FIXTITLE Shawn Bonnell article.docx
NEVER KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING
UNTIL YOU GET THERE
The Story
Of
Shawn Bonnell
Every setback, let down and disappointment may seem like the perfect combination leading to a fool’s paradise, but the most brilliant outcome from learning by error is that nobody can take it away from you. In life, you live and learn. It’s through your mistakes along the way when experience is gained. You must learn from your own mistakes so they can empower you. Own them and allow them to shape your destiny. A person should never regret making misjudgments, as long as you embrace them and turn the events to your favor. Individuals tend to learn more by being wrong for the right reasons, rather than by being right for the wrong reasons.
Reflecting on where you are now, you may realize that not everything you have learned was actually taught to you. In turn, you taught yourself. I came across a funny quote that made me smile…
“There are 3 kinds of men. The ones that learn by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.”
-Will Rogers
We are all our own worst critic. That’s a given. The key is to learn by ‘practice’ without accepting defeat. Attacking over and over again, with no fear of failure. When your goal seems unattainable, it’s in that gap of misunderstanding when a person can learn the most. Take in, digest and understand your mistakes. Most learning curves show themselves by failing, changing, challenging and adjusting. The beauty of it is the fact that learning never ends and brings forth long-term benefits. It is not the wound that teaches, but the healing.
The true leaders are those that not only acknowledge their faults, they’ve come to terms that they are not [and never will be] perfect and have been naïve many, many times. By pushing their mistakes into the light, not under the rug for others to use as an example, is a reflection of teamwork and leadership. Knowledge increases by sharing. Shawn Bonnell has made it his purpose to help mentor up and coming drivers, new to the trucking scene and encouraging them to learn from his previous decisions that greatly impacted his professional career. In doing so, by affecting other drivers in a positive way, reminds Shawn that his times of hardship will not be relived out of shame. In order to be the best version of yourself, you have to strip yourself of any pride that may hold you back and completely humble your mindset. Only then will your results manifest larger than your expectations.
Shawn, or as many know him as, Bear grew up in Grant, Michigan on about 15 acres of countryside. He was raised by both of his parents until the age of seven. When they separated, Shawn went with his father. After a couple of moves they planted their roots in a suburban area known as, Big Rapids. At an early age, Shawn emerged himself into sports. He favored football and began toying with the idea of being a professional athlete. Football became his main agenda throughout school. Because of his physic, he was chosen as an offensive lineman and totally dominated his opponents any opportunity given.
His sophomore year in high school, Shawn landed his first job at a fast food chain in which he only worked during the summers, as a means of income. When school was back in session, his dad wanted him to focus on his grades. His first vehicle was a grey 1986 Dodge Omni that he paid for himself. After graduation, Shawn attended Ferris State University on a football scholarship. The following year he transferred to Saint Francis College, located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was during this time he moved in with his mother, who lived less than ten miles from the college campus. He found a job at a local car wash and also squeezed in time to be a volunteer firefighter. After meeting the owner of the car wash one night playing pool, the two became friends and that’s how he initially landed at the car wash. Shawn continued to work for him for a few years. He stayed on with the fire department for 14 years.
In June 2001, Shawn met an acquaintance looking to hire drivers at a concrete plant. With a tough decision and a lot of thought, Shawn opted to leave school behind and went after his CDL. He immediately obtained his Class B license and started working full time during the week, driving a ready mix truck. On the weekends he still put in his hours at the car wash. “I remember the first truck they put me in. It had a 9-speed transmission that sat right between your legs. When I eventually switched to a standard transmission, after driving them for almost two years, it was a nightmare,” he says.
May of 2003, Shawn moved back in with his father in Big Rapids and went to work for another concrete company. He remained with this company for a year and a half. Toward the end of that time frame, Shawn decided he was ready to take on more. Gravel trains had caught his attention. After getting his Class A CDL, he began training and pulling gravel trains part-time. “I had never hooked up a 53ft trailer. It was different,” he said. “In Michigan, with a gravel train you’re allowed to haul anywhere up to 164,000 lbs. The way these specialized pieces of equipment are set up is with a triple-axle 24ft trailer lead that’s hooked up to the tractor. Then there is the 5-axle 18ft trailer hooked up to the rear end of that trailer.” As expected, he caught on fast.
His first trucking company that he went with had a terminal office located in Chicago. He was eager to drive OTR, hauling heavy equipment. Unfortunately, he was told that he didn’t have enough experience. That statement alone lit a fuse. He states, “Being the young and stubborn kid that I was at the time, I took offense and let it upset me. I wanted to prove myself. I set out on a crusade to learn every type of trucking that you can possibly think of and I carried that chip on my shoulder through a five year span.” Once the dust settled, he had sifted through a number of various jobs. Ranging from step deck, flat deck, to heavy equipment. He traveled all 48 states, but was able to stick primarily to the Midwest region.
