RoadKing Family 2015

2015

SPECIAL ISSUE

TUNED IN

SINGERS BUILD DRIVER AUDIENCE

»»STEM

TO STONE WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA

»»RESTORING

DAD’S TRUCK DAUGHTER REBUILDS VINTAGE PETERBILT

»»DRIVERS HIT THE ROAD WITH

COMPANION

ANIMALS ‘Traveling America with Paws and Truckers TV’

est: 1956

Origin: SHANGHAI, CHINA

Origin: NASHVILLE, TN

Origin: SAN JOSE, CA

Origin: PERTH, AUSTRALIA

DELIVERING THE SIMPLE THINGS THAT MAKE LIFE BETTER. WERNER.COM | 888.577.4364

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Family

SPECIAL 2015 HOLIDAY ISSUE

Editorial & Advertising Offices RoadKing Magazine High Velocity Communications Inc. Suite D 1720 Dolphin Drive Waukesha, WI 53186-1489 262.544.6600 – Phone 262.544.9777 – Fax Managing Editor Warren Eulgen 262.544-6600 – Phone 414.688.8333 – Mobile Warren@HighVelocityCommunications.com Contributing Writers Barry Gantenbein John Rondy Others as Noted Art Directors Jason France Eric Valk Distribution Manager Jim Johnson Publisher Mark Sell 262.544.6600 – Phone 414.254.2910 – Mobile Mark@HighVelocityCommunications.com Advertising Sales Curtis Costin 847.721.2316 Curtis@HighVelocityCommunications.com

Welcome to RoadKing Family You’re witnessing several firsts for TravelCenters of America and our TA and Petro brands. RoadKing

Family magazine is a new concept and the first of what we expect will become a special annual issue of RoadKing, our bimonthly magazine distributed free at 254 TA-Petro full-service locations. This special seventh issue is being mailed—and it’s also free—to the homes of more than 150,000 UltraONE® Club

Tom O’Brien President & CEO

members who have earned 5,000 or more points.

If you’ve seen a regular issue of RoadKing magazine, you’ll also notice the content is quite different. RoadKing Family contains no truck talk.

No technical articles. No maintenance features. No nine-page Location & Amenities Guide. No featured TA or Petro location. Rather, you’ll find content that is specially selected and prepared to tell quite a different story… one that we think will inform and entertain you and your family.

The simple fact that trucks efficiently transport more than 80 percent of the products we rely upon in our daily lives speaks volumes about

Mark Sell 262.544.6600 Mark@HighVelocityCommunications.com

the importance of trucking to our country and our economy. Last year,

TA-Petro Customer Service 800.632.9240

excess of 421 billion miles to deliver the goods. That equates to 564

Cover photo by Tim O’Brien

more than 3.2 million CDL-qualified, professional drivers traveled in trips from Earth to Saturn. You should take great pride in knowing the driver in your life is a key contributor to the wellbeing of many others.

For the most part, you’ll notice two types of stories. Using words such as professional, respect, dedication, pride, mission and mentor, many stories talk about the importance of drivers to the industry. You’ll also see stories about drivers helping others inside and outside the industry… volunteering, assisting, caring and doing good deeds. Add some health and fitness topics and a few items just for kids, and you

Published by High Velocity Communications Inc. RoadKing Family is published annually in November as a special seventh issue in conjunction with the bimonthly RoadKing magazine published on behalf of TravelCenters of America LLC by High Velocity Communications Inc. Road King is a registered trademark used under license by TravelCenters of America LLC, and all rights are reserved by TravelCenters of America LLC. All content including articles, editorial material and comments, opinion and statement of fact appearing in this publication represent the views of the respective authors and are not necessarily those of the publisher or TravelCenters of America LLC, nor do they carry the endorsement of TravelCenters of America LLC or its officers. Information published in RoadKing Family is gathered from various sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

The publication of any advertisements is not to be construed as an endorsement of the products or services offered, unless it is specifically stated in the ad that there is such approval or endorsement. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the managing editor.

Letters, manuscripts, materials and photographs are welcomed, but the publisher cannot return unless sender provides a postage-paid, addressed, stamped envelope.

Submission of letters implies the right to edit and publish in whole or in part.

have the first annual issue of RoadKing Family. We hope you enjoy it and welcome your feedback as encouraged on page 17.

It is an honor for all of us to serve professional drivers every day. Thank you, drivers, for everything you do, and thank you, drivers’ families, for everything you do to support the heroes of the road. On behalf of the TA-Petro family, we wish all of you the best for this Holiday Season and a Happy, Healthy 2016.

©2015 TravelCenters of America LLC

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SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 3

When Michelle Mintling joined her husband Dennis on the road, she knew it would improve their relationship. What she didn’t expect was that it would also improve their business.

Working as an owner/operator team, they were now qualified to haul classified freight. Meaning more profitable loads and a better bottom line. To watch the video and learn more about the Mintling’s story visit youtube.com/mobildelvac

Š 2015 Exxon Mobil Corporation. Mobil and Mobil Delvac are trademarks or registered trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries.

To have and to haul

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CONTENTS Family

6

2015 SPECIAL ISSUE

GOOD JOB! Appreciating drivers

CITIZEN DRIVERS

16

TUNED IN

18

DRIVERS ON ROAD

24

DRIVEN TO HELP

28

STEM TO STONE

32

RESTORING DAD’S TRUCK

36

TWO FOR THE ROAD

44

TROPHY LIFE

48

ENERGY UNLEASHED

B:11.25” T:10.5” S:10”

10

Pride in the profession

8

Singers build driver audience

With animal companions

10

Five industry organizations

Wreaths across America

Daughter tackles ‘71 Pete 359

36

Couples hit the road together

»»

Shared interest in show trucks

32

Driver and pup health kick

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COVER CAPTION Kenn and Beth Zelten and Rachel participate in TV pilot. Story on page 18.

SPECIAL FEATURES 7, 15, 30, 43 JUST FOR KIDS

8

TRUCKING MOVES AMERICA FORWARD

14

CHEF TOM’S TURKEY TIPS

22

39

TRUCKERS HELP PEERS

LEARNING CURVES

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SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 5

»»Good Job!

Appreciating what truck drivers do

LINDLEY’S PHOTOGRAPHY, MATT ODOM

Inside the industry and out, plenty of people do understand that truckers are dedicated professionals who make an impact on how we all live every day.

Hear from a few of the many out there.

he also felt genuine compassion and concern from everyone around him.

Mike Jones, safety director for C&A, says that since they are a small company—about 35 trucks—it is important to them to have close relationships with their drivers.

“We know everyone by name. There are no truck numbers.

We have tried to stay away from electronics as much as we can, and communicate with our drivers by cellphone every morning to make sure everyone is OK and where they need to be.”

The Macon, Georgia-based company started as a two-truck carrier for a local business, and owner Aubrey Mitchusson has been a driver, dispatcher, safety director, maintenance supervisor and more. His wife and co-owner, Carolyn, says that as the company grew, she became mother to each family member who joined them. When the Mitchussons retire, their daughter, Audrey Callaway, will step in to oversee operations.

“We have a family atmosphere, and our drivers know that there is always somebody here they can talk to,” says Jones. “We also applaud our drivers for the jobs they do, recognizing them for good roadside inspections, safety records and logs. It’s just a pat on the back, but as I’ve told our dispatchers, saying ‘good job, man’ goes a long way.”

Jay Rodgers, driver

»»

HAVING SPENT TIME UNDER THE HOOD and behind the wheel, Jay Rodgers knows trucks. He also has a profound appreciation for the men and women who drive them, so he’s found a unique way to support drivers.

“I was a diesel mechanic for 35 years, and now I’m driving over the road,” Rodgers says.

“I still fix trucks over the phone for people by helping them troubleshoot and repair their trucks. I believe that what you put into life, friendships and your family, you will get back over and over again.”

Some of the C&A family: Mike Jones, safety; Nancy Reaper, accounting; Chelsea Wilson, dispatch; Audrey Callaway, CEO; Aubrey Mitchusson, owner; Micaela Callaway; Wayne Rodgers has read or heard many stories over Gunne, mechanic; Jillyn McCleskey, fleet manager; and Darrell Woodard, Jr. mechanic. the years about truckers who go out of their way to help others, often devoting much of their precious free time to charity work. He knows that the public image of truckers doesn’t often match what he sees all the time, but he won’t let that fact get to him.

DANNY FLEMINGS HAS BEEN AN EXEMPLARY DRIVER for “When I hear drivers complain about this industry, I tell decades, with more than 3 million accident-free miles. So he knows the terrain, he understands the business. And them that this job is what you make it,” he says. “I am proud he positively gushes when he talks about C&A Transportation. of what I do and who I am. I know my parents look down on me from heaven and are proud of the man they raised. I “They truly have an open-door policy with drivers. This st live my life day to day, and am thankful for the opportunity is my 31 year of trucking, and they are the last company I each day to affect a complete stranger’s life.” will drive for,” he says. “I wish I could have found them 30 So when Rodgers meets someone on the road in need of years ago.” assistance, or hears from another driver who needs some Flemings has been floored by the support he and his wife engine know-how, he is quick to respond. And always, he received when she was facing treatment for cancer. It was aims to leave a positive impression behind. more than getting the time that he needed to be with her;

C&A Transportation, trucking company

6 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

“There is a heart to this industry and more of us should be involved in the society that we live and work in,” he says. “I may be out for two to six weeks, but I know if my wife needed help while I was out the people I work for and with would be there. That’s what gives a driver peace of mind while he is out doing his job and trying to provide for his family.”

David Bruce »» Artist puts trucking on canvas.

David Bruce, artist MANY A TRUCKER TALKS ABOUT the romance and beauty of the open road. David Bruce, a private investigator and artist, saw that too and created a series of paintings that focus on highways and trucks. In the course of the project, he came to a new understanding of the truckers guiding these big rigs he found so fascinating.

“They are the tools of our commerce, pushing products all the time, and I think they are overlooked and underappreciated,” he says. “While shipping and aviation also have demands to deliver things for consumption, truckers are more intimately connected to that. I want to try to paint that story.”

As the child of two artists, Bruce grew up with painting. He would attend his mother’s classes on oils and watercolors and when the rest of the students would choose daffodils and ponds as their subject matter on a field trip, he would find an anvil that he wanted to commit to canvas.

“I like the beauty in metal,” he says.

As a private investigator, he does a lot of driving down highways, and the structures on the road caught his artist’s eye.

“When people are racing along the highway, destination-

FAMILY WORD SEARCH Per the example outlined in red, see how many of the 20 words listed below you can find, either across or up and down. Highlight or outline them. Here’s a hint.

All of these 20 words are used in stories somewhere in RoadKing Family. Once these 20 words are identified, then see how many of the 10 bonus words you can find.

✓ TRUCK EXAMPLE WORD: ❏ 20 WORDS FOUND IN ROADKING FAMILY: ❏ OBSTACLES ❏ ASSISTANCE ❏ PHARMACY ❏ BEAUTY ❏ POPULATION ❏ CAPSULES ❏ PRECIOUS ❏ DECISION ❏ PRESSURE ❏ ENERGY ❏ PROJECT ❏ FITNESS ❏ QUESTIONS ❏ HOBBIES ❏ SLEUTH ❏ LITERATURE ❏ SNACKS ❏ MAGAZINE ❏ TURNKEY ❏ MENTOR

R G Z E E Q H Z M A G A Z I N E X P S H

J F X I G P R E C I O U S W X K J W L O

minded, they overlook things that are there all the time,” he says. “Doing surveillance, with camera in hand, it was easy to see the things that would take shape for me in painting.”

He was struck by ice on a power line, blue police lights at night, tunnels and columns and bends in the road. Trucks naturally fit into that vision, and Bruce painted all sorts.

His highway and trucking series currently contains more than 20 large paintings, now on display in his gallery in Newport, Rhode Island.

“When I tell the story of the paintings to people, they start to understand a little bit. There’s a little more compassion. And I want to keep going to tell that story. I’d love to have somebody walk into a room with the paintings and say, ‘Yes! What a fascinating world this is.’” o

Z B A Q H P E Q F C J I N F P Q P R K B

T V S Y E H L S X U T C A B I N E T B B

R P S I J A F Z Q Q I Y C J M H I I G I

A M I C E R T C M U M M K F O P R I D E

V Y S Z B M K Q D E C I S I O N E A C S

E G T H Q A P L K S R Z C D S H S E F X

L K A B H C U X Z T R U C K E V P O L U

B E N U T Y I F I I U Q P S O P E L U Y

U I C P F T Y T U O J P P L E O C I H N

Q P V O E B U S I T Z A I C X L W E N S S W R E J P E U L E P U T U T E WD WQ

S G K J N S N Z M E E S R T P L C R E F

RoadKingFamily

I P X M E N T O R A A S O H H A D A N O

I C A S S J C S M F T U J K A T W T E K

V C A P S U L E S P H R E F N I K U R J

Y M I C R O P H O N E E C O T O Y R G I

E O E Y T O B C W U R L T U R N K E Y N

S T Y N T V N E L E V A T O R P V A R Q

SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 7

Bonus Words: CABINET, ELEPHANT, ELEVATOR, MICE, MICROPHONE, MOOSE, PRIDE, RESPECT, TRAVEL, WEATHER

A 24/7/365 Industry Take time to talk it up DON’T YOU WISH more people understood all that the trucking industry and drivers do to contribute to the nation’s economy and everyday quality of life?

