The Diesel Addict: By Stephanie Haas Everything is bigger in Texas – the state itself, the hundreds of miles of vast landscapes, the big spirit, and the big rides. Many beautiful trucks call Texas home, along with Chad Dixon (30) of Slaton, TX, who has an unending passion for trucking, and a fondness for one sharp Peterbilt 379. And like so many others out there, for Chad, trucking is not just a job, but a way of life. Being the third generation in his family to get into trucking, Chad is following in the footsteps of his grandpa Eldredge and his father Kenneth. He was definitely born into the industry, and from then on, being a trucker was all he wanted to do. He had been in and out of cool trucks before he could even walk. Chad was born and raised in Oklahoma, but his family moved to Texas around 2004 when he was nine years old. His dad Kenneth started working for Poole Agribusiness (formerly Poole Chemical) out of Texline, TX, while he was in college. He went to school with Danny Poole and his sister Jayme Rittenberry and would eventually accept a managerial position at the Altus, OK terminal where he has been working ever since. Occasionally, when the need arises, Kenneth will hop in a truck. As a kid, Chad would get to ride around with other Poole drivers in the parking lot. They would set him on their lap and let Chad steer the truck. Not only that, but when Chad was with his dad and he would see a cool truck on the scale, he’d ask if he could go ride with them and, if they were delivering close by, they would often let him ride along. As the years passed, his dad started teaching Chad how to drive, and several other drivers aided in his lessons, as well. In 2014, at the age of 19, he obtained his CDL. Kenneth wouldn’t hire Chad until he was 21 years old, so Chad started gaining experience working custom harvest, which included running hopper bottoms. Things have a way of sort of working out because Chad ended up striking a deal with one of the drivers at Poole who had to go in for surgery. At only 20 years old, Chad would fill in for that driver until he returned, however, he never left after that. Danny Poole told him to pick out a truck, because there were a few open seats. Of the three trucks available, the company colors are white and blue, he chose a sharp purple and white Peterbilt that had a Caterpillar engine (the other two didn’t). Going on 64 10-4 Magazine / September 2025 NOT JUST A JOB
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