Veteran trucker launches GoFundMe to buy first truck for LTO Logistics

Todd Odham, a Kingsport, Tennessee trucker and veteran driver, has launched a GoFundMe to help finance LTO Logistics LLC’s first semi-truck and startup costs. The effort is aimed at creating local jobs, bringing on CDL drivers and building a freight business that can operate under its own authority.

Why it matters: - Todd Odham wants LTO Logistics LLC to become a local freight business that hires CDL drivers and creates steady paychecks in Tennessee. - The fundraising effort is meant to cover the startup costs needed to put a truck on the road and begin operating under the company’s own authority. - A successful launch could turn more than 20 years of driving experience into a small business built around safe freight service and local employment.

What happened: - Todd Odham launched a GoFundMe campaign for LTO Logistics LLC in Kingsport, Tennessee. - Odham earned his CDL-A in 2004 and has spent more than two decades in trucking. - Health challenges forced Odham off the road, leading him to shift from driving to building a trucking company. - The campaign asks donors to help buy or lease the company’s first semi-truck. - The fundraiser includes more information.

The details: - LTO Logistics LLC plans to buy or lease-to-own a Freightliner Cascadia 126 with APU as its first truck. - Donations will also cover insurance, permits and DOT compliance. - The campaign will fund branding, safety equipment and other startup operating costs. - Odham says donors will receive regular updates, photos and receipts showing how funds are used. - Donation examples include $25 for fuel, $75 for a partial paycheck, $250 for maintenance or safety repair and $1,000 toward truck financing or insurance. - LTO Logistics LLC says the business will hire professional CDL drivers, pay fairly and support long-term opportunity in Tennessee.

Between the lines: - The campaign is framed as more than a truck purchase; it is a bid to turn a personal setback into a community-focused employer. - The message emphasizes reliability, safety and respect for drivers, signaling a contrast with the churn many truckers face in the industry. - The pitch also ties the business to the local economy, with each truck run presented as work for drivers, vendors and small businesses.

What’s next: - The campaign is seeking donations, shares and introductions to brokers or shippers. - If funding comes in, LTO Logistics LLC can move toward launching operations and hiring its first drivers. - Odham is positioning the business to begin generating freight revenue once the truck and compliance requirements are in place.

The bottom line: - LTO Logistics LLC is asking the public to help fund a first truck so a veteran driver can build a freight company that creates jobs and serves local shippers.