TheTrucker.com

WIT names truck stop founder August Member of the Month

PLOVER, Wis. — The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has named Charlene Poe as its Member of the Month for August. Poe is the founder and managing partner of Middletown Truck Stop Eatery & Drive Thru, a business startup in Delaware. Poe entered the truck stop business unexpectedly, after a conversation with a truck driver friend about the lack of commercial truck parking in Delaware. Poe was curious about the situation, and did some exploring, she said. At the same time, she was also doing research for a business idea to start with her family. She came across a study by the Delaware Department of Transportation, which confirmed the need for more commercial truck parking in the northern and southern ends of Delaware. Inspired by this need, Poe and her family made a change in their business plans to focus on providing commercial truck parking and amenities for drivers. The endeavor is still in the beginning stages, but the family has a vision of effectively sustaining mobility. They plan to make the site a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified commercial truck stop. In addition, the truck stop will have an extensive list of amenities that any professional truck driver would need while over the road, she said, including an eatery, a fitness center, a health care clinic, a truck service center and more. The eatery will provide cleaner meat-based menu items, along with some vegan/vegetarian food and drink options for healthier mobile living. Poe said the goal is to break away from the norm by redefining the truck stop image. They are clients of the Women’s Business Center in Delaware, members of National Association of Truck Stop Operators (NATSO), National Association of Self Employed (NASE) and Women In Trucking Association (WIT). Securing capital is a challenge, so Poe and her team are launching a perks-based crowdfunding campaign in the coming months on the Indiegogo platform. They will also consider investors. “Everyone has something different and of immense value to bring to the table. When you truly discover what it is that you bring to this space, do it from the heart, with all your heart. Adopt a servant/leader mindset and never, ever give up,” Poe said.

TikTok Cowboy: Texas native mobilizes fellow drivers to help those in need

Depending on the day, James Weverka pops up in his TikTok videos wearing a well-shaped baseball cap, a bone-white straw cowboy hat or occasionally a stocking cap. All of these are appropriate, considering the number of “hats” the father of three wears during the course of his life on the road and in service to others. Weverka, an owner-operator based in Nebraska, has quickly risen to social media fame as his alter-ego “Cowboy” maneuvers through one situation after another behind the wheel of “Hercules,” the real-life Kenworth with which he hauls livestock across five states. From TikTok Weverka has expanded to Facebook, Instagram and his own YouTube channel, where fans can keep up on his adventures. And it all started on a bet. “(It was) my kids, believe it or not. They downloaded this TikTok app and they’re like, ‘Hey Dad, you really need to download this.’ I was like, ‘No, if I do that, I’ll blow you guys out of the water,’” Weverka said. If responding to a challenge from his kids was all there was to Weverka’s start on TikTok, viewers might have dismissed the 33-year-old Texas native as little more than an attention-hungry loudmouth, posting videos to satisfy his ego. But there’s a lot more to James Weverka than meets the eye — or the ear. His goal is actually to use social media to reach others, provide fellow truckers a chuckle or, when needed, to rally his followers for a cause. “The whole point of the TikTok was I wanted to do something good,” Weverka said. “I got in touch with another gentleman who goes by Doc Cowboy. He said he also wanted to do something positive.” The duo decided to launch a TikTok charity run and donate the money raised to help someone in need. The first charity run benefited a man dealing with spina bifida whom they nicknamed Teddy Bear, aka Wheelz, and a sensation was born. “When I did that TikTok, within the first 48 hours, I had over 20,000 followers on my account,” Weverka said. “We ran this charity run and it came out very, very successful. I think we raised just under $10,000 to build a wheelchair-accessible porch for Teddy Bear at his house. We ended up getting about 50 people together to go up there and actually build the porch for him.” Inspired, Weverka and Doc started looking for more opportunities to help others — and they didn’t have to look far. People passed along news of families who were going through tough times because of personal illness, a sick child or some other difficult situation. Since that first charity run, every step of the process has been refined, from Weverka’s manic marketing on social media to setting up cash apps and financial audit procedures to assure the public that everything is above board. People can donate money directly during each 30-day fundraiser. Many drivers play a bounty game, where a specific trucker is called out by his or her peers, who pledge money to be donated once they are “caught.” “We have a person who keeps track of who the money comes from and where it comes from. Once the money is all added up, on that 30th day, we transfer the funds,” Weverka said. “All of the funds. Every dime of the funds. Whatever we raise, we transfer to the person that we were running the charity for,” he said. “On top of that, we also send information about who donated so that whoever receives the money can send out thank-you cards or whatever they want to do for everybody that donated for them.” Of course, not all of Weverka’s videos support a charitable cause. On TikTok he’s a naturally rowdy performer. He’s completely in his element, whether lip-syncing to music, providing comic relief or ranting about something that’s gotten under his skin as the mood hits him. He’s even created a skit character — the hapless “Rookie” — and will occasionally get into a discussion with Hercules, with the truck talking back to him. Weverka’s loud-and-proud, not-politically correct banter rates a solid PG-13, but no more so than a group of buddies sharing a few beers and swapping stories. And that, Weverka said, is exactly what he wants to do. “My ultimate goal is to put a smile on everybody’s face, whether they’re having a bad day or not,” he said. “I come up with crazy content. I’ve been told hundreds of thousands of times that when people are having a bad day, they just look at one of my videos and I change their lives.” Weverka feels such a connection to his fellow drivers that you’d think he’s been in the trucking game his whole his life. In fact, he’s only been on the road about five years, finally following a childhood dream. “My dad was married to this woman back in the day. I was about 9 or 10 years old, and her dad was a trucker. He pulled flatbed, and every summer I would go ride with him in the truck all summer long. We would go down to Vegas and do all kinds of stuff,” Weverka recalled. “He’d always put me to work and make me crawl up on the trailer and tarp it down and stuff like that. He had a Kenworth W900 back in the day, and it was my dream truck,” he continued. “I would go with him for weeks on end. He kept me busy, and I had a blast. I just was fascinated with the size of the trucks. I felt like I was the king of the road when I was a kid riding with him, and it just kind of stuck with me as I got older.” As fate would have it, Weverka got the chance three years ago to buy his dream truck — Hercules — and he promptly started tricking out the 2005 Kenworth W900L from nose to mudflaps, investing thousands of dollars. “I slowly started adding stuff to it and customizing it and making it look pretty and stuff like that,” he said. “I was into car shows big-time for a while there, and I was like, that’d be cool to start going to shows and doing something crazy. Before I started my whole TikTok thing, we started on the truck just getting it better looking.” Today, Hercules has a life of its own and is as much of a draw on social media as its fast-talking owner. As the notoriety of “Cowboy and Hercules” has grown coast-to-coast and around the world, requests for tributes and mentions roll in regularly. One message reads, “My dad was a trucker all his life. His CB handle was Hillbilly. He passed away from cancer in 2004 and today is his anniversary. Can you do a call for him on the CB please?” Another reads, “Could you do this for my dad? He was a driver for Werner. He passed away February 13, 2021. He went by Eagle. If you would, could you post it for me?” As brash and hyped-up as many of his videos are, Weverka hits the listener just as hard when he softens his tone to honor these requests, talking about the fallen or the sick or the struggling. It’s easy to care, he says, when you’re surrounded by the kind of people he’s met and befriended in trucking. “A lot of this stuff I can relate to, and there’s a lot of this stuff that I can’t,” he said. “I have a tremendous heart and a softness for people who are struggling because I know what it’s like to struggle. “I had a rough childhood myself, losing people. I lost my best friend of 19 years almost three years ago, killed in a head-on collision,” he explained. “And going through medical conditions is something that hits hard with me, especially when it comes to kids. I’ve got three of my own, and my daughter went through medical issues herself.” Weverka hopes to bring back the “old school” of trucking — revive the image of truckers as the “Knights of the Highway,” as they were once known. “I’m trying to bring back the way it’s supposed to be, where you see a truck on the side of the road, you pull over and help them out. You don’t drive by,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about. As soon as you join the trucking community, you’re family for life. The people are the best part.” Much like his driving career, Weverka’s social media adventure has come a long way in a very short period of time. But he has no intention of slowing down, having seen the impact he has had on so many. In a cruel twist, Doc himself was recently diagnosed with some serious health issues, leading Weverka to do a charity run in his honor. It was yet another reminder of how social media can be a powerful tool for good, matching regular people in difficult circumstances to others who care enough to help them. “I have met so many friends doing this, it’s ridiculous. Lifelong friends, friends that will drop anything they’re doing in the middle of the night to come help you. And those are the friends that you want,” Weverka said. “It’s funny. Everybody looks at me as if I’m an inspiration,” he mused. “But in all reality, everybody else is the inspiration to me. We wanted to take this nationwide and because of them, we did that. It’s been a heck of a ride, and I’m going to continue to take that ride.” Find Weverka on TikTok (cowboyandhercules12), Facebook (The Legendary Cowboy and Hercules), Instagram (cowboyandhercules) and YouTube (Cowboy Hercules). To keep up with the latest charity runs and chases by Weverka and Doc, visit truckercharitychase.com.

