Meet Jay Van Spyker | Chauffeur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jay Van Spyker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jay, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
After 20 years of driving as an owner operator in the trucking industry it just seemed to be the easiest thing to transition.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Throughout my career I’ve had to reinvent myself several times. Looking back, the common thread wasn’t the jobs—it was learning, adapting, and refusing to quit.

I started as a fry cook before entering the construction trades as a Union Carpenter. After a career-ending injury, I returned to college to study architectural design and drafting. While I enjoyed the design process, I quickly realized I wasn’t meant to spend my life behind a drafting table. That experience taught me an important lesson: knowing what doesn’t fit is just as valuable as knowing what does.

While attending Phoenix College, I discovered an interest in computers and business information systems, which led to a position in telecommunications with Insight. I was part of the emergency response team preparing for Y2K. It was an exciting time that reinforced the importance of planning, preparation, and staying calm under pressure.

When that chapter ended, I decided to pursue something I’d been fascinated with since childhood. My father sold Mack trucks, and I grew up admiring the trucking industry. I earned my Commercial Driver License and went to work for Schneider before eventually purchasing my own Kenworth and becoming an owner-operator.

Later, I joined Swift Transportation, where I spent several years training new drivers. Teaching them wasn’t just about operating a truck—it was about helping them balance safety, professionalism, and life on the road while spending weeks away from home and loved ones. That experience strengthened my leadership and mentoring skills.

Life on the road is demanding, tough on mind and body. Sustaining another physical injury, I retired from trucking. I began driving for rideshare companies and it didn’t take long to realize there was an opportunity to provide a level of professionalism and personal service that many travelers were missing. That led me to found Copper Star Executive Transport.

Today, after more than eight years in business, I’m proud that Copper Star has survived the odds facing small businesses, weathered the COVID-19 pandemic, and continued to grow year after year. More important than the numbers, we’ve built a reputation for professionalism, reliability, and providing peace of mind through transportation.

If there’s one thing that sets me apart, it’s perseverance. Every major change in my career came from circumstances I didn’t plan, but each challenge became an opportunity to learn a new skill, build something better, and keep moving forward. I’ve learned that success isn’t about avoiding setbacks—it’s about adapting, maintaining your integrity, and refusing to give up.

If there’s one thing I’d want people to remember about me and my company, it’s this: people may forget the ride itself, but they remember how you made them feel. My goal has always been to provide peace of mind, earn trust, and leave every client with the confidence that they’re in capable hands.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would start with a steak dinner at the historic, Stockyards restaurant. Like its name it was the feed lot and sale barn in south Phoenix. Next would be a road trip along US60 through Eastern Arizona. Proceeding North with stops in Show Low, Pinetop, Greer and Chinle on the Navaho Reservation winding up at the Four Corners monument. The next day at sunup drive through Monument Valley to Cameron. The colors of the Painted Desert and Monument Valley at daybreak are stunning. Taking Indian route 64, west to Grand Canyon Village we’d stop at Little Colorado River Gorge overlook and the Tusayan Ruins. Leaving the Grand Canyon heading back to Phoenix We’d stop at Tlaquepaque (ta-loc-a-paw-key) a Mercado featuring some amazing artists. Then back to the valley.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many. Here’s the top 3:
First and foremost-God for always showing up in my life when I most needed him.
Next would have to be my adoptive family. My father, Edward, for my work ethic and teaching me how to drive. He died when I was 17. My mother, Louise, for teaching me everything else.
Steve and Bonnie Amelotte, personal friends. Steve was a father figure and my longtime mentor of 35 years. Thank you for showing me what unconditional LOVE is.

Website: https://www.copperstartransport.com

Other: Read the reviews from previous clients.

Image Credits
Top pic: OpenAi ChatGPT for the coat and hat. Bottom Row Left to Right: Chelsea Skinner, an amazing, artistic, model, photographer and friend who’s Canva skills are second to none and always brightens any place she visits. My wife, Jan Boardman whom I’ve known since we attended 2nd grade at Grandview Elementary School here in Phoenix. The next one here is me in my clan’s tartan. I recently discovered my Irish, Scottish heritage. I am a Kincaid and true to the motto on our crest “This I’ll Defend”. This was a bridal party in old town Scottsdale. I was the chauffeur. The Kincaid crest. What I do for a living now is airport transportation; taken at Scottsdale Airport. Last, but not least, what I used to drive. Taken in front of the Vermilion Cliffs on HWY 89a west of Marble Canyon, AZ