Trucker of the Year

Overdrive Radio
Small-biz trucking success, with family assist: The woman behind owner-operator Jason Shelly
The owner-op's journey in business has benefited from all manner of family support, none more so than his wife's. Shelly strives to pay it forward in all sorts of ways, and does so in this Overdrive Radio with emphasis on family's importance to all manner of owner-operators' biz success.
September 8, 2025
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Overdrive Radio
Lending a hand up the ladder: Legacy of mentorship for Trucker of the Month Jason Shelly
Shelly's legacy is no doubt a work in progress with plenty working years ahead, yet he's building it by prioritizing mentorship to young truckers with an eye on getting in business as owner-operators.
September 2, 2025
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Trucker of the Year
Carving a niche in fresh meat, multistop delivery: Trucker of the Month
Jason Shelly's living his own maxim to work at what you love. Multistop hand-unload deliveries aren't for every reefer hauler, the Trucker of the Month knows, but there's security in the difficulty.
August 26, 2025
Owner-operator Shelly's three trailers provide versatility for sometimes tight deliveries. Most often today he's hooked to a 53-foot 2017 Great Dane, 102-inch wide, an upgrade from a 2012 96-inch Utility. 'I still run an '04 48-foot/96-inch-wide reefer occasionallly,' too, he said. 'My trailers are aged, but they’re in great shape.' As is evidenced in the picture.
Overdrive Extra
7-step in-cab workout plan for long-term trucking
Follow along with 2024 Trucker of the Year Alan Kitzhaber as he walks you through his in-cab workout routine, designed to combat common OTR aches and pains. His seven-exercise routine takes just 20 minutes and requires minimal equipment.
August 15, 2025
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Overdrive Radio
What freight recession? Trucker of the Month insulates biz with direct customers
Ron Kelsey’s achieved something of an "owner-operator holy grail," trucking for decades now in a still-pristine modified two-stick 1981 Peterbilt 359 and hauling direct freight for customers that date back three decades for the owner.
August 11, 2025
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Trucker of the Year
Owner-op holy grail: Decades of direct freight in a custom '81 359
Owner-operator Ron Kelsey has been hauling for the same two shipper customers since he got his authority as an independent in 1994. Managing those relationships, and his award-winning 1981 Peterbilt 359, keep his business running strong.
July 31, 2025
Ron Kelsey, pictured here with his 'Sunrise Express' 1981 Peterbilt 359, is Overdrive's Trucker of the Month for July, putting him in the running for the 2025 Trucker of the Year award.
Overdrive Radio
One owner-op's secret weapons for trucking biz bookkeeping, analysis
Overdrive's June Trucker of the Month Scott Smith's adopted an innovative approach to bookkeeping and week-to-week profitability tracking. Learn about his custom spreadsheet and more -- including how his wife Stephanie's accounting expertise helps keep the business on track -- in this week's podcast.
July 15, 2025
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Trucker of the Year
Betting on equipment diversity as failsafe: Trucker of the Month
The Sapphire Cartage owner keeps two 2017 Peterbilt 579s, one as an ever-ready backup, hauling all manner of freight in a hopper bottom trailer for years. That is, until recently, when he hooked to a 1995-model flatbed to test the waters for freight diversity amid declining rates.
June 30, 2025
Owner-operator Scott Smith with one of his 2017 Peterbilt 579s at home in Searcy, Arkansas. His current hopper-bottom/flatbed trucking business builds on early oilfield experience and benefits from a close attention to detail when it comes to revenue and costs.
Trucker of the Year
Consistency, focus on long-term relationship value: Trucker of the Month Rufus Morris
Morris you can for sure call a little old-school in approach, yet he clearly keeps an eye on new ways and new people, too. In today’s episode of Overdrive Radio, you’ll hear from him a clear priority placed on business relationships invested in, cemented over time.
June 9, 2025
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Trucker of the Year
Overdrive's 2025 Trucker of the Year competition: Enter your business
We're halfway through the entry period for the 2025 Trucker of the Year competition. Read about our semi-finalists named thus far via our nomination page. All have persevered through freight-market difficulties and cost pressures in these last years. If that describes you, too, you’re no doubt a worthy contender. Click/tap the image to enter your own biz or another owner-operator you admire.
