We sit down with Trace Plaugher, owner of Buckeye Floridian Materials in northwest Ohio, to talk about an unexpected career pivot and the real-world grind of building a small fleet in the vocational hauling space. Trace shares how he went from pursuing a future in medicine to hauling asphalt and aggregate, and why hands-on work, freedom, and long-term stability mattered more than spending decades climbing a traditional professional ladder.
Trace breaks down what his company does day to day, how he grew from one truck to multiple trucks, and the lessons that only show up once the bills, maintenance, insurance, and payroll become real. He also explains the biggest challenge in scaling. It is not buying trucks. It is finding and keeping the right people. From pre-trip discipline and preventative maintenance to setting expectations and building trust with customers, Trace gives a clear picture of what it takes to keep a hauling operation running in a seasonal market.
Trace discusses:
-Why he walked away from the medical track, how construction and asphalt work pulled him in, and why he chose entrepreneurship while keeping his degree as a backup plan
-Learning the hard parts of business ownership, especially cash management and reinvesting into equipment, and how an accountant and a real plan changed everything
-Growing a fleet the hard way, including why drivers are the most volatile piece, what he looks for in a reliable dump truck driver, and why training someone new can beat breaking bad habits
-Why he runs Mack, what he looks for in vocational trucks, and what impressed him most about the new Granite in safety, visibility, and jobsite efficiency
This episode is about building something real. A young family, a small business, and a fleet that helps build the communities around it. Trace makes it clear that the reward is not just the trucks, it is the legacy and stability you create for the people depending on you. What’s next?
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