00:10 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 brought to you by Norton Transport. And if you guys have been listening to our show, it’s one where we elevate and celebrate the drivers that make everything go round and round for Norton Transport and for the economy in general. You know, a lot of times drivers are not always looked at in a favorable light, but that’s not what the Six-Figure Trucker is about. We like to look and explore, dig a little bit deeper into the lives of these drivers. The he and the she’s that make everything go around. And we’ve got a very special guest with us tonight. We’re very glad to have DeCorey Hawkins on the air with us. DeCorey, how are you?

01:08 I’m doing good. How are you?

01:10 I’m doing great, man. It’s Friday. I’m glad to see the weekend coming. And DeCorey, where are you now?

01:15 Right now, man, High Point, North Carolina.

01:18 Gotcha. Now, did you drop in High Point or did you make your way there on your own or did you have a load that took you there?

01:25 Well, no. I had to fly here from Canada to pick it up.

01:29 Did you say you flew in from Canada?

01:31 Yes.

01:31 Oh, well, tell us about that load that you had that took you to Canada.

01:36 I had a brand new Peterbilt 579 and it was one of them dick trucks that that was undicip Canada.

01:50 It was an interesting ride across you. I got a chance across the border, man. Experience was like in Canada. It was my first time being in Canada and I really enjoyed it.

02:01 That was my next question. I was going to ask you if you’d been, but obviously your passported. How did the process go? Was it smooth? Did you run into any road bumps? How did it go?

02:10 I don’t know. Mainly what you need your B and your passport and boom, you’re good.

02:16 Now, which port did you cross? You went across if you went into Winnipeg. Where did you go across there? The Emerson port on Interstate on 29, I’m not mistaken.

02:27 Gotcha. Now, they’ve got pretty rigid timelines when you got to be there and obviously you hit it.

02:35 Oh, yeah.

02:36 Okay. Yeah. So, it didn’t take you long to actually cross.

02:39 No, it was like a quick twominute process for me to cross the border and from the border to Winnipeg was like a good 45 good hour.

02:48 Okay. Okay. And then you flew out after you delivered?

02:51 Yes, I flew out that ne the next night.

02:54 Gotcha.

02:54 From Winnipeg to Cal Calgary and Calgary to Atlanta. It—

02:58 Was a long flight.

02:59 I was going to say you were in the air for a while.

03:02 Yeah, it was a long flight.

03:03 Now you’re picking up in High Point. Where are you headed from High Point?

03:07 To Baton Rouge.

03:08 Oh, have you ever been to Baton Rouge?

03:10 Oh, yeah. Plenty of time. Plenty of times.

03:13 Okay. Now, are you a college football fan? Oh, yes sir.

03:19 So, I guess you know being in the LSU country there you’ve seen some of the pageantry and the spirit there on your times down there.

03:27 Oh, yeah. But me, I’m a big Georgia fan.

03:29 Oh, you’re talking to the crowd now. Me, too. Big time. Now, you live in Georgia, right?

03:34 Correct.

03:35 Grove Town, Georgia. Is that right?

03:38 Yes. That’s what I’m trying to say. But I’m originally from southern Georgia. A little small town called Alma, Georgia.

03:44 Almma. Is that right? Correct.

03:47 Tell us where Elma, Georgia is and what it’s all about.

03:50 Oh, Elma’s a little small town in Bacon County, southeast Georgia. Like an hour and a half away from Savannah, Jacksonville, Florida. Say like a good hour away from Brunswick, Georgia. I mean, it’s a nice town. Got a lot of jobs, opportunity there. I mean, I like it. It’s laidback. I do kind of mix it out there sometime, but you know, I like grow Georgia because I’m in the center of everything. But I do miss home sometimes. So I do like to go for mud riding and whatnot.

04:24 Gotcha.

04:24 And going down the way cross to the track—

04:26 Now. Way cross Elma, Georgia there. You mentioned where you are in relationship to the coast. I’m guessing that you’ve had some pretty tasty Brunswick stew before.

04:39 Oh, yeah. Good, but you know, a lot of people pick on me because I’m not a big seafood eater. Seafood is a bad commodity down there.

04:46 Oh, you’re not a big seafood eater? I got you. Yeah, there’s a lot of it down there. But again, you know, being close to Way Cross and that’s kind of moving over into the peanut country, isn’t it? There’s a lot of peanuts grown that way.

04:59 Oh, yes. A lot of people sell boiled peanuts down there.

05:03 Gotcha. What is DeCorey’s? If you if we were gonna sit down and Dori is going to give us his favorite meal, what would it be?

05:14 I like good soul food. Oxtail, fried chicken, graze, green beans, macaroni, cheese, corn, bread.

05:22 Gotcha. Good. Good soul food. There’s always room for that. Good soul food’s always good for the soul, good for the stomach as well. Now, DeCorey, how long have you been driving?

05:31 About 10 and a half years. Okay, take us through that. Kind of wind us through your career, how you got into it, how you started driving 10 and a half years ago.

05:40 Well, first before I started driving, I used to work for the sheriff’s department in Georgia, Douglas County, where neighbors selling over from Atlanta. And I decided I wanted something different, but I didn’t know what I exactly wanted to do. So, I was just kind of confused. Then I just thought about driving trucks because you get paid to travel. I mean, you pretty much you traveling for free, so I decided to try it out. And when I tried it out, I fell in love with it.

