U.S. Xpress driver proves you don't have to be big to drive a big rig

Joachim Wangui, left, followed in the footsteps of Lorenzo Sampson, right, to become a driver at U.S. Xpress’ over-the-road segment, Variant. Variant program manager Khristyal Bradford, center, said, “They’ve been a pleasure to work with, and they really show that if you can see someone doing something you didn’t know was possible, it opens up a new world.”U.S. Xpress

His trucking videos have amassed millions of views and it’s easy to see why.

Though U.S. Xpress (CCJ Top 250, No. 19) driver Joachim Wangui doesn’t stand much higher than the headlights on his Freightliner Cascadia, the native African’s positive attitude and strong work ethic keep him rolling along from one stop to the next where he keeps his big rig in line and turns plenty of heads along the way.

A screenshot of a TikTok video showing U.S. Xpress driver Joachim Wangui cranking the landing gear on his trailer. The video has“They are surprised to see me coming out of the truck,” said Wangui who stands four-feet, two-inches tall. “When I come out of the truck and I look at their faces, I see a lot of question marks.”

Wangui takes it all in stride and is happy to chat with fellow drivers, have his picture taken alongside them, and show them his truck from Variant, an over-the-road branch of U.S. Xpress.

“Sometimes I open the driver's door, show them my extension pedals and the pillow on my seat and when I show them they're like, ‘I appreciate you showing me this because I was curious,’” Wangui said.