One of the states that come to mind when I think “out west” is Wyoming. It is home to national parks, wide-open spaces, snow-capped mountains, wildlife, beautiful landscapes, and livestock. Cody Davis (36) of Davis Trucking LLC out of Cokeville, WY, owner of the pictured green Kenworth W900L, has another name for Wyoming – home.
I’ve traveled I-80 through Wyoming several times and saw some beautiful mountain views at the southwest part of the state, but nothing prepared me for what I would see when I got to Cokeville, then up to Jackson, WY. The views of the Grand Tetons so close to me were nothing short of spectacular!
Growing up as one of five children to Tim and Sherie Davis in Cokeville, WY, Cody Davis eventually got into the trucking industry as the second generation in his family. It would be fair to assume that it would only be a matter of time before this young boy realized trucking was in his blood and for him to end up doing it. Maybe he knew all along, but at around ten years old is when Cody knew for sure trucking was for him. Even his classmates and teachers knew that he would follow in the footsteps of his father.
Cokeville was the type of area that instilled work ethic at a very young age to its residents. Most everyone worked on a ranch, and at some point, ended up playing some sort of sport in the area. The discipline learned helped to shape the sports players into turning out some of the best sports teams in the state. Cokeville is definitely a rural community, and Cody would go on to graduate with a class of 11 students, with him being only one of three boys out of those 11.
Tim, Cody’s father, definitely took Cody under his wing and began teaching him the ins and outs of driving early on, while inevitably showing him the ropes of hauling livestock, as well. Riding with Tim whenever he could gave Cody an appreciation of the hard work his father did to support his family and gave him a better understanding of what kept him away from home.
Some may think finding “the one” in high school is a fairytale or something from the past that doesn’t happen anymore, but that just isn’t true, because Cody did just that. In 2004, A young lady transferred to Cody’s high school in her junior year when Cody was a senior. There wasn’t a doubt that these two, Cody and Shannyn, would be a forever couple. When Cody graduated from high school, he hopped in the truck with his dad, and they ran as a team through the summer.
On November 1, 2005, Cody left on a mission trip to Peru for two years which would test not only Cody’s perseverance, but also the solidity of the love he left back in Wyoming. They say that love can stand the test of time, and it did, because Shannyn waited for Cody’s return in November of 2007. Two weeks after his return, the two were engaged and then married on January 10, 2008. Some say, “When you know, you know,” and that is how it was for these two.
Returning from Peru, Cody got right back into trucking again for his dad, but fuel prices were getting bad, so he and his father both switched gears and got into the oilfield industry. Starting out in Vernal, UT, then to Casper, WY, Cody eventually headed to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, working two weeks on and two weeks off. In 2011, still working in the oilfields, he was shipped to Saudi Arabia where he would spend the next three years working in one month on and one month off intervals. Cody and Shannyn welcomed their first child, a daughter named Kynleigh, in 2011 and their second child, a son named McKoy, in 2013. The last year Cody was in Saudi Arabia, Shannyn and the kids relocated there for a year, before the family returned stateside in 2014.
As one might expect, Cody hit the ground running, getting back into the trucking industry with the purchase of a truck and flatbed trailer as a package deal. But that only lasted for about three weeks, leading him back to being hooked to a cattle pot. In May of 2021, Cody ordered and spec’d out his first truck. The truck was completed in August of 2021 with Cody flying to Seattle, WA to pick it up at the factory and then driving straight to PDI in St. George, UT for some immediate upgrades.
The truck, pictured here, is a Viper Green 2022 Kenworth W900L. With a clean, classy look, the truck, which has a 295-inch wheelbase, is powered by a Cummins X15, an 18-speed transmission, and 3.25 rears. Getting a closer look, you’ll notice extras that help put this beauty all together including Panelite sleeper/cab panels, Trux headlights, 12 Ga. Customs visor and mirror brackets, I-29 Customs bumper with a 12 Ga. Customs lift kit, 7-inch Dynaflex stacks (which are part of a kit that includes the steps and stainless air intake), Nathan train horns, and I-29 Customs fenders and fender brackets. In addition, PDI custom built the deck plate with a hidden toolbox and front air ride.