For example, does everyone really know how fresh meat and produce magically arrive at food stores—daily, sometimes from thousands of miles away? Don’t you feel there’s a lack of respect for professional drivers and the huge support network involved in transporting more than 80 percent of the nation’s freight?

8 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

The Trucking Moves America Forward movement is prepared to help you tell the industry’s 24/7/365 story. “Two years ago, this initiative became a reality,” said Kevin Burch, ATA’s second vice chairman and president of Jet Express, a Dayton, Ohio-based carrier. “More than $1 million was donated in 2014 and again in 2015.

You and every truck driver with whom you share the road should be proud. Together, we can help educate the public, starting with your Kevin Burch family, relatives, friends, neighbors and daily contacts.

This industry needs to achieve the same

level of promotional success as the ‘Got Milk’ campaign.”

The mission of Trucking Moves America Forward is to establish a long-term, industry-wide movement that achieves three objectives: 1. Creates a positive image 2. Ensures policymakers and the public understand trucking’s importance 3. Builds the political and grassroots support necessary to strengthen and grow the industry.

Log onto www.TruckingMoves America.com, to learn more about the movement and consider donating to the cause. A custom rolling billboard wrap like the one shown above can be purchased for only $2,300. o Also visit and stay current through social media: www.facebook.com/TruckingFWD www.youtube.com/TruckingFWD www.twitter.com/TruckingFWD

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SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 9

»»

AT TA-PETRO, WE BELIEVE drivers deserve the utmost respect, care and comfort,

2014-2015

Citizen Drivers Exemplifying Pride» in the Profession

and a good pat on the back. That’s why we introduced the Citizen Driver Award in 2013 and presented the first awards at the 2014 Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville. The award recognizes drivers who earn public respect through good citizenship, safety, community involvement, health and wellness, and leadership.

Following are short capsules featuring the seven 2014 and five 2015 Citizen Driver award honorees. A panel of distinguished trucking professionals reviews the nominees and serves as judges. In March 2016, the third group of Citizen Driver honorees will be announced. In addition to other recognition, honorees have a TA or Petro location named for them. We look forward to meeting your nominees, and telling the stories of the professionals who drive our livelihoods—and our country.

Edited capsules about each of the Citizen Drivers who appeared in the May-June 2014 and 2015 issues of RoadKing magazine follow.

THIS IS WHAT HENRY ALBERT WISHES the general public knew about truck drivers: “After Hurricane Floyd, I volunteered to haul relief supplies to the disaster areas,” he recalls. “It was harder to volunteer a truck than finding a paying load. That’s

how many drivers showed up wanting to help.”

Albert says he was born to be a trucker. He drove all sorts of vehicles before landing in a big rig, and immediately took pride in that job. While visiting a transportation museum, he saw a timeline of truck driver wages, and noticed that at one point they made about $2,000 a year less than the average doctor.

“That timeline was next to a mannequin of a driver of the era, wearing a company uniform,” he recalls. “I remarked HENRY ALBERT (2014) about the wages to a friend with me, and he said, ‘Well, STATESVILLE, NC ALBERT TRANSPORT INC. you drivers don’t look like that anymore. Why don’t you try LOCATION: TA LAREDO, TX wearing a tie?’”

HENRY ALBERT TRAVEL CENTER Albert did just that, and was amazed at the difference it made. He was called sir. He received immediate respect. Just by looking a bit more professional, he made a positive first impression.

His approach to the job solidified that impression.

BECOMING A TRUCK DRIVER WAS NOT EASY FOR JIMMY ARDIS. Deciding to become one was.

“My mama said that when I was born, I dropped a steering wheel and a gear stick on the delivery room floor,” Ardis laughs. “It’s all I ever wanted to do.”

JIMMY ARDIS (2014)

SUMTER, SC CARGILL MEAT LOCATION: TA MANNING, SC JIMMY ARDIS TRAVEL CENTER

Having lost his left arm to cancer at age six, Ardis had to overcome many obstacles to become a driver. The biggest was driving a truck with one arm, which was actually illegal when he started out.

“Everybody told me that I would never make it because I had one arm,” he says.

“I needed a waiver, but if you didn’t have a waiver, you couldn’t get a job; and if you didn’t have a job, you couldn’t get a waiver!”

So Ardis did what he does best—he became the exception to the rule. He wrote Elizabeth Dole, then Secretary of Transportation, and told her his story. Three days later, she called him. Five days later, he had his waiver.

In 36 years on the road, he’s logged more than four million accident-free miles. He once pulled a fellow truck driver from a burning vehicle. He’s active in Trucker Buddy, a nonprofit that pairs students with trucker pen pals to help kids improve their reading, writing and geography skills.

10 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

WHEN IT COMES TO LOOKING YOUR BEST, feeling your best and doing your best, Rick Ash stands out.

He wears a button-down shirt and tie while driving (not to mention always having a clean truck), and is conscious of the truckers’ image on the road. He dropped 60 pounds five years ago through a combination of better diet and more exercise, a regimen he’s faithfully stuck to. And he shares what he’s learned, whether it’s behind the wheel or on the exercise floor, with fellow drivers, as well as friends and neighbors in his home community.

“I’m different than a lot of drivers, because I’m only out for six or seven days at a time,” Ash says. “And since I can come home more frequently, I’m able to do more volunteer work, as well as spend time on the programs and organizations that are of interest to me.”

Topping that list is the Trucking Solutions Group (TSG), which Ash helped co-found in 2008 and chairs. He calls the TSG members “the most dedicated, passionate

and professional people in trucking,” and notes that its Driver Health Council makes a real difference.

“We’ve started health awareness walks at major truck shows, and now are doing blood drives to help the local communities where the shows are held,” Ash says. “We’ve also added a bone marrow donor drive to our portfolio.”

RICK ASH (2015)

LAKEWOOD, CO» HVH TRANSPORTATION LOCATION: TA COMMERCE CITY, CO» RICK ASH TRAVEL CENTER

PRESENT GARY BUCHS WITH A PROBLEM, give him a minute, and he’ll find a way to handle it.

Gary began his career as a farmer, and succeeded to the point of having too many livestock to haul. So he bought a semi and taught himself how to drive it. Then he created a feed product for dairy cattle. When orders started pouring in, he made the deliveries himself.

“I’m a big believer in the value of good customer service, and that was an asset when I transitioned into commercial trucking,” he says. “I realized that often the driver making repeated deliveries receives more feedback about the product than anyone else. The driver becomes the face of the company.”

In the past 25 years, Gary has worked for three trucking companies, establishing himself as the “go-to” guy at each one. He’s always ready to pitch in, especially when it comes to safety. He regularly speaks to new drivers about their roles in keeping the roads safe, and serves as an example of someone who succeeds without bending the rules.

GARY BUCHS (2015) COLFAX, IL He brings that same safety message to others, spurred into action after two LANDSTAR students in his community died in car wrecks that could have been avoided.

LOCATION: TA BLOOMINGTON, IL» His talks to high school students about how to handle their cars around trucks GARY BUCHS TRAVEL CENTER are extremely popular.

THE FIRST TIME BOB AND LINDA CAFFEE TRIED TRUCKING, it just didn’t take. “We worked for a major carrier,” Bob recalls. “We liked being on the road and we liked trucking, but Linda didn’t want to pull a 53-foot trailer.”

“That first time we were hermits,” Linda says. “We stayed to ourselves, didn’t do anything except drive.” They headed back home and started a lawn care business, but the road still held appeal. Linda started researching ways to make it work, and hit on expediters. That’s what they have been doing for the past nine years, and they definitely don’t keep to themselves.

“Linda’s research got us more involved in trucking,” says Bob. “In our downtime, we were reading online forums and posting to forums ourselves.” The online conversations gave the couple a place in the trucking community to share ideas and experiences.

“Our involvement kept growing as we met other drivers and networked and shared experiences,” Linda says.

They were part of the original driver group that became the Trucking Solutions Group. They joined Trucker Buddy and are active in Women In Trucking and the St. Christopher Truckers Development Relief Fund (SCF).

“It’s just about saying yes,” Linda explains. “We just like to help people,” Bob says.

BOB & LINDA CAFFEE (2014)

SILEX, MO FEDEX CUSTOM CRITICAL LOCATION: PETRO NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV LINDA & BOB CAFFEE STOPPING CENTER RoadKingFamily

SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 11

AS A LITTLE BOY, Charley Endorf never dreamed of being a trucker. Then he took his first ride. “I lived in Daykin, Nebraska, a little town of about 150 people,” Endorf recalls. “In high school, a friend of mind would take cattle to Omaha on Sunday afternoons, and wanted to know if I would ride CHARLEY ENDORF (2014) along. For a kid in the 1960s, that ride to Omaha in a big FAIRBURY, NE truck, plus going to the truck stop and having chickenWERNER ENTERPRISES fried steak on the way home, it didn’t get much better.”

LOCATION: PETRO YORK, NE CHARLEY ENDORF STOPPING CENTER After a stint in the military, Endorf found himself back in a cab—and this time he was sharing the driving.

By 1976 he had his own truck, a new Kenworth that cost him about $41,000. His father cosigned the loan, and Charley is proud that he never missed a payment on that truck, or any that he’s owned. He eventually became a driver for Werner Enterprises, where he’s been ever since. As of 2013, he was still driving eight days a month, just to keep his hand in.

“By acting politely and driving decently, I’ve come a long way and have had a great career,” Endorf says.

TRAFFIC CONGESTION. Careless four-wheelers. The maze-like maneuvering some delivery spots demand. Robert Fernald sees those as minor distractions in a job filled with wonderful moments.

“The view from my office window changes every second,” he says. “Even if I travel the exact same road, it’s a new experience. The sun hits something differently; there are different animals in the fields; the traffic patterns change.”

Fernald followed his father and grandfather into trucking, and has shared their passion for 25 years. He shares his enthusiasm and knowledge with the public and up-and-coming truckers.

He’s a four-time winner in the Maine Truck Driving Championships and longtime member of the Maine Professional Drivers Association (MPDA).

ROBERT FERNALD (2015) Now with Walmart Transportation, he passes along that knowledge, helping newcomers WESTBROOK, ME get comfortable with the demands of the job and learn the company culture. He’s also WALMART TRANSPORTATION a Store Ambassador; acting as a liaison between the transportation department and LOCATION: TA WILLINGTON, CT individual stores to ensure a smooth working relationship.

ROBERT FERNALD TRAVEL CENTER He conducts No Zone classes for high school students across the state and speaks at commercial driver training schools that are part of the technical high school system. He considers it a great opportunity to speak with these future drivers about life on the road. He doesn’t sugarcoat the job’s challenges and demands, but explains why it’s worth dealing with them.

IT ALL STARTED ON HIS GRANDFATHER’S FARM. Jerry Fritts drove the manure spreader, and when the job was CORDOVA, TN done, he had to get the tractor into the barn.

AMERICAN OVERLAND FREIGHT “My granddad said, ‘You’re going to learn to back that LOCATION: PETRO WEST MEMPHIS, AR JERRY FRITTS, JR. STOPPING CENTER manure spreader into the barn, and you aren’t going to kill any of my cows,’” Fritts recalls with a laugh.

He learned to drive carefully, whether it was a tractor or a cattle truck, because he was protecting the family livelihood. In college, studying logistics, he got his first truck-driving job. The minute he had the chance to haul a load down I-80, he knew his classroom days were numbered. There was good money in trucking, and that’s where his heart was anyway.

More than 40 years later, his enthusiasm for trucking is matched only by his dedication to the American Red Cross. “The Red Cross saved my life,” he says. “In 2003, I was injured and in a wheelchair. I was told my driving days were done—even my walking days were done. I was deeply depressed. Then I started volunteering with the Red Cross.”

While sidelined, he developed his own physical rehabilitation program, losing more than 80 pounds, and getting more fit by the day. He returned to trucking with renewed fervor, coaching other drivers to succeed, while building his trucking business under his own DOT authority.

JERRY FRITTS (2014)

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LIKE MANY TRUCKERS, Shawn Hubbard became a driver because he wanted to visit new places, see new things. On one of his first trips, he did. “I saw snow for the first time when I was 28 years old!

