Our Story

Certified Freight Logistics was founded in 1928 as Arroyo Grande Truck Company in Arroyo Grande, California. Arroyo Grande Truck Company’s small fleet of trucks specialized in transporting fresh fruits and vegetables to produce markets in Los Angeles and San Francisco, a service we still provide today. In 1952, Arroyo Grande Truck Company was purchased by Edwin Nelson and his brother-in-law Edwin Taylor. Mr. Nelson was an owner operator who had been operating his own truck since 1947 and Mr. Taylor was a local, Arroyo Grande farmer.

Mr. Nelson, along with his brother-in-law, began to grow the 10 truck company by purchasing other small trucking companies. In 1963 Arroyo Grande Truck Company merged with Fitzgerald Truck Service and became Certified Freight Lines. In the 1970’s, Mr. Nelson along with his two sons, Jim and Fred, and son-in-law, Jon Cramer, continued to build upon a produce foundation by adding transportation services to various other temperature-controlled refrigerated food products. By 1980, Certified Freight Lines had grown to 30 trucks with five yards continuing to specialize in refrigerated transportation services throughout California and the West Coast.

In the year 2000, Certified Freight Lines made the decision to consolidate all yards into one facility in Santa Maria, CA where we are still located today. This strategic location in Central Coast California serves as our corporate office, operation center, and consolidation dock. In 2008 Certified Freight Lines expanded services, grew to operating over 150 trucks, and became Certified Freight Logistics (CFL). In 2010, to better meet customer demands and desiring to have a bigger presence in the Pacific Northwest, CFL decided to open a yard in Sumner, Washington.

In the years to come, and planning for continued growth as an asset based carrier, we will always remember the hard work, dedication, and solid commitment to the transportation of refrigerated goods that defines our roots and makes CFL the company it is today.