Great Success from Small Beginnings
Metro Bobcat, Inc. celebrates 30 years of service in Maryland
Work hard, treat people honestly and always be on time. Founder and President of Metro Bobcat, Inc., William “Bill” Phebus Jr., lives by this philosophy. “Bill, my dad, has been in construction for 56 years and a preacher for 52 years. What makes Dad special is that he is the same person Monday through Saturday as he is on Sunday,” says David Phebus, Founder and General Manager.
“My dad has always been a ‘work hard, treat people fairly and honestly and let the rest take care of itself’ kind of person. He’s never been a ‘numbers and spread sheet’ kind of person. Of course, we do look at numbers, but not like other companies where it’s always about meetings, statistics, goal charts and return on investment,” David says. “I model my own work ethic after this approach as well.”
In the Beginning
“My father, my brother and I worked for a company called John C. Louis Co. Incorporated. When Louis decided to get out of the rental business, I started our predecessor firm, Metro Rentals, with Dad’s help. I was only 18 or 19 at the time,” David says. “We explained our vision to the bank and got a loan. That’s not the way it works today. Now you have to have capital in order to get financial backing.”
Metro Rentals began operations in 1989, working out of an office trailer in Gaithersburg, Maryland. A shed held stock and a tent provided shelter for servicing equipment. Having started as a rental agency, Metro Rentals offered all types of construction equipment. The enterprise became an authorized Bobcat dealer in 1991. David’s brother, Michael Phebus, Corporate Sales Manager, joined the Metro team that same year.
Becoming Exclusive to Bobcat
In 1995, the owners decided to exclusively handle the Bobcat equipment line, changing its name to Metro Bobcat, Inc. Since the opening of the Gaithersburg location, the firm has opened three other locations in Carroll, Baltimore and Prince George’s counties, serving Maryland and the surrounding states. “Instead of being ‘good’ at what we do, focusing on one product helps us to be the ‘best’ at what we do,” David says.
Metro Bobcat has established itself as the No. 1 full-service Bobcat dealership in the area and in the top 15 nationwide. “Unlike other dealerships, we specialize strictly in Bobcat along with Toro mowers and Towmaster trailers to haul the equipment back and forth,” David says. As an authorized Bobcat dealer, he says the business provides outstanding service by certified mechanics with a fully stocked parts department.
Sales, Rentals and Service
The Metro Bobcat sales department offers an inventory of new and used Bobcat equipment. “We uniquely offer the industry’s largest attachment line, including stump grinders, soil conditioners, planers and other attachments that are designed to be used on compact construction equipment,” David says.
“We take pride in selling the best used equipment in the market; every used piece we sell is thoroughly inspected, repaired and serviced before delivery,” David says. As a result of its high standards, Metro Bobcat has sold used equipment to companies from Siberia to Australia.
In addition, it has a rental fleet available for long- and short-term rentals of Bobcat skid steer loaders, track loaders, excavators and attachments. “We maintain a diverse fleet with a low-age profile and unsurpassed reliability and service,” David says.
“Over the years, Metro Bobcat equipment has been purchased, rented and operated by a widely varied customer base, including the White House, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, the FBI, Cal Ripken Jr., Andrews Air Force Base, the National Park Service, the U.S. Army, countless contractors and landscaping companies and farmers—just to name a few,” David says. “Supplying equipment for the building of Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore was one of our major projects,” David adds.
“With the many types of markets that require compact construction equipment, our experts, who specialize in the products we rent, sell and service, are able to help the customer make the right choices for job-specific demands,” David says. The evolution of the trade involving compact construction equipment requires the firm’s technicians to stay current with changing technologies and innovations. They receive consistent, hands-on Bobcat factory training, as well as make use of online educational tools and the manufacturer’s support services. “Intentional growth and development benefit all parties involved,” David says.
Giving to Others
“One of the most noteworthy things about Metro Bobcat is that we aid other enterprises so they can grow and prosper,” David says. The firm has helped new ventures by fronting loans when finance companies would not lend a company money due to a lack of history—much like the beginnings of Metro Rentals. Many of these enterprises have grown to become large contractors.
Frequently Metro Bobcat loans equipment and donates funds to local charities and events, including local youth sports teams, 4-H programs, community cleanup, disaster relief, rehabilitation centers, first responders and charitable foundations. “We donated a tractor to the Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company for a raffle to help raise money for its new fire station,” David says. “It is important to support and give back to the communities where our employees live and work.”
Creating Relationships
Metro Bobcat would like to hire more workers, but to date, it has grown to employ 65 people—all considered part of the family, if not actually born into it. Many of them have been with the corporation for years, which represents a lot of experience. Success is attributed to these hardworking and dedicated individuals. “Our staff shines when adversity and problems arise. They have been trained to comprehend the urgency, to solve the difficulty and to accommodate the customer regardless of the cost,” David says. “A team member doesn’t have to call and get permission to treat someone correctly,” David adds. “If a machine breaks down and can’t be fixed right away, no one has to ask permission to offer a replacement to use. They have the ability to make sure the customers are taken care of.”
Understanding that relationships matter most, employees creatively find methods to save clients time and money. “There are no big chiefs in our company; we all collaborate and work to serve the customers and one another,” David says. “A little friendly competition and camaraderie within departments and between the four branches motivates everyone to excel,” he adds.
While cultivating a professional group of experts in each field, Metro Bobcat encourages workforce retention. The corporation promotes from within, offering opportunities to everyone for personal growth and development and advancement in the industry. “There is nothing better for morale than working at a job that has a future,” David says.
Celebrating 30 Successful Years
In 2019, Metro Bobcat celebrated its 30th anniversary. David attributes the firm’s success to loyal customers and a wonderful team of employees who have the same mindset as the owners—take care of everyone and treat them the way they should be treated. “Our team works to create a partnership with customers,” David says. “Our customers don’t have to deal with Metro Bobcat; they choose to. Our goal is to always make sure our company is the best choice,” he adds.
“Bobcat has led the industry for over 50 years—no wonder people refer to all compact loaders as ‘Bobcats,’ ” David says. “The Bobcat Company is a true partner with Metro Bobcat, and the nucleus of our mission is customer satisfaction,” David says.