Tilden Curl has been in the trucking industry since 1993. He drives a 2016 Kenworth T660 and hauls wood products, spas and steel.
Tilden and his wife, Lesli, have two children, Lena and Tessa.
At least a couple of things come to mind when Tilden considers what have been his favorite trucking moments.
“There have been many moments to remember but the one that stands out the most was saving the life of a motorist and receiving the Highway Hero award,” he says. “A close second is being elected to the OOIDA Board of Directors.”
What Tilden enjoys most about the industry is the ability to be his own boss and run his business.
He dislikes that there are too many regulations that have nothing to do with safety.
“Not enough training is required before putting new drivers on the road,” he says.
Tilden also dislikes the exploitation of drivers and the low pay truckers receive.
Tilden is successful as an owner-operator because he understands the business aspect comes first as an owner-operator, he says.
“Customer service, good work ethic and how you present yourself are also very important” he says.
The reason he’s a member of OOIDA, Tilden says, is to promote common goals and to help improve the working conditions and overall livelihood of truckers and their families.
“Trucking will always continue to change. How it changes will depend on the loudest voices. If we all speak up, we can drown out the special interest groups and those that don’t understand the challenges of trucking.” Tilden says.