BELLE FOURCHE Often those who receive a Lifetime Achievement Award are recognized years after theyve left the profession, but this years recipient at Wheel Jam is still an active trucker, more than 40 years into his trucking career. Mike Habeck is still going strong, taking time while driving a load to talk with the Plainsman about his recognition.
Habeck grew up on a farm in northern Minnesota and always admired truckers. He first drove for his uncle in the Red River region near the North Dakota border. He moved out west to California and began trucking full-time by hauling hay in 1980.
The California life wasnt for Habeck, though, and he found his way back to South Dakota as he began his over-the-road career. Along the way, he went to college and got a degree in accounting while trucking part-time throughout.
He began working at a dairy out of college, but missed the open road and in 1996 he put together the money to begin Habeck Trucking, which now has 37 company trucks and is based in Belle Fourche. As the business grew, Habeck ended up spending more time in administration, but again the open road was calling him.
If Im sitting in the office all the time putting out fires, I wasnt having as much fun, Habeck expressed. I realized I needed to cut back and do my main work on the road.
He hauled livestock for a number of years, but he relates that its not something that he can do on his own anymore. The company runs a number of refrigerator trucks now.
He was excited and surprised to be honored.
Ive always enjoyed good-looking trucks and nice equipment. Ive participated in the show and shine contest at Wheel Jam before, Habeck recalled. (Being recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award) surprised me.
One of the areas of trucking that Habeck has been very active is in being the voice for his fellow truckers in organizations like the South Dakota Trucking Association, where he was a board member and part of the executive committee. Hes also been a South Dakota representative on the American Trucking Association and a member of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
He feels that his roles there have allowed him to translate the changes on a national level to local drivers around South Dakota.
Theres been a change in trucking, Habeck stated. We sometimes feel like guinea pigs on new engines that are needed due to emissions standards, but the changes happen so fast that its hard to adjust and those engines havent really gone through the rigors yet to say if theyre safe for us.
He also noted that trucking doesnt attract a younger demographic the way it did for many in his generation.
Too many times, you get someone who only knows part of the business. There are a lot of different fields to go into within trucking, he explained. Its harder to hire truck drivers, though. We have to get used to that and adjust along with it as ownersand probably as a country!
For anyone that asks, he would highly recommend the trucking lifestyle, though.
I get to work with my daughter now in the office, but more than anything, its the travel. Habeck said. Im a traveler, always have been. I have been able to see the country and get paid for it!
Habeck will be honored during awards presented Sunday at 4 p.m. at the stage South of the Prostrollo Motors Building.
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