Our Story

Zachrich Trucking was started in 1941 by Bob Zachrich Sr as a local milk hauler. This entailed picking up milk for the many small, family dairy farmers & take to the creamery. In 1944 Bob Sr made the switch to dump truck hauling for road building materials. In 1948 Bob Sr bought his first over the road tractor trailer. Zachrich Trucking had one of the first mobile reefer units powered by Thermo King. Pioneered in 1946.

In the 1949 Bob Sr leased on to Lee Brothers and started hauling refrigerated foods from Chicago IL to Buffalo & Syracuse NY. In 1956 Bob Sr hired his first over the road driver to haul from Chicago to Syracuse, making one run per week. Zachrich Trucking only ran one run per week because in the 50’s there was very little 4 lane roads until Congress passed the Federal Interstate Highway System Act in January of 1956.

In 1958 Bob Sr had two dump trucks and one over the road tractor trailer. Sadly, later that year Bob Sr would unfortunately pass away in a fishing accident. It was then that 15-year-old Bob Jr became not only head of the household, but also head of the trucking company. It was at this time that Bob Jr became Bob Sr. At the age of 16 Bob started driving a dump truck. Then later became an over the road driver. In 1960 Safeway Truck Lines bought out Lee Brother’s.

In the early 1960’s Bob bought more refrigerated tractor trailers for over the road use. By 1966 Bob was up to 12 refrigerated tractor/trailers. In this same year Bob was offered the opportunity to manage a direct hauling contract for Oscar Meyer. This started a long-lasting customer relationship that has been sustainable even after two buy outs. The first buy out by Kraft in 1990, then Heinz bought out Kraft in 2015, merging the companies. This relationship continues to this very day with the company now known as Kraft-Heinz. This buyout opened multiple hauling lanes for Zachrich Trucking to become a dedicated carrier for Kraft-Heinz. Zachrich Trucking’s business model for Kraft is hauling directly out of the manufacturing plants in the midwest states and hauling to distribution centers in the eastern Pennsylvania area.  

In 2003 Bob Zachrich established the “Three Region Relay” system with a second terminal opening in Brookville PA. This system affords all drivers the opportunity to do day or night trips of 500-550 miles daily. By running a relay operation our trailers keep moving when trucks and drivers are stopped. Drivers take their break at the home terminal for their off-duty break. By doing these relays we generate 45% more volume freight for the company.

Zachrich Trucking has evolved into a 4-generation family business that has sustained for over 80 years. Zachrich Trucking has always had a focus to long term refrigerated transportation, with quality and care to all customers & employees. We consider every employee a big asset to the company and that mentality has helped form a strong family & business relationship that gets stronger by the day.