Jared Flinn:
You're listening to the Bulkloads podcast, your number one resource for everything. Bolt freight trucking mean.
Zach Curry:
All right, I got Zach Curry here with me.
Jared Flinn:
Zach, thanks for doing this.
Zach Curry:
Nice to meet you. So, pleasure.
Zach Curry:
We're at Matt's Mid America truck show 2024. Zach has graciously let us demo or put a show rig here at the booth. And this has been incredible.
Zach Curry:
Yeah, it's got a lot of traction, for sure.
Jared Flinn:
We had the booth here last year, and, I mean, we've had double the foot trap, really, with this rig. And I know Joe is going to get some footage on here for you all to see kind of the outside of this. But, Zach, talk about what was the idea of give us the beginning of how this even started to even get a show rig to where you are today?
Zach Curry:
Well, we started back in 2020, started with one rig. We have a farming operation. And it was. I needed a truck to run on the farm. And then we started with another local company and just slowly grew every year. And we were fortunate enough during COVID Rates were great. Everything was running. We met some good local companies and just kind of expanded from there.
Jared Flinn:
What was the idea with, though?
Zach Curry:
What started this truck?
Jared Flinn:
Yeah, this truck specifically. This is not a cheap truck. I don't want to say this is a high class.
Zach Curry:
Well, I bought this truck, and one of the deals with buying it, the person I bought it from said they would take it and have the frame. The frame was a little bit rusty. So that's where I met James Siegel, the builder of the shop. So we started with the frame, just going to spray over paint it, and then it ended up, we said, oh, let's take the bolts out of the frame and shave the frame and make the frame look split. And then it was, well, let's add some lights and let's add this. And then before, you know, we got a full blown truck, it was down for eight months. We debuted it here at Matt's last year.
Jared Flinn:
And then you all won several awards. All right, what did you guys.
Zach Curry:
We took second place in working class bob tail here last year, which was insane. And then we won the Troy Huddlesson award last year here. Yeah, we were sitting there at the awards. Never intended to win. The very first award of the day was the Troy Huddleson. And they called my number, and my dad was like, hey, that's you. So, I mean, it was neat. It wasn't expecting that at all.
Jared Flinn:
Yeah, that's awesome. Talk about a little bit. Our podcast, we have thousands of listeners, thousands of subscribers this truck show, I know lot a of guys go out and visit. I would say probably not all, but I mean, so many of these people, it's a dream to have a truck like this one day. There's guys that are working on that, and maybe they're even a company driver. And one of these days, I'm going to own my own business. I'm going to have a show truck like that. But talk about kind of the process of really starting that.
Jared Flinn:
You don't just all of a sudden, hey, I'm going to do this and spend all this money. There's a big process to get set up.
Zach Curry:
Definitely a big commitment, financial commitment to be able to do this. We've been very fortunate. Plus, having the farming operation and the trucks, it wasn't like I wasn't starving my company trying to build the truck. And it definitely takes a lot of time, a lot of time, a lot of effort to get here, where we're at. I mean, this truck is super nice, but this truck also has to work to make its own payments, too.
Jared Flinn:
I'm glad you mentioned that, because this doesn't go home and sit in the garage in the shed. This thing's working every day.
Zach Curry:
This truck worked all way, literally. We shut the truck down three weeks ago and got it this clean to get here.
Jared Flinn:
You were showing me that video. I think you had it on TikTok, which if you haven't, what's your TikTok channel?
Zach Curry:
MKC hauling.
Jared Flinn:
Yeah. You have a huge following for what everybody says. I'm not on TikTok, but this truck works all the time. But you showed me a video of the stack getting bent. Talk about that.
Zach Curry:
Yeah, we had a driver. We're hauling grain for pioneer and a farmer, I guess, wasn't paying attention, swung around with an unload auger and literally bent the stack. It was kind of an ordeal. But, hey, this happens.
Jared Flinn:
Yeah.
Zach Curry:
It's part of the game. It's part of where. I mean, it's going to happen.
Jared Flinn:
Yeah, well, yeah, I mean, it makes you show, like, this is a real working truck.
Zach Curry:
Yeah. This is not a truck that sets in the garage. Like I said, it works every day. We haul grain with it. Like I said, it was pulled a hopper, in and out dirt fields. It definitely earns its keep.
Jared Flinn:
Hey, guys. Jared Flynn here. I just want to show you our fourth semi Sam book semi. Sam goes to the truck show. We know it is truck show season. It's just kicking up with the mid America truck show. And there's going to be a bunch this summer, we thought we'd do a children's book talking specifically about truck shows. And it's got just great life lessons in here.
