About Us

Success was the natural result of our commitment

CalArk was founded on the principle that growth and success would happen through honesty, integrity and a never-ending commitment to customer satisfaction. Today, after 40 years of steady growth, our customer pledge remains the same: to provide each of our clients superior service that's guided by the highest ethical standards.

CalArk's proudest accomplishments have as much to do with that past as our future.

"In thirty years I've had fewer than ten dispatchers, including Ann for 22 years, since we called for check-ins by payphone. A strong camaraderie and work ethic kept my generation's road warriors working together."
- Curtiss Cline, 30+ Years with CalArk, Four Million Mile CalArk Driver

Most companies start small, often as family businesses. Far fewer (but some) grow and achieve great success. Fewer still develop innovative technology like CalArk's Auger system. Those able to pass leadership from one generation to the next while maintaining the same integrity and capability make up an even more rare minority of companies.

"Why have I stayed with one trucking company for so long? I like everyone here: the planners, Dispatch, Safety. Just good people."
- Jesse Alegría, 10 Years with CalArk, 1.2 Million Mile CalArk Driver

What makes CalArk more unique still is a family atmosphere rich in friendship and appreciation that has grown with our success and innovation. We may be in the top 500 of more than 770,000 for-hire trucking fleets in the United States,* but most of our office employees have been here for years, even decades, since before CalArk grew to its current size.

* 2019 For-Hire 500: The Top Carriers in North America. (2019, January). FleetOwner.

"I like the people like my driver manager. It's important to have a driver manager who understands me and knows and respects how I run."
- Robert Hayes, 20 Years with CalArk

Drivers in town between trips wander among our offices, greeting dispatchers and managers like friends, able to speak directly to the person who handles their employee benefits or paychecks. Shared jokes and direct questions make it easy to build business relationships that last longer than most in our industry, which helps explain our unusually low driver and employee turnover rate.

"I know everyone, from the owner down....with CalArk, when they can count on you, it's a good feeling. And you can count on them."
- Allen Robertson, 22 Years with CalArk, 3.75 Million Mile CalArk Driver

We believe the reason for this driver-oriented, family-friendly environment started at the moment we did, because our founder was a driver himself. Tom Bartholomew started CalArk in 1972 with three trucks, and his door remains open when he's in the office.

"When the President of the company sits down with you during Driver Appreciation Week and knows your name, that's special. Some people may not think that's anything, but that's huge to me. I'm happy here."
- Chris Patton, One Million Mile CalArk Driver

Leadership with innovation and vision

Since its founding in 1975 by Tom Bartholomew, CalArk has always remained committed to providing quality services to our customers. Key components to achieving these commitments are our great drivers and strong leadership team. CalArk has proven to be an effective leader in innovation without losing sight of our appreciation for what drivers face on the road every day.

^{[Pictured: Michael Jernigan, CFO & President and Tom Bartholomew, Owner]}