Giving Back One Semi-Trailer at a Time

Photos by Darrin Phegley

“I’ve been interested in trucks since I was a little boy. I loved the big trucks and that love never went away,” said Jason Cowan, owner of Silver Creek Transportation. 

Jason moved to Henderson at the age of 18 and bought his first truck in 1994 from a gentleman who was retiring. He was given a job hauling chemicals and hazardous materials in the beginning, and grew from one truck to a fleet of 25 trucks and 40-50 trailers. He also has been a youth minister most of his adult life as well. Many of his hobbies are focused around his work, as he enjoys restoring trucks and old tractors and does a lot of weddings and speaking with youth and college groups. 

Everyday in the transportation business is busy and different. Silver Creek Transportation is a family company, as two of Jason’s sons, Zane and Zebb, work for him. “We are a specialty transportation company. We transport food grade plastics, steel, wire and machinery. We operate Dry Van trailers, flatbed trailers and tankers. Our tanker division moves acids, wastewater and other hazardous materials. We run all lower 48 states and Canada. We have several drivers that have won state and national safety and accident free mile awards.”

Most of Jason’s day-to-day work is making sure trucks are getting to where they are supposed to be and everyone is happy, but Jason has done it all throughout his years in the trucking business. 

A Transportation Business Unlike Any Other

Jason has always had a vision to build a team with strong leaders. “If we want to build a big company, we need to build big people,” he said. It’s always been important to Jason to have a transportation company that’s different from others. Their core values include taking care of team members, giving back to the community and giving back to their drivers and their families. He explained how the transportation business is difficult because the drivers leave on Sunday nights and aren’t typically back until Saturday. They are missing baseball games, school plays and a lot of things in their life. “For them to be able to do that, I feel like we need to give them an atmosphere they are appreciated in and taken care of, and one they can grow in their talents as well.” 

Jason has seen drivers not respected and taken care of, when they are the backbone to our entire country. “What most folks don’t realize is that what you pick up at 7am, someone’s dad, husband, wife or mom drove all night to make sure it was there.” 

Giving Back in a Big Way

Giving back is a core value Silver Creek Transportation instills. It is important to Jason to “give back to the community that has given us the opportunity to do what we love to do.”

Having a youth minister background, his passion is for kids. Silver Creek sponsors dance teams, FFA, and movie/family nights for the public schools by providing trailers for projectors and screens, just to name a few. 

There are several local organizations they help year-round. These include Henderson County Schools, Marsha’s Place, where Jason serves on the board, Habitat for Humanity, The Autism Foundation and Relay for Life. 

One way Silver Creek Transportation has given back to the community is through their themed trailers. “There is no greater billboard going down the road than our box trailers,” Jason said. He explained these themed trailers started about 4 or 5 years ago when the HCHS Band Director asked if they knew anyone who could help move the band’s equipment. 

They worked together by designing a trailer specifically for the Henderson County High School Colonel Brigade and Guard. They are able to drive up with their equipment and show their school spirit in one of Silver Creek Transportation’s trailers. “When they go to competitions, they look really cool!”  

The company then partnered with Relay for Life and designed a ribbon trailer with all 26 ribbons alongside it and last year did a tanker for The Autism Foundation. The purpose of their themed trailers is to bring awareness to the cause they are representing. A lady called them from Maryland to say thank you for bringing awareness to autism after seeing their semi. “When you see a big semi, it catches your attention. Wherever they go, it helps grow awareness.” One of his drivers might be at a truckstop in California and someone may come over and want their photo taken with the ribbon that has affected them or a loved one in their fight against cancer. They are not only helping local organizations here in Henderson, but they are showing their support and raising awareness everywhere their semi-trailers go around the United States and Canada. 

They have donated flatbed trailers to elementary schools and Future Farmers of America for the Christmas parade to use for their floats. If they can help the band out on a Saturday morning, they just need a volunteer driver because they already have the trailers. “I think as a community, we owe it to the next generation to help them do what’s going to help them succeed. If we can help give them a truck or our team members can volunteer their time, that’s what we are after,” expressed the community-minded owner.

Silver Creek Transportation has worked with the same graphic designer, Linda Neem, since the company began. She owns Sign Art and Lettering in Dixon. She develops logos and is very creative. They have always worked well together, and he is grateful to call her a business partner over the years.

More Than Just an Employee

Silver Creek Transportation drivers are family. If one is struggling, they are all struggling. Silver Creek has 35 employees. When Jason speaks of his company, he wants everyone to understand, “It’s not me. It’s the team that works together to make things happen.” Another example of their team giving back is members will donate out of their check each week to Sunrise Children’s Home. The company has a big Christmas party for all of their drivers, families and vendors each year, and they bring individuals from Sunrise Children’s Home in to give them the money donated to help them throughout the year to help place kids in homes.

Jason expressed how his team members aren’t only truck drivers. He has had employees say, “I’m just a truck driver.” And his response is, “You aren’t just a truck driver. Every one of us has a calling in our life to do something. Maybe that is you using your abilities to drive a truck, but there is no such thing as being just a truck driver.” He explained how they are intentional about having staff meetings and figuring out how they can help their employees grow. 

“One of the things that truck drivers have is time. For the next 10 hours, they are going to be sitting and listening to something,” he explained. Therefore, they have a lady in their office who will send their drivers podcasts for personal and professional develop. These podcasts may be on how to manage your money better or how to be a better dad or mom. It’s important to Silver Creek to keep their employees focused on the fact there is a calling on their life. Jason said during COVID, he has felt more like a cheerleader, encouraging his team members to keep pushing forward.

Looking to the Future

Jason’s vision is for Silver Creek Transportation to run smoothly without him. He wants community members to know they can call his company, and they can help them out. His goal was to bring Henderson a family company, and it has seemed to work well. “We love being a part of Henderson.” Silver Creek Transportation strives to find how they can use their talents to help someone else. “I think we are all part of this bigger community. This was one way with the trailers that seems to fit what we can do. Out of that, our community comes back around.”

“We would love to work with another group who would like to have something done because we would be interested in doing another trailer,” expressed the enthusiastic entrepreneur. Their goal is to design a new trailer each year, but with COVID, it’s been tough on their industry, so they haven’t picked one yet.

If your business or organization is interested in working with Silver Creek Transportation on designing a semi-trailer to raise awareness and provide support, please reach out to Jason Cowan at 270-826-0777, as they are ready to take on their next community project one semi-trailer at a time.