Tashiba Dixon and Carl Johnson
Owners of Lady Trucks
In the wake of Hurricane Beryl, a destructive Atlantic Hurricane, the City of Houston and Harris County faced extensive damage. In the days and weeks following the hurricane making landfall, nearly three million homes and businesses experienced power outages, making the need for efficient disaster recovery efforts greater than ever. Stepping up to this challenge was local small business, Lady Trucks, a woman and minority-owned trucking company led by President Tashiba Dixon and her husband, Carl Johnson.
With a fleet of five trucks and a team of seven employees, Lady Trucks spent the months of July and August and into September working tirelessly to clear vegetative and construction debris from affected areas. Their efforts were crucial in speeding up the recovery process and ensuring that Houston’s streets and neighborhoods were quickly cleared of hazardous materials. Founded in 2021, Lady Trucks has swiftly become an essential part of Houston’s disaster recovery landscape. Specializing in debris removal and waste management, Lady Trucks is dedicated to restoring the beauty and functionality of the community that they love.
Lady Trucks began working with AshBritt, a national turn-key rapid-response emergency management, logistics, and disaster response contractor, in May 2024. According to Dixon, the collaboration has been a game-changer ever since. AshBritt, which is also the national leader in small, local, minority, women-owned and veteran business hiring, has made the partnership both simple and enjoyable, according to Dixon.
“We believe that economic recovery of the community happens alongside the physical recovery,” said Gerardo Castillo, President of AshBritt Management and Logistics. “This means including local, small, and minority owned businesses as an integral part of our operations team. In addition, mentorship and capacity building of small business is a core part of our program, and we are proud to work with Lady Trucks and other local Houston and Harris County companies.”
Since May 2024, Lady Trucks has worked on two major projects with AshBritt – the derecho that hit Houston in May and Hurricane Beryl. This partnership has enabled Lady Trucks to operate at full capacity, utilizing their equipment around the clock to meet the community’s needs. “AshBritt allows us to work to our fullest capacity and then they are there to do what we cannot do,” said Dixon. “With Houston stretched so thin, AshBritt is needed.”
According to Dixon and Johnson, Lady Trucks’ preparedness and flexibility has been key in ensuring a successful partnership with AshBritt. “First off, we’ve had to ensure that all of our equipment is well-maintained and ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice,” Johnson said. “It sounds so simple, but if your equipment is not running properly or ready to be mobilized, you won’t be able to work.” They also have made sure to secure the necessary certifications, insurance, and registrations – all crucial for working with city contractors and prime contractors like AshBritt. Finally, Dixon adds: “Stay open-minded. Be aware of opportunities and be ready to adapt to the needs of the community and contractors. You never know what new opportunities will arise!”
As a female-owned business, Lady Trucks is also breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated industry. The business’ presence and work in the community are not only about providing essential services but also about making a positive impact. “We are doing good, helping our community and we are profitable,” Dixon says. “That’s a win-win.”
What’s next for Lady Trucks? According to Dixon, she wants to continue to grow Lady Trucks in the community. “Three years ago, when we started, I could never imagine we’d be here,” she says. But thanks to a partnership with AshBritt, and exposure to other contractors in the business, Dixon continues to be inspired. “I’m confident we are going to continue to grow in our service offerings and size,” she said.
If you are interested in working with AshBritt or the opportunities available, please visit https://www.ashbritt.com/subcontractor-registration/.
About AshBritt
AshBritt is a national rapid-response emergency management, turn-key logistics, and disaster debris removal contractor. Since its inception in 1992, AshBritt has conducted over 500 disaster response missions and 52 special environmental projects, successfully serving more than 600 clients across the United States. The AshBritt team has been directly involved in the recovery efforts of more than 108 federally declared disasters in over 30 states, responding to major weather events, like Hurricanes Ian, Harvey, Irma, and Michael, wildfires in northern California, historic flooding in Kentucky, and mobilizing during the COVID-19 pandemic to administer more than 1 million vaccines across 20 states. Through the AshBritt Foundation, AshBritt supports communities where our team lives and works, investing more than $15 million across the U.S. Learn more at www.ashbritt.com.