2302_TTJM_AllPages

Owning the Wheel 

Who’s the boss? Be prepared for 

added responsibilities when you 

obtain your authority 

Job Resources 

Put your best foot forward: Know 

what’s on your record before applying 

BEHIND THE WHEEL 

DRIVING FOR A CAUSE 

Tanker driver Nan Harguth hauls inspiration along 

with food-grade products 

TEAM 

Spotlight 

ALONG FOR THE RIDE 

Husband-wife trucking team 

enjoy winning combo of life on 

the road with canine companions

2 THE TRUCKER JOBS MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2023 WWW.THETRUCKER.COM/JOBS

WWW.THETRUCKER.COM/JOBS THE TRUCKER JOBS MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2023 3

WHAT’S INSIDE 

10 

14 

18 

22 

26 

JOB RESOURCES 

Put your best foot forward 

Know what’s on your record before applying 

BEHIND THE WHEEL 

Driving for a cause 

Tanker driver Nan Harguth hauls inspiration along 


ALONG FOR THE RIDE 

Side by side 

Husband-wife trucking team enjoy winning combo 

of life on the road with canine companions 

OWNING THE WHEEL 

Who’s the boss? 

Be prepared for added responsibilities when you 

obtain your authority 

SAFETY SERIES 

Keep your distance 

‘Safety cushion’ between vehicles can be 

difference between life or death on the highway 

FEATURED BUSINESSES 

EDITORIAL 

Managing Editor 

Linda Garner-Bunch 

Staff Writer & 

Social Media Coordinator 

John Worthen 

Staff Writer 

Joseph Price 

Production Coordinator 

Christie McCluer 

Graphic Artists 

Leanne Hunter 

Kelly Young 

Contributing Writers 

Cliff Abbott 

Dana Guthrie 

Dwain Hebda 

ADVERTISING & LEADERSHIP 

Chief Executive Officer 

Bobby Ralston 

General Manager 

Megan Hicks 

Director of Technology 

Jose Ortiz 

ON THE COVER 

Whitby Monterroso and Mary Mei Samaniego 

Photo courtesy of Boyle Transportation 

The Trucker Jobs Magazine is published monthly 

by The Trucker Media Group. 

Affton..................................... 20 

Boyle Transportation........16-17 

East-West Express..........12-13 

KL Harring Transportation..... 31 

LOGiX................................... 29 

Nebraska Atlantic 

Transportation....................... 21 

Oakley Trucking Inc.............. 27 

PI&I Motor Express..............6-7 

Progressive Commercial....... 32 

Red Eye Radio...................... 30 

Reliable Carriers Inc............. 11 

Riverside Transport Inc........... 9 

Roehl Transport...................... 5 

Star Freight..........................2-3 

The Trucker Jobs.................. 24 

U.S. Xpress........................... 23 

Variant................................... 25 

For advertising opportunities, contact 

Meg Larcinese at megl@thetruckermedia.com. 

For editorial inquiries, contact Linda Garner-Bunch 

at lindag@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 ad or, at 

publisher’s option, re-publication for one insertion with notice received 

within three days of first publication. ©2022 Wilshire Classifieds LLC. 

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


How does Roehl reward our outstanding driving teammates for their professional 

work and dedication? By offering them industry-leading advantages such as: 

• Address to Address mileage calculations 

• Sliding mileage scale to assure our drivers receive 

top compensation for the work they do 

• Full per diem allowance of $69 per day 

• Newest fleet on the road 

• Annual profit sharing 

• Safety-our cornerstone value 

“It’s the people that I interact with every day that sets 

Roehl apart. I genuinely like the folks I work with. I 

never feel that they just show up to a job. There is a 

definite CAN-DO attitude and they’re happy to help.” 

– Roehl driver Bob J. 

Take Home More. 

Be Home More. ® 

715.898.1085 

www.roehlrefer.me/tj 


TOP PAY 

for Experienced Flatbed Drivers 


EXPERIENCED DRIVERS: 

$6,000 

Coil Bonus for 3+ years experience 

NEW CDL HOLDERS: 

$6,000 Tuition Reimbursement* 

• Safety Bonus 

• Clean Idle Program 

• Omnitracs GPS systems 

• Forward-facing dash cams 

• Uniform allowance 

• Great benefits package 

• 7 paid holidays + paid vacation 

*Must be within 90 days of graduation. Ask for details. 

www.thetrucker.com/pii 

855.894.5939 

CD’S SCAN HERE! 


JOB 

resources 

put your best foot 

FORWARD 

Know what’s on your record before applying 

BY CLIFF ABBOTT / CONTRIBUTING WRITER 

Chances are, just about everyone who 

works in the offices of a trucking company 

(or any office, for that matter) followed 

a similar process to get the job. The usual 

process is to fill out an application, submit 

a resume and then be brought in for at 

least one face-to-face interview. During 

that interview, the prospective employer 

asks questions about the applicant’s work 

history, education and other subjects related 

to how he or she might perform the 

job if hired. Usually the applicant is allowed 

to ask questions, too. 

For most professional truck drivers, 

however, the hiring process works quite 

differently. Resumes are rarely submitted 

by drivers or considered by recruiters. 

The initial “interview” is often a brief 

phone conversation, or an exchange of 

emails or text messages, with a recruiter 

representing the carrier. The driver is 

asked to complete an application, provide 

relevant information and consent to 

background checks. If everything looks 

good, the driver is extended an invitation 

to orientation, where more information is 

exchanged. 

