet; and music icons including Willie Nelson and The Rolling Stones. In the process, Clark Transfer has set the standard for show business logistics and entertainment transportation.
In the 1930s, Louis Molitch worked with Jim Clark at a Philadelphia-based company called Highway Express Lines that delivered newspapers and magazines to newsstands and film containers to local theaters. In this era, theatrical equipment was transported exclusively by rail, limiting theater goers to larger metropolitan cities.
A visionary man, Louis Molitch in 1949 applied for and received 48-state authority to transport theatrical equipment by truck, and branded as Clark Transfer to specialize in this new business. Clark Transfer was the first company, and for many years the only one, with this authority. The company first operated out of Philadelphia, moved for a brief period to Burlington, New Jersey, and finally put its roots down in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in the 1970s. Louis’s children, Matthew and Norma, continued to operate Clark Transfer after Louis’s death in 1965. When he retired in 1980, Matthew sold the theatrical division to his sister, Norma Molitch Deull.
Norma has been involved with the family business her entire life. She said, “I learned early on how to pack a car trunk, but my most important lesson was to never be late!” At the age of 90, Norma is excited that her sons and grandchildren are carrying the family legacy forward. She continues to work in the business every day, but can now focus on other things she enjoys, including international travel and attending shows. Everyone in the family shares a love of the theater.
Norma said, “We are looking for a few drivers who are a good fit for our unique fleet of entertainment logistics and transportation professionals.” Call 800-440-6361 to find out more about Clark Transfer.
“Better 3 hours too soon than a minute too late.” – William Shakespeare