As you'll hear off the top of this week's Overdrive Radio podcast, part 2 in our Trucker of the Year competition's "exit interviews" series features an all-flatbedders group. You’ll hear a bit of what some call "bygone" driver-to-driver camaraderie amongst the four owners featured around -- what else? -- the subject of tarping.
Arkansas-headquartered Scott Smith, owner-operator of Sapphire Cartage, described some new work hauling outbound to Atlanta with overlength freight. The rates are great, permits required, and loads lightweight, delivering fuel savings. Yet also: tarps required.
"Putting on three tarps, putting on three tarps' worth of bungees, taking off three tarps, folding up, putting up three tarps," he said. "Anybody got any sympathy?" Much laughter followed, of course.
Also featured in the podcast, with updates on their businesses heading into 2026:
- West Virginia-headquartered independent George Kincaid;
- Longtime Kelsey’s Trucking owner-operator Ron Kelsey, who hauls in a beautiful 1981 Peterbilt 359 repowered in the 1990s with a C15 Cat and working with two principal direct customers upwards of three decades;
- And Rufus Morris, out of North Carolina, leased to Material Logistics Management and for whom it’s been an eventful year equipment-wise.
Overdrive Radio's sponsor is Howes, longtime provider of fuel treatments like its Howes Diesel Defender all-weather mileage booster and winter Diesel Treat anti-gel treatments to get you through the coldest temps, the Howes Multipurpose penetrating oil, and other products.
Tough moments at roadside can be enough to make even a seasoned veteran like Morris question himself.
"I've had plenty times this year when I was like, 'Man, is it worth it?'" Morris said. But taking stock further, staring at that beautiful 2004 379 of his, despite all of its problems, "it's a good life," he added, a good living even with the complication, the headaches. "Yeah, it's worth it."
Just be prepared for anything. Take a listen:
It's full speed ahead to 2026 for all of our Trucker of the Year contenders, this year’s competition sponsored by Bostrom Seating, who will deliver a new seat to the winner, ultimately. Enter the Trucker of the Year competition at this link. While we're in the process of updating the form page there for 2026, know that all entries received before the end of 2025 will be considered for the new year's program.