For office positions, employers are 

most often seeking the best candidate for 

the job. For driving positions, employers 

often want to hire as many qualified drivers 

as they can. It’s not a matter of who’s 

“best” when “good enough” will do. 

Despite the differences in the process, 

potential employees want to look their 

best to prospective employers. When it 

comes to drivers, it’s all about the record. 

First of all, sooner or later, every driver 

completes and signs an employment application. 

Some carriers tout “mini-apps” 

or claim they take “oral-apps”; these are 

simply ways to speed up the process. 

Once in orientation, every driver completes 

a written application. These days, 

it may be in digital format and partially 

completed using information previously 

submitted, but it’s an application just the 

same. 

The reason is that Department of Transportation 

(DOT) regulations require the 

application to be in the drivers file, along 

with the driver’s consent for background 

checks, drug and alcohol screenings, and 

more. 

Applicants can speed up the process — 

and make a better impression — by having 

the information needed to complete 

the application, including a complete 

work history. Regulations require a carrier 

to have a list of all DOT-regulated jobs 


EARN OVER 

$ 

90,000/year! 

DRIVER COMPENSATION: 

✔ Earn Over $90,000 Per Year!! 

✔ $0.60-$0.65/mile based on experience & 

home time for all loaded & empty miles 

✔ $1750 Sign on Bonus for W2 and $3800 

Sign on Bonus for 1099 

✔ $500 Orientation Pay 

✔ $1000 Weekly Guarantee – Must be in 

good service standing. Provides security 

in the event of weather or breakdown. 

DRIVER ADVANTAGES: 

✔ 30:1 Dispatcher ratio – easily reach your 

driver manager! 

✔ Contracted freight -- don’t wait on 

brokers to plan you. 

✔ Regional Running – You don’t have to go 

far from home to make your miles. 

✔ Updated Equipment – RTI’s updated 

equipment base means you will spend 

less time in the shop. 

DRY VAN 

COMPANY W2 AND 

LEASE PURCHASE 1099 – 

REGIONAL AND DEDICATED 

DRIVER REQUIREMENTS: 

22 Years of Age - 12 Months of 

Class A Experience 

No More than 3 Moving Violations 

in 3 Years 

(877) 795-3715 

RIVERSIDETRANSPORT.COM 


JOB 

resources 

a driver has held in the past 10 years. For drivers who change 

jobs often, that could be a long list. 

Many applicants either don’t list all their employers or don’t 

provide complete information about previous jobs. This practice 

results in a delay in the hiring process while carrier representatives 

try to find the needed information. (Note: If you 

omit former employers, it can look like you’re trying to hide 

something. Busy recruiting departments may choose to move 

on to other candidates.) 

The best practice is to keep a list of former employers, complete 

with addresses and phone numbers. This list can be stored 

on your phone as a spreadsheet or PDF file. A less tech-savvy 

but effective method is to take a quick photo of the work history 

page(s) of your application, and keep that on your phone. The 

important thing is to keep the info where you can find it when 

needed. 

The government requires background checks to be completed 

for drivers, and carriers use several sources to conduct these. 

You should know what each report says about your record before 

the carrier sees it. Many sources for this information are 

consumer reporting agencies and fall under fair reporting rules, 

meaning you legally have access to your information. 

One of the first checks that will be made is with your state’s 

department of motor vehicles (DMV). It looks bad to claim you 

have no traffic violations on your application if your DMV reports 

that you do. State agencies do make errors, but problems 

can arise when you assume an old ticket is no longer on your 

record, or that a violation in another state wasn’t reported to 

your home state. Know what’s in your report. Order one from 

your DMV before you apply for the next job. 

Next is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 

(FMCSA) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. You’ll need to 

register at the Clearinghouse website and give consent for the 

carrier to check; you won’t be hired if you don’t consent. Go to 

clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov and click on the “register” button. 

At this time, you’ll also be able to see what’s in your record. 

Your record contains any positive drug or alcohol test results in 

the past three years, as well as whether you’ve completed any 

return-to-work programs after a positive test. 

Another report carriers use is the FMCSA Pre-Employment 

Screening Program (PSP) report, which shows your experiences 

at roadside inspections and other events as reported by 

law enforcement. Drivers are often surprised at the negative 

information these reports contain. For example, if the officer 

records that you were stopped for speeding, that shows up on 

the PSP — even if you didn’t get a ticket, got a warning or beat 

the charge in court. Other violations, such as improper lane use 

or following too closely, can quickly derail your application. 

Carriers can and do use this information to deny hire. Check 

your PSP annually at psp.fmcsa.dot.gov/psp/public. If there 

are discrepancies, there’s a process to request your record be 

corrected. 

Carriers can check your employment history by contacting 

former employers and by requesting an employment history 

report from one of the agencies that provide them. The most 

popular of these is the DAC Employment History Report from 

HireRight, commonly known as the “DAC Report.” Carriers 

will check to make sure the employment dates on your application 

match the report, whether the carrier reported your performance 

as “satisfactory,” and for any comments the carrier 

placed in your file. Comments often specify driver actions such 

as truck abandonment, misuse of company funds, excessive 

safety violations and more. 

