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<blockquote data-quote="retired" data-source="post: 61517">Fixing a flat tire may not be the most glamorous way to make a buck, but the folks at Interstar Maintenance &amp;amp; Repair Management Systems have built a $30 million business around such rudimentary repairs. &nbsp;Sales at the Crescent Springs, Ky.-based company grew 25 percent this year, thanks to growth in Mexico and throughout the United States on the back of increased business with United Parcel Service. &nbsp;The idea of Interstar is simple. The execution isn&#039;t. &nbsp;The company is sort of a AAA road service for trucking and other transportation firms. Its clients are the major U.S. railroads and many steamship companies and trucking companies that transport cargo in trailers. The trailers move from ship or train onto trucks. &nbsp;When a tire blows or a hydraulic lift jams, truckers anywhere in North America call Interstar&#039;s hotline. The calls are answered in the company&#039;s Crescent Springs offices. A computer network identifies the caller&#039;s location, and a map of nearby service centers appears on a computer screen. The operator dispatches a repair crew from one of Interstar&#039;s 25,000 vendors to fix the problem. &nbsp;From the time the breakdown occurs to the time the truck is back on the road takes an average of one hour and 45 minutes, officials say. On the busiest days, there are 600 breakdowns. In a year, 100,000 occur. &nbsp;Interstar was created in 1983 by John friend. Shortridge, the company president, and two partners who are no longer with the company. They hired 17-year-old Rodney G. Goderwis that year. Goderwis grew up with the company and has risen to vice president. &nbsp;The company grew from a basement operation with a staff of three to a private corporation that now employs about 80 workers and 500 inventory centers from which it distributes tires. &nbsp;Shortridge, a former terminal manager for Southern Railway, said the company has grown through seeking feedback from customers, investing in new technology and giving employees responsibility and good benefits. &nbsp;In a tight job market, Interstar has kept turnover low. Benefits for every employee include a 50 percent match of 401(k) contributions, health-club memberships, health, dental and vision insurance and company-sponsored field trips.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="retired, post: 61517"] Fixing a flat tire may not be the most glamorous way to make a buck, but the folks at Interstar Maintenance & Repair Management Systems have built a $30 million business around such rudimentary repairs. Sales at the Crescent Springs, Ky.-based company grew 25 percent this year, thanks to growth in Mexico and throughout the United States on the back of increased business with United Parcel Service. The idea of Interstar is simple. The execution isn't. The company is sort of a AAA road service for trucking and other transportation firms. Its clients are the major U.S. railroads and many steamship companies and trucking companies that transport cargo in trailers. The trailers move from ship or train onto trucks. When a tire blows or a hydraulic lift jams, truckers anywhere in North America call Interstar's hotline. The calls are answered in the company's Crescent Springs offices. A computer network identifies the caller's location, and a map of nearby service centers appears on a computer screen. The operator dispatches a repair crew from one of Interstar's 25,000 vendors to fix the problem. From the time the breakdown occurs to the time the truck is back on the road takes an average of one hour and 45 minutes, officials say. On the busiest days, there are 600 breakdowns. In a year, 100,000 occur. Interstar was created in 1983 by John friend. Shortridge, the company president, and two partners who are no longer with the company. They hired 17-year-old Rodney G. Goderwis that year. Goderwis grew up with the company and has risen to vice president. The company grew from a basement operation with a staff of three to a private corporation that now employs about 80 workers and 500 inventory centers from which it distributes tires. Shortridge, a former terminal manager for Southern Railway, said the company has grown through seeking feedback from customers, investing in new technology and giving employees responsibility and good benefits. In a tight job market, Interstar has kept turnover low. Benefits for every employee include a 50 percent match of 401(k) contributions, health-club memberships, health, dental and vision insurance and company-sponsored field trips. [/QUOTE]

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