As I sit here this beautiful Saturday morning, I began thinking about my past and, in particular, my time at Overnite Transportation Company. I began thinking about, of all the companies I have worked for. Overnite was hands down the best by far. I began to feel sad that our economy has changed so much that Overnite had to go by the wayside. Then, and only then did I realize that the Overnite principals and policies truly live on in the hearts and memories of “Our People Make The Difference.” All my freight work ethics were developed from those 12 years at Overnite, and for the last 47 years that I have been a professional driver, those ethics saw me through. God bless Harwood Cochrane, and the company he created because it has been a vital tool in my 47-year driving career!
As I stated earlier in this story, Overnites slogan that they have on the back of all their trailers and straight trucks “Our People Make The Difference” is more than that. After 47 years and 11 trucking companies later, I think I have a say about what companies are exceptional to work for. The fellow employees that I worked with for those 12 years are nothing short of spectacular. The policies that this company had weeded the good people out from the bad. If the employee stuck around, then more than likely, they would wholeheartedly go to bat for the company and other employees before themselves.
Here are just a few of those fellow employees that I had the honor to work with. Rick Combs was always someone who gave me solid advice about the company we worked for from day one. He never had a bad word about anyone that we worked with as far as I can remember. Kenny Grismore, my assigned trainer, was very patient with me while I learned the ins and outs of how the Overnite system worked as far as the paperwork on the pickup and delivery routes were concerned. Gary Butrum, Billy Ross, Steve Huddleson, Tim Berry, David Osborne and his wife Kathy, Terry Shinn, Tim Kelly, Hollis Loydd, Kelly Washler, Kevin Dyer, Mark Fisher, Dawn, Dewain, and their Dad Eddie Divebliss along with his wife Regina, Sonny Strong, Chris Witter, Jerry Pero, (Rob’s brother) Gene and Annette Mathes and a whole lot more that I cannot think of due to my age, but I think you get the idea. Anyway, all those listed above and pretty much anyone I missed are what the Overnite Transportation Company was made of. They all have a very special place in my past. And yes, our people definitely do make the difference!
My Trucker Life 