The evolution of BTR: A journey of growth and innovation

In the ever-evolving waste and recycling industry, BTR has emerged as a pioneering force, transforming the sector with innovative solutions and a strong commitment to customer service. Founded in 2002 by Scott Dols, BTR has grown from a small business in Tampa, Florida, to a leading provider of capital, growth and operational fleet solutions across the U.S. and Canada.

“While working for Trucks & Parts of Tampa, I recognized a gap in services: customers often needed temporary trucks while waiting for their reconditioned vehicles,” says Dols, founder and chairman of the board at BTR. “To address this need, I founded Big Truck Rental [rebranded as BTR in 2023] with the goal of providing reliable rental trucks to small and independent waste haulers facing unforeseen challenges.”

In its early years, BTR offered three service options: short-term rentals, long-term rentals and rent-to-purchase agreements. Over time, the company expanded its service offerings to include Complete Fleet, a comprehensive fleet management solution providing customers with new trucks every 18 to 25 months, on-site preventative maintenance, regular fleet updates and more—ensuring high efficiency, reduced downtime and lower maintenance costs.

This growth did not come easily. However, by establishing a robust service network across North America and redefining industry perspectives on asset ownership, BTR overcame significant challenges.

“Through strategic partnerships with original equipment manufacturers and strategic service providers, as well as by quantifying the value gained through our services, we successfully implemented creative sales strategies, digital marketing and print campaigns. As a result, we were able to navigate growing pains and continue leveraging these strategies to further expand our market presence,” says Zach Martin, CEO of BTR. “Being an early adopter of technology such as Salesforce and predictive maintenance analytics tools also propelled our growth by providing greater visibility into business trends.”

As BTR expanded across North America, one thing remained consistent: the company’s customer-first mindset. Guided by three pillars—flexible, supportive and dependable—BTR upholds its mantra, “People Serving People,” which reflects its servant leadership philosophy.

“BTR prioritizes hiring the right people, fostering a positive work environment and providing the resources needed for success,” says Martin. “This people-centric approach has helped us build long-term relationships with our customers and partners.”

As BTR continues to evolve and expand into other markets within the environmental sector, the company aims to leverage technology and data to help customers make informed decisions and ultimately achieve their business goals.

“Our North Star is driving fleets toward a more efficient tomorrow—and we’re doing that through the use of technology,” says Martin.

From its humble beginnings to becoming a leader in capital, growth and operational fleet solutions, BTR’s journey is a testament to innovation, resilience and a steadfast commitment to servant leadership. As the company looks to the future, BTR remains focused on enhancing customer partnerships, driving innovation in equipment rentals and logistics solutions, strengthening its position as a trusted industry leader and maintaining its commitment to adaptability, customer service and operational excellence.