Built by drivers, for drivers
Midwest Trucking Wash started as a one-bay shop with a single, stubborn idea: hard-working trucks deserve an honest wash.
Ray Whitaker spent 22 years behind the wheel of a Peterbilt before he ever owned a pressure washer. He hauled everything from grain out of Iowa to reefer loads down to Dallas, and along the way he lost count of how many washes he paid for that missed the wheels, skipped the chrome, or nicked his decals with a stiff brush.
In 2009 he emptied his savings, leased a single bay off I-70 in Kansas City, and put a hand-painted sign out front: Midwest Trucking Wash — washes done right, by people who've been in your seat.
The first year was slow. The second year Ray's daughter Kate joined and rebuilt the booking system on a legal pad and a whiteboard. By year four we'd added a second bay and our first fleet contract. Word traveled the way it always does in trucking — from one driver to the next, at truck stops and dispatch desks and CB channels along I-70 and I-80.
Today we run four locations across the Midwest and wash more than 500 fleet trucks a week. We're still family-owned, still hand-wash only, and Ray still shows up most mornings to walk the bays before the crews clock in.
What hasn't changed: every wash is done by a person, not a robot. Every price is posted on the wall. Every customer gets an inspection report, whether it's a fleet manager or an owner-operator on his first haul. That's the whole idea. That's why we're here.
How we got here
- 2009
One bay, one pressure washer
Ray Whitaker opens the doors of a single-bay wash off I-70 in Kansas City after 22 years driving long-haul. He was tired of paying for washes that skipped the wheels and never touched the chrome.
- 2013
The second bay — and the first fleet contract
Prairie Freight signs on for weekly washes. We add a second bay to keep up, and hire our first full-time crew.
- 2017
Expanded to Omaha
A second location opens along I-80. Same standards, same honest pricing, same family-run feel.
- 2021
Online reservations go live
Drivers stopped playing phone tag. Fleets started scheduling recurring slots weeks ahead. Wait times dropped 60%.
- 2026
Serving 500+ fleets
Four locations across Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa. Still family-owned. Still doing every wash by hand.
The values behind every wash
Built by drivers
Our founder drove 1.5 million miles before starting the business. Every process is designed around the way drivers actually work.
Honest work
Transparent pricing, no surprise upsells, and a wash inspection with every service so you catch issues early.
Care for the equipment
Hand wash only. No harsh brushes on paint or decals. We treat your rig like ours.
Rooted in the Midwest
Four locations, all owner-operated. When you call, you're talking to someone who knows your fleet by name.