Small Fleet Champ

Enter Overdrive's 2023 Small Fleet Championship

Do you have what it takes? Enter the 2023 small-fleet competition to put your small trucking company in the running to claim the vaunted title belt. Fleets operating 3 to 30 trucks through 2022 year-end are eligible.

March 2, 2022

A new era for CAP Trucking, Overdrive 2022 Small Fleet Champ

From a 750-square-foot warehouse at the Sanford Farmer's Market to 45,000 feet of space at 32-truck JT Carriers' headquarters, CAP owner and 2022 Small Fleet Champ Chris Porricelli embarks on a new journey with new merger, partnership to build biz.

May 4, 2023

CAP Trucking and JT Carriers logos, side by side

Enter the ring: Overdrive's 2023 Small Fleet Championship kicks off

If you've built a solid foundation for long-term success through ups and downs of trucking business cycles, you're a worthy contender. Put your fleet (3-30 trucks) in the running for a chance to claim the title belt in one of two divisions.

April 24, 2023

John McGee Small Fleet Champ sign outside of company headquarters

'It came with work': CAP Trucking's flagship 2003 Peterbilt 379

A visit with 2022 Small Fleet Champ and CAP owner Chris Porricelli yields the story of this '03 classic, bought with the "truck, trailer, bulkhead and pallet jack and with the southbound load" out of Pennsylvania as part of the deal in 2017.

March 1, 2023

Chris Porricellie's 2003 Peterbilt 379

Running the lease roads to well sites with tank operator Edward Jackson of John McGee Trucking

This bumpy, slippery run with an operator at one of Overdrive's 2022 Small Fleet Champs pulled the small fleet's bread and butter: Production water from oil and gas fields in Northern Louisiana. Ride along to unload in this Overdrive Radio edition

February 24, 2023

Roundtable: Small Fleet Champs on biggest difficulties overcome

Small Fleet Champ finalists answered this question: What's been your biggest business challenge of the past year or two, and what have you done to combat it/mitigate effects? Sit in on the wide-ranging discussion in this Overdrive Radio podcast.

October 28, 2022

John McGee Trucking, CAP Trucking emerge victorious: 2022 Small Fleet Champs

The final four contenders -- two in each 3-10-truck and 11-30-truck category -- squared off at the NASTC annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee, where owners John McGee and CAP Trucking's Chris Porricelli walked away with the title belts.

October 21, 2022

2022 Small Fleet Champ finalists and winners

Small Fleet Champs head to Nashville for the final round

Florida-based CAP Trucking will face off with Texas fleet Creech Trucking for the title belt in the 3-10-truck category. In the 11-30-truck category, Iowa-headquartered Holtkamp Transportation is up against John McGee Trucking, out of Louisiana.

October 3, 2022

2022 Overdrive's small fleet champ belts

Globex Transport's owner-operator focus yields big growth in most recent two years

Owner Tommy Piluyev's skill managing freight negotiations from the office, and increasingly his ability to delegate to a back-office core of employees with similar abilities, have helped spur that growth. A very low owner-op-to-dispatcher ratio helps.

September 29, 2022

Creech Trucking follows dairy industry to growth, stability long-term

Texas has become the third-largest dairy-producing state in the country in recent years. 10-truck Creech Trucking, after the tragic death of its founding owner, delivers on a mission to supply regional farmers with feed, producing strong income.

September 26, 2022

Trucks lined up at Creech Trucking's yard

31 straight years of revenue growth: John McGee Trucking leans on 'Golden Rule'

Hauling from a Louisiana base in support of oilfield operations around the region, John McGee Trucking has leaned into a people-first philosophy to quadruple its revenues, inspire loyalty and build a place where hauling careers are made.

September 22, 2022

John McGee Trucking Mack hooked to a tanker

After record 2021, and amid setbacks, Suprise Trucking charts the path forward

Commitment to owner-op and employee success has translated to revenue growth year after year. Suprise grossed $1 million for the first time in 2020, and shattered that in 2021. Diversification and investment in people lays groundwork for the future.

September 19, 2022

The longtime CDL holder and current trainer took his trainee recently through a practice session in straight backing, show above with one among trucks utilized in Suprise's fleet.

Soldwedel & Horn finds smooth sailing in the volatile reefer market

Terry Horn's history as an old-time outlaw trucker, as he puts it, in recent decades gave way to a rock solid commitment to his customers and drivers, taken to the highest level as S&H continues to grow, holding the line against volatile rate swings.

September 15, 2022

A Soldwedel & Horn tractor and trailer

10-truck Triple R Trucking pivots to flatbed, power-only amid fast-falling rates

Krystal Raue launched the company in 2014 after buying equipment from her retiring father. She has delivered consistent profits to owner-ops -- currently 9 plus her husband in the lone company rig -- with nimble shifts in freight focus with the market.

September 12, 2022

Krystal and Daymon Raue, owner-manager and owner-operator of Triple R Trucking out of Decatur, Nebraska.

A stolen truck, a freight scam and a big re-evaluation on the road to small fleet success

Hear CAP Trucking's success story, hauling from a home base in Florida, in this edition of Overdrive Radio -- in owner Chris Porricelli's own words. His is the voice of a man in clear control of his business after overcoming dramatic setbacks.

September 9, 2022

Customer diversification key to Lamb Fuels' recent growth

The Chula Vista, California-based petroleum-hauling fleet has grown from 14 trucks at the end of 2018 to 23 today, thanks in large part to the addition of new business units hauling aviation fuel and retail gasoline.

September 8, 2022

Lamb Fuels' Peterbilt 389

CAP Trucking refocuses on asset business, growing success in North-South LTL reefer lanes

Success in the thinking man's game that is LTL reefer hasn't come instantly for Chris Porricelli and his five-truck CAP Trucking fleet. He had to work for it, and his success has landed him as a semi-finalist in Overdrive's 2022 Small Fleet Championship.

September 5, 2022

CAP Trucking Freightliner Coronado

Holtkamp Transportation goes from a part-time job to $6 million operation

Les Holtkamp worked in sales for a large wholesale crop protection company before he founded this now multi-million dollar trucking enterprise, with 25 power units in the stable and a handful of owner-operators leased on as well.

September 1, 2022

Holtkamp Transportation truck

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For his recent move back to running with his authority, the 2023 Polar fuel-haul, four-hole, 9,500-gal. trailer is his most recent purchase, likely his last for quite a time.

Trucking his way: Matthew Karr, May Trucker of the Month, puts out his shingle as K-Mac Trucking

Having learned lessons the hard way (early struggles in a lease-purchase, later with too-quick growth as a small fleet owner), for owner-op Karr the last very-big years have set him up well for his current chapter, hauling fuel as a one-truck independent.

Walcott Truckers Jamboree

Summer of chrome, lights: Don't miss these truck shows set for across the country

Overdrive Radio 5 26 Youtube

Owner-operator business evolution in 'Partners in Business': Roundtable

Driver inspection

Not comprehensive enough: Trucking responds to FMCSA's proposed CSA-scores changes

Cummins new for 2023.

Cummins new for 2023.

Owner-operator business evolution in 'Partners in Business': Roundtable

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The Business Manual for Owner-Operators

Overdrive editors and ATBS present the industry’s best manual for prospective and committed owner-operators. You’ll find exceptional depth on many issues in the 2022 edition of Partners in Business.

Partners in Business Issue Cover