06:09 Gotcha. Now, I want to circle back to your 10 and a half years as a driver, but you said you worked for the sheriff’s department in Douglas County. What did you do at the sheriff’s department?

06:18 I worked in the jail.

06:19 Okay. That’s quite a contrast of driving a truck, working with hand in hand, I guess, with inmates. Well, at first a lot of first was my dream job, but you know, once I got into that field, it just I kind of fell out of love with it seeing somebody with a doodle board. So, I just did some career exploring and truck driving was the next thing. It wasn’t the first thing, but you know what I told when I talked to my parents about it, my babble did agree because I’m her only child. So, I just tried it out. I fell in love with it. Well, 10 and a half years and you’ve fallen in love with truck driving. What about it appeals to you?

07:02 Meet new people, trying new experiences. Meet experiences like try like different culture cuz you know everything that I go to is not like the south—

07:12 Right? And you’re headed to talking about culture and food heading to Baton Rouge there. You’re going to be in for a treat there. Have you got some places in mind where you’re going to go while you’re down there or you just going to go where the road takes you?

07:26 Normally I go to Baton Rouge. I mean Louisiana. I mainly I go down to it’s this restaurant called Walkons. I love it and Copeland. I like their cheesecake. But you know on my I mainly go down there for the drinks because they have great drinks—

07:45 Down in Louisiana.

07:47 Yeah. But I only do it on my off time. If I’m going to be off, I go get me a drink cuz it’s this decorate capital.

07:55 Right. Right. Right. It’s a cool place. It’s a different kind of a different stripe of a culture there in Louisiana. And you were talking about growing up. Did you grow up in Alma?

08:06 Yes. During that time, my mom, she was a college. So I grew up in Alma, I’d say majority of my life. Then we moved to Atlanta and I stayed in Atlanta for a little bit. Then we was back and forth from Alabama to Atlanta.

08:22 Gotcha.

08:23 From Montgomery to my mom college.

08:25 What was life like growing up in Elma?

08:28 Everybody. It’s like one of those small town. Everybody know each other.

08:32 Mhm.

08:33 It like you’re not going to go nowhere without somebody knowing you. But that’s a good thing because if when you’re, you know, when you’re away and stuff, you got people that watch your stuff—

08:43 But it’s going to be a good thing.

08:45 Everybody takes care of each other.

08:47 Yeah. But when you do something wrong, everybody know everybody gonna know.

08:52 I gotta do you miss that style of life right now?

08:58 I say right now, yeah, I say yes, but being out there, you got a lot of land out there. You ain’t got to worry about no H or A. I mean, you could build out there, but Alma is a growing city, though.

09:11 I got you. I got you. You’re listening to DeCorey Hawkins here on the Six-Figure Trucker brought to you by Norton Transport. And DeCorey is he’s an interesting story. You’ve heard a little bit about his background. He’s comes from a small town. Enjoys the life there, likes the culture of other places and exploring and experiencing new things. And DeCorey we wanted to talk a little bit 10 and a half years on the road, it would be unreasonable to think that you, I mean, to have a crystalclear record with 10 and a half years on the road, some things are going to happen. And joining us now is our safety director, Renee Daring, and she told me a little bit about DeCorey. And DeCorey, from what I understand your story from a safety perspective is one of redemption.

09:59 Now, I’m gonna back out just a little bit and let you and Renee talk about this because she knows a lot more about the details. Say hello to Renee.

10:06 Hey, Renee.

10:07 Well, hello to Corey.

10:09 How you doing?

10:10 I’m doing good. How are you?

10:12 Oh, doing good. Just taking it day by day.

10:14 Well, good. That’s great. Now, DeCorey, you were telling us earlier or Renee was telling us earlier that you had had a pretty clean record before one thing came up, but you were able to correct that. I’m going to let Renee kind of talk a little bit about that. And of course, we certainly want to hear from you on this story of redemption in the safety realm. Yes, but Corey, I have looked at your record and it looks like you have plenty of clean inspections, but tell us what happened on October the 14th of last year. Well, October the 14th, I was outside of Tacoma, Washington, and pretty much I dropped my cell phone, and in a process of putting my cell phone back on the mounted on the window, I got pulled over by the Washington State Patrol and I received a citation for having a cell phone in my hand.

11:11 Oh boy.

11:12 Yeah.

11:13 How what was the interaction like between you and the officer? Well, when that happened, he seen that I was trying to put my cell phone back on my mount on the window. So, he what he did was he jumped in front of me and trying to break check me even though I seen him the whole time. Then he had stopped and pulled me over and said, “I seen you with your cell phone in your hand and watches one of those states where you know you’re not allowed to have cell phones in your hand like Georgia,”

11:42 Right? I guess it does vary state to state as far as the rules, but what’s the overall I mean the view from 35,000 ft above. What is it that we like to convey to the drivers and cell phone use?

11:57 I recommend not to have your cell phone in your hand at all. It’s best to pull over and get everything done on your cell phone because you never know who is out there watching you. There could be a trooper in an unmarked car. You just not have your cell phone in your hand cuz it’s just like when you get caught just like a DUI and ain’t nobody’s going to take you or hire you.

