Eastbound and Down

72 Hours in the life of a big rig driver Story and Photos By Jerry Klingerman

“Eastbound and down, rolling out and truckin’ ”

W

ith those legendary words, songwriter/actor Jerry Reed and Burt Reynolds turned truck drivers into heroic modern-day cowboys.

In 1977 Reynolds, Lewis and Sally Field combined to bring the world “Smokey and the Bandit,” a hilarious film about an outlaw truck driver and his partner, who try to make a pile of cash while evading Sherriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason).

Reynolds was riding high as the top box office draw at the time, and it was pure silver screen magic when he got behind the wheel of that iconic black Trans Am and drove blocker for Lewis, who was toting a load of bootleg Coors beer.

But one thing the movie’s producers could not have known at the time, was that they were capturing a slice of American life that up until then was unknown to most people: The truck driving/CB Radio culture. The film stands up quite well some 40+ years later, and I have little doubt that is was Smokey and the Bandit that has always made me wonder, “What’s it really like to drive the big rigs?

So, when I found out that an old high school buddy, Moreland-area resident Keith Chenevey, was not only my neighbor, but also an over-the-road (OTR) truck driver, I asked him if his employer would allow me to tag along for one of his cross-country jaunts. To my surprise, the answer was “yes.”

It took me a while (and some prodding from Chenevey) to clear a hole in my schedule, but late this summer I found myself packing a bag, and then parking my car at Cowen Truck Lines, Inc., in Perrysville to accompany Chenevey on a three-day round-trip run to Alabama and back.

30

Cowen is a 46-year-old family-owned business that specializes in closed trailer loads. That is, everything they haul is inside an enclosed 53-foot trailer. Even though they have an impressive 70+ rigs, by industry standards Cowen is considered a small trucking company. Chenevey has been a truck driver for 29 years, the last 20 with Cowen. A plaque in the lobby of Cowen Truck Lines attests that Chenevey has logged more than two million miles with Cowen. He estimates it will take another five years to hit the three-million-mile mark.

Newbie Prior to our departure, we had a brief information session/interview with Tim Cowen, the CEO, who shared with us some of his insights into the industry, and also assured me I was in good hands with Chenevey at the wheel.

When it was time to hit the road, Chenevey gave me two admonitions: “Stay out of my mirrors, and don’t talk to me when we’re in heavy traffic.” That seemed reasonable enough! A truck driver’s mirrors are incredibly important, giving him or her a window on the world to the side and rear. You might recall seeing the words, “If you can’t see my mirrors, I can’t see you” placed strategically on an 18-wheeler, and it’s true. And although Cowen equips its trucks with “spot mirrors” on the fenders and within the large side mirrors to increase visibility, “so there’s very few times that I actually can’t see someone,” it’s still one of Chenevey’s pet peeves when cars position themselves in his blind spot.

“It’s both aggravating and challenging,” he said.

The ride Not to complain too loudly about the state of our highways here in Ohio, but my first impressions from the passenger seat were not at all what I expected. As the accompanying photos show, Chenevey drives a clean, well-maintained late-model Ken-

worth. But the stretch between Columbus and Cincinnati on I-71 was...interesting. You could feel every bump on the road and I will admit that it took me a good three or four hours to get my “sea legs,” if you will. Once we got into an area with better-maintained highways, I was fine, but there definitely was an adjustment.

Time is Money In 2016 the federal government made a change to the trucking industry that has had a huge impact on drivers: A requirement that all commercial carriers equip their vehicles with “ELDs,” or Electronic Logging Devices, also known as “E-logs.”

The full implementation of ELDs became effective on Dec. 18, 2017. Any motor carrier that previously was required to keep paper logs now must use ELDs. Several manufacturers make these approved devices. Chenevey’s employer uses a system called PeopleNet, which the company describes as, “A fleet management software service that offers end-toend vehicle tracking with a focus on travel logging, navigation and routing, fleet performance monitoring, safety and compliance.”

The last word of that description, “compliance” is the key word. One of the key motivating factors behind the federal government’s implementation of E-logs was to try and eliminate accidents that occur due to driver fatigue. The PeopleNet system tracks and monitors a multitude of things but the three most important, where drivers and driver safety are concerned are: Driving time, On Duty Time and Cycle time.

By law, drivers who fall under the Elog requirements cannot spend more than 11 total hours driving, nor more than 14 hours of total on-duty time until they are required to take a 10-hour break.

After the 8th straight hour of driving, the system also requires drivers to take at least a 30-minute break. But 14 is the magic number: “Once your 14 hours is used up, you’re done. Then you have to have another 10 off,” Chenevey said.

I’m certain that drivers are just as concerned as anyone with the safety of them44691 | NOVEMB ER/DE CEMBE R 2 019

selves and the vehicles around them, but the challenge with the E-log system is this: It doesn’t care if you’re stuck in traffic, nor does it take into account when a driver gets delayed at his destination, which affects total On Duty time.

