The Maine Forest Products Council (MFPC) announced its annual awards for the best of 2018 at its 58th annual meeting Sept. 18, including Treeline Inc. of Lincoln, which received the Outstanding Trucking Award.
“In recognition of outstanding forest products trucking through tireless pursuits of innovation, loaded miles and a commitment to quality service.”
“Treeline is pleased to be serving so many quality Maine Forest Products customers and looks forward to serving them well,” Souers said.
Treeline has been in business for 38 years and Started hauling round wood with two loader trucks in 1985. In the late 1980s, Treeline began growing the tractor trailer fleet and in hauling biomass chips in 2003. The trucking service peaked in 2015 with 25 trucks, 55 trailers and 10 contracted trucks. In 2016, the company scaled back to 20 trucks, 45 trailers and two contracted trucks, because two wood yards were shut down and biomass and pulp markets declined.
Jason Brochu (right) of Pleasant River Lumber presents the Outstanding Trucking Award to Brian Souers, Treeline president.
In 2017, Treeline began flatbed hauling, predominantly lumber out of Maine and logs back in. Currently the company is dispatching 8 to 10 flatbeds, of which two to four are owner operators. These trucks are now covering a good portion of the East Coast.
The company began hauling water tankers for Poland Spring on Aug. 1, 2018, and currently is doing this with four trucks and eight drivers. So total fleet is now 32 trucks, 60 trailers and four to six contracted trucks.
Most of the credit goes to Operations Manager Bob Bethune, Souers said, who has been a Treeline Team Leader for over 31 years now. Bethune has been joined by one of Treeline’s top drivers, Floyd Wilcox, who has stepped up to develop and oversee the flatbed and water hauling business.
Treeline understands the industry’s need for safe and efficient transportation providers as well the challenges of professional driver development. To that end, the company has developed an aggressive safety and compliance program as well an in-house Driver Apprentice training program.