Hodges, Alabama-based owner-operator B.J. Scott has been behind the wheel of a truck for about 21 years -- the last 10 of those as an owner-operator.
Scott took his 2013 Peterbilt 389 in May to display at the Show for Lowe's custom car and truck show in Hamilton, Alabama, as detailed in the video above. The truck's leased to Vernon, Alabama-based Dixie Transport, which Scott drove as a company driver before leasing.
“A great company to work for,” he said. “When I got my own truck, I just went with them. I’ve tried other companies in the past, and there’s no company, in my personal opinion, as good as Dixie.”
Scott pulls his own 2022 Mac flatbed, giving him an additional boost in percentage pay from Dixie, hauling lumber and steel for dedicated customers. He typically pulls from Alabama up to Michigan or out to Texas and back, with occasional runs to Iowa and elsewhere.
In making the switch about a decade ago, Scott was after the freedom to call his own shots.
“I just liked the freedom of it, and I could do work on my own truck, fix my own truck up,” he said. “I can go where I want to and make whatever money I want to. If I want to be off, I can take off. I just didn't want to be pressured into being gone all the time, being away from the family.”
[Related: How mostly owner-op fleet became a 'Best Fleet to Drive For']
Scott bought the 2013 Pete about four years ago from Dixie themselves. They'd bought it new after it was ordered but not picked up by a livestock hauler at the time. Though he’s the second owner of the rig, Scott's at least been around it since it was new -- knowing Dixie’s maintenance practices helped him make the purchasing decision, despite the million miles on the odometer at the time.
The interior of the rig has been redone since Scott bought it four years ago, with new button-tuck panels on the ceiling and doors.
He soon repowered the rig after purchase, with a remanufactured Cummins Signature 600, after an overhead at a dealer went wrong and the original motor blew, he said.
Scott added these double-hump fenders from WTI, giving the truck an additional custom touch.
Otherwise, the truck “was just a plain Jane truck when I bought it,” Scott said. “Nothing fancy.” He’s added his own touch through the years, including a new bumper with LED lights, 359-style headlights, a new grille, new light panels, double-hump fenders on the rear and more.
Scott does most of his own maintenance on the truck in his shop at home, “just to save money and know it’s done right,” he said. Coming from a family of diesel mechanics, he's picked up and learned enough along the way to keep his truck in tip-top shape to keep it rolling: changing brakes, wheel bearings and more.
He even swapped a turbo on the side of a highway in Ohio once upon a time.
Scott said he had this T-bar just "laying around," so he painted it to match the rig and installed it.
See more of B.J. Scott's additions to the rig in the video up top.
[Related: 'His last ride': Illinois-based owner's '79 Freightliner COE goes to work after resto]
Find plenty more views of the rig in the video up top, and for more videos and custom-equipment features delivered to your email inbox, subscribe to Overdrive's weekly Custom Rigs newsletter via this link.
BJ Scott: It is a 2013 389. It was just a plain Jane truck when I bought it. I've had it right at four years. A new paint job, new fenders, a new bumper, new headlights. I had the interior redone new light panel stacks. I mean it was just a plain Jane truck when I bought it. Nothing fancy. Slowly over the years, it's just making it to what I liked to see out of it.
Matt Cole: How many miles did it had about it when you bought it?
BJ Scott: Just over a million, but the motor has a brand new motor in it. It's got about 300,000 on it on a brand new motor.
Matt Cole: What kind of motor is it?
BJ Scott: It's a signature 600. I got it tuned to a 700. It's a Cummins.
Matt Cole: What kind of transmission you running?
BJ Scott: 18 speed and 3 36 rears. Well, a new bumper. I got a new bumper on it. I put the LEDs in it and then 3 59 headlights. It's got a new grille. New grille insert and you got to have rubber duck up there. Yes sir. I love the rubber duck. All the new light panels, I put them on there. They didn't have no light panels on it.
I just put double hump fenders on. It was past November. I have a 2022 Mac flatbed. That's all aluminum. Got the shiny hiney and everything on the back of it and light package. Pretty nice trailer, but I had a T-bar laying around and I had it painted and the whole truck has got underglow on it. I installed that a few weeks ago, so when I go at night and truck stops, I can change the colors or strobe. Strobe, just whatever color.