Looking inside, you’ll find what is called the “Seattle Package” in black leather with green buttons by Two Bees in Seattle, WA. Extra paint work was completed by PDI, a Rockwood Products floor was installed, along with a sound system by HS Customs out of Logan, UT. Something else to note is the elk in the custom grill, made by SH Tube, as well as the one incorporated into the Kenworth hood emblem, on the front of the truck. Cody and his family grew up hunting elk, but they also see them as majestic animals. He and his family enjoy taking hikes, searching for elk, just to be able to watch them.
Some onlookers may think Cody doesn’t work the truck, and if they saw the truck recently, they might really believe it. A week before I arrived, he had his trailer fully polished, so he was dialed in for both the photo shoot and the SuperRigs show, where he was heading later that same week. Cody spent a lot of time getting the truck perfect. However, just because it looks amazing in these pictures, make no mistake, the truck earns its keep. Cody knows how to keep up on the exterior maintenance, and even peers in the livestock hauling industry will comment about Cody’s hard running and solid work ethic. The truck ran about 210,000 miles last year, and he is already at over 100,000 miles for this year.
The pictured trailer is a 2023 Merritt livestock trailer that was custom ordered in December 2021. Cody took delivery of it in July 2022, and it is considered a custom one-off as it is a 51-foot dual, dual lift (triple axle tandems have dual wheels and the rear axle is a single). The trailer is specifically designed to be California legal. Usually, most livestock trailers are 53-feet long. For those who don’t know, to be legal in California, length is measured from the kingpin to the rearmost axle on the ground, which has to measure 40 feet or less. Cody is legal in California if he runs with the rear lift axle in the air.
Looking at the back of the truck, you’ll notice the name “Mojito” and any Jeep owners may recall it as a factory color option. Cody and his son McKoy always wanted a Jeep in that color, but Shannyn was against the idea. So, they bought something bigger and more expensive in that color – but at least it earns its keep. McKoy is also partially color blind, but green is one of the colors he can see, so he picked the color.
Something you may not notice is the chains hanging underneath the frame of the truck. It is something to check out because they are automatic chains. Since Cody runs over Donner Pass regularly, these are much easier than wasting an hour trying to manually chain-up. All he has to do is flip a switch, the chains drop, and he can just keep on rolling.
A shoutout goes to those who were somehow involved in what the truck looks like today, including his wife Shannyn, who designed all the decals, Express Pressure Wash out of Nampa, ID for polishing and/or washing the truck and trailer, I-29 Customs out of Sioux City, IA, PDI in St. George, UT, and Agar Transportation for always keeping the truck loaded.
If you recognize this truck, it is for good reason. Not only for the fact that it is an eye-catching color, but that he started bringing the truck out for shows beginning at the 2021 Guilty By Association Truck Show (GBATS) in Joplin, MO (his first truck show). Since then, he has made appearances at plenty of shows including The Great Salt Lake Truck Show in Lehi, UT, our very own Truckin’ For Kids (taking home People’s Choice and Competitor’s Choice), and the Draggin’ and Pullin’ In The Pines Truck Show in Lufkin, TX last year. He also participated in the Raney’s Truck Parts Virtual Truck Show and earned $5,000 and became the main truck for Raney’s promotions this year.
I would say this year Cody has been checking off bucket list items by storm. He made his first appearance at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, going home with a third place in Working Truck Combo Lights and third place in Working Truck Interior. During MATS, he found out, as well as telling me, that Shell Rotella announced their 2023 SuperRigs show dates, which just happened to be in his home state in Gillette, WY. Wanting to earn a spot in their annual calendar, Cody knew this was another “bucket list” item he needed to go after.
Preparing for a truck show is always a big task. Cody always tries to get the truck in for a full detail, but he is usually working right up to the shows, so he ends up hand wiping everything down mostly by himself. If you have seen him parked before a show starts, you know the work he puts in to get the truck looking as amazing as it does. Meeting people at truck shows is Cody’s favorite thing about them, but he really gets a kick out of the kids who get excited over seeing not just his truck, but all the trucks that are present. He takes a lot of pride in his truck and maintains that effort every week by trying to get it washed two times per week and applying a coat of wax or spray wax after each wash.