You can get a free copy of your report at hireright.com/ 

applicant-assistance/answers/requesting-a-copy-of-yourbackground-report-file 

or by calling 866-521-6995. If you 

disagree with anything listed in the report, you have the right 

to request that it be corrected. If the carrier refuses, you have 

the right to have your rebuttal statement included on the report. 

In short, you’ll avoid unwelcome surprises and get hired 

more quickly if your background reports, application and your 

comments all match up. 


new year • new career 

Now Hiring for 

• Local 

• Eastern Regional 

• Western Regional 

Owner Operators/ 

Lease Operators: 

• Weekly Settlements 

• Paid Permits 

• Fuel and Tire Discount Programs 

• Paid Orientation 

• Sign-on Bonus - $2,500 solos/$5k teams 

ALL Divisions 

Family owned and operated for 

over 60 years. 

Company Drivers: 

• Paid Holidays, Personal Days/Vacation pay 

• Flexible home time 

• Profit sharing 

• Health, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance 

• Paid Orientation 

• Sign-on Bonus - $2,500 solos/$5k teams 

Lease and owner operator solo earn 

approximately $280,000 

Lease and owner operator teams earn 

approximately $500,000 

Company solo earn approximately 

$100,000 

Company teams approximately 

$220,000 

855-874-7030 

WWW.RELIABLECARRIERS.COM 


now hiring 

TOP SAFETY 

RATED CARRIER 

Hiring areas in blue 

Running lanes in green 

• Team Pay starting at 

$.70 to $.81 per mile 

• SIGN-ON BONUS 

• Plenty of bonus opportunities 

NEW: PAY 

INCREASE! 

844.757.0001 


otr team drivers 

• Paid Holidays 

• Vacation Pay 

• Great benefits: Medical, 

Dental, Life + 401K with 

company match 

“We choose EASTWEST because 

of the sense of family, terminal 

location and they are really about 

making sure the driver is happy. 

They also have wonderful equipment 

(Volvo) and the pay is not 

bad at all. If you what to join a 

winning team come on down to 

East-West Express.” 

– Harvey & LaChristy Cantey 

WWW.DRIVEEASTWEST.COM 


ehind 

the wheel 

driving for a 

CAUSE 

Tanker driver Nan Harguth 

hauls inspiration along 



The lady knows what she wants. That’s quickly evident 

to anyone who has a conversation with tanker driver 

Nan Harguth. 

“I’m not messing around. I want that truck over 

there, and I want pink stripes on it. I’m totally dead 

serious. Can I please have a pink truck for God’s 

sake?” This is a snippet from a conversation Harguth had with 

one terminal manager about ordering her next truck. 

Harguth didn’t get that pink truck — but she got the next 

best thing. Gary, South Dakota-based Cliff Viessman Inc., the 

carrier for which she drives, operates about 350 tractors that 

are painted white with a triple-stripe graphic featuring maroon, 

orange and red. One truck, however, is different. This one 

features stripes in varying shades of pink. It’s Nan Harguth’s 

truck, a 2022 International LT with an A26 Navistar engine and 

a 12-speed auto-shift transmission. 

Harguth added pink seat covers and sheets and pillow covers, 

a pink duvet and even pink valve stem caps. She bought pink 

accessories, too, including a hard hat and safety vest. She added 

a pink coffee cup and some pink shoes. 

“I have so much pink in there, I kind of actually feel like a 

girl for a change,” she said with a laugh. 

On the outside, Harguth has added extra graphics. A pink ribbon 

festoons the side of the tractor, along with the words “dedicated 

to all that have battled.” “Cancer Sucks” is emblazoned 

across the rear of the sleeper. 

“I didn’t necessarily want the words ‘breast cancer’,” she explained. 

“Everybody’s going to go to push it more towards the 

breast cancer, and that’s fine. It’s my choice to have a cancer truck.” 

Harguth says she never intended to become an anti-cancer 

warrior; she was just looking for a way to stand out. She has 

participated in truck rodeo competitions and in the Special 

Olympics Convoy, as well as other events, and alerted Ryan 

Viessman, director of operations, that the company’s trucks 

weren’t getting noticed at the events she frequented. 

“I said, ‘Dude, I said they’re not even looking at us at the 

truck show. I want to do something to stand out,’” she related. 

Harguth hoped to bring home a trophy for the company — 

and to publicize that Viessman employs both men and women. 

“You know, maybe somebody will look at my truck and say, 

‘So, tell me about your company,’” she said. 

The decision to broadcast a message about the fight against 

cancer was not a difficult on, however. Harguth is a survivor of 

the disease, and she’s seen several members of her family suffer 

with it as well. 

“My mother battled 30 years with cancer,” she explained. 

“My grandma found out four months before she passed away 

that she had cancer. I lost an aunt that broke her ankle and ended 

up with cancer that ravaged up her leg.” 

The list goes on. An uncle survived colon cancer. Another 

uncle died of an aneurysm, but an autopsy revealed he’d also 

been suffering with cancer. 

Harguth has been, at times, overwhelmed with the public response 

to her truck. 

“I’m trying to make it a worldwide statement, and also let 

women and children and grandmas and grandpas and uncles 

and aunts and the whole world know it,” she said. “But I usually 

try to just kind of hide back in the crowd, to blend in.” 

She often attracts waves and smiles from passers-by, in trucks 

and in four-wheelers, but some people have gone further. 

