OAKBROOK TERRACE, IL, December 18, 2008 – About a decade after the end of the Great Depression and one year before the end of World War II, the heads of 17 independent truck leasing companies met in Chicago to combine their efforts and share ideas in a new organization calling itself the National Truck Leasing System. In 2008, that same group is thriving, with a new name, 600 service locations, and a reason to celebrate. NationaLease, one of the largest full service truck leasing organizations in North America today, is celebrating its 65th Anniversary in 2009.
A fascinating video on the history of truck leasing in America is posted on the NationaLease Website at www.nationalease.com to show how in the age on mergers and buy-outs, the independent truck leasing company is alive and well. “By creating an alliance of truck leasing companies, NationaLease has enabled these entrepreneurs to do what they do best – provide outstanding service to customers on the local level in a way that big corporations cannot,” said Gene Scoggins, President of NationaLease. “What these companies have now that let them remain competitive in this tough economy are the resources, services, group buying power, and leading-edge technology that much bigger companies have.”
The 11-minute video takes the viewer back to the time of the Depression, when tight financing led to the idea of leasing equipment rather than buying it. Later, equipment shortages and rationing during World War II continued the momentum towards the truck leasing concept. When the 17 founding affiliates of NationaLease met in 1944, they knew that the best way for them to stay successful was to band together, share their knowledge, and use their combined purchasing strength to their full advantage.
The video includes interviews with the leaders of several of the nation’s largest independent truck leasing companies, most of whom are descendants of the original owners. It takes the visitor through the days of transporting goods with horse and carriages through to today’s technology-driven transportation services.
NationaLease has a combined customer fleet of over 125,000 tractors, trucks, and trailers. The company provides comprehensive fleet management services to private fleets and transportation service providers. More information can be found at www.nationalease.com.
Click here to watch a video on the History of NationaLease.
CAPTION:
Tight financing near the time of the Depression led to the idea of leasing trucks rather than buying them. The truck leasing industry has flourished since the establishment of NationaLease 65 years ago, with many affiliate member companies whose histories date back even further, such as Aim NationaLease, founded in 1906.