Career behind the wheel brings needed change for driver and her pet

After two years on the road, Lori Hendrickson, and her cat, Kali (pronounced like the shorthand “Cali” for California), are tried and true when it comes to trucking together. Kali, a 9-year-old domestic shorthair is the oldest of Hendrickson’s cat crew, which also includes two males — a black cat named Vesper, and Simba, a black and gray tabby. Kali is the only member of the crew that hits the road with Hendrickson. Vesper and Simba aren’t left behind as Hendrickson’s least-favorite companions; rather, the pair are Kali’s least favorites. At home, it only takes one look from either of the two males for Kali to give a warning growl or hiss at them from across a room. “It’s like, ‘Calm down! They’re not even doing anything to you,’” Hendrickson said with a laugh, noting that Kali’s personality is the complete opposite of the other two cats. Where Vesper and Simba play and run around together, Kali is more like a “cranky old lady” — at least when she’s at home. Trucking transforms Kali into a completely different creature. “When she’s in the truck, she’s loving and she’s calm,” Hendrickson said. “It’s like at a complete snap of the finger, she’s like two different cats. I can barely stand her at home because she’s growling and hissing all the time, but then we’re in the truck and she’s sweet and loving. It’s like, ‘Who are you?’” Trucking provided a much-needed transformation for Hendrickson, too. Just two years ago, she was working as a non-emergency medical transporter, pushing wheelchairs and driving people to and from appointments. She had some “regulars” and was familiar with the routes between their homes and doctors’ offices. But Hendrickson wanted more. She had no clue that Kali did too. Traveling the world was Hendrickson’s dream, but lacking the funds to do so, it impossible. Then one day she realized there was really nothing holding her back. “I finally had it,” Hendrickson said. “I want to see more. I want to do more. I’m single. I don’t have kids. I don’t have anything tying me down.” She thought, “Let’s do this. Let’s do something for myself.” In the two years Hendrickson has hit the road as a professional driver, she hasn’t regretted making that decision — especially since she can bring her feline friend along. Hendrickson says Kali is a true trucking cat: She gets in a little “igloo” or onto the bed, and she stays there until it’s time to eat or visit the litter box. When Hendrickson stops for food or checks into a shipper or receiver, Kali stays put in one of her favorite spots. “I swear, she gains like 10 pounds because she doesn’t want to leave (the truck),” she laughed. In part, Kali is a great trucking companion because she is wary of the outside world, Hendrickson said. On the other hand, Vesper craves outdoor adventures, and Simba will run if he gets spooked. Because of the loud noises at truck stops, shippers and receivers, Hendrickson said she would be worried about Vesper or Simba running off. If Kali hears loud noises, she runs under the bed or hides behind the pillows. That’s why she makes the perfect trucking pet, even though she’s grumpy at home. Those growls turn into purrs when Kali is in the truck — until it’s time to go home again. “Even just going the one mile from the truck to the house, she will literally sit there and meow the whole time, because she’s not happy about being outside of the truck,” Hendrickson said. “So she’ll sit there and meow and be all upset.” As Hendrickson’s first cat, Kali may be the most spoiled. When Kali was just a kitten, Hendrickson retrieved her in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, an hour away from her hometown. “During the hour-long car ride, I was just thinking of any name and would say it to her to see if a name would perk her up or get her attention,” Hendrickson said. “(Kali) was the one name that every time I said it, she would look up at me.” The two have shared a special connection ever since. That connection grows even stronger when the two hit the road together for about a week at a time. When she’s not driving, Hendrickson likes to watch other people drive in demolition derbies and races. As a child, she says, she fell in love with watching all the vehicles get smashed together when her dad took to events. “I just fell in love with watching it,” she said. “It’s one of the things that me and my brother go and watch all the time. It’s just our thing that we love to do.” The farthest she’s traveled from to see a demolition derby is Iowa. However, she noted, trucking allows her to enjoy watching drivers all cross the U.S. Those weeks on the road not only help Hendrickson find entertainment, but also to find and love herself. The added benefit is seeing the world. “In two years, I have seen all 48 lower states,” she said. “I would have never been able to do that if I just stayed where I was. I love it. I wake up in one state and then I get to go to bed in a whole different state. I get to do it over and over again.” Of all areas in the U.S., her favorite area is the Southwest. “I’ll stop somewhere for a rest break and see the view, and it’s just a reminder of why I’m doing this,” she said. “With the desert and the mountains, it just puts me in complete awe and it’s so beautiful.” Kali, on the other hand, is indifferent to the scenery or locale. Kali just wants to be in the truck.

