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Brad Wallace | Director of Sales & Marketing | GO Riteway Transportation Group
Tell us a little bit about GO Riteway:
Our company was founded in 1957 in Germantown, WI when Rollie and Pearl Bast added four buses to their repertoire of farming activities as a solution for getting the local farming community kids to a newly-built high school. Things grew organically but steadily from there, and today we have over 1400 employees and operate from multiple terminals serving customers in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Minnesota. Our school bus division remains a primary part of the GO Riteway Transportation Group — with new districts being added on a fairly regular basis — and our commercial division portfolio encompasses our black car and coach operations.
We remain a privately-held business with the Bast family at the helm. We also own our entire fleet — a full range of vehicles for all service options — and everyone who works for us is an official employee on our payroll. This structure is something we’re very proud of. The above-and-beyond consistency, quality control, and safety standards we’re able to offer our clients are a result of holding everything under our own roof.
How did you, personally, end up in the transportation industry?
I was working as a marketing consultant, and became fascinated by the intricacies of the transportation industry. I kept asking questions, meeting owners and operators, and eventually started driving part time for GO Riteway. I loved controlling my own schedule, and moved further away from my corporate endeavors. The GO Riteway team felt like my marketing expertise was an asset, and they ended up creating a Marketing Coordinator position specifically for me. Eventually I transitioned into sales, and now I’ve been with them for 10 years.
What has been your experience as an ILLBA member?
If you want to be a better operator, you need to connect with other operators — there’s nothing like talking the talk with someone else who “gets it.” The ILLBA offers so many opportunities to trade ideas, collaborate, and learn from your peers and fellow industry pioneers. We’re not even based in Illinois, but we do have a location there, and joined the ILLBA for the continuing education and bond-building. The Great Lakes Transportation Show was a critical piece in pulling us back in last year, and we’re excited for the 2024 event.
In the end, staying in tune with the industry will always be helpful. The ILLBA cultivates a great climate, and there are plenty of conversations to be had.
Any predictions, hopes, or ambitions for the future of our industry?
Corporate travel will continue to be reimagined, and we’ll all be part of it. Staying ahead of costs and pricing can go a long way — if you don’t know how much your trip costs, you don’t know how your business is running. I’m always focused on the reality of a situation, and remaining strategic about how to thrive in it. I still believe that no matter what you’re charging, if you provide equivalent value that your clients can see and feel, you’ll succeed. We provide an experience.
You can reach Brad at brad.wallace@goriteway.com, +1 414 570 5219, or on LinkedIn.
Read Brad’s full interview on our on our website .
Calling all members and vendors / suppliers! Want to be featured in an upcoming Spotlight Series? Contact Paula at the ILLBA office.
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