“I’ve actually been pulled over like 12 times, asked to pull 

over. I’ll go up the off-ramp, and stop, by all means,” she 


PHOTOS COURTESY OF CLIFF VIESSMAN INC. AND NAN HARGUTH 

Tanker driver Nan Harguth wanted her truck to stand out 

at events, so she asked for a pink truck. In addition to pink 

stripes, her International features pink ribbons and slogans 

about fighting cancer. Of course, she also bought some pink 

gear to wear while on the road. 

remarked. “I’ve had a grandma, whose granddaughter found out 

she had breast cancer, and she wanted to send pictures. And I’m 

like, ‘By all means, please, if this encourages her.’” 

A worker at a truck wash she visited was also touched. 

“His mom was diagnosed with cancer, and she has actually 

come to touch my truck and pray over it,” Harguth said. “My 

truck gives others encouragement to keep going, keep battling.” 

The day she was interviewed for this story, Harguth had another 

memorable experience. 

“I had a young man today come driving up past me; he was in 

the passenger seat. They got in behind me and followed me into 

a rest area, and asked if he could take a couple of pictures. When 

he saw the ‘Cancer Sucks’ graphic, he started crying. Come to 

find out, he was just diagnosed this morning.” 

Harguth has been awakened so often that she leaves a note in 

the window when she sleeps, granting permission for well-wishers 

to photograph the truck and asking that they don’t wake her. 

“They’re very gracious about not waking me up, and very 

much understanding to allow me to sleep,” she said. 

Like many in the trucking industry, Harguth became interested 

in trucking at an early age. 

“I grew up in Southern California, around the desert area 

called Trona, not too far from the salt flats,” she explained. “I 

would sit and watch the big dump trucks. I always told my mom 

that one day I would drive the big trucks — the bigger the better. 

She wanted me to get a pilot’s license.” 

However, life doesn’t always cooperate with childhood dreams. 

Harguth married at a young age, a relationship that eventually 

failed. She had another relationship, this one with a truck driver 

who introduced her to the industry. 

“I think I fell more in love with his truck than I did him,” she 

said. 

At that time, “the cards were not in line for me to get my CDL,” 

she said. Her mother became ill, and she had to remain close to 

home. Then her grandmother fell ill. “Those were the two main 

women in my life that raised me,” she said. 

In the meantime, Harguth met her current husband, who convinced 

her to study for her CDL. After her mother died, she 

eventually teamed up with her future husband and learned the 

ropes of trucking. The couple married soon after, and then both 

went solo with Viessman. She’s now been with Viessman for 

nine years, hauling mostly liquid food-grade products. 

When she isn’t hauling, Harguth enjoys cooking, crafts, fishing 

and mentoring new drivers. She and her husband had horses 

for a while, but now she rides a Harley in the summer and a 

snowmobile in the winter. 

While Harguth didn’t set out to be a cancer crusader, she recalls 

one encounter that truly helped her settle into the role. 

“This lady said, ‘I want a picture of you and me, and I want 

a big hug in front of your truck,’” she related. “She said, ‘I just 

want you in that truck because you are giving other people an 

inspiration to keep going.” 

That’s a heavy load for any driver — but rest assured, Nan 

Harguth can handle it. 


dON’T LOSE MONEY WHEN: 

• Truck is in the shop 

• Waiting for a load 

• Stuck in traffic 

just a few benefits of joining the 

award-winning boyle fleet: 

• Teams start at $4,080-$4,200 - $2,040-$2,100 per driver 

• Team orientation pay: $5,000 

• Paid vacation and personal days in the first year 

• Paid hotel stay and reserved parking 

• Pets welcome with no fees 


TRUE WORK/LIFE BALANCE 

Apply online or call today: 

866-982-5051 

www.thetrucker.com/boyle 

Military Service 

Valued 


ALONG 

for the ride 

SIDE by SIDE 

Husband-wife trucking team enjoy winning 

combo of life on the road with canine companions 

Every winning team takes the best traits of each member 

and combines them in a way that rounds out the 

whole picture. In the case of Whitby Monterroso and 

Mary Mei Samaniego, this is especially true. 

Drivers for Boyle Transportation since 2019, the 

husband-and-wife team share many of the same characteristics 

and interests, yet retain their own unique 

individuality while working and traveling together. 

“I’m pretty sure it is hard for anybody as a couple, having 

this personal relationship — and now you’re co-workers,” Samaniego 

said. “It’s definitely very hard in the beginning but we 

got used to it. We communicate with each other, and now we 

love being together.” 

The two aren’t alone on the road; they travel with a pair of 

canine companions. 

“The best thing is that I’m with her 24/7, and we have our 

little puppies with us,” Monterroso said. “That’s the hardest 

part about being away from home — being away from your 

family — so with them with me, it’s perfect. 

“Now, the hardest part? I would have to say it is the overthe-road 

living, doing your basic laundry, grocery shopping and 

BY DWAIN HEBDA / CONTRIBUTING WRITER 

missing all the comforts of living at your house,” he continued. 

“That’s the hard part.” 

The two come from very different backgrounds — he’s of 

Hispanic descent and she was born in the Philippines — but 

points in common began to present themselves early, putting 

the pair on a collision course, so to speak. Both spent part of 

their youth in California before enlisting in the U.S. Army. 

“We were in the same unit when we were at Fort Hood, here 

in Texas,” Monterroso said. “I was an NCO (non-commissioned 

officer), and she was the supply sergeant. We were in the same 

company, same unit. We just kind of saw each other and we 

started hanging out. We did some work-related stuff, and we got 

to know each other better. One thing led to another.” 

