Bohlken Awarded Driver of Second Quarter

Veteran driver Ken Bohlken was extremely humble when he heard the news that he is the Driver of the Second Quarter for 2009 at TMC. In fact, he says he was surprised to hear it. "I feel very honored. I don't know exactly what I did to deserve this." But according to TMC and its customers, there are many reasons why he deserves it.

Ken Bohlken of Norfolk, Neb., started his career with TMC 11 years ago, but his veteran status reaches far beyond that. As a boy, Bohlken would ride along with a local man in town that hauled livestock for his father. "So, I guess I've got him to blame for getting me in the business!" jokes Bohlken.

In 1972, he began driving for himself and hauled everything in a 20-year period from milk to newspapers. It wasn't until 1998 when he gave in to his brother Les' wishes and purchased a tractor and trailer from a TMC owner-operator. Les Bohlken, Ken's brother, is a veteran TMC company driver himself and Wheel Master. "He was working on me for 20 years to get on with TMC!" Since that time, TMC has been somewhat of a family affair in the Bohlken family. "Once in a while Les and I cross paths," says Ken Bohlken. "We talk on the telephone regularly, but usually the weekends are used for catching up."

Being an owner-operator, Bohlken is able to come home regularly to spend time with his family. His wife, Joyce, five children and nine grandchildren (with one on the way) keep him busy on the weekends and he has the ability to do so because of his hard work and dedication throughout the week. He says besides having a good partner at home another aspect to success are your loads early on. "If you can start a Monday morning off with a good run, it really makes your whole week." As a veteran driver, Bohlken has many of those good weeks that make him successful and it shows in all aspects of the business.

"Ken Bohlken quietly goes about doing his job with little to no contact with safety," says Todd Bunting, executive vice-president of safety. "He has done a good job over the years, safely and efficiently. The safety department appreciates the effort put forth from Ken on a daily basis."

Fleet manager David Pomeroy agrees and says when it comes to driving, Bohlken is one of the best and a driver he can always count on. "Ken Bohlken is a good asset to TMC who is always efficient and professional with customers. When Ken says, 'I'll be there in the morning', says Pomeroy, "You can take it to the bank."