How This Cross-Border Carrier Built a Booming Reefer Business (and Switched TMS after 26 years!)

From a single truck in Santa Maria, CA to a thriving cross-border reefer fleet in San Antonio, TX—here’s how one family grew their trucking business across borders, generations, and tech eras.

Meet the Family Behind Central Coast Transport

If you think running a family business is tough, try doing it in trucking. Add in cross-border logistics, reefer freight, and decades of tech evolution—and you’ve got the incredible story of Central Coast Transport.

On the Freight People podcast, we sat down with the entire Alcala family, who not only run this operation together but still hang out on weekends. “We’ve got our work selves and our home selves,” says Abigail. “At work, my mom is “Carmen.” At home, she’s mom.”

It All Started with One Truck in 1996

Gustavo, the company’s founder, started hauling produce through California in 1996. It was humble beginnings: “Diesel was $1.80, and we had our first DOT inspection in our living room,” Carmen laughed.

But as they started hauling to the border, Gustavo learned the ropes of cross-border paperwork, and saw an opportunity: go beyond the border.

Why They Moved to San Antonio (And How It Changed Everything)

In 2016, the family relocated to San Antonio to get closer to the Mexico border. “It just made sense,” says Caesar. “Now we could manage seasonal shifts—Mexico produce vs. U.S. supply—and oversee both sides of the operation better.”

🚨 Cross-Border Freight Tip: Location matters. Being near a major crossing point gives you tighter control over customs coordination, carrier partnerships, and real-time load visibility.

The Secret Sauce: Handshakes Over Contracts

Before we talk tech, let’s talk trust.

The Alcalas built their business on relationships first. Gustavo still insists on meeting every new customer in person—whether it means flying to Mexico, Canada, or the next town over. “That’s where the bond begins,” says Caesar. “You look someone in the eye, shake their hand, and build from there.”

They even teach drivers and office staff to view their role as a partnership. “You’re driving the truck. I’m making the payments. We both need each other to succeed.”

Wisdom From the Road: Faxes, Fails, and First Sales Pitches

Carmen remembers the early days: Lotus spreadsheets, wax paper faxes that faded in a year, and quoting loads with nothing but gut instinct and a handshake.

And Caesar? His first sales pitch at age 16 involved guessing reefer capacity based on how tall he was (“If I stand up, I don’t hit the roof”). They didn’t bring a pen or paper. Still landed the account.

Lesson? You grow by doing—and failing—and doing again.

Why They Switched TMS After 26 Years (And Have Alvys for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner)

For over two decades, Central Coast ran on the same legacy system. But as operations scaled, that tech held them back.

Then came Alvys.

“It’s not just dispatch—it’s billing, payroll, compliance, load tracking. 95% of our workflow is in Alvys now,” says Abigail.

They went live two weeks ahead of schedule—before Christmas, no less.

What changed?

• Invoices go out same-day as deliveries
• Payroll is one-click
• Cross-border visibility is seamless from U.S. carrier to Mexican handoff
• Load planning is centralized and paperless

“With Alvys, we’re not afraid to grow anymore.”

Pro Tips for Trucking Companies Moving into Cross-Border or Reefer

Whether you're thinking of upgrading your TMS, expanding into cross-border freight, or building a family-run operation, the Alcalas left us with some gold:

• Don’t grow too fast. “A business is like a baby—crawl, then walk.”
• Family business? Set boundaries. Use first names at work. Separate departments. Text each other if someone’s in a bad mood!
• Teach what you learn. “We share everything we know with drivers who want to go independent.”
• Relationships first. Always.
• Upgrade your tech—even if it hurts at first. “We cried a little,” Carmen admitted. “But now we invoice 90% faster.”

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Final Word: “We Can’t Imagine Running Without Alvys”

The Alcalas say it best:

“We didn’t switch systems to replace people. We switched to make life easier for our people.”

And now, they’re eyeing the future—with dreams of growing even more!

Want to see what a modern TMS can do for your business?

👉 Book a personalized demo with Alvys and learn why cross-border reefer carriers like Central Coast Transport trust us to power their operations.