Meet the Team: Bridgett Jensen

30 years ago, Avery and Mary Jo McKinney started a small freight brokerage called AM Transport Services. They operated out of a one room cabin on Vernor Lake in Olney, Illinois. Those first couple of months were lean with Avery on the road a lot visiting with carriers and trying to drum up business. He’d spent most of his adult life in trucking, so he had a lot of contacts. Mary Jo, on the other hand, had never worked in transportation, but when she wasn’t working for the Department of Natural Resources, she manned the phone and booked the loads Avery called in.

Avery and Mary Jo are my parents. That first summer, when Mom was working and Dad was on the road, I helped answer the phones. It was a pretty cushy job. I’d set up a lounge chair on the water’s edge, open the cabin windows so I could hear the phones, and set in for the day. When the phone rang, I ran inside and answered. And if it was a load to book or a carrier to talk to, I had to wait for Dad’s call. There weren’t cell phones, so every once in a while, he’d find a payphone and call in to check. It wasn’t long before my meager services were simply not enough.

That was my first foray into the transportation industry.

Three years ago, when my husband Eric retired, my brother Michael asked me if I’d like to do a little writing for AM Transport, and I really loved it. So here I am today.

 

Favorites

Color: Red

Music: Folksy mostly. I really love Brandi Carlile, The Dixie Chicks, and Neil Young. At the same time I love Janelle Monáe and Lizzo, so there’s that.

Show: I still miss Parenthood.

Favorite Performer: Trevor Noah, Amy Schumer, John Oliver

Podcast: Dani Shapiro’s Family Secrets, Brené Brown’s Unlocking Us, and I’ve listened to Serial’s S-Town twice.

Sports Team: The Cardinals

Sport: Probably baseball, but I still miss watching my daughter play high school tennis.

 

What music do I listen to when I’m in the car?

If I’m listening to music, it’s probably loud and it’s most likely whatever my husband was listening to in the car within the last 24 hours. Lately that’s been The Smiths and the soundtrack from O Brother, Where Art Thou. If he hasn’t been in the car for a couple of days, the radio is probably tuned to NPR.

 

If I could be any animal in the world?

I’d be a cat. I like how independent and wily cats are. We have the most loving cat in the world, but if she were big enough, I know she’d eat us.

 

Best Christmas gift I ever gave or received?

My youngest son Carter was born right before Christmas. He fits the bill for both questions–best received and best given all at once.

 

The funniest thing that’s happened to me recently?

I assisted the cable guy by crawling under my mom and dad’s house to replace a broken wire.

 

Married? Kids?

Married 30 years. Four kids–ages 18-29. Three grandkids and I’d like a couple more.

 

If someone gifted me an elephant?

Run in the opposite direction.

 

Garden gnomes?

I’m a troll kind of gal.

 

Super Power?

I make a pretty impressive loaf of bread. Crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside with a great crumb.

 

Beer or Wine?

I like wine, but beer likes me better.

 

Skittles or M&Ms?

Chocolate every time. Skittles are just wrong.

 

What do I do at AMT?

I write. I write blog posts, articles, white papers, emails, and social media blurbs. I also edit a lot. We have lots of good writers here, so it’s really fun to do that sort of editing.

 

What apps, gadgets, etc. do I need to work?

My Macbook and the big monitor that allows me to have several windows open at once.

 

How do I recharge?

I like to sit on my front porch with a good book and a glass of wine (or a good friend to talk to).

 

What am I currently reading or do I recommend?

Right now I’m reading a book of connected essays called Black is the Body by Emily Bernard. I just finished the novel, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. I love poetry and recommend that more people read poetry. Some of my favorites are Mary Oliver’s Dream Work, David Whyte’s Everything is Waiting for You, Adrienne Rich’s Dream of a Common Language, and Lucille Clifton’s Blessing the Boats.

 

Best Advice

I finished Glennon Doyle’s new book Untamed about a month ago. Here’s a great quote I’ve really taken to heart, and I think it’s especially fitting right now.

The truest, most beautiful life never promises to be an easy one. We need to let go of the lie that it’s supposed to be.