2101_TTJM_AllPages

JOBS 

JOB Resources: 

MORE THAN 

A LICENSE 

Endorsements can expand the 

possibilities of your driving career 

MAGAZINE 

along for the ride: 

FROM BOSTON, 

WITH LOVE 

Terrier provides trucker with 

companionship, physical activity 

owning 

the wheel: 

Tax-time tips for 

maximum deductions 

Wee 

Pete & 

Pete 

Trucker’s son follows in father’s tracks 

with tiny replica of ’99 Peterbilt 379

2 THE TRUCKER JOBS MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.THETRUCKERJOBS.COM

WWW.THETRUCKERJOBS.COM THE TRUCKER JOBS MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 3

6 

12 

16 

Boyle Transportation 15 

Diamond Transportation System 9 

East-West Express Inc. 20-21 

Foodliner/Quest Liner 29 

Kennesaw Transportation Inc. 31 

K.L. Harring Transportation 13 

Marten Transport 40 

M.C. Tank Transport 33 

Merit Trucking Inc. 14 

New Waverly Transportation 11 

P.I.&I. Motor Express 7, 35 

Trucker 

talk 

JOB RESOURCES 

More than a license 

Endorsements can expand 

the possibilities of your 

driving career 

JOB RESOURCES 

Make the most of a job 

interview by providing the 

right information, asking 

the right questions 

BEHIND THE WHEEL 

Pete & Wee Pete 

Trucker’s son follows in 

father’s tracks with tiny 

replica of ’99 Peterbilt 379 

34 

WHAT’S INSIDE 

22 

24 

28 

OWNING THE WHEEL 

Tax-time tips for 

maximum deductions 

FEATURED BUSINESSES 

ON THE ROAD 

Brady Watson answers 

a few questions about 

his trucking career 

RIG OF THE MONTH 

Stephen Valentine 

shows off his 

customized 2019 

Peterbilt 389 

ALONG FOR THE RIDE 

From Boston, with love 

Terrier provides trucker with 

companionship, opportunities 

for physical activity 

Progressive Commercial 5 

Red Eye Radio 26 

Reliable Carriers Inc. 25 

Schuster 37 

Sherwin Williams 10 

Star Freight 2-3 

TMC Transportation 23 

Tran Stewart Trucking 27 

UPS Freight 38-39 

U.S. Xpress 32 

What’s your New Year’s Resolution? 

“ 

I want to try to be healthier 

and to buy another truck by the 

end of the year. — Rene Anderson 

“ 

My resolution is to pay off some 

bills, be debt free, eat healthy and 

exercise more! 

— Charles Small 

EDITORIAL 

Managing Editor 

Wendy Miller 

Staff Writer 

Linda Garner-Bunch 

Production Manager 

Rob Nelson 

Graphic Artists 

Leanne Hunter 

Christie McCluer 

Contributing Writers 

Cliff Abbott 

Sarah DeClerk 

Lyndon Finney 

Dwain Hebda 

Sam Pierce 

Kris Rutherford 

ADVERTISING & LEADERSHIP 

Chief Executive Officer 

Bobby Ralston 

General Manager 

Megan Hicks 

Director of Technology 

Jose Ortiz 

The Trucker Jobs Magazine is published 

monthly by The Trucker Media Group. 

For advertising opportunities, 

contact Meg Larcinese at 

megl@thetruckermedia.com. 

For editorial inquiries, 

contact Wendy Miller at 

editor@thetruckermedia.com. 

All advertising, including artwork and photographs, 

becomes the property of the publisher once published 

and may be reproduced in any media only 

by publisher. Publisher reserves the right to refuse 

or edit any ad without notice and does not 

screen or endorse advertisers. Publisher is not 

liable for any damages resulting from publication 

or failure to publish all or any part of any ad 

or any errors in ads. Adjustments are limited to 

the cost of space for the ad, or at publisher’s option, 

republication for one insertion with notice 

received within three days of first publication. 

© 2021 of Wilshire Classifieds, LLC. Subject also 

to ad and privacy policy at www.recycler.com. 

What do you listen to while driving? 

Share your thoughts by sending an email 

to editor@thetruckermedia.com. 

Who knows? Your input may be featured in the 

February/March issue of The Trucker Jobs Magazine. 


