'Never give up' in drive to trucking success: Pitfalls, best advice for new and seasoned owner-ops

"Don't be afraid to ask questions." --Owner-operator Steve Massat, leased to T Max Transportation

The Overdrive Radio podcast this week features Part 2 of our “exit interviews” with 2023 Trucker of the Year contenders. As with Part 1, the five owner-operator businesses featured here detailed the bevy of challenges faced down through the year. All put a special emphasis on short-term tactics, on proven long-term strategies, that others might also adopt on the drive toward success with healthy profits.  

This exemplary group, too, as the quote from owner-operator Massat above illustrates, delivered a strong, sometimes quite simple advice for aspiring and/or new owners. 

Owner-operator Chris Smith operates the Dreamline Trucking business, our February Trucker of the Month with his wife and team owner, Ruth, leased to Southern Pride, hauling jet engines and other airport freight predominantly. Smith, as with Massat, advised not to get too starry-eyed about custom equipment with a big price tag associated starting out. "That's not what's going to make you money," he said, noting decades of hard work led to where he and Ruth Smith are today, pulling in a veritable custom showpiece, a move itself made only after considerable research and deliberation.

Overdrive Radio's sponsor is Massat, who pulls with a vintage 1989 Marmon tractor, does as much work on his rig as he can himself, stocking parts he knows he'll need when he can get them for reasonable prices. He reduces his cash outlay on parts and labor both. Likewise, given ready parts availability in his truck and/or at his home shop (he's home every weekend), costly downtime, too. T Max Transportation-leased owner Massat was Trucker of the Month in August.