Growing up in California, I had never seen snow,” Hubbard says.

Having worked in law enforcement as a jailer and a police officer for nine years, Hubbard brought professionalism, selflessness and determination to his trucking career. During his 14 years as a professional driver, he has never received a moving violation; he rescued a man from a burning car; and he earned an associate’s degree in Administration of Justice. He is currently working on his bachelor’s in transportation.

SHAWN HUBBARD (2014) VICTORVILLE, CA “When the public thinks of the term ‘truck driver’; they don’t associate the word RUAN TRANSPORTATION ‘educated’ with it, and that’s one of the things I would like to change,” says Hubbard.

LOCATION: PETRO ONTARIO, CA “There’s a preconceived notion about truck drivers that we’re rough and tough, SHAWN HUBBARD STOPPING CENTER

but there are a lot of really highly skilled, well educated people doing it.”

WHEN NORMAN KNIGHT SEES SOMEBODY WHO NEEDS HELP, he doesn’t think twice about whether to get involved. He steps right up to lend a hand. “I like being out there,” he says.

He’s there for drivers having trouble on the road. If a motorist needs gas, Knight gets gas. If he sees someone who has a flat tire, he helps change it. In return, those he helps are asked to do the same for someone else when the opportunity arises.

NORMAN KNIGHT (2014) The son of a bus driver, he naturally considered driving for a living.

WATKINS GLEN, NY During his Army service in Vietnam, he drove dump trucks, and did the T&D TRANSPORTATION LOCATION: TA COLUMBIA, NJ same once he got home before going over-the-road.

NORMAN KNIGHT TRAVEL CENTER At home, he’s involved with the American Legion; rides with the Patriot Guard, a motorcycle group that keeps watch over military funerals, and with Warriors Watch, a charity that helps families of fallen soldiers. A dedicated family man, he and his wife raised six children, then raised another generation, taking in their grandchildren when their son-in-law passed away.

He works tirelessly raising funds to fight cancer. “My wife and granddaughter are survivors. One of my wife’s brothers and two sisters died of cancer,” he says. “Fighting it is a cause that is very dear to my heart.”

SANDY LONG BELIEVES THAT BEING A TRUCK DRIVER MEANS being part of something bigger than yourself. “I was taught that truckers help truckers,” she says.

As a charter member of Women In Trucking, Sandy manages the organization’s 8,000-member Facebook group—posting articles, answering questions and monitoring discussions. She’s written everything from newspaper articles to blog posts to two books on road safety. And she’s always happy to give advice.

SANDY LONG (2015) At 19 years old, she jumped into the trucking world right after graduating from high MARCELINE, MO school. “I went on the road with the carnival, and when they asked if I could drive a WESTON TRANSPORTATION truck, I said, ‘heck yes I can!’ I’d only driven a tractor—but you can bet I figured it out.”

LOCATION: TA OAK GROVE, MO Ten years later, Sandy made the switch to over-the-road trucking. It was the hardest SANDY LONG TRAVEL CENTER thing she’d ever done. She was told she was too weak and too emotional to do the job.

She was bullied and discouraged nearly every day, she was told she should be home “raising babies and cooking supper.” But she never wavered.“I serve my country and my fellow citizens by being a truck driver.”

WHEN HIS FATHER WASN’T ABLE TO FULFILL A LIFELONG DREAM of becoming a truck driver, Micheal Sheeds decided to carry the torch on his behalf.

“I thought that I’d be out there for just a year,” he says.

He’s proud to say that he’s been at it for more than 25 years now, and he promotes the professionalism of drivers both inside and outside the industry. A trainer for Werner Enterprises since 1991, Sheeds has mentored more than 225 students and helped them become safe and responsible drivers.

“What I have tried to instill in them is to make good decisions, not just as far as their MICHEAL SHEEDS (2015) BANDERA, TX work ethic, but also avoiding temptations that are out here,” he says.

WERNER ENTERPRISES “The harder you work out here, the better it’s going to be.”

LOCATION: PETRO SAN ANTONIO, TX Sheeds and his wife, Donna, have four daughters of their own, all adopted from foster MICHEAL SHEEDS STOPPING CENTER care. “They’re the greatest joy of my life,” he says, and he has become an advocate for other children in the foster care system.

RoadKingFamily

SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 13

Chef Tom’s Turkey Tips DOES YOUR FAMILY ENJOY roasted turkey as part of your holiday meal tradition? If you do, TravelCenters of America Corporate Chef Thomas Wojnakowski has 10 turkey tips for you.

1. Pick a good bird. Figure between 1 and 1-½ pounds of whole turkey for each person. Consider your age groups; small children and seniors typically eat less than others.

2. Be sure to thaw your bird in the refrigerator a few days before, so it is completely thawed. An average-size frozen bird between 12 and 15 pounds takes approximately three days to thaw under refrigeration.

3. Plan your cooking time. About 20 minutes per pound of thawed turkey in a 350° oven.

4. To help moisten your turkey, brine it in a solution of water and salt.

5. Cook the bird on a rack or bed of vegetables, so it has better air circulation around it.

14 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

6. Do not cook the stuffing in the cavity of the bird. You’ll need to far overcook your turkey to get the stuffing done, resulting in dry, stringy meat.

7. Another tip to moisten and flavor your turkey is to rub the breasts with butter.

8. Use a meat thermometer to indicate when the bird is done; 165° in the thickest part of the meat is all you need.

9. After removing your bird from the oven, cover with foil.

10. Let it rest on the counter for 20 minutes, so the juices soak back into the meat before cutting it. Figure this extra time into your total cooking time, so your bird is ready to carve at mealtime.

Slice. Serve. Enjoy. Happy Holidays!

Tom Wojnakowski: A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America with 37 years in the restaurant business, Chef Tom oversees menu development for TA’s Country Pride and Petro’s Iron Skillet full-service restaurants.

WHO KNEW? Trivia for Kids of All Ages

The following questions are part of a travel trivia game available at most TA-Petro Travel Stores. The questions, drawn from three categories: United States, All About Kids and All About Adults, provide miles of smiles. You’ll also receive four valuable coupons that exceed the cost. Look for WHO KNEW? and everything you need to Refuel, Replenish and Refresh as you travel the Interstate.

Sample U.S. Questions 1.

The deepest gorge in the U.S. and the world is at Hells Canyon. What state is that in?

2. The Mustard Museum is located in what U.S. state?

3. What is the largest state in the U.S. by land area?

4. In what city is the Liberty Bell located?

5. Which state has had the most presidents born in it?

6. In what city is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame located?

7. Which state is home to the most telescopes in the world?

8. What is the name of the of the oldest current baseball stadium in the U.S.?

9. Kentucky has the largest system of underground what?

10. The only active U.S. diamond mine is located in what state?

11. What country gave the U.S. the Statue of Liberty as a gift?

12. Which state is the only one whose name has one syllable?

13. Texas boasts the largest heard of what?

14. Which state has the lowest population of all 50 states?

15. What state is the geographic center of North America?

Answers: 1. Idaho, 2. Wisconsin, 3. Alaska, 4. Philadelphia, 5. Virginia, 6. Cleveland, 7. Arizona, 8. Fenway Park, 9. Caves, 10. Arkansas, 11. France, 12. Maine, 13. Deer, 14. Wyoming, 15. North Dakota.

RoadKingFamily

SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 15

In »ToTuned » Truckers

»» Lindsay Lawler

Four singers focused on building driver audience»

BY HOLLIE DEESE

BEING A TRUCK DRIVER requires patience, sacrifice of personal time, and a sometimes very solitary existence on the road with only music for company.

Today, a new batch of singers is showing their appreciation for the job timerestricted truckers do by making music just for them, and getting it to them any way they can.

TONY JUSTICE Tony Justice, 44, started performing and writing music when he was 21. By the time he was 30, he had a family and a need for a steady job, so he followed in his truck-driving father’s footsteps.

Though he had no time to perform gigs, driving freed up his time to write lyrics and melodies in his head. “It’s not

Tony Justice

»»

16 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

easy, but when you have something in you that you love and are passionate about, you keep doing it no matter how busy you are,” he says.

Now Justice, who remembers how cool it was when his dad picked him up in his rig, wants drivers to be proud of what they do, and it shows in his music.

“I am here in the trenches every day still, doing what they do, dealing with the DOT and weather and everything that comes along with being a truck driver,” Justice says.

LINDSAY LAWLER Lindsay Lawler grew up singing country and gospel, but got the rock ’n’ roll bug in college. After a move to Los Angeles and some time performing on the Sunset Strip, she moved to Nashville and played the honky-tonk circuit.

But it wasn’t until she discovered the trucking world that she really found her calling, writing “Highway Angel” for the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) trucker recognition program.

“I started playing more and more truck shows and realized it was such a great, loyal and massive audience of people

who have time to listen to music,” she says. “Drivers keep thanking me for singing about things other than trucks. We hope to do songs that truckers identify with, but so does the general population.”

Her truckstop tour has put her faceto-face with the drivers, who then get on their CBs to let other truckers know where she’s stopping next.

“So many drivers don’t have the money or the time to go to a concert, so they thank me for bringing it to them,” she says. “We want to spread a positive image about trucking and give back to drivers who are on the road all the time.”

BRAD JAMES It all started with karaoke. Brad James loved going out with his wife, singing and having a good time. When he started trucking again after a few years off the road, there was no more karaoke—until he found an app that let him post videos of himself singing to his Facebook page.

“One thing led to another and they kind of became really, really popular,” he says.

Now he’s known as the Singing Truck Driver, with new fans discovering him

»» Brad James

moved back home to Ocoee, Florida, a year and a half ago and began writing. After getting a notebook of songs together, she met with Chris Kirkpatrick from ’N Sync, who recorded four of them with her. Next, she gave her demo to Chris Apostle, an ex-Sony exec. It worked.

“Now I am doing shows and it is really taking off,” she says.

Her first single, “Truckin’” shows Lucas’ respect for the driving profession, something learned from her bus driver father. He made sure she knew every item she bought was available because of truckers.

STORY IDEAS

WELCOME WELCOME Looking ahead to 2016, if you have a story lead that you feel would be appropriate for RoadKing Family or a regular bimonthly issue of RoadKing, please call, send an e-mail, or drop a note to: Warren Eulgen, Managing Editor 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central 262.544.6600 – Phone 414.688.8333 – Mobile Warren@HighVelocityCommunications.com

every day. His fellow truckers were among the first to respond with lots of likes for his song “Detention.”

“I am one of them,” he says. “They are me.

Right now, I have been sitting all day waiting for my load out here in Chicago.”

While the waiting is what prevents truckers from being able to get out to shows, it also gives James time to perfect his music. “They don’t have time to go to a concert and I don’t have time to go to karaoke either,” he says. “When I found a way I could do it out here in the truck, it was an outlet for me. It started out just as fun and has blossomed.”

HEATHER LUCAS After eight years of grinding out gigs in New York City, Heather Lucas, 28, was ready for something more. So she

»» Heather Lucas

“My whole life my dad instilled an appreciation for truckers—he taught me that my lifestyle is built because truckers do what they do,” she says.

“And truck drivers are so happy that somebody notices, because a lot of people don’t realize the impact they have on the world.” o

Story leads should feature or at least involve the professional or personal lives of truck drivers.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: • Community involvement • Volunteer activities • Coaching • Safety • Education and training • Acts of heroism • Adventure activities • Truck restorations • Hobby vehicles • Motorsports • Hobbies and collections • Musical talent • Personal accomplishments • Mentoring • Driver recruiting • Industry promotion • Innovative solutions • Trucking organizations • Truck shows • Tips and suggestions • Other topics of your chioice All we need is the basic contact information.

You don’t have to write anything. We’ll conduct the interview, obtain the photos, write the story, and provide a draft for your review and approval prior to publishing.

The goal is to engage more drivers in telling their stories to their peers. Your calls and inquires are welcome at any time. Thanks for helping us make RoadKing and RoadKing Family more informative and entertaining for you, the readers.

RoadKingFamily

SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 17

Drivers on Road

with Animal Companions

»»

‘Traveling America with Paws and Truckers TV’

IF YOU WERE GOING TO DEVELOP a new television reality show about truck drivers and their lives on the road with pets, wouldn’t you want the dogs, cats and more exotic companions—think birds, lizards and snakes—to be the stars of the show?

Well, they are in a new concept being developed by Paws & People TV. On a sunny October Friday, drivers and their pets from six companies gathered at the I-80 Morris, Illinois TA Travel Center in a room provided by host Kathie Romines, former owner of R-Place restaurant. The video cameras were rolling outside and inside when drivers spoke about their experiences with pets on board for Traveling America with Paws and Truckers TV. Company owners and managers also weighed in regarding pets’ positive impact on their drivers, recruiting and retention.

