Trucker of the Year

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.

May 30, 2023

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.

Nominate an owner-operator or enter yourself: Two months left to compete for 2023 Trucker of the Year

Get your nominations in before the end of July to compete for top honors and one of 12 monthly semi-finalist nods. Here's a rundown of those who've been featured so far, through April Trucker of the Month Jay Hosty.

May 15, 2023

Squeeze is on: Frugality only goes so far after getting used to $4/mile freight

Owner-operator Jay Hosty, our April Trucker of the Month, has nonetheless held tight when confronted with the prospects of anything below $2.50-$3/mile -- in this podcast, dive in with News Editor Matt Cole's long look at Hosty's business history.

May 5, 2023

overdrive radio podcast with trucker of the year 2023

Katrina nearly wiped him out, but the owner-op prevailed with tight focus on costs

Jay Hosty began his trucking career as an owner-operator in 1981 at the age of 19. Since the beginning, his business focus has honed in on per-mile costs. That, mixed with his own frugality, have led to a long, successful career.

April 26, 2023

Jay Hosty 2006 Western Star

Making all of it work, and then some: Illinois-headquartered Pulli Express

On Overdrive Radio: This husband/wife duo, March Trucker of the Month Pulli Express, excels in the art of juggling life and work on the road, running three trucks between them and an owner-operator leased. What else? Four young children at home.

April 14, 2023

Enter Overdrive's 2023 Trucker of the Year competition

This Overdrive program recognizes the business acumen and innovation of the owner-operator, the bedrock of the entrepreneurial spirit in trucking. If you’ve controlled costs and maintained profits amidst record inflation, you're a worthy contender.

December 5, 2022

'Everything is a lesson' -- Pulli Express Inc.'s path to profits through continual adjustment

Owner-operators Tim and Shelley Puzek-Pulli's steady-as-she-goes approach to their two-decade-old owner-operator business, now a three-truck fleet, got a shot in the arm in 2012, after a crash launched in-house reckoning, big shifts in management.

March 27, 2023

Shelly and Tim and the whole family.

Team Dreamline: Success designed, executed for a long-term home

The owner-operator dream team hauls leased to Southern Pride Trucking, the culmination of about a decade spent designing and executing their plan for a long-term home as business owners. Hear their story on Overdrive Radio here.

March 10, 2023

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Team owner-operators’ unique path to trucking success

February Truckers of the Month Chris and Ruth Smith took something of an unconventional path to ownership over the course of nearly 30 years, but now the team is banking big profits hauling jet engines for Southern Pride Trucking.

February 27, 2023

Chris and Ruth Smith's Beverly II 2020 Peterbilt 389

How to be 'as bad as an accountant' to ensure long-term success

January's owner-operator Trucker of the Month tells his story, from his start as a flatbed-pulling hotshotter in a one-ton dually to stumbles through other trucks and growing "as bad as an accountant" with a focus on costs, revenue and profit per-trip.

February 10, 2023

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Always headed home: Owner-op pulls in profit with a single goal in mind

January Trucker of the Month Kelvin Schmidt's decade-plus career as an independent isn't, ultimately, about the trucking or simply making money. His operation's freight and rates consistency delivers profit and time back home where it belongs.

January 31, 2023

Kelvin Schmidt's 2018 Volvo, parked at home

Calling the best of the best among owner-operators

Overdrive relaunches its Trucker of the Year competition catching back up with the last winner, Dan Heister, who remains at the top of his business' game while building a fleet of vintage Fords and a trucking legacy at his new home.

December 7, 2022

'Knock on wood,' Owner-Op of the Year Glen Horack's money-making ways set to grow

Listen in on lessons learned by decades-long owner Horack, who started team driving with his wife, Karla, after 2008, the one year -- "knock on wood," Horack said -- his one-truck business truly struggled in the depths of the Great Recession.

August 26, 2022

Owner-Operator of the Year Glen Horack 'in good shape' for run toward the finish line

Owner-operator Horack -- now teaming with his wife, Karla -- turned early happenstance into long-term success trucking with a combination of sound money management, long-term relationship building and commitment to the right partners.

August 3, 2022

Glen Horack's 2022 Peterbilt 579

Meet the owners and drivers of the year -- a window on the Las Vegas awards banquet

For this edition of Overdrive Radio, sit back and take it all in as we run through the stories of six finalists, three each in owner-operator and company driver categories, from this week's awards show at Truckload 2022 in Las Vegas.

March 25, 2022

Owner-operator Glen Horack takes home $25K with top honor

The winner of the annual TCA/Overdrive Owner-Operator of the Year recognition program was announced Tuesday, March 22, at the concluding gala of the Truckload 2022 conference in Las Vegas.

March 23, 2022

A truckin' start: The OTR origin stories of owner-op award finalists

In this edition of Overdrive Radio, hear how three competing nominees got their start, including award finalist five-timer Glen Horack, Iowa-based owner-operator Gene Houchin, and West Virginia-based team Allen and Sandy Smith.

March 11, 2022

Experience pays dividends for Owner-Operator of the Year finalist Gene Houchin

Shenandoah, Iowa-based Gene Houchin has been hauling over-the-road since 1973. He got his start working for a local grain elevator and, after proving his skill backing trucks onto the elevator, got his chance to drive a truck hauling grain.

March 2, 2022

Gene Houchin's 2015 Peterbilt 579

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Do owner-operators need to worry about credit scores?

With loan interest rates up dramatically over the last year, most Overdrive readers report having a fantastic credit score. But the score itself isn't all you have to worry about when negotiating a new truck or other business loan.

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

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

New dēzl™ OTR610, dezl OTR710, dēzl OTR810 and dēzl OTR1010 navigator serie

New dēzl™ OTR610, dezl OTR710, dēzl OTR810 and dēzl OTR1010 navigator serie

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