As a world traveler, Carina BeeBe finds comfort, happiness behind the wheel

DE BORGIA, Mont. — Carina BeeBe knows the pressures of life on the road, both across the U.S. and abroad. She’s got a powerhouse of world traveling under her belt as a truck driver. As a world traveler, BeeBe said the life of a truck driver always appealed to her. Her days are filled with her sole passion — to enjoy life through travel. “I like the freedom to meet new people and to see places. I like the feeling of having a big-ass truck under my butt,” she laughed. “I’ve always (traveled), and it’s a hobby as well, not only work. I really enjoy every day when I get into the truck, I’m happy. To me, it’s just enjoyable that I can see other places than a computer screen.” For a time, BeeBe worked as a CDL instructor. That’s the closest she’s gotten to leaving the trucking industry. Her stint as an instructor was short-lived, and she came back to over-the-road trucking with energy and excitement. It’s been a little over 20 years since BeeBe, a native of the Netherlands, first started her truck-driving career in Europe. She started out hauling curtain vans, then moved on to refrigerated trailers and delivered flowers and plants to Italy, Spain, Austria, Switzerland and France. In total, Beebe’s professional driving career in Europe took her across 10 countries. Although Europe was her home and she was able to travel to many countries, BeeBe said it was a challenge to keep up with all the rules and regulations of truck driving. The typical American trucker may complain about issues such as the electronic logging device (ELD) or inadequate parking. To BeeBe, it’s a step up from what she experienced in Europe. Believe it or not, she said, it’s easier for her to find a place to park here, and truck stops are bigger and more accommodating in the U.S. “Over here, it’s an easy cakewalk compared to Europe,” she said. “In Europe, they have all kinds of goofy things, like four-and-a half hours and a 45-minute break; then they split up the hours and it’s just goofy and a pain in the butt. If you mess up, then they will fine you dearly for it.” In addition, she explained, different countries have different fine rules. If a rule is broken according to a Netherlands rule, and the truck driver is pulled over in Ireland, authority figures can fine the driver for the Netherlands regulation. “I do miss (driving in Europe in some ways; it’s a little bit less strict. For example, you can have a glass of wine in the evening, and nobody [cares],” she laughed. “But on the other hand, the hours and the ELD is way more complicated, and it’s a pain in the butt.” In the midst of dealing with the challenges of driving professionally in Europe, BeeBe said she had a wakeup call when one of her friends died at a young age — and BeeBe realized she wasn’t going to live forever. “And I was ready for a new adventure and driving a big-ass Peterbilt,” she laughed, adding that she sees Peterbilt trucks as an American icon. So, she moved to North America and became a cross-border driver between the U.S. and Canada for Wilson Logistics. While she enjoyed her two years with Wilson, she recently started her own trucking company and bought her own truck. She’s now the owner of Dutch Girl Trucking, fitting for her roots. While on the road, BeeBe travels with Jack, a Pomeranian-mix rat terrier, by her side. She laughingly says she got a dog to make sure she regularly gets her “butt out of the truck and walks.” “I have a tendency to get lazy and I don’t want to,” she said. “I like to stay active, so as soon as I stop somewhere I’ll go take him for a walk, and in the evenings, if it’s nice weather, I’ll go out for a longer walk.” BeeBe has traveled all around the world — and has seen every U.S. state, except for Maine — yet she’s a sucker for Montana. She can’t help it; the U.S. West is now her home, and she’s reminded as such every time she wanders out and about. “I like the weather, even though in the wintertime it can sometimes be a pain in the butt — but it’s not bad,” she said. BeeBe now lives in the tiny town of De Borgia, Montana. It’s just got a post office and a restaurant, but it’s the way she likes it: peaceful. “It’s not really big, but that’s OK, you know. I’m on the road a lot anyway, so when I’m home it’s just nice and peaceful and I really enjoy that,” she said. “You can hike everywhere and there’s lakes and it’s just beautiful.” Even when BeeBe isn’t driving a truck, she says most of her time is spent on the road. Traveling is her sole purpose, and she plans to keep trucking, whether she’s paid or not. “I’m really dedicated to trucking, and I like to travel a lot,” she said. “So, if I’m not trucking, I’m traveling.” Because of that dedication and passion for trucking, BeeBe was recognized this year as the May Member of the Month by the Women In Trucking (WIT) Association. Because she grew up in Europe, BeeBe tries to visit every year. Over the past year, COVID brought much of her traveling, other than work, to a halt. However, she recently took a trip to California, and she plans to soon visit friends in Tennessee. When recreational travel is allowed, BeeBe said the first place she’ll visit in Europe is the Netherlands to see her family. After that, she hopes to vacation in Mexico over Christmas. No matter where she finds herself, BeeBe said she is always struck by the kindness of her trucking family across the world. “With the old-school truck drivers, it’s like family,” she said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re at, if you’re talking to a truck driver, you always have something to [talk] about, and we help each other out.”