At Progressive, we’re proud 

to offer truckers the kind of 

coverage and service that 

helps them drive progress. 

Call your local agent or visit 

ProgressiveCommercial.com 

BEHIND EVERYTHING 

GREAT IN AMERICA, 

THERE’S A TRUCK. 

Progressive Casualty Ins. Co. & affiliates.

JOB 

resources 

more than a 

license 

Endorsements can expand the 

possibilities of your driving career 

One of the most common mistakes new 

truck drivers make occurs before they 

even get their commercial driver’s license 

(CDL). New drivers often have a good idea 

of what job they will be taking once they 

have their license, and often obtain only the 

endorsements they’ll need for that job. 

An example is the driver who accepts a 

job while still in CDL school with a company 

that pulls dry van trailers. Aside from air 

brakes, no other endorsements are required. 

After months on the road, it becomes evident 

that the weeks away from home are 

putting a strain on family relationships 

— and the search is on for a local job that 

allows more time at home. One local job 

involves tankers pulling petroleum products. 

Another opportunity with great pay 

requires a doubles endorsement. The driver 

isn’t qualified for either job and will need to 

find a way to study — and then use up more 

valuable home time to take the exam for the 

required endorsements. 

The reality is that the trucking industry 

routinely reports an annual turnover rate approaching 

100%. That means that, on the 

average, almost every driver makes a job 

BY CLIFF ABBOTT / CONTRIBUTING WRITER 

change once per year. Of course, that’s only a 

statistical average; some drivers stay with one 

company for many years while others switch 

companies after only a few months. Still, new 

drivers are highly likely to have more than 

one job in their first year of employment. So, 

the question for every driver is this: 

Why wouldn’t you want to be as qualified 

as possible to accept any job in the industry? 

CDL manuals from nearly every state 

contain study sections for each endorsement, 

and CDL schools often cover those 

endorsements in the classroom curriculum. 

It’s usually easier to pass the state exams 

while the information is fresh. Available 

endorsements include the following: 

Air Brake 

It may seem like a given that you’ll need 

this endorsement, but it is possible to obtain 

a CDL without it. Some vehicles require a 

CDL because of weight or the cargo they 

haul, and when hooked to trailers may require 

a Class A license. 

Doubles-Triples 

Shorter “pup” trailers are often used by 

less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers, including 

package and parcel carriers. Some of 

the jobs LTL carriers offer are over the 

road, while many are “pedal” runs to and 

from the same terminal. Depending on the 

distance, the driver may get home every 

night, every other night, weekly or some 

other schedule. 

Most of these jobs are in demand, and 

turnover among them is generally low, 

meaning that drivers tend to stay. Some 

LTL jobs offer excellent pay and benefits. 

To pass the exam, you’ll need to know how 

to properly hook up multiple trailers and 

understand weight distribution and special 

driving techniques. 

Tanker 

These jobs can be local or long-haul, 

and many involve hazardous materials. 

Many people think of liquids when 

they think of tank trailers, but powdered 

or granular products are often hauled in 

“pneumatic” tankers that can be unloaded 

through a hose by trickling the product 

into a stream of air. 

Local jobs often deliver petroleum products 

to gas stations, airports, trucking terminals 

and other locations. Another common 

local job is concrete hauling; both the Class B 


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JOB 

resources 

mixer trucks and the Class A tractors pulling 

pneumatic tankers full of concrete powder 

require tanker endorsements. 

Over-the-road tanker drivers haul foodgrade 

materials and other products anywhere 

there are roads. Food manufacturers 

and bakeries often buy products such as 

corn syrup, juices, flour, sugar and more a 

truckload at a time. 

Acids and other industrial products keep 

manufacturers running. In addition, the 

practice of fracking (hydraulic fracturing) 

requires tanker loads of sand and lubricants 

and has grown substantially in recent years, 

although it is currently slow. 

Passing the tanker exam will require 

knowledge of how liquids act and knowing 

terms like “surge” and “outage,” as well as 

construction and handling characteristics of 

a tanker. 

Passenger 

While it’s true that passenger-hauling 

trailers aren’t in common use in the U.S., 

buses are everywhere. Many communities 

provide local bus-driving jobs, some 

with excellent pay and benefits. Charter 

or tour buses provide long-haul opportunities 

with cargo that loads and unloads itself. 

