Jeff Barber is quick to admit that his initial inspiration for enlisting in the Army at age 16 centered around a desire to experience the world beyond his family’s farm in rural Ohio.
“I actually enlisted with some other buddies of mine,” said Barber of his early entry into the Army. “I grew up in a small town, and there weren’t a lot of options back then. I knew that I didn’t want to stay on the farm — and I can tell you that the Army matures you very quickly.”
Some 46 years later, a well-traveled Barber — who has the benefit of 19 years in the Army as well as a stint as a military consultant — is traveling the nation’s roads in his first year as a driver for Prime Inc.
Barber’s four grandchildren deserve some of the credit as the inspiration that spurred him to embark on a new trucking career in his early 60s. Each time he hits the road, Barber is setting aside a portion of his mile-by-mile earnings for deposits into his grandchildren’s college fund accounts.
“We’ve got four grandkids, and there may be more in the future,” shared Barber. “I want to do what I can to make sure they have a better leg up for their future than I did.”
As Barber plays a role in helping to build a solid financial future for a new generation, his family is no doubt filled with pride that their patriarch was selected as a member of the Elite 11 semifinalists in the running for Transition Trucking’s 2026 Driving For Excellence Award.
For his part, Barber is a bit overwhelmed by the recognition that comes with being part of the Elite 11.
“It’s very humbling. I don’t look at it like I have done anything special,” observed Barber. “It’s an honor to be with the other folks selected. It’s actually quite amazing that Kenworth and the rest of the industry have this (program) and provide this opportunity.”
Enjoying a new career and honoring roots in a family tradition
To be certain, Barber values each day on the road. He says he especially enjoys earning more about the customers he serves through his new career at Prime.
“I really like the opportunities that I get to talk to people while I’m on the road,” offered Barber. “Occasionally, when I’m at a customer’s, I’ll get a little tour through the plant and get to see how they do things. That’s kind of cool. It’s been great to meet people as I have been out here.”
Meanwhile, after acquiring some farmland in his most recent move, Barber has also cleared a path that has allowed him to reconnect with some old family traditions at his home in Kentucky. Barber and his wife, Jennifer, maintain a small farm that includes 25 or so head of cattle.
Following a career in the military that called him away from home, Barber is grateful for the continued support he has gotten from his wife as begins his career over the road.
“Jennifer is pretty amazing, and she’s been very supportive,” said Barber, who noted they have some friends in the area who help with the herd when he’s on the road. “Now, she could get fed up with taking care of the cattle and tell me that I have to come home, but I don’t foresee that happening.
“I can tell you this: It takes a special woman to handle me being gone on the road,” he added. “I appreciate her.”
Part of Barber’s Army tenure and his military consulting career involved studying logistics. After earning his CDL, he chose to drive for Prime, in part because of what he saw in the design of the company’s terminal network.
“I did some research and did some reading about all the various companies, and I started reading about the different depots or Prime terminals,” said Barber. “I recognized what they had set up.
“It’s actually a very military-like service that you go through at the different depots,” he added. “Every time you go through a terminal, they give you a pretty good inspection. You basically pull in and they get your service done.”
Jeff Barber’s interview video appears below. Readers may also click here to view the video on YouTube or click here to hear an audio-only version.
Applying lessons from the Army to his rookie year in trucking
One of the most valuable skills any professional driver needs on the road is the ability to manage time. Barber learned to master time-management quite early in his Army career, and it has served him well in his transition into trucking.
“Being in the Army teaches you discipline to be where you need to be and to do what you need to do,” said Barber. “I’ve been fortunate after the military that I’ve pretty much been on my own at any position that I’ve had.
“With trucking, I’ve always delivered on time and gotten done with what I was supposed to do,” he continued. “I attribute a lot of that back toward my military experience.”
Looking toward the future, Barber says he is viewing life on the road essentially one year at a time — not much differently than looking at each dispatch and delivery ahead one mile at a time.
“Trucking is really enjoyable, and everybody asks me about my future,” said Barber. “I thought about doing this 20 years ago, but I would come up on orders to go overseas, or something would come up.
“Now, I’m 62. Every two years, I have to go take a physical and see if I can continue another two years,” he added. “Who knows? I may do this for the next 10 or 15 years. We’ll see what happens. One of the things that I’ve learned is that I’m not the oldest guy out here.”
Gathering with the Elite 11 In Ohio
Barber is looking forward to his trip to Columbus, Ohio, on Sept. 22, when the entire Elite 11 Class will gather to tour the National Veterans Memorial and Museum.
“It’s going to be a great time. I’m looking forward to meeting all the people and learning about their backgrounds,” said Barber of the Elite 11 and the Columbus event. “I have to say that I have never in my life been to a military museum that wasn’t pretty awesome.
“It’s one thing I tell my son: Every post you go to, go through their museum. You will be amazed at what you see,” he said.
Greg Thompson is an award-winning writer and producer who has worked in the trucking industry in a variety of roles since 1998. With more than a decade’s worth of experience as a journalist prior entering trucking, Greg is the founder and executive producer of PodWheels.com, a podcast network dedicated to spotlighting the trucking industry.
Since 2019, PodWheels has provided specialized coverage of the National Truck Driving and National Step Van Driving Championships. Over its history, the NTDC Podcast Series has provided more than 150 hours of podcast content highlighting the competitors, organizers and volunteers involved with the Truck Driving Championships at both the state and national levels. The NTDC program, which is hosted annually by the American Trucking Associations, has a history that dates back to 1937.
Beginning in 2025, PodWheels was chosen by the ATA to serve as the Official Podcaster for the NTDC. PodWheels’ coverage of the NTDC, including state competitions and other features, is available through RoadToNTDC.com.
