“100 years of family owned, quality service: it’s not just a business, it’s a way of life. Generations have scratched and scraped for everything we have, it’s been a slow build.” said Brian Rude, CEO of Rude Transportation. Rude attributes part of the long-standing success of this business to his parents. He said, “My folks laid a really great foundation. We were debt free so we really could run with it. I tip my hat to my folks for doing such a great job.” He went on to state “Every generation takes this company to new levels; which is great, that's what we are supposed to do.”

       

    Brian Rude grew up as a small child in this business watching and learning from previous generations. He went to college from 1977 to 1978, worked as a driver for the company for 2 years, went back to SDSU from 1980 to 1984 and then returned to the company to work in the family business, where he has remained since.  “If you were a Rude, you had to learn it from the ground up. From working at the docks, to being a driver, becoming a salesman, moving up to a Terminal Manager, and then an Owner. It’s not like you just walked in and were a CEO. Thats how the best managers learn to do it; they have done it all and can do it all.” stated Rude.

            The company first began on January 3, 1924 when Freeman Rude and Harlan Thompson started Rude Thompson Trucklines, in Redfield, SD. This partnership lasted 10 years, until Harlan unfortunately succumbed to pneumonia, just a few days after helping a competitor in the harsh South Dakota winter snow. In 1937, Freeman purchased the remaining share of the business from Harlan’s widow.

            Freeman had more than doubled the size of the operation by 1945; however, his time had come to an end after suffering a heart attack, while doing what he loved, on the docks. Freeman's son, Arlen Rude took over the company at the young age of 19. This resulted in the change of the business being a sole proprietor to a partnership, with the addition of Arlen’s stepmother and half-brother.

            In 1965, Arlen bought out his stepmother's share after a tragic drowning accident resulted in the death of his half-brother. Rude Transportation incorporated in 1992, with Eunice & Arlen Rude as the majority stockholders and other stockholders being Regge, Nick, Brian, and Nancy Rude. The corporate office is located in Redfield, SD. Jolene Rude has worked at this site for approximately 40 years. Rude Transportation Co.  also has offices in Sioux Falls and Rapid City, SD; Omaha, NE; Eagan, MN; and Kansas City, KS. Sioux Falls is the operational hub of the corporation with virtually everything running through it. To service South Dakota, the state was divided into three geographical areas. Rapid City, Redfield, and Sioux Falls each handle freight within their area. Rude Transportation Co. also began overnight service between Kansas City and all major locations. Currently, overnight services are provided between all points, every day.

            Upon the passing of Eunice Rude in 2020, her 52% share of the company was distributed equally to her children Regge, Nick, Brian and Nancy Rude who already equally held the other 48% of the company shares. In 2021 Brian Rude became the CEO of the company. Brian has taken great pride in having his part in the family business.  Rude stated that his greatest accomplishment during his time has been, “just being a family business in this world and not a corporate business. We treat our employees and people how we would want to be treated. It's been a big part of our success. A lot of people stay with us for a long time.”  He plans to stick around for a few more years; however, he has been grooming his daughter Rachel to take over the Sioux Falls location and expects that his nephew Nathan Rude, son of Nick and Jolene Rude, will take over the Redfield location. “They will be the next generation to lead the company into whatever they can lead it into,” stated Rude.

            Rude Transportation Co. employs over 100 people, including truckers and office personnel. Since 1925, Rude Transportation Co. has grown to a fleet of 66 tractors and 140 trailers. They have two repair shops that service the truck fleet, one in Redfield and the other in Sioux Falls.

            Rude Transportation Co. can proudly state it is one of the oldest trucking companies in South Dakota and is one of the longest standing members of the South Dakota Trucking Association. “We have grown from small to a nice Regional carrier.  In 1981 the trucking companies got deregulated and it drastically changed the industry. We went from working with 52 different companies down to only 7 of those originals, though others have come in to replace them. Rude has proven to be resilient and still remains in business 43 years after the trucking industry was deregulated” stated Rude.

            When asked if there was any big celebration plans to mark the 100^th year, Rude stated, “Not one big thing. A few smaller things. We will incorporate Mt. Rushmore along with Rude Transportation and our 100-yrs of operation on some nicely decaled trailers that will run through out our system for the next few years. Nothing is more South Dakota than Mt. Rushmore and that is who we are.”