Overdrive

February 2018

Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info

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34 | Overdrive | February 2018 T hree owner-operators are finalists for the 2017 Owner-Operator of the Year award, produced by the Truckload Carriers Association and Overdrive. Bryan Smith, Philip Keith and Kevin Kocmich are competing for a $25,000 cash prize. The winner will be an- nounced March 27 at TCA's annual meeting near Orlando, Florida. A 2017 Company Driver of the Year, also winning $25,000, will be named from finalists Donald Lewis (Wilson Logistics), Roger Wyble (Maverick Trans- portation) and Stephen Richardson (Big G Express). The four runners-up for the two awards will receive $2,500 each. The contests are sponsored by Cummins and Love's Travel Stops. The awards recognize safety, efforts to enhance the industry's image and contributions to the community. For the owner-operator award, business acumen is an additional consideration. To be eligible for the contest, applicants had to have one million consecutive accident- free miles and meet other standards. This is the second consecutive year Kocmich and Keith have been finalists. It's the fourth time overall for Smith. Balancing business and family O wner-operator Bryan Smith, 48, of Asbury, Iowa, has always tried to be involved in his commu- nity, his church and his daughters' events. In addition to haul- ing flatbed freight during the week – anything from John Deere tractors to con- struction equipment, building materials and steel – Smith spends his weekends as a martial arts instructor, his church's music di- rector and more. As a first-degree black belt, he teaches a beginner's class and women's self- defense classes and also competes in martial arts tournaments. With three daughters – Emily, 18, Bethany, 14, and Vivian, 12 – Smith also has made it a point to be involved in their school events, sometimes bringing his truck to give students a close look. He traces his love of trucking to his child- hood, when a friend's father would let the kids play on his truck. After operating heavy machinery in the U.S. Marine Corps during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, he en- rolled in driving school. "I got a job at Schneider out of truck- ing school, then started working for Art Pape in January 1993 as a com- pany driver," he says. Smith remains with Art Pape Transfer, where he has been an owner- operator since 1994. Over his 27-year career, Smith has compiled more than 3 million accident- and violation-free miles. He attributes much of his safety to keeping a good following distance and watching out for other drivers. As for avoiding vio- lations, Smith works to keep his truck in good shape mechanically and otherwise, not giv- ing law enforcement a reason to pull him over. "Being a flatbedder, inspectors are really looking at load secure- ment, so I make sure my chains and straps are in good shape and that I have enough." Smith mostly runs in the Midwest with his 2016 Freightliner Coronado, but occa- sionally goes as far west as Colorado and to the east, Baltimore. His success, he says, stems from making wise financial deci- sions. As much as he would like to have a decked-out show truck, he knows he has to keep an emergency fund for anytime he is out of work or has an unexpected repair. "As owner-operators, we aren't paid for a breakdown or illness," he says. "Having money set aside to make your truck and insurance payments is important." THREE OPERATORS UP FOR BY MATT COLE $ 25,000 PRIZE!

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