Case in point: When we reached our destination in Alabama, it took more than two hours to get unloaded, before we then got a new trailer hooked up for the backhaul to Ohio. (No driver or company wants to “deadhead” back home without a trailer, or with an empty trailer. So securing a “backhaul” load is just as important as the initial load.) I’m not sure why it took so long to get unloaded, and neither was Chenevey. He was a bit frustrated, but as someone whose been doing this for 29 years he also knows that, “It comes with the territory.” It’s not an uncommon occurrence, and a driver needs to mind his P’s and Q’s, because these are paying customers you’re dealing with.

But where the E-log is concerned, none of that matters. That time spent

delicate balancing act. Our last night on the road, for example, proved to be a challenge as Chenevey’s On Duty clock was literally running out. We trolled the lots of several large truck stops before finally finding the very last available space just as time was running out. If it wasn’t for Chenevey’s impressive ability to back his rig, and 53-foot trailer, around a corner and between two other rigs in a tight spot, we would have been in a real jam. >>> Continued on page 32

(Far Left) Over The Road truck driver Keith Chenevey has 29 years of total experience, and regularly drives cross country, mostly east of the Mississippi.

(Top) The cockpit of Chenevey’s Kenworth.

(Left) The Electronic Logging Device keeps track of many things, including mileage and miles driven, but most importantly how long the driver has been on duty and/or driving.

(Below) After along day on the road, Chenevey takes some time to catch up on the world via Social Media.

waiting comes with a price: it eats into the number of total hours of On Duty time that a driver can put in before having to take a mandatory 10-hour break.

Mandatory. When “Big Brother” says it’s time to shut down, you shut down.

Once a driver is moving, that’s it. In other words, it doesn’t matter if there is highly congested traffic that costs the driver two hours, or a delay at a delivery, the E-log is active, and counting time.

Shutting down for the night Many drivers try to keep similar schedules, so balancing On Duty Time with available spaces in truck stops is a

31

Meals on the road Most people probably have a picture in their mind’s eye about truck stops and “greasy spoon” restaurants, but by and large Chenevey is able to sidestep this stereotype.

Chenevey saves time, money and eats healthy on the road thanks to the devotion of his wife. Cheryl Chenevey is a retired librarian who for many years has taken the time to cook hot meals for her husband, label and freeze them.

So, rather than rolling into the truck stops and bellying up to the buffet, we ate our meals in the truck, thanks to the fact that Chenevey’s rig includes a refrigerator/freezer and a microwave oven.

While other drivers might have been taking As night begins to fall, truck drivers start jockeying for position in the large truck stops that their chances with daily specials, we were dot the interstates. Space is at a premium, though, as E-Logs keep drivers on a tight scheddining on slow-cooked barbecue ribs! ule, and most drivers prefer driving during daylight hours.

Having nice home-cooked meals waiting for him definitely sets Chenevey apart from This is why, as evening heads into night, you’ll see 18-wheela lot of drivers.

(And he is genuinely appreciative of his wife for ers parked one after the other in truck stops, rest areas and someproviding that luxury.)

Another area where Chenevey tries to be times just by the side of the road near highway exits: Driver are an atypical 18-wheel driver is getting exercise. While he’s logging trying their best to find a spot for the night and stay in complidown time, he often takes long walks to get exercise and avoid ance with the E-log rules. “Anything past 8 o’clock at night and some of the ailments that can affect truck drivers: Hypertension, you can’t get a parking spot,” Chenevey said. For safety and other obesity and sleep apnea, just to name a few. reasons Chenevey and the vast majority of drivers much prefer Chenevey is keenly aware of the fact that commercial truck the large truck stops to rest areas or simply parking alongside a drivers have a far lower life expectancy than people with “averhighway exit. age” occupations (61 years as opposed to 77 years). It also should Note: These are my impressions. I only spent three days in a be noted that in order to keep a Commercial Driver’s License rig, but it was a fascinating, eye-opening experience. And while it (CDL) active, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration might sound like I’m denigrating the E-log systems, I’m not. I requires that CDL holders maintain certain minimum health rehave no doubt they have saved countless lives already. But like a quirements. Categories include vision, hearing, cardiovascular, lot of well-intentioned efforts, there are unintended conseblood pressure, color perception and of course, drug testing, quences. Drivers, in cooperation with dispatchers, work hard to among others. A driver who loses his medical certification is baplan the best routes, and maximize their income, while making sically out of a job. the best guesses possible as to where they’ll be able to stop for mandatory breaks and off-duty time. Honestly, I knew nothing See the country? Yes. Experience it? Not so much... about this aspect of truck driving but it seems to this writer that While heading south to our final destination in Alabama (an the E-logs have completely changed the game. automotive parts/components manufacturer) we drove through Electronic devices also are incorporated into the driver’s world Chattanooga, TN, which I’d never been to, and which seemed a with respect to weight/inspection stations. As the driver appretty city. I was messaging back and forth with another friend proaches a station, his records and the company’s records are auwho drove truck for a long time and mentioned some of the tomatically retrieved at the station. This is an overly simple places we’d been. His response, was, “Yes, while you drove right summary, but generally speaking those with the cleanest records by.” That was a jarringly accurate description! Being a long-haul (driver and company) will more often than not be signaled, in truck driver might be a great way to see the country, but it strikes the cab at highway speed, that they can skip the weigh station. me that it’s not an opportunity to experience a lot of it. This is I also learned that most trucks are restricted or “governed” so work, not a vacation, and you don’t just stop and explore places they can’t exceed certain speeds. In Chenevey’s case, the vehicle’s that look interesting. I don’t know if that was possible before Espeed is restricted at 70 MPH. That sounds reasonable, but it logs, but it sure isn’t now. Time is money. also means you have to plan your moves in traffic carefully, and One interesting experience we did have was seeing an actual well in advance, such as cases when you might be attempting to full-size Saturn 1B rocket at a rest area/welcome center near pass another rig on a hill.

