Livestock drivers take pride in their jobs and their businesses. J&R Reuter Trucking LLC. is a livestock trucking company owned by Gerald Reuter, who goes by Jr., has driven trucks for over 47 years and owned his own business for over 45 years. His dad, Gerald Sr., started the business many years ago.
Livestock truckers are responsible for transporting livestock, such as cattle, pigs, and sheep, from farms to processing plants or other locations. They must be knowledgeable about animal handling and transportation regulations and skilled in driving large trucks and trailers. Livestock truckers often work long and irregular hours and must be able to handle the physical demands of loading and unloading animals.
Trucks are a very important part of keeping our world fed and play a vital part in the whole world. It's understandable that sometimes, due to the high demand, you have to give loads to other trucking companies. This is an industry in which everyone is trying to make a living fairly and competitively.
Jr.’s dad drove a truck until he retired, and then Jr. took over the business and made it his own. He was able to work with what his dad started and add more loads from other pig businesses.
Jr. says that the hardest part of owning and operating his own business is staying organized. He has to keep track of who is over the road, who has what load, and how many loads they have hauled. Over the road means an overnight load or someone who is not going to be going back to the shop that night. He also has to track how many pigs are on a load and how many miles that trucker has driven. This is how they get paid.
Jr. has three guys who own their truck and work for him. Jeremy, who is the son of JR, started driving when he was 22, and Todd, who has worked for him for almost a year. Jeremy and Todd, being independent contractors, have a significant role to play in JR's business as pig haulers. Then there is the sweet old man, Dave, who is always on call and ready to help. They work for Jr. and their contributions are essential for the success of the business.
The only big problem for Jr is to work for him you have to be an owner/operator of a truck, and only a few people own their trucks. Many truck drivers who work for bigger companies drive a company truck; that doesn’t work for Jr. and his company. Jr. doesn’t have extra trucks for truckers to drive. If they have extra loads or too many loads in a day, Jr. has to make sure that he has an owner/operator trucker reliable enough to give those extra loads to.
JR also talked about how after every load the drivers have to go back to the shop. Pigs are highly susceptible to disease, so every trailer needs to be power-washed and disinfected. If the trailers are not cleaned properly, the disease could spread and wipe out a whole barn of pigs. Jr is very particular about a clean trailer and will often look over trailers when we have new people washing. Clean trailers are vital to having a successful swine company.
At 63 years of age, JR is still behind the wheel, performing the same duties as his younger counterparts. Despite the physically demanding nature of the job, he finds it to be very gratifying. Working long hours on the road can be a trying experience, but it seems to provide him with a sense of purpose that is hard to find elsewhere. Jr.'s dedication and work ethic are evident in his willingness to take on such a challenging role, and it's clear that he has found a profession that he is passionate about.