POWERFUL CHOICES - James Groves
POWERFUL CHOICES
Legend Nominee: James Groves
Each day’s routine began before daybreak and lasted well into the evening hours. In true fashion, most farms are family-owned, even during his childhood set in the 70’s. Close relatives and extended family members divvy out responsibilities according to ability, age is less likely a factor. After all, any available hands are working hands.
As young as 9 years old, this Legend truck driver, James Groves could be found out in the family’s milk barn tending to the cows, every morning at 4:30 like clockwork – consistent and on time. His grandparents operated a dairy farm; in the fields they also grew tobacco, hay, corn and soybeans. James paints a picture of his entire family pitching in, describing the morning milking’s as part of his chores.
Raised by his grandmother in the small town of Orlinda, Tennessee, there was little to no opportunity for adults in search of a career, aside from farming. James was 20 when they sold the dairy business, leaving him without a means of income. Which is ultimately how James found his way into the trucking industry, but not before many seeds were sown, out in the farmland and within James’ heart.
For James, chores was not necessarily considered work, even as a kid. Farming is a lifestyle that demands a great deal of physical labor, very similar to a truck driver’s way of life. Days are not wasted, little time is spent at home with loved ones, and nothing is left undone – what duties need to be accomplished to ensure a day’s work will be complete. It’s the pride in their work as farmers and truckers that set them apart in the work force.
As a farmer with a mechanic background, his transition into the trucking industry went considerably well. Given he was a natural behind the wheel, James states that he has always been quick to learn and unafraid of a challenge. The passion his family poured into their farm remained evident through many long workdays. James acquired that work ethic at an early age and remains evident through his successful 32-year career in trucking, with 2.5 million lifetime miles.
CREATING A PATH
James’ decision to leave home and drive a truck for a living seemed to be his only option at the time. In hindsight, it happened to be one of the most pivotal life choices that has helped shape him into the influential truck driver many know and respect today. He and his wife, Vina, launched their trucking company, Javina Transport March of 2014. Coming from the medical field, Vina filled the role of James’ dispatcher years prior to starting their own operation, without any experience in the transportation business. Realizing quick that the two complimented each other’s strengths, James stayed out on the road as Vina found the loads.
Patience is the one characteristic that James claims has played an instrumental part in his driving career, as well as, his partnership in business and marriage. Running over-the-road for as long as he has, I can imagine the stressful situations he has encountered. From the traffic of every chaotic city across the nation, to maneuvering through regions while in the midst of dangerous weather – patience has been his center focus in maintaining safety and preventative measures. He applies that same perspective of confidence toward his business aspect. Stating,
“Trusting my wife and knowing that she will handle her part has never been an issue. Even in the beginning, when she jumped into this with me, she didn’t have a clue beforehand on what to expect. But I had faith in her that we would make it work, and now here we are. She’s fantastic at what she does for our company. If it were up to her, we would have more trucks and an entire fleet running right now. And she could manage it all just as well.”
That high level of respect is mutual, for want of a better word, the heart of their family operation. Vina explains that partnering as business owners while also balancing their relationship as husband and wife, teamwork and communication go hand-in-hand. Adding, her husband’s skill set exceeds further than the seat of a semi, and the trucking industry is one giant puzzle that they continue to piece together one day at a time. She says,
“James is extremely professional and courteous, he’s full of energy, and takes pride in what he does. One minute he’s interacting with customers, dressed the part, talking business and sharing information. Next thing you know, he has crawled under a truck to fix something. He embodies every bit of this profession.”
IN HIS BLOOD
The pair currently resides in Franklin, Kentucky, less than 15 miles from James’ hometown. Vina secures the loads, manages dispatch, handles all paperwork, including permits and billing. James has reigned in his traveling shoes; he now runs a 500-mile radius of their base operation located in Franklin – returning home 2 to 3 times a week. When James is off the road, he spends a great deal of time in their shop preparing his trucks to take off on a moment’s notice.
