Owner-operator Alan Kitzhaber's 4-million-mile 1995 Kenworth T600 got the scale-model treatment by Eston Hoffman to serve as trophy for his big Trucker of the Year win. Stay tuned for a look at the final product at MATS March 28.
How has owner-operator Alan Kitzhaber's 4-million-mile 1995 Kenworth T600 held up this Winter? Well, as it turns into Spring officially Thursday, March 20, he's just run past the 4.1-million-mile mark, he notes. It's another in a long run of miles-milestones hit as Kitzhaber begins to wind down a trucking career that spans most of four decades, the last 27 years spent as an owner-operator.
Running with his authority today as Oak Ridge Transport and hauling in the distribution network of Menard's, Kitzhaber's nothing if not passionate about sharing the trucking-business expertise gleaned over his history with anyone ready to hear it. You'll get a chance to meet him next week at the Mid-America Trucking Show, taking place March 27-29 at the convention center in Louisville, Kentucky. Friday the 28th at 2:30 p.m., we'll talk with Kitzhaber and Overnight Drive Radio host Steve Sommers about Kitzhaber's career, along the way presenting Kitzhaber a pretty spectacular token of his well-deserved nod as Overdrive's Trucker of the Year.
[Related: A plan for better business: Why do you want to be an owner-operator?]
Again for this year, Eston Hoffman of Pennsylvania-headquartered Hoffman Mechanical Design custom-built the 1/42nd scale model replica of the winner's rig, Kitzhaber's long-running T600, to serve as trophy for the win.
Here's a shot of Hoffman's handiwork in the early stages of the build. See more of Hoffman's work in this story about last year's winning owner-operator, Jay Hosty, likewise this one about a gift owner Steve Bixler's son presented to him, a model of his classic "Lady in Red" cabover built by Hoffman.Eston Hoffman
The final creation you can get a look at at Mid-America. Teased in the shot at the top of this story, let's just say it looks pretty much just like the real thing, the level of detail Hoffman puts into his work frankly amazing...
...down to the air tabs at the back of the sleeper body...
Get a look at it yourself and join Trucker of the Year program sponsors Bostrom Seating and Commercial Vehicle Group in honoring Kitzhaber with Sommers and the Overnight Drive at 2:30 p.m. Friday at booth No. 12036 in the North Wing, where Sommers will be broadcasting hosted by the Hot Shot's Secret company.
[Related: Hot Shot's Secret's winter fuel additives]
Here's a big congrats to Alan Kitzhaber from all of us at Overdrive, with other rewards to come for him in a new seat from Bostrom and CVG, and all the bragging rights for a year's reign at the top as Trucker of the Year.
We hope to see you there and elsewhere around the show.
More MATS preview coverage you can access via this link.
Overdrive's 2025 Trucker of the Year program, sponsored by Commercial Vehicle Group and Bostrom Seating, recognizes clear business acumen and unique or time-honored recipes for success among owner-operators. Nominations are open for exceptional owner-operators, whether leased or independent. Nominate your business or that of a fellow owner (up to three trucks) via this link for a chance to win a custom replica of your tractor and prizes and perks from Bostrom and CVG.