Five segments are planned for each 30-minute weekly show.

The Travel Center video will be used for a segment on companion animals. Other segments involve: • Special onboard amenities drivers are adding for their pets • Upgrades added at terminals to accomodate animals • A “Frozen in Time” historical view of American trucking • And a “Trucker of the 21st Century” look at developments on the horizon

People & Personalities The program host, Rich Renik, is a well-known veteran of Chicago broadcast media. Sandy Linzer and Charlie Calello— 18 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

If you or your company would like to learn more about sponsorship opportunities involving Traveling America with Paws and Truckers TV, please contact: Jim Minick, 773.569.4180» Jim@PawsandPeopleTV.com or Jerry Lawrence, 708.205.4175» Jerry55L@aol.com.

award-winning composers, arrangers and producers—are developing the show theme song and other original music. They are associated with more than two hundred million records sold worldwide for chart-topping recording artists including Glen Campbell, Neil Diamond, Whitney Houston, Engelbert Humperdinck, Juice Newton, Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand, and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

Other key personnel include show producer Mary Ann Minick, director of animation and designer Jorge Reina, director of social media and brand develpment Asha Spacek, director of sales and marketing Jerry Lawrence, and director of operations Jim Minick. An information-packed social media platform will supplement the TV programming with a wide variety of viewer-engagement content for those who share a passion for animals and would like to develop and/or strengthen their human-animal bonds.

Pets in the Cab on the Rise A recent driver survey conducted among TA-Petro’s UltraONE Club members indicated that 18 percent travel with a companion animal. That number has risen in recent years as more companies come to realize the benefits. Pets are also having a positive impact on driver recruiting and retention initiatives. By contrast, the American Veterinary Medical Association places household pet ownership at 56 percent, while the American Pet Products Association pegs that number at 65 percent.

With those kind of numbers, there appears to be substantial opportunities for even more drivers taking to the road with companion pets at their sides. o

Following is what the drivers / pet owners and the company owners / managers had to say about taking pets on the road.

»» Valerie & Johnny Huffman with Mojo & Freeway Kingsland, GA East-West Express » “The dogs know when their home on wheels is ready to roll.”

Karl Riedner & JD Houston, TX J.S. Helwig & Son, LLC » “While I enjoy driving » my truck, the days are even better with JD to keep me company.”

Grady Walker & Tango Bud Genung & John Overholt with Lil’ Jack Valdosta, GA Norton Shores, MI LTI Trucking • Logistic Services Green Transportation, Inc. » “Before taking an animal “By having a dog, we’ve been on the road, do some the beneficiaries of more research, find out what your walking and exercise on» responsibilities will be.” cross-country trips.”

Rob Newell Heath Mullennax Chicago, IL Terminal Terrell, TX Load Planner VP – Driver Support Services Hill Brothers J.S. Helwig & Son, LLC » » “Having a comprehensive pet “We find drivers with pets have a safe mindset, are more policy has helped attract more relaxed and stress free.” and better drivers.”

Michael Greer & Wilson Fountain, CO Hill Brothers » “Everybody loves Wilson except those that come around my truck uninvited.”

April Vahey with Bandit & Zora J Warrenton, MO LTI Trucking • Logistic Services » “Having my dogs along means everything to me...physically, emotionally and mentally.”

Beth & Kenn Zelten with Rachel Menominee, MI Landstar “A pet’s unconditional love is awesome, helps us relax and channels stress on the road.”

Terry Turner Villa Rica, GA Driver Center Manager East-West Express » “Our goal is to make drivers as comfortable as possible, as if they’re in their own homes.”

Mike Dargis Holland, MI CEO Green Transportation, Inc.

Gregg Nelson Rockford, IL Terminal VP, Operations Landstar

“We’re finding that pets help keep drivers happier and healthier.”

“Pets are a more accepted part of the industry, and travel centers are increasingly catering to their needs.”

RoadKingFamily

SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 19

STORY

A Driver

man: »» Family Jutte spends

A Mission in

Life

David Jutte • Fort Recovery, Ohio • Driving for 43 years

A career trucker brings» his tales of the road to » people in hospice

»»

MY DAD WAS the head of truck maintenance at United Parcel Service for most of Ohio, and I would go to work with him when I was a kid. At 16, I started to drive a straight truck there and then got work hauling chickens and turkeys locally. All the people I knew were truck people. My brothers drive, too. As soon as I turned 18, I was in a semi—hauling livestock and pulling reefers into Virginia.

At the time, I thought, “I’ll do this until I find something better to do.” I started making quite a bit of money at age 18. Some weeks I’d make as much as my dad. I never stopped driving.

When I turned 28 I bought my own truck. I hauled forklifts out of Ohio to California for about 30 years. I quit that job three years ago and came to Liquid Transport, hauling sulfuric acid to Texas.

My dad taught my brothers and me how to maintain and build trucks, so I actually build all of my own trucks. I’ll buy a wrecked truck and build it into a brand-new truck, put a million miles on it and then sell it and get another one. If something breaks, I can fix just about anything.

MY STORY

20 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

Both of my parents were very volunteer-oriented, always involved in a lot of things going on in the community, and that was an influence on me. A few years ago, I had three close family members use State of the Heart Hospice at the end of their lives. I watched what the people in the organization did, read the literature that they give out and realized how much hospice care helps you get ready for what will happen. They give a lot of support.

In my truck shop, I’d hear ads for State of the Heart Hospice on the radio and think that one of these days I would volunteer to work with them. Finally I picked up the phone and volunteered. When I’m home from the road, I’m available to help.

That can mean picking up and delivering medication, or I might be assigned to be a companion to a patient. Sometimes I will help with work around the house, like fixing a leaky faucet.

Other times I’ll just talk. I’ll tell them where I’ve gone, what I saw on the road, the weather, where I’m going next. I may bring something back for them. If I’m not home, I can call.

If I’m assigned to an older man in hospice, at first he may not understand why I’m coming around. But then he gets to know me, and I get to know him. The guys I visit always like to hear stories from the road. It’s a rewarding, pleasant feeling to be able to help. o

HEIDI DUHAMEL

time with his grandchildren.

RoadKingFamily

SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 21

Truckers

Helping Truckers

truckers have »»When questions, other truckers often have the best answers

BY TIMOTHY D. BRADY

EVEN THE MOST EXPERIENCED drivers can find themselves in situations that only another trucker will understand.

When help is needed, these organizations bring truckers together to share information. The goal is to make trucking safer, more profitable and more pleasant for everyone.

Ask a Veteran Driver was created to build the camaraderie among truckers and help rookies who have completed their time with trainers, yet have more questions and need somewhere to turn.

Questions are answered on their website and Facebook page. Most importantly, they encourage face-to-face contact.

Veteran truckers can register at the website and purchase a decal to display on their trucks. It lets others know that the driver inside is willing and able to answer trucking questions.

22 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

Women In Trucking encourages both male and female drivers to connect on their Facebook page. Those thinking about getting into trucking as a career, just-graduated student truckers and all levels of experienced truckers can come and ask questions, share experiences and gather information about life and work on the road.

new students entering training, drivers who have completed training and are at their six-month mark; then one-year mark and are ready to make more money, veteran drivers who want to round out their resumes and drivers just ready for a change ask about what’s out there for them.

Women In Trucking: Revenue: Knowing Rates and Lanes is a Facebook page for owner-operators, either leased to a carrier or with their own authority, who dispatch themselves and negotiate their own rates—true business owners. The site’s purpose is to help members increase their bottom lines by focusing on the overall picture, from negotiation to dispatch. Members include many successful owner-operators who have learned by trial and error the best ways to negotiate the top hauling rates.

What are the most common questions a trucker seeking help asks your group?

Ask a Veteran Driver: By far, they want to know about jobs.

Newcomers just thinking about trucking,

In the winter, drivers ask about chaining and road conditions. There are road reports from around the country from other drivers. Other common questions involve electronic logs, HOS rules and the mandatory 30-minute break. Solo drivers have constant issues with trying to manage their time. How to scale a load is another popular question. New drivers ask what they need to have on the truck: clothing, tools, gloves, bedding and so on.

Revenue: Knowing Rates and Lanes: What’s the secret to getting great rates? Of course, there is no secret, no formula, and no magic. Finding the best rates takes knowledge, skill and hard work. Our page provides the skill and knowledge and hopefully inspires them to do the necessary hard work.

What has been the most interesting question any trucker seeking help has asked?

Women In Trucking: A few months ago, a trainee was left in a truck parked in a vacant parking area with no facilities while her trainer went home. Her cell signal was also very sketchy and without a key to the truck, she couldn’t take care of basic needs like charging a phone or having A/C. The overwhelming responses from our members immediately made the company aware of the situation, and the trainee was rescued and put in a hotel while they resolved issues with the trainer. In years past, without social media or a page like ours, that trainee would not have had an outpouring of support and help from her fellow truckers. No one would have known she was there and alone.

have the answer. A driver can take a picture of their Cat Scale ticket, put it on our Facebook page. They may need to answer a few questions, but they will get their answer.

Women In Trucking:

How do I build relationships with my customers? That’s a fantastic question because forming relationships ensures long-term success. When people ask those types of questions, they have big aspirations and long-term goals.

The most helpful answers are always to questions truckers are most passionate about. If a student trucker posts about an injustice done to them, group members are quick with support, advice and help.

The most practical answers include tips on backing; it seems most trainees are never given enough instruction or practice on how to best back a tractortrailer.

Ask a Veteran Driver:

Revenue: Knowing Rates and Lanes:

We’re still figuring out the answer to this one: Which states and on which roads and interstates can a trucker run overweight with permits with a multiaxle 53' dry van? For example, Nebraska does not allow overweight loads on Interstates.

To remember that you and the broker both have the same goal—to move a load—and you should work together to reach that goal. It’s extremely valuable advice. The brokers aren’t the enemy, but a partner in business. Negotiating to reach a common goal tends to achieve better results than beating each other up to get the best price. It also goes a long way toward relationship building and future success!

Revenue: Knowing Rates and Lanes:

What was the most helpful answer a trucker gave another trucker?

Ask a Veteran Driver: Our number one question from drivers is about whether their weight is legal in any given state and our members give them help immediately on our Facebook page.

If they are asking, it usually means they need that help right away because the clock is ticking. The laws are complicated and a lot of times their dispatchers won’t

Where would you like to see improvements in truckers helping their fellow truckers?

Ask a Veteran Driver: Bringing back courtesy and helping one another. Given the gravity of our jobs (truck driving is rated the eighth most deadly job in the country) and the size

of our tractor-trailers, we must work together in so many situations every day: backing, merging, fuel islands and mountain driving. Why not take that extra minute when you see someone struggling and lend a hand? Share your expertise; make a friend that day.

You just might bring it back, one act of kindness at a time.

Revenue: Knowing Rates and Lanes: We have to be business owners first; always professional and courteous.

Share helpful advice when you can, but don’t be afraid to ask questions when you don’t know all of the answers. The most helpful thing truckers can do to truly improve the whole industry is put an end to the “lunch counter” advice, those tales about how things “really are” that often have a negative connotation about the industry.

Women In Trucking: The schools can only do so much.

Companies themselves need to step up on the training. If they’re going to hire students, then they should train them correctly. How can a person who has been out on the road for only six months to a year train someone else?

Even people who have been out here many years still run into tough situations.

Instead of getting on the CB and making fun of a driver or posting pictures or videos of them on Facebook, we’d like to see the person on the radio or snapping photos get out and offer assistance.

We cannot change the public’s view of us until we stand up and start helping one another. o RoadKingFamily

SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 23

»»Driven to Help Industry focused organizations

IT’S WELL KNOWN THAT TRUCKERS VOLUNTEER their time and/or give of their treasure for a wide variety of industry organizations. Following are capsules that provide basic information about the mission, purpose and goals of five recognized leaders in their respective categories.

Starting in the March-April 2016 issue, real-life stories about the men and women who have benefitted from involvement with these organizations will be featured in RoadKing magazine, distributed free at TA-Petro travel centers. Ask your spouse or significant other to pick up a copy of each issue and bring it home, so you can learn more about industry volunteerism and lending a helping hand.

You can also learn more now by checking out their websites and following on social media.

St. Christopher Fund

Trucker Buddy International

Truckers Against Trafficking

Launched in 2008, the St. Christopher Truckers Development and Relief Fund (SCF) helps semi-truck drivers and their families who encounter financial hardships due to medical problems. Assistance may be in the form of direct payment for medical services or prescription drugs, assistance with expenses while being out of work recovering from illness, and more.

Drivers frequently lack access to health care on the road because they work irregular hours, spend long durations away from home, and are unable to easily access a clinic, pharmacy or hospital. Minor illnesses can quickly become severe, leading to hospitalization, disability and CDL loss.

