Page 31 - Arkansas Trucking Report Volume 22 Issue 6

ers all drove a truck, and for as long that his brother drove. Then he bought as the trucking business grew, she
as he could remember, Starr wanted to another and another and another. decided to come help, and the two
drive a truck, too. As a newlywed at 18, Woodfield incorporated in 1988 and have been working together ever since.
he hauled wood around the state for the began over-the-road hauls in 1993. They used to share an office, literally
International Paper Mill. Now Woodfield, Inc. has 117 trucks. working side-by-side, but now Jimmy
“When I was 21, I was just wait- “It’s not big in comparison, but it’s runs operations on one side of the
ing to find somebody to hire me,” a full-time job for us,” he said. building while Kathy works billing and
Jimmy said. So when he turned 21, he accounting on the other side. They joke
met Steve Williams and Larry Lahey, RAISING THE FAMILY that Jimmy’s side makes the bills, and
who would later co-found Maverick Kathy was the receptionist at the Kathy’s side pays them.
Transportation in North Little Rock. Ouachita Valley Family Clinic, but Their children work somewhere in
Lahey’s father owned Steel Haulers, out 
of Kansas City, and gave Starr his first
over-the-road driving job.
He drove a truck for 10 years, first
for Steel Haulers and then for Arkansas
Best Freight (ABF)’s flatbed division,
called the “scat division.”
On the road for a week at a time,
driving up and down the Midwest,
Jimmy said he kept his mind occupied
by planning for the future and his
family.
“When you’re gone, you think
about home a lot, your wife, family,
children …I think you just think about screen
simulation
what you want your life to be.”
In 1983 when his youngest son
Gregory was born and older son Scotty TAKE ON THE FSMA
was four years old, he sold his truck to
be closer to home. He had met a man WITH THE NEW
who offered to buy his truck while he
was driving to Pennsylvania for ABF. STANDARD OF
and a ride to the airport and flew back CLEAN
At first, Jimmy refused, but when
Greg arrived, he changed his mind. He
hauled his last load to Pittsburgh, drove
to the man’s shop, received his payment

to Arkansas, away from his career as a
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didn’t have a lot of time at first to even
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But a few years later, another man
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business, paving the way for Starr to get
back into trucking. He bought a truck

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 6 2017 31