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Sharpshooters: The Truck Drivers with a Talent for Photography

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LeRoy BaxterAs an owner operator for Baxter Trucking, LeRoy Baxter transports honey bees throughout the West, from Montana and Wyoming to California and South Dakota. His routes take him through Big Sky country, past mountainous vistas and along the Pacific coastline.

Along the way, Baxter documents the scenic beauty he sees with his smartphone camera. For Baxter, who’s driven OTR for 22 years, taking pictures on the road has enhanced his CDL trucking job all the more. Here are some great shots he’s taken and what he has to say about his photography.

Tetons from Togwotee PassHow did you learn photography?

Years ago, when I first started trucking over the road, I would take pictures, put them in a scrapbook and make notes on where the pictures were taken. For Christmas one year, my wife gave me a camera that took panoramic pictures. I got into it for a while but phased out of it because the pictures were expensive to develop.

I started getting into it again when I joined Facebook five years ago. People seemed to be interested in the photos I posted. I said, “If I’m posting pictures, I might as well be posting good pictures.” So I started practicing.

LeRoy railroad tracksWhat do you look for when you’re shooting?

Lines. The simplicity of the lines inspires me. I strive to capture that in my photos. I like taking black and white pictures most of all. They bring out the crispness of the lines and the different tones of colors.

What do you love to shoot?

The Tetons and the Crazy Mountains of Montana. They’re so impressive. They never fail to give me a different look. The way the sun hits them, it’s never the same. As truck drivers, the landscape is one of the things we look at the most. It always fascinates me. I always want to know what’s on the other side of whatever I’m looking at.

LeRoy Montana2

How has photography enhanced your trucking job?

Photography has helped me experience my journeys out here even more. As drivers, we’ve looked at that same country a million times. But in taking pictures, I notice a lot more than I used to. It makes me look forward to the seasons. Each season offers something new and different.

Why do you take pictures?

I used to take them because I wanted to show people what I was doing. Then it snowballed into people enjoying what I show them. I get pleasure out of that. I want people to see the same beauty I’m looking at and experience the same happiness.

LeRoy Levina montanaDo you learn anything from taking photos?

I probably take 300 or 400 pictures a week. Most of them aren’t very good, but every once in a while there’s one. From those, you learn what works for you and what doesn’t. It takes lots of practice. I experiment with light and times of day. Over time, I’ve gotten better.

All photos by LeRoy Baxter

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5 Simple Steps Owner Operators Can Take to Ensure Success

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ShunksEditor’s note: This is Part 3 of a multi-part series about how owner operators can get the most from their business.

Kevin Shunk, 67, has had an owner operator trucking job for 48 years. He got his start in trucking at age 17, hauling livestock locally in his hometown, St. Joseph, Mo.

Today, Shunk is leased to Twin River Logistics of Clive, Iowa. He drives a refrigerated truck, as he has for 35 years. “I love it,” he says. “It’s a way of life you get used to. I tried retiring once, but I went crazy. So I bought another truck and started in again.”

Shunk has learned a lot in his years on the road. Here are his top 5 tips for running your business successfully as an owner operator:

1. You need to control your expenses.

So many owner operators see a big check and think it’s theirs to spend. No. You have to be a businessman. A lot of times, it’s hard to budget. I mean, I just had to overhaul my truck for $14,000 and the budget was over with. You gotta keep going. You should have some money put back. Repair bills are just something you need to save money for and be ready for. You make a big check. But it costs so much to run a truck anymore, you don’t get to keep the check.

2. Find somebody honest to work with.

I mean somebody you can have a valued business relationship with—whether it’s the people who load you or do your repairs. This is a very cutthroat business.

3. Another thing, you need to know what it’ll cost you to run your truck per mile.

You can’t haul cheap loads and make money. You’ll run out your equipment. Say it costs you 70 cents a mile to run your truck, you need to be making more money than that.

4. Plan ahead.

Be able to anticipate problems. Walk around your truck every morning and check for low air pressure, check your oil, check your lights. If you blow a tire out, you’re probably talking up to $700 for just one tire. The problems get worse if you don’t address them right away. Nothing ever cures itself. And smell. If you’re driving down the road and you have a brake getting hot, you’ll smell a burning smell. Pull over and see what you got going on.

5. Last thing, do not let these big companies talk you into leasing a truck.

I have never seen that work. This is my advice for those wanting to start in new as an owner operator. Instead, be a company driver for 4 or 5 years, keep track of your expenses and learn the business. Then go work for yourself once you understand how the business works.