Trailer doors present a danger many drivers don’t think about

You’ve carefully planned your trip and arrived without a hitch, remaining vigilant about safety. The trip went without a hitch and you’re ready to back up to the dock to unload. You get lined up and walk to the rear of the trailer to open the doors. You’re already thinking ahead to your next load, or maybe a little home time. You remove the seal, move the door latches and …. What happens next can depend on the process you follow. Far too often, the routine act of opening trailer doors results in driver injury and has caused death. The rear of the trailer is not a place to let down your guard. If the load you picked up was a “drop and hook” load, always check the door hardware — hinges and latches — for cracks, missing bolts or other issues. Trailer doors are heavy and can cause damage and injury if they fall. One problem inherent with enclosed trailers is that cargo can shift. Shippers and drivers have methods to help reduce cargo movement. Pallets are often shrink-wrapped and have bags, pallets or other objects placed between them to hold them in place. Rubber pads, straps and load-locks help stabilize freight. For some loads, these measures are enough to prevent shifting. Some loads, however, seem to have a mind of their own. Road vibrations and the stresses exerted on the trailer while moving can cause freight to move, tumble and fall — all unseen until the doors are opened. Just a single box of freight, if falling to the ground from near the top of the trailer, can be deadly. When there’s an avalanche of freight from a tipped pallet near the door, you may not be able to step out of the way in time, especially if you’re concentrating on watching where you walk or reseating the door latches so they don’t dangle. Fallen freight can push against the back side of the door with enough force to push it open violently when the latches are loosened. You could be struck by the sharp edges or corners of the door, or you could simply be pushed backward hard enough to lose your balance and fall. That puts you on the ground — right where those heavy boxes are heading. You can actually use the doors themselves as barriers against falling freight. By keeping the door between your body and the freight, you’ll have a shield that can knock down falling items, so they fall on the ground in front of you instead of on you. Once one door is unlatched, position yourself behind the other door — the one that is still latched. Open the door a crack and look inside. If nothing is in danger of falling, go ahead and fully open the door, hooking the retention chain to hold it open. Some drivers use a bungee cord to help ensure that the door doesn’t come loose while backing in or from wind. A flashlight makes it easier to check for fallen or shifted freight. Modern LED flashlights are inexpensive, and batteries last a long time. It’s a good idea to carry one when you’ll be opening doors. With one door open, inspect the freight behind the other door. If it looks safe, open that door and hook it to its retaining chain. Another consideration when opening trailer doors is wind. A trailer door has plenty of surface area for the wind to catch. That means the door can fly open or closed with enough force to knock a person down, or worse, hit the person, causing injury or death. Make sure you have a firm grip on the door so you aren’t surprised. Roll-up doors, more commonly used for LTL and local freight, come with their own set of hazards. Most roll-up doors are assisted by a spring mechanism that helps make the door easier to lift. If the spring breaks or the mechanism fails, the door can close suddenly, damaging anything or anyone that gets in the way. Roll-up doors also have more hinges and fastening devices that can rust or break, and they can come off of the roller system they are mounted on. When you open the door, check the cables for fraying or damage, and look for damaged or missing tracks, bolts or anything else that should be reported. Some trailers are equipped with side doors. These need to be checked for proper operation, too. Curtainside trailers are generally treated like an enclosed flatbed, but freight can shift unseen behind the curtains, so caution is needed opening these up as well. Driver injuries can also happen because of parking lot hazards. Potholes, loose stones, trash or other objects can cause a trip or a twisted ankle. If you’re concentrating on safely opening the doors and looking for loose or falling freight, you might miss a ground-level obstacle. The best practice is to inspect the area you’ll be walking on; then inspect door hinges and latches; then proceed to carefully open the doors, always keeping a door between yourself and the cargo. Keep a firm grip on the door until it is securely latched open. When backing into the dock — or pulling out of one — be sure to look in both west coast mirrors. It’s easy to focus on the left mirror while backing, but brief looks in the right mirror will help you know if a door comes loose from its chain. Loose doors can cause damage to trailers and other vehicles or can be damaged by striking another trailer or even slamming shut. If you see a door swinging freely, put on the parking brake, get out and secure it before proceeding. There are enough hazards in trucking already, without the dangers involved with trailer doors. Following a safe process for opening and closing them, including keeping your footing secure, will help you stay healthy and ready for the rigors of the road.

Pandemic leads family down unique path to trucking entrepreneurship

COVINGTON, La. — While Ashley Stewart has never sat behind the wheel of a semi, she has sure covered a lot of miles to become an owner-operator. She and her husband, DeAntonio Stewart, launched their trucking company, Keeping Up with the Stewart’s, earlier this year. Stewart, who’s a registered nurse by trade, has balanced the new venture with her double-duty work at Slidell Memorial Hospital in Slidell, Louisiana, and St. Bernard Parish Hospital in Chalmette, Louisiana. During 10 years of working in emergency rooms, she’s seen a little bit of everything and anything that could possibly walk through the door. But last fall, she took an assignment that altered her career, both as a nurse and as a budding entrepreneur. “I took a travel assignment at Baylor Scott & White Health in Dallas for COVID in November. I did that for six months,” she said. “That was hard. Long hours. We had to do 60 hours a week back when COVID was still very rampant. So, they were short-staffed, and we had a lot of patients. It took a toll.” Between the hectic schedule and crushing demands of the assignment, Stewart had precious few opportunities during that time to see her husband and four children. Thinking of them and their futures, she began to “percolate” the idea to become an owner-operator. “I was talking to one of my friends out there, another nurse. She actually formed a company with her husband. And then there’s a group that I’m part of on Facebook where there’s a woman who actually used to be a nurse, and she did the same thing. And she’s had a very successful trucking business career,” Steward explained. “I had a lot of time to think during that assignment. I began to wonder, what all goes into it?” Stewart floated the idea to her husband, who’d driven with local trucking companies for some time. With him on board, she began researching the ins and outs of starting up the business. “I mentioned the idea around February, and I just kinda kept working toward it,” she said. “I watched YouTube video after YouTube video all about successful trucking companies. I watched The Highway Diva; she’s a truck owner and she makes multiple YouTube videos. She’s extremely helpful. She drives with her daughter sometimes. I commented on it, and she commented back to me. She’s just great. She’s very friendly. “I made a big ol’ check list, and I would take notepads and I would just literally make lists and I’d write notes. And as I went, I would just scratch it off. I did the LLC and applied for our own vehicle authority. I just did it step by step,” she continued. “That’s what I’d tell anyone who wants to do this. I would say, ‘Take baby steps and research and make lists. Just take your time.’” Stewart is quick to point out that while she was spearheading the effort, the entire family had input at some level, from her husband’s experience behind the wheel to settling on the name of the venture. “At first someone said, ‘Stewart Trucking’ and I thought, ‘No, I want it to be cute. Stand out,’” she said. “One of my daughters actually came up with the name, ‘Keeping Up with the Stewart’s’ which is like ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians,’ you know. She always says she wants a TV show,” Stewart said. “So, I was sitting there one day at work, and I was like ‘You know what? That could work. ’Cause it’s a trucking company and it’s always moving.’” In May, the family found the perfect rig — a 2017 Kenworth T680 — in Texas and drove it home to Louisiana after Ashley’s stint in Dallas wrapped up. Once settled into the new routine, the challenging realities of making a go in the trucking business sank in. “At first, we were very defeated because nobody would work with us because we were so new,” Stewart said. “I had been working on it since March but because it just went active, it finally cleared May 28, that’s what they were going by. The first week, we’d make a call they would say ‘Nope. Nope. Nope.’” Their break finally came, however, and Keeping Up with the Stewart’s was on the road. “We did one load, like a trailer drop — that was our first move — and ever since that, we’ve been successful,” she said. While DeAntonio hauls the dry vans to various destinations out of state, Ashley serves as dispatcher and is taking a broker course, in addition to continuing her nursing career. She said her experience as a nurse actually plays a role in her life as an owner-operator. “It’s funny,” she said. “When you’re looking at the loads and trying to piece and part them together and map load after load, you have to see the bigger picture. As a charge nurse and a house supervisor, you have always look at the bigger picture too, like the flow and the management of things. Learning the trucking business, I can really rely on how I manage others as a nurse, seeing a bigger picture.” Still, she admits balancing two careers and a family of four daughters, ranging in age from 7 to 14, is not without its daily challenges. “It’s hard some days, but I think being a nurse through COVID, you learn how to prioritize a lot of things — what is a priority in life and what isn’t, you know?” she said. “I sleep when I can and research some stuff when I have a little free time here and there and just keep working hard.” One of the most important things is to not go it alone, she said. “My husband and I work on this together,” she explained. “I just wanted to have something we could call our own. I would want my daughters to see that and know that whatever you put your mind to, the sky’s the limit.”

