Wish to construct a small trucking firm with a house base within the typically lopsided load-to-truck freight market that’s the state of Florida? You could not do a lot better than Kenny Wingate as your mentor. Wingate’s proprietor of two-truck Southpoint Trade, headquartered there in Auburndale. He himself discovered lots of what he is aware of about operating a enterprise over time from small fleet proprietor Fred Johnson. .
Wingate actually thought-about Johnson, since handed on, a principal mentor. „He was very profitable,“ Wingate stated of the proprietor, and taught him the tried-and-true maxim that „in the event you’ll deal with the pennies,“ preserve a laser deal with bettering all of the small issues you’ll be able to, the large issues, the {dollars}, „will deal with themselves.“
Wingate’s lived by that maxim over the 5 years he is been in enterprise with authority, pulling LTL reefer freight typically devoted on north-south lanes. Lots of that work is finished with the Patterson Corporations fleet’s brokerage facet of the home. „We haul produce north and haul dairy merchandise again to Florida,“ Wingate stated.
Proprietor-operator Kenny Wingate,together with his 2020 Peterbilt 579. Wingate notes Southpoint Trade has supported the local people in and round Auburndale in numerous methods, together with by contributing to the Future Farmers of America group.
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Whereas Wingate’s referred to as Perez with issues to debate, „I’ve by no means had an argument with him,“ Perez stated. „I’ve by no means heard the gentleman curse.“
The apple would not fall removed from the mentorship tree, on this case. Perez might say the identical about Wingate’s mentor, too, he stated.
Kenny Wingate’s in measured development mode right this moment, with plans to placed on a 3rd truck after including a second to his operation and hiring a driver in October final yr. For these and many different causes, he is Overdrive’s Trucker of the Month for February, placing him within the operating for the 2025 Trucker of the 12 months award.
Overdrive’s 2025 Trucker of the 12 months program, sponsored by Business Automobile Group and Bostrom Seating, acknowledges clear enterprise acumen and distinctive or time-honored recipes for achievement amongst owner-operators. Nominations are open for distinctive owner-operators, whether or not leased or unbiased. Nominate your enterprise or that of a fellow proprietor (as much as three vehicles) through this hyperlink for an opportunity to win a customized reproduction of your tractor and prizes and perks from Bostrom and CVG.
Early mechanic expertise, a life steeped in trucking: Pointing the best way ahead
As in anybody’s private life, as in enterprise — relationships are a two-way road. Perez’s reward for Kenny Wingate comes straight again from the owner-operator. Wingate notes Perez has „at all times been in my nook if I want him for something. As soon as he calls you again, all the things is resolved.“
When residence, Wingate and firm park their vehicles, a 2020 Peterbilt 579 he drives and the 2022 mannequin he bought in October, at Patterson’s terminal facility, the place he is in a position to make use of the fleet’s store for routine upkeep work, he stated. „Anytime I want the store I simply let him know, and the doorways are open.“
Kenny Wingate, 55, obtained the place he’s right this moment after a lifetime trucking in some kind or one other. „I am third era“ within the enterprise, he stated. „I grew up round it. My grandfather was a logger and a farmer — my father was an OTR truck driver, operating from Florida to California“ and again.
Rising up, Wingate at all times instructed himself he’d by no means drive. As a younger man, although, shut proximity to trucking earned him a lot in the best way of mechanical prowess. He ran a diesel-repair store in Haines Metropolis, Florida, 35 years in the past now, he stated, the place all too typically he obtained gives he could not refuse from truckers coming again into city to his store. „It obtained to the purpose the place they’d are available, and so they’d be like, ‚Should you ship my load, I am going to provide you with a $100, $150,'“ simply to take it to its vacation spot on the town.