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Jeff Clark’s 5 top tips for those with owner operator trucking jobs

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owner operator trucking

Editor’s note: This is Part 2 of a multi-part series about how owner operators can get the most from their business.

5 top tips for people with owner operator trucking jobsJeff Clark is the owner of Clark Trucking, based in Kewaunee, Wis. He has had a CDL trucking job since 1988 and has been an owner operator for the last 15 years. A member of the owner operator group Team Run Smart, Clark talks with Drive My Way about how people with owner operator trucking jobs can maximize their profits. Here are his top five tips for how to get the most from your business.

1. Be business smart

Run your business like a business. A lot of times it’s about picking your routes wisely. Think about which routes pay something. Truck drivers like to drive, and they like scenic routes. Sometimes you gotta bite the bullet and take a route that’s not as scenic but will pay more. Drive for maximum profitability, for whatever’s going to help you keep more in your own pocket and net the most for you. We concentrate too much on the gross. We need to focus more on the net. How much money you have in the bank matters.

2. Be truck smart

It’s important to get the right truck for your operation. That includes the drive train and the aerodynamics. It’s also important to have a good relationship with your mechanic. It’s better to over-maintain than under-maintain. I don’t want my fuel filters to get clogged up, otherwise I’m going to be sitting on the side of the road. Anytime you’re sitting on the side of the road, you’re not only not making money, you’re also going to have to get a hotel, so you’ll be spending money, too.

3. Be fuel smart

The cost of fuel is coming down, but fuel is still your biggest expense next to paying yourself. Do what you can to conserve fuel. Why drive faster when you can drive slower?

4. Be health smart

Nothing can tank an owner operator faster than a health problem that comes up. I try to hit the gym twice a week, and I run or walk every day. I try to do a minimum of two miles a day.

5. Do the math

I see a lot of people go out of business because they don’t put money aside for their taxes. You have to plan your cash flow. Budget for tires, budget for repairs. You’ll get somebody with a $10,000 repair bill, but they only got $2,000. Use spreadsheets. I don’t like the business end so much, but it’s a necessity. By using spreadsheets, I can see which lanes are paying well and which aren’t. I can see where I’m making money and where I’m not, and it helps me become more fiscally responsible in the long run.

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5 tips for running your business more profitably as an owner operator

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5 top tips for owner operators | Owner operator truck driving jobsEditor’s note: This is Part 1 of a multi-part feature to help owner operators get the most from their business.

Terry Martin of Oakley Trucking, Little Rock, Ark., has held an owner operator trucking job for the last 20 years. He knows a thing or two about what it takes to thrive in owner operator trucking jobs long-term.

It’s not easy, he says, but with the right business practices, it can be done. Here are Martin’s top 5 tips for running your business more profitably as an owner operator, in his own words.

1. First thing, you gotta want to work.

If you’re not running, you’re not making any money. Chances are, you bought a big truck and you have a big truck payment. If that truck ain’t running, you ain’t making any money. You’ve got to want to work. I grew up on a farm. We worked from sunup to sundown. That’s just what I know, from being out here on the road, too.

2. Establish a strong preventative maintenance program.

Doing the little things, like making sure your truck’s greased and your tires have adequate air pressure, will make or break you. Preventative maintenance is crucial. Put some money aside for it. Because if you break down on the road, it’s going to cost you and it’s going to cost you big. There are a lot of little things an owner operator can catch before things start going wrong. Your batteries start aging, change them. Check the tire pressure and tread depth. If you have good air pressure, that will save you on fuel.

3. Find a good company that’s a good company for you.

They’re out there. Talk to other owner operators on the road and ask their opinions. Talk to the company and see how long owner operators typically stay there. If they have a high turnover ratio, that’s not too promising. Different companies do different things. Find a company that’s going to take care of you and keep you running.

4. Drive responsibly so you’ll get decent fuel mileage.

Try to maximize your fuel mileage as much as you can, because that’s where you’ll make a lot of your money. You can save a lot of money just by saving on fuel. The more you can cut down on your fuel costs, the more money you’ll put in your pocket.

5. Last thing, keep yourself healthy.

If you’re getting sick and not passing your physical, you can’t afford to be down. Eat right and try to get some exercise. When you’re not healthy and you’re not allowed to drive, you’re not going to be making a living.

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