‘Holy moly!’: Dennis Bramblett wins 2022 Volvo in Landstar’s All-Star Truck Giveaway

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Landstar System Inc. has named owner-operator Dennis Bramblett of Hannibal, Missouri, as the winner of the 2021 Landstar All-Star Truck Giveaway. He will receive a brand-new 2022 Volvo VNL64T truck. Bramblett was one of four Landstar business capacity owner (BCO) finalists in this year’s giveaway. Finalists were randomly drawn from a pool of more than 1,000 drivers that have achieved 1, 2 or 3 million safe driving miles or have earned Landstar’s Roadstar designation. Roadstars are recognized as the “best of the best” based on their high levels of safety, productivity and excellence in customer service. The winner was determined during a virtual event July 13. Each of the four finalists selected one of four boxes, one of which contained a winning notification. Bramblett was the last to select a box — and that final box turned out to the winner. “Holy moly!” exclaimed a shocked Bramblett when he realized he’d won. The prize is a dark garnet red metallic Volvo VNL64T that features a 455-horsepower Volvo D13 engine, a Volvo 12-speed I-Shift transmission and the Volvo Active Driver Assist 2.0 collision-avoidance system. “I appreciate Landstar a lot,” Bramblett said. “Since I leased on, I’ve not once been tempted to look for another company. And now I have a new truck that’s paid for!” Each year, Landstar gives away a truck, including all registration fees and taxes, to one of its Million Mile Safe Driver independent owner-operators. Bramblett leased to Landstar in 2006 and was named a Million Mile Safe Driver in 2017. “Congratulations to Dennis Bramblett. Awarding a Landstar BCO with a new truck is an honor we look forward to every year,” said Jim Gattoni, president and CEO of Landstar. “We thank all of our Million Mile Safe Drivers and Roadstars for their skills and their service excellence. It is our privilege to give away such a life-changing award.”

Pilot Co. surprises 40-year driver with custom Peterbilt

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.— Carrying on a family tradition, Daniel Abshire has driven for Pilot Co. for more than 40 years and was honored for his contributions during a luncheon on July 7 at the company’s sales and support center headquarters. Pilot and Peterbilt surprised Abshire at the event, presenting him with a custom Peterbilt truck that is reminiscent of the rig his father, Jim, drove during his tenure at Pilot. Hired in 1971, Jim Abshire was the second driver ever hired by Pilot. He became the company’s first lead driver and drove for Pilot for 42 years. Following in his father’s footsteps, Daniel Abshire joined Pilot in 1980 at the age of 21. When his father retired from the position of lead driver in 2013, Daniel stepped into the position. Today he oversees the trucks and drivers based in Staunton and Roanoke, Virginia, where he resides. “The Abshire family and Pilot transportation are synonymous,” said Jim Haslam, founder and chairman of Pilot. “Daniel is the best. And that’s because he learned from the best — his father, Jim. This job requires patience, endurance and a deep regard for everyone on the road. We are very proud of these two long and legendary careers, and it’s an honor to recognize Daniel for his 40 years at Pilot with this specially designed Peterbilt truck.” During his 40-year career, Daniel Abshire has: Driven 2.5 million miles, which is the equivalent of five trips to the moon and back, or 1,650 trips Knoxville-to-New York and back. Amassed 9,800 safety days in the cab of his truck, the equivalent of more than 26 years of safe driving. Delivered more than 200 million gallons of fuel, which is the equivalent of 300 Olympic swimming pools. “I’m still in shock,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting to be recognized, let alone get a new truck to drive that also celebrates my dad’s time with Pilot. I remember him driving a Peterbilt like this one, and this is my dream truck. We’ve always been part of the Pilot family, and the team here, especially the other drivers, always have been part of the Abshire family. That’s not lip service; it’s how we operate. This just illustrates how true it is. We are family.” Both Jim Abshire and Daniel Abshire are fans of Peterbilt trucks. Inspired by a photo of Jim from the 1970s with his Pilot truck, Peterbilt designed the truck that was presented to Daniel as a throwback to the 389 model, with updated red and yellow Pilot Flying J graphics. “Everyone at Peterbilt would like to congratulate Daniel Abshire and the whole Abshire family for the millions of miles they have spent on the road delivering fuel for the Pilot Co.,” said Jason Skoog, Peterbilt general manager and PACCAR vice president. “To be a part of this celebration is a privilege, and we look forward to seeing Daniel on the road behind the wheel of his Peterbilt Model 389 outfitted with a throwback design honoring the legacy of his father.”

Rand McNally launches new edition atlas for professional drivers

CHICAGO — Rand McNally recently released a new 2021 edition of the “Motor Carriers’ Road Atlas.” The atlas, designed specifically for professional truck drivers, features updated maps that highlight truck-accessible roads, along with a roster of current state trucking regulations and fuel tax charts. The new edition, which is comes both paperback and spiral-bound versions, is available at travel centers, in bookstores, on e-commerce stores and on Rand McNally’s online store. Updates to the 2021 edition include: The inclusion of mileage-based exit numbers in Massachusetts and Vermont; The addition of the southern extension of John Kilpatrick Turnpike in Oklahoma City; The re-routing of U.S. 52 around Dubuque, Iowa; Updated restricted routes on the maps; Changes to low-clearance and weigh station locations; Verification of more than 40,000 truck-route-specific, city-to-city mileages; Confirmation of weight and size limitations as mandated by states and provinces, plus verified registration guidelines, phone numbers and websites for state police and operating authorities; Updated contacts for state toll systems, hotlines for road construction and conditions; and A review of Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) regulations.