„That is good cash“ for fast work, he instructed himself. One factor led to a different, „and right here I’m right this moment.“
Wingate’s owned vehicles previously, together with early in his profession, when he sought to remain native however „might by no means make ends meet“ as an owner-operator that manner. Work all day, „drive residence, mow the grass“ and in any other case deal with issues round the home. „Eat dinner with the household and go to mattress. You would possibly get 5 hours of sleep in the event you’re fortunate.“
He drove for a corporation over-the-road, labored for Sherwin-Williams then, too, „delivering paint, selecting up and delivering their uncooked supplies,“ he stated. „You’d exit for an evening and be again residence,“ then out over the highway for the following week. All people within the operation „was residence each week.“
But he saved excessive in thoughts by all of the years a definite feeling. „There’s no feeling like being an owner-operator,“ he stated, being „your personal boss,“ captain of the ship „when issues are good.“
“Good luck!” –Patterson Corporations VP Ruben Perez to the proprietor he nominated to compete for Overdrive‘s 2025 Trucker of the 12 months honor
In 2019, he determined to make the soar and get again into it with a truck, and for the primary time his authority, as Southpoint Trade. The choice adopted time spent speaking to brokers he’d recognized effectively by the years in his space, and homeowners like Fred Johnson in fact. Of the brokers, he stated, „All of them instructed me that if I needed to do it they’d welcome me again with open arms.“
He discovered a Peterbilt 389 that he purchased, however as soon as up and operating felt the gasoline mileage was „like dumping a gallon of gasoline on the bottom“ each time he obtained into it. He positioned the then-new 2020 Peterbilt 579 on quite a bit out West in Fontana, California, Cummins-powered (Wingate’s a self-described „huge Cummins man“). „I picked it up and am driving it to at the present time.“ It is now sitting at half 1,000,000 miles and averaging round 7 mpg. Given the truck’s a mid-roof, he is getting beat by his employed driver by a couple of tenths of a mile per-gallon. That second truck bought final yr is a 2022 579 with an UltraLoft sleeper.
Wingate’s minded the pennies on gasoline financial system, too. He added a Talladega Fiberglass whale tail to the roof of his 2020 to higher direct air up and excessive of the stainless reefer. The transfer introduced an additional 0.7 mpg to his personal financial system. He is obtained each vehicles ruled at „72 on the foot, 70 on the cruise,“ and took every into „financial system mode, attempting to create higher gasoline mileage to maintain extra money within the trailer,“ essentially.
Wingate’s 2020 579 (3.25 rears, low-pro 24.5s) is proven right here chopping a pointy image with its Thermo King unit (with chrome and lightweight package deal) and stainless 2024 Utility reefer, with a seven-light package deal. His different 2022 579 additionally pulls a stainless Utility reefer, 2025 mannequin, however with a Provider reefer unit.
On the enterprise administration facet he is leveraged these longtime dealer relationships, and newer ones, too, with service suppliers like his accountant for payroll providers and his taxes, which he information as a S Corp, he stated. One other longtime permits-handling native he works with for his IFTA filings and different allowing. Upkeep-wise, he does most preventive work himself. „Once we’re on the highway, I take advantage of SpeedCo, handy for greasing the truck,“ he stated.
Wheel seals, lights, water pump and extra he’ll do himself „when the truck will get residence, offered I’ve the time,“ he stated. „Labor price is actually greater than the elements,“ although he is aware of generally it is cash effectively spent. Nonetheless, „we attempt to do essentially the most we will ourselves.“
What’s it like operating a small trucking enterprise within the nationwide hotspot for the well-known dynamic of simply too many truckers searching for too few masses? „I really feel like I’m blessed in that facet of issues,“ Wingate stated. It comes again to team-building, ultimately. With „my handful of individuals I’ve“ feeding freight to Southpoint Trade, he added, „we do not get gravy on a regular basis. However for essentially the most half, it is a very constant factor that we have now.“ He is obtained common prospects on each ends of his LTL runs North to Ohio and again into Florida. „The charges are the charges, and we revisit it every year.“
Devoted freight is actually refuge from the troublesome seasonal dynamics in Florida, occasions when aggressive pressures actually warmth up. „100 vehicles and 16 masses,“ he stated, and „all people’s preventing over one thing to get out of right here. That load board — man, it’s scary. I don’t understand how folks can truck for a greenback a mile. … If I’ve to truck for that I have to set again and take into consideration issues, change issues up, or step away.“
[Related: More ‚cheap freight‘ curves ahead: Better ways to assess costs, rates and revenues, emotions]
Perfecting the owner-operator craft
„Now and again you discover that one who handles themselves as knowledgeable of their subject. That is somebody who has been taught the outdated adage, ‚Any job price doing is price doing proper.'“ —Jim Dye, Lanning Meals Normal Supervisor, about Kenny Wingate
Anybody who thinks they’ll run for $1/mile for very lengthy would possibly take a web page from Wingate, as was instructed by one amongst devoted prospects Southpoint serves, Normal Supervisor Jim Dye of the Lannings Meals grocery, headquartered close to the higher northern reaches of Southpoint’s devoted lanes in Ohio. Wingate made a memorable first impression on him a number of years in the past with a reasonably fundamental however not simply achievable high quality. Every thing about his truck was 100% tip-top.