While preparing for the photo shoot, there were a few little things that tried to put a wrench in my planning to get to Cokeville, WY. And those who know me, know how much of a planner I am. I saw Cody’s truck for the first time at the 2022 Great Salt Lake Truck Show, but that was not the first time I saw the truck (which Cody pointed out during a later conversation). I actually grabbed photos of his truck in 2021 at GBATS in their Special Olympics Convoy, but it didn’t click until Cody sent me a screenshot of the photo that came up in the “memories” on my Diesel Addict Photos Facebook page. I missed the opportunity to talk to Cody in Utah last year but was happy to see him roll into TFK in September last year (2022), as I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to speak to him this time.
While at TFK in 2022, we finally set plans in motion to work on when I could come out to Wyoming to photograph his truck. What started out as a photo shoot the days following the ATHS show in Reno, NV, changed when SuperRigs announced their event dates. This was that little wrench in my plans I previously mentioned. I had a photography project in Utah planned right before shooting Cody’s truck, but with Cody wanting to go to SuperRigs and try to get into their calendar, I would definitely not be the reason he missed that – especially since they were actually holding the show in Wyoming. I moved some dates around and we made it all work by photographing the truck mainly near the Grand Tetons with ample time for Cody to make it to Gillette, WY on Wednesday, June 7th.
Doing really well at SuperRigs, Cody and his KW took home first place in Combo, Best Chrome, Best Lights, People’s Choice, and earned a spot on the 2024 Shell Rotella calendar like he wanted. Another bucket list item is getting his truck featured on the sought after CAT Scale Collector Cards, which will start showing up in CAT Scales near you very soon! To round things out, Cody is our July 2023 cover trucker, so welcome to the family! Cody said, “This has been an awesome year, for sure, and we are only halfway through it!”
Today, Cody and Shannyn own three trucks, which includes Cody’s green KW, a gray and purple 2023 Kenworth W900 called “Huckleberry” and driven by Skyler Crump, and a black and yellow 2023 Kenworth W900 called “Bumblebee” that is driven by Carl “Kiko” Oldham. Mostly you will see smaller fleets running someone else’s trailer, which is no different for Cody, with the exception of his trailer, that he owns. His other two trucks pull Agar Transportation livestock trailers, and all three trucks are dispatched by Agar. His dad still trucks today and, after getting out of the oilfield business, he bought a truck and cattle pot and Cody hooked him up with Agar, as well.
Speaking about the importance of aligning yourself with an outfit that you work well with, Cody talked about Paul Radloff, the owner of Agar Transportation, and the solid fit between the two of their companies, because they are a lot alike. Paul has a great work ethic and provides a work environment that cares about each driver as a person. There is a mutual understanding between Cody and Paul, in how each of them operates, proving they work the same. Cody said, “It ends up being not just a company you work for, but another friend.”
Some may think hauling livestock is easy, and some may not have a thought about it at all, because they don’t have a clue about how these operations run. Cody told me that his biggest thing is having a love for the animals because, in essence, they are his babies when they are on his trailer, he is their caretaker. Another important aspect of livestock hauling is to have respect for the animals and give them the space they need to ensure the safety of both the transporter and the animals. The coolest hauls Cody has made were delivering livestock to boats on the east or west coast, and to airports like Los Angeles and Chicago, for overseas transport by plane.
Thank you from Cody to his wife Shannyn, the glue that holds everything together. He doesn’t just throw it around like some, but Shannyn is his best friend and claims she is the rock in the family, and he is just along for the ride. To his father for not only teaching him how to drive but for his willingness to help. Whether at home or out on the road – he is just a phone call away. As a whole, his parents and Shannyn’s parents, Mike and June, extended appreciation goes to them for their continued love, help, and support. And last but definitely not least, to their drivers, some of the best guys they could ask for. Within their company they hold a high value on family always coming first to make sure important events aren’t missed and quality time is had at home.
Special thanks to Cody and Shannyn for not only scouting for locations ahead of time (Shannyn did amazing), but for the awesome dinner upon arrival at their home, the awesome hospitality, showing me more beauty in the state of Wyoming, and the great communication. Most of all, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to photograph your truck and tell your story. There is something about being “out west” that always keeps me wanting to return, which includes the amazing mountain landscapes, the livestock, and the trucks that haul them. As always, to all the drivers out there doing the deal, truck safe.
