LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Savannah Snyder is only 14, but even at that tender age, she was feeling the heartache of the recession.
Her dad Robert is an owner-operator.
The owner part meant he held possession to a 1996 tractor with 1.5 million miles on it, complete with engine and transmission problems, almost bald tires and an air conditioner that didn’t work.
The operator part meant he’d get a load here and there, but often when he took an outbound load, it meant lonely, unproductive days on the road waiting for another load.
Like many other truckers, Snyder’s financial problems began about two years ago with the onset of the recession.
As diesel prices skyrocketed and loads became scarce, he found the career he loved no longer provided for his single-income family.
He could either provide food and shelter for his family, or maintain his truck.
Naturally, he chose family.
Savannah wanted to do something, anything to help her dad.
“I’ve always been praying to God, ‘God give me a sign. I want to help my dad. I don’t want to just make him happy, I want to help him,’” she said.
That signed turned out to be an entry form for the Arrow Truck Sales Back on the Road Contest.
“I’ve been persistent with that prayer,” she said. “At church I talked to my youth minister just trying so hard to get an answer. My dad has truck magazines that he leaves around and one day I was flipping through one and saw the Back on the Road thing and I thought ‘yeah,” … this is what I’ve been praying for. ‘I said this is it.’”
So Savannah wrote an essay outlining why her dad should be named winner of the contest.
And on March 26, he was.
Savannah often accompanied her dad on trips from their Dunnelleon, Fla., home during the summer.
“Every time I go on the road with my dad, his air stops working,” Savannah wrote in her entry. “He sleeps in the driver seat and lets me get the sleeper in the back. If he doesn't have much money, he will buy me dinner and skip that meal. How great would it be if he would be receiving a surprise that indeed would be a big help and change in his life. It’s beyond amazing.
“He constantly puts everybody before himself. Money is tight and our family is struggling. I want the weight lifted off of my dad’s shoulders; I want him to smile. Not those fake smiles. The smile we haven’t seen in years.
“My dad is everything to me, and his job is what keeps us living, and this would be a true blessing. I know there are some families who have it way worse, but I also know there isn't any other Dad that means as much to his daughter as he does too me. It scares me; there is no telling what else can go wrong. Where we will be if things don't get better? I know there is a reason I'm writing this letter. I know!”
“Robert is like so many drivers we see on the road today,” said Carl Heikel, President and CEO of Arrow Truck Sales. “He is a good man who is passionate about trucking and providing for his family. He is doing everything he can to make it through the recession. We are proud to give him this opportunity of a lifetime to not only change his life but the lives of his wife, Sylvia, daughter, Savannah, and their family.”
As the winner of Back On The Road, Snyder received a 2007 Volvo VNL 670, courtesy of Volvo Trucks North America, a one-year work agreement with Heartland Express and other products and services, including:
• X One XDA Energy tires from Michelin
• TriPac auxiliary power unit courtesy of Thermo King
• Monthly $500 fuel cards thanks to Pilot Travel Centers
• Business consulting tools courtesy of ATBS
• Insurance provided by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA)
• A three-year / 300K-mile warranty from National Truck Protection Inc.
• One year’s worth of filter products from Genuine Volvo Parts
• Custom truck paint job courtesy of Dickinson Fleet Services
• Truck accessories and fenders courtesy of Minimizer Products
• Memory foam mattress provided by SleepDog Mattress, and
• Paint provided by Sherwin-Williams.
“Winning Back On The Road is a dream come true,” said Snyder. “Driving is my life and I know receiving the 2007 Volvo VNL 670 from Volvo Trucks North America and the job with Heartland will help me provide my family with the life they deserve. I am blessed to have this opportunity to represent Arrow Truck Sales and all of the great companies who have joined in this campaign.”
Lyndon Finney of The Trucker staff can be reached to comment on this article at editor@thetrucker.com.