Hirschbach Motor Lines – Not Your Typical Trucking Company

Steve Pollock
June 2022

DUBUQUE, IA…. Imagine working for a company that makes decisions based on a driver first mentality – one that has a driver first corporate culture… a company that has a driver advisory board to help its executives make decisions.  A place that specs their trucks with driver amenities, not to just make your driving more comfortable, but your off-duty time as well.  Trucks and trailers adorned with attractive, contemporary graphics.  A place where the CEO gets his CDL, and hauls loads of freight for the express purpose of knowing what his drivers contend with each and every day. When you visit nearly any terminal, you will find showers, a drivers lounge, gym, and a heated and air-conditioned kennel for your dog or cat.  That place is veteran owned Hirschbach Motor Lines.

Hirschbach Motor Lines was founded in 1935 by Ray Hirschbach with a single truck.  Ray hauled bananas out of Gulfport, Mississippi to points north and hauled meat back to Gulfport.  In 1997, Ray’s son George sold Hirschbach to Tom Grojean, Sr., who, in 2013, sold the company to his son, Tom Grojean, Jr. and current CEO Brad Pinchuk.  It was around this time that Hirschbach experienced substantial growth through fleet expansion and acquisition.  Current President Dan Wallace has worked at Hirschbach since 2012.

Today the Hirschbach fleet is comprised of over 2,100 power units, soon to grow to over 3,000 with the recent acquisition of John Christner Trucking.  In keeping step with their “Driver Focused – Driver First” mentality, Hirschbach has spec’d their late-model Freightliner Cascadias and International LT tractors with Cummins engines with a host of driver amenities including: free Sirius XM Radio, 24” Smart TVs for streaming shows, large capacity refrigerators, Carrier APUs, heated and cooled seats, and optional high-speed in-cab Wi-Fi.  The newest equipment also has automatic wipers and high beams as well as blind spot technology that goes the entire length of the trailer.  All this and 24/7 support for breakdowns, dispatch or anything else you may need while out on the road.

Hirschbach operates on primary lanes between the Midwest and points East and Southeast, with secondary lanes from the Midwest to the West and Southwest. The company hauls processed meats out and other commodities back.  The addition of JCT has added a freight network coast to coast across the southern tier of the US. Hirschbach also operates an entertainment division – Xtreme - of 150 trucks that haul gear, serving the entertainment industry.

Hirschbach hires company drivers, and independent contractors for lease purchase. Hirschbach honors and hires Veterans, offering Vets special programs.  They offer OTR and dedicated lanes for solo and team drivers throughout the USA.  There are also 30-35 locations that drivers work on-site doing local deliveries and are home every night. 

A leader in the temperature-controlled industry, Hirschbach is predominately a truckload refrigerated carrier, but is not afraid to think outside the box to serve their customers, no matter what it takes.

The company offers mileage based top industry pay for company drivers and independent contractors.  Independent contractors doing lease purchase pay only 99¢ per gallon for fuel, all day – every day, no matter what the price of fuel or what the fuel surcharge is.  Hirschbach operates their own CDL training centers, one at the corporate office in Dubuque, Iowa and another in Kansas City, Kansas.  Students are paid weekly from day one and also receive free room and board.  The CDL program takes 4 weeks to complete and 4 weeks with a driver trainer before going solo.

So – what’s your drive?  Find the right job for your lifestyle at Hirschbach by calling 800-262-9416.  You may even see Hirschbach CEO Brad Pinchuk and his wife Jillayne hauling a load of freight and gaining firsthand oversight from the driver’s perspective.