Celebrating America’s drivers: Attendance at 2021 Walcott Truckers Jamboree tops 44,000

WALCOTT, Iowa — Hosted by the Iowa 80 — known as the “World’s Largest Truckstop” — the 42nd annual Walcott Truckers Jamboree, held July 8-10, was attended by more than 44,500 people, including drivers and their families, as well as other travelers and area residents. After the 2020 Jamboree was moved to an online format because of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Delia Moon Meier, senior vice president of the Iowa 80 Group, told The Trucker that she was especially excited about this year’s in-person event. “It’s the best kind of family reunion,” she said. Visitors flocked to Walcott, Iowa, from 22 different states and three Canadian provinces to display their trucks and join in the festivities. Drivers from Arizona, Texas, Vermont and Canada traveled the farthest, according to the Iowa 80. The Walcott Truckers Jamboree has been celebrating truckers, “rain or shine,” since 1979. “My parents started this event as a way to show their appreciation for the hard work professional drivers do each day delivering the goods we need,” Meier said. “It took a pandemic for the rest of the country to realize what we’ve known all along: Professional drivers are essential to our everyday lives, and they deserve to be celebrated. That’s exactly what the Walcott Truckers Jamboree is all about.” During the three-day event, guests enjoyed browsing more than 150 exhibits and an antique truck display of more than 100 vintage vehicles, along with an Iowa 80-style pork chop cookout, the Trucker Olympics, a pet contest, a truck beauty contest, a birthday party for a 100-year-old truck, and more. Visitors were treated to fireworks displays and a truck light show July 8 and 9. Live concerts were provided throughout the celebration, free of charge to attendees, courtesy of Mobil Delvac, Freightliner Trucks and CAT Scale. While this year’s event is now “one for the books,” the Iowa 80 team is already looking forward to the 43rd annual Walcott Truckers Jamboree, scheduled for July 14-16, 2022. BIRTHDAY PARTY This year, the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum celebrated the 100th birthday of its 1921 International Model 101. The celebration included birthday cake, refreshments and balloons. Dave Meier, the museum curator, shared the history of the truck. “The 1921 International Harvester 101 model was only made for a few years — 1921-1923,” he said. “This truck is believed to be the only one left in existence out of the limited number produced. It would have cost $4,500 brand new, which was quite a bit of money in 1921.” The International Harvester company, based in Chicago, was created in 1902 with the merging of McCormick Harvesting Machine Co. and Deering Harvester Co. Initially, the newly formed company focused on manufacturing tractors for agricultural use; but in 1909, it began producing work trucks. “This is the largest model in International Harvester’s line of trucks. The frame is 8 inches high and has seven cross members. The truck weighs 6,800 pounds and has a top speed of 14 mph,” said Dave Meier, adding that the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum purchased the truck in 2020 from Curt Fisher of Mankato, Minnesota. TRUCKER’S BEST FRIEND PET CONTEST There were plenty of furry friends (along with their drivers, of course) in this year’s Trucker’s Best Friend Pet Contest. Winners were awarded in three categories — Best Trick, Best Dressed and Owner Look-A-Like. Here are the winners: Best Trick Winner: Thunder, owned by Karen Heeter of Kingston, Illinois Best Dressed 1st: Casey Aaron, owned by Mary Peterson Norton of Knapp, Wisconsin 2nd: Karhma, owned by Mary Peterson Norton of Knapp, Wisconsin 3rd: Bandit, owned by Michael Van Ness of Georgetown, Illinois Owner Look-A-Like 1st: Wrangler, owned by Eric Goswick of Columbus, Nebraska 2nd: Casey Aaron, owned by Mary Peterson Norton of Knapp, Wisconsin 3rd: Karhma, owned by Mary Peterson Norton of Knapp, Wisconsin TRUCKER OLYMPICS Unlike the Olympic games in Tokyo this summer, spectators were welcome at the Trucker Olympics, where CDL holders showed their prowess in a variety of events. While everyone was a winner, the top contestants are noted below. Coffee Relay    July 8 1st: Steve Brubaker and Darren Nolt 2nd: Jeremiah Wenger and Devin Nolt 3rd: Eli (Peanut) Weaver and Leon Hochstetler    July 9 1st: Eli (Peanut) Weaver and Leon Hochstetler 2nd: Devin Nolt and Jeremiah Wenger 3rd: Steve Brubaker and Darren Nolt    July 10 1st: Steve Brubaker and Darren Nolt 2nd: Devin Nolt and Jeremiah Wenger 3rd: Kevin Peachey and Weston Brown Men’s Strong Pull    July 8 1st: Devin Nolt, 7.09 seconds 2nd: Armon Nelson, 7.90 seconds 3rd: Jason Wiese, 7.95 seconds    July 9 1st: Devin Nolt, 6.47 seconds 2nd: Dave Schlabach, 7.29 seconds 3rd: Eli (Peanut) Weaver, 7.62 seconds Strap Winding    July 8 1st: Eli (Peanut) Weaver 2nd: Pattie Klassen 3rd: Kenny Graber    July 9 1st: Brandon Williams 2nd: Jason Wiese 3rd: Eli (Peanut) Weaver    July 10 1st: Steve Brubaker 2nd: Leon Hochstetler 3rd: Jeremiah Wenger Tire Roll    July 8 1st: Leon Hochstetler 2nd: Devin Nolt 3rd: Pattie Klassen    July 9 1st: Jeremiah Wenger 2nd: Devin Nolt 3rd: Rocky Klassen    July 10 1st: Michael Wallace 2nd: Kendell Weaver 3rd: Shawn Swanson Water Balloon Toss    July 8 1st: Kendall Nolt and Chad Miller 2nd: Eli (Peanut) Weaver and Leon Hochstetler 3rd: Joey Erb and Dave Schlabachc    July 9 1st: Darren Nolt and Steve Brubaker 2nd: Armon Nelson and Dave Schlabach 3rd: Devin Nolt and Jeremiah Wenger    July 10 1st: Darren Nolt and Steve Brubaker 2nd: Eryc Constantines and Peter (no last name provided) 3rd: Kevin Peachey and Weston Brown Tire Flip (July 10) 1st: Leon Hochstetler, 3.21 seconds 2nd: Jeremiah Wenger, 3.31 seconds 3rd: Devin Nolt, 3.31 seconds Women’s Strong Pull    July 8 1st: Pattie Klassen, 9.69 seconds 2nd: Andrea Petty, 11.19 seconds 3rd: Angela Nlemann, 12.16 seconds    July 9 1st: Bobbie Kammes, 9.5 seconds 2nd: Pattie Klassen, 9.91 seconds SUPER TRUCK BEAUTY CONTEST Always a popular attraction during the Jamboree, this year’s Super Truck Beauty Contest had 87 registered entrants. Categories and winners were: WT Cabover 1st: Austin Jaeger, Worthington, Iowa – 1980 Peterbilt 352 2nd: Randy Yearton, Monroe Center, Illinois – “Studebaker,” 1972 Terrybilt K100 3rd: Matt Schleuger, Wesley, Iowa – “Not Daddy’s Money,” 1993 Kenworth K100E WT Company Truck-Bobtail 1st: Dawson Taylor, Cameron, North Carolina – “Roll of the Dice,” 2020 Freightliner Cascadia 2nd: Travis Marker, Palestine, Texas – “Night