Mile Marker 53 – Trace Plaugher on Hauling, Building a Fleet, and Mack in Ohio

Beyond the Bulldog · May 7, 2026 · 44m

We sit down with Trace Plaugher, owner of Buckeye Floridian Materials in northwest Ohio, to talk about an unexpected career pivot and the real-world grind of building a small fleet in the vocational hauling space. Trace shares how he went from pursuing a future in medicine to hauling asphalt and aggregate, and why hands-on work, freedom, and long-term stability mattered more than spending decades climbing a traditional professional ladder.

Trace breaks down what his company does day to day, how he grew from one truck to multiple trucks, and the lessons that only show up once the bills…