Mercury Transportation, Inc. began in 1975 when Eric W. Moerbe, III, or "Rick" took a chance. The oilfield trucking company he worked for at the time had several tractors parked against the fence with no license or insurance because business was slow.

A customer asked if he knew anyone interested in buying their two trucks because they were quite a liability in such a slow period. Much to the dismay of his very pregnant wife (the baby girl born within days of the company, now handles the rates), he started Mercury with those two used trucks.

He drove one of them, a good friend and former team-driving partner drove the other, and his wife answered the telephone. Rick and his wife, Sandra, decided to name the new company Mercury Transportation because he knew if he had named it Moerbe Transportation nobody would call him because they couldn't pronounce it.

He figured he still had his driver's license in his back pocket and could always go back to truck driving for somebody. Good thing, too. In 1983 Rick suffered a stroke and was confined to a wheelchair. The company saw good times and not so good times. Rick's father-in-law and partner, Q.J. Sullivan, was a tremendous help during these times.

As it turned out, due to hard work, good employees and customers, along with the help of the Good Lord, he didn't have to. Now, over a quarter of a century later, the flying "M" logo is an established symbol.