How an Amarillo Trucking Business Loan Fueled a Second Truck

In Amarillo, Texas, Javier Martinez turned 20 years of trucking experience into his own company, MTZ Ranch Trucking, in September 2025.

Almost a year later, a Communities Unlimited (CU) loan let him add a second truck to his fleet, setting him up for more growth. As demand for hauling and material transport grows alongside Texas’s expanding data center construction, Martinez is positioning his business to grow with it.

Two Decades in Trucking Before Going Out on His Own

Martinez didn’t start MTZ Ranch Trucking on a whim. He worked his way from driver to dispatcher assistant to area manager, including nine years with Vulcan Materials. By the time he took a job as trucking supervisor for a local construction company, he knew the industry from every angle. Scheduling, hauling, loading, and what it takes to keep trucks moving.

That job is what pushed him to go out on his own.

“I had the opportunity when I came to work for this company,” he said. “If I want to start my business, I would have to work for it. So it was kind of a no-brainer for me.”

Martinez bought his first truck with his own money and started MTZ Ranch Trucking, taking on hauling and delivery work for the construction company as needed.

Data Center Construction Fuels a Booked-Solid Truck

His timing lined up with something bigger. The construction company had taken on multiple contracts tied to AI data center construction projects across Texas, and the work kept coming. Martinez’s single truck stayed booked, but one truck is one truck. He couldn’t take on more without adding to his fleet, and he didn’t have the cash on hand to buy outright a second time.

Turning to Communities Unlimited’s Lending Team

That’s where the Lending Team at CU came in.

Martinez had first heard about the organization more than a year earlier, through friend and longtime CU client Doshon Johnson of Urban Heights Investments. Once Martinez bought that first truck and started building a track record, he called CU.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) provided financial support for the loan.

Martinez credits loan officer Alex Cordero for keeping things moving.

“Alex was amazing to work with,” he said.

Building Financial Systems Alongside the Loan

Martinez said the process pushed him to get his financial systems in order, including setting up QuickBooks for the first time.

“You’ve got to have this in order for a lot of reasons,” he said. “It’s been helpful, and I’m grateful for that.”

Two Trucks, One Driver, and Room to Grow

Now, about a year after starting the business, Martinez runs two trucks and has brought on an additional driver. MTZ Ranch Trucking is positioned to keep growing alongside the demand building across the Texas Panhandle, work made possible in part through Communities Unlimited’s lending support for rural entrepreneurs.