About Us
The story of TVT Transportation begins in 1926 when Frank Bell and Charlie Griffin formed the Bell and Griffin Trucking Company to serve the agricultural industry in the Gilroy area of California. By 1932 the company found itself in financial trouble and the Bank of Stockton sent representative John Triolo to take over daily operations and get the company back on a profitable footing.
John soon found that he had a natural inclination for the transportation industry. He began to streamline the operation; finding ways to cut costs and increase productivity. Learning that the accepted practices in agricultural hauling had his drivers siting for much of their day, waiting to be loaded or unloaded, John implemented one of the first trailer interchange systems in the industry. This led to higher earnings per truck, higher wages for drivers, and a more profitable business.
Under John’s management, the company was able to pay off its debt, stabilize as a going concern, and earn a reputation as a reliable partner to area growers and processors. By 1941 the debt was cleared and John decided that he would like to try his hand as owner of the business. With seed money from one of the business’s formerly disgruntled creditors, John purchased the company from the bank and started a new chapter for Bell and Griffin Trucking Company.
The war years brought a great deal of opportunity for a company supporting the heart of our Nation’s agriculture industry. Fruits, vegetables and nuts were being shipped out at record levels to support the war effort and John’s newly invigorated and growing company was instrumental in this effort.
The late 40’s and early 50’s saw more expansion as John sought to diversify the company by expanding into hauling cotton out of Arizona as a way to offset the seasonality of the agriculturally based business. Another expansion was the opening of an International Harvester franchise that was operated by John’s son Don. This farm machinery business was another way the Triolo family was providing support to farmers and processors in Central California. A highlight of the era was the advancement of technology used in farming. Don found himself on the front lines of great advancements, including one of the first mechanical tomato harvesters; the Hume tomato harvester. This alignment to the tomato industry was a foreshadowing of great things to come.
1967 closed the first chapter of the Triolo family business and opened the second as John passed and Don sold his International Harvester franchise to focus of the trucking business. Not one to sit still, Don expanded the company in 1969 with the acquisition of Tony Victorini Trucking. This transaction would be instrumental in the future of the company as the newly purchased trucks were emblazoned with TVT. Not wanting to re-placard the trucks, Don used this opportunity to change the name of the business. And thus, the Bell and Griffin Trucking Company became TVT: Trans Valley Transport.
The 70’s and 80’s brought further expansion, innovation, and a third generation of Triolo family working in the business. Don’s sons Eric and John worked their way up through every job in the company, earning the respect of those men and women they would eventually lead as the principles of the company.
In 1976 Don struck a deal with the Niel Jones Food Company, now the oldest customer relationship for the business, to haul tomatoes. A large expansion by Niel Jones in 1988 would secure TVT as one of the nation’s largest transporters of processing tomatoes. This expansion would necessitate Eric and John’s rise to senior leadership roles in the company, working alongside their father Don until purchasing the company from him in October 2009.
The two brothers working side by side have continued the family tradition of innovation and hard work. TVT was the first in the industry to modify equipment, making “lightweight trailers” capable of hauling more product in each load. These innovations of have led to large contracts that continue to underpin the success of the company today.
The past 20 years have been marked with more growth and strong partnerships with industry leaders such as Bolthouse Farms, Christopher Ranch, Niel Jones Food Company, The Garlic Company, OLAM, Garguilo, Cal Cot, Jess Smith, Allbright Cotton and Sensient. These household names are relied upon by distributors, restaurants, grocery stores and families across the nation; and they rely on TVT to be the transportation partner of choice.
As Eric and John neared retirement age they began to plan for their next steps. “One thing is certain; we need to take care of the people that helped get us here. Multiple generations of employees have helped build this company and we want to make sure they still have jobs to support their families as we retire.” – Eric Triolo
Dependability, innovation and family have guided the first 97 years of this company and that won’t change now. Seeking a way of continuing the legacy, protect employees, and ensuring the future, TVT has now come under the umbrella of the Young’s Legacy Group. A group of small town, family owned businesses seeking a way forward through common ownership while retaining the heart and soul of each unique brand.
TVT will soon celebrate 100 years of serving our community. We have much to celebrate. We have much to live up to. A legacy of dependability, innovation and family. A legacy to be proud of.
Welcome to the next chapter of TVT.
