TOM HEIMGARTNER

Tom Heimgartner is the President and owner of Best Transportation.

Best Transportation is a major intermodal trucking company located in Port Newark, NJ. Foreseeing great potential in intermodal trucking, Tom established Best Transportation with the intention of bringing the same professionalism and productivity associated with the domestic trucking industry to intermodal transportation.

Best Transportation has grown immensely since it’s origination in 1982. Tom started the company modestly in Paterson, NJ, as a one-truck operation with Tom himself behind the wheel. Under Tom’s leadership and guidance, Best Transportation has evolved into one of the largest and well-respected intermodal trucking carriers in the northeast. Today, Best Transportation’s corporate and terminal facility in Port Newark consists of more than five acres, including a state-of-the-art corporate office, yard, warehouse and mechanic shop. Tom’s once single truck operation has grown to over 150 vehicles, one of the most successful drayage carriers in the Port of NY and NJ and the northeast region and servicing three major ports in the northeast: The Ports of NY/NJ, Philadelphia and Baltimore.

Tom Heimgartner is the President and owner of Best Transportation.

With over 40 years in the transportation industry Tom has made trucking a passion, as well as a career.

While a freshman at Rutgers University in Newark, NJ in 1966, Tom began his trucking career loading trucks at night and as a truck driver for APA and then Arrow Carriers. After receiving his degree, Tom began his upward climb in the transportation industry through hard work and determination. He was sequentially promoted to platform supervisor, dispatcher, terminal manager, and ultimately to regional manager. Tom continued his successful rise as General Manager for Systems Freight in Moonachie, NJ. Here, Tom oversaw operations, safety, regulatory compliance, personnel, labor relations, and sales. With all of this experience and his complete understanding and solid background on all aspects of the transportation industry, Tom then founded Best Transportation in 1982.

An industry leader and an advocate for improving the work environment, productivity, sustainability and safety of intermodal transportation, as well as a proponent for the growth and efficiency of the Port of New York and New Jersey, Tom has established successful relationships with many local, state, federal officials and elected representatives in an ongoing effort to resolve the problems facing drayage carriers in the trucking industry, as well as improving equipment being used on our roadways. He is actively engaged in promoting and improving the safety of the motor truck industry.

With over 40 years in the transportation industry Tom has made trucking a passion, as well as a career.

Tom served on the Federal Maritime Commission’s, Supply Chain Initiative Team.

This innovative team of US and international supply chain leaders was formed by Commissioner Rebecca Dye of the FMC and developed commercial solutions to the challenges of the supply chain and related port congestion concerns.

As a stakeholder in the Port of NY & NJ, Tom served on the Port Authority of NY & NJ’s Council on Port Performance and the Port Productivity Task Force working directly with terminal operators, cargo owners and shippers. Tom has also participated in many Port Environmental Initiatives, including the Clean Trucks Program to help develop a clean air strategy for the Port of NY & NJ, as well as the PANYNJ’s Clean Trucks Focus Group.

Tom served on the Federal Maritime Commission’s, Supply Chain Initiative Team.

Keeping a dynamic approach to “greenness”.

Tom understands environmental responsibility and is committed to building a more sustainable freight chain supply and reduce the impact of freight transportation on climate. As part of Best Transportation’s ongoing sustainability program, Tom made history with Best Transportation in 2019. Best Transportation was the first trucker to use zero emissions, fully electric class A tractor to move a container through the Port of New York and New Jersey.

Tom is consistently turning over his fleet and technology at Best; using only the “latest and greatest” for operations, safety, equipment and of course low emissions trucks; his fleet’s average age is less than 4 years. In August 2020, Tom helped pave the way into the future of eco-friendly port operations with the integration of the Kalmar Ottawa T2E into the Best Trans fleet. These efforts are part of Tom’s vision and commitment to the significant reduction of the carbon footprint of Best Transportation and its customers’ supply chain, as well as maintaining the highest level of excellence, which Best Transportation has come to stand for.

Keeping a dynamic approach to “greenness”.

Tom is consistently turning over his fleet and technology at Best; using only the “latest and greatest” for operations, safety, equipment and of course low emissions trucks; his fleet’s average age is less than 4 years. He is patiently awaiting the arrival of 4 zero emissions, fully electric terminal trucks which he is adding to his fleet in 2020. These efforts are part of Tom’s vision and commitment to the significant reduction of the carbon footprint of Best Transportation and its customers’ supply chain, as well as maintaining the highest level of excellence, which Best Transportation has come to stand for.

Tom is currently organizing and working with local and state officials to establish a “Driver Apprenticeship Program”.

His proposed plan would recruit unemployed and/or underemployed inner-city youth and provide them with the opportunity to become fully trained and licensed commercial truck drivers; thus, allowing them the opportunity to build a secure future with an established and honorable career.

Tom holds a degree from Rutgers University. He is a member of the Board of Directors of The Intermodal Motor Carrier’s Conference of The American Trucking Association and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of BiState Motor Carriers. Tom has served on the Advisory Board of the International Intermodal Transportation Center at NJIT.

True to his roots and always a trucker, Tom keeps his Commercial Drivers License and his DOT mandatory medical certificate current, allowing him to jump in one of his trucks to deliver a “Hot” load to a customer if the need arises, always remaining “hands-on” in this industry that he’s made his home.