Trucker of the Month cementing a legacy with authority

“He’s such a hard worker. He’s always helping his family to help get their own authority. He’ll let them lease on for a while … until they get on their feet and get their own authority. … He’s just a good person all around.” —Messina Holguin, on why she nominated her husband, owner-operator Rene Holguin, for Overdrive‘s Trucker of the Year award

Owner-operator Rene Holguin is well on his way toward cementing a legacy with his El Paso, Texas-headquartered R&M Transportation business, part of it caught up in what his wife and business partner, Messina, intimates in the quote above. R&M Transportation has been a vehicle for various family members and friends to get their own businesses up and running with their own names on their own doors, with authority, a dream Holguin himself made good on more than two decades ago.

Overdrive‘s September Trucker of the Month pursues that pay-it-forward goal after getting into business with the tutelage of a family member himself, though he freely admits mixing family with business isn’t always the easiest thing to do. This week on the Overdrive Radio podcast we’re diving into Overdrive News Editor Matt Cole’s conversation with Holguin about his history in trucking, which stretches back to about the turn the century. If you missed Cole’s story about Holguin a few weeks back now, find it at this link, or just listen in for the tale from Holguin directly.

Here’s a big thanks to continued support for Overdrive Radio from the fine folks at sponsoring company Howes, longtime provider of fuel treatments like its Howes Diesel Treat anti-gel and Lifeline rescue treatment to get you through the coldest temps, likewise its all-weather Diesel Defender and Howes Multipurpose penetrating oil, among other products.Messina, too. Though she works herself outside of trucking, she’s also intimately involved in back-office aspects of the business. They’ve learned a lot together through the decades in business, and Rene Holguin’s recently made big strides in DIY maintenance on the truck he’s owned and kept tip-top for the entirety of his time with authority as expenses have mounted and rates have lagged.

His biggest piece of advice for new and aspiring owner-operators is of a piece with those maintenance strides. “Be ready to work,” he said, and work hard. Learn as much about your equipment as you can. “Be ready to get your hands dirty, to keep your truck out of the shop as much as you can.”

He’s pulling a flatbed with the rig today, and it’s a looker for sure, as you can see in Cole’s feature about R&M Transportation, likewise the cover image for the podcast above. Dive into September Trucker of the Month Rene Holguin’s trucking origin story, which stretches all the way back to his childhood, in the podcast here:

Overdrive‘s 2024 Trucker of the Year program, sponsored by Commercial Vehicle Group and Bostrom Seating, recognizes clear business acumen and unique or time-honored recipes for success among owner-operators. Through October, we’re naming Truckers of the Month to contend for the Trucker of the Year honor. Finalists will be named in December, and a winner crowned early next year. Nominations closed September 30 for this year’s program, yet any nomination entered between now and the end of the year of your business or that of a fellow owner (up to three trucks) at this link will be considered for the 2025 Trucker of the Year competition.

Hear all of our Trucker of the Month spotlight podcasts for 2024 via the playlist below.