How much do things change in a century? How many companies can not only survive but also continue to prosper for that length of time? One company, Jones Motor Co., Inc., has proven to have exactly that kind of staying power. It isn’t the same as when it started but one thing has remained constant, Jones Motor knows the trucking business. In a time when many are closing their doors, Jones continues to prove that it is innovative and progressive enough to remain a leader in a difficult industry. In July of 1991, noted trucking historian Mike Terebecki confirmed that Jones Motor is the oldest major common carrier in the United States and this distinction is a source of great pride. “In an industry that few would dispute has had its share of fly-by-night operations, Jones Motor has earned a reputation as a stable and reliable company that provides quality service. This company has not only survived but has grown and prospered. I think that says a lot about the company’s culture and spirit.”

HISTORY BEGINS IN 1894
The foundation for the Jones Motor of today was laid in 1894 by John Jones, an immigrant from Birkenhead, Wales. It began as a local hauling business in Spring City, PA and was called Jones Drayage Company. Its entire fleet – one sturdy horse coupled to a cart. Jones expanded his business by signing on additional horses and wagons and sidelining into excavation work. He continued to build, laying the groundwork for a diversified, stable company. In 1912, he purchased the company’s first motor truck. Along with this purchase, Jones expanded his business to general hauling and motor freight. The fleet continued to grow. Eventually his sons, William, Clifford and Russell joined the family business and it became known as John Jones and Sons. With John Jones’ death in 1925, his sons took full reign of the business and renamed it Jones Motor Company. Through the 1940’s and 1950’s Jones Motor Company prospered. They purchased numerous companies to get additional authority and they expanded their General Commodities Division into both LTL and truckload. The Special Commodities Division, an owner-operator truckload operation was started in 1961. By 1968, when the Jones family sold the company to New York City based Alleghany Corporation, Jones Motor was a $51 million company. Though changes to the company happened steadily, the most dramatic occurred in quick succession: in 1980, deregulation; in 1981, the General Commodities division closed, and the company became exclusively owner-operator; and in 1982, the company went back to private ownership. The century of experience certainly paid off. Jones Motor continued to grow, forming additional companies to serve many different types of customer needs. Today, the company has grown into a group of companies called the Jones Motor Group with annual revenue over $100 million. The Group’s core company, however, is still Jones Motor, an exclusively owner-operator carrier with both flatbeds and vans.