Axles & Acres: Stories of soil and steel, building independence one acre & one mile at a time
Introduction
It’s 5 a.m., the truck is packed, and the quiet hum of the engine is the only sound. Some people think our work is glamorous. They imagine exciting tow calls or dramatic roadside rescues. The truth? Most days are long, deliberate, and quiet — just miles of road, paperwork, and moments to reflect.
But in those miles, you learn lessons that don’t come from a classroom or a business seminar. You learn about patience, resilience, faith, and the quiet satisfaction of building a life that’s your own.
This is what life on the road really looks like — not the highlight reel, but the real, messy, beautiful experience of running a small auto transport business.
Why We Chose This Life
We didn’t start this business because we wanted excitement. We started it because we wanted independence — the ability to build something of our own, on our own terms.
At first, it was overwhelming. Hours were long, loads were heavy, and mistakes were expensive. There were days I questioned whether it was worth it. And there were nights when the uncertainty of tomorrow felt heavier than the trailer behind the truck.
But every challenge carried a lesson: perseverance isn’t something you learn in easy times — it’s built when the miles feel endless, the phone keeps ringing, and your to-do list is longer than your sleep schedule.
Running a small business isn’t about instant success; it’s about small wins piling up, one day at a time, one mile at a time.
Daily Life on the Road
A “typical” day doesn’t really exist. Some mornings we wake up before the sun, other days we’re packing up late into the night. We plan routes, inspect vehicles, handle paperwork, and double-check every detail to make sure each load is safe.
The long stretches of highway give you space to think. Sometimes it’s quiet reflection, other times it’s problem-solving for the day’s challenges. You learn to embrace the monotony, because it’s in the steady rhythm that life lessons show themselves.
Of course, there are moments of humor too — the little things that make you laugh even when your back aches or the GPS takes you down a narrow gravel road. Those small, human moments are what make the work worthwhile.
Lesson: Life on the road teaches patience, focus, and the kind of attention to detail that translates into every part of our lives.
Lessons in Faith & Resilience
Some days are harder than others. There were seasons when loads were canceled, when budgets were tight, when a bad decision set us back weeks. I remember more than once thinking, “Maybe we should quit.”
But every time, faith reminded me to keep going. Resilience isn’t about never feeling doubt; it’s about choosing to take the next step even when you do.
These experiences taught us more about life than any success ever could. We learned to trust the process, lean on each other, and find peace in the fact that hard work is its own reward.
Lesson: Faith and resilience aren’t just comforting ideas — they’re essential tools for every business, every relationship, and every season of life.
Working as a Team
Running this business together as a couple is both a blessing and a challenge. Some days, disagreements flare over routes or schedules. Other days, our strengths perfectly complement each other — one of us handling logistics while the other focuses on the driving and safety details.
The lessons go beyond business. We’ve learned communication, patience, and respect in ways we never expected. Working side by side, we’re constantly reminded that success isn’t just about the trucks on the road — it’s about partnership, trust, and shared vision.
Lesson: Business is about skills, but lasting success is about relationships — especially the ones closest to you.
Tools, Gear, & Small Wins
Life on the road isn’t just about lessons in patience and faith. It’s also about being prepared.
Some of the tools that make long days manageable:
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Work gloves that protect hands through every load. The original Mechanix work gloves are still my favorite, they are comfortable and breathable, washable and are touchscreen friendly.
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Durable boots that can handle mud, gravel, and concrete. My favorite overall shoe brand is sketchers and this is even with work boots. They are waterproof and comfortable which is most important, there is enough to work on and worry about in a day without your feet being one of them. Protecting your feet and giving them comfort will travel through to your whole body.
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Flashlights and safety gear for early mornings or late evenings. Here are some of our top recommendations for safety.
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Notebooks and checklists to track loads and paperwork. I'm a Microsoft Excel guru and love my spreadsheets. These basic spreadsheets have been the backbone of our office and keep all of the most important business information organized with minimal effort and cost. At a glance I can always see each drivers loads for the day, the income for each driver daily, weekly and monthly. With the same spreadsheet I can also check that the apps were completed and if we've been paid for the loads all in the same place. These not only help me on a daily basis, but are a life saver for when tax time rolls around and in preparing financials for lenders or planning for the future months and years.
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A thermos of coffee (sometimes the most important tool of all). This one speaks for itself:)
Small wins — a smooth load, a route completed without stress, a day without surprises — are what keep the engine running, both literally and figuratively.
Lesson: Preparation and attention to the little things make life on the road easier and more enjoyable.
Reflection & Universal Lessons
Life on the road is rarely glamorous. But each mile teaches something — about patience, resilience, faith, and the quiet satisfaction of building a life you can call your own.
Every load, every call, every quiet stretch of highway is a reminder: independence isn’t given; it’s earned, one acre at a time, one mile at a time.
Some days the road is long, the work is hard, and the challenges feel endless. But if you embrace the lessons — the small victories, the tools, the relationships, and the faith that carries you through — you’ll discover something more valuable than success: the confidence that you can handle whatever life puts in your path.
Life on the road isn’t about the destination — it’s about the journey, and the lessons you gather along the way.
If you’re interested in getting into non-CDL trucking— or even turning it into a business — we put together a full beginner guide that walks through:
- Exact equipment setups
- Weight examples (so you don’t guess)
- Licensing and DOT requirements (for information on DOT required equipment you can visit this section on our site at, DOT Required Equipment)
- Safety gear checklist
- Step-by-step startup guidance
👉Start a Non-CDL Towing Business the Right Way
🌾 Continue Building
One of the reasons we created Axles & Acres is because we believe real experience should become practical help for someone else.
We're taking what years on the road have taught us and turning it into guides, tools, systems, and resources that may help someone else start a little smarter, avoid a few expensive mistakes, and build something that can last.
If you're building your own towing or auto transport business, these are a few good places to continue:
📘 Beginner's Guide to Non-CDL Towing — Trucks, equipment, licensing, setup, and some of the things worth understanding before you get too far down the road.
📙 From Setup to First Load — Finding work, building relationships, getting organized, understanding the business side, and preparing for those first loads.
📊 Profit & Loss Spreadsheet — The same simple type of spreadsheet I've used for years to understand where the money is really going, both in business and during my real estate career.
🛠 Helpful Resources — Equipment, systems, software, guides, and other things we've used, learned from, or found helpful along the way.
🚚 Tow Equipment & Reviews — Real-life looks at tools and equipment we actually use on the road and in the business.
💻 Behind the Scenes — The spreadsheets, systems, software, and everyday workflows that help us keep Durrett Recovery and Axles & Acres moving.
Take what helps.
Leave what doesn't.
Along the Way
If you'd like to see a little more of the life behind the work:
🚚 Life on the Axles — Real work, real roads, and lessons from towing, auto transport, and small business.
🌾 Life on the Acres — Real stories from home, the land, projects, marriage, and ordinary life on our little piece of land.
☀️ Brenda's Beacons — Personal reflections, recommendations, and the little lights I'm finding along the way.
🛒 Amazon Storefront — Browse the tools, books, road gear, acreage finds, and everyday things we actually use and recommend.
🎬 Along the Way — Watch the everyday pieces of Axles & Acres as they happen, from the road to the acres and everywhere in between.
If something here helped make the road ahead a little clearer, you're always welcome to subscribe to Axles & Acres or share this with someone else building their own towing or transport business.
Disclosure: Some links may be affiliate links, which help support Axles & Acres at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products, tools, and resources that have genuinely earned a place in our business and our lives. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
