Kevin Nolan's Thoughts on Chicago Trucking Companies

Kevin Nolan, who doesn't really need an introduction, but just in case you don't know who he is, here's a quick background. Kevin is the Founder of NTG (Nolan Transportation Group), one of the largest freight brokerages in the US. He also founded OTR Solutions, Marquee Insurance Group, and Sope Creek Capital.

A few years ago, he sold a majority stake in NTG and OTR to private equity and is now primarily focused on investing in freight tech companies. This is a short bio. For a more in-depth understanding, you can read our article on him below.

How Kevin Nolan Built A Freight Empire (Full Version)

Growing up, Kevin Nolan was the kid you’d find handing out extra lunches, always craving those pats on the back. His desire to be well-liked combined with a competitive nature is the perfect mix for building an empire.

FreightCaviarPaul-Bernard Jaroslawski

We had the honor of interviewing Kevin Nolan three days ago on our weekly live show, "Freight Gong Friday," where I, Krystian Gebis, and Reed Loustalot discuss important headline stories for the week and sometimes feature a guest.

The interview was great, and you can rewatch it below. What sparked my interest was what Kevin had to say about Chicago-based trucking companies and, more importantly, how he has recently been spending a decent amount of time in the Windy City cultivating relationships with carriers.

He mentioned that on his recent visit, he went to Sky Spa Sauna in Buffalo Grove, IL—an Eastern European local favorite. Here is what Kevin had to say:

I recently visited Sky Spa Sauna in Buffalo Grove, IL, to chat with some Eastern European truckers. It was great to hear their stories and understand their experiences firsthand.

I have been there a couple of times myself, most recently in February with Bob Kruz, who runs the usa_transportation account on Instagram. Funny enough, before visiting, I posted this meme below. The image was taken directly from the Sky Spa Sauna Google page.

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A post shared by Man, I Love Freight 🇺🇸 (@freightcaviar)

So what does Kevin Nolan think of Chicago trucking companies? Here is what he had to say:

15 years ago, the Chicagoland trucker was looked at as like sketchyville, right? Sketchyville USA. Not anymore. They have proven themselves and are now a vital part of the trucking community... I'm feeling very optimistic about the Chicago trucking community. There's a lot of resilience and potential here, especially with the dedicated and hardworking individuals I met.

If you're a trucker or trucking company based out of the Chicago area, be on the lookout for Kevin. He might be in the sauna getting hit with birch branches next time you're there. 😉

Freight Gong Friday: War Stories w/ Kevin Nolan | LinkedIn

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