12:19 That is right. That is right. With your particular cell phone violation or anybody else’s. I looked it up and you know sometimes our drivers for whatever reason they are accused of using their cell phone in such a way that just from picking it up or just touching it and they are accused of actually using that cell phone while they’re driving. And that is a insurance issue. And I my myself as being the safety director, I do not like making those phone calls to drivers saying, you know, I’m sorry, we can’t use you as a driver due to this violation and it be on your record. But what I tell drivers is there is a difference when you are at a roadside inspection when they pull you over and they actually give you a citation along with that violation there.

13:28 Those are two different things. A citation is something that it’s like it’s a ticket, but a violation a lot of drivers get confused and they think that a violation is a warning. Well, it’s not a warning. It’s the same. It’s carries the same weight as a citation. So, that’s why it’s when I talk to drivers and in your case too, you received a citation. So, that was the better thing of your violation of your ro your inspection is that you received a citation along with that violation. And like I said, I hated to call you and tell you that we had to let you go as a driver, but just give us a summary of events as to how you were able to get that citation removed.

14:19 Once I got that citation, I hired CBC Pro. I got it in October in my court that was in January. By the grace of God, I was able to get that citation dismissed. And that’s the only thing with that citation. A lot of lawyers say like I got it in Thurston County and thirst county is one of the hardest counties to get any citation dismissed. But I say by the grace of God I got it removed just clean off the record and I was very thankful for that. Now, you were saying the county that you got the citation in Washington is a tough one to have it removed, but you were able to beat the citation and you know, Renee was talking about it was a tough call for her to make to deliver the news to you about getting that citation, but kind of walk us through after you had that removed from you. How long did it take you to get back into the fold and back on the road?

15:14 Well, I was already working for a company at the time, but once I got it, I got it removed in January. So, to really get back in full effect, it took like a month or two because it got to go through F and PSA to get a removal off my end and their end. So, it took like two months for me to get go back in full force.

15:35 I’m gonna let Renee talk a little bit about that as far as it going through both processes. How does that work for drivers if they do incur a citation or a violation?

15:45 Well, what happens is with that violation being on Norton Transport’s record, we have to submit what’s called a data cue, but it’s basically a dispute. And since we had his documents saying that the violation had been dismissed, we were able to have this violation removed from his record along with Norton Transports, too. So, it does take a little time because, you know, the feds are not going to be quick about nothing. So, they did take their sweet time to have it removed and it was it’s a great thing and when I can call drivers and tell them, hey, it’s been removed. We can bring you back and I was very excited to have DeCorey come back and work for us because he is a great driver.

16:40 Yeah, DeCorey, we’re very very pleased to have you on board on the roster at 10 and a half years on the road. That’s a long time. A lot of experience a lot of practicality out there. And I mean, I think it’s pretty genuine it comes across when you’re talking about how relieved and by the grace of God this was removed from you and allowing you to keep making money, keep moving trucks. How much for you, DeCorey, after this experience and being able to put it in your rear view, how much do you take into consideration components of safety? I very take that I very I take that to a higher consideration. The reason why because I mean at the end of the day our goal is to get home to our families and loved ones and you know with my experience with that cell phone violation if I with me picking it up I could have read into somebody hit somebody family you know and there would have been a conscious on my mind but with it being behind me it was a lesson learned to me not to do it again next time just next time just pull over.

17:42 You were talking about the lesson learned and obviously how important it is to come home to your family and friends from the road and you said you learned a lesson about you know not having the cell phone there but being candid and transparent with us. How tough is it to keep your hands off the cell phone, stay off the cell phone when you’re out there for so many hours on the road? For me, what I do is I have my I listen to some music. If the radio had like the record, I listen to some music. Half of the time I just occupy my mind on positive things like what can I do to be a better person for myself? What can I do to better myself in more most ways? So, I keep my mind pretty occupied. So, having a cell phone man be the least of my worry.

18:28 Gotcha. Now, you were talking about you listen to music when you’re on the road. Give us your playlist. What’s the DeCorey Hawkins going to listen to on the way from High Point to Louisiana?

18:38 I don’t know, dude. Really depends on my mood. I listen to all type of music from country, EDM, gospel, hip-hop, R&B. It just really depends on my mood, how I’m feeling at the moment.

18:53 Do you listen to not only by your mood, but where you are? Like let’s say you’re going up through Montana or if you’re going way out in the in that part of the country. Does that influence if you’re going to listen to something different?

19:07 If I’m in Montana, I listen to a little bit of country what I have on my Apple Music playlist. Then again, I listen to some EDM to, you know, listen some electronic electronical music to, you know, just relax my mind because ride through my family is a very long ride.

19:25 Oh yeah. Oh, yeah. I wanted to ask Renee to weigh in a little bit on, you know, the cell phone distraction is something that’s pretty clear-cut about staying away from it, but I want to let her weigh in a little bit on music, listening to it passively as you’re driving there. What’s the what’s I guess the your standpoint as far as drivers listening to music? Obviously, you got to do something to pass the time.

19:50 Oh, yeah. I mean, I think that’s great that they listen to music. They just better not touch that phone while they’re listening to that music on the road.

19:59 Right—

19:59 Now, I think Renee was going to say something else. She had a couple other safety oriented points she wanted to bring up. So, run with it, safety.