By that time, Monterroso had already cut his teeth as a driver, 

having spent nine years of his military hitch behind the wheel of 

heavy vehicles both at home and abroad. 

“We transport our own equipment in the Army, and in my 

career field, driving a truck is pretty much mandatory,” he 

said. “Once I started doing that and I got licensed on a specific 

vehicle, one thing led to another; my units kept having me 

get licensed on multiple different types of vehicles. I started 


PHOTOS COURTESY OF WHITBY MONTERROSO AND MARY MEI SAMANIEGO 

Whitby Monterroso and Mary Mei Samaniego travel the northeast U.S. as team 

drivers for Boyle Transportation. The couple, who met while serving in the U.S. 

Army, is accompanied by two panda Pomeranians, named Plusle and Minun. 

becoming a subject-matter expert not only driving vehicles, but 

the large vehicles in general. I found I was pretty good at it.” 

Monterroso transitioned into the trucking industry upon his 

discharge five years ago. When Samaniego decided to get behind 

the wheel, he also oversaw some of her initial training on the 

civilian side. 

“I already had experience with driving big vehicles, so all I 

needed to do what take the written exam and then I was able to 

get my CDL license,” she said. “I was like, ‘Why not just get it?’ 

I was a passenger with him for two months and then I was like, 

‘This is pretty good; we can definitely do this.’ We’ve been team 

drivers ever since.” 

Driving for Boyle Transportation, the team drive reefer for the 

vast majority of the time. The pair is also hazmat-certified for 

handling specialized loads. Both say their military experience 

provided skills that continue to shape the way they drive. 

“In my case, I learned how to drive in a multitude of environments 

in deployment, learning to drive fast, drive evasively and 

drive cautiously and be aware with my head on a swivel, always 

looking for stuff,” Monterroso said. “Then stateside, driving hazardous 

materials, I always had to have my documents and paperwork 

on point. When I went through haz training, I was already 

familiar with that. 

“On top of that, being in the military, transporting my equipment, 

I had to learn how to tie that stuff down and load it on a flatbed,” 

he continued. “Going to the civilian side, I already knew all 

of the basics, it was just like military one day, walk through a door 

and I’m in the civilian world. There was really no difference.” 

Samaniego says another factor is discipline. 

“I think a big part of truck driving is, you’ve always got to be 

a defensive driver. If somebody cuts you off, what do you do? 

You pretty much have to press the brake and then keep the following 

distance,” she said. “That takes a lot of discipline sometimes, 

because emotions are really hard to control. When people 

do stupid things around you and you start getting mad, you have 

to be disciplined. That’s your career on the line.” 

The self-discipline doesn’t stop there. Avid fitness buffs, the 

couple have had to learn how to adapt to working out on the road. 

“We find quite a bit of time to work out,” Monterroso said. 

“There’s been times I’ll stop on my 30-minute break, and I work 

out. You just have to prioritize it.” 

“As time goes on, you start figuring things out,” Samaniego 

added. “We started learning more about diet and nutrition and 

now we pretty much make sure we go grocery shopping every 

week to make sure we don’t eat out every day. “ 

The couple also discovered the value of bringing their fourlegged 

family members along. They have two panda Pomeranians, 

named Plusle and Minun, that lend a sense of normalcy to 

life on the road. 

“Having the girls with us definitely is a mood lifter,” Monterroso 

said. “If we’re having a stressed-out day, these girls are so 

damn cute! They’re like living stuffed animals. They just love 

attention, and they love people.” 

“Just having them along helps when I’m driving,” Samaniego 

said. “He’s sleeping while I’m driving, and the girls sit in the 

passenger seat. I’m looking at them and talking to them while 

I’m driving, and that makes me feel better.” 

The couple average about 3,000 miles a week, with runs predominantly 

in the northeast U.S. Samaniego says she makes 

good use of road time when not driving, scouring blogs and informative 

sites online to expand the couple’s horizons. 

“We’re living in such an information age that everything you 

want to know is literally one click away,” she said. “Ever since I 

became a truck driver, I’ve learned so many different businesses. 

I learned how to do Airbnb. I’m a super host now because of just 

listening to podcasts and YouTube. I learned how to do real estate 

investing, and I’m learning now about trying positive mindset. 

And I actually found stock trading, and I’m starting to do that now. 

“Without trucking, I would not have learned all this stuff because 

in other jobs, you just focus on the job and only the job during 

the day,” she continued. “In trucking you have time to listen to 

other things and learn other things at the same time, all the time.” 


You’re not a number with us, but a member of the family 

Class A CDL - 

Local, Regional & 

OTR Company 

Drivers 

PAY & BENEFITS 

Now offering a 

$2,500 Sign On Bonus 

REQUIREMENTS 

Offering Local and 

Regional Driving 

Positions 

• Local: $900 - $1,200/week. Home Every Night. 

• Regional: $1,100 - $1,400/week 

• OTR: $1,200 - $1,600/ week. Plus $50 per 

night out per diem (tax free) 

• $2,500 Sign-On Bonus 

• Health, Dental & Vision Benefits 

• Paid Holidays & Vacation 

• Company-match 401K Retirement Plan 

• Assigned Trucks 

• Family Oriented Environment 

• Quarterly Safety Bonuses 

• Reimbursements for Endorsements 

• CDL-A 

• 24 years old minimum 

• Two years OTR experience 

• Hazmat & Tanker Preferred but not Required 

888.832.9969 

thetrucker.com/affton 


Great Pay, Full Benefits & Bonuses! 