Bus drivers are home often, and when 

they aren’t, they are often provided lodging 

where the bus passengers lodge; these 

lodgings can include resorts, casinos or 

other luxurious accommodations. 

Some drivers use their passenger endorsement 

in volunteer work at their 

church or other local organization. Passing 

the passenger exam requires knowledge of 

driving and passenger rules as well as driving 

characteristics. 

Hazardous Materials 

This is the one endorsement that requires 

periodic renewal as well as a second part 

— a background check through the Transportation 

Security Administration (TSA). 

JOB TIP 

CDL manuals from nearly every state contain 

study sections for each endorsement, 

and CDL schools often cover those 

endorsements in the classroom curriculum. 

It’s usually easier to pass the state exams 

while the information is fresh. 

Some carriers require the endorsement for 

hire, others have drivers with and without 

it, and some simply don’t haul cargo that 

requires the endorsement. 

The exam for the endorsement is straightforward 

and involves knowledge of the various 

classes of HAZMAT (hazardous materials), 

information about labeling and placarding, 

special driving rules, and which substances 

must be separated from one another 

in a trailer or can’t be hauled together at all. 

The background check isn’t cheap. The 

TSA currently charges a nonrefundable 

$86.50 for the background check, including 

fingerprinting, but the check is good 

for five years. A TSA background check 

is also required for the Transportation 

Workers Identification Card (TWIC), so 

if you have one, the fee for the HAZMAT 

check is reduced to $67. 

Some states require you to pass the 

background check before taking the exam; 

others provide the exam and keep the results 

on file until you pass the background 

check. It’s a good idea to pass the exam at 

least once, so you’ll know what to expect if 

you need to pass it again in the future. 

You may never need most of the CDL 

endorsements offered by your state, but obtaining 

as many as you can could pay off 

in the future when you need to make a job 

change. Trucking offers an incredible variety 

of jobs. Be qualified for as many of 

them as you can. 

JOB TIP 

Passing the tanker exam for a tanker endorsement requires knowledge of how liquids act and knowing 

terms like “surge” and “outage,” as well as construction and handling characteristics of a tanker. 


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JOB 

resources 

make the most of a job 

interview 

by providing the right information, asking the right questions 

BY THE TRUCKER JOBS STAFF 

Just about every new job starts with an 

application, which is soon followed by an 

interview if you’re being considered for the 

position you’ve applied for. Truck driving 

is no different. Before heading into an interview 

with a carrier that could potentially 

become your employer, here are a few things 

to consider. 

What kind of information does a 

truck-driver job recruiter look for during 

an interview? 

Interview questions will vary by carrier, 

and even by the recruiter interviewing you. 

Examples of information recruiters will ask 

about include your work history: Why did 

you leave your previous jobs, and how? Interviewers 

don’t want to hire drivers who 

quit for petty reasons or who abandon their 

loads. They want to see professionalism. If 

there is a negative issue in your employment 

history, just give the facts. In addition, recruiters 

will look for information that could 

show negative or positive patterns. For instance, 

if you quit your previous five jobs 

because of low pay, you will likely quit your 

next job for the same reason. 

What questions should I ask in a first 

interview? 

Ask about what is important to you. If you 

need a certain amount of home time, ask if 

the carrier can accommodate you. If you prefer 

a specific type of truck, ask. Do you want 

to take your pet along on the road? Again, 

ask. Anything that might be a deal-breaker 

for you is up for discussion. 

What questions should I avoid asking? 

Never ask any questions that imply the 

recruiters or dispatchers are dishonest or 

that the company is “bad.” If you’ve received 

such information from other drivers, 

consider it to be rumors. You’ll find out soon 

enough in the hiring process if it’s accurate. 

What are some “red flags” I should 

look for before applying for a job 

with a carrier? 

Consider the carrier’s values. For example, 

if the company’s ads feature scantily 

clad women standing by trucks, the carrier 

may not be for you. Also, look for clarity. Is 

the carrier clear about what they offer drivers? 

Look beyond slogans like, “You’re not 

just a number.” If the carrier offers “competitive 

pay,” it means they offer about the 

same as every other carrier. You can refer to 

web-based employee reviews or comments; 

however, remember that many of those comments 

might have been left by disgruntled 

workers. However, if the same complaints 

turn up repeatedly in reviews of a carrier, 

they might be more valid. 