Train,” 2019 Peterbilt 389 3rd: Daniel Huffman, Kalona, Iowa – 2021 Peterbilt 389 WT Company Truck-Combination 1st: Eva Knelsen, Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada – “Ken Worth Jr.,” 2021 Kenworth W900L and 2018 Wabash 2nd: Rex Neely, Pahrump, Nevada – 2022 Peterbilt 389 and 2003 Manac 3rd: Zach Pletcher, Elkhart, Indiana – “Simply Red,” 2015 Peterbilt 389 and 2015 MAC Rat Rod Winner: Danny Autullo, Monee, Illinois – 1948 Diamond T WT 2021-2018 Bobtail 1st: Aaron Walters, Pipestone, Minnesota – “Blue Moon,” 2019 Peterbilt 389 2nd: Brandon Graddick, Iowa City, Iowa – 2022 Peterbilt 389 3rd: Keaton Giza, Creston, Iowa – 2019 Peterbilt 389 WT 2010-2003 Bobtail 1st: Paul Saline, Rio, Illinois – “Satisfaction,” 2009 Kenworth W900L 2nd: James Weverka, Octavia, Nebraska – “Hercules,” 2005 Kenworth W900L 3rd: Karen Jack, Eustis, Nebraska – 2006 Peterbilt 379 Extended Hood WT 2002-1997 Bobtail 1st: Shawn Swanson, Prophetstown, Illinois – “Pure Attitude,” 2002 Kenworth W900B 2nd: Tim Bauman, New Paris, Indiana – 1999 Freightliner Classic 3rd: Blake and Leann Dannhaus, Dripping Springs, Texas – 2001 Peterbilt 379 WT 1996 and Older Bobtail 1st: JR Schleuger, Britt, Iowa – 1985 Kenworth K100 2nd: Marvin Hughes, New Boston, Illinois – “Drawer Dropper,” 1994 Peterbilt 379 3rd: Lavern Cross, Middlebury, Indiana – 1982 Kenworth W900A WT 2021-2016 Combination 1st: TJ and Scott Hansen, New Denmark, New Brunswick, Canada – “Optimus Prime,” 2021 Peterbilt 389 and 2021 Utility 2nd: Dylan McCrabb, Williamsburg, Iowa – 2022 Peterbilt 389 and 2022 Wilson 3rd: Andy Schwarz, Davenport, Iowa – 2019 Peterbilt 389 and 2021 Mac WT 2015-2007 Combination 1st: Michael and Jackie Wallace, Ashville, Alabama – “Semper Fi,” 2007 Freightliner Coronado and 2014 Great Dane 2nd: Mary Peterson Norton, Knapp, Wisconsin – “Jordy,” 2014 Kenworth T660 and 2009 Great Dane 3rd: Timothy Olden, N. Chesterfield, Virginia – “Red Rocket,” 2012 Peterbilt 386 and 2018 Great Dane WT 2006 and Older Combination 1st: Marcel Pontbriand, Pahrump, Nevada – “Cowboy of the Road,” 1989 Peterbilt 379 and 2015 Great Dane 2nd: Daniel and Phyllis Snow, Harrison, Arkansas – “The Goose,” 1996 Freightliner Classic XL and 2019 Utility 3rd: Gary Jones Jr., Lawson, Missouri – “Excessive Behavior II,” 1999 Peterbilt 379 and 2019 Globe Show Class 1st: Don Wood, Denmark, Wisconsin – “High Maintenance,” 2003 Peterbilt 379 and 2021 Mac 2nd: Ron Brubaker, Sigourney, Iowa – “One of a Kind,” 1993 Peterbilt 379 3rd: Brett Wright, Sigourney, Iowa – “Mostly for the Money,” 2020 Peterbilt 389 Custom Paint-Bobtail 1st: Ron Deardurff, Wyoming, Michigan – 1979 Kenworth W900 2nd: Brett Wright, Sigourney, Iowa – “Mostly for the Money,” 2020 Peterbilt 389 3rd: JR Schleuger, Britt, Iowa – 1985 Kenworth K100 Custom Paint-TT Combination 1st: Dave Schroyer, Celina, Ohio – 2013 Peterbilt 389 and 2013 Landoll 2nd: Andy Schwarz, Davenport, Iowa – 2019 Peterbilt 389 and 2021 Mac 3rd: Gary Jones Jr., Lawson, Missouri – “Excessive Behavior II,” 1999 Peterbilt 379 and 2020 XL Specialized Custom Graphics-Bobtail 1st: Paul Saline, Rio, Illinois – “Satisfaction,” 2009 Kenworth W900L 2nd: Shawn Swanson, Prophetstown, Illinois – “Pure Attitude,” 2002 Kenworth W900B 3rd: Dawson Taylor, Cameron, North Carolina – “Roll of the Dice,” 2020 Freightliner Cascadia Custom Graphics-TT Combination 1st: Rex Neely, Pahrump, Nevada – 2022 Peterbilt 389 and 2003 Manac 2nd: Daniel and Phyllis Snow, Harrison, Arkansas – “The Goose,” 1996 Freightliner Classic XL and 2019 Utility 3rd: Michael VanNess, Georgetown, Illinois – “Nancy Mae,” 2018 Peterbilt 567 and 2021 Walker Polish & Detail-Bobtail 1st: Shawn Swanson, Prophetstown, Illinois – “Pure Attitude,” 2002 Kenworth W900B 2nd: Keaton Giza, Creston, Iowa – 2019 Peterbilt 389 3rd: Ron Brubaker, Sigourney, Iowa – “One of a Kind,” 1993 Peterbilt 379 Polish & Detail-TT Combination 1st: Don Wood, Denmark, Wisconsin – “High Maintenance,” 2003 Peterbilt 379 and 2021 Mac 2nd: Jay Hawthorne, Grand Mound, Iowa – “Dirty Business,” 2018 Peterbilt 389 and 2017 Reitnouer 3rd: Andy Schwarz, Davenport, Iowa – 2019 Peterbilt 389 and 2021 Mac Interior-OEM Sleeper-Bobtail 1st: Dawson Taylor, Cameron, North Carolina – “Roll of the Dice,” 2020 Freightliner Cascadia 2nd: Shawn Swanson, Prophetstown, Illinois – “Pure Attitude,” 2002 Kenworth W900B 3rd: Paul Saline, Rio, Illinois – “Satisfaction,” 2009 Kenworth W900L Interior-OEM Sleeper-Combination 1st: Terry and Kasey Aslinger, Marquand, Missouri – “Zippy,” 1996 Peterbilt 379 and 2020 Sun Country 2nd: Rob Hallahan, LaCrosse, Wisconsin – “Jokes on You,” 2022 Peterbilt 389 and 2022 Great Dane 3rd: Dylan McCrabb, Williamsburg, Iowa – 2022 Peterbilt 389 and 2022 Wilson Interior-OEM Conversion Sleeper 1st: Andy Schwarz, Davenport, Iowa – 2019 Peterbilt 389 and 2021 Mac 2nd: Jay Hawthorne, Grand Mound, Iowa – “Dirty Business,” 2018 Peterbilt 389 and 2017 Reitnouer 3rd: Don Wood, Denmark, Wisconsin – “High Maintenance,” 2003 Peterbilt 379 and 2021 Mac Interior-Custom Sleeper 1st: Daniel and Phyllis Snow, Harrison, Arkansas – “The Goose,” 1996 Freightliner Classic XL and 2019 Utility 2nd: Michael and Jackie Wallace, Ashville, Alabama – “Semper Fi,” 2007 Freightliner Coronado and 2014 Great Dane 3rd: Lavern Cross, Middlebury, Indiana – 1982 Kenworth W900A Lights at Night-Bobtail-Road Legal 1st: Keaton Giza, Creston, Iowa – 2019 Peterbilt 389 2nd: Shaun Miller, Palm Bay, Florida – 2022 Peterbilt 389 3rd: Daniel Huffman, Kalona, Iowa – 2021 Peterbilt 389 Lights at Night-Bobtail-Show Only Winner: Aaron Walters, Pipestone, Minnesota – “Blue Moon,” a 2019 Peterbilt 389 Lights at Night-TT Combination-Road Legal 1st: Darren Nolt, Ephrata, Pennsylvania – “Rooster Cruiser,” a 1984 Peterbilt 359 and 2018 Great Dane 2nd: Kendall Nolt, Ephrata, Pennsylvania – 1987 Peterbilt 359 and 2020 Great Dane 3rd: Dennis Durand, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada – 2017 Kenworth W900 and 2016 Tremcar Lights at Night-TT Combination-Show Only 1st: Don Wood, Denmark, Wisconsin – “High Maintenance,” 2003 Peterbilt 379 and 2021 Mac 2nd: Marcel Pontbriand, Pahrump, Nevada – “Cowboy of the Road,” 1989 Peterbilt 379 and 2015 Great Dane 3rd: Daniel and Phyllis Snow, Harrison, Arkansas – “The Goose,” 1996 Freightliner Classic XL and 2019 Utility Lights at Night-Specialty Winner: Danny Autullo, Monee, Illinois – “Lawless,” 1993 Peterbilt Ratrod Best Overall Theme Winner: Marcel Pontbriand, Pahrump, Nevada – “Cowboy of the Road,” 1989 Peterbilt 379 and 2015 Great Dane Truckers’ Choice Winner: Marcel Pontbriand, Pahrump, Nevada – “Cowboy of the Road,” 1989 Peterbilt 379 and 2015 Great Dane

