Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. A tornado in Joplin, Missouri. A flood in Minot, North Dakota. Following all of these natural disasters was Tim Pope and his fleet of Ford trucks to help pick up the pieces.
“In a disaster zone, I really have to rely on my truck,” says Pope. “We go into those situations and have to stock up supplies because everything is closed. I load up the back seat of my Ford F-350 Super Duty crew cab with clothes, water, and emergency supplies. The truck bed is full of tools and chainsaws.”
Featured Image: Tim Pope, CEO, Terry Tree Service and Ironwood Heavy Highway.
Above: Pope utilizes his fleet of Fords in natural disaster cleanup, stocking the trucks with supplies and tools to help affected communities.
A HELPING HAND
While Pope isn’t a first responder, his businesses often get calls from around the country to clean up the mess. They clear trees, repair roads, and remove debris.
Storm cleanup is only a portion of the work that Pope does. As CEO of Terry Tree Service and Ironwood Heavy Highway, he manages a fleet of more than 70 Super Duty trucks and 30 F-150s. His Rochester, New York-based fleet handles tough, demanding work, including emergency services, vegetation management, and construction.
“We do a lot of off-road work with wind farms, clearing land, creating access roads. We’re proud to do work in renewable energy. We’ll get out there and someone will be stuck and can’t get through, and we’ll pull up in our F-Series and ask if they need any help,” he says.
RELIABILITY MATTERS
When Pope and his good friend, Thomas Terry, started Terry Tree Service, they had four vehicles: three F-350s and an F-450. Now, the family owned business utilizes a fleet of more than 100 trucks, consisting of mostly F-350s; however, it includes the entire range of Ford Trucks, up to F-750.
“We are very fortunate of the success we’ve had. It’s all due to our employees and their hard work and dedication to keep our customers happy. In part, that’s because we have the best tool for the job with these trucks,” says Pope. “Through 2008, when the economy was horrible, we were able to maintain our growth. We seem to be always hiring.”
A New York native, Pope grew up north of Watertown, in northern New York, and now lives just south of Rochester, New York, with his wife. His four kids either are in college or have graduated.
Terry Tree Service and Ironwood Heavy Highway does a lot of off-road work with wind farms, clearing land, and creating access roads.
IT’S PERSONAL
Pope doesn’t just rely on Super Duty for his business. His personal vehicle is an F-350 King Ranch, as well.
“No matter where I go, I take my truck,” he says. “When I don’t have my truck with me, it feels like I lost something. I rely on that vehicle. I can count on it and don’t have to worry about it.”
The Super Duty line has a number of vital features that help his workers, including backup assist and the rearview camera—both useful for hooking up a trailer and keeping workers safe, says Pope.
“Safety in our business is paramount,” he says. “It’s my job to provide my employees with the best and safest product possible. For what we do, that’s a Ford Super Duty.”
ON-POINT SERVICE
The customer service Pope receives from the Ford dealership is a large factor in his satisfaction with his Super Duty trucks. A good relationship with the service advisor is important when maintaining an entire fleet of trucks, so the ease of doing business with them and being treated with respect goes a long way.
“I used to be a Chevy guy. Back when I got the opportunity to buy trucks for work, I switched my personal vehicle to a Ford and fell in love with it,” says Pope. “It developed from there and I got a relationship with a very good local service advisor, who I’ve been working with now for almost 20 years. Service is critical. When I need a truck immediately, I can just make a phone call and the dealer will get it to us in a hurry.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Find out more about Ford’s F-Series and other Ford products and services, visit www.ford.com/commercial-trucks.
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MODERN WORKTRUCK SOLUTIONS: MAY 2016 ISSUE
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