Trucking runs in our blood. If it runs in yours, you should join us in #BleedingBlue.

Apply Now

John Flathau named Third Quarter Jim Doering Award of Excellence recipient

Kottke Trucking is proud to announce that John Flathau has been named the 2018 Third Quarter Jim Doering Award of Excellence. Flathau has been with Kottke Trucking since 2007 and has been driving for nearly three decades. We are beyond grateful that over a decade of that has been with us.

Members of the Kottke Trucking Executive Team shared their thoughts on Flathau and his receiving of the award.

“John is always a team player, he looks at the big picture and realizes that we are all working for the same end result.” – Kurt Kottke, President

“The quiet professional.  Does his work and goes his way.  Does things so well that it is easy to forget about how good of a job he does.” – Kyle Kottke, General Manager

“John is a great Owner Operator to have on board. He gets his paperwork in on time and rarely has any issues with his settlements.  Because he performs his job so efficiently, we don’t talk to him often but when we do, he is very pleasant and polite.” – Pam Kottke, Vice President of Finance

In the 11 years that Flathau has been driving for Kottke Trucking, he has received a safety award every single year.

The Jim Doering Award of Excellence was established in 2014 in honor of Kottke Trucking’s first employee and nearly 40-year employee Jim Doering. The award is designed to honor a driver each quarter that has the same great qualities that made Jim such a special man. The four winners of the quarterly Jim Doering Award of Excellence each year are also the finalists for the annual Duane and Connie Kottke Distinguished Driver of the Year award. The fifth annual award banquet will be held in January 2019. Mike Doty was the 2018 First Quarter recipient and Les Richling was the 2018 Second Quarter recipient.

Congrats, John! Thank you for your hard work and dedication!

Click here to apply to be a Kottke driver!

Kottke Trucking announces second driver pay increase in six months

For the second time in six months, Kottke Trucking is happy to announce that we are increasing our driver pay package. The pay increase will go into effect on August 14, 2018. This increase results in a pay increase for all of our drivers, including new drivers to the Kottke Trucking family.

Here are some details on the new driver pay package:

Base Pay Single Driver: (paid weekly, two weeks behind)            

  • First year – $.46 cents per mile
  • Second year – $.47 cents per mile
  • Third year – $.48 cents per mile
  • Fourth year – $.49 cents per mile
  • Fifth year – $.50 cents per mile

 

Drivers that waive out of insurance (with proof of coverage) or want 50% premium coverage on single status is:

  • First year – $.50 cents per mile
  • Second year – $.51 cents per mile
  • Third year – $.52 cents per mile
  • Fourth year – $.53 cents per mile
  • Fifth year – $.54 cents per mile

 

Here are details on the new driver pay package for team drivers:

Base Pay Team Drivers: (each)

  • First year: $.29 cents per mile
  • Second year: $.295 cents per mile
  • Third year: $.30 cents per mile
  • Fourth year: $.305 cents per mile
  • Fifth year: $.31 cents per mile

 

Drivers that waive out of insurance (with proof of coverage) or want 50% premium coverage on single status is:

  • First year: $.31 cents per mile
  • Second year: $.315 cents per mile
  • Third year: $.32 cents per mile
  • Fourth year: $.325 cents per mile
  • Fifth year: $.33 cents per mile

 

In addition to the pay tiers increases, Kottke Trucking has reaffirmed our bonus plan with one exception. We are moving $.01 per mile for the in-network fuel program and paying it out weekly (included in the increase above). In the second quarter only one driver missed the bonus, so it makes sense to give it to our drivers weekly and have a deduction to the bonus for those that don’t follow the in network fueling protocol.

In total, our drivers can earn an additional $.07 cents per mile with achievable quarterly bonuses.

Regarding Health Care, Kottke Trucking will continue to pay a single’s coverage at 100%. For those that would rather pay 50% premium on a payroll deduction or those that waive out and have coverage in other means (proof required) will get an additional $.04 per mile.

