truck for the first time in September 2018 at the Richard Crane Memorial Truck Show in St. Ignace, MI where I was able to capture some cool shots of the truck with the Mackinac Bridge. Even though business keeps Eric and Jeremy very busy, they still find the time for things they enjoy. Eric enjoys time and camping with his family as well as playing with his cows. A passion for cattle has always stuck with him, and today, although he doesn’t raise beef cattle, he has a herd of cows. The calves that are born are for the kids to work with and show. Jeremy enjoys time with family, including Anne and his grandkids. With the family, he also enjoys trips in the motorhome, snowmobiling in the winter, and side-by-side riding in the summer. Truck shows of yesteryear have a way of making someone feel nostalgic because some of those amazing shows are no longer happening. One of those is the Peterbilt Only (anniversary) show in California, and Jeremy said that it was one of the coolest shows to go to. However, Jeremy and Eric both agree that their favorite show to attend as an annual event in their home state – the Richard Crane Memorial Truck Show in St. Ignace, MI. This show provides a great time to be had by all, located in a beautiful city, kind of like a vacation, and just an awesome show to hang out at. Today, Rabbit River Transport II already has the third generation in the Hassevoort clan taking on integral roles within the company. Eric’s sons Corey (29) and Austin (21) work in the dispatch department, while Jeremy’s son Cody (28) is the lead mechanic in the shop, and his other son Tyler (25) drives, hauling livestock. The future plan is to continue thriving the way they have been and to one day hand the company off to their sons. Eric’s beautiful daughter Nicole (25), who according to Eric is the smart one, because she didn’t come onboard with the trucking – instead, she went into the medical field and became a nurse. Eric oversees the drivers, dispatch operations, customers, and still does plenty of trucking with hauling livestock or pulling a stepdeck. Eric’s wife Jodi is a sales representative for west Michigan and sells livestock medication for a vet and poultry company. Jeremy is what some would call a Jack of all trades, usually starting his day in the office at Rabbit River, which has a connecting door directly to Reliable Road Service. 10-4 Magazine / March 2025 21 Throughout the day, he’ll float around to wherever things need to be done, which includes running one of the heavy-duty wreckers during winter storms or he’ll haul livestock in his 2024 Wilson trailer. Jeremy’s wife Anne is the caretaker of the books for all the companies and holds everything together. Between Eric and Jeremy, their family continues to expand to include grandkids. On Eric’s side is grandson Dawson (5) and granddaughter Lenni (6 months), while on Jeremy’s side is granddaughter Margo (2) and grandson Cash (8 months). Since last year, Rabbit River has been relocated into the same complex as the Hassevoorts’ other two companies, Reliable Road Service and Preferred Truck and Trailer Sales, in a beautiful, state-of-the-art, 60,000 square foot building. On the Rabbit River side, they designed it with their out-of-state drivers in mind, but it is available for any of their employees to utilize. The new facility includes 24-hour access, a modern cafeteria style kitchen where drivers are able to cook meals, dishwasher, large paperwork room, fitness room, driver’s lounge with ample seating and a big screen television, vending machines, two full shower restrooms, and a laundry room with washers and dryers. Another perk is the use of a company vehicle to go into town, and the trucks are washed
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