On the Go
42 OVERDRIVE NOVEMBER 2009 Dar yl R odman A rtie Fry will drop his fork in the middle of dinner to haul a load. So says his dispatcher Shannon Treadway. She knows she can depend on Fry if others don't come through. He's gotten me out of many a jam, she says of the 14-year Greatwide Dedicated Transport veteran. I'm not one of those people who likes to sit around, says 44-year-old Fry. When Treadway calls to offer him runs, he always chooses the longest one. I guess it's greedy, he says, although others testify he's anything but. Longtime friend and Greatwide Dedicated owner-operator Daryl Rod-man explains. Artie takes care of a lot of people, he says. He chooses to work hard and make as much money as he can so he can help his friends and family. For Fry, trucking is much more than the profi t. He also just likes to run, Rodman says. Fry has enjoyed customizing trucks at his Salado, Texas home since 2005. That year, he pulled Rodman's truck into his back yard, rolled up his sleeves in 110-de-gree heat and helped his friend trick out the truck for 's Pride & Polish. Overdrive The two fi rst-time customizers worked for months on Rodman's 2003 Kenworth W900, installing hardwood fl oors, a drop visor and an airline deck and polishing the truck every day for two weeks before its Great American Trucking Show debut. They fl ipped through custom truck Trucker trivia FRY RESCUED Greatwide colleague Clyde McKee in the throes of a heart attack in 2008. Fry had stopped south of San Antonio to refuel and called for help when he noticed McKee parked nearby, his driver's side door ajar and he slumped over the steering wheel. Fry returned McKee's truck to his Temple, Texas home. I did what I was supposed to, Fry said. His friend recovered in the hospital. FISHING IS GOOD on Stillhouse Lake, where Fry makes his home. This August, he caught 52 channel catfish in one day. Fry said he cleaned them and was waiting for the perfect fish fry weather to take them out of the freezer. 2008 Greatwide Dedicated Transport Driver of the Year Artie Fry says paying attention to expenses and safety on the road has made the difference in his 14 years as an owner-operator. On the go When Greatwide Owner-Operator of the Year Artie Fry isn't picking up an extra load, he's getting a buddy's truck ready for Pride & Polish or fishing for channel catfish. BY LANIER NORVILLE