Howes Welcomes Trucker Josh into the Howes Hall of Fame

Joshua Giesbrecht is a truck driver of over 17 years hailing from Manitoba, Canada. Growing up in a family full of truckers, Josh developed a love for the trade at a very young age. When he was just 8 years old, Josh began spending his summers on the road with his father, Martin, a truck driver of 40 years. With uncles, cousins, and family friends all stationed behind the wheel, trucking flowed through Josh’s blood and played an integral role in his life.

Josh had a happy childhood and always had an affinity for the camera. He loved to share things with others. He created home videos and enjoyed making people laugh. But as tales of the road flowed endlessly at get-togethers and family gatherings, Josh’s love for trucking only grew stronger.

A self-described “prairie boy,” Josh first learned how to drive on a Kubota tractor, practicing backing up and handling a big machine. But, wanting to be just like his dad, Josh’s true passion always came back to trucking.

By the time he was 18, Josh was ready to hit the road in a real truck and began delivering Pepsi locally in Winnipeg.

While he liked driving locally well enough, Josh dreamed of the open road. His goal was to drive long-haul, just like his father. So, at 23 years old, Josh joined the team at Keystone Western and began doing just that. Josh was suddenly able to drive all over Canada and the United States. Finally living his dream, Josh decided to start documenting life as an over-the-road trucker.

Though Josh had a deep respect for truckers and always held trucking close to his heart, he noticed that was not the same for everyone. Quite the opposite, in fact. People, including his friends, seemed to view truckers in a very negative light. Many had it in their minds that truckers were dirty, greasy, and poor. He even noticed that there was some bad representation of truckers amongst themselves.

Wanting to change this negative perception, Josh decided to share his videos. He launched his own channel on YouTube with the goal of showing both the positive and human sides of trucking. He conveyed his view on the right way to do things, focusing on safety and driver education.

He shared his own tips and tricks, pulling from the lessons he had learned from his time on the road with his father and the experience he had been gaining over the years. He was constantly striving to show the good side of both the job and the world, bringing positivity to anyone who may be watching.

Still, Josh longed for more. It wasn’t just drivers he aimed to speak to, it was non-drivers as well. To change the stereotypical impression so many had on truckers, he had to reach those outside of the industry. So, Josh did something few others at the time had done before; he decided to bring the camera home.

“I thought I could shed some light on what truckers are really like,” Josh explained. “People who don’t drive don’t understand what truckers do. They don’t see that we are clean, hardworking men and women who make a good living and take pride in our work. I wanted to change that.”

By opening up his home for all to see, Josh was able to bring some attention to the man behind the machine. Showing more than just life inside a truck, he wanted to reveal the full spectrum of a trucker’s world. And with that, Josh became known as “Trucker Josh.”

Bridging the gap between drivers and non-drivers alike, Josh aimed to hold the attention of all with his variety of authentic content. He listened to what others were looking for and delivered videos on everything from the business side of trucking to the vast and beautiful scenery he encountered on his treks across the country. To accomplish this feat, Josh shared videos almost every single day. To date, he has amassed a major collection of over 3,000 videos on his Vlog series, “My Trucking Life.”

“People want to see what the inside of my truck looks like, hear the sounds it makes. They want to sit with me as I drive, taking in the places they may never get to visit on their own. They want to know about the differences between driving in Canada and the United States, what it’s like crossing the boarding, how to load hauls. They want to see what life is like at home, what I do on my days off, and of course,” muses Josh, “the dogs. They always want to see the dogs.”

For years, Josh would hit the road for two to three weeks at a time with his only company being that of his dog, Diesel. Though Josh loved the life as a whole, there were still times when he fell victim to the loneliness of the highway. Josh explains, “When you’re out on the road for over two weeks at a time, depression can sink in, and your thoughts can run away from you. You’re disconnected from family and friends and don’t necessarily have anyone to talk to. You can get anxiety, worrying about being so far away from home and what would happen if there was an emergency. It can get really lonely at times.”

Luckily, through his videos, Josh was able to build a community where truckers could connect with one another as well as others outside of the industry. Staying positive and focusing on the bright side of the job lifted spirits, including his own. People were inspired by Trucker Josh and soaked in his humor and kindness. Drawn to how unapologetically real he was, more and more viewers enjoyed the chance to become part of his world. They reached out to him in comments and emails, with some sharing their own experiences and others offering knowledge and advice for things Josh was going through on a personal level.

As time went on, Josh discovered he had more non-trucking followers than truckers. Over the years, he heard from a vast array of viewers who all watched his channel. “It’s crazy,” he exclaims. “I’ve heard from doctors, lawyers, politicians, electricians, plumbers, mechanics, technicians. People from all walks of life that send me messages and say, ‘Hey, I didn’t know this is what the trucking life was like. I didn’t know this about trucking. I’m glad I found your channel and subscribed. I follow every day.’”

Some people have followed along so closely, for so many years, that they were inspired to become truckers themselves. Truckers tune in from all over the world to compare notes and see how different trucking can be from country to country. They enjoy Josh’s raw and honest presentation of the ins and outs of trucking and appreciate his drive for setting an example for fellow drivers to follow.

Just over a year ago, Josh bought his dream truck, a Kenworth W900L. After all this time, he has remained loyal to Keystone Western and hit his million-mile marker with them a few years back. It serves as just another testament to his upstanding character.

Now a husband and father, Josh has pared back on the time he spends away from home. For a while, during some health issues with his wife, he reverted to driving locally so he could be home every night. He has since settled in the middle, driving regionally, and is gone for the week and home on the weekends. People remain enthralled with the inclusion of his personal life in his videos. Josh remains dedicated, continuing to vigilantly post several videos each week.

With the help of some features in magazines such as Overdrive and The Trucker, along with a handful of other promoters, “Trucker Josh” has far surpassed over 100,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel. Still, he remains humble. “I want to keep the Vlog authentic,” Josh makes clear. “I am, and want to continue to be, just a regular guy sharing his life on the road.” Never a sell-out, Josh holds true to his original vision of what his videos represent. He continues, “This channel is always going to focus on what’s good, what’s safe, what’s good about trucking, what’s good about Josh, and what’s good in this world.”

The team at Howes was utterly impressed by Josh’s ability to bolster the perception of truckers and the industry as a whole. In helping to grow awareness for truckers and the vital role they play in today’s society, Josh has made a positive difference in the industry and beyond. A reliable source of information, encouragement, and camaraderie for an array of viewers, Josh is a true inspiration to many. For his devotion to his cause, courageousness in divulging his personal life, and steadfast positive spirit, Howes is proud to welcome Josh Giesbrecht, aka “Trucker Josh,” into the Howes Hall of Fame.

Learn more about Trucker Josh and dive into the world of trucking by subscribing to his YouTube Channel: Trucker Josh Vlogs.  

Check out Trucker Josh and other amazing inductees at the Howes Hall of Fame.

Do you know someone who always goes the extra mile? Have something that inspired you to enter the trucking or farming industry? Now, you can help us continue to build the Howes Hall of Fame! Fill out our nomination form and your candidate could be our next inductee!