J & A TRANSPORT, LLC
BOCA RATON, FLORIDA

Jennings Air Frate was created when Doug Jennings, a Wabash Magnetics employee, needed same day air shipping service from Huntley, Illinois to O’Hare airport. At that time, there was no Fed Ex, UPS did not handle air shipments, and USPS handled air but not same day. Doug began providing this service for his company and soon realized other companies must need the same service. Doug left Wabash Magnetics to pursue this opportunity. JA Celebrates 45 Years in Business In the early 70’s, as the Manufacturing Manager for a computer tape company in Huntley, Illinois, I could not find a transportation service to accommodate our need for dependable, same day freight shipping in and out of O’Hare Airport. As a result, when a shipment required next day delivery, I loaded it into my 1967 Saab station wagon and drove the shipment to the airport after work myself. I knew that other local companies needed reliable freight shipping to and from the airport. Because I had already started a delivery service, I took a chance and left the security of my full time job in 1971 to start my own company, Jennings Air Freight. Operating out of my home, I began regular delivery service to and from O’Hare Airport for Wabash Tape and other companies. A year later with a growing business, I added a van and bought my first straight truck. Jennings Air Freight operated initially under the authority of another carrier as I worked to secure our Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) license. After three years, three full days of hearings in front of the ICC in Chicago, and the testimony of our satisfied customers, Jennings Air Freight was granted its ICC license.; In 1976, I added our first full-time employee and by 1977 our services had expanded from same day and next day delivery to include ocean freight and less than truckload (LTL) services. That same year, I incorporated the company and shortened our name to JA Frate. Tim Gieseke, our JA Nationwide Logistics Coordinator was in the middle of giving blood one Saturday morning when our customer Chemtool called needing drums shipped out that day.  Tim came into the office, found a carrier to pick up that day and deliver their product direct to Maine.  Mission accomplished, happy customer! Doug asked us to take a pay cut after the 9/11 tragedy and the loss of two big customers in 2001.  We all stood behind him during this rough time agreeing to take the 10% cut for the good of the company.  Thankfully within a few months the company was getting back on track but it took a few years to start growing again.  I hadn’t thought about it for years until he presented me and everyone still with JA a check reimbursing us for the missed income from five years prior at the annual Christmas party. Driver 85 John Baumstark was making a delivery to one of our customers on a warm summer day when he discovered that they had a policy of no shorts allowed.  Rather than call dispatch, tell them he was unable to make the deliver, then have to send another driver out, John took it upon himself to solve the problem.  He drove to the nearest gas station and offered the clerk $10 to borrow a pair of uniform pants.  John then made the delivery and promptly returned the pants! Jeff had the shipment picked up by midnight that evening and with the help of his co-driver they were able to get the shipment delivered on time and were escorted to drive the mine sweeping generator they were carrying directly onto the ship. Tim Gieseke, our JA Nationwide Logistics Coordinator was in the middle of giving blood one Saturday morning when our customer Chemtool called needing drums shipped out that day.  Tim came into the office, found a carrier to pick up that day and deliver their product direct to Maine.  Mission accomplished, happy customer! Doug asked us to take a pay cut after the 9/11 tragedy and the loss of two big customers in 2001.  We all stood behind him during this rough time agreeing to take the 10% cut for the good of the company.  Thankfully within a few months the company was getting back on track but it took a few years to start growing again.  I hadn’t thought about it for years until he presented me and everyone still with JA a check reimbursing us for the missed income from five years prior at the annual Christmas party. Driver 85 John Baumstark was making a delivery to one of our customers on a warm summer day when he discovered that they had a policy of no shorts allowed.  Rather than call dispatch, tell them he was unable to make the deliver, then have to send another driver out, John took it upon himself to solve the problem.  He drove to the nearest gas station and offered the clerk $10 to borrow a pair of uniform pants.  John then made the delivery and promptly returned the pants! Jeff had the shipment picked up by midnight that evening and with the help of his co-driver they were able to get the shipment delivered on time and were escorted to drive the mine sweeping generator they were carrying directly onto the ship.