Visit thetruckerjobs.com 

to search for 

career opportunities 

by state, driver type and more! 

Plus, you’ll find 

job resources and news 

all in one place! 


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Behind 

the wheel 

Pete & 

Trucker’s son follows in father’s tracks with tiny replica of ’99 Peterbilt 379 


Family is important to most professional drivers, and children often grow into roles in the 

family trucking business. Brandon Davis is pretty sure his two boys are on track for careers 

in the industry. Both are already pitching in with maintenance and truck-washing duties and, 

of course, riding with Dad when they can. Davis’ youngest son, 8-year-old Remington (nicknamed 

“Rooster”) is already learning to be an owner-operator with a tiny truck of his own. 

That truck, dubbed the “Wee Pete,” was Brandon’s brainchild. He had already modified a 

child’s wagon to resemble a semi-trailer, complete with lights and a battery for power. He and 

wife Cortney used the wagon to pull the kids around truck shows. After observing Rooster 

trying to haul the wagon behind his bicycle, Brandon knew he needed to do more. 

“I didn’t really have a plan, and once I started it just snowballed,” he said. “I used a few old parts to get 

started, but I handcrafted most of it. I used a lot of square-tubular steel and sheet metal to make most of it.” 

Brandon had help with the project. 

“I helped with wiring the switches, some of the painting of the body panels and installing the trailer 

floor,” said Rooster. 

The finished product is a close replica of Brandon’s own 1999 Peterbilt 379, which was a rock-hauling 

truck for most of its career — until Davis lovingly restored it. That Pete, with a white-on-light-blue color 

scheme, sports a Caterpillar 3406 mechanical engine and an 18-speed manual transmission. 

The Wee Pete has an identical color scheme and replicates all the chrome on the 379, including the 

windshield visor, dual stacks, air filters, grille and (liftable!) Texas bumper. 

But wait, there’s more. The Wee Pete is equipped with more than 100 lights that are powered by two 

batteries, along with working gauges, a radio and an air compressor with a tank to power the locomotive 

horns. Powered by a 400cc diesel engine with a centrifugal clutch, the tiny tractor pulls a spread-axle 

replica of Brandon’s trailer. 

Like the big Pete, the Wee Pete’s driver has his own CB “handle.” 

“My dad and I were hauling military equipment and I was talking on the CB to some other drivers,” 

Rooster recalled. “They started calling me ‘Rooster’ and it stuck.” 

Dad uses the larger Pete to pull a 1993 Wilson step deck trailer. 

“We haul a lot of limestone, marble, granite, lumber and steel,” Brandon explained. The family operates 

from their home in Willard, Missouri. “We usually stay within a couple hundred miles so we get back the 

same day, but when we go farther, we’ll pick up a return load from a load board.” 

The business also has two independent contractors leased on, and Brandon’s wife Cortney makes 

hotshot runs with a pickup and trailer. 

Brandon comes by his truck-driving acumen the way many drivers do, and his training was of the 

old-school variety. 

“My dad was a trucker. I think I’ve always wanted to drive a truck,” he said. 


Behind 

the wheel 

“I helped with wiring the 

switches, some of the painting 

of the body panels and 

installing the trailer floor.” 

— Remington “Rooster” Davis 

“I worked for a local construction company and when I turned 

21, the owner asked if I’d like to get my CDL,” he explained. He 

trained with co-workers and, once ready, passed the exams to 

obtain his CDL. 

After that, Brandon held a variety of trucking jobs. 

“I hauled some refrigerated, some grain and cattle after I got out 

of construction,” he said. “Then we moved to Colorado in 2010 and 

I started doing heavy-haul. I’ve been pulling flatbed ever since.” 

On many of his trips, Brandon was accompanied by one of 

his sons. 

“Tyler did about 100,000 miles with me in one year back when I 

hauled refrigerated. When Rooster was born, I took him with me a 

lot to give his mom a break with the newborn,” he said, adding that 

it wasn’t long before Rooster began riding, too. 

“When he was four or five weeks old, he went on his first trip 

when the whole family went,” recalled Brandon. “Rooster was just 

born into trucking.” 

Brandon recalls how Rooster would observe trucks on the road 

and what they were hauling. 

“He copies everything,” he said. “If he sees a trailer or a load that 

looks different, he tries to find something like it to haul on his toy 

trucks. He’s just ate up with it.” 

