Crete Carrier News

AMS Foreman Recognized by State Organization

2007 Maintenance Supervisor of the Year
Randy Polak
Acklie Maintenance/Crete Carrier
Lincoln



Randy Polak is the manager of the Lincoln tractor shop for Acklie Maintenance System, a division of Crete Carrier Corporation headquartered in Lincoln. He supervises a staff of 80 employees.

In addition to Crete Carrier tractors, the shop also serves Hunt Transportation and Shaffer Trucking units as they pass through the Lincoln terminal. The companies make up one of the largest privately-held carrier groups in the U.S. The Lincoln shop handles not only routine maintenance and repairs, but also the in-service of replacement tractors and the return of trade units to the manufacturer.

Pat Donohue, Director of Fleet Maintenance, says that Polak is a true professional, with great knowledge, exceptional technical competence, and the ability to make excellent decisions. He specifically praises 's ability to maintain positive working relationships with everyone.

Polak has worked for Crete Carrier for 24 years, one of two technicians first hired when company founder Duane Acklie decided to base a fleet in Lincoln.

When his former boss packed up and left for Texas, it looked like Randy Polak was out of a job. He'd been working out of a building at 2nd and "P" Streets in Lincoln for a guy with trucks leased to Crete Carrier. Now the building sat empty, except for his toolbox.
"Then, in came Duane Acklie and Karel Znamenacek," Polak remembers. "I'm not sure I ever even filled out an application."

Acklie is, of course, the founder of Crete Carrier. Znamenacek is the company's executive vice president. Except for a brief time at Nebraska Truck and Equipment, Polak has now been with Crete Carrier for 24 years.

He's been at the business of mechanics longer than that. At 14, he was fixing cars with a buddy in Bellevue. He'd signed up two years in advance for admission to Southeast Community College- Milford, intending to pursue a career on the automotive side. His dad suggested diesel might be a better field. Polak isn't really sure why his dad made the suggestion since his dad has "no mechanical ability at all!"

After years on the shop floor and now as a supervisor, Polak has come to recognize that not everyone has a natural mechanical ability. "It's like sports, almost," he observes. "You might do all right, but you won't excel if the talent isn't there." He's also learned that everyone is different. He takes the time to learn technicians' personalities so that he can best work with their strengths. Since the shop sees 25 to 35 tractors a day for road work, trades and sales, it's important to have everyone on top of their game every day.

Polak tries to make sure that drivers under load, or drivers upset because of a problem, get attention immediately. "I try to save one guy back who can jump on a job right away," he explains.

One issue that concerns him is a certain lack of professionalism among today's trucking workforce. But there are stunning exceptions, such as the female driver who arrives in a dress and heels to get her truck fixed. "She says that's the way she'd dress if she worked in an office," Polak says. In his view, a return to uniforms for drivers might be a good thing. That, and "No pets in trucks!"

--text and photo by Nance Harris

Reprinted with permission of Nebraska Trucker magazine