For sale by owner-operator: Notes on the big unload at retirement

Let’s catch up with Alan Kitzhaber and Gary Schloo. Alan was the 2024 Trucker of the Year here in Overdrive’s program, Gary one of the finalists for the honor.

I first engaged with Gary — he’s currently transitioning into retirement at 75 years young. After more than 30 years in business, this doesn’t come without emotional challenges. For many long-term owner-operators, the decision to retire can create a scramble to find new purpose. Yet on the positive side, Gary and his wife, Terri (who’ll be retiring shortly herself), will be able to pursue personal dreams.

Before finally closing the books on his business, there’s necessary housekeeping, of course. Though it’s not an absolute necessity, for most of us perhaps the biggest piece of it all is liquidating the truck and trailer.

Owner-operator Schloo started by listing his 2016 Peterbilt 386 glider, Detroit Series 60-powered (and pictured here), at Truck Paper and other online outlets, including posting to Internet groups.

It’d been a couple of months since owner-operator Schloo started the process when we first spoke. After posting his truck for sale, little to no response to the listings was initially discouraging. The idea of continuing his business was tempting, too. He had no debt, and was running dedicated lanes for customers in his leased operation, with a comfortable schedule. There was no high degree of urgency to fully exit.

Then around the first of March, a few calls came in. One of the first questions: Will you finance and accept payments?

The offers were heavy on personal promises, and personal stories about personal setbacks. Gary’s own history and sense of business had him prepared for this, and he was ready to resist taking on another owner’s risk.

Then came the call from an owner who had lost their truck in an accident where they were not at fault. This owner-operator had the means to meet Gary’s terms and outright purchase the tractor. While Gary had been hoping to sell tractor and trailer together, as the negotiation transpired it became obvious that it wasn’t in the cards with this buyer. The owner was prepared to purchase the tractor only.

Happy with the negotiation and terms for the sale of the truck, his next move was to make contact with a dealer he’d done business with in past, coming to an agreement for a consignment sale of his curtain-side Mac flatbed, still pending as of this writing. He’s re-evaluating his strategy on that sale as we speak. The positive here is that being debt-free relives some of the pressure on the sale. 

[Related: ‘I just love it out here’: Joy, exacting analysis deliver Gary Schloo’s success]

Trucker of the Year Alan Kitzhaber’s on a similar road as owner-operator Schloo. 

Alan put 4 million miles on his 1995 Kenworth T600, maintained meticulously as he’s steered it since the truck was new. He bought it from the fleet he was driving for at the time, just a few years after taking the wheel. 

Having an opportunity to visit with Alan a few times over the last several months, it’s easy to understand how he was so successful. Alan has been consistently focused on even the most minute details of his business and truck, for three decades now, amassing 4.1 million miles on the 1995 Kenworth T600 alone. That takes focus indeed, complete dedication. 

During a phone conversation we had recently, Alan was working on detailing the interior of the cab. Suddenly he stopped talking, then said, “What’s that on my dash?” He was looking at a tiny drop of something, then realizing it was a small drop of sealant from the last time he had his windshield replaced.

It’s this type of attention to detail that explains how an owner could successfully maintain a truck for 30 years. He ran down for me the extensive list of preventive maintenance items he had his shop perform over the years, too, the changing all all oils and filters (not just the engine oil), tire checks, interior and exterior details all around. It was right around the time he was preparing to list the rig for sale himself.

Owner-operator Kitzhaber is taking the process of the sale quite seriously, wanting whoever does end up purchasing it to be able to drive their own business ahead successfully with an exceptionally maintained truck. Talking to Alan, I hear genuine hope and concern that whoever does take ownership continues with a commitment to maintaining this truck internally and externally with a pride of ownership similar to his own.

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Throughout the year there are many opportunities to read about and hear the stories shared by veteran owner-operators here on Overdrive. For myself, when successful truck owners like Alan and Gary are willing to share the benefit of their experience, it’s a wellspring of knowledge that money cannot buy, and it’s all yours for the taking. 

As these men prepare for their next chapters in life – in Alan’s case building a new home near a small Northern Wisconsin lake, enjoying some fishing and other new adventures — I want to send out a big hurrah for businesses well-run and jobs well-done. In the final analysis for both Gary Schloo and Alan Kitzhaber’s decisions around retirement and the truck sale, I feel both men have achieved if not exceeded goals for their business careers. Here’s wishing Alan and Gary and their families nothing but happiness in the years ahead.

For all the long-term owner-operators in the audience, we encourage you to share your expertise, too. Enter Overdrive‘s Trucker of the Year competition (for businesses up to 3 trucks) or Small Fleet Championship (3-30 trucks), or reach out to Overdrive editors directly via this link.