Davis often creates videos of Rooster and the Wee Pete, but 

Rooster doesn’t go on camera until he has his trucker outfit on. His 

jeans, western shirt, boots, belt and cowboy hat must be “just right” 

when the video starts. 

“I just decided that’s the look I want to have,” Rooster explained. 

One video, featuring Rooster performing a walkaround inspection 

of the Wee Pete, was viewed over a million times in the first 48 

hours and topped three million views in three weeks. It can be seen 

at youtu.be/JCQMJ92SS00. 

Another video features the young trucker showing off a hood 

ornament he received from Raney’s Truck Parts — a chrome 

rooster, of course. Rooster has also attracted the attention of Wilson 

Trailer, which made the full-size step deck pulled by the senior 

Davis. The company is sending hats and decals to Rooster. 

The youngest Davis does as much of the maintenance on the 

Wee Pete as he can. 

“I clean the wheel wells, the grille, bumper, and I fill it up with 

diesel,” he said. As for future additions or modifications, he said, 

“Reverse. It’ll be great to have reverse.” 

While Rooster gets most of the public attention, Brandon talked 

about his relationship with both boys. 

“Get involved with your kids,” he said. “They love it.” 

He advises any parent to find an interest that is common to 

WENDY MILLER / THE TRUCKER JOBS 

Brandon Davis said his son, 8-year-old “Rooster,” was 

born into trucking. Brandon created the Wee Pete in the 

image of his 1999 Peterbilt 379 and the two debuted a 

tour of the Wee Pete on social media. Since then, the 

video has garnered nearly 4 million views. 

both parent and child, and to spend time pursuing that interest. 

“Kids are so involved with phones and tablets that they miss 

what’s going on in the real world,” he said, adding, “They’re only 

kids for so long.” 

Brandon and Cortney spend a great deal of time following both 

boys in sports. 

“They play football, basketball and baseball,” he explained. 

“We’re always running to a practice, a game, or some function.” 

Tyler, according to Brandon, has the potential to become a 

professional athlete one day. 

“He’s really good at everything,” he said. “In football, he’s 

naturally awesome at it.” At home, Tyler washes trucks and 

performs other tasks for the business. “I think he’ll be the manager 

at a truck wash someday.” 

The family has attended truck shows in Morrison, Colorado, and 

in Joplin and Perryville in Missouri. They love to participate in local 

events, too. 

“I just drove in the Christmas parade in our town,” Rooster said. 

“I had a Christmas tree on the trailer.” 

Davis plans to build another Wee Pete, this one for Tyler. 

“Probably a cabover with a cattle trailer. He loves the idea,” he said. 

As for the business, Davis doesn’t plan to expand. 

“I like what we’re doing and we’re doing OK with it,” he said. 

Although he hasn’t planned the specifics, Rooster said he’s sure 

he’ll build a career in trucking. He had some thoughts on the future 

specter of sharing the highway with autonomous trucks. 

“I’d be VERY scared,” he said. “I think people should still drive.” 

In the meantime, there will be more parades, truck shows and 

other opportunities for the Davis family to show off both full-size 

and “wee” truck versions — and lots more time for Dad and Mom 

to spend with the boys. 


WENDY MILLER / THE TRUCKER JOBS 

The Wee Pete is a close replica of Brandon’s 1999 Peterbilt 

379, which was a rock-hauling truck for most of its career — 

until Davis lovingly restored it. The Wee Pete has an identical 

white-on-light-blue color scheme and replicates all the chrome 

on the 379, including the windshield visor, dual stacks, air 

filters, grille and (liftable!) Texas bumper. The Wee Pete is 

powered by two batteries and has working gauges, a radio 

and an air compressor with a tank to power the locomotive 

horns. Powered by a 400cc diesel engine with a centrifugal 

clutch, the tiny tractor pulls a spread-axle replica of Brandon’s 

flatbed trailer. When Rooster shows off the Wee Pete, he 

always has his trucker outfit on, which consists of jeans, 

western shirt, boots, belt and a cowboy hat.



ON THE 

ROAD 

with Brady Watson 

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRADY WATSON 

INTERVIEW BY WENDY MILLER 

Scan the code 

to visit 

thetruckerjobs.com 

to search for 

truck-driving jobs 

by state, driver type and more! 

