What does it mean to be 115!
WBT is celebrating our 115th anniversary and we wanted to put a little context around what that accomplishment really means.
Only about 0.5% of ALL companies survive to reach 100 years. One report shows less than 20 trucking companies in the country have reached this milestone. There are over 700,000 trucking companies as of 2025 in the U.S.
The oldest manufacturer of trucks is Autocar who was founded in 1897. Their first truck which sold in 1899 had a 5-horsepower engine or you could upgrade to an 8-horsepowered engine. WBT started only 12 years after that!
There were only 46 U.S. States in 1911 when we were founded. Know which ones were not yet? See below for the answer.
WBT is older than Paramount and Universal Studios (1912) and 16 years older than the first talking movie in 1927. (The Jazz Singer).
While we are very proud to be 115 years old in 2026, we are very far from the oldest company on Earth that is still operating. That would be Kongo Gumi in Japan. It was founded in 578 AD and is still in business. It sold in 2006 after 40 generations of ownership. They are a construction company.
WBT is always moving forward. We are proud of our 115 years. It shows that always taking care of the customer and each other will make a difference.
We are excited to see what the next 100 years brings and invite you to join us as we continue to provide the best transportation services in the country.
Call us today to talk about your company's journey and how we can help.
Sales@westbendtransit.com
**Answer- NM, AZ, HI and AK.