10-4 Magazine August 2023

36 10-4 Magazine / August 2023 We’ve all heard trucking company owners talk about how drivers used to be – they took care of the equipment, had a high level of professionalism, passion for the industry, and pride in the trucks they drove. Today, although it seems to be rare, those individuals still exist, and one of them is Tom Betten (46). Tom is a driver that operates a Peterbilt 389 owned by V-Max Transportation, Inc. out of Zeeland, MI, and a guy who has a lot of pride and passion for his job. Growing up in Hudsonville, MI, Tom is a third generation trucker. Tom’s grandfather John started in the industry in 1939, and his father Cal began in 1966. Tom realized that trucking was truly in his blood and that would be his career path while on an over-the-road trip with his dad to Texas when he was about seven years old. By his early teens, his father started teaching him the ropes of driving a truck. Starting locally, Tom ran for his parents within the state of Michigan, but he couldn’t wait to hit the road and haul out of the state. In 1998, literally the day before he turned 21, he loaded the truck, and on his 21st birthday he made his way to Lincolnton, NC with a load of office furniture. In 2001, Tom spent some time in the construction field, pulling gravel trains and 8-axle live-bottom trailers, continuing in this part of the industry until 2015, when he started at V-Max. Once at V-Max, there was no doubt, when talking to Tom, that he feels at home with this company. Owner Dave Van Haitsma is a man Tom looks up to, admiring Dave’s faith, family values, and work ethic. As Tom stated, “Dave is the Rick Hendrick of trucking because he gives his drivers what they need,” which includes great pay and amazing equipment. Dave empowers his drivers to be the best, and he offers them the opportunity for a great living, supporting their families, through hard work. The pictured white with maroon frame truck is a 2016 Peterbilt 389 glider with a 36-inch sleeper, a CAT 2WS under the hood, a 13-speed transmission, 3.70 rears, and a 280-inch wheelbase. This sleek truck is accessorized to make it look clean and classy without being overdone. It sports an 8-inch exhaust, a Lincoln Chrome visor, and a 20-inch bumper with a 12 Ga. Customs lift. Also, adding to the sleek look, are Shift Products half fenders, color matched Fibertech 6-inch body drop panels, and a complete interior showcasing all Rockwood products. The Diesel Addict: By Stephanie Haas Taking delivery of the truck in spring of 2016 as a rolling glider, V-Max Transportation put the truck into service in July of 2016. Tom has been driving this truck since it was a year old, and it can normally be seen pulling a Utility 53-foot dry van. A typical work week is usually Monday through Friday hauling “finished” office furniture out and raw materials back to the plants. As with all the company trucks, all the service and maintenance are done in-house. Truck shows became a thing in Tom’s life starting in 1995 when he went with his dad to the Michigan Kenworth Trucker Appreciation Day in Grand Rapids, MI, with his dad’s 1995 KW W900L, which took first place in the Best Kenworth class. Tom got a taste of a big show in 2004 when he took a 1999 Kenworth W900L and a set of 2004 Benson gravel trains to the Mid-America Trucking Show and earned first place in the First Show class, along with the Horizon Award. Over the years at V-Max, Tom has shown his truck, as well as helped with showing the company show truck, a maroon and white 1995 Kenworth W900L pulling a matching 2016 Utility spread-axle dry van. If you haven’t seen it, there is an inscription on the back of the sleeper that says “Washed In The Blood” which is an important line for Tom. It simply states his faith, being saved by grace, and in his heart, he knows Jesus is his savior. I had the opportunity to meet Dave Van Haitsma in May of 2017 at SuperRigs in Tulsa, OK after he did an interview with Big Rig Videos. The interview discussed plenty, including the PRIDE & PASSION