Cover Story

Arthur Price - Koch Trucking, Inc.

Arthur Price is 66 years young, and he demonstrates the energy and drive of a man one-third his age. Arthur attributes his sunny disposition to a strong work ethic, his love for his wife, Sherri, and a personal commitment to remain healthy and vigorous.
     This over-the-road professional first got behind the wheel back in 1963, after serving in the Air Force. “It was just a fluke…a neighbor drove a truck for a living, and he helped me get into the business,” remembers Arthur. “I was young, though, and after a year and a half I was ready for something else.”
     Arthur got off the road and spent the next few decades in jobs as diverse as charter airline captain and deputy sheriff. Eventually, though, the trucking bug bit again, and he returned to the trucking life in 1999. His brother and sister-in-law were running with Minneapolis-based Koch Trucking, Inc. in those days, and they convinced Arthur that the company would be right for him, too. He got on board in 2000 and has been running with them ever since.
     Koch operates a special deck trailer division, and it’s here that Arthur has found a home. “I transport RTVs and other high-performance equipment for companies like Polaris and Kubota, and I’ve found that loading and unloading the trailer is a great way to get some exercise,” he explains. “Koch keeps my truck moving, too, and I carry my loads throughout the 48 states. I enjoy the work, and I sure enjoy the income. I mean, where else can an old man earn $67,000 a year?”
     Arthur also likes the equipment that Koch issues him, like the ’09 Volvo 670 he is driving now. He’s driven seven tractors at Koch in eight years, and all of the trucks in the current fleet are 2006-or-newer models.
     But Koch’s dedication to their drivers doesn’t end with great, late-model equipment. The company is also a charter fleet member of the Healthy Trucking Association of America, a non-profit organization that provides professional drivers with the resources they need to live longer, healthier lives. Koch has installed a Healthy Trucking blood pressure kiosk in their Minneapolis terminal, and they keep drivers up-to-date on the latest health information in a monthly newsletter.
     Koch’s focus on driver health meshes well with Arthur’s interest in staying fit and active. “I’m an old-school type of guy, so I get up at 6:30 each morning and work hard throughout the day,” he says. “I know how important it is to watch my blood pressure, so I check it every day with a monitor I keep in the truck. I also take a 15-minute walk twice a day, and I watch what I eat in the truck stops.” Arthur’s regimen must be working, because he has lost 10 pounds and a couple of inches from his waistline in recent months.
     As for the future, Arthur plans to keep driving as long as he remains healthy. “I still outwork most 20-year-olds, so I’m not planning to retire any time soon,” he says with a laugh.
     The staff of Over the Road and Pro Trucker magazines would like to wish Arthur Price continued success with Koch Trucking, Inc. If you would like to learn more about the driving opportunities available now at Koch, give one of their recruiters a call at 888-242-3520, visit their Web site at kochcompanies.com or see their ad on page 13 of this issue.