Q. Where do you call home? 

A. Mechanicsburg, Illinois 

Q. How long have you been a truck driver? 

A. I have been driving a truck for five-and-a-half years and hauling 

cars for four years and three months. 

Q. Why did you seek a career as a truck driver? 

A. I needed to find a better way to support my children — and 

trucking runs in my blood for three generations, including myself. 

Q. What do you like most about your job as a car hauler? 

A. I like the challenge of the job as far as making loads fit on my 

truck, loading and unloading vehicles, being active instead of just 

holding a steering wheel, and not just bumping docks. The pay 

also, of course. 

Q. How is being an auto hauler different from other types of 

truck drivers? 

A. You must learn and have a certain skill set to be able to load 

and unload vehicles on your truck in a safe yet productive way. 

There is a saying when it comes to hauling cars: “We can do 

anything a truck driver can do, but other truck drivers can’t just do 

what we do.” 

Q. As a driver, what did you look for in a trucking company? 

A. I looked for a company that was willing to teach me the art of 

hauling cars and still consider me a person, not just a number. 

Q. How long do you spend on the road at a time? 

A. I’m home every day (leave home, go to Chicagoland to load, 

and drop in central Illinois somewhere), but the average car 

hauler is usually home every weekend, or there is the option of 

being over the road. 



RIG of the 

month 

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY STEPHEN VALENTINE 

When it was time for a makeover, Stephen Valentine 

gave his old truck a new look. Ten years ago, he purchased 

his 1996 Kenworth W900L, which has a CAT 

3406E engine and a 13-speed transmission. In 2017, 

Stephen stripped the truck and refurbished everything 

from the windshield and doors to the lights and chrome 

details. It took him four weeks to break down, paint and 

rebuild the truck, and he spent two more weeks putting 

the interior back together. Valentine says that all in 

all, he loves his truck. In his spare time, he does other 

people’s trucks for them, and he also has a few cars 

and trucks in his shop that he’s building. 


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along for 

the ride 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MATTHEW CRIBBS 

Matthew Cribbs drove for two years without a dog 

before picking up Bella, left, from a breeder in 

Springfield, Missouri. He said the Boston terrier helps 

him stay active and provides him with companionship. 

Previously, Cribbs had Buddy, shown above. 

From 

Boston, 

Terrier provides trucker with companionship, 

opportunities for physical activity 

BY SARAH DeCLERK / CONTRIBUTING WRITER 

with 

love 

During his 26 years of trucking, Matthew Cribbs, an 

over-the-road truck driver for Crete Carrier Corp., Shaffer 

Trucking and Hunt Transportation, has met truckers from 

all walks of life. He has also met truckers with all kinds 

of pets, including cats, birds and a monkey. For Cribbs, 

however, the ideal travel companion is a Boston terrier. 

“I don’t know what it is about the Boston breed,” he said. 

“I just fell in love with them.” 

His dog, Bella, is an 11-month-old Boston terrier that 

weighs about 18 pounds. The pup has black, white and 

brindle markings. Plentiful energy and low-maintenance 

health needs are hallmarks of the breed, Cribbs said. 

“She likes to play. She likes to romp,” he added. “She is 

just a ball of energy.” 

Cribbs works to maintain a consistent diet for Bella, 

even purchasing a specific brand of bottled water for her, 

and he keeps an eye on her at truck stops to ensure she 

doesn’t ingest anything that could harm her. 

“She’ll pick up anything and try to eat it. A lot of guys 

throw their chicken bones on the ground and stuff like 

that,” he said. “It’s really bad at truck stops. There might 

be 20 trash cans throughout the property, and people just 

chuck their trash out — right out of the window onto the 

ground — and not a care in the world.” 

He also modified the passenger seat of his 2018 

Freightliner Cascadia P4 by making a booster seat so Bella 

can lounge by his side while he’s driving. When he stops 

for fuel, she often hops onto the dashboard to sunbathe. 


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along for 

the ride 

“If you have stock in window cleaner and paper towel 

companies, you’re in business with me because there’s 

tongue marks and slobber marks and stuff all over the 

windows,” he said. “Buddy, my other dog, was the same 

way. He’d sneeze all over the windows and put his little 

‘nose art’ all over the windows all the time.” 

