“I was always interested in trucking. I


FLATBED WORK Daws Trucking specializes in hauling


heavy, often over-dimensional over-the-road flatbed freight throughout the continental United States and, in the past year, into parts of Canada. Typically, Daws said, the flatbeds haul agricultural machinery and products, along with construction materials for fabricated steel buildings as well as brick, lumber and plastic pipe. Te company’s motto is “Anchored in Excellence” with the goal of providing clients with the highest level of service possible. “I believe in being diversified,” Daws said. Another specialty area is in assisting the


cleanup of trail derailments, where Daws’ flatbeds are called in to help move the freight cars away from the mess. Daws was born in Iowa near Waterloo, and


his family moved to Nebraska when he was 4. He grew up in Fairmont. When he was 21, in 1976, he went to work behind the steering wheel for a family friend’s trucking company, Reed Brothers in Fairmont.


thought it was a good way to make money. Tere was a little freedom to it. It was a good way to make money more than being home all the time. It just paid that much better,” he said. “Plus, I enjoy driving, kicking around and seeing the countryside.” Ten, Daws began to take an interest in the


managing side. “Driving was a good job,” he said, “but no


matter what your career is, you want to be reaching for the top, to move up the ladder. Tat drove me to improve myself. “When I started dispatching, I learned how


to dispatch the trucks and load them. Tat first opportunity didn’t work out so I did the same for another gentlemen. Ten I decided to go out and do it for myself. I bought a couple of trailers and a couple of tractors and started this company.” Daws Trucking’s growth, he says, has been


fueled at times by customer demand and the need for more trucks to handle the work, but then he’s seen times that required finding the customers to put all the trucks to work.


Sometimes, he admits, it feels like there is either never enough trucks or never enough customers, so it’s “ just a private battle to keep it all balanced.” Daws added, “You don’t have the trucks,


so you buy more just to keep your service level up. We specialize in service. Our drivers work hard. Service is what we’re best at.” Like nearly every trucking firm these days,


Daws Trucking’s future depends on hiring quality drivers at a time when driver demand is high and the available numbers are low. He proudly notes a meager 16-18 percent turnover rate in Daws’ drivers in the last three years, “which is pretty phenomenal,” he said. “If we can find good quality drivers like we


have, we’ll keep growing,” Daws said. “I don’t have a pace for my growth, it’s just what we can handle comfortably. I won’t put us on the brink financially. I’m a conservative guy.” Daws Trucking has 25 employees scattered


about in different offices, plus the 80 drivers. “Twenty years ago, I was hoping to make


it to 50 trucks,” he said. “As the opportunities kept presenting themselves, we shot right past


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