Miles of Dedication: Smith Honored in Trucking Hall of Fame
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By Emily Bontrager
Steve Smith, 67, of Kahoka, was recently inducted into the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) Truck Driver Hall of Fame. The honor recognizes drivers nationwide with exceptional safety records, professionalism, and dedication to the foodservice distribution industry.
Each year, IFDA selects a small group of drivers who have at least 25 years of service and hundreds of thousands of safe miles. Smith was among 93 drivers honored this year at the IFDA Solutions Conference in Columbus, Ohio.
Smith grew up in Luray, MO and graduated from Revere High School in 1975. After high school, he worked summers for the state highway department and spent some time at the Ford Garage. He then took a full-time position with the state.
His first experience behind the wheel of a big truck came in 1979 in Mount Sterling, Iowa, for Mt. Sterling Grain.
“That’s kind of how I got into trucking,” Smith recalled. Aside from a 10-year stretch at Bonaparte Plastics and various local jobs, he has spent most of his working life on the road.
In 1998, Smith completed CDL training at Indian Hills in Ottumwa.
“The only place I applied was DOT Foods in Mount Sterling, Illinois,” he said. “It took about six or seven weeks, and then finally they called me. I went to work for them June 1, 1998. I’ve been with them ever since.”
During his career at DOT Foods, Smith hauled everything from frozen and refrigerated items to dry goods, delivering across the country from coast to coast. He has seen the industry evolve over the years.
“In the early ’80s, it was almost all two-lane roads. Now, we’ve got way more four-lane roads. The trucks are nicer, they ride better; however, the emissions are kind of a challenge. Those are probably the two main differences, besides electronic logs,” he said.
For Smith, the independence of the job has always been rewarding.
“I kind of like being out there doing it on my own. You’ve got a schedule, but mainly you make it happen. You’re kind of your own boss until you get it done,” he said.
Smith didn’t even know about the IFDA Hall of Fame until he was notified in May that he had been selected. He believes his safety director submitted the nomination. He was excited to be honored at the ceremony on September 29, recognized for 26 years of safe driving.
Now, after decades on the road and more than 26 years with DOT Foods, Smith is preparing for retirement.
“I’ll probably be officially done sometime around the second week of February,” he said. He and his wife, Kathy, plan to travel and spend more time at home catching up on projects.
Looking back, Smith takes pride in his career. “I always tell everybody that every job’s got good days and bad days. Trucking is no different. But for the most part, I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve enjoyed working with DOT. It’s a really good place.”
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