Editor’s Journal
The spirit of Truckers News will live on with new publication
It is with bittersweet emotions that I pen this column. It will be the last editorial that I write under the Truckers News banner.
Randy Grider is editor of Truckers News. Write him at [email protected].For the past 12 years, this magazine has been my livelihood and my passion. Most of all, it has given me a voice to communicate with all of you on a wide range of topics. Like many of you, I often meet change with a stubborn defiance. But in this case, the changes that the magazine and our staff are experiencing have a silver lining. While we will no longer publish Truckers News as a standalone publication, the spirit of the magazine isn’t dying: It is evolving. We’re merging with our sister publications, Overdrive and Custom Rigs.
Starting in August, you will see a totally revamped magazine under the Overdrive flag at your favorite truckstop. Not only will it encompass the key elements that have made Overdrive a success for a half century, but it will maintain a lot of the coverage you have to come to expect from Truckers News.
There will be added value with new departments and a greater online presence, which will keep you better than ever informed on all things trucking. I know you’ll enjoy our incorporation of Custom Rigs, which spotlights some of the most amazingly tricked-out rigs on the road.
The core of the Truckers News team will play a big part in the future of your new truckstop magazine. We want to continue the open dialogue with our readers that made this magazine special for 35 years. Our magazine’s growing presence in social media channels has opened new ways to expand this engagement.
Why are we making this change? It’s quite simple. Evolution in the market, advertising focus and technology have driven changes for all print media — mainstream and trade circles alike. In this ever-changing climate, it makes sense to combine our staffs and expertise under a comprehensive magazine in order to give you more in one package, rather than splitting it among three titles.
My personal goal is to make the new magazine one that you love. Your loyalty to Truckers News has made it a pleasure to produce the magazine. I encourage you to give the new Overdrive a chance to prove its worth, dedication and loyalty to you as the successor of the publication you’ve come to count on.
The past decade-plus as editor of Truckers News has been a hell of a run. Now, I’m looking forward to helping steer the course with your new magazine.