Kottke Trucking is proud to continue to place the importance of our drivers highly and making sure that the gains in the marketplace equal gains in driver payroll. We have one of the best and safest fleets in the trucking industry and we are honored to work with them every single day.

Click here to apply to be a Kottke driver!

Les Richling named Second Quarter Jim Doering Award of Excellence recipient

Kottke Trucking is proud to announce that Les Richling has been named the 2018 Second Quarter Jim Doering Award of Excellence recipient. Richling has been with Kottke Trucking over four years with 17 years of overall driving experience.

This is what was said of Les when he was nominated for the award: “Les is always in a good mood and pleasant to talk to. When he is about to go on home time, he always asks if we need any help with local work before heading home.

“He is always very professional, well mannered, and a face we are proud to have represent Kottke Trucking.”

The Jim Doering Award of Excellence was established in 2014 in honor of our first employee and nearly 40-year employee Jim Doering. The award is designed to honor a driver each quarter that has the same great qualities that made Jim such a special man. The four winners of the quarterly Jim Doering Award of excellence this year are the finalists for the fifth annual Duane and Connie Kottke Distinguished Driver of the Year award which will be awarded in January 2019. Mike Doty was the 2018 First Quarter recipient.

Congrats, Les! Thank you for your had work and dedication!

Pictured below: Kurt Kottke (right) presenting the Second Quarter Jim Doering Award of Excellence to Les Richling (left).

Click here to apply to be a Kottke driver!

Mike Doty named First Quarter Jim Doering Award of Excellence recipient

Kottke Trucking is proud to announce that Mike Doty has been named the 2018 First Quarter Jim Doering Award of Excellence recipient. Doty has been with Kottke Trucking just under two years along with 57 years of over-the-road experience overall.

This was what was said of Mike when he was nominated for the award: “Mike is a reliable veteran driver that quietly and effectively does a great job for Kottke and outruns a good portion of the fleet.”

The Jim Doering Award of Excellence was established in 2014 in honor of our first employee and nearly 40-year employee Jim Doering. The award is designed to honor a driver each quarter that has the same great qualities that made Jim such a special man. The four winners of the quarterly Jim Doering Award of excellence this year are the finalists for the fifth annual Duane and Connie Kottke Distinguished Driver of the Year award which will be awarded in January 2019.

Congrats, Mike! Thank you for your hard work and dedication!

Pictured below: Kurt Kottke (left) presenting the First Quarter Jim Doering Award of Excellence to Mike Doty (right).

 

Anna Buboltz and Brock Luthens named ALL Mustang winners

Every spring, Kottke Trucking teams up with Buffalo Lake – Hector – Stewart High School to recognize one female and one male from the graduating class with the ALL Mustang award. On Sunday, May 20, graduating seniors Anna Buboltz and Brock Luthens were presented with the ALL Mustang awards at the 7th annual ceremony held at Zion Lutheran Church in Buffalo Lake. In addition to the award, Kottke Trucking presented both winners with a $500 scholarship.

The ceremony honors the monthly winners from the past academic year who have had great achievements and shown excellence in athletics, leadership and learning.

This year’s monthly winners were: Anna Buboltz, Tessa Cook, Payton Diepold, Dylan Edwards, Jacxl Fernandez, Adam Forcier, Victoria Garcia, Alex Herrera, Natalie Karl, Sara Kottke, Brock Luthens, Hunter McFall, Jessica Novotny, Zachary Reuber, Cody Walstrom and Calissa Weispfennig.

Kottke Trucking would like to thank the following for making the ceremony possible: 18 Wheelers Relay for Life team for the meal preparation, Dan Krause for being the master of ceremonies, Brad Dobberstein for being our guest speaker and the various coaches and advisors at BLHS who voted for the ALL Mustang awards throughout the year. Another hearty thanks to the friends, family and everybody in attendance for making the event a success.

