Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/671338
Driver Feature L yle Schliep, 71, took a round- about route to a career in heavy hauling, but a er 10 years with GTI, the Nebraska na ve and Kansas resident says he's finally found his niche — and his home away from home. Recently, GTI's January Driver of the Month took a break from his hec c schedule to share his love for the industry and the secrets to his success. Q: Where did you grow up, and how long have you been in the trucking industry? A: I grew up on a farm in Clay Center, Nebraska. I moved to Hastings, Ne- braska and drove a concrete truck; that was my first job off the farm. I've been driving big rigs for a total of 18 years. Q: How did you get started in the truck- ing industry? A: I was 53 when I started. I had tried other things out there, but I was getting older and got to thinking, 'I'd like to drive a truck. I think I would be good at it.'I was tired of being broke, and I didn't have medical insurance. I wanted to learn skills other than my farming ones such as driving a tractor, digging ditches and mending fences. My dad wanted me to come back to Nebraska and farm, and I felt guilty that I didn't do that, but I wanted to take a different path. Q: What was it like to transi on into truck driving? A: The farm background and trucking are almost the same. You're your own boss. I've always been independent, and it helps to have that attitude in trucking. But two weeks out is enough. Then I'm ready to come home. I remember the first load — I could barely make 100 miles. I thought, 'Holy cow, a hundred miles is like 5,000.' It took me a while to get used to that. Q: What do you drive? A: A 2015 Freightliner Cascadia. I've driven other trucks but I like Freightlin- ers because of how roomy they are and how well they operate. 46 April 2016 BestDriverJOBS www.bestdriverjobs.com Spotlight on Lyle Schliep Gordon Trucking's January Driver of the Month