Celebrating the 75th anniversary of Jet Delivery, COO Jason Barbata reveals the company’s secrets to delivering success 

Established in 1950, Jet Delivery’s journey has been nothing short of a true Californian success story. The company was founded by James Zahner, an entrepreneur armed with a Maytag washing machine and a dream. It all began when James sold the washing machine and used the earnings to get Jet Delivery off the ground, opening its first office on the corner of Venice and Main Street in Downtown Los Angeles. The business started out as a messenger and courier service with just a few vehicles and one person answering the phones, but has since grown into a leading logistics empire, offering everything from courier services to transportation, warehousing and freight brokerage.  

Today, Jet Delivery operates from two key locations in California and continues to expand across the US, while staying true to its mission of making logistics seamless with speed, reliability, and expertise. In fact, 2025 marks a very special milestone for Jet Delivery. After decades of innovation, adaptability, and hard work, the company is proud to celebrate its 75th anniversary this year. This milestone is a testament to Jet Delivery’s continuing commitment to providing the most efficient, reliable logistics services to all its customers. In celebration of this event, Transportation & Logistics International sat down with Jason Barbata, Chief Operating Officer at Jet Delivery, to discuss the company’s evolution over the past 75 years and what the future has in store. Jason starts by reflecting on the qualities that have attributed to Jet Delivery’s longevity and continuing success.  

“There are a few things that have really stood the test of time for us,” Jason begins. “First and foremost: reliability. We’ve built a reputation on doing what we say we’ll do, and that matters in this industry. Our customers know they can count on us, whether it’s a time-sensitive courier run or a complex freight move. We’ve also always put relationships first. We take pride in being easy to work with, responsive, and transparent. A lot of our growth has come from long-term partnerships built on trust and consistent performance. Part of building that trust is understanding what matters most to each customer. Every customer values something a little different — speed, reliability, or visibility. Our job is to understand what matters most and deliver it. In courier work, that means being fast, available, and giving customers the visibility they want. With freight and logistics, it’s about securing the right drivers, the right equipment, and ensuring seamless integration with our customers’ systems. Because we offer multiple service types under one roof, we can design solutions that aren’t limited by a single mode or approach. We pull from the right mix of courier services, freight solutions, and warehousing based on what makes the most sense — and we stay flexible as their needs evolve.  

“Our goal is to make it feel easy on the customer side, even when the work behind it is complex. That’s what keeps the relationships strong and the results consistent. And we listen. We stay close to our customers, take feedback seriously, and adjust when we see opportunities to improve. Long-term relationships don’t come from just showing up on time — they come from showing up the right way, over and over again.  

“Also, we’ve never been afraid to adapt. Whether it’s embracing new technology or expanding into warehousing and freight brokerage, we’ve always looked ahead and evolved with our customers’ needs. That mix of consistency and adaptability has kept us going strong for 75 years.”  

Speed and reliability 

“We’ve always stayed close to our customers, and that’s helped us evolve in the right ways. What started as a courier and messenger service has grown into a full-service logistics operation because we paid attention to what our clients needed: faster deliveries, more visibility, better flexibility,” Jason explains. “We’ve invested in technology that makes shipping easier and more transparent, from real-time tracking to smarter dispatch systems. A big part of that journey started in the mid-90s when we began building on top of Datatrac’s platform. That partnership gave us the flexibility to build some of our own systems around our unique services and helped us stay ahead as customer expectations evolved. We’ve focused on staying flexible and grounded in the things we can control — communication, service, and responsiveness. While a lot of companies leaned into automation alone, we doubled down on people and relationships, making sure customers could still reach someone who knows their account and can solve problems fast.” 

Speed and reliability are central to Jet Delivery’s model. Since the late 1990s, Jet Delivery has pioneered real-time tracking and visibility to promise the best possible solution for its customers — one that is transparent, efficient and leaves its customers at ease. While technology has progressed rapidly over the years, the company continues to evolve and implement the latest cutting-edge innovations to help further improve its services.  

“Technology plays a key role in how we operate, but we’ve always made sure it works with our people, not in place of them,” Jason elaborates. “We’ve been at the forefront of real-time tracking since the late 90s. Today, GPS is built into our app, but that early commitment to visibility laid the groundwork for everything we do now. More and more businesses want real-time data flowing directly into their own systems, and we make that easy with modern APIs and integration tools. Customers can check rates, book orders, and get live status updates — all without leaving their own platform.  

“We’ve also developed our own dashboards and reporting tools over the years, giving our teams a clear view of performance and trends. Now, AI is helping us connect those data points in new ways. It’s not predicting the future, but it’s helping us move faster and see patterns we might’ve missed before. That means better decisions, faster response times, and a stronger operation overall.”  

Prioritizing people 

Amidst the anniversary celebrations, it’s evident Jet Delivery is well-positioned for a future brimming with further growth and success. Nurturing partnerships old and new, the company will continue to empower a diverse scope of businesses by prevailing as the partner of choice for fast, reliable logistics services, with plans to expand its presence beyond California. Jet Delivery is also committed to supporting its own workforce in the long term, providing a clear path to a strong, stable income for all employees. As our conversation concludes, however, Jason is keen to extend a heartfelt message to Jet Delivery’s loyal customers and partners as the company embarks on its next chapter.  

“First and foremost — thank you. We wouldn’t be here without the trust our customers and partners have placed in us. Every shipment, every phone call, every challenge we’ve worked through together has shaped who we are today,” Jason reflects. “As we move into this next chapter, our focus is the same as it’s always been — to deliver with speed, reliability, and care. But we’re also growing, adapting, and investing in ways that make us an even stronger partner for the future. Whether it’s expanding our reach, adding new capabilities, or improving how we communicate and connect, every decision we make is about helping our customers move forward with confidence.  

“We’re proud of what we’ve built over the last 75 years, but we’re even more excited about what comes next.”   

www.jetdelivery.com