Jared Flinn:
If you have a son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, niece, nephew, anyone that would love this, these are available on Amazon. Or if you're a member of bulk loads and you'd like one, I would love to send you one for free. Again, semisam goes to the truck show. Check it out on Amazon or contact us for a book. Thank you so much and God bless. I met your wife last night. She's here today with your daughter. I know you got some kids back at home, but talk about the family aspect of this, because you all are going to different shows.
Jared Flinn:
Talked about the Perryville show. What's the schedule look like on this truck? Being at truck shows for people to see.
Zach Curry:
We're going to try to go to a few different shows this year. We're going to go hit all of our local shows. We got Sykeston coming up. Then we'll go to Perryville, went to Texas, the Troy Massey show, which he's here today advertising it. We're going to go to Riggs on the run, which is kind of close to y'all, is in Miami, Oklahoma.
Jared Flinn:
Oh, yeah, just right.
Zach Curry:
That one. Really want to go to Mount Erie to the bottomly. They've got a big truck show out there. Want to go to that one? So we're going to make our rounds with this year. And it's cool because we do it as a family. My girls come to all the truck shows. They all have their MKC shirts on. You always see us.
Zach Curry:
My wife be pushing the wagon for the kids.
Jared Flinn:
Well, as I say, you got this wagon. You got lights on the wagon. I mean, you guys are set up for.
Zach Curry:
Yeah, you can definitely tell, like their favorite parts of light show. So they'll wear all their glow necklaces and their wagon has full lights on it. Yeah, it's neat.
Jared Flinn:
Yeah, that's cool.
Zach Curry:
It makes it fun.
Jared Flinn:
Yeah.
Zach Curry:
Actually, the name of the company comes from my girls. Like my first daughter, MKC. What it stands for is Mabry K. Curry. Oh, nice. And then we had, my second daughter was named Keeley. So it went with her, Mabry keely Curry. I tried to get my wife to name our third drill with a C, but she's been going for.
Jared Flinn:
Know, for people. I mean, obviously this is a passion. This is your hobby. You have a huge following now. People watching this stuff. Are there ways people can, you can monetize doing this stuff with the truck shows and all that I know you're winning, but I know there are some of these people. Obviously it's the biggest hobby, but obviously you get a big enough following. There's ways sponsorships, stuff like that.
Jared Flinn:
Are you looking for, are you trying to do any of that or have you.
Zach Curry:
We don't have any sponsors. I mean, this is all just mean. It's fun for. Like I said, there's no mean. We have a lot of people that help us out for sure. Like James, my polished guy who drives, does all my polishing. I mean, midnight shine, which is great. If you ever need a polisher, he's your mean.
Zach Curry:
We use a lot of like shift come down. We have shift fenders. They come down and talk to the truck. Super cool to have their products on who else we have.
Jared Flinn:
And just going around, I mean, I don't know how many hundreds or maybe these show trucks that are outside here, too. I'm sure you've gotten to meet a lot of other owners of some of these other truck. Talk about that. Some of these relationships maybe you built or some of these other people.
Zach Curry:
He looked up to a lot of these people, like the troy masses of the world. He built tons of show truck. And to be able to actually get to meet those guys, like coming from a small town, never even had a truck up until five years ago. Build this one and look where it's got us. It's neat.
Jared Flinn:
Yeah. Well, a couple of other questions I'll have, like talk about the future landscape. Do you see you all having another truck, or do you see you all getting rid of this truck, selling this truck and building another one? Or have you thought that much far ahead? As far as we're going to do.
Zach Curry:
This one one more year? We're going to take it this year around and I think we're going to try to debut another truck maybe late 2025. We got some ideas. We're working on going to change it up, but this one will go right back to work again full time.
Jared Flinn:
Yeah. Cool. I know a lot of our audience going to know, but just talk about the model style of this truck and some of the things that you've done just to customize it.
Zach Curry:
It's definitely blue.
Jared Flinn:
Definitely blue.
Zach Curry:
Yeah, definitely blue. We got to mean everything's blue. This truck, it's a glider kit, so it doesn't take either death. I mean, it's got a 99 model signature series 600 in it, which is neat. You see a lot of these guys that they still run deaf. So that's one thing we like about this one. It's neat. What else have we done? It speaks for itself.
Jared Flinn:
How long is this thing stretched out to?
Zach Curry:
282. It's not stretched, actually.
Jared Flinn:
Oh, this is okay. Wow.
Zach Curry:
This truck used to have a lift axle, which makes it. Why it's so long. They took the lift axle off. Got it. Okay. That makes sense.
