OOIDA life member finds audience on YouTube

Being an owner-operator comes with its fair share of risk. According to data from the OOIDA Foundation, one in five new carriers fails within their first year of business. Numbers like that mean that success is the exception, not the rule.

Steven Howard is one of those exceptions. Howard, a life member of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, earned his CDL in 1993 and has been an owner-operator for the past 22 years.

Howard’s journey in trucking has taken numerous forms over those two-plus decades, emblematic of another of his endeavors – his YouTube channel. And much like his ability to survive in the grueling world of trucking, Howard has found success with his channel, where most have failed.

Howard started his channel in May 2020 under the name “Big Belly Rebuilds”, focusing on motorcycle repairs and rebuilds. As the channel grew, so did the inclusion of Howard’s family in his videos.

The channel has changed its name on multiple occasions – growing and adapting as Howard’s life has changed. At one point, it was called “Big Belly Beaver” while Howard owned and operated a track loader.

Now, over five years and several name changes later, Howard’s channel is filled with videos that feature his life on the road aboard his 2002 Freightliner Classic he calls “Blueford”, as well as his life at home in Cerulean, Ky. Showing the highs and even the lows is something Howard believes has contributed to his ability to continue growing the channel.

“People tell us all the time that this channel is for real. There’s nothing fake about it,” Howard told Land Line. “The people in this channel are Christians, and they don’t make stuff up. It’s true, everyday life. It’s reality.”

The exception, not the rule

Building a following on YouTube – or on any platform for that matter – is no easy task. The need to constantly upload and engage can be demanding, leading many to abandon their channels altogether. Howard’s channel isn’t flashy, nor is it scripted, but it is consistent.

His channel doesn’t have one big viral hit. In fact, only a dozen of the 9,825 videos on his channel have over 10,000 views. Despite that, Howard consistently has between 1,000 and 4,000 views per video and has built a small but loyal following.

This past November, Howard’s channel – Big Belly and Son Trucking – reached a milestone, passing the 10,000 subscribers mark.

To put that into perspective, recent estimates put the number of YouTube channels at more than 115 million, vying for the attention of over 2.7 billion users in more than 100 countries. It’s easy to see how many can be lost in the noise.

In fact, 90% of all channels have fewer than 1,000 subscribers, and 97% have fewer than 10,000. That’s right. Howard’s channel has accomplished what only 3% of users achieve.

He’s done that without flash and without compromising who he is. Howard said his subscribers are invested in seeing the wins and losses of both his business and his family.

“I think that one of the reasons why we get our views is because people love us as a family,” Howard said. “Our family has been torn apart, and people are praying and watching to see us come back again.”

As for what content works well on the channel, he said there is one that is always a hit.

“Whenever I break down, that’s great content,” he said. “But guess what, I don’t want to break down!”

As of press time, his channel had nearly 14,500 subscribers, as Howard continues to find success where so many others have failed. LL