Product Description
ETA - Late November
The Legacy of the Shupe Family: Pioneers in American Trucking
For over seven decades, the Shupe family has left an enduring mark on the American trucking industry. From humble beginnings after World War II to running multiple successful transportation companies, brothers Jack and John Shupe built fleets that helped power the economy—hauling everything from grain and salt to construction materials and dry bulk commodities. Their story is one of grit, growth, and a love for the open road.
The Early Days: Shupe Brothers Trucking
After serving in the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1947, Jack Shupe returned home and purchased his first semi-truck in the late 1940s. Around the same time, his brother John Shupe also began his career in trucking. In 1951, the two officially teamed up to form Shupe Brothers Trucking Company.
The company quickly became a recognizable name in the western U.S. Their signature blue and white trucks were a common sight on the highways, and they earned contracts as major haulers for:
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Morton Salt Company in Salt Lake City
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Farr Better Feeds
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Bentonite used in the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam
With success came expansion. Shupe Brothers opened offices in Garden City, KS; Guymon, OK; Hereford, TX; Duncan, NE; and Billings, MT, building a strong presence across the Midwest and West.
The Rise of Monfort Transportation
In 1970, John Shupe partnered with Colorado cattle magnate Ken Monfort to develop Monfort of Colorado Transportation Company. Starting with 100 trucks, the fleet quickly gained a reputation—not just for size, but for speed.
Their new orange and yellow trucks were specially geared to travel at the interstate speed limit of 70 mph, faster than most trucks on the road. This led to a unique piece of trucking lore: the “Monfort Lane”, referring to the left lane of the highway where Monfort trucks would confidently pass slower traffic.
Though the Monfort venture lasted only until 1976, it cemented John’s place in trucking history.
Back to the Roots: Shupe Bros and DSCO
After his time with Monfort, John returned to operate his own company, Shupe Bros Trucking, at 2600 Bypass in East Greeley, Colorado. He grew it into another 100-truck fleet, continuing to serve industries across the country.
In 1987, he took over an existing trucking company and rebranded it as DSCO—Drivers Services Company. With a fleet of 200 trucks, DSCO hauled freight nationwide under the proud motto:
"Trucks move America!"
Tri-State Commodities: A New Direction
While John was growing his operations, Jack Shupe took a different path. In 1970, he split from Shupe Brothers Trucking and started Tri-State Commodities.
Jack's first truck—a Kenworth purchased directly from the factory in Seattle—was memorable not just for its utility, but also for the father-son moment it created. His son Gregg Shupe fondly remembers the trip to pick it up and the ride home that followed. That experience would mark the beginning of a new legacy.
Over the years, Tri-State Commodities expanded to a 50-truck fleet, operating across Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Texas, California, Nevada, Arizona, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. Specializing in grain, salt, and dry-bulk tanker freight, Tri-State became a reliable name in agricultural and commodity transport.
A Family That Helped Move America
From the post-war highways of the 1940s to the interstates of today, the Shupe family’s contribution to American trucking is significant. Through bold innovation, family collaboration, and a deep understanding of the industry, Jack and John Shupe helped shape how freight moves across the country.
Their trucks didn’t just carry cargo—they carried a legacy of hard work, vision, and a belief that in trucking, as in life, you have to keep moving forward.