Started in 1992, Trucker Buddy International is dedicated to helping educate and mentor students via a penpal relationship between professional truck drivers and children in grades K-8. Trucker Buddy matches classes of students with professional truck drivers.

Every week drivers share news about their travels with their respective classes.

Once a month, students write letters to their drivers. Students’ skills in reading, writing, geography, mathematics, social studies, and history are enhanced, and the learning process is more fun.

Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) exists to educate, equip, empower and mobilize members of the trucking and travel plaza industry to combat domestic sex trafficking.

By marshalling industry resources, TAT partners with law enforcement to facilitate the investigation of human trafficking.

A TAT training DVD, wallet cards and other materials are a regular part of trucking industry orientation and training. When you suspect human trafficking is taking place, you can call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 888.373.7888.

Learn more at TruckerBuddy.org

Learn more at TruckersAgainstTrafficking.org

Learn more at TruckersFund.org

Truckstop Ministries, Inc.

Women In Trucking

Truckstop Ministries, Inc. (TMI) seeks to partner with local churches in identifying and equipping those called to this ministry, according to His purpose. At chapel facilities located in 29 states, TMI ministers to professional drivers, their families and the trucking industry in general by providing a spiritual refuge.

Corporate and individual supporters share Truckstop Ministries’ vision to reach all drivers. Through a long-term commitment to this mission, TMI is known as a ministry that provides guidance, services and facilities to truckers seeking the word of God.

Women In Trucking’s (WIT) mission is to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments, and minimize obstacles to advancement.

Women and men who design, own, sell, service, maintain, and/ or drive trucks are represented. Opportunities for women have never been better.

WIT is focused on bringing more women into leadership roles, creating a more diverse environment, and tapping into unrealized potential. Although the trucking industry has made great strides accommodating women, obstacles still exist that might cause some to avoid this career opportunity, and others to leave.

Learn more at TruckstopMinistries.org

Learn more at WomenInTrucking.org

™

24 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

a tasty gift

That will knock their socks off!

fREE $5 BONUs CaRD Purchase $25 or more in TA or Petro Dining Cards and receive a FREE $5 Bonus Card.* *Offer expires December 31, 2015 or while supplies last. At participating locations.

See bonus card for details. One bonus card per $25 purchased in dining cards.

stop by a ta or Petro full-service restaurant to get yours.

GLIDER KITS REDEFINED

Bill Downy (Left), Nick Bresaw (Center), Tommy Fitzgerald Jr (Right).

F

itzgerald Glider Kits set out as a family owned/operated company almost 30 years ago to change the Glider Kit market. Long before the Glider Kit business took off, the Fitzgerald family had a trucking company and a service shop of their own that would eventually lead them to where they are today. “We built our first glider kit over 25 years ago. Over time, the industry has developed a real need for more trucks with less complex engines. Some years later, we decided to shift our focus solely on glider kits”, said Tommy Fitzgerald Jr. Today the company is still very much a family business, he added “We really enjoy what we do and are passionate about our work. Everyone here is not just our family. We all work hard for the same goal, and at the end of the day its something we can all be proud of. I believe that this has more to do with our success than anything else.”

Every engine is accompanied by the choice of a 10, 13, or 18 speed Eaton Fuller Factory Reman Transmission.

“When it comes to purchasing a glider kit, we offer more options then anyone else. We have three different engine combinations, and multiple warranty options to go with them. Because of our buying power, we have more trucks on the ground then anyone else in the glider market”, said Tommy Fitzgerald Jr. Even being the leaders in the industry, they still occasionally get asked the very basic question, “What is a Glider Kit”? Luckily, the answer to that question is incredibly simple. A Glider Kit is a brand new truck from the manufacturer without an engine and transmission. All interior, rear ends, and braking systems are pre-installed before they receive the unit.

Today, they are the largest Glider Kit assembler in North America. By Fitzgerald Glider Kits has mastered the process of taking the providing customers with a wide range of popular brands like ‘Glider Kit’ and installing the components to work seamlessly with the new truck. The end result is a brand new glider, Peterbilt, Freightliner, Kenworth, and Western Star, they have single handedly changed the industry’s view of Glider Kits over with an engine and transmission that has been completely the past 10 years. In addition to offering the different brands, rebuilt from the ground up. Couple that with a Nationwide they also have a limited number of special edition trucks like Warranty, and you can see why they are leading the market place for glider kits. the Peterbilt Pride and Class 389 and the Kenworth Icon 900.

Fitzgerald Glider Kits offers customers the option to purchase a brand new 2016 tractor, in any configuration offered by the manufacturer. Next comes the option of several pre emission engines to choose from. The Detroit 12.7 liter 60 series motor has been their flagship engine for a long time running. Along with the optional 5-year/500k mile warranty, the dependability and serviceability of this engine make it very appealing to people looking for Gliders. Just like the different models of trucks, some people desire different engine options. That’s why Fitzgerald Glider Kits also offers customers a factory reman Cummins N14 and a reman CAT C15 from Thompson CAT. 26 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

For many fleets and owner operators, a Glider Kit offers them a different option to consider when looking to purchase a new truck. Because of the older model engines, you have more options when it comes to servicing the unit. Built with parts that are easily accessed across the nation, and generally have a much lower upfront price, the total cost of ownership and operation is considerably less then a brand new truck.

How does Fitzgerald Glider Kits stand behind their product?

Today, they are the only company to offer a full Nationwide Warranty, which allows their trucks to be serviced at independent

Byrdstown, TN shops as well as dealerships. Thus, giving their customers more options for service in case of a problem on the road. “We have been working very hard to build a larger Preferred Service Center Network for our customers. These service centers have agreements, which are held to a higher standard of service for our customers. We are continuing to build this network on a daily basis”, said Bill Downey, who heads the warranty department at Fitzgerald Glider Kits.

Over the past year, Fitzgerald Glider Kits has really expanded their operation. They’ve opened up a brand new plant close to their primary facility in Byrdstown, TN. In the past few years, due to high demand, the average wait time to get a truck was around 6 weeks. Because of the increased production capabilities, they’ve managed to cut that time down by almost half. “Approaching the fourth quarter this year, we wanted to make sure we had trucks available for customers looking for year end expenditures. We currently have over 100 trucks built right now, and available for immediate delivery. It’s been a very exciting year for Fitzgerald Glider Kits. I’m very pleased with how we have been able to grow and most importantly, improve the quality of not only our Glider Kits but also our customer service across the board”, said Nick Bresaw, VP of Operations.

Looking forward, Fitzgerald Glider Kits is projecting more aggressive growth in 2016. Currently, they are averaging 80-90 completed trucks a week. The projected growth will be possible by splitting the workload between facilities. All Freightliner and Western Star Gliders are now being assembled in their new Jamestown facility, while the Peterbilt and Kenworth Gliders are still being assembled in Byrdstown. In total, Fitzgerald Glider Kits employs around 350 people at the two plants and Crossville, where they install the large majority of accessories, as well as a full service center.

Jamestown, TN

Crossville, TN

For more information, visit www.fitzgeraldgliderkits.com or call: 888.841.0968

RoadKingFamily

SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 27

»»

A Wreaths Across America truck arrives in Arlington.

Stem to Stone The Wreaths Across America journey

BY TIM GHIANNI

»» Wreaths are unloaded for placement.

28 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

»»

JERAY SIMMS WEPT TEARS of joy, celebration and farewell as she solemnly placed a dog tag on the branch of a balsam tree.

She thought about the World War II corporal—a veteran of the European campaign, a loving family man—she honored with this simple act.

“He really was the best father a girl could have,” Simms says of Leonard “Jake” Collins, who died May 2, 2013, and whose ashes are divided between an Arlington National Cemetery columbarium and an Ohio Cemetery plot next to the remains of Peggy, his wife of almost 60 years.

Eight months earlier she had placed a wreath—made from trees in these same Maine woods—at her dad’s Arlington resting place as part of Wreaths Across America’s (WAA) annual tribute to our country’s fallen soldiers and military veterans.

Simms, a business manager for a fitness club, became a dedicated volunteer for the group when her dad was still alive.

Now, at WAA founder Morrill Worcester’s fragrant 5,500-acre Maine balsam farm, she was choosing a tree to be her dad’s tree. Like all the trees on the farm, these will be tipped—the ends trimmed every third year to make wreaths.

“I felt like I was representing him and our country to put the tag on there in remembrance of him,” Simms says. “That tree is ours now, in my father’s memory.”

Honor is on display at each gravesite.

A gift that grew Worcester organized his first wreath-laying trip to Arlington back in 1992. It was a heartfelt solution to a business dilemma.

“I had too many wreaths that year,” he recalls. “I didn’t want to waste them. They were nice and fresh, and I got to

»»

thinking about Arlington because there are thousands and thousands of veterans buried there.”

That year’s surplus 5,000 wreaths were hauled to Arlington by volunteer truckers, planting the seeds for the nonprofit Wreaths Across America.

In the last 22 years, the WAA convoy has involved hundreds of trucker volunteers, who haul loads of wreaths from Harrington, Maine, near WorcesJeray Simms places dog tags ter Wreath Company’s Columbia Falls that mark her father’s tree in headquarters, to Arlington and other the Maine balsam farm. military cemeteries nationwide. It has continued to grow, fueled by the patriotism of the drivers.

“It makes me feel proud that I’m able to do it in honor of my son and in honor of the people who are lying there. You just can’t forget them,” says Walmart driver Wesley Bushnell, who transports westbound wreaths across Arkansas to the federal cemetery in Fayetteville.

One wreath, though, is put aside for Bushnell to haul to a family cemetery in Louisiana, where his son, Sgt. William Bushnell, was buried in 2007, his short life ended by a rocketpropelled grenade in Iraq.

“I thought it would be a really good way to honor the fallen A replica dog tag for Simms’ father was from all wars,” says Bushnell of his annual WAA contribution. placed on a tree, in honor of his memory.

“If you can’t honor the fallen, you sure can’t honor the living.”

»»

Proud to serve Simms first saw the WAA convoy clattering over the Potomac six years ago, and felt instantly entranced.

“I knew I wanted to get involved with the program,” she says, recalling her reaction as she watched those 18-wheelers crossing the bridge toward Arlington, a 10-minute drive from the Annandale, Virginia, home Simms shares with her son, Jeremy, 20, and Champ, their Sheltie.

Her dad lived with them, moving from Ohio after his wife passed away to enjoy his final years with his baby girl. He was proud of his service and would make regular treks to the World War II Memorial, a monument to his peers.

“We had such good times,” says Simms, tears and smiles texturing her voice. “I am so lucky to have been able to spend that time with him. He was with us for the five years after my mom died.”

Simms started out as part of a logistics team for WAA, helping feed and transport volunteer wreath-layers bound for Arlington.

It didn’t take long for her to leave the logistics to others, though.

“Once I set foot in the cemetery, I knew it was going to be a part of my life for the rest of my life,” says Simms. “I started to get involved with the specifics of the wreath-laying at Arlington Cemetery. By the third year, I was on the planning committee.

The more I got involved, the more I wanted to be involved.”

A visit to the source Last summer, Simms’ passion for WAA led her to Maine to meet Worcester and tour the nonprofit’s operation.

“I wanted to see where it started. I wanted to see Mr. Worcester clip a tree and make a wreath. I wanted to hear about the convoy, I wanted to hear stories about the people they touch and the Gold Star mothers they honor.”

A few years ago, Worcester and WAA began offering families an opportunity to pay tribute year-round to their loved ones who served. They provide replica dog tags of the fallen, to be hung on individual trees in one section of the balsam farm that supplies both his business and its nonprofit offshoot.

The tree then becomes the family’s forever place, a pastoral locale for quiet reflection, patriotic celebration and the swapping of tales from days gone by.

“The tagging is open to any family that’s lost a loved one in the military, whether in combat or due to old age,” says Worcester.

“They all did their parts. It’s no charge at all to anybody. We just love it when a family chooses a tree.”

The families get two dog tags, one for the tree and one to take home, plus a piece of red, white and blue ribbon to tie to a branch, signifying that the tree is taken.

Worcester says that while the tagging is restricted to one 20-acre locale now, there is plenty of room to expand if needed, since there are well over one million trees on the property.

RoadKingFamily

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SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 29

When Simms arrived, she was led to the selected section of woods where some 400 balsam trees already hold dog tags memorializing veterans. She was handed her dad’s replica dog tag and chose a tree.

That means one day, when Simms goes to lay WAA wreaths at Arlington, the greenery could be from her dad’s tree—Jake Collins’ tree.

Honored place

»»

Simms has high hopes for this year’s wreath-laying day at Arlington, which takes place on Dec. 13.

“Our goal is to lay a wreath at every grave,” she says. “That’s approximately 240,000 graves. Last year, we had wreaths enough for 143,000.”

