Southland Transportation Company, Growing Since 1988, Keeps an Eye on Expansion

By Ann Piccuninni

Southland Transportation Company in Boonville is a Yadkin County-based business that has grown dramatically over the years, well beyond the county’s borders.

“We are a trucking company. We also have a logistics firm. We pick up and deliver goods across the United States, Mexico and Canada,” said President and CEO Jason Smith. “This facility in Boonville is where we started back in 1988. We’ve expanded considerably since then.”

Today, the company works with a staff of about 360 employees along with roughly 40 contracted owner-operators.

Beginning with just three trucks, Southland currently has a fleet of 210 trucks and 850 trailers, moving a variety of goods for retailers, manufacturers and other clients.

“The company has several terminals where we domicile equipment and drivers,” said Smith.

These include terminals in Boonville and Charlotte, North Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee; Laredo, Texas; and locations just outside of Atlanta, Georgia.

Southland also has offices in multiple locations including in Hickory, Asheville and Greensboro, North Carolina and in Charleston, South Carolina.

Future plans include continued growth and expansion.

“We’re always looking to grow our company through organic growth and acquisitions,” Smith said.

Smith was hired 29 years ago as a dispatcher, originally intending to stay only temporarily while pursuing a career in teaching, working under the leadership of Southland Transportation founder R.J. Cummings.

“I started at the bottom and worked my way up,” Smith said.

The trucking industry and Southland proved to be a great fit for both Smith’s ambitions and his talent for managing logistics and a multitude of trucking industry challenges.

Over the years, Cummings mentored Smith, recognizing his management and leadership skills. In 2017, Smith took the company’s helm after Cummings retired.

Today, Smith oversees the company’s logistics and brokerage services, ensuring that goods are shipped expeditiously and safely.

“Our business is all based on time and efficiency,” he said.

The company works with business owners to accommodate warehousing, loading and unloading needs through providing optimum scheduling and trailer availability.

The company also actively supports the efforts of nonprofit organizations and schools in North Carolina and in Tennessee, a commitment that reflects Southland’s emphasis on being a good neighbor and community member.