FMIC SPOTLIGHT - Truck Driver Spotlight

TRUCK DRIVER SPOTLIGHT

By Chris Hudson, Loss Control Representative

One of the best parts of my job at Forestry Mutual is traveling and meeting the truly incredible people who make up the logging industry and helping them stay safe.

It was my turn at Loss Control to pick two drivers to highlight in our 'Truck Driver Spotlight' series, John Anthony Miller, III, and Neal Satter ield. It was easy to pick these two drivers from Keja'eh Enterprises. As you can see below, grubby, muddy, and dirty are the roads we all must work on from time to time. The day I spent with Anthony and Neal, it had rained well the night before, so it was a little slick, and that Virginia red clay stuck to everything. John is known by his CB handle, “Rep.” I asked, how did you come by that handle of “Rep.?” John laughs and looks away and says “family and friends started calling me that when I became a preacher some years ago, and it just stuck, just like this red mud on my boots.”

TRUCK DRIVER SPOTLIGHT: JOHN ANTHONY MILLER, III

Speaking of sticking to things, John has been driving for his brothers’ company, H and M Logging, for over twenty- ive years before his brother sold the company and John’s truck to his son Kevin Hodges. John grins and laughs, saying, "he came with the purchase of the truck to his son." Keja’eh Enterprises has been the new company's name for the past eleven years.

John knew he came with the purchase of the truck to his son.

It all began for John in 1946. Born into a logging family that hauled their own wood. His childhood was spent irst watching and then working with his father. John says watching and spending time with his father, and older brother made him interested in driving, and he has been hauling wood for over 54 years. As John and I leaned and talked across the bed of my white pickup truck, I asked him to describe what a typical day for him would be. He said, “we’ll...I wake up around 4am and get my morning going. Which includes ixing that day's meals, breakfast, lunch, and a snack."

John adds, "Being a religious man, I read Scripture and pray each morning." God's place in John’s life is quietly apparent and a little inspirational.

Before John leaves in the morning at 6am, he ills up the wood heater to last all day. "There is no need to come home to a cold house if you can avoid it," John adds. Once that is done, John tells me that his work morning truly begins when he walks up to his truck in his driveway.

That’s when he does his pre-trip inspection, and once that is done, he fuels up for the day and heads off to the irst log deck of the day by 6:45am. Some days, John may make trips to Louisiana-Paci ic in Roxboro, North Carolina, or Hopkins Lumber in Stuart, Virginia, or Pine Products in Martinsville, Virginia. The list of delivery points that John goes to is over a dozen sites.

Having spent 54 years behind the wheel, John has had a chance to drive a wide variety of trucks. He says, "I started driving short pulpwood trucks that we loaded with a farm tractor and limbed with an ax." He adds, "I eventually worked my way through road tractors up to today's modern-day automatic trucks." John looks around and says, "truck driving has changed over the years...A lot!" He says, "When I started driving, we did not have heat, A/C, or automatic trucks." Glancing up to the sky, "Now I'm blessed to be driving a truck with all of the above." John paused and added, "I take it as it comes with a positive attitude, but the traf ic has increased so much over the years." He continues, "I tell other drivers, Stay alert! Train yourself to use the small spot mirrors before changing lanes". He adds, "this will allow them to check their blind spots before changing lanes." John says, "I give a lot of credit to my father, John Anthony Miller, Jr., in teaching me how to be safe when I drive."

Being outside is one thing John loves, "I love being outside seeing new places and meeting new people. I am a people person who loves to help people, spread the word of encouragement, and show my love for others."

I asked John how he de ines success? "That's simple," replies John, "knowing God and his word! My brother Kenneth Hodges has been a tremendous blessing to me and my success." John adds, "my wife Evelyn, our four children are an inspiration."

When John is not driving, you'll ind him at church, reading the word of God and cutting wood. As we walked to his truck, I asked, "what's something about you that not many people know?" John smiled, "well, I am going to keep that between me and the Lord." He stopped and added, "I only know my oldest daughter's birthday," we both laugh and glance down at our clay-covered boots stuck in that red Virginia wet clay. Going to be tough keeping the truck clean today.

TRUCK DRIVER SPOTLIGHT: NEAL SATTERFIELD

My other inspirational driver for our "'Truck Driver Spotlight' series is Neal Satterfield. It was the same morning that I met up with John Anthony that I was able to grab Neal for a few minutes while his truck was being loaded and ask him a few questions.

When I was a baby, my first word I spoke was truck.

"Popeye" is Neal's CB handle, and when I ask, "okay Neal, how did you get that handle? I don't see you eating spinach or your forearms that big." Neal laughs and says, "I don't like the name." He adds, “thirty years ago, I was sitting with some old friends eating crawdads. My friend looked at me and held a crawdad up and looking at the crawdad and then me and said, you look like a Popeye," I paused and looked hard at Neal and thought to myself, his eyes don't pop out like a crawdad. Neal continues, "then my other friends started laughing, and all just started calling me that. Now thirty years later, the name has stuck." He looks down at the red clay and says, "I don't mind it now."

Neal, like John, both work for Keja'eh Enterprises, and Neal has been driving for Kevin Hodges since 2018. Kevin told me earlier in the day that he has a good working relationship with Neal and John. He adds he has a good relationship with all his crews across North Carolina and Virginia. Kevin adds both John and Neal are very dependable and well organized.

I discovered that Neal has been driving for twenty-seven years and was born into a truck driver family. "It's in my blood." Neal says, "When I was a baby, my first word I spoke was truck." He adds, “speaking of trucks, I've started driving dump trucks that progressed to dump trucks pulling tag along trailers and low boys." Neal pauses and takes a drink of his Pepsi, "then, I moved up to road tractors. I've driven sleeper trucks and day cabs, both manual and automatic transmission."

Neal says, "driving has become more advanced over the past twenty years. We all started doing paper logs, and now electronic logbooks are being used." He adds, "There has been a significant increase in traffic on the roads and much longer lines at the mills."

When Neal talks about driving a truck, you can tell that this is indeed what he was born to do. He enjoys being home with his family, wife Lisa, and the stepchildren every night. I asked Neal what he likes about driving day after day? “I enjoy running my mouth on the CB Radio with the other drivers." We both laugh again. He adds "that it is a great feeling driving different roads and seeing all the views. I challenge myself with driving my manual transmission and changing every gear at just the right moment.”

What Neal does not like about driving a truck? Sitting in the long lines at the mills and fighting with the traffic on the road. Neal says, "Staying focus is what has helped him be successful in driving." He adds, "Always stay focused, pay attention, slow down and maintain a steady pace.” He puts his Pepsi bottle down and continues. "Being in a hurry will only increase your chances of having an accident."

For Neal, success in life is simple: have a good-paying job with a good work-family relationship, which creates a good family home life. You can find Neal hunting deer, rabbits, squirrels, and raccoons when he is not driving. Neal picks up his Pepsi bottle, takes a sip, and adds, "I am not a morning person! All the guys want to call and talk first thing in the morning, and I'm like, please give me thirty minutes to get going."

Speaking of getting going, we hear the loader hit his horn, his truck is loaded, and it's time to tie it down and get another load in for the day. ~FMIC

Neal Satterfield, Leaving the deck with another load.