About Us

After incorporating in 1985, Tim Gatlin, Chairman & CEO, and his late father, Ed Gatlin, led Empire Express to become the strong, respected carrier it is today. Tim continues to lead the company in steady growth and success.

Empire Express hauls two kinds of freight, dry van and flatbed, across the 48 contiguous states, with service to Alaska, Canada and Mexico.

Our dry van division handles cargo that requires time-sensitivity, safety-sensitivity, or both. Roughly half of our dry van loads are packaged chemicals or related products (agricultural chemicals and poisons, paint-related materials and styrenes, polymers and other chemicals used by the chemical process industry). We also haul clothing and apparel, air cargo, home and office products, packaging and containers, paper products, retail goods, electronics, cotton and general commodities. Our van focus is shipper-partners who demand safe, on-time service and who offer driver-friendly, no-touch freight.

Our flatbed division hauls steel, pipe, aluminum coil and sheet, and roofing shingles on open deck. Our regional flatbed fleet runs throughout the South, the Ohio Valley and the East Coast, and our dedicated flatbed operation gives shippers committed, day-in, day-out capacity. Our flatbed shippers get the same commitment: cargo secured right and delivered safely and on time.

History of Empire

When Ed Gatlin, founded Empire Express, Inc. in 1985, he started it from a smaller private fleet that had been rejected by a big multi-national corporation. At the time, Big Ed was simply trying to help the drivers in the small fleet, who had always been loyal to him. When the time came for a decision on what to do with the fleet, Big Ed remembered the hard work and respect the drivers had given him. He did not let them down. He started Empire Express with that group of dedicated drivers.

Our Mission

The Empire Express mission is to develop long-term partnerships with our customers, to deliver shipments with a sense of urgency, safely and on-time, to continually improve all aspects of the company, to provide the highest quality transportation services that we can profitably, and to increase our shareholder equity.

Quality

We seek to understand our customers’ needs at every level of their supply chain. We understand our customers’ objectives of on-time pickup and delivery and meeting scheduled deadlines, and we work as a team to meet these objectives safely. Empire is committed to maintaining the high level of service that our customers have come to expect from us over the years.

Philosophy

Our philosophy, “Treat People Right,” started with our founder, Ed Gatlin, back in 1985. To “Treat People Right” is the way we do business and it applies to all aspects of Empire Express. It’s part of our culture.

Certifications

• Customs – Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT)
• Certified Signatory – International Cyanide Management Institute
• SmartWay Carrier