20:06 Well, you know, it’s kind of hard to make safety a fun thing, but I did wanted to I did want to say some statistics of what I have found. And it takes 5 seconds to read the average text message. So according to the US Department of Transportation, it takes 5 seconds to read a text during those precious moments. Your eyes are off the road and you can even drive the length of the football field.

20:37 Now DeCorey, is that something you’ve ever thought about as far as the time that it takes to read a text and how something could happen? And you kind of spoke to it earlier, you know, just that one second of putting that phone back in the mount. You know, it’s it could make a difference.

20:56 Most definitely. I mean, I just like I said, I can just go back to that moment. I remember when the DT officer jumped in front of me and trying to break chick and if I really wasn’t if I really was looking to my farmer, I could have reended him and that that would have been bigger. That would have been real big.

21:13 Yeah. Yeah, I mean to run into an officer by being on your phone when he was trying to break check you, at least you were alert enough, had your head in the game and knew what was going on there that I think that probably, you know, when you look back at it had a lot to do with the dismissal of the ticket or the citation is because of the fact that you were alert and aware.

21:33 All right. Now, I think Rene’s got some more statistical data here on some of the times and the reflexes and that kind of thing, but I’m gonna let Renee run with it. What do you got, Renee?

21:46 Well, it says here that texting increases the odds of being in a car accident. So, drivers who text while driving are 23 times more likely to be involved in a car accident. And that could be going over a curb, leaving the road, and even crashing into a tree. And it’s also texting while driving is more dangerous than intoxication. That’s pretty—

22:15 Hard. Yes, it’s pretty that’s some pretty hard stuff right there.

22:18 Oh, yeah. Definitely. Now, DeCorey, I had to ask you, you know, you’ve had this story of redemption where you’ve come you’re back on the road making money, delivering loads, and you have, as you said, learned your lesson from the cell phone violation. What’s it like where you’re perched up high? How much do you see the four-wheelers, the cars out there on their phones, texting and driving? I’m sure you see it every day, all the time. Every time I’m behind the big wheel, I see even police officers and DOT officers do it every day. It’s a common thing.

22:54 So, you’re saying you’ve seen officers doing it themselves?

22:58 Yep.

23:01 What do you think about when you see that? I mean, the person that’s in charge with writing those violations doing it themselves.

23:09 I shake my head like if it was me, I would have got a ticket.

23:12 Yeah, absolutely. Now, Rene is sitting right beside me here on the Six-Figure Trucker brought to you by Norton Transport. We’re listening to the DeCorey Hawkins and his stories of redemption and the safety realm because he got into a little bit of a jam on a minor thing and was able to get this ticket removed from his record and be back on the road. And Renee has her diary, her I guess you could say her notebook out here beside us and she’s got a couple of things circled which are highlighted things, good things for DeCorey Hawkins. And I’m going to let Renee address that at this moment.

23:50 Yeah. For anyone that knows me inside the office, they know that I have my little spiral notebook that I write everything down on. It’s my to-do list. John—

23:58 I got you. Gotcha. But I did write down some things about DeCorey. And he did start driving back with us in April, which the next month. You got a clean inspection, did you not? In May.

24:17 Yes. Yeah. I got one last week ago, too.

24:21 Well, yeah. Well, yeah. There’s a story behind that particular clean inspection. I was scared to death because I did not know what he was needing over the phone and usually drivers don’t call. I just wanting to talk to me, John. They really don’t want to talk to me. But I had spoken with DeCorey and I told him that to give me a surprise. I need a surprise. And he had to go through I think what two or three people to get a hold of me. Is that right?

24:57 Yeah.

25:00 Yeah. Sometimes I am hard to get a hold of and I apologize for that. But f I did finally re get your call and you had me a surprise. Is that right?

25:10 Oh yeah.

25:11 Yes. I had to— She didn’t say what type of surprise. That’s the thing. She said what type? She said a surprise. So I spooked her.

25:19 Yeah, you did spook me.

25:21 Now was this the May clean inspection or the one just last week? Just last—

25:26 It was both but the main one was who threw the most.

25:30 I mean being a surprise and one you want to deliver. What’s it like for you as a driver of a decade of experience to get these clean inspections?

25:40 Everything feel real good because when you get inspection it not only make the company look good but it make yourself look good. So when you get pulled in other states the DOT officer see that you’ve been you’ve been riding a clean inspection. So, they’re not really going to mess with you as much like they would with a high-risisk driver.

25:58 It’s kind of like an insurance policy.

26:00 Yes.

26:01 Now, this is a question for you, DeCorey, and also for Renee. What all is involved in getting a clean inspection? I see that yours came in Arizona, but what all did you have to do or have to put on the table, have to prove to get that clean inspection?

26:17 Well, I mean, mainly keep your laws up. And nine times out of 10, the equipment that I haul is brand new. So it’s like I mean just really keep your laws up cuz that’s mainly what they look for. And like I said, the equipment is new. But then again, sometimes the new equipment do have some defects to it. So also keep your equipment up, but mainly well I get all my tickets and inspection out west. It don’t happen east or east or north or south. It always happen out west. But mainly look for your log. That’s the main thing that key thing to look for. And you know, I do drive the legal way a lot because if I drive past my time and a drunk if a drunk driver hit me or I hit somebody, that could be automatic, I can get charged. So, I look at things like that because I want to be home with my family.