“Growing up, we didn’t call anyone or pay someone else to fix our stuff. We figured it out, that’s what I loved as a kid. Learning with my hands, seeing how things worked. Even now, if it’s something that involves the house – I’ll do it. No need to call a plumber, I will fix it. Same goes for my trucks. If I come across a problem that I’m unfamiliar with, I’ll study it, get the parts I need to repair the issue and get it done. It’s in my DNA, that’s just how I was raised,” James said.
By age 12, James was driving tractors and combines on the farm. But it wasn’t as exciting to him, riding around in a circle. His attention shifted to the core of the whole enterprise: the heavy equipment. He took a keen interest in working on machinery; focusing on the many different tools and instruments, discovering each device’s usage, gaining experience in various techniques working as a mechanic over the years. James started out shadowing his uncle in the shop, gradually mirroring his teacher’s expertise before long, he was working on his own.
Being mechanically inclined works to his advantage as an owner operator. He is able to skip the hassle of waiting on another mechanic’s schedule, or the worry of being overpriced for parts and labor. Plus, nobody will repair property as properly as an owner himself. When speaking about his time spent running as a company driver, versus now, James says that the transition reminded him of earlier times – a well-known territory.
Becoming an owner operator involved more responsibilities, which he welcomed, as he charged head-on into unexplored waters. He had zero ties in the business, no leadership of his own to follow. His journey was created through the literal terms of, live and learn. Through experiences and mistakes. James shares his biggest unexpected challenge starting out as a driver and offers advice to others entertaining the idea of crossing over from a company driver position, too.
SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS
Backing up. As simple as it sounds, to some it may come super easy. For James, steering a trailer in reverse into a dock required a bit more deliberation than he had expected. I suspect being a perfectionist had a tad to do with it… Repetition and again, patience helped him improve greatly. Life has a funny way of shaping a person through their most difficult struggles. During this particular learning curve, James developed an eye for detail.
When backing up, James states that he would get out of the truck repeatedly until he was in the exact spot he was aiming for. Once satisfied, he would walk around the 18-wheeler for inspection – searching for obvious damages, anything out of place, etc. Then, circle around again before entering the truck to leave out. That routine became a habit, one he performs every time he exits the truck and vice versa. He strongly advises drivers to recognize the song and dance; that is also the time to check for any leaking fluids, proper inflation of tires, and nearby objects or even people within proximity of getting injured.
Ask questions. Everyone encourages this one action, but I’m told it is rare when truckers do so. James explains that learning how to drive a truck is just like learning anything else a person is interested in. The only two ways to learn is to either ask questions or do it yourself. And for professional truck drivers, both training methods are essential to remain qualified and knowledgeable in the ever-evolving industry, due to the advancing equipment and constant rules and regulations forming.
THEN & NOW
From the days of standing outside using pay phones and listening to AM/FM cassette players, James has continued to ride the wave of evolution in the trucking industry. He admits that the latest technology in trucks benefit the drivers in ways of safety and efficiency. His biggest accomplishment was achieved in 2002, when he purchased his first truck and paid it off.
Though one fact will remain, despite the many changes truck drivers face. His love for travel. Witnessing the beautiful scenes played out right before his eyes, as he coasts through from town to town. James says, “When I take off on the road, it’s still excites me, because there is always something different to see. You can go to the same place over and over, and every time you will notice different things each visit. Never fails!” Montana and cities throughout Alberta, Canada such as, Calgary are a few of his favorite places – for their gorgeous scenic routes and eye-catching views.
James and Vina currently have two trucks, a 1998 Kenworth W900 and a 1998 Freightliner Century. When the opportunity presents itself to grow their trucking company, as Vina anticipates, James outlines what he expects of a driver that hopes to join their family-owned operation. Honesty, punctuality, and reliability. The same three characteristics that has provided him with a fighting chance as a professional driver.
The choices he has made, venturing into the trucking industry 32 years ago, his successful driving career was not attained without sacrifice. With two young sons in the beginning and now four grandchildren, forfeiting his home-time has never been easy. But his love for those he cares about the most is what has pushed him to overcome his doubt, even as a child working during the early hours in a milk barn. Caring for others requires powerful choices, we can only hope to go down the correct path. In James’ case, he not only selected the better course, but one that has brought much happiness and success to him and his family.