The first graves tended to are in Section 60, the hallowed ground of those fallen during the War on Terror that followed the September 11 attacks on the U.S. Up until this year, there have not been enough donations to fund wreaths for every Arlington grave, so various sections had to be skipped on a rotating basis. Not this year.

“I know we are going to get to our goal of every grave this year.,” Simms says. “We don’t want any soldier to be left out anymore or their moms and dads saying ‘Why didn’t my son or daughter get a wreath this year?’”

WAA volunteer drivers put wreaths on their trucks.

All of the wreaths, on all of the graves, have the same powerful effect on Simms each time she sees them. But last year, the WAA ritual seared her heart, as she placed a wreath at her father’s resting place.

“After Mom passed away, we realized Dad could be buried at Arlington,” she recalls. “He said ‘I think that would be really cool.’” o

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA, VISIT WREATHSACROSSAMERICA.COM.

SPOT the LICENSE

PLATES Take this issue of RoadKIng Family along on your next family trip. It’s easy for everyone to play. With this page or a copy in hand, check off the states that you spot along the way. Finding all 50 states and the District of Columbia is the goal. If you’re lucky, you might even spot some of the prominent Canadian provinces. Listing the different colors you see can add another interesting element to your search. For older kids learning U.S. and Canadian geography, you can play the map version, which estimates the distance and direction from your home state to the states and provinces you identify.

30 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

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Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana

❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah

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Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

Alberta British Columbia Labrador Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland Nova Scotia Ontario Quebec Saskatchewan Yukon

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RoadKingFamily

SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 31

»»Dad’s Wonderful Truck

SETH LOWE

For 28 years, Duane Furry’s beloved 1971 Pete 359 stayed parked on his farm in need of major repair. » Then his daughter decided to do something about that.

32 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

THIS TRUCK WAS REALLY SOMETHING BACK IN 1986—a jawdropping showpiece, even though it was a daily working truck for owner-operator Duane Furry. The pinstriping, the chrome and the lights made everyone take a second look. And in that second look, the details were astounding.

“At the time I started working on it, the truck was paid for, so I was going to get taxed a lot for owning my semi. Or, I could reinvest in the truck for my tax depreciation,” Duane says. “There simply wasn’t a new truck out there that I liked better than my ’71 Pete. So every year I would do something to it, just dumping money back into it to get that tax deduction.”

The grille had a one-of-a-kind, hand-engraved design. The corner caps and fenders had cutouts of stars and the names of Duane’s children. Inside, everything was beautifully crafted— furnishings Duane built from scratch with wood that he engraved, burned and shellacked. His wife spent hours sewing seat covers, door panels and the head liner, which was trimmed in mirrors.

It had a lot of years and a lot of miles on it, but “The Magician” was so immaculate and so unique that when Illinois resident Duane entered a few California truck beauty shows, it snatched first place again and again, much to the dismay of local entrants who had hired top-tier customizers to design their show trucks.

He was the only out-of-state truck in the California competitions, driving in from Chicago to compete. Those wins were good, but he was ready to bring The Magician in for a big truck beauty competition in Las Vegas, right after he dropped a load of strawberries. A lot of people were rooting for this guy who came out of nowhere, and his remarkable truck. But he never got there.

Two days before the Las Vegas show in 1986, Furry was driving down an unlit mountain road. It was dark. A drunk driver, with the intention of harming herself, was driving the other way with her headlights turned off. She came straight at him. He swerved to avoid her. The truck hit the mountain fast and hard.

questions to her Dad and his old trucking buddies, so he finally asked her what she was doing.

“Oh, honey, those parts are long gone,” he told her, once she revealed her plan.

But Amber had resources that Duane didn’t have in the 1980s.

“Even now, 1971 Pete 359 parts are hard to get hold of,” she says. “But back then, there was no Internet, so you couldn’t find them even if they were out there.”

Permanently parked

»»

Much as he wanted to restore the badly damaged truck, Duane couldn’t find the parts.

He also couldn’t bring himself to get rid of it. So the crumpled Pete stayed with him, moving from one spot to the next for decades. By 2013, it was entombed in a bed of weeds on Duane’s Charleston, IL farm. Everyone figured that would be its final resting place. Everyone except Duane’s daughter Amber.

“I was looking at a photograph of Dad looking into the truck, and at that moment, I just couldn’t take the truck being apart anymore,” Amber says. “Everyone around town knows Dad, and how particular he is and how he kept his equipment—very shiny, very pretty, very nice, very detailed. He was a man before his time, and his style can be seen on today’s show trucks.”

Amber decided to restore The Magician herself, despite having zero truck-restoring skills.

“I didn’t know how I was going to do it,” she says. “I was just bound and determined. I see that truck, and I see my Dad— I’m proud of what he’s done. That truck shined and he shined around it. I just couldn’t take it sitting anymore.”

She read. She researched. She asked questions—too many

Over the years, Duane got offers on the truck, but he wouldn’t sell it.

»»

She found a 1974 359 on eBay, sitting just 45 minutes away, and bought it for its parts. She updated her progress on her Facebook page and word started spreading. Encouragement and tips came from drivers and mechanics, including many who remembered her Dad and his wonderful truck from years back.

Chi-Town Large Cars, a group of drivers who are passionate about trucks, learned about her project and asked her to join the organization. They helped spread the word about The Magician restoration project. Those hard-to-find parts started to be a little easier to find.

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SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 33

»» Dad, daughter and granddaughter have fun working on the truck.

“They are my feelers out there for parts,” Amber says. “I was able to get a set of steel bunk steps that are very rare from someone in Fontana, California. We had to change the bell housing on the engine to match the ’71, and I found that in Oregon. They have been so supportive and helpful.”

But what made The Magician special was not the parts that a truck manufacturer made. Amber knew that recreating the detail was going to be her biggest challenge.

The engraved grille was lost after the accident, and Amber searched desperately for a replacement. Nobody had anything remotely like it. She tried to track down the original artist. Duane hadn’t seen him in 30 years. All he remembered was his first name: Travis. He didn’t want her to get her hopes up. There was no way she would find him. But Amber kept looking.

“I’ll be darned if I didn’t wake up to a text message on my phone,” Amber says. “It said, ‘This is Travis. I’m the one who engraved your Dad’s grille.’”

These days, Travis lives in Louisiana and puts his engraving artwork on knives that he sells online. But he’s decided that he’ll do one more truck. He’s coming to Charleston to recreate his original work—Amber finally tracked down an actual 1971 grille. “All the parts are year-correct besides the walk-in sleeper, and that was customized by Dad originally so he’d have more room,” she reports proudly.

The original pinstriper also heard about the project, and will come from his home in Canada to work on the restoration.

34 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

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Reacquainted with old friends

“Back in the day, Dad would pull in to truckstops, and these guys would come by to work on the truck, using it as an example of what they could do, so that they could get more jobs,” Amber says. “It was the fine detail that made that truck.

Friends that I grew up with tell me now, ‘I remember when you pulled up in that truck.

We thought your Dad was a rock star.’”

From top: Amber tackles the transmission during rebuild; bringing in the new engine; Amber at age 4, proudly posing by Daddy’s truck; and Duane, in the mid-1980s, with The Magician in its heyday.

Building excitement The to-do list keeps getting smaller, so now it’s merely a matter of time before The Magician reappears on the road.

There’s some wiring to be done. The top of the cab needs repainting. Air conditioning needs to be redone. The interior needs a little bit of work. Amber works at two jobs, so her spare time is limited, but she and Duane work on the truck whenever they can.

“This truck is what put food on our table,” Amber says. “Not only was it gorgeous, but it’s what fed us. When I was a kid, it was my jungle gym.

“I’m very close to my Dad. He’s the one who has always been there for me, who has picked me up when I’ve fallen, and it’s not even a glimpse of what I can return to him than to put his truck back on the road for him.” o

bad drivers, bad load, etc.), the hormone cortisol gets released into the body. This “stress hormone” is preparing you for fight or flight, and does it by diverting blood flow from your internal organs to your arms and legs.

That means that the overweight or obese, stressed-out truck driver is starving internal organs of vital blood flow while putting these organs under constant pressure. It’s only a matter of time before the result is organ disease and failure.

Defusing the belly bomb

»Your » Fat

Increase the » good kind, get rid » of the bad»

BY SIPHIWE BALEKA

’TIS THE SEASON. Are you the obvious choice to don the Santa suit?

Truck drivers are known for their big bellies. We even have a name for it— trucker’s gut. So now is a great time to talk about what that belly is made of—visceral fat—and how to reduce it, even during the holidays.

Fat facts All fat in the body is not the same.

Brown fat produces energy and is key to body heat. When people shiver or animals hibernate, it’s a function of brown fat doing its job.

White fat has the opposite function. It stores energy. If you look at food as your body’s fuel, then the white fat is that fuel’s storage tank. (Keep adding to an already full tank and it overflows. Keep adding white fat and your waistline expands.)

Brown fat actually burns up white fat.

Lean, muscular individuals have more

brown fat than overweight and obese individuals, and this extra brown fat can burn an additional 300 to 500 calories per day.

Subcutaneous fat is found directly under the skin. That’s what skinfold calipers measure to estimate your total body fat.

When this fat is in the belly area, it can affect your health, but it is easier to lose than visceral fat.

Visceral fat is white fat that surrounds your internal organs in the area below your rib cage and above your diaphragm.

Part of its purpose is to protect these internal organs from toxins. It also breaks down into fatty acids that flow into both the liver and muscle. This causes a chain reaction, increasing LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides. In addition, fats, clots and blood sugars increase in the bloodstream, increasing insulin resistance and setting the stage for diabetes and heart disease. This is why visceral fat is a key indicator of “metabolic syndrome,” a cluster of 60 medical disorders and 12 cancers.

Belly bomb

My research on more than 350 active drivers at Prime Inc. has shown the benefits of 15 minutes of exercise, including at least four minutes of vigorous exercise (hard enough so that you can barely talk). When this is done right before starting a driving shift, along with eating breakfast and then a high protein, low carbohydrate snack or meal every three hours, visceral fat is reduced in just 13 weeks. Some drivers have lost more than 50 lbs. and have reduced their visceral fat by almost 50 percent by following this program.

Exercise with serious intensity for a few minutes and eat several small meals throughout the day. Then during the holiday season, you can still eat, drink and be merry. And if someone asks you to be Santa, you may need to use a pillow to make a belly. o

Watch Your Waist A big belly is a visible warning that your health is at risk.

Men with a waist that measures more than 40 inches, and women with a waist of more than 35 inches are courting heart disease, diabetes, stroke and more.

So, that fat around the belly is a health risk in and of itself. But when you sit behind the wheel for 11 hours a day and you have a trucker’s gut (visceral fat), you are also putting pressure on your internal organs. If you happen to be stressed while you are driving (because of bad weather, RoadKingFamily

SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 35

Two Road FOR THE

More and more couples are trucking together... and loving it

»» Driving together immediately » felt right for Carolee and Bobby Moore.

36 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

JEFF GREEN

BY MARYGRACE TAYLOR

THOUGH ART JOHANSSON AND AMANDA JONES had been seeing each other for a year, they rarely had a chance to actually see each other at all. Art was working as a local truck driver for a meat-packing plant, where he hauled offal through Alberta and Saskatchewan in Canada. Amanda was at the meatpacking plant, too, as a security guard regularly working 12-hour shifts.

“At the end of the long day, I’d get home first, and Art would still be working for four or five hours. We’d end up spending maybe two hours together, then we’d have to go to sleep,” Amanda says.

The opposite schedules were draining, but that wasn’t all. With such low-paying jobs, Art and Amanda were living paycheck to paycheck.

“With our combined wages, we couldn’t pay rent and bills, and also eat,” says Amanda.

Then, a genius idea struck. If Art started driving long-distance—and Amanda came with him—the couple would get to spend more time together, while slashing their living expenses and earning more than what they were currently taking in combined.

Ten years later, Amanda and Art are still on the road together. And they’re not alone: More women than ever are joining their husbands on the road.

A chance to try something new

»»

Sometimes it’s a practical career decision for women who have been out of the work force for a while. Primed for a second act, many are going to Art Johansson and Amanda Jones truck-driving school and teaming with their husbands. began trucking to get time together.

“The average female truck driver is 52-years-old.

A lot of them have been home raising kids, but now It took a few months for Carolee to get used to the smaller their kids are grown,” says Ellen Voie, president and space, as well as to new routines like brushing her teeth in CEO of Women In Trucking. a bowl with bottled water instead of at the sink. She missed Other times, the decision is rooted in romance and the her adult kids who still lived in Southern California, too. Even chance for a new adventure. so, she knew joining Bobby had been the right decision. And Which is exactly how Carolee Moore found herself living so did he. in a big rig after she and her husband Bobby got married in “With her next to me on the road, it felt completely natural.

