In this week's edition of Overdrive Radio, January Trucker of the Month Ken Brodeur, owner-operator out of Escondido, California, tells the tale of his circuitous path to trucking over three decades of prior IT tech and music-industry careers. He leased and then purchased his first and current truck in 2016, a new Kenworth W9 that he’s kept in great working order ever since, with a diligent maintenance approach, some good luck, and plenty in the way of shrewd decision-making over tumultuous years for trucking, the economy in general and more.

The flatbedder’s experienced highs and lows through his now half-decade in business with authority, before that leased to Landstar, learning from successes and failures and putting them into practice.

In essence, as a fellow owner and friend said about him in Cole’s feature story, Brodeur’s just “one of them good old success stories” in trucking.

In some ways, Brodeur's is a story that repeats itself all around the nation for owner-operators who successfully manage revenue against costs for solid income. It's a tale of a man who “started with a big company and moved his way up, bought himself a truck, got himself a trailer and watched his Ps and Qs," his friend said. "Just a true owner-operator.”

Meantime, Brodeur's made good on a long-term goal of greater control of his life, with full control of his business.

Read more about owner-operator Ken Brodeur in Matt Cole's feature attendant to his January honor: https://www.overdriveonline.com/trucker-of-the-year/article/15736267/trucker-of-the-month-throws-chains-tarps-after-decades-in-it

Nominate your own business or that of another deserving owner you admire for Overdrive's 2025 Trucker of the Year award: https://overdriveonline.com/toptrucker