Page 27 - ATR 3 2014 web

TUrn To TrUcking
His older brother, Jerry, told him
he would need to go to truck driving
school and drive for a year to become
an owner-operator. So at age 26,
“if i waNT To do someThiNg, i waNT To giVe iT Loggins trained in Bowling Green, Ken.
and began driving for J.B. Hunt. When
100 perceNT, aNd i waNT To wiN.” the year was up, he bought a truck and
flatbed trailer and began hauling for
Fairfield Trucking out of Hamburg.
“When I pulled into the house
with a cabover truck and a 40-foot
the cycle somewhere else. day she walked in that I wanted to date spring-ride flatbed trailer, and I told my
It was a good life, and it offered her,” he smiled. wife our payment was $700 a month
him more than just a paycheck. Then Fred’s stopped opening so for both of them, she started crying.
Opening a store is how he met Linda, many new locations, and he was tasked She said, ‘We can’t afford that,’” he
his wife of more than 30 years. with managing a store in Jonesboro said with a laugh. “No, they were not
“We didn’t have shelves or chairs full-time. He soon decided it wasn’t tears of joy. But she supported me, and
or tables or anything the day that we what he wanted to do. we made it. Every year or two I’d trade
started taking applications. I had 20 or “I just got burned out of being trucks and finally bought my first brand
30 people that came in, and they were locked inside the store all day,” he said. new truck in ’94.”
all standing and leaning up against a “My brother drove a truck, and I took He would remain with Fairfield
wall filling out their applications. But a vacation and actually rode with him Trucking for eight years before driving
when Linda came in I went and grabbed a week. I told him that’s what I wanted as as an owner-operator for Fikes Truck
her a bucket and made her a table and to do.” Line out of Hope for about two years. It
let her sit down. So I knew from the 

Less Here more Here

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ArkAnsAs truckinG report | issue 3 2014 27