Nebraska Atlantic Transportation, Inc. is a 

family-owned & operated company that has 

been in business for over 30 years. It is our 

goal to make you feel like you are part of the 

family and are treated as such. High miles 

and good pay are what we strive to provide 

our drivers. We offer an in-house mechanic 

shop, weigh scale & fuel tank, and our drivers’ 

lounge features a rec room with a pool table, 

mounted TVs, a separate TV room, washer & 

dryer, a full kitchen, and furnished bedrooms. 

Call or apply and join our family today! 

H $0.55 Per Mile 

H Cell Phone Reimbursements 

H Unloading Paid in Full 

H $20 Extra Stop/Pick-Up 

H Yearly Bonuses 

H Full Health Insurance 

H Full Life Insurance 

H Home Weekly 

H Driver Apartment w/Washer & Dryer, Stocked 

Kitchen, Large Screen TVs & Pool Table 

REQUIREMENTS 

H CDL-A 

H 24 years old minimum 

H Two years OTR experience 

888.858.8217 

www.thetrucker.com/nebraska-atlantic 


OWNING 

the wheel 

Who’s the 

Boss? 

Be prepared for added responsibilities when you obtain your authority 


Purchasing your own truck and becoming 

an owner-operator is a big step in a 

trucking career. Many drivers take that 

step and then choose to lease that truck to 

an established carrier. Doing this allows 

them to make decisions about their business 

while maintaining the security of the 

carrier’s freight system. 

There’s another step, however, that 

means true trucking independence. Obtaining 

your own authority can establish 

your identity as a stand-alone carrier … 

but it can also add tons of responsibility, 

as the role of truck owner/driver expands 

to company manager. 

While the concept of “authority” may 

seem complicated, it really isn’t. At its 

simplest, the term simply means “permission.” 

If you meet the requirements, the 

government can register your business 

as an official carrier, providing the permission 

you need to operate. If you stop 

meeting those requirements, your authority 

can be revoked. 

The official term for that authority is 

MC (or motor carrier) authority. When it 

is granted, you’ll receive an MC number 

that must be displayed on your vehicle. 

You’ll also need a Department of Transportation 

(DOT) number — and it can 

be confusing to know the difference between 

those two numbers. 

DOT numbers typically refer to vehicle 

and cargo types. For example, you 

might specify you’ll be driving a vehicle 

in excess of 10,000 pounds and hauling 

hazardous materials. If you intend to haul 

farm products or products from your own 

business, you’ll need a DOT number, but 

you may not need an MC number. 

MC numbers are how the Federal Motor 

Carrier Safety Administration (FMC- 

SA) identifies the interstate operating authority 

of your business. You must have a 

DOT number to receive an MC number. 

Most states require a DOT number even 

if all your travel is within that state. 

You can register your business with 

FMCSA at fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/ 

get-mc-number-authority-operate. 

DOT numbers cost nothing, while the fee 

for MC registration is $300 for each type 

of authority sought. For example, if your 

business hauls freight but you also own a 

couple of passenger-hauling buses, you’ll 

need separate authority for each. 

It can take a month or more for your 

authority to be issued. You must have liability 

insurance in effect for your authority 

to be granted, and that authority will 

be revoked if you allow your insurance to 

lapse or it is cancelled. 

Once you’ve obtained your authority, 

you’ll be responsible for meeting the legal 

obligations that go along with your 

business. If you’re an owner-operator 

leased to a carrier, the carrier may handle 

vehicle registration, International Fuel 

Tax Association (IFTA), heavy-vehicle 

use tax (HVUT) and all permits on your 

behalf. When you have your own authority, 

all of these — and more — become 

your responsibility. 

Some owners choose to use business 

services to handle the legal stuff. There 

are a number of businesses that offer to 

handle these tasks for you. Services can 

vary, and so can the fees charged for the 


Now HiriNg 

HigHly Qualified SoloS aNd TeamS for dedicaTed & oTr ruNS 

u Enjoy Top Pay & Top Bonuses from one of the Top Trucking Companies in the Country. t 

u 

Also offering Lease Purchase Opportunities with no money down, no credit check and no maintenance expenses. t 

cdl driverS, call Today To diScuSS THe moST lucraTive opporTuNiTy for you: 

844.888.5277 


OWNING 

the wheel 

opportunities at top 

trucking companies 

SCAN THE QR CODE NOW 

TO SEARCH FOR 

TRUCK-DRIVING JOBS BY 

STATE, DRIVER TYPE 

AND MORE! 

JOBS.COM 

tasks. Be sure to choose a firm you trust. After all, your business 

is at stake. 

The legal requirements are only the first step. As an independent 

carrier, you’ll be responsible for all the different 

facets of your business. Think about the structure of a large 

carrier. Typically, you’ll find an operations department that 

handles the daily task of moving freight. You’ll also find a 

sales department that sells the service, and a customer service 

department that is the liaison between operations and 

the customer. There is also a department responsible for billing 

and collecting payment for services provided, as well as 

paying the bills and handling tax matters. A safety department 

ensures compliance with applicable laws, and a permits 

person or department makes sure each truck has all the necessary 

documents. A maintenance department is responsible 

for equipment purchase and upkeep. 