Cribbs rode with Buddy, a Boston terrier he rescued 

from a shelter in Lakeland, Florida, for eight years 

before the dog’s death. 

“I swore I wasn’t going to get another dog after 

Buddy passed, and then I just happened to be perusing 

Craigslist, and I saw Cooper. I was like, ‘Oh, I’ve got to 

have him just because of his face,’” Cribbs said, adding 

that he was on the road when his wife rescued Cooper 

from a Daytona Beach shelter. “Everybody fell in love 

with him, so my wife and the boys confiscated him 

before I even got him.” 

Cooper, who stays at home with the family, is now 

almost 3 years old and weighs 25 pounds. After two 

years, Cribbs decided he wanted dog to travel with, so he 

picked up Bella from a breeder in Springfield, Missouri. 

After spending some time at his home in DeLand, Florida, 

while she got her puppy shots, Bella joined Cribbs in his 

truck — and she has been by his side ever since. 

“I missed the companionship of having a dog,” he said, 

adding that he also wanted a dog to ensure he was active 

while on the road. “This kind of breed, they have a lot of 

energy. They need to get out and play, so it helps me get 

out and exercise and helps me live a healthier lifestyle.” 

Cribbs’ company’s pet policy requires drivers to pay 

a deposit and sacrifice a half-cent of their pay, he said, 

adding that the funds are used to furnish the brick-andmortar 

terminals with pet facilities, such as kennels and 

dog-waste areas. 

“Bella’s small enough that if I need to give her a bath, 

I can take her into our laundry room that we have [at a 

terminal], and I can actually give her a bath in the utility 

sink.” 

The duo typically spends three or four weeks at a time 

hauling refrigerated goods across the continental U.S. 

before returning home for a week at a time. He said Bella 

is always eager to see Cooper, and he may breed the two 

dogs when Bella is older. 

Although Bella is often separated from Cooper, the 

pups make the most of the time they spend together, 

romping and playing. 

“When I’m at home, that’s all they do practically 20 

hours a day — just running through the house,” Cribbs 

said. “Then they come outside and they run around the 

entire property, chasing each other.” 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MATTHEW CRIBBS 

Before driver Matthew Cribbs got his current Boston 

Terrior, Bella, Cribbs drove for eight years with his 

previous dog, Buddy. Cribbs said he likes Boston 

terriers because of the pups’ energetic personalities. 


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Owning 

the wheel 

tax-time 

tips for MAXIMUM 

deductions 


Everyone loves a tax deduction, 

and billions of dollars are spent each 

year making sure those deductions are 

maximized. When you own your own 

business, however, tax deductions can 

have a huge impact on your profit and loss 

statement. 

When you become an owner-operator, 

you’ve gone into business. You’ll pay 

income tax on the profit (the cash left over 

after your expenses are paid). You’ll pay 

another tax, too — the self-employment 

tax. When you work for someone else, 

6.2% of your income is collected for 

Social Security tax and another 1.45% for 

Medicare tax. The total, 7.65% of your 

income, is only half the total tax. The 

other half is paid by your employer. 

When you’re self-employed, you pay 

both halves, or a total of 15.3%. That’s on 

top of the income tax, which starts at 10% 

and goes up. That’s more than a quarter of 

your profits gone to taxes — and it’s why 

deducting every business expense you can 

is vital to the bottom line of your business. 

Your goal is to show as little profit as 

possible on your taxes. 

If you’re paid on a Form 1099, you’re 

considered a contractor, not an employee, 

even if you are driving someone else’s 

truck. That makes you self-employed, too. 

The business deductions begin as soon 

as your business does. Any fees you pay for 

authority, registration, permits, tolls and 

other expenses are deductible. You’ll be 

paying for a variety of insurance policies, 

possibly including truck insurance such as 

liability, collision and comprehensive, etc. 

You’ll spend for a worker’s compensation 

or occupational accident policy. Personal 

health policies for you and your family 

may be deductible, too. 

Save every receipt. If you purchase 

something online, save that receipt, too. 

Receipts for fuel, repairs, and maintenance 

and truck items are a no-brainer, but 

drivers often overlook smaller expenses 

that add up. Products like cleaners and 

accessories for the truck — including 

bedding, air fresheners and other items 

— can be considered business expenses. 