Jared Flinn:
Cool, man, this thing's beautiful. I started going to truck shows maybe six, seven years ago as we got bulk loads going. And now I don't just. I think all of us, especially men as boys, you see these trucks and it's like a kid in a candy store just appreciating that. Talk about MKC really quick. Your business, you guys. Stunning. Seven trucks.
Zach Curry:
We actually run ten trucks or ten trucks.
Jared Flinn:
You guys have been members on bulk loads since 2017, based out of Sykeston, Missouri. You guys run primarily.
Zach Curry:
I think I hauled my first load for my company through bulk loads, actually.
Jared Flinn:
Oh, nice.
Zach Curry:
Very cool. We have ten trucks. They're all nice trucks. We have super nice, super good drivers. They take very well, good care of our stuff. And that's what makes the company, is your employees. Yeah, absolutely. We try to make it as much as a family as possible.
Zach Curry:
Like I said, that's why I'm a huge family guy. So I want my company to feel as much as a family as what I get at home.
Jared Flinn:
Yeah. And I met one of your drivers. He's with you?
Zach Curry:
Yes.
Jared Flinn:
Which is awesome.
Zach Curry:
It's cool. We try to go. I have another driver coming tomorrow, and usually I take them if they want to go to truck shows and show their rides off. Hey, let's go. I'm all about. We went. I took several of them to Rancho last year in Illinois and down to Texas. And it's fun.
Zach Curry:
It's fun to do as a company.
Jared Flinn:
That's awesome.
Zach Curry:
Plus, it takes group effort to get them clean.
Jared Flinn:
Yeah. You mentioned Michael Tillman. You went to school with him. A lot of our podcast listeners. Michael's been on our podcast, actually. He did our Super bowl commercial. Really encourage you to go back and watch that podcast. It was a really cool one show.
Jared Flinn:
They've expanded the business, but, yeah, you went to high school with him. It's kind of cool, like, to see where you are now. His business growing.
Zach Curry:
I mean, it's like his business is really growing quite a lot here lately. Yeah. But it's neat. I mean, Michael's family's always kind of been in the trucking. He's always been there. And I never would have dreamed when I was in high school that this is what I'd be in the same. Yeah. That's awesome.
Jared Flinn:
Well, Zach, thank you so much, number one, for taking the time to bring this truck over. Mean a lot of time and commitment and cost on your end to bring it here and allow us to showcase it in the bulk loads of booth. Again, thousands of people to come by mean the pictures and videos that people are mean. This has just been a mean as far as getting people by here. We've actually had a lot of new people we've met, I think, just because of the attraction of the new truck. So, man, thank you so much for taking the time.
Zach Curry:
It's got a nice stereo system. So yesterday, everybody had the stereo on. That's what I think they're hoping for here in a minute.
Jared Flinn:
Yeah, I was going to say, hopefully we can.
Zach Curry:
We got to get the batteries charged back up. Batteries ran down yesterday, so we had to get a new battery charger. So it ought to be. Should be ready to go. Yeah.
Jared Flinn:
Hey, thank you for coming on the vocalist podcast. God bless you. Appreciate it.
Zach Curry:
Thank you. I was also going to ask your convention coming up.
Jared Flinn:
Oh, yeah, absolutely. I forget. Yeah. So, yeah, we're a month out, April 26 through the 20 eigth. I think we've convinced you maybe to have the truck there crossing our fingers. It'll be displayed out front at the bass pro convention center. But, yeah, April 26 through the 20 eigth volt freight conference, man, we want to see you there. We're getting down to the wire.
Jared Flinn:
I think we're getting. Tickets are selling fast. So if you haven't yet buy your tickets, we'll be there. Last year was a phenomenal time. It's going to be awesome this year. We'll be there. So, man, thanks for bringing that up.
Zach Curry:
Yeah. What all topics are going to be discussed?
Jared Flinn:
Yeah, it's going to be everything. So, yeah, we'll have four or five different panels. Everything from, I mean, you name it, the rates, freight brokers, loads, technology. So it's going to be action packed. I think our goal is this year we're going to have more panels. We realize more people want to hear discussions, debates. We know there's a plethora of issues going on and things we can debate about. We want to see you there.
Jared Flinn:
I know a lot of people, it's tough to make that kind of time and commitment, but it'll be worth you. It'll be worth your while. It'll pay dividends to come, so, yeah, definitely be there.
Zach Curry:
Yeah, we're looking forward to being awesome.
Jared Flinn:
Hey, thanks again.
Zach Curry:
For coming on, man. Thank you, sir.
Jared Flinn:
I appreciate it. And.
