Owner-operators survive, thrive: Lightning round from the final Waupun Truck-N-Show

Overdrive Radio

It was no doubt a bittersweet last weekend in Waupun, Wisconsin, at what could well be the final edition of the decades-running Waupun Truck-N-Show, where Overdrive News Editor Matt Cole was on hand talking to many among the owner-operators and other truckers in attendance: https://www.overdriveonline.com/overdrive-extra/article/15681420/final-waupun-trucknshow-kicks-off One such was Dane Wisniewski, owner of three-truck small fleet HDR, LLC, headquartered there in the state. Owner Wisniewski recalled fondly his time attending the show during every single one of his years in business from the time he started with just one truck. "I hope that somebody maybe takes it over," he said about prospects for the show to continue past this year, offering a challenge to those among his own younger generation of truck owners. "The younger generation such as I that's coming through the ranks needs to step up." This edition of Overdrive Radio podcast takes even more of the temperature among owners out at the Waupun show not only as it relates to the kind of wistfulness -- with a challenge to the next generation -- coming from owner-operator Wisniewski about the show's future prospects itself. August 22 is coming fast, and on that day we’re hosting an online session geared toward exchanging ideas around building trucking business to weather the inevitable ups and downs of the business cycles: https://fusable.zoom.us/webinar/register/7917212359500/WN_DKU8Uka_QVyvEVqCSBdAjA#/registration Given that, Cole asked five owners you’ll hear from today some of the same questions: What have they done in response to the current, long-ongoing freight slump? Is there any hope that this year’s presidential election’s conclusion might deliver certainty to the spenders out there such that freight might improve significantly in the years to come? In other words, is there a chance the prognosticators foreseeing growth in 2025, rather than full-blown economic recession, could be right, with the better political certainty delivering freight market improvements? Settle in for a lightning round on micro- and macro-trucking economics, as it were, from the point of an ag-heavy group of owner-operators at the Waupun show. We’ll hear along the way from: **Brett Buske, hauling in a custom 379 that's part of his and his father's seven-truck small fleet. **Owner-operator Brian Bucenell, leased to Drake Hauling pulling a hopper. **The father and son small fleet of Dan and Daniel Linn, Linn Acres Farms out of Bucyros, Ohio. **Wisconsin-headquartered HDR small fleet and HDL brokerage owner Dan Wiesniewski, who showed a 2007 Kenworth W900L at Waupun. And finally, one Nate Stone, who shares at least one trait in common with our August 22-set panelist owner-operator ilya Denisenko in that he’s started his owner-operator business at perhaps the most opportune of inopportune times, if that makes sense. That is, right at the bottom of the market. It’s kind of like that old Frank Sinatra song about New York City. If you can make there, at the bottom, with profit to show for it ... well, you might be able to make it anywhere. Read more about the August 22 panel discussion set for 1 p.m. Central time: **https://www.overdriveonline.com/15680141 **https://www.overdriveonline.com/15681671 Register to attend live and/or catch the replay: https://fusable.zoom.us/webinar/register/7917212359500/WN_DKU8Uka_QVyvEVqCSBdAjA#/registration