2010. At that point, Bobby had been driving locally in CaliThe chemistry is just right,” Bobby says. fornia and Arizona. But as the economy plummeted, doing long-distance hauls for IWX Motor Freight proved the ticket to With Amanda by his side, driving got better for Art Johansson, earning more money. Not wanting to be apart from Carolee, too. “It was better after she started coming along just because Bobby suggested she join him. we got to spend time together,” he says. But he soon realized “I was like sure, let’s do that, it sounds like fun,” she says. that was just one of many benefits.

But it wasn’t exactly fun at first. While Bobby had grown up in a rough neighborhood and worked in trucking for nearly two decades, Carolee had been used to a slightly different lifestyle in posh Orange County.

Like almost everything else these days, driving a truck is “Living in an 8x6 space, only getting showers every few days, more complicated than it used to be. Once Art and Amanda that in itself is a major adjustment,” says Bobby, who tried started doing long hauls across the Canada-U.S. border, beefed his best to prepare Carolee for life on the road. Still, that first up security meant that they were slammed with paperwork day came as a shock. Carolee had never even sat in a truck, and the need to keep increasingly detailed logbooks. With and the one Bobby was driving was dirty, rickety and smelled Amanda on board, Art now had a partner to help take care of like smoke. “It was so old and loud, we could barely have a the paperwork. She also helped with navigation, dealing with conversation,” she says. dispatch and taking care of repairs.

Everyone doing their part

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SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 37

choosing salads or deli sandwiches instead of pizza, and drinking water instead of soda.

Exercise became a regular thing, too.

“I do cardio and weights inside the truck.

Depending on where we’re parked and the weather, I might walk outside,” she says.

Soon, Bobby began following her lead. When he noticed that the lighter fare made him feel better, he started working out, too.

“It’s made a big difference in how I feel and how I sleep,” he says.

Driving and thriving

»»

It might seem like spending 24/7 cooped up in a truck would drive even the happiest couples crazy. But Art and Amanda and the Moores found the complete opposite to be true.

Both couples say that all those hours spent

Amanda takes care of the paperwork.

Shared goals Sometimes the teamwork extends beyond trucking duties.

Carolee began gaining weight and developing gallbladder issues after a few months of the trucker’s life. Nonstop sitting and too much fast food took its toll, and she knew that she had to get healthy.

So she started finding ways to eat better at truckstops, like 38 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

»»

To accomplish all this, Amanda is constantly using her smartphone. Using apps like Transflo, Weatherbug, or Drivewyze, she’s able to do everything from handle paperwork electronically to check weather to get better bypass rates.

“I’ve actually had guys say that I’m just like their wives, texting all the time—that’s slightly offensive, considering I’m working, not texting!” she says.

Still, Art was the one earning all the money, and Amanda began to think that it might be a smart idea for her to get her CDL too.

“The thought that something could happen to him and I would be left unemployed without any specialty training or skill scared the crap out of me,” she says. “I thought it was prudent to get licensed. I already knew a lot of the things I needed to know, and just needed to learn the actual driving and steering.”

The additional income and security that Amanda gained as a driver are major benefits, but they’re not the only ones. As one of the few team drivers for their company, JBM Logistics, she and Art are able to deliver loads faster than solo drivers. And having two CDL holders can be very handy. Recently, when another driver from their company got sick while on a haul, Art picked up his load while Amanda drove theirs.

The Moores adopted a » healthier lifestyle on the road.

together in such small quarters demand more communication and a willingness to find solutions instead of stewing over disagreements.

“When you’re sitting next to each other all day and night, talking about problems rather than holding a grudge becomes imperative,” Amanda says.

“If you don’t get along well to begin with, being in the truck will exaggerate that,” Bobby says. “But if you do get along, it’ll bring you closer.” o

STORY

A Driver

CURVES

JOSHUA AARON PHOTOGRAPHY

Learning

Calvin Anderson • Orangeburg, South Carolina • Driving for 31 years

This driver always makes time to mentor the next generation—whether at home or on the road

»»

AS AN OWNER-OPERATOR for Old Dominion Freight Line, I’ve visited cities in my home state of South Carolina from Charleston to Columbia and many other stops along the East Coast. The most beautiful view through my windshield was the Blue Ridge Mountains as I hauled flat rock across North Carolina.

So much has changed since I started my career. Texting while driving is a major cause of traffic accidents. Many other obstacles have tested the abilities of all drivers. I thank the good Lord that I have not been involved in an accident in all my 31 years on the road.

I’m a great believer in getting to know my fellow drivers and feel honored to be part of such a tight-knit community.

MY STORY

Many of my friends call me Road Dog because of my passion for the lifestyle.

I’ve always enjoyed having a supportive atmosphere around me as a balance to all the hours spent alone on the road. It’s a tough job, but new drivers shouldn’t feel intimidated or scared. Looking back, I’ll remember many things about my career, the most important being my experiences as a trainer to the next generation of drivers. I feel it is my responsibility to teach them everything I’ve learned and ensure their future success.

Trucking has given me the opportunity to make a good living and share these gifts with my family. I met my wife, Tanya (pictured above), a schoolteacher, at church, and we had an instant connection. I trust her more than anyone,

and she’s the most compassionate, giving person I know. We share the same work ethic and dedication for helping our neighbors and currently serve the community as volunteer firefighters. I am proud to be treasurer of Dynamic D.A.D.S., a mentoring program Tanya created to help kids with their educations. One of my other hobbies is cooking at local fundraisers and school functions—ribs, chicken, sausages. My efforts in the kitchen have earned me another nickname: Grill Master.

When I speak with young men in our community, I try to keep their best interests in mind and often suggest truck driving as a potential career path. I’ve found it to be one of the best ways to go out and explore the world. That’s why, even when I retire, I’ll probably still drive one or two days a week. Giving up something that I love so much would leave a tremendous void. o RoadKingFamily

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40 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

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SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 41

Miss Daisy

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Right Place, Right Time

Ingrid Brown

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Serious Truck Fire Averted

An angel appears Instinctively, her angel helped pull the extended hood forward, then hopped up on a tire for a topside look.

There it was. A barely accessible, smoldering rag, which was nestled down on top of the engine, had been mistakenly left behind following some weekend maintenance work. Ingrid first threw him one of her gloves. When that

didn’t fit, he asked for pliers. She quickly responded.

Voilà, problem solved. Miss Daisy was safe.

After quietly thanking God for sending her an angel, Ingrid thanked that angel profusely. Minus the wings, her angel was cleverly disguised in a polo shirt sporting embroidered TA-Petro and RoadSquad logos. His name is Rick Potts, Field Manager, Truck Service for seven Rick Potts Indiana locations. Ingrid was so thankful, she quickly called Tom O’Brien, TravelCenters of America, Inc. President and CEO, whom she had previously met.

Reflecting on the situation, Rick said he hoped someone would do the same if his wife or one of his daughters was in a similar situation. It also reminded Rick of something that had been ingrained in him from Romans 8:28. “All things work together for good to those that are called according to His purpose.” o

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AFTER AN EXTENDED LAYOVER to participate in the Chi-Town Large Cars show at Lynwood, IL, independent owner-operator Ingrid Brown and Miss Daisy, her ’07 long-nose Pete 379 reefer, we’re heading west through Merrillville, IN on Highway 30. Her destination was Holland, MI to pick up a load of meat for Rabbit River Transport. It was right after lunch on Tuesday, August 18, and the 550 Cat® C15 horses were leisurely galloping along, adding to their 1.78 million miles.

Then it happened. Ingrid smelled, then saw smoke—a little turned into a lot. A quick gauge check indicated everything was normal. Was it one of the dual turbos, a broken fuel line, an alternator? Concern turned to panic. With no easy place to pull over and investigate, Ingrid wheeled in behind a strip mall and parked hastily, blocking traffic.

Just as Ingrid hopped out and began to open the hood, a gentleman appeared. Coincidentally, he had been heading east on Highway 30, saw the smoke, made a quick U-turn, and pulled in behind her. She didn’t hesitate asking for help.

PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE MEARS

42 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

U.S. LANDMARKS & NATURAL WONDERS How many can you name and identify the state where located?

Compare your answers to the correct answers at the bottom of page 47.

8

1 9 5

2 10

6

3 11

4

7

12

CRAIG J VAN DER LENDE

44 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

TrophyLife Bob and Shelley Brinker view shows as their time to shine

While Proulx was pulling and repainting the engine, among other massive chores, Bob drove company trucks so he could stay on the road. A few weeks later, it was time to head to Canada and collect the finished product.

“We couldn’t believe it when we saw it,” Shelley recalls. “A lot of artists don’t do well with faces, and he did an excellent job with all the faces and characters on the truck, including putting our daughter’s face on the hood.”

Other details, done then or completed in the following years, include adding the names of all the movies, painting octopus tentacles and cannons onto the hood, and swapping out red velvet for blue on the interior curtains and dash covers. Lanterns have gone up in the cabin (as well as being painted under the hood), and the engine continues to double as Davy Jones’ chest, a central focus of the movies.

The revamped truck got the couple even more heavily embedded into the truck beauty-contest circuit, even though it’s no small chore to get their vehicle competition ready.

“It’s a working truck, so it takes a while to get sand and stuff off it if we’re hauling up here in the Snow Belt,” Bob says. “If we’re going to a show, it’s going to be five or six days to get it cleaned up. We are careful about where we park, but even so we’ve had some damage done over the years. When that happens, we just get it repaired as quickly as we can.”

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The Brinkers took another Best in Show trophy at MATS 2012.

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THERE’S NO ISOLATION BOOTH, no bouquet of roses or tiara, and not a swimsuit in sight, but the winners of a truck beauty show are just as pleased as any Miss America is at her crowning.

And well they should be. Turning a regular 18-wheeler into a runway model isn’t for the faint of heart. It requires not only a great idea, but the time, patience and money to tackle everything from engine-block painting to undercarriage maintenance.

Just ask Bob and Shelley Brinker, fixtures at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) Paul K. Young Truck Beauty Championship and other shows on the circuit for more than a decade.

Their “Legend of the Black Pearl” Freightliner Classic XL has been scooping up trophies from coast to coast, and they say that once you dive into the lifestyle, it’s hard to give it up.

“We used to love seeing trucks in the late 1970s and early 1980s that had these gorgeous murals painted on them,” Shelley says.

“So we got a mural painted on our own truck. A big truckstop near where we live in Grayling, Michigan, had a show every year, and we decided to enter our little Freightliner. We took eighth place, which was really exciting to us. Then we looked at the trucks that were winning and decided we needed to do something different and more involved.”

That was around 2000, and their first effort was a dragon theme that kept them in beauty-contest hardware for about five years. After their daughter passed away in 2005, they decided to honor her memory on the next truck. Since she was a big Johnny Depp fan, they went all-out on a Pirates of the Caribbean theme, which they debuted in the fall of 2006. It’s been a rolling tribute to their daughter and the Disney trilogy ever since.

Treasure chests, octopi and second looks Creating the “dragon truck” meant tearing the vehicle down to the metal, then gutting the interior as well as exterior. All that work went by the wayside for the even more comprehensive “pirate truck” overhaul. A ceramic floor came out in favor of a bird’s-eye maple version, and all-new cabinets and airbrushing were completed to create a captain’s quarters for the cabin. Airbrush artist Al Proulx created the look and feel of the theme, working closely with the Brinkers after the three met at a trucking show.

“We talked it all through, and he more or less laid it all out,” Bob says. “We liked all his ideas, and then we offered a few changes here and there to add to it. Then we drove the truck to where he’s based in Ontario and left it for a couple of months while he did the work.”

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»» The pirate theme continues in the interior, which has won numerous awards.

Friendly competition Given the time and money invested in these trucks, it would be easy to think of the pageant circuit as one filled with sneaky tricks and crafty competitors. While it’s true everyone wants to win, when the Brinkers talk about their show friends, they mean their direct competition as much as anybody else.

“They’re all good people,” Shelley says. “Everybody wants to win; it’s just about who can work the hardest and the longest. It’s all about cleaning the truck. You can have the most beautiful one in the world, but if there’s a speck of dirt on it, you won’t win.”

She ticks off the trouble areas. “Underneath, U-joints, drive shafts, back of tanks, inner drums, under fenders, rims—spots you wouldn’t think about looking for dust, you’ll have 15 judges who will.”

“When we were new to the game, we thought it was ludicrous to clean underneath the truck,” Bob adds. “Then we got to the show and saw those judges with mirrors getting under there.

We realized we would have to do all that. And while every judge is different, you’ve got to be clean no matter what. They’ll look everywhere, so you better be ready.”

That’s why, when asked about their favorite part of a contest, they both say “rags down.”

“That means we can’t touch the truck any more,” Bob explains.

