The Con-way regional carriers were startups, with Con-way Central Express opening for business in June 1983. Ole Number One was the first in the original fleet of 50 trucks and 150 trailers that began service in the company's initial network of 11 service centers in nine Midwestern states. Today, Con-way Freight is a $3 billion company with more than 21,000 employees, 290 service centers and a fleet of more than 8,600 tractors and 25,000 trailers across North America.
'Back in 1983, on the heels of deregulation of the trucking industry, no one knew how this idea to launch a new trucking company ' one that would focus exclusively on next-day freight service ' would turn out,' said David L. Miller, who started with Con-way Central Express (CCX) as an operations supervisor in Cincinnati in 1983, rising through the ranks to become president of the former CCX and COO of Con-way Freight before retiring last year. 'We've learned that it has become one of those rare success stories in trucking ' a startup that stayed true to its roots and grew into an industry leader.'
Miller attended the ceremony along with Dick Heyob, an original driver sales representative who, like Miller, also started with the company in Cincinnati in 1983. Heyob was among the first drivers to pilot Ole Number One when the company opened its doors. Heyob still drives today for Con-way Freight out of its Cincinnati service center.
The tractor was retired in 1992 with over a half-million miles in service. It was then fully restored to showroom-new condition by a team of Con-way Freight mechanics based in Toledo, Ohio. The end result was a tribute to their skill and craftsmanship. In 1993 Ole Number One went on display in the main lobby of the company's previous general office in Ann Arbor until Con-way Freight's headquarters were relocated in 2009. At that time, the company began to research locations where this important piece of history could be preserved for future generations and shared with a larger audience. The Iowa 80 Trucking Museum quickly rose to the top of the list.
'During our search we discovered that no other place in the United States was doing the remarkable work of the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum to keep so many great reminders of our industry's past alive,' added Miller. 'We are very proud to add Ole Number One to their collection.'
'We are honored that Con-way Freight selected the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum as the new home for this historic truck,' said Dave Meier, curator, Iowa 80 Trucking Museum. 'We look forward to preserving Ole Number One and its story, not only for Con-way employees and their families, but for the greater trucking industry as well.'
