Lynden Employees Go Above and Beyond: Keep freight moving during the pandemic.

Despite the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic over the last year, Lynden kept crucial supplies moving--without interruption--to meet the needs of Alaskans. Managing the difficulties of this past year was a team effort that Lynden proudly attributes to its outstanding employees. The unprecedented trying times produced by COVID-19 have helped the company emerge stronger and wiser--and highlighted the essential nature of the transportation industry.

The employees of Lynden's family of transportation and logistics companies met--and exceeded--incredible demands. And their dedication, ingenuity, and hard work have been awe-inspiring. "Lynden people consistently rise to meet a challenge, and this year was no exception," says Chairman Jim Jansen. "No transportation company in Alaska has a more essential and critical responsibility than we do. Without our service throughout the last year, many Alaskans would not have received food and other essential items they needed to survive. Our employees can be proud of that and many other accomplishments."

Employees Made Key Adjustments

Lynden employees adapted to a variety of changes during the past 12 months. They successfully navigated new work environments and technology; masks and social distancing; virtual meetings; and additional safety procedures to sanitize trucks and equipment. But the most significant achievement was the continuous service that employees provided customers. Incredibly, Lynden's companies maintained normal business functions, with the critical supply chains to and from Alaska operating as usual.

"Serving our customers without failure became a key focus and goal as we entered the pandemic in 2020," says President and CEO Jon Burdick. "It was an extraordinary year of Lynden employees adapting, meeting new challenges, and responding with a dedication to serving our customers reliably, safely, and efficiently."

For example, Lynden's customer service teams employed remarkable resourcefulness and flexibility to meet clients' needs, creating new workflows to accommodate remote workers. Service Center managers quickly addressed social distancing requirements and created safe spaces for customers and employees by sanitizing facilities and equipment. Many drivers, mechanics, flight crews, and other operations employees continued their daily responsibilities despite the uncertainty to ensure freight was delivered to the customers who needed it. In some cases, work rotations were...