Right before the beginning of his trucking career took off in 2003, Shawn met his wife, Heather. Shawn and her father worked together and is responsible for the two meeting. “I still remember everything she was wearing that day. As soon as I saw her, I knew!” he said. They’ve been together ever since and later wed at a small church in Wayland, Michigan on June 17th, 2006. Soon after, they welcomed their daughter, Kaytlyn Elizabeth on March 20th, 2008. Shawn says, “That was the day my entire world changed.”
His priorities began to shift with all of the changes taking place. Heather was no longer going on the road with him, since they had a newborn. Shawn was extremely concerned about all of the important milestones in his family’s life that he would be missing out on while he was away.
In the business of running gravel trains, Shawn worked consistently during the summers, but come winter the layoff could be months. He picked up other gigs to support his wife and child. In his search to find a year round job he kept hitting dead end after dead end. He says, “Because I had bounced around, trying to find the best way to make a living, nobody wanted to hire me. I kept applying everywhere. Weeks turned into months.” He took a job driving for an owner operator hauling dry van. Shawn remained gone four weeks at a time only to return home for a couple of days each trip. For three years he devoted his life to trucking, unwillingly sacrificing so much; almost costing Shawn his marriage.
Finally, in 2011 Shawn landed a local job in Michigan at an asphalt company pulling specialized trailers and gravel trains again. A few years later, he made one last switch to his current company, Putters Trucking located in Hopkins, Michigan. “Steve and his wife, Karli are great folks to work for! It’s a small outfit, but that is the main reason why it works perfect for me. They keep us busy. We run all year round, the pay is great and they put us in nice equipment. Steve hires drivers that like himself, take pride in keeping their equipment nice and who wants to work hard. That’s why there is little to zero turnover here.”
Shawn is on his second season with Putters Trucking. With over 750,000 miles to his name, he has gained a ton of knowledge about the business over the years. Willing to share his downfalls of ‘what-not-to-do’ in trucking, he is hoping his advice will spare other drivers from hitting rock bottom, just as he had. He says, “This job isn’t rocket science, but IT IS a skilled position.”
His love and passion for trucking has been what kept his spirit alive, even during the toughest of times. The freedom of his job allows him the ability to get in his truck and just drive… away from anything; without anyone looking over his shoulder. Every minute away from his truck is spent with his family. “Trucking is a great way to make money and I absolutely love my job, but any chance I have I’m with the two most important people in my life, soaking up their affection.”
A COMMON GROUND
Shawn stumbled upon a truck club, called Chi-Town Large Cars based out of Chicago. He found out this non-profit organization was more than just your typical clique. Chi-Town Large Cars is an allegiance held together by each club member, promising to uphold the true meaning of unconditional love. Friendships built on a foundation consisting of men and women that understand the value and power of a brotherhood. Sworn in by oath, tied together as family, and impacting lives across the world. I had read a book awhile back and one sentence the author wrote resonated with me for the longest. It stated,
“We change the world a little each day with our kindness.”
His approach on life is geared toward enabling others to better themselves first, in which, then they are able to participate in various ‘acts of kindness’ by giving with a good attitude and making positive decisions; all in the favor of another.
Chi-Town Large Cars was originally created by two close friends that shared a common interest in trucks. The single denominator sparked a passion that can be found in every heart of each CTLC member. Today, 150 members throughout the United States, Canada and Australia continue the legacy of LOVE, HONOR and RESPECT. When a prospect joins the club, his or her entire family is welcomed in. Their spouses and children are covered in the CTLC’s creed of appreciation. It not only stops there. Their outreach far exceeds any boundaries of a specific profession, age group, or genre.
Chi-Town Large Cars actively raises awareness for a number of causes, year round. Benefits held in honor of children fighting cancer is one of their main contributions. In 2014, CTLC raised over $10,000 for the AshleyCan Pediatric Cancer Foundation. The club also puts on fundraisers to collect money and donates all proceeds to families in need.
On February 15th, Shawn was voted in as a member of the Midwest Chapter. In less than a week, he was selected to serve as one of Chi-Town Large Car’s nine board members. He says, “Finding out that I was unanimously voted in and actually accepted, is definitely one of my proudest moments. Choosing me to represent Chi-Town Large Cars is an honor and I’m going to do my best not to let them down.” With a ‘family-first’ agenda, that was one of the tell-tale signs that drew Shawn in. After he gathered information about the club’s reputation and befriended members, it didn’t take long for him to realize where he belonged. “Our goal is to give back to the communities and show people the good that can come from such a special, yet diverse group of individuals that are all tied to the trucking industry,” Shawn states. Each year their club continues to go the distance with their charities, as well as, grow in memberships. By treating one another like family, lifting and encouraging each member during their time of need strengthens their relationships. “We may not always get along, but that’s the beautiful thing about it. We’re family. What family does? No matter what, none of us will ever be alone!”