The Classic Carriers family has been part of the Versailles, Ohio, community for generations. It’s where we live and work. It’s where our fathers, and their fathers, learned the ropes of the trucking business. We have a special responsibility to the place and people that made us – to continue showing up for each other, our community and our customers across Ohio and beyond in the best way we know how.
An Ohio Trucking Legacy 90+ Years in the Making
Classic Carriers exists today because of the trucking knowledge passed down from one generation of Sublers to the next. Born and raised in Versailles, brothers Kenneth, Carl and Basil Subler started their first trucking businesses in the Depression era out of their hometown. Trucking was a tough life back then. Every truck had to be loaded and unloaded by hand, and breakdowns were frequent. The Sublers even made their own reefer trailers with wool insulation!
Jim Subler, Classic Carriers founder, got his start in this industry as a young “shop gopher,” sweeping floors and emptying trash cans for his father’s company, but his knowledge of the business grew quickly. Jim purchased his first truck at the age of 17 and became an owner-operator.
As the trucking industry deregulated in the 1980s, Jim saw an opportunity to start fresh. Classic Carriers was created in 1985 in his hometown of Versailles. For him, the decision to start a company here was easy.
“I like to keep everything close,” he said. “And by doing that, my company can support the community, too.”
Though Jim is semi-retired, he’s passed the torch to the next generation – his son, Lucas, took over as president of the company in 2023.
Related: Runs in the Family: A History of Classic Carriers Trucking
Serving Ohio and Beyond
Classic Carriers operations are still based out of Versailles today. In the last 20+ years, we’ve grown our trucking business to include warehousing and logistics to better serve our customers.
Timely Trucking Across the US
We offer dependable trucking for all 48 contiguous states. Our network of company and owner-operator drivers are some of the best in the business, and we believe strongly in taking care of our team. For our trucking customers, that means you can expect your shipment to arrive safely and on time.
Warehousing in Central Ohio
Our cold and dry storage warehousing primarily serves west-central Ohio and east-central Indiana. With warehouse locations in Greenville, Sidney and Versailles, we have more than 2.3 million cubic feet of storage space. Our average order picking turn-around time is under two hours.
Full-Service 3PL
We’re proud to be a leading third-party logistics provider in Ohio, specializing in comprehensive supply chain management. Our full range of 3PL services makes us a one-stop shop for logistics management needs. With 24-hour phone access to a Classic Carriers customer service representative, you can always reach us with questions or concerns.
Community Involvement in Versailles
At Classic Carriers, pitching in to do our part and support the Versailles community is a core part of our small-town ethos.
Each year, we take part in the Poultry Days festival, which is our unofficial start of summer here in Versailles. Classic Carriers team members volunteer to work the chicken line, serving up a tasty plate of barbeque chicken, chips, applesauce and rolls. In 2024, we picked up most of the items needed for the dinner from across the Midwest and stored them at our warehouse before the festival, including all 57,750 pounds of chicken!
We also support Wreaths Across America every year by participating in the “Honor Fleet,” which is a team of carriers that transports wreaths from Maine, where they’re made, to cemeteries across the US to honor our fallen heroes. For the last three years, Classic Carriers volunteers helped place wreaths on the graves of former service members here in Versailles.
Showing up for our community also means taking the lead in training the next generation for the trucking industry. Students from Versailles High School can work part-time with us while completing their education as part of the school’s capstone program. Wes Subler, our shop manager, supervises and mentors local students interested in becoming diesel mechanics – an in-demand career as the need for truckers grows. This program can be a direct path to a full-time job if a student decides to continue working with us after graduation.
As we continue to grow and evolve, our commitment to serving west-central Ohio and our local community remains a core tenant of how we work. Learn more about how we’re driving success in our region.