Who We Are | About Palmer Trucks

Our Story - A man of humble beginnings and a middle school arithmetic teacher by trade, Eldon Palmer changed career fields and became an Indianapolis Dodge dealer in 1956 at the age of 28. In December 1966, Eldon signed his first Kenworth Dealer Agreement. His humor, hard work, and attention to not only the numbers, but to the needs of others, were his legacy - a legacy that serves as Palmer Trucks’ guiding roadmap to this day. ​

Eldon left his legacy, and dealership, to the second and third generation.​

Second generation owner and son-in-law, John Nichols, celebrates more than 30 years in the business – a true passion. He embraces technology and innovation to bolster already outstanding customer relationships throughout the heavily-traveled region – known as the Crossroads of America for good reason. A down-to-earth gentleman - in his spare time, you can find him with his seven grandkids or embracing his Hoosier roots on the farm – all roads lead to Nichols Farms. 

Today, Palmer Trucks operates twelve, exclusive Kenworth dealerships with 650 employees in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Illinois.​ Palmer Leasing Group operates as a full-service leasing and rental PacLease franchise, and Palmer Power & Truck Equipment provides industry-leading work truck upfit services.

Palmer Trucks has proudly served customers across seven decades and three generations of ownership. Eldon's grandsons, Jacob and Scott Nichols, help operate the business, and the entire Palmer family remains engaged - providing support, guidance and care.
 

Who We Are - Palmer Trucks is a full-service Kenworth dealership network serving Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois with a comprehensive package of products and services. As a family-owned business with more than a half-century history of growth and success, Palmer Trucks has grown to a team of more than 600 individuals. With more than two million trucks on U.S. highways and interstates at any given time, a paramount need exists to keep the industry moving forward – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

We maintain a commitment to forming authentic and valuable connections through fulfilling the industry’s unique, time-sensitive needs as a trusted partner. We accomplish this by providing products and services of the highest quality and value - personalized for you. 

Because of this philosophy, we develop and nurture long-term, valuable relationships with our partners. The Palmer Trucks team has the utmost privilege and gratitude of doing business, and these core values are what keep customers returning year-after-year, and are what have kept us - On the Road Since 1965.

 

Our Mission
“We are dedicated to meeting our customer's truck needs by building quality relationships with them and going the extra mile. Our employees are the best they can be and display a positive attitude. We will lead by example, work hard, and treat everyone with honesty, dignity, and respect.”
– Founder Eldon Palmer