The past ALL Mustang winners are: 2012 – Jessica Kalenberg and Taylor Broderious, 2013 – Carly Schmalz and Baron Juhl, 2014 – Rebecca Ebbers and Christopher Schmidt, 2015 – Ashley Petersen and Scott Buboltz, 2016 – Mariah Paulson and Trey Weispfennig, 2017 – Keighly Daak and Jake Watkins.

Pictured below: the two recipients, Brock Luthens and Anna Buboltz, with Kyle, Kurt and Kory Kottke. Also, a picture of this year’s monthly winners.

Kottke Trucking announces driver pay increase

Kottke Trucking is happy to announce that we are increasing our driver pay package. Effective March 5, 2018, all drivers, including new drivers, will see an increase in pay. In addition to that increase, Kottke Trucking will continue proudly to be part of only 15% of the trucking industry to offer full driver health insurance which is a value worth $0.05 to $0.10 per mile depending on the driver’s age.

Here are some details on the new driver pay package effective for loads dispatched March 5, 2018 and later:

  • New/current driver with less than a year tenure starts at $0.43 per mile
  • One year of employment anniversary raises pay to $0.44 per mile
  • Two year of employment anniversary raises pay to $0.45 per mile
  • Five year of employment anniversary raises pay to $0.46 per mile
  • Detention waiting time reduced to two hours
  • Layover has increased to $150

 

Also remaining in place is Kottke Trucking’s current quarterly bonus program. This program allows up to an additional $0.08 per mile for drivers that qualify.

For teams, the chart will increase to:

  • New/current team with less than a year tenure starts at $0.28 per mile
  • One year of employment anniversary raises pay to $0.285 per mile
  • Two year of employment anniversary raises pay to $0.29 per mile
  • Five year of employment anniversary raises pay to $0.295 per mile

 

Moving forward, Kottke Trucking will continue to monitor freight and driver pay. Kottke Trucking will do this to ensure we stay ahead of the market and remain one of the best places to call home in the entire trucking industry.

Click here to apply to be a Kottke driver!

Kottke Trucking’s Fourth Annual Duane and Connie Kottke Distinguished Driver of the Year is Carlo Garcia

On January 6, 2018, Kottke Trucking held its fourth annual Driver of the Year banquet at Jackpot Junction Casino and Hotel in Morton, MN. The fourth annual Duane and Connie Kottke Distinguished Driver of the Year award was presented to Carlo Garcia.

Garcia started with Walbon on July 1, 2014 and came on to Kottke Trucking following Kottke Trucking’s acquisition of Walbon’s over-the-road division in July 2016. Garcia was named the First Quarter Jim Doering Award of Excellence honoree which qualified him for the Duane and Connie Kottke Distinguished Driver of the Year.

Kottke Trucking statement on Garcia:

“Carlo believes in team, meaning that Carlo believes that everyone in Kottke Trucking is all one big team and we should all help each other succeed. Whenever you need anything done, you can count on Carlo. You have to be careful to no over wok him, that is just how hard of a worker Carlo is.

“If Carlo has a bad day, nobody would know about it – he is professional and always puts his best foot forward. When someone says Kottke, they may think of Carlo and that makes us proud.”

Kottke Trucking’s Driver Board created the idea of the Duane and Connie Kottke Distinguished Driver of the Year and it was carried out by our staff. The Driver of the Year award is named after our second generation visionaries: Duane and Connie Kottke. Their ability to build the foundation that our company stands on today, does not go without notice.

Garcia’s fellow nominees come from the other quarterly winners of the Jim Doering Award of Excellence winners: Second Quarter winner Don Braegelmann, Third Quarter winner Ken Kottke and Fourth Quarter winner Dennis Gray. The award is named after Kottke Trucking’s first long-time driver and nearly 40-year employee Jim Doering.

Previous winners of the Duane and Connie Kottke Distinguished Driver of the Year are Tom Erickson, Ricky Pautzke and Jeff Bass.