When you own the company, all of those responsibilities 

are now yours. The job of picking up, hauling and delivering 

freight is only part of what you’ll be responsible for. 

As with the legal matters, of these duties can be handled by 

other businesses, but keep in mind that fees for these services 

will come out of your profits. There are several ways to handle 

vehicle maintenance, for example. You might pay a repair 

business to take care of everything from routine oil changes 

to major repairs. You might choose to do the less complicated 

tasks, like changing oil or tires and fixing lights yourself, 

leaving the bigger jobs to a shop. Some truck owners are very 

knowledgeable and do most of their own repair work. Decide 

how you’ll handle these things in your business. 

If you do your own maintenance work, there’s a catch: 

When your truck is in the shop, no matter who is performing 

the work, no freight is hauled and no income received. So, 

even if you’re capable of doing the work, a shop might do it 

faster, getting you back on the road and bringing in profits. 

The same principles apply to other parts of your business. 

For example, will you personally call on potential customers 

and sell your services? You may choose to work with brokers 

instead, understanding that they keep a percentage of the 

load revenue for their services. 

Other functions, such as accounting, take time and expertise, 

and you might be better off trusting them to a business 

that handles them. You might even hire someone to do the 

driving for you, while you take care of the other functions 

or simply make sure that the businesses you have contracted 

with are doing their part. 

Operating a successful business often starts with a skills 

inventory. You may be a great driver … but how are your 

management skills? Your math and accounting? Are you a 

good salesperson? You might choose to do the things you’re 

good at and hire someone else for the rest. Time is another 

factor. Time spent on accounting tasks can’t be spent driving. 

What’s the best use of your time? 

Obtaining your own authority can be a huge step towards 

building your trucking empire, but it’s important to plan how 

you’ll handle the different facets of the job. 


COMPANY DRIVERS 

EARN 30% MORE THAN THE INDUSTRY AVERAGE! 

Variant offers industry-leading pay and many 

more great benefits! 

Drivers benefit from Medical, Dental, Vision 

and 401K, NEW Freightliner Cascadias + 

More Home Time. 

Do you have what it takes? To all the drivers 

looking to make a move, don’t settle for 

less than the best. Drive with Variant and 

be treated like the professional you are. 

Apply Online or Call Today 

855-870-5599 

https://www.thetrucker.com/variant 


SAFETY 

series 

KEEP YOUR 

d i s t a n c e 

‘Safety cushion’ between vehicles can be 

difference between life or death on the highway 


While driving, the space between your 

vehicle and the one in front of you is your 

only protection from a rear-end collision. 

Every professional driver understands 

this truth. Most are taught early in their 

careers that a fully loaded tractor trailer 

that’s going 60 mph needs more than the 

length of a football field to stop — and 

that’s when conditions are good. 

Yet, on any highway with moderate to 

heavy traffic, it won’t take long to spot 

someone driving an 18-wheeler and following 

the vehicle ahead too closely. 

The results can be deadly. A fourwheeler 

is no match for a large truck, and 

for a rig to tailgate the smaller vehicle is 

tantamount to a death sentence for the 

occupants if anything goes wrong. It’s a 

deadly practice, but some drivers either 

don’t understand or don’t care, or a combination 

of both. 

Not only is the practice a foolish one, 

but it can also cost a driver’s job or a career, 

even if there isn’t an accident. Following 

too closely is listed as a “serious 

violation” by the Federal Motor Carrier 

Safety Administration (FMCSA). Two serious 

violations within a three-year period 

are an automatic 60-day disqualification 

for the driver. Other violations listed as 

“serious” are excessive speeding (15 mph 

or more over the limit), reckless driving, 

and improper or erratic lane changes. 

The FMCSA doesn’t disqualify for a 

first offense, but many carriers consider 

serious offenses to be grounds for termination. 

You may not be fired until you’ve 

had your day in court — but you can be 

suspended without pay until your court 

date. Finding another driving job will be 

very difficult with a conviction for a serious 

violation on your record. 

Actually, you don’t even need to be 

convicted. A warning for a serious violation 

— or even a ticket for which you 

were found “not guilty” in court — can 

still appear on the Pre-Employment 

Screening Program (PSP) report ordered 

by the carrier you apply to. There’s a 

process for having a non-conviction removed, 

but it takes months … and your 

request may be denied. 

Part of the reason for this strictness is 

insurance, which is a big expense for carriers. 

That expense gets bigger when there 

are drivers with records of serious violations 

on the payroll. If litigation happens 

due to an accident, the plaintiff’s attorney 

will demand safety records from the carrier. 

If a carrier hires or retains drivers 

with serious violations on their records, 

lawyers can use that information to make 

a case that the carrier itself isn’t safe. 


OWNER OPERATORS 

End Dump • Hopper Bottom • Pneumatic 

Oakley Trucking is a 100% owner operator company. We lease seasoned professionals who share our commitment 

to quality and safety in everything we do. From our first rate equipment and service-first attitude to a 24/7 support 

system that’s second to none, we’re focused on helping you—and our customers—succeed every day. 

