00:05 I never felt like the drivers got enough respect, you know, and credit for all they do because I mean without drivers, we don’t have a business and we don’t have a lot of things that get trucked in here and everywhere else, you know, over Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays. Welcome to Six-Figure Trucker, the podcast where we share advice on how to be successful in trucking and have fun while doing so. We’ll share stories, news, and advice on how to earn six figures in trucking. And we’ll speak to guys and gals that are already doing so. Let’s get to the show. Hello everyone and welcome to the Six-Figure Trucker. And this is a very special Thanksgiving episode brought to you by, of course, Norton Transport. I’m John Madewell and I’m honored to be your host for this show each week where we seek to highlight the beautiful business of trucking and the guys and gals that make it roll.

01:04 Now, we’re on a mission here to elevate and celebrate drivers on this podcast. And frankly, it’s not difficult to do. In fact, we’re increasingly convinced that the men and women of trucking and especially our drivers here at Norton are some of the most impressive, interesting, and accomplished people in this country.

01:32 Now, you simply can’t stereotype the American trucker. Even I am routinely surprised by the things I hear each week from these amazing men and women that take these trucks out on the road. Take our last two guests for example. We interviewed a lady in her 50s and a young professional in his 30s. Now, in addition to driving for Norton Transport, the lady operates a thriving business in catering and is about to open her own restaurant in the Atlanta area. The latter travels the globe as a flight attendant and he attends mostly to military personnel and sporting teams and their families on this private jet. Both are highly successful across multiple platforms, but neither would be cast in the role of a trucker for an upcoming movie. Yet, these are the kind of people that sit behind the wheel all across this country. In this season alone, we welcome numerous truckers that bring resumes as unique and varied as the open roads. We’ve talked to a published novelist, a celebrity chef, and a touring musician.

02:35 We’ve talked to hobby farmers, part-time pastors, former politicians, and military veterans. We’ve had guests in their 20s and guests in their 70s. We just never know what we’re going to encounter each week as we talk to these men and women of the open road, but we usually leave with a smile, and we always tip our cap to these men and women.

03:05 Truckers deserve our respect and speaking for the company, I can say they have certainly earned our. Now, we have a special guest with us as we approach Thanksgiving. He is a man who knows a lot about the trucking business, has been in it for a very long time. He joins us now. That would be the owner and founder of Norton Transport, Calvin Norton. Calvin, what are your thoughts as we come up on Thanksgiving?

03:29 John, I would just want to be, you know, make sure we thank the drivers and everyone involved in our business. You know, it’s great to have good people and good drivers. And, one of the things I wanted to always make sure of that I never felt like the drivers got enough respect, you know, and credit for all they do because they’re doing the hard jobs.

03:52 Now, obviously, we wouldn’t have a company if not for the drivers. How much do you think about each night, each week, how they keep this company running?

04:02 Oh, it’s an essential, you know, part of our business. I mean, without drivers, we don’t have a business, and we don’t have a lot of things that get trucked in here and everywhere else, you know, over Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays.

04:16 Now, when you think about, you know, most of us here at the company, we will be at home with our families and our loved ones and our close friends. You know, it’s a time, it’s a holiday where everybody gets together and we’ve talked a lot about family, the importance of it. Talk a little bit about how Thanksgiving really underscores for you the importance of family, not just your immediate family, but the family of Norton Transport. Yeah, I mean it’s just I’m very thankful for my family and the way that our business has been structured and we’ve been able to maintain the you know thankfulness and everything for everybody for what all they do and just feel really blessed.

04:57 Calvin Norton, the owner and founder of Norton Transport, thank you so much for joining us and thanks for your kind words for all the drivers out there as we roll into Thanksgiving. So if you’re a truck driver listening in, we thank you for your service. Thank you for the long hours and endless miles that you absorb in order to ensure that the goods and services essential to Americans way of lives are safely delivered. We give you our thanks and our respect. To all the dispatchers that provide the crucial support to all of our drivers, we give you the respect and thank you for your service. Now, to all the mechanics and inspectors at truck yards across this great country, we also give you our respect and thank you for your service. And to the wide variety of trucking and transport businesses, we thank you for your important contribution to this space. Men and women of the trucking industry, thank you all for lending your skills to make this country go. Thank you for the sacrifices you make and the services you offer so that the people of this great nation can enjoy the life, the liberty, and the pursuit of happiness afforded us here.

06:04 We need more men and women like you, and we’re proud to stand behind you. Now, I’m coming to you today from Ringgold, Georgia. I will be gathered with my family. We certainly hope that you guys are, too. And I’ll be hammering some turkey and pork dressing along with some mac and cheese and all the good staples that come along with Thanksgiving and some football over the weekend. I thank God for the freedom to do so. And I also want to thank you, the American Trucker. From all of us here at Norton Transport and the Six-Figure Trucker, we wish you all a happy Thanksgiving.

06:42 Six-Figure Trucker is brought to you by Norton Transport. Norton Transport is a driveaway trucking company that customers can rely on. It offers excellent independent contract driving opportunities to professional, courteous, and qualified drivers that can provide the kind of service we deliver. If you’re interested in learning more about Norton or just want to subscribe to the show, check out Six-FigureTrucker.com. That’s Six-FigureTrucker.com.