Cover Story

Harry and Norma Vogel
U.S. Xpress, Inc.

Everyone knows that marriage is a team effort. But Harry and Norma Vogel have taken their teamwork to another level.
     For over 12 years, Harry and Norma drove together as a team with U.S. Xpress, Inc., one of the nation’s leading trucking companies.
     They met in 1985 and immediately hit it off. And when, over coffee, the two first decided to work together as a driving team, it only made sense to them to sign on with U.S. Xpress.
     “Over-the-road trucking was making a move toward becoming a larger industry,” said Harry, “and we wanted to move right along with it.”
     Their hard work throughout their career with U.S. Xpress earned them a spot on the prestigious America’s Road Team in 1997 and 1998, two of just 13 drivers to receive the honor in 1997. With America’s Road Team, the couple traveled around the country as representatives of the transportation industry, meeting with schools, community groups and government leaders to present a positive image of the industry and to discuss safety and other transportation issues.
     Harry and Norma also were named TCA Company Equipment drivers of the year in 1997. Plus, in 1998 they served as ambassadors for 18 Wheels of Hope: Feed America’s
Children, a charity that helped gather food and money for underprivileged kids.
     Although Norma had to leave her driving job in 1999 due to a knee problem, she remained with U.S. Xpress in an office position until 2001. And she said that if she were still driving, she would be with U.S. Xpress.
     Harry agrees.
     “What first attracted us to U.S. Xpress was the family atmosphere,” said Harry, who is still driving with U.S. Xpress after 17 years, “and that has carried over throughout the years.”
     In an industry that is known for high employee turnover rates, Harry says that several factors have led him to stay with U.S. Xpress for so many years.
     One of the reasons is the excellent pay rates at U.S. Xpress.
     “U.S. Xpress is very competitive with everyone else,” said Harry. “Everyone in the industry is looking to give you a decent paycheck and maintain their bottom line as well. But U.S. Xpress is constantly keeping an eye on the industry rates to stay competitive with everyone else on the market.”
     Harry has also been impressed with U.S. Xpress’s commitment to the latest technology, including auto-shift transmissions in every truck.
     “With the clutch, as you get older, your knees are popping and cracking,” Harry said, “but with the automatic shift you don’t have to worry about the wear on your body. The computer does it for you. Plus you don’t see all the gear grinding and smoke billowing that comes with the manual transmission.
     “Not to mention the SideTracker [blind spot assistance] and the DriverTech [In-cab computer system],” Harry added. “Having that technology makes it easier for me to do my job.”
     Harry and Norma now make their home in Ohio, where Norma is an agent with Keller Williams Hometown Realty. And they still look back fondly on their many years as a driving team with U.S. Xpress.
     The staff of Over the Road and Pro Trucker magazines would like to congratulate Harry and Norma on their accomplishments with U.S. Xpress. Drivers interested in joining the U.S. Xpress team can see their ad on page 31 of this issue or call their recruiting department at 1-866-483-1027.