Haverty Talks Transportation

As the 2014 National Industrial Transportation League's Executive of the Year award, Micheal Haverty understands the challenges of our industry.  In a legendary handshake deal aboard a train, Haverty and the late J.B. Hunt established our historic intermodal partnership.  This would mark the first time a Class 1 railroad went into business with a truckload carrier. 

As the retired Executive Chairman of the Kansas City Southern Railroad, Haverty was asked to share his lessons on leadership in an article with Logistics Management magazine.  Here are some of his key thoughts:

Young people need to understand that transportation operates around the clock.  If you think it is an eight-hour a day job, five days a week, then you have chosen the wrong industry.  You need to also understand that while IT is critical to the industry, you can't sit in your office and run things with a computer and a telephone.

You have to get on the ground to see and understand what's going on and  let employees see and know their leaders.  Having said all of this, I don't want to come across negative about transportation careers.  It's very gratifying as a leader to see a company run safely, efficiently, and economically while providing top-notch customer service.