About Us

Company History

Since our inception in 1935, Valley has focused on providing client driven solutions tailored solely around the needs of each of our clients. Our customers range from Fortune 100 firms to start up firms. It is our belief that our growth is dependent upon the growth of our valued customers. It is for this reason that we seek to define our services around the needs of each of our clients and drive value for our clients every day, on every shipment.

Family History

In 1935, Norman R. Gilbert launched Gilbert Truck Line by hauling a team of horses from Hudson, WI to Trempealeau, WI for $1.50. From those humble beginnings, Valley Cartage has continued on a steady path of consistent growth and expansion. The company has remained in the family and is currently owned and operated by Norman’s son, Jerry Gilbert and grandson, Todd Gilbert. Exceeding customer expectations and a strong work ethic was the core principle when Norman founded the company and it still remains to this day.

Beginning with just a handful of trucks, the Valley Cartage family toiled out of a 3 door terminal in Hudson for more than 50 years. In the year 2000, a new chapter was opened in the family history with the completion of a “state of the art” terminal and corporate office complex, on ten acres, in the St. Croix Business Park in Hudson. In 2005, the building was doubled in size to accommodate rapid growth fueled by a fast growing loyal customer base, along with strategic acquisitions.

In April of 2005, Valley Cartage purchased Northway Carriers, Inc. Family owned and headquartered in Superior, WI, their network of terminals and service coverage was a perfect fit to provide additional overnight service points in MN,ND & WI. In October of 2006, Dotseth Truck Lines, headquartered in Knapp, WI was also purchased by Valley Cartage. Other important acquisitions have included Rohman Truck Line (2008), Van Someran Transfer (January, 2011) and most recently, in September, 2011, Root River Transport. These acquisitions, along with an aggressive sales and marketing campaign, have enabled Valley Cartage to become one of the fastest growing LTL service providers in the Midwest.

In 2013, for the 3rd year in a row, Valley Cartage received the LTL Carrier of the Year Award from Andersen Windows (for 2012). In June of the same year, the Lake Elmo Supply Chain Logistics Service Center was opened, bringing the Customer Service and Logistics Specialists together for the first time in a single state-of-the-art facility. Operationally, Valley Cartage captured 1st Place in the 2013 Minnesota Motor Carrier Fleet Safety Contest in the Less Than Truckload – Local Pick-Up & Delivery & Combined category.

Opportunity and growth have always been at the forefront of the Gilbert family strategy. Well over a decade ago, Valley Cartage entered a new phase with the launch of subsidiary Valley Management Group, a non-asset based, full spectrum provider of transportation and logistics services. By 2007, VMG was named the 175th fastest growing private company in America by Inc. Magazine. Today, the Supply Chain Logistics division of Valley Cartage (as VMG is now known) is an integral part of our business, providing end-to-end supply chain management in regional, national and international markets.

In February, 2014, Valley Cartage again received the LTL Carrier of the Year Award from Andersen Corporation (for 2013). We were both honored and humbled to receive this award for the fourth consecutive year. In their award citation to Valley Cartage, Andersen stated “the company’s combination of excellent on-time performance and customer service has supported Andersen operations across the upper Midwest for several decades and consistently exceeds customer expectations.”

By placing the needs of the customer first and adhering to a strong work ethic, family-owned and operated Valley Cartage is well positioned to grow and prosper in the very competitive transportation and logistics industry. Our commitment to all of our customers, each and every day, is to be Dependable, Accessible and Responsive. That’s the Gilbert family way of doing business.