Enter today: Overdrive's 2024 Trucker of the Year competition

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Overdrive is excited to open the 2024 Trucker of the Year competition to nominations -- to recognize the business acumen and innovation of the owner-operator, the bedrock of the entrepreneurial spirit in trucking. Whether you’re leased to another motor carrier or out on your own as an independent, if you’ve controlled costs and maintained revenues amidst inflation and freight-market difficulties in the last years, you’re no doubt a worthy contender.

As with Overdrive’s Trucker of the Year program of past years, independents both leased and with authority (up to 3 trucks in either case) can nominate themselves. Alternately, if you’re a representative of a motor carrier, brokerage or a service provider with a business relationship to an outstanding owner, you too can nominate that owner.

Winners, ultimately, will have demonstrated above-average profit and safety and put small-business-trucking best practices in place, laying the groundwork for long-term business health. 

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU?

  • Trucker of the Year sponsor Commercial Vehicle Group, supplier of well-known brands including Bostrom Seating among many others, will deliver a prize check to the 2024 winner for a new seat and/or other truck modifications of their choice. 
  • No shortage of bragging rights, no doubt, for a year’s reign.
  • A custom-designed scale model highway tractor as trophy.
  • Visibility through features on OverdriveOnline.com, including podcasts and videos. 
  • Coverage beyond Overdrive in sister publication Truckers News and others.

The kind of exposure that, in the long run, could yield new opportunities.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Overdrive editors will interview the best applicants, review submitted operating criteria, and select a Trucker of the Month for every month through October 2024. From those stand-out owner-operators, a final Trucker of the Year will be named in early 2025.

The initial application (find it in full below) must be filled out completely. If there are certain figures you or the nominating individual don’t have, provide the best estimate. (Entries will be open through mid-2024. After this first entry form, be on the lookout for a follow-up email from Overdrive editor Todd Dills requesting further information of potential finalists for the monthly recognition.)

[Related: They said he'd fail, but he proved them wrong: Overdrive's Trucker of the Year, Jay Hosty] 

ELIGIBILITY

(Applicants must meet all these criteria:)

  • Operating either with motor carrier authority or leased to another carrier over the last four full calendar years (2020-2023).
  • Operated with 3 or fewer Class 8 trucks in for-hire freight (owned or leased) for all of 2023.
  • Weren't among the three finalists for the 2023 award. 

INCENTIVES AND COMMITMENT

Each of the monthly finalists and the ultimate 2024 Trucker of the Year will be featured prominently in an Overdrive story and the Overdrive Radio podcast. (You can find profiles of and podcasts featuring 2023 Trucker of the Year nominees via this link.) 

The winner also will receive a custom-built scale model tractor as trophy, designating them as the Overdrive’s Trucker of the Year, likewise prizes from program sponsor Commercial Vehicle Group and its Bostrom Seating brand.    

Winners agree and acknowledge that neither Randall Reilly nor any sponsor has made any representations to winner regarding the tax consequences related to the receipt of any prize. All expenses and costs, including all applicable taxes, associated with the acceptance and/or use of any prize are the sole and exclusive responsibility of the winner.