CRST

CRST was founded in 1955 by Herald and Miriam Smith. They bought a chicken coup for $125 and with no trucks or customers, started their company. Herald Smith saw his opportunity when he noticed truck drivers hauling livestock to Chicago and returning empty. He convinced Chicago firms he could save them money, and he loaded those empty trucks with steel on their return to Cedar Rapids. Cedar Rapids Steel Transport, as it was then known, was born. Herald Smith did eventually purchase his own trucks, and also expanded beyond the Chicago to Cedar Rapids route. By 1963, CRST had reached its first milestone of $1 million in revenue.