Our story
From two wheels—to two countries and 200+ 18-wheelers.
It all began on the seat of a motorcycle
We got our start back in 1987. At the time, Gary McClay was manufacturing trailers in a small Canadian town, and his wife, Linda—she was a buyer for a company that manufactured axles and bombshells. Then, Gary was dealt a tough hand. For reasons outside his control, he was unable to continue on his original career path.
That’s when Linda asked Gary if he’d pick up some parts for her company, and he did—on his classic Gold Wing motorcycle. Gary kept at it for a few months. It was a good gig. So good, in fact, that Gary and Linda started Gar-Lin Courier.
Delivering local packages from a 1984 Ford Ranger, the company grew. Then, the McClay family earned the trust of a carrier partner—and everything changed. Serving a Big Three automaker on behalf of their partner, the McClays had a truck at every dock door, supported the end customer’s rapid growth, and cemented their remarkable story of success.
Today, the second generation of McClays is at the helm
Troy and Ryan continue to drive the intelligent growth of the business.
They boosted the footprint of their Canadian transportation business with the acquisition of Oxford Enterprises. They further built upon this growth by expanding into the US—adding US transportation business and freight brokerage locations.
Like most things that start small and go big, the McClays made it happen through grit, hard work—and a dash of good fortune.
A chance encounter at a boating event. A day on the lake. A partner prospecting call.
It’s how Troy and Ryan uncovered talented leaders Matt Schock and Mark LaBrosse—transportation and logistics professionals who shared their skills, vision, and perspectives on life. Now, they’re part of the family—and accelerating the sustainable growth of McClay’s Logistics USA and McClay’s Transportation USA.
Of course, our story isn’t finished. Today, we’re continuing to add new chapters—expanding our talent and capabilities to serve you better.
Our history
-
1987
Gary and Linda McClay launched Gar-Lin Courier—the business that would grow to become McClay’s Transportation Ltd.—with a classic Honda Gold Wing motorcycle and a 1984 Ford Ranger pickup truck.
'87 -
1998
Troy McClay joined the business his parents started full-time, supporting business operations and driving its growth.
'98 -
2000
Ryan McClay joined his brother, Troy, at McClay’s Transportation full-time, doubling down on the family’s efforts to realize the freight transportation company’s potential.
'00 -
2010
In 2000, McClay’s Transportation had a fleet of five tractors. By 2010, the McClays expanded their fleet to 60 trucks.
Ryan and Troy McClay acquired Oxford Enterprises, forming McClay Group Ltd. Like McClay’s, Oxford came from humble beginnings and shared a similar growth story. Starting with just three trucks—a 1967 F-Dump, 1962 B-Model Mack, and 1958 Tanker—the company’s assets included 25 trucks and a dedicated warehouse and cross-docking facility by the time the McClays acquired the business.
'10 -
2013
Ryan McClay met Matt Schock at a boating event in Fort Myers Beach and invited him to spend a day on the water. It’s then that Ryan and Matt discovered they shared similar values and a connection to the trucking industry. The strangers became friends and, later, business partners.
Matt Schock, Ryan McClay, and Troy McClay founded McClay’s Transportation USA with two trucks running split company shuttles. They switched out in Marysville, Michigan, and headed in and out of Canada.
'13 -
2014
Looking to grow the business, McClay’s Transportation USA reached out to a brokerage in Royal Oak, Michigan to source lanes. Their freight broker, Mark LaBrosse, identified key growth opportunities and became a trusted partner.
'14 -
2019
Committed to diversifying the business, McClay’s made plans to add its own freight brokerage. That’s when the leadership team reached out to Mark LaBrosse and asked him to help assess candidates to head up the new business. When the interview process was complete, the choice was crystal clear—”Mark was our guy.”
McClay’s opened its freight brokerage, McClay’s Logistics USA. Led by Mark LaBrosse, the business is growing and diversifying McClay’s core freight transportation business through its support of new and current customers and its trusted nationwide carrier network.
'19 -
2023
The McClay’s family of transportation businesses in Canada and the USA continue their upward trajectory. Today, they run a combined fleet of 200+ trucks—and additional growth is on the horizon.
'23