„Clear, neat and arranged,“ Dye stated. „I believed that he will need to have simply bought a brand new truck and trailer as a result of it was so immaculate.“
Wingate disarmed him in some methods with fundamental courtesy, too, gives of assist of any type he might present „to verify the load was processed appropriately,“ Dye stated. He assumed Wingate was going out of his solution to make a „good first impression, however after three years of service to my firm I started to comprehend that the stainless requirements that I witnessed the primary supply become Kenny’s on a regular basis requirements.“
Working together with his personal authority could be one thing of a brand new journey for Wingate, but 5 years in it appears like a logical extension of the place his lengthy expertise behind the wheel has pointed him. The Southpoint Trade firm title is an extension of that lengthy trucking historical past in Florida, in some methods. „Actually, I simply thought it was a cool title,“ Wingate stated at first when requested about its origins. But with it he took a cue from a previous enterprise that was headquartered close by doing devoted work just like what his personal enterprise does right this moment.
„Southpoint Distributing had been round a really very long time,“ hauling as a contract service for Publix grocers and others, he stated. „That they had very good gear, employed lots of drivers, very profitable.“ A buyout by one other firm, „years handed,“ the outdated firm „constructing’s gone.“ He at all times revered that enterprise. And at all times appreciated the title. „So I modified up a bit“ and ran with it.
He is residing as much as if not surpassing that firm’s requirements equipment-wise, that is certain. In Tennessee a pair drivers walked as much as him out within the truck cease lot „and so they’re like, ‚Oh my God! Is Southpoint again in enterprise!‘ And I simply laughed.“
Lanning Meals‘ Jim Dye sees in Kenny Wingate an idealized model of simply what it means to be skilled trucker. As he put it:
Have you ever ever watched a typical activity carried out for years and then somebody comes alongside and executes that activity so completely that you’re left shaking your head and saying to your self, ‚In order that’s the best way it’s supposed to be completed!‘ That is how I really feel about Kenny Wingate.
Trucking’s extra than simply work for him, but the final years have not been with out the struggles many a small-business trucker has handled.
„The discount in charges and the rise in gasoline prices“ have impacted income considerably, he stated, but the aforementioned changes to enhance gasoline financial system, likewise minimizing idling, have helped soften that blow significantly. With a advice from Patterson’s Ruben Perez, he is hoping to save lots of 1,000s on the insurance coverage entrance at renewal, too, even with plans for additional development.
Ultimately, it is these robust relationships with people like Dye and Perez that maintain the corporate’s success. As famous, there’s enlargement on the horizon — briefly order, too.
„I talked to my brokers,“ he stated. „And so they inform me ‚get the truck, we have now the freight, don’t fear about that.‘ … I’ve already made association on the trailer and began wanting on the truck.“ The precise skilled driver for the position is the wild card as but. „It is onerous for a small firm to seek out nice drivers, it truly is.“
He feels, although, the best candidate can simply anticipate 2,800-3,200 weekly miles — with extra pickup and drop pay, a security bonus each 30 days and paid trip after the primary yr.
He is hopeful on that entrance, but getting to three vehicles might characterize one thing of an finish level with regards to development. One among his prospects „instructed me to purchase two [trucks] this yr,“ Wingate stated. „If I need them, they have the freight. And I am like, ‚Nicely, I do not know. I feel I am a three-truck man, and I simply wish to cease proper there.'“
Enter your personal or one other deserving proprietor’s enterprise (as much as 3 vehicles) in Overdrive’s 2025 Trucker of the 12 months competitors through this hyperlink.
For our 2024 winner, Trucker of the 12 months Alan Kitzhaber, Eston Hoffman of Hoffman Mechanical Design in Pennsylvania has been onerous at work on the perennial „trophy“ to honor the Eau Claire, Wisconsin-based owner-operator. As with the 2006 Western Star constructed final yr for Jay Hosty, Hoffman’s constructing a 1/Forty second-scale reproduction of Kitzhaber’s 4-million-mile-plus 1995 Kenworth T600. Try a bit little bit of the progress made under, and preserve tuned for a chance to fulfill the Trucker of the 12 months on the Mid-America Trucking Present in March.
[Related: Staying young, learning more: Trucker of the Year Alan Kitzhaber]
