City Driver
Eric Ball
Before joining Averitt in 2020, Eric spent years in food service. “I’d been in food service since I was 15,” he says, “working as a bartender and server in Winston and Greensboro.” But when COVID shut everything down, it pushed him in a new direction. “My father-in-law worked here and told me to come on over,” he says. He started on the dock, then entered the Dock-To-Driver Training Program with a clear goal in mind. “I worked on the dock for five or six months while waiting for a slot to open,” he says. “Then I trained with my father-in-law for about a month before getting my license.” He says the structure of the program made a big difference. “It’s really a perfect setup because you don’t have to pay for a school. You get to come and work while you’re training.”
Today, Eric is a city driver – and a proud one. “We stand apart from a lot of the other people everywhere we go, just in terms of overall professionalism. It feels like a well- oiled machine as opposed to some of the other companies that seem a little hectic.” That sense of pride extends to the uniform, too. “It feels good – like we’re going somewhere with a purpose, rather than just being thrown together.” Off the clock, he spends most of his time with his wife and 4-year-old – while awaiting the birth of their second child. When he can, he heads for the trails. “Hiking, backpacking, outdoor adventure – anywhere I can get to on a weekend trip,” he says. “We’re in a great spot. Uwharrie National Forest is only 45 minutes down the road. And you can drive two or three hours and be in some of the best country you can find.”
City Driver
Shahrukh Mehmood
Shahrukh Mehmood joined Averitt in October 2020 after years of long-haul trucking that kept him away from home for weeks at a time. “I used to drive from North Carolina to California, then up to New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine,” he says. “I was out 22 or 23 days at a time. That’s when I started looking for a local job.” He’d heard good things about Averitt and had seen the trucks on the road. “It got my attention. So I thought, ‘Let me take a shot.’” Once he did, the difference was immediate. “My interview didn’t even feel like an interview. It felt like we knew each other already,” he recalls. “This is the best experience I’ve had in my whole driving career.”
Since day one, Shahrukh has been a city driver, and he’s proud to represent Averitt in uniform. “Wearing that red uniform feels amazing,” he says. “It’s about respect – for yourself, your team, and the customer. That’s the priority here. We work as a family.” Originally from Pakistan, Shahrukh moved to the U.S. in 2015 after a 15-year visa process. Now a U.S. citizen, he’s built a life here with his wife and two young sons. On weekends, he plays in a local cricket league and fixes up cars with his uncle. “I buy cars from auctions, fix them up, and resell them,” he says. “My dad was a welder back home, so I learned a lot from him.” Whether on the job or off, one value stands above the rest for him. “Respect,” he says. “That’s the key to everything – at work, in life, in relationships. And at Averitt, you get that every day.”
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