June 7, 2025
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Trucker of the Year
Back to business: Rufus Morris finds stability, long-term value with leasing partner
A year and a half ago, the North Carolina-based Morris got an unexpected offer from a valued freight partner. Taking it, his oversize-steel bread and butter has the business poised for long-term success after decades trucking. The owner-operator is Overdrive's Trucker of the Month for May.
May 30, 2025
Rufus and Patricia Morris together operate Midnight Rider Transport LLC, with Rufus behind the wheel and Patricia handling the books. They're leased to Material Logistics Management hauling steel beams in this 2004 Peterbilt 379.
Overdrive Radio
Prospects for a 'phenomenal' flatbed year: Trucker of the Month George Kincaid
In this week's edition of Overdrive Radio, an audio window on flatbed-pulling owner-operator Kincaid’s optimism for 2025 platform freight prospects. Also: Our talk with John Rissler about the genesis of the Crossroads Truck Meet and his Horse and Buggy Accessories shop.
May 12, 2025
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Custom Rigs
Every smart mod to Trucker of the Year's 4M-mile 1995 KW T600
With 2024 Trucker of the Year Alan Kitzhaber's long career coming to a close and his long-running T600 up for sale, this video look at the rig's modifications show his prioritization of efficiency, increased comfort and durability. Also: His custom dashcam solution, dating back to 2013.
May 8, 2025
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Trucker of the Year
'Ain't never not made it yet': Owner-op George Kincaid and the power of positivity
Building business in trucking, carving out a niche wholly on his own with authority, hasn't always been easy for George Kincaid, yet a measure of guarded positivity guides him in diligent efforts to get where he wants to be as a business owner.
April 30, 2025
April Trucker of the Month George Kincaid's Western Star 4900EX, a Millennial Edition model built around the turn of the century.
Overdrive Radio
'Keep digging' with Dice Mayhem's Trucking, growing dump roots to long-term small fleet success
Owner-operator Hunter Hubbard's advice for any aspiring truck owner belies her own dump trucking determination: "If you have your mind set to do it, go for it. Nothing's stopping you but yourself. ... Keep digging."
April 14, 2025
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Trucker of the Year
Accumulated wisdom of 34 years, 4.1 million miles: Trucker of the Year honored at MATS
In this video, track through owner-op Alan Kitzhaber's career and catch the moment he was presented with the 1/42nd-scale model of his 1995 Kenworth T600, "trophy" for the big win. Here, the full interview with Overnight Drive radio host Steve Sommers.
April 2, 2025
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Trucker of the Year
'Keep digging': Trucker of the Month Dice Mayhem's Trucking seeds growth
Hunter and Tim Hubbard operate two dump trucks around northern Virginia. The couple started the business in 2019, working consistently toward better profits despite numerous challenges. Investment in a road tractor to haul cattle aims to expand business.
March 31, 2025
Hunter Hubbard's 2005 Kenworth W900
Trucker of the Year
Trucker of the Year honored at MATS with replica of his T600, Bostrom seat
Alan Kitzhaber's legendary run putting down more than 4,000,000 miles in a 1995 Kenworth T600 comes to an end with a bang as Overdrive honors the owner-operator as Trucker of the Year.
March 28, 2025
Alan Kitzhaber's T600 scale model, and the real thing
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Hours of Service
FMCSA offers details on proposed HOS-flexibility pilot programs
Following DOT Secretary Sean Duffy's announcement of the launch of the pilot programs Monday, FMCSA released proposals showing one pilot would add more split-sleeper berth options, while the other would allow drivers to pause their 14-hour clock for up to 3 hours per duty cycle.
Small fleet owner Scott Smithler's Mission Complete Transport builds on the owner's history hauling in the military, including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mission Complete is among semi-finalists in Overdrive's Small Fleet Championship.
Small Fleet Champ
Mission Complete: Veteran small fleet owner's legion of local support
This banner is on display at U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters in Washington, D.C., this week in honor of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
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Small Fleet Champ
Small Fleet Champ semi-finalists not afraid to get their hands dirty
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Pride & Polish
Overdrive’s annual Pride & Polish virtual truck show attracts entries from across the nation showcasing show-quality design, mechanical ingenuity and plenty of trucking-business pride. Find recent-history awards shows, in-depth features about the winners, and more.
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