Tools, flashlights and batteries, sunglasses 

and other items are business expenses 

that can be claimed if they’re used for the 

business. 

If you rent clothing or purchase items 

with your business logo, such as hats and 

shirts, you can most likely deduct those 

costs. Safety equipment, such as steeltoed 

shoes or boots, goggles, hard hats and 

gloves, are business expenses. 

Rain gear may be deductible, and the 

IRS allows a deduction for a percentage 

of phone and internet expense. 

Industry publications can also be business 

expenses, too, and dues to trucking 

unions or organizations such as the Owner- 

Operator Independent Drivers Association 

(OOIDA) are business expenses. You use 

both in your business, so take maximum 

advantage. 

If you claim the standard IRS deduction 

for meals and incidentals, your records 

should include documentation of the days 

you spend away from home. Copies of 

TAX TIP 

If you’re paid on a Form 1099, you’re considered a contractor, not an employee, even if you are 

driving someone else’s truck. That makes you self-employed. 


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Owning 

the wheel 

your records-of-duty status will do the 

trick, but if you’re using electronic logs 

you may need a printout for your records 

in case of an audit. 

Motels, parking fees and shower 

costs that aren’t reimbursed may be 

deductible. Don’t forget ATM or fuel 

card fees, and if your bank charges 

service fees for your business account, 

subtract those, too 

The timing of purchases can impact 

your business, too. Take steer tires, 

for example. A quality set can easily 

cost $1,000 including mounting and 

balancing. If the year is coming to an end 

and you’ve made a tidy profit that you’d 

like to reduce your taxes on, you’ll want 

to spend that $1,000 before the calendar 

runs out at the end of the year. That’s 

another $1,000 that you won’t have to 

pay the 25% or more tax on, since it’s no 

longer counted as profit. 

On the other hand, if you expect that 

your business will break even or even 

show a loss for the year, it might be 

better to hold off on that tire purchase 

until after Jan. 1, so the expense counts 

for the following tax year instead. 

You can make the same type of 

decision about needed repairs or other 

expenses, including the last fuel fill 

of the year. You may even be able to 

pay your insurance bill early so you 

can count the expense for the current 

calendar year — although paying that 

premium late is not an option. 

Don’t forget depreciation. Your truck, 

for example, loses value over time, and the 

IRS allows you to claim that loss against 

your earnings. Rather than claiming the 

purchase price as an expense in the year 

you bought it, you would spread that 

expense over the life of the asset, generally 

five years, so you would benefit from a tax 

deduction each year. 

Other types of property, such as 

phones, computers and even the garage 

you had built for the truck may be 

TAX TIP 

Save every receipt. If you purchase 

something online, save that receipt, 

too. Receipts for fuel, repairs, and 

maintenance and truck items are a 

no-brainer, but drivers often overlook 

smaller expenses that add up. 

deductible. However, the rules can 

be complicated. Unless you’re a tax 

expert, it’s wise to get professional help 

(an added benefit is that the cost of tax 

service is deductible, too). 

Let’s clear up one common 

misconception. Deductions for expenses 

can lower your tax burden — but you’ve 

still spent the money. “Writing off” an 

expensive purchase may mean saving 

the tax you would have paid on the 

money used for the purchase, but the 

cash is still spent. It does NOT mean 

that the item was free. 

If you don’t already have a tax 

advisor, find one. Don’t wait until 

tax time. A good tax professional can 

provide business advice that can help 

you minimize your tax obligation. Make 

sure your advisor knows the trucking 

business. While there are similarities 

with other business types, there are some 

unique characteristics in trucking that 

impact your tax liability. Discuss your 

business plan with your tax professional 

as early as possible. 

As a self-employed individual, you 

may be subject to making quarterly 

payments of your estimated income 

tax. Your tax adviser can help keep 

you in good standing with the IRS 

while keeping the payments as small as 

possible. 

If you wait until tax time, you might 

easily find someone that can complete 

tax forms for you, but you need to be 

confident that your advisor knows 

the trucking business and is taking 

advantage of every opportunity to save 

you money. 

Owning your own trucking business can 

be a rewarding experience, but just how 

rewarding may depend on how well you 

manage your expenses and tax liability. 

Editor’s note: The advice offered in this article is not that of an accountant or tax attorney. 

The intent of this article is to offer helpful tips — not apply tax law and accounting processes to every situation. 


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