Huntsville, AL. Often called the “Rocket City,” Huntsville has a

32

rich heritage in the space industry, having been home to the fabled rocket scientist Werner Von Braun and other Germanborn members of his team. Huntsville is home to NASA’s Marshall Flight Center.

We arrived after dark, but the rocket was well-lit, and truly a sight to behold. But, honestly, that was it for sightseeing!

There are other considerations that come into play when you’re on the road.

Sleeping and showering come to mind first. Chenevey’s Kenworth was equipped with top and lower bunks, so even though I might have had visions of a hot shower at a Hampton Inn, the top bunk was my home. Actually, it was pretty comfortable. According to Chenevey he rarely stay in hotels or motels, perhaps only when he is unexpectedly delayed on the road for a day or two. But Chenevey’s home-away-from home is well-equipped, with TV and the aforementioned appliances, and most truck stops are modern, clean and well-designed these days.

One additional aspect of life on the road is that a driver might not know where he’s going to be three days or even 24 hours ahead of time. Things can change, based on delays and the availability of loads. In normal weeks, Chenevey awaits a call from a dispatcher on Monday morning, who will typically offer him a choice between several runs. Drivers with the most tenure can expect to have better options, but that’s not always the case, especially when your schedule gets thrown for a loop. Our unexpectedly long wait in Alabama actually ended up affecting Chenevey’s whole week. So, while he might have anticipated getting another nice haul to, say, Wisconsin to fill out his week, such was not the case, and he ended up taking a shorter run simply because of that single delay. Time is money.

Final impressions In some ways life as a truck driver is, in fact, like being a cowboy: It’s nomadic, a bit lonely and you never know where your next destination will be — or when you’ll see your loved ones. (There are even some drivers whose truck is, in fact, their home. Understandably, they tend to be 44691 | NOVEMB ER/DE CEMBE R 2 019

unmarried.) My honest impression is that over-the-road driving is not for the faint of heart.

First and foremost, you have to know how to drive that truck! You also better have some mechanical acumen (like farmers do) so you can solve some of your own issues. Both driving ability and the ability to diagnose and fix certain issues come with experience. Next, A healthy dose of patience also is prescribed. If you tend to suffer from road rage, I would suggest that life in an 18wheeler is not for you. Drivers also have to be able to think on their feet; selecting alternate routes based on any number of factors, and even something seemingly as simple as finding a place to park at night.

Is it the glamorous adventure portrayed by “The Bandit” and his sidekick? No. But I definitely came away from the experience with a heightened respect for the men and women who keep America moving.

Professional truck driving isn’t about sightseeing, it’s about putting as many miles on the odometer as possible. The lone exception to that, on my journey with OTR driver Keith Chenevey, was seeing an authentic Saturn 1B rocket at a welcome center in Alabama.

The piano-playing truck driver Enjoying home-cooked meals and taking long walks for his health while on the road aren’t the only things that set long-haul truck driver Keith Chenevey apart from some of his fellow road warriors: Chenevey also is a musician; he’s an accomplished pianist. In fact, he has been playing the piano and organ for more than 40 years. He has been a church musician for 30 years, and once was named an honorary member of the American Guild of Organists.

Just weeks ago, Chenevey spent his vacation in an Indiana recording studio putting the finishing touches on his second CD of Christmas music. (His first CD was recorded in 2017 and was sold only by word of mouth.)

Not one to be boastful about his talents, Chenevey is quick to point out that there is a great deal of talent among his colleagues, saying that there are singers, guitar players, etc. behind the wheel of those big rigs.

His latest CD, “Blessings beyond Bethlehem,” is due out any day. If you’d like to follow the release, search for “Keith Chenevey Music” on Facebook.

33