27:05 Right now, what did what did you get in return for that clean inspection?

27:11 I got a safety bonus of $200.

27:14 That’s nice. What’d you spend that 200 bucks on?

27:17 No, I put it up. There you go.

27:19 Well, I know you didn’t send me anything.

27:22 Safe driver and a conservative investor. There you go. You’re listening to DeCorey Hawkins here on the Six-Figure Trucker brought to you by Norton Transport. Wanted to ask you also, DeCorey, about this clean inspection and it’s a I guess a point of pride for you.

27:36 Oh, yes, definitely. Cuz like I said, I stayed getting pulled over pulled over out west in a western state. So, I you definitely got to be in P’s and Q’s.

27:45 Gotcha. Gotcha. And how much as a driver, I mean, when you’re, you know, you’re logging those miles and you’ve got that clean inspection with you, you kind of spoke to this, how it kind of opens the door for your next stop in your next state. Tell us kind of how that works. I mean, officers see that and it seems pretty obvious what happens next. Well, honestly, well, it’s like when I get pulled over and get a but it’s like once they see your license and stuff. I mean, I mean, it’s not it not true all the time, but like I said, they’ll see like you got clean inspection like in other states. So, like I said, they officer really not going to really dig deep into it in the inspection. Even though level one is the highest you can get, but once they pull your license and stuff and do your inspection, they’ll probably do like a level three cuz they like, “Oh, he had three clean inspection in the past month.”

28:32 So we not going to— Yeah. Do too much or trying to find something because they’ll be a waste of time.

28:38 Gotcha. So I mean it makes life a lot easier, smoother for you on the road—

28:42 Right?

28:43 Obviously DeCorey’s been you know a great story of redemption, doing the right thing, bouncing back from one minor bump in the road there back in October and he’s that’s in his rear view. He’s moving smoothly now. What would you say the kind of example DeCorey sets Renee for other drivers who may be listening in on this?

29:04 Well, DeCorey is a great example of redemption just like you said. He’s a great driver in it in himself. He’s brought great things to Norton Transport, three inspections. I just want to thank him for being the driver that he is and for being patient with me because safety is here to help. We’re not here to hurt anyone and I want to make sure all Norton Transport drivers hear that message that we are always here to help you. And if we ever come down hard on you, it’s because we have a reason to. And sometimes our hands are tied. And in this case, they were tied. I mean, and I just want to make sure that our drivers know that we are here to help and not here to hurt.

29:58 I’m sure DeCorey, that’s you know, music to your ears.

30:03 Yeah. This happened, honestly. I first me and Renee met was on a doing a random drug test when she couldn’t get me no drug. Well, I was out of Wyoming. I was in the middle of nowhere in Wyoming and we was trying to find a drug test but it was kind of difficult for me. So that’s you know that’s how me and Renee met and ever since then we’ve been cool because she said I don’t want to first drop that person out.

30:25 She’s smiling broadly here when she heard you say that you guys have been cool ever since then. Renee Daring our safety director here sitting in with DeCorey Hawkins on the Six-Figure Trucker brought to you by Norton Transport. Just wanted to leave it open for you guys before we move down a different direction here. Anything that we may have left out in safety?

30:45 Well, I just want to make sure that our drivers focus on driving and always check your text and your emails before you start driving off in that truck. Put your phone away to eliminate the temptation to check for those messages at stop lightss. And even though you’re not moving, you still need to be aware of what’s going on around you. So, those are just a few tips to stay safe.

31:10 Anything you want to add, DeCorey?

31:12 No, just stay safe out there. Baker home safely. That’s the best. That’s the best advice I can give anybody.

31:17 All right. Well, DeCorey, thank you so much for telling us all these things about safety and leaning on your own experience, what happened to you and overcoming that and beating it in court, getting it off your record, moving on. And Renee, thank you so much for joining us this evening. We really appreciate all the insight into safety.

31:35 Thank you. And hey, DeCorey, come by and see me. We’ll go to lunch or something. Okay.

31:40 I def I definitely will.

31:50 DeCorey, I wanted to ask you a couple questions kind of a bouncing off of the safety, but more on to what you do. What kind of things do you like to do when you’re not behind the wheel?

32:00 Let me see. Number one is sleeping.

32:03 Number one is sleeping. I love that. Getting some rest. But I do like to spend time with my son, with my son.

32:11 Now, now you were talking about sleeping. What how many hours of sleep do you like to have in a night?

32:19 I can’t really— It just really depends on how tired I be. But I know when I get home, I be I’ll be in lazy mode automatically as I walk through that door.

32:29 Soon as you walk through the door, you’re ready to hit the bed. Well, I got to take a hot shower first to, you know, to help smooth it out.

32:35 I got you. What are you an eight hours a night guy? Six hours, eight, 10 hours. What do you look for?

32:43 I say around about eight, but I do split it up. I say like if I’m coming home, I sleep majority of the day. Wake up at night, probably go drive around the town, I don’t know what, and come back home, go watch TV a little bit, and go back to sleep.

32:56 So, you’re a napper. You take naps.

32:59 Yes. How much does a nap recharge you? I mean, you know, you always got your reset when you’re out on the road, but is in the course of your reset. How much does a nap help you in that actual physical recharge?