“It’s rough work, and we’re not getting any younger, so it can be tough at times. We did have our teenage grandchildren help us at one show, but it cost us more in food and lodging than it was worth.”

Hauling home the hardware As one might expect, the Brinkers no longer finish eighth.

It’s rare that they even come in second, and over the years that translates into a lot of statuettes being toted back to Michigan.

From a national championship down to local shows, they’ve 46 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

collected hundreds of trophies. Some are in their home, others have made it onto nearby mantels.

“We keep the really beautiful ones, like Best of Show ones, here at the house,” Shelley admits. “But there’s only so much room for even the first-place ones.”

So they pass the loot around. A local business they frequent has about 200 of the trophies on display, and many others were given to the artists, craftsmen and others who contributed their time and talent to the truck.

“If we win something specific, like an award for the interior, we give that to the guys who did that work,” Shelley says.

Next up: trout?

The pirate theme isn’t going anywhere soon, at least not while the Brinkers’ grandchildren have a say, but the two do admit to some thoughts on the Freightliner’s third incarnation.

“We say it’s going to be a ‘camping and fishing’ theme, because we have a fifth-wheel camper that we have not touched since 2002,” Bob says. “It just sits there, because our summers involve truck shows, not camping and fishing. Every year we pledge that we will take the summer off and go fishing, and every summer rolls around and away we go to a show.” o

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The Paul K. Young Truck Beauty Championship is always one of the big attractions at the Mid-America “ Trucking Show (MATS) every year.

MATS 2016 March 31-April 2, 2016 Kentucky Expo Center Louisville, Kentucky www.truckingshow.com

MATTERS

Trucking

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Roadside Assistance Trucker Charity has expanded to assist drivers and their families When Lance Wood decided to hit up some trucker friends in order to help families in need one Christmas a few years ago, he had no idea he was kicking off an organization that would make a difference in the lives of many truckers.

In fact, Trucker Charity doesn’t look much like those early efforts at all. Instead of toys under the tree, the organization is about helping drivers who are in a tight financial spot, but also working with them through life coaching and other services so they can deal with the challenges of life on the open road.

RoadKing spoke to Wood, president; Ben Pernell, vice president; Isaac Bland, secretary; and Virginia Chomo, executive assistant, about the work of Trucker Charity.

Q A

How did Trucker Charity come to be in the first place?

Wood: A guy we knew said he had $500 and wanted to help some families at Christmas. A lot of us liked the idea, and that first year we raised almost $10,000 in two weeks. A week later, we had qualified some families and distributed the money.

The next year, the same people came back together, and by the third year we realized we had better set up as a nonprofit. That was in 2009, and right about that time Arrow Trucking went out of business. We had just gotten done helping families, but we jumped on the phone and got the money to send 48 drivers home from where they had been stranded. We were literally putting them on airplanes on Christmas Eve.

Q A

sion to drive, but can’t go off and train How has Trucker Charity expanded its mission while also staying close while leaving their families with no to truckers’ needs? income. We also have begun to offer life Wood: A lot of what we do is helpcoaching, because we hear from drivers ing stranded drivers, or drivers who who have a lot happening in their lives have an emergency. They don’t have and need someone to talk to. We give time to wait a few them straightforward days, or a week. answers. Sometimes We get on the it’s a pat on the back, phone with them, sometimes it’s a kick vet them and cut in the pants, but eithem a check. ther way we point Pernell: We also them in the right dibegan Last Ride rection. We are all Home, which retruckers, so we know turns a driver who when we are being has died on the bamboozled. road to where he Bland: We have is from. If a driver a vested interest in Isaac Bland, Lance Wood and Ben Pernell has no insurance helping the industry oversee the good works of Trucker Charity. or anything, we as a whole get better, contact the widow and the funeral home and also to have trucking be shown in a and will arrange for transportation of better light than it has been in the past. the body or the cremated remains. We We understand the life of the driver, put a plaque on the trailer carrying the and helping them is what it’s all about. body that has the full name, birth and Chomo: Our charity is a lot of olddeath dates and a quote about our fallen school ideas, but we’re doing it in a brother or sister who is going home. We new age. Drivers used to talk to each present the family with the plaque and other over the CB radio about their a flag that we have flown. lives and their problems. Now they do that some through social media, Are there any new projects in the but the industry has lost a lot of that works for the group? personal contact. We’re like the CB of Wood: We are about to start a new the trucking industry now, and people scholarship fund for people who know they can call us if they need us, or if they just need someone to listen. can’t afford to go to school, but want to We’re here for them. o become drivers. We held a truck convoy and show on June 21, in Mascoutah, IL, to raise money for that. There are a For more information on the nonprofit group, lot of good people who have the pasvisit truckercharity.org.

Q A

ANSWERS FROM PAGE 43: 1. Mount Rushmore, South Dakota 2. Crater Lake, Oregon 3. USS Arizona Memorial, Hawaii 4. Old Faithful, Wyoming 5. Empire State Building, New York 6. Death Valley, California 7. Red Woods, California 8. Golden Gate Bridge, California 9. Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, Virginia 10. Grand Canyon, Arizona 11. Alcatraz, San Francisco 12. Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC RoadKingFamily

SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 47

StayFit® from TA and Petro Stopping Centers FREE fitness centers, walking trails, better-foryou food options and helpful health information to keep you fit.

48 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

PHOTO BY ROBERT WERMUTH / MASTERWORKS PHOTOGRAPHY

»»

Aud and Bella Donna feel more energetic after a good long walk.

Energy Unleashed

When her pup lost its pep, a driver realized she had to make some changes for both of them WHILE SHE COULD SHRUG OFF her own lack of energy and the extra pounds she had put on over 13 years of trucking, Elizabeth Aud couldn’t stand to see the same thing happening to her dog, Bella Donna. The beagle/mountain cur mix has been a devoted traveling companion since her birth on the truck nearly 10 years ago, but the road has taken its toll.

“I’m seeing what the sedentary life is doing to her and that’s not okay with me,” Aud says. “She’s the main reason I’m making changes.”

For the past six months, driver and dog have upped their activity, making long walks a habit at home and on the road, and taking breaks in the day to run around and play. Both now feel a bit more spry, and have dropped some weight.

A prehistoric menu But Aud knew that to truly feel better she needed to make changes to her diet also, so she looked to one of the most

Meals and wheels » Registered dietitian Lynda » Maschek on Aud’s approach to food—and what other drivers can learn from it Lynda Maschek drove a truck for 12 years before earning her credentials as a registered dietitian.

Knowing the difficulties that drivers face in making healthy choices on the road, she holds a monthly conference call with members of Real Women in Trucking.

She’s not a big fan of the Paleo diet that Elizabeth Aud is trying to adhere to, believing that it eliminates many good foods, like beans and grains.

“The good thing about the diet is that there are no processed foods and no sugars. But in our everyday, busy American

popular—and intense—eating plans of the moment, based on the foods that were available in the days of the cavemen.

“I am trying to go 100 percent Paleo,” she says. “That means no processed foods, grass-fed and grain-fed meats and fish, no dairy products, no beans. It’s food the way God intended it.”

Even in the best-controlled circumstances, sticking to that type of diet is difficult, but on the road it’s even more challenging. Aud keeps a good supply of food to prepare on her own in her truck, and when she dines at a truckstop she makes very careful choices. She’ll order a grilled burger wrapped in lettuce rather than a bun. She picks out unadorned, fresh vegetables at a salad bar, and makes her own salad dressing—a mixture of balsamic vinegar and coconut oil.

She watches what she drinks, too.

“I used to drink soda like it was going out of style,” she says. “I started feeling much better once I stopped guzzling a 12-pack a week. Now I stick to water or coffee and I dropped about 10 pounds.”

Food sleuth Aud always makes an effort to understand what is in the food she will eat. When grocery shopping, she reads the labels on everything, watching out specifically for high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener that is used in numerous products.

At restaurants, she asks about ingredients and food source.

“I was tired of feeling lethargic and tired,” she says. “My ultimate goal is just to feel better. I’ve found a healthier alternative to what I was doing, started losing weight and have so much more energy.” o

lives, it’s hard, especially for a truck driver, to completely avoid those foods,” she says. “Instead, we can be knowledgeable enough to make the healthier choice at a burger place or restaurant when we are not fixing our own meals.”

Some other advice:

Read the Label Why: You’ll avoid empty calories that lead to weight gain and have no nutritional value.

“The first five ingredients listed on a label are the highest amounts. So if sodium or sugar are listed in that group, you want to take that into account. But you should also look at the nutrition label, which lists the calories, fat grams, carbs and more. Watch the sodium level. The limit for someone with high blood pressure is 1500 milligrams a day and you may get that in one prepared sandwich.”

Drink Water Why: It will quench your thirst without adding calories and keep you hydrated.

“Drivers tend to drink colas or caffeinated drinks to stay awake, but caffeine dehydrates you. The brain is the first organ to suffer dehydration, so to stay sharp and alert on the road drivers need to stay hydrated.”

Eat Throughout the Day Why: Your body needs the fuel to function properly.

“A lot of drivers, focused on time, only want to eat one big meal a day. That is doing your body a disservice. It’s like putting a log on a campfire—it just smolders without catching fire. Your body can’t metabolize all that food at once. On the other hand, small frequent meals or small meals with snacks in between will rev your metabolism.”

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SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 49

Circle, »»AUnbroken How to find a trucking mentor or be » one—and why it’s good business for all»

BY TIMOTHY D. BRADY

FOR YEARS, trucking knowledge and skills—from driving a truck to handling the industry’s business aspects—was passed from the “old hands” to those wanting to take the wheel. These were the drivers who did more than talk a good game. Truckers with many years at the wheel, willing to pass information, gut instinct and hands-on experience knew that everyone would benefit from eager new drivers learning all they could about this complex industry.

Today’s trucking environment is different in many ways, but it still benefits from drivers sharing their knowledge and helping each other. If a new driver can find a veteran trucker to give them encouragement through rough patches or uncertain moments, everyone on the road will be better off for it. New drivers would do well to find a mentor. Veterans will find some surprising rewards in being one.

The experienced driver Every driver believes in their abilities on the road, but handling a rig in bad weather or around four-wheelers more focused on texting than driving does not mean that you will be a good mentor.

First and foremost, you must be successful. Second, you must have inthe-trenches experience where learning from mistakes paved the way to your success. Third, you must be able to take all you’ve learned and teach it to a less-experienced trucker.

Having driven a truck for nearly 25 years, I can definitively say it takes approximately five years and 500,000 miles to gain the experience needed to be a good trucker. It takes that long for the highway and the industry to toss 50 SPECIAL ISSUE 2015 RoadKingFamily

enough roadblocks in your path for you to understand what trucking demands of an individual. Add five years beyond that as a successful owner-operator with your own authority in order to begin comprehending the business side of trucking. The more you know about the business, the more valuable you become to the individuals you mentor.

Finally, you need to have a passion for trucking and a desire to see other truckers have greater success than you did—being willing to give back to the industry beyond what you’ve received, one trucker at a time.

Finding a trucking mentor The rookie who wants guidance from an experienced driver needs to find one who has all of the traits listed above.

Look for the successful trucker who takes care of his vehicle, not necessarily the one with the shiniest, newest truck.

Find someone who is well-groomed and presentable even after tying down an entire flatbed of steel girders.

Listen to the way a driver talks about the job. Find a problem-solver who focuses on finding a way to get things done. They should talk about revenue per week, month or quarter, rather than looking at it per mile. A tall tale about the road is fine if it’s for entertainment, but beware if every story features your potential mentor as the all-knowing hero. When mentors talk about their successes, it should be rooted in reality and humility.

A driver who can help you navigate the job probably has helped others. If you hear praise from three or four working drivers about your mentor, you’ve probably found a good one.

Once you’ve established a good working relationship, ask your mentor about books, podcasts, publications and courses that can help you achieve your ultimate trucking goals. While you’re on the subject of long-term goals, why not ask for their help in reaching them? See what they have to say about setting a hauling rate range, developing a freight lane, finding shippers, and more.

The more diversified their experience, the greater their value to you. Someone who has bought trucks and trailers and owned a trucking company will have experience both as a driver and in the operational, safety and general business of trucking. Even if you want to be a more successful company driver, a qualified mentor can help you understand the inner workings of a trucking company.

The mentor learns too Having been a professional trucking business coach and mentor for more than 10 years, I’ve learned that a good mentor listens to others. A client of mine came to me trying to find a way to get his drivers more home time. He was the one who found a terrific solution. Now his drivers spend their time waiting for the next loads out at home.

I now teach that driver retention tool to my other clients.

But the greatest benefit of being a mentor is knowing you’ve helped a trucker get his or her professional life in order; taking a unique lifestyle and teaching them how to earn a very good living from it.

Learning from those who traveled the road before is one trucking tradition that needs to continue. o

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