These stories can also be heard on Sunday mornings around 10 am on WILD 102’s “Look Back in Time” program. Each week’s radio story will be posted here on our website.
Weekly radio stories are researched, compiled, and read by Sheila Winstead, RCHS Board Member.
April 20, 2025
In December of 1997, Roseau Electric Cooperative’s publication, Volts & Views, ran a story about the Byfuglien family
Trucking Company. I’ll share that story today.
In 1934, Byfuglien Trucking Company got its start when Knute Byfuglien bought his first truck, an International straight
body. Byfuglien had farmed his entire life in Ross Township. His father, Eric, had immigrated to North Dakota from
Norway and later settled in Roseau County.
Knute and his wife Gunda, had two sons, Kenny and Bob, and a daughter Vivian. Kenny and Bob ran the business
together from the farm until 1976. With Bob taking over the farm, Kenny moved the business to its present location, five
miles west of town. Dana, Kenny’s son, runs the business today after Kenny’s retirement last November.
With the International, Knute began to haul grain for farmers to the Roseau elevator and cattle to Fargo. “On one of his
trips to Fargo,” says Kenny, “Knute had tipped the truck over at Marcoux Corner carrying a load of sheep.” At the ripe
age of 15, Kenny hauled his first load of cattle to Fargo. “Of course, Clyde Turner, my brother-in-law, rode along with me
since he had the licenses,” says Kenny. “Actually, Clyde did most of the driving.”
After World War II, Knute was able to buy a Ford and a Chevrolet truck. “That Chevrolet had a three-speed
transmission,” says Kenny. “The oil capacity was so small that you had to be careful the transmission didn’t overheat.
Once, I had to stop in Red Lake Falls to replace the transmission bearings.”
The majority of their business came from hauling grain and livestock. They would haul grain to Duluth and sunflowers
and flax to Redwing, Minnesota. During the winter, Kenny hauled pulpwood from Minnesota Hill to the railroad station
at Fox. “It required a lot of physical strength,” says Kenny. “You had to unload the cargo by hand into a gondola.” Kenny
also hauled pulpwood seven years at the Northwest Angle from Richard Holmgren, who had a contract to haul for Boise
Cascade. Dana also hauled two years for his uncle, Ray O’Donnell, who had a 26-year contract with Boise Cascade.
In 1953, Kenny bought his first gravel truck. They hauled gravel for townships and a few local farmers. Then, with the
purchase of two Chevrolet trucks, the business expanded to moving freight for local businesses such as the Marvins.
“At this time, we had three trucks,” says Kenny. “We would always buy used trucks that were at least two years old.” By
1971, they bought their first diesel, an International, for $21,500 with the licenses. “Back then,” says Kenny, “the trucks
were so cheap that you could just write a check.”
“We just went to Indianapolis last week and bought two new 1998 International Eagles for $190,000 with the licenses,”
says Dana. “The new trucks have everything in them but the kitchen sink.”
The late 1970s brought hard times for the Byfugliens.“With the high price for fuel and the low price for wheat, the
business was tough,” says Kenny. “It was pretty touch and go. We had to get by with the vehicles that we had at the
time. The trucks would be fixed and their engines rebuilt constantly.”
In 1990, they got their big break. Polaris contacted them to haul some of their freight.
“We have designated runs to Polaris plants in Osceola, Wisconsin, Spirit Lake, Iowa, Vermilion, South Dakota, and
Minneapolis,” says Dana. “Also, the last three to four years, we have done their docking.” By having Polaris as a client,
Byfuglien Trucking Company increased in size. Today, there are 22 people on the payroll. The company went from three
trucks in 1990 to 15 trucks in 1997. They still haul livestock and hay for farmers.
“Times have changed,” says Kenny. “Today, we haul more cattle in one load than Knute did in a month back in the old
days. Ten years ago, we would take 11 loads of cattle a week to Fargo, St. Paul, or Sisseton, South Dakota. Now, we
average about one load a week. A lot of farmers have their own trailers to haul their livestock.”
While the old trucks average three miles to a gallon, the new trucks get seven miles to the gallon. This is due to the
new aerodynamic designs. Even with the more efficient trucks, the cost for fuel has increased substantially. In 1970, a
round trip from Roseau to the Cities would cost them $50 in fuel. Today, the same trip costs $200. Most of the trucks
put an average of 100,000 miles or better a year with the exception of the Osceola run. Since those trucks go around
the clock, they average about 200,000 miles a year.
“We don’t have our own mechanic,” says Dana. “In the shop, we do the basic maintenance jobs such as changing brakes.
For heavy repairs or overhauls, we turn it over to Roseau Diesel or CB Repair who do an excellent job.”
The original shop was in the barn that burned down in January of 1990. “I had plugged in the ’82 Freightliner which had
an oil pan heater before the Roseau-Grand Rapids game,” says Dana. “I was at the arena watching the game when I
learned of the fire. When I reached Kenny’s place, the shed had burned to the ground. The oil pan from the ’82 had
started the fire. We build the present shop in 1991.
With Kenny’s retirement, Dana mainly oversees the day-to-day operation and leaves the driving to his brothers Dean
and Don, his sons Jamie and Jon, and other drivers. “A trucking business survives on its drivers,” says Dana. “A poor
driver will bust you. Although the turnover rate for drivers is high, we are fortunate to have good drivers that stay a
while. Unlike other companies, most of our drivers are home on the weekends.”
Kris Ann, Dana’s sister, does the bookkeeping for the company.
When asked what contributed to their success, Kenny believes that you need people to believe in you. “For example, we
have Larry Rislov at Citizens State Bank who is willing to work with us,” says Kenny. “Also, Roseau Electric Cooperative
helped with their good service, providing loans for us to buy electrical appliances.”
“I never thought of getting rich,” says Kenny. “Rather, the business provided a good way of living. The trucks helped
Crystal (his wife) and I feed our nine children and pay the bills. With my retirement, I spend time watching my grandsons
play hockey. I missed watching my own sons play hockey because of work.”
“With 50 years of experience, I’ve hauled everything but post holes,” boasts Kenny.
“Well, I’ve hauled everything but sailboat fuel,” Dana adds.
That’s the end of the story in Volts & Views, but it ended 28 years ago. Byfuglien Trucking is still going strong but a lot
has changed in the intervening years. Hopefully, we can get an updated story to share sometime soon.
Thank you to 
for letting us share our county’s history with your listeners by donating air time, studio time, and production staff every week.