33:12 Okay, this is how I can break it down. If I’m driving during the daytime, I say between the hours of one I say between one 1:00 to 3 or 4:00, that’s when I take my nap slip if I know I got to drive at night time. So I won’t have to worry about dealing being in traffic depend depending on where I’m at. So once I wake up then I be in full charge to drive half of the night.

33:35 So you like to drive during the overnight hours. Is that right?

33:40 Yeah. Midday overnight. Yeah.

33:41 I got you. A lot of drivers like to do that because obviously the traffic’s much less. You don’t have to deal with the congestion and other drivers on the road. You can make up you know you’re not you can make better time not by speeding but just by the fact that there’s not as much traffic on the road. So if you’re driving through the overnight when what when’s your downtime?

34:02 What’s well you ask what time do I stop at night time?

34:06 Sure.

34:07 Well I say if I stop at night time I’ll try to make it no later than 3 3:00 a.m.

34:12 Okay.

34:13 Yes. As long as it’s a 10-hour break. Right.

34:16 Right. We just thought we had heard the rest the last of Renee, but she’s still here. She’s keeping those she’s keeping checks.

34:24 Yeah, I be in compliance when I do these things.

34:28 We know you are, DeCorey. We’re just teasing. Now, DeCorey, before we got on the air here, we were talking about some of the things you like to do outside of driving. We know sleeping is key, but you’re also a pretty active guy outdoors. Tell us a little bit about that.

34:42 Well, I like to go for wood riding in the country. Definitely love that hunting and cutting the grass the morning. I definitely love doing that.

34:52 Now, you were telling us that you find a lot of peace and comfort in walking through parks. Is that something you’ve always done? A new habit you’ve developed or how does that work?

35:03 I like I always like that since I was a kid, especially that was a nice park with like a nice walking trail. But yeah, I like that because it give me like a piece of mind. It just I it give me a little peace of mind. I can say it.

35:17 And it’s hard to put a price on peace of mind.

35:20 Oh, definitely.

35:21 Now, you were telling us earlier that you also like the hunting and fishing. Now, which one do you like more?

35:29 As I got older, my past got thinner. So, if anything, I say hunting.

35:35 So, you’d rather hunt than fish? Pretty much because fishing you just got to stand there while you getting bit by the mosquitoes and yeah.

35:44 Now, what kind of things do you like to hunt for? What’s your game of choice there?

35:49 I’ll say deer.

35:50 Okay. Now, is this down in South Georgia where you do your deer hunting or where do you do your deer hunting?

35:58 Alabama.

36:00 Okay. What part of Alabama? I’ll say outside of Montgomery, like in the country.

36:07 Okay.

36:08 Now, what kind of rifle do you have for the deer hunting?

36:11 It’s been a minute. I haven’t did hunting like in years.

36:16 Okay.

36:17 The rifle I What kind of rifle did I have? No. No. What a rug. I can’t give you the name. I don’t can’t give you the name right now.

36:25 That’s all right. That’s all right. Now, was it— Well, I’m guessing in that part of Alabama, it was not that cold. I mean I it may have been I was What time of year was it and was it pretty cold?

36:35 I mean hunting season starts in December so—

36:39 But you’re in South Alabama so it can’t be too cold.

36:43 No it’s like it’ll get cold. It’ll be real cold in the morning but in midday get warm and evening it get hot then night time temperature start dropping. You know the bipolar weather down south.

36:56 I’ve never heard it put that way but bipolar weather I like it. Now, let’s talk a little bit about fishing because assuming that you were doing some in Alabama, there’s a lot of good bass fishing in Alabama.

37:07 Oh, yeah. This beautiful. They fish at the Alabama River in downtown Montgomery.

37:11 Mhm.

37:11 Damn. But like this bass, they used to have like this bass fishing thing once a year. I entered it once a year, but you know, it was just a good experience just to be I didn’t really didn’t want to win, but it was just a good experience doing it.

37:24 Just to take part in it.

37:27 Yeah.

37:28 Gotcha. Now, another thing we’d made a note of things you like to do other than driving is and sleeping and hunting and fishing is riding four-wheelers. Now, tell us about that.

37:42 I Well, see, when I was well, I used to stay in Mississippi too a while back and they had a lot of trail rides. So, you know, ride four wheels, mud riding and stuff. It’s pretty fun. It get dirty. Well, you know, I started doing it while I was in St. Enjoy riding through the muds and stuff. At first, I didn’t like it because how dirty you get, but you know, as I got older, I learned to enjoy it.

38:06 Now, you talk about getting dirty. How dirty are we talking about? Describe it to us.

38:10 Oh, your whole body going to be dirty, ending up four-wheeler. Everything going to be covered in mud—

38:16 Running through the mud. Now, do you pressure wash yourself? How do you get that mud cleaned off of you? I mean, will a shower do it? Is there enough pressure? Is it multiple showers? How do you get all that mud off?

38:28 It’s multiple. It’s multiple. You just can’t do it out for one sitting. It’s multiple.

38:32 Now, do you clean the four-wheeler up at the same time or you let the mud stay on there?

38:37 No. Well, I wait till the next day and do it. You’re not supposed to let it stick though because you do, it’s going to chip the paint off and it’s going to be harder.

38:45 Sure. Sure. You’re listening to DeCorey Hawkins here on the Six-Figure Trucker brought to you by Norton Transport. DeCorey’s kind of telling us some of the things he does outside of the cab of his truck. Now, what kind of truck are unit are you in on your way from High Point down to Louisiana?