Kurt Kottke, Kyle Kottke, Carlo Garcia and Kory Kottke after the presentation of the Duane and Connie Kottke Distinguished Driver of the Year award.

Carlo Garcia, the fourth annual Duane and Connie Kottke Distinguished Driver of the Year.

Kottke Trucking is saddened to announce the passing of Duane Kottke

We are saddened to pass along the news that our father, Duane Kottke, has passed away. He was an amazing man and he will be missed by not only the Kottke family, but, we know he will also be missed immensely by the Kottke Trucking family, too.

Duane was the second generation owner of Kottke Trucking and he along with his wife Connie installed the values that are company has today. This company would not be the way it is today without him. His fingerprints are on everything that this company does and will forever do.

Duane was very proud of this company and proud of our employees. The joke used to be that the Kottke family was the biggest in Buffalo Lake with all our employees and now our family has grown to multiple cities around the country. He was so proud of this company and what we have all built here together.

Memorial Service for Duane Kottke will be held Thursday, October 5, 2017, at 11:00 AM at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Buffalo Lake, with interment in the Buffalo Lake City Cemetery.

Gathering of family and friends for Duane will be held Wednesday, October 4, 2017, from 4:00-8:00 PM at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Buffalo Lake, and will continue Thursday at 10:00 AM, for one hour prior to the service, all at the church.

Duane would want us to keep trucking and that is what we are going to do. Thank you for your love, support and dedication. It means the world to us.

The Kottke Family

Donny Braegelmann named Second Quarter Jim Doering Award of Excellence recipient

Braegelmann (right) with Kottke Trucking President Kurt Kottke (left).

Kottke Trucking, Inc. is proud to announce that Donny Braegelmann has been named the 2017 Second Quarter Jim Doering Award of Excellence recipient. Donny has been an employee with Kottke since 2002.

Donny has been a driver board member since it’s creation, serving his fellow drivers and playing an essential role implementing several safety policies. During his time with Kottke, Donny was also nominated by the Minnesota Trucking Association as the May 2007 Driver of the Month.  The same attributes which won him the nomination is still strong today in Donny and we are very privileged to have him as part of our Kottke Trucking family.

The Jim Doering Award of Excellence was established in 2014 in honor of our first employee and nearly 40-year employee Jim Doering. The award is designed to honor a driver each quarter that has the same great qualities that made Jim such a special man. The four winners of the quarterly Jim Doering Award of excellence are the finalists for the Duane and Connie Kottke Distinguished Driver of the Year award which will be awarded in January 2018. The first quarter winner for 2017 was Carlo Garcia.

Kottke Trucking awards largest driver quarterly bonus in company history

In Kottke Trucking’s initiative to continually put the driver first in our company and throughout the trucking industry, Kottke has awarded the largest quarterly bonus total in company history. For the second quarter of 2017, Kottke has given out $107,602.52 of bonuses to our drivers.

Throughout the fleet, 49 drivers received a bonus of over $1,000. A total of eight drivers earned themselves a bonus of over $2,000 for the quarter.

The bonus formula is based on a driver’s success in three categories: miles driven in a quarter, safety and fuel economy.

Kottke Trucking is proud to be the home of the best drivers in the trucking industry. We are grateful for their hard work, dedication and passion for their job. Drivers are what keeps the Kottke Trucking family, the trucking industry and the world going. Thank you!

If you’d like to join the family, you can find an application on our website for both company drivers and owner operators. We would love to have you join the Kottke Trucking family today!

Kottke Trucking has been in business and family owned and operated since 1938. For the past three decades our primary business has been in transporting dry, refrigerated and frozen food items. We operate in the midwest, south and southeastern parts of the United States. Our fleet consists of 150-plus trucks powered by the best drivers in the industry. Kottke Trucking is headquartered in Buffalo Lake, Minnesota with terminals in Eagan, Minnesota and Wildwood, Florida.

 

(800) 248-2623 (320) 833-5385

Kottke Trucking, Inc.