Growing Together Summer 2026

As a leading provider of agricultural and industrial transportation, Grow West Trucking plays a vital role in the food supply chain, hauling commodities and other products across 20 Northern California counties.

The trucking division relies on a dedicated team of managers, dispatchers, drivers, mechanics and support staff – 24 full-time and 18 seasonal – who provide excellent service and foster strong relationships. Their coordinated efforts ensure deliveries are completed professionally, efficiently and safely to support growers, processors and ag retailers.

Grow West / Clark Trucking Capabilities

Among the team members are three employees with decades of experience. Trucking Division Manager Joe Carrasco joined Grow West in 2012 and has worked in trucking for 48 years. Mark Kaye, operations manager for Clark Transport LLC (aka Clark Trucking), has worked in various roles for that company for 38 years. Brian Hendrix, lead dispatcher, has been around trucking for most of his life, including many years as a driver. In addition, many drivers have worked in the sector for as long as 40 years.

“The cumulative experience and longevity of the entire trucking team is advantageous for our customers,” Carrasaco said. “They think outside of the box and are primed for positive improvements in every aspect of our operation. I am extremely proud of everyone on our staff.”

Also benefiting customers are the expanded resources resulting from acquisitions in the last seven years: Clark Trucking Service, Inc. and Hammer Transport. Clark has specialized in pears, peaches and rice since 1957. Hammer mmainly focused on bulk loads of fertilizers and chemical transfers from plant to retail stores.

“Diversifying is key to making our business successful, especially during challenging times like now,” Carrasco said. “We’re always looking for new opportunities that will fit with our current model – ag hauling from March to mid- November and industrial hauling from December to February – and that will benefit our customers.”

Experiences and Resources

Soon after Clark Trucking was acquired by Grow West, it transitioned from a sole proprietor to an LLC and began operating as a brokerage. It has a business-to-business relationship with dozens of licensed and compliant independent contractors.

“With the seasonality of agriculture, there’s an advantage that comes with a brokerage and the flexibility of independent contractors,” Kaye said. “Grow West has full-time truckers, whereas Clark works mostly with independent contractors. There are about 20 drivers that we try to keep busy all year. But when we ramp up during peak season, we work with as many as 85-100 drivers. Some of the same drivers have been returning year after year for seasonal work; they’re here during our busy season, then work for other ag operations or work in Mexico in the off-season. It works well.”

Kaye said the Grow West/Clark Transport relationship is synergistic.

“Joe and I work in the same office and we’re constantly monitoring what’s going on with customers, which is helpful for coordination on both sides,” Kaye said. “If Grow West has loads they can’t cover, then we will use some of our independent contractors to cover those. And if we need help with a couple more trucks, then we can pull from Grow West Trucking. We make sure our customers have dependable service.”

Kaye said that while some drivers are specialized, the majority are versatile.

“Most of our drivers can and will do anything we ask of them,” Kaye said. “We can throw them on a rice load or we can put them on fruit. Some take sacks of rice to the ports, which means more intense labor.”

Advantages of a Brokerage

Hendrix helps oversee the dispatch office and also serves as a dispatcher for ag and fertilizer/industrial. He said that another way Grow West Trucking provides quality service to customers is through ongoing, efficient communication. This ensures that operations run efficiently, issues are identified and solved quickly, and customer satisfaction is improved.

“I communicate with customers daily through email and phone to find out their needs for the following day,” Hendrix said. “I reach out to growers to schedule times for field loads. Once everything is laid out for the next day, dispatch is set up and drivers are called to receive their dispatch to start their day. Continuous communication with customers is essential to efficiently meet their needs.”

Hendrix gives credit to teamwork for successfully tackling any situation, especially with seasonal demands (for example, picking up and delivering loads on time to keep the canneries stocked with fruit).

“Keeping a calm and level head when the demands are high is essential,” Hendrix said. “This is all due to being part of a great team.”

Continuous Communication

The Grow West Trucking team also stays on top of the latest regulations and policies to keep operations running smoothly.

“In the 48 years I’ve been in trucking, there have been many changes and challenges with regulations and technology that impact the industry,” Carrasco said. “Regulatory compliance is a major issue.”

Kaye said they frequently talk with the Grow West regulatory affairs department and they receive news and resources from the California Trucking Association.

“All of the information helps us stay apprised of what’s happening in the trucking sector, whether it’s about big fleets or independent contractors,” Kaye said.

Staying Informed and Handling Challenges

Carrasco, Kaye and Hendrix agree that strong relationships are one of the most important values for Grow West Trucking, and there’s a great sense of accomplishment when customers are happy.

“We provide outstanding service to our customers, thanks in part to our knowledgeable and trusted team,” Carrasco said. “They know our customers and have a familiarity with their operations, which helps us maintain strong relationships year after year.”

Hendrix said one of his goals is “building great relationships with customers, whether they are new or they’ve been with us for a while.”

Kaye said, “You might not think about it with trucking, but relationships are a big deal – the connections, camaraderie, community, familiarity. We all work together and share similar goals with hauling products. There’s a feeling of satisfaction that we’re helping farmers and playing a part in providing food for the world.”

Strong Relationships