39:03 Right now, I’m in a B2 freight down there. School bus.

39:07 School bus. Okay. Does it have air conditioning?

39:11 The only way I take it.

39:13 I got you. Is this a newer unit?

39:16 Yes. Brand new.

39:17 Brand new school bus. Now, how does that compare to driving say a well a Peterbilt 579 up to Kansas? I mean up to Canada.

39:28 Well, the only thing I like about that 579 had a bed in the back so when I get tired I can just stretch out in the bed.

39:34 Gotcha. Well, you could I guess technically sleep in one of the seats of the bus if you had to.

39:40 You can, but the it’s not See the bed you can stretch out and turn toss and turn buses. You can’t really do that.

39:48 Gotcha. Well, you don’t have that long of a trip from High Point to Louisiana. What’s that going to take you?

39:56 If I start driving, I’ll probably stop in Alabama. I’ll be there by tomorrow around about 2 or 3 in the afternoon.

40:04 So, have you already set it up where you can do a weekend drop?

40:08 Yes, sir.

40:09 Gotcha. Now, what is it difficult to shift no pun intended from driving a Peterbilt 579 to a Freightliner school bus? Is it difficult to shift from that such a different type of unit?

40:23 You know, I’m used to it by now.

40:26 What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever driven?

40:30 I say that’s a tough one right there. I say the craziest thing I driven was the garbage truck. Oh, no. The cement truck. The single CC main truck that was kind of diff.

40:44 Where was that truck coming out of and where was it going?

40:47 Dodge Center Minnesota down in Houston.

40:50 Okay. Yeah, we get a lot of those runs. A lot of people going that way. Those are big trucks.

40:57 They’re heavy, too.

40:58 What’s it like sitting in the— What’s the ride like in a big concrete mixer?

41:05 Rough. Very rough. I say the rough riding trucks I’ve driven was the Mack garbage truck.

41:11 Gotcha. Bouncing all over the place.

41:14 Yeah. You going to need a cushion for your seat. Yeah. Cuz the bumps are very hard because you riding right in front of the wheel and whatnot. And the engine is right behind you. So, it’s like your back is packed with a rough ride.

41:29 Do you pack a cushion with you when you’re when you know you’re taking one of those vehicles? I always have one with me every time I travel.

41:37 How much of a difference does it make when you’re on the road that long?

41:40 It make a little difference, but not as much.

41:43 Gotcha. Now, let’s talk a little bit to Corey. You talked about your son. How many children do you have?

41:51 I got three. I got a son that’s seven and I have two twins. That’s eight months.

41:56 Eight-month-old twins? You got to be kidding me.

42:00 Yep.

42:01 What are their names? Ethan and Nathan. And my oldest son named Amari.

42:06 So you got three boys, Ethan, Nathan, and what was the other one’s name?

42:11 Amari.

42:12 Amari. Gotcha. Now, what did you think? Was it a— When did you know that twins were coming?

42:21 Let’s see. We went to the center round by April and the doctor’s like, “Congratulations, you had twin.” And we thought the doctor was joking, but you know, she had a serious look on her face. I’m like, “Oh my gosh, we got twins.” I’m like, “Oh god.”

42:37 What’s it been like the last eight months having twins?

42:42 It’s not easy, but I enjoy the moment of it because when one go to sleep, one wake up, you be tired. It’s rough having, but the enjoyable moment is priceless.

42:55 Oh, and well said. Well said. DeCorey Hawkins here on the Six-Figure Trucker brought to you by Norton Transport. Now, DeCorey I got to ask you with the Twins and their mother do they dress them the same this early into the game? Are they dressing?

43:10 Oh, yeah.

43:11 Okay. Is that the way it’s going to be?

43:15 Not all the time because, well, the first one, he’s way bigger than the second one. So, it not all the time we just the same.

43:28 Gotcha. Now, how much does being a driveaway driver help you as far as supporting your family? You got three children, three children that you’ve told us about there. How much does that help you support them in a way that you really want to?

43:44 It helps. They pay the bills. I mean, at the end of day, I’m not the type of person that live above their means or what not. I got to have this and that. I you know, I work enough to pay the bills to have some money set aside.

43:57 Gotcha. Now, you know, you’re a 1099 independent contractor. You’re talking about, you know, you make enough to pay the bills, set some aside. How do you do your planning as far as I mean, obviously, it’s in essence, you’re your own business. Being an independent contractor, how do you plan that as far as how much I mean, you may take a run that’s, you know, cross country and you make a lot of money. Then your next one may only be 250 miles. You don’t make as much. But how do you balance all that out as far as making sure that it’s enough for DeCorey Hawkins and his family?

44:33 Well, you see the main thing about doing driveaway and doing this. You got to have a credit card for Wayne because not all the time. I mean it’s like the money they give you for fuel. You can use you pretty much you can use your credit card depends on how much your limit is. You can use a credit card then at the end of the month all that money you saved up from your fuel and from your pay. So just pay it off—

44:58 Right—

44:58 And give yourself a bigger credit limit. It just I mean some time go ahead.

45:04 Oh no no no I’m sorry. You go ahead to Corey.

