The First Route

Where every mile was a lesson, and every stop, a promise kept.

Old dairy delivery truck parked in Livermore, CA, showcasing rustic charm.

An old dairy truck in Livermore. It reminds me of the rusted Ford I drove on my first route in 1994.

It was a rainy Tuesday in November 1994. I was 24, fresh out of college, and my first real job in logistics. The company gave me a beat-up Ford Econoline van with a dented fender and a heater that only blew cold air. My route? Twelve stops across three towns in New Jersey, all before 10 a.m.

I didn’t know what I was doing. The manifest was a mess, the GPS was a joke, and the first stop was already 20 minutes late. But I kept going. I learned that logistics isn’t just about moving boxes—it’s about showing up, even when the van breaks down and the rain won’t stop.

“A well-organized supply chain is just like a well-told story: every link matters.”

That first route taught me patience, planning, and the value of a little humor. I still think about it when I help a local nonprofit streamline their operations or when I sail the Raritan Bay at dawn. Because in the end, it’s all about the journey—and the people you meet along the way.

Thanks for stopping by. If you’ve got a story about your first big moment, I’d love to hear it. Let’s keep building community, one route at a time.