END DUMP DIVISION 

> 1.72 loaded / $1.32 empty + FSC on all miles 

> Regional and OTR routes 

> Team and solo drivers welcome 

> Terminals in North Little Rock, AR; Reserve, LA; 

Inola, OK 

> Requires investment in a wet kit - provided by 

Oakley and installed during orientation 

HOPPER BOTTOM DIVISION 

PNEUMATIC DIVISION 

> $1.52 loaded / $1.32 empty + FSC on all miles 

> Extra loaded mile pay based on weight hauled 

per load 

> Regional and OTR routes 

> Team and solo drivers welcome 

> Terminals in North Little Rock, AR; Reserve, LA; 

Inola, OK 

> $1.84 loaded / $1.39 empty + FSC on all miles 

> OTR Routes 

> Husband/wife teams and solo drivers welcome 

Terminals in North Little Rock, AR; Reserve, LA; 

Inola, OK 

> Requires investment in a blower - provided by 

Oakley and installed during orientation 

(866) 974-5277 

www.thetrucker.com/truck-driving-jobs/hiring/oakleytrucking 


SAFETY 

series 

The Trucker Media Group is 

looking for a multi-media 

advertising sales executive. 

✔Full✔time,✔competitive✔ 

✔ 

salary✔and✔benefits 

✔Remote✔position 

✔ 

✔Minimal✔travel 

✔ 

✔Digital✔and✔print✔ad✔sales 

✔ 

For a full job description, 

email your resume to: ✔ 

MegL@TheTruckerMediaGroup.com 

Space is the key to helping a driver maintain a safe driving 

record. 

The space in front of your vehicle is most important — 

but it’s not the only space you should be aware of. It’s good 

practice not to allow other vehicles to travel alongside you for 

any length of time. A gust of wind, an object in the roadway 

or even a sneeze can make your rig swerve to the left or right, 

putting vehicles alongside yours in danger. Some defensive 

driving courses teach drivers to have an “escape route” they 

can take if traffic ahead stops suddenly. Your best escape 

route is the space ahead. 

Speed is another important piece in the safe-driving equation, 

and speeding is worse today than ever. Because of electronic 

logs, just-in-time shipping practices and a shortage of 

available parking in some areas, drivers attempt to make the 

most of their available driving time each day. Some drivers 

choose to exceed the speed limit in an effort to cover as many 

miles as possible before time runs out. Speeding is a practice 

that runs counter to safety principles, but many drivers feel 

that it’s a necessary part of earning a paycheck on the road. 

Aside from the risk of earning a serious-level violation 

because of excessive speeding, the faster you go, the more 

your stopping distance increases. Plus, traveling faster often 

has other results, such as the need to change lanes frequently 

to avoid slower traffic. When drivers can’t avoid traffic, they 

often wind up following other vehicles too closely. 

Keep in mind that it’s possible to “speed” even when driving 

at or below the speed limit. When road conditions are bad 

or visibility is impaired, you can be moving well under the 

speed limit but still driving too fast for conditions. If roads 

are wet or icy, the results can be catastrophic. 

Parking lots and shipper or receiver yards are also areas 

where speeding occurs. Drivers must be prepared and able to 

stop if a truck pulls out from a dock or a pedestrian walks in 

front of the vehicle. 

Speed is also related to the space around your vehicle — in 

fact, speed is usually how you adjust that space. If there isn’t 

enough space in ahead, slow down. Sure, someone might 

occupy that space, including cars that were behind you and 

passed. The reality is that they had to be traveling faster to 

pass your truck; if they don’t change speed, they will quickly 

pull away, giving you more following distance. If they don’t, 

however, it becomes your responsibility to reduce your speed 

until there is sufficient space in front again. 

Some truckers solve the problem by driving one or two 

mph slower than surrounding traffic, allowing faster vehicles 

to pass them. Other drivers, however, try to go a little faster, 

hoping to eventually get around the heavy traffic. The stress 

of driving a tractor-trailer is high enough. Trying to get ahead 

through a ton of traffic is a sure way to drive stress levels 

higher. Conversely, slowing down and letting the traffic do its 

thing is far more relaxing. 

Finally, remember this: No driver has ever emerged from 

an accident scene wishing they had been driving faster or following 

more closely. 


OWNER OPERATORS 

PAY YOURSELF FIRST WITH LIGHTWEIGHT FREIGHT. 

BENEFITS 

• $2.08 per mile November average pay on all miles & stops 

• All tolls paid by Logix 

• ELD expense paid by Logix 

• Fuel Discounts 

• National Account Tire Program 

• It’s not what you make, it’s what you keep 

• No trailer fee or hidden charges 

• Same day settlements 

• Light Loads: Less than 20,000 lbs 

• Full logistics carrier 

• Driver assist in each load 

• Reasonable delivery spreads 

INDUSTRY LEADING LEASE PURCHASE PROGRAM 

OVER $21,000 IN REVENUE TO THE TRUCK EACH MONTH 

REQUIREMENTS 

• 5,000 verified over the road miles 

• 23 years old minimum 

• No felonies last 20 years - No more than 3 moving violations 

• Enrolled in the FMCSA clearing house 

• White Tractor Required 

• A willingness to follow our operational model 

(833) 612-6500 

LOGIXTRANSPORTATION.COM 




FOR EVERY HERO ON THE FRONT LINES, 

THERE’S A TRUCKER IN THE BACKGROUND. 

Progressive Commercial offers affordable insurance options 

to protect the heroes behind the scenes. Call your local agent 

or visit ProgressiveCommercial.com 

Progressive Casualty Ins. Co. & Affiliates.

2302_TTJM_AllPages

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?