FIXTITLE David Meadows.docx
A SIMPLE MAN
The Story
Of
David Meadows
Check out the meaning of the word, easygoing. If I were allowed to place a picture beside the definition, I have the perfect individual that meets the full interpretation of the term.
*Easygoing: Not easily worried or angered; relaxed and rather casual; calm. Unhurried.
David Meadows is a second generation trucker and as simple of a man as you’re going to find. Don’t mistake his soft-spoken demeanor as being a pushover. He is not easily influenced. He’s sharp in passing good judgment when making business decisions. He is careful in not piling too much on his plate and has never been the type to live above his means. Overall, David is a walking-talking success story for all to take notice.
Born in Ashville, North Carolina David and his sister grew up in the country, next to a dairy farm. With six years in-between the two, their mother worked as a secretary for a corporation until David’s sister came into the picture. Having two children to raise it made sense to stay home and work as a beautician. That way she was able to arrange her own work schedule around her family.
David’s father had been running over the road since the 70’s. David also had a number of uncles and cousins that were in the trucking industry. When school was out during the summers and for holidays, David always wanted to travel with his dad. He says, “I was around ten years old and absolutely loved getting to see the different regions of the country. There were so many different places and then going back to school telling all of my friends about what I got to see was the best part.” Since as far back as he could remember, he has always been interested in trucks. From little toy trucks that he pushed around on the floor throughout his house, to star gazing from the passenger seat of his father’s semi.
Another fun hobby that David enjoyed as a kid was helping his dad build street rods. On the weekends the whole family would tee off to shows and watch rod runs over in Knoxville, Tennessee. Sometimes as far as Atlanta and Alabama. His father’s shop was behind their house. Before that he did everything from the basement. David was his little right-hand man, holding wrenches or sanding. One of their coolest projects together was building a 1930 A-model Sedan from the ground up. “I remember when he brought it home. It was in two truck and trailer loads and took us over two years to complete it,” David said.
At 16, David landed his first job with a local trucking company washing trucks and servicing trailers. By the time he finished high school, his father had come off the road. He and a business partner opened a quick oil change company in 1988. David joined the family business and by 1993 they had added two more locations. David worked both stores until the end of that year.
Ready to venture out David purchased his first truck, a 1989 R-model Mack and started his own business called, David Meadows Trucking. From 1993 to 2003 he did his own thing, running local dump work. The last five of them years many changes took place that helped steer his trucking career in the right direction. When his father had parted ways with his business in 1998, David helped get his dump truck back on the road with a driver and kept it busy. During the winters when business was slow, David stayed in Florida in order to keep work steady. In 2002, the father and son duo agreed to merge everything together under his father’s domain, Wade Meadows Trucking. That following year, they bought their first over the road tractor and dump trailer. Then another the following year. That’s when they made the switch from pulling a dump truck into a road tractor running aggregate line, fertilizer, and sand throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Over a span of 12 years, David and his father ran their business with two to three drivers on the road at all times. In March of 2014, Wade retired and now David is down to his one truck running back and forth to Florida for a company hauling produce. He usually leaves out on a Monday or Tuesday, then returns home that Thursday or Friday. He states that he has debating on whether to buy another dump truck for local work around town. Right now he is completely content with where his career is at, running one truck. With over 1 ½ million lifetime miles to his name, David is in no rush to add more to his lineup. Since jumping in his 1984 359 Peterbilt that he purchased from the original owner back in 2004, he set a goal to keep their business prosperous. He laughs as he explains that many days brought out his stubborn side, but determined to make things work he does not regret a thing. While he is out on the road, traveling the country will always be his favorite pastime. When he’s not behind the wheel, you can catch him on his motorcycle riding with his buddies.
Another huge part of David’s life is a truck club called, Chi-Town Large Cars. Originally based out of Chicago, formed by two truckers that became best friends and beat the odds of turning a trucking club into an international non-profit organization. The club’s primary objective is putting the image of trucking back to the positive format where it belongs. There are currently 160+ members of Chi-Town Large Cars throughout 3 countries. They have been active for 11 years, raising awareness for childhood cancer and hosting events sponsoring families in need.
In 2010 at MATS in Louisville, Kentucky David met another truck driver by the name of Hayden Eady. The two hit it off and kept in touch. Over time the guys along with Hayden’s wife, Onna would meet at various trucking events to catch up. David continues, “Hayden brought it up one day, saying that I needed to check Chi-Town Large Cars out and join the club with him. So I began doing some research and once I learned what the entire club stood for, I was in!” This group of people aren’t your typical men and women in the trucking industry. Each one that has joined the club has been screened, vouched for and most importantly, understand that they have a responsibility. Not just to their club family, but to all of the charities Chi-Town Large Cars supports.
August of 2014, Chi-Town Large Cars celebrated their 10 year anniversary with a bang. After attending the event, David experienced firsthand exactly how the camaraderie among the club members and the uniqueness of their compassion for others was one in a million. His membership was official December of that same year. Extending over a decade with such a large growth in memberships, the club had assigned a number of roles to help delegate rules. There are a total of four chapter presidents, assigning them specific states in their region to manage. Once these individuals accepted their positions, their first objective was to select a vice president to serve alongside them. At the beginning of 2015, Hayden Eady was chosen as the Southern Chapter President over Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. David recalls, “I answered the phone one night and Hayden told me that he had a question for me.” He laughs. “Hayden said, ‘I want you to be my vice president’ …and I was like, excuse me?” Taken back and flattered, David didn’t feel he was right for the position. Hayden convinced him to do a trial run for at least 90 days. If it proved too much pressure, Hayden agreed to let him off the hook.
During that time frame, David put a lot of thought into it and went with his heart. He promised himself that if he was going to step up and take on this role that he and Hayden were going to bust their tails together and make the Southern Chapter the greatest division they possibly could. One of the perks of being a club member is the strength of their network. If one of them needs help, no matter the issue, they all jump in. The fundraisers are known to bring the club tighter, as well as, expand with prospects each year.
David’s passion for trucking and his desire to help others shows through his actions. As an owner operator representing his family’s name, he takes pride in his title and demonstrates his positive attitude with anyone he comes in contact with. David strives to be a perfectionist in all that he does, and is considered reliable and trustworthy. He is loved and respected by many; for good reasons. He is a great addition to the Chi-Town Large Cars family, as well as a perfect example of what to expect out of a good role model in trucking. He is definitely not one to brag, or turn flips for extra attention. His charisma is natural, genuine, and long overdue in a world full of people just pushing through life. I like that David is a reminder that chivalry is still around.