45:07 No it’s not I mean playing is not always the easiest thing especially if you get a run that’s not really paying much. Sometimes you have to dip into that money but you know it’s like you got to make ends meet. Now, you were talking about using that credit card and building up your credit, but also you do you keep it on one credit card and have reward points or be able to take advantage of it because you put all your fuel on that one credit card and you were able to, you know, maybe take a nice vacation or something like that.

45:38 Well, well, I use more than one credit card as far as I do collect points and whatnot, but I haven’t taken a vacation in a minute. So, it’s time for one, but I haven’t taken one in a minute. Well, you haven’t taken a vacation in a minute and it’s time for one. Where are you going, Tori?

45:52 Oh, no. I want to go back to Canada.

45:55 You want to go back to Canada?

45:57 Oh, yeah. I love it out there. The weather is nice, especially during the summer. I plan on going right before the winter kicks in.

46:04 Now, if you make a another trip to Canada, are you going to take the family with you?

46:09 No. No. I’m going by myself this time.

46:11 Okay. Now, will you go back to where you just delivered or you want to see a different part of Canada? I’ll say Calgary and Montreal.

46:20 Gotcha. What was most appealing about Canada, particularly at this time of the year where it’s not so cold?

46:27 Well, being in Canada a lot, you got pretty much you got to convert yourself over because you know they go by kilometers there and you definitely don’t want to speed in Canada. And the food and pretty much the it’s like a whole another world which it is a whole another country but you know Canada is pretty nice. It’s more diverse out there and you know they had their own Canadian beef which is very great.

46:53 Mhm. Were you able to sink your teeth into some good food while you were up there?

46:58 Actually I had while I was at the airport I ordered me a burger but kind of is more expensive. I would just have somebody up there.

47:06 Okay. Well good deal. You’re listening to DeCorey Hawkins here on the Six-Figure Trucker brought to you by Norton Transport. DeCorey, we’re coming down the home stretch here. Wanted to ask you, you’ve been driving for 10 and a half years. Give us the high point of your driving career. What’s what was the best point of your driving career?

47:29 I’ll say my best part of my driving career when I started Rick. I mean, you know, a lot of people talk trash about Swift, but when I started working for Swift and I made my first $1,500 check with SW, that was the biggest highlight of my moment.

47:45 Mhm.

47:45 I didn’t know how to feel when I made that much money with SW.

47:48 Gotcha. Gotcha. Of course, I have to ask you the obvious question that what was the low light of a 10 and a half year behind the wheel career so far? Well, being away from your family and friends is pretty much when you’re on a different career path, you have some people that you long-term people that’ll fall off and you gain new friends is being by yourself a lot. It I mean, it can be rough—

48:16 Mentally wise.

48:18 Is that something you try to mend together and balance as far as, you know, the time away from family and friends versus, you know, making a $1,500 check on a run? Well, honestly, with me being an only child, I’m used to being by myself, it don’t bother me. But I just got to the point in my career where it kind with me having the kids, I do have to bal I don’t have no choice but to balance out.

48:40 Gotcha. Gotcha. You’re listening to DeCorey Hawkins here on the Six-Figure Trucker brought to you by Norton Transport. DeCorey, last couple questions I wanted to ask you. We usually try to close this up when we talk to drivers there. You’ve got a lot of experience. You’ve seen a lot of things. You’ve been a lot of places. What would your counsel be to other people who may be considering moving into the driveaway space?

49:04 I suggest getting a credit card. Do your research about it. Definitely do your research because everybody experience different. Get like get more than one opinion about it. I mean person opinion about it because what one person don’t like another one may you know because everybody financial situation is very different. Mhm.

49:23 But I suggest, you know, I suggest really do your research about it, do your homework about it, see what you want to do because, you know, doing driveaway, I mean, you have your good moments and you got your bad moments. You got some moments where everything is slow and you got to learn how to maneuver and how to maneuver. So, I suggest do your research and do your budgeting and stuff because you know driveaway you can make money on the high ends and you know some low ends is it’s going to be crappy but you know with life you got to take the good and the bad.

49:55 There you heard it from DeCorey Hawkins here on the Six-Figure Trucker brought to you by Norton Transport. Very sage words of advice there. You got to take the good with the bad. And you know, you were talking about where you got to maneuver, go with the flow when it’s moving your way, but I guess you also have to adapt to those speed bumps that inevitably will come along—

50:15 Right?

50:15 All right, DeCorey, thank you so much for joining us on the Six-Figure Trucker. We appreciate your time and your insight into the trucking world there. And be safe on your road out there. And of course, Renee wanteds to reiterate that safety part there.

50:29 Yes, just focus on driving. Take that 10-hour break. Stay away from that cell phone.

50:34 Definitely.

50:35 All right, DeCorey, thank you so much. Be careful out there. And we’ll catch you next time you’re around. Hey, when you come through this way, stop in and we’re going to take care of you for your appearance here, but stop in and we’ll have Renee take you out to lunch somewhere.

50:48 Absolutely.

50:49 Is there a limit?

50:51 There’s no limit.

50:54 I’m not a Spencer.

50:56 Okay. No limit.

50:57 McDonald’s. That’s fine.

51:02 I’m just joking.

51:04 All right, the Cory, thank you so much. We appreciate you.

51:07 All right. Thank you.

51:08 Have a good evening.

51:12 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.