REAL Women in Trucking to host 5th annual Queen of the Road awards

LAS VEGAS — REAL Women in Trucking Inc. (RWIT) will host the fifth annual Queen of the Road awards amidst the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas on Aug. 14. The presentation will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Brio Italian Grille, 6653 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Five women will be honored during this year’s ceremony. Angela Baum, Darnise Harris and Mary Gomez are the 2021 Queen of the Road award recipients, and Brita Nowak and Jess Graham will be honored with the President’s Choice Trucking Industry Trailblazer award. Each award recipient will receive a Visa gift card, a Queen of the Road commemorative plaque, free RWIT membership and a Queen of the Road event T-shirt, as well as a prize pack from event sponsors. Other award nominees include Kenyette Godhigh-Bell, Cathy Vanerveer, Rebecka Tosh, Chelsey Warren, Robin Mills, Siobhan Clark, Nancy Brown, Tamie Cole, Christal Ruth, Linda Provence, Linda Arnone, Lesa Yo-yo Worley, Veronica Twyman, Kearsey Rothlander, Amie Cochran and Constance Moseley. “Long before ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusion’ were trending, REAL Women in Trucking was recognizing and supporting remarkable matriarchs of the trucking industry — women of color, lesbians, transgender individuals or those of different religions, abilities, backgrounds and identities — who were often invisible,” said Desiree Wood, president, REAL Women in Trucking. The Queen of the Road awards were inspired by these women truck drivers, who have overcome obstacles and supported others in the industry. The Queen of the Road Awards is sponsored by RoadPro Family of Brands. Those interested in attending this year’s awards ceremony can RSVP by emailing [email protected].

WIT names Amanda McLaurin as July Member of the Month

PLOVER, Wis. — The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has named Amanda McLaurin as its July 2021 Member of the Month. McLaurin is a student who is currently attending truck-driving school in Pennsylvania. McLaurin, who says she has wanted to earn her CDL since 2019, has several years of courier and delivery experience that she hopes to draw on as she finishes school and begin her trucking career. The maintenance and upkeep of a delivery vehicle can add up fast, so she began looking for a way to do what she loved — deliver freight, provide customer service and enjoy an independent work environment. McLaurin said her overall experience in CDL school has been a positive one. “If anything, I think being the only female in a class of eight has helped me adjust to the gender disproportion that still exists in the industry,” McLaurin said. “Just as important, I think it has also helped my classmates learn to be more considerate, respectful and sensitive. I believe that I have gained their trust and respect, and they have gained mine too.” McLaurin said she joined WIT because she was searching for a welcoming, female-driven environment in which she could ask all the questions she had as a newcomer to the industry. She wanted to connect with more experienced drivers and other women in the field, who could help guide her and encourage her in her steps toward becoming a trucker. “Don’t let anything distract you from pursuing your dreams,” McLaurin said of pursuing trucking. “When you are training, it’s not ‘you versus all the big boys.’ It’s you and the truck. Learn it, respect it, and mature in how you handle it. All you are responsible for is learning to drive safely, carrying yourself professionally and maintaining healthy boundaries,” she continued. “Do what you need to in order to achieve those three things. Your journey is your own. Travel it at your own pace, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you work hard, you can get your CDL and step into a world full of possibilities.” Because of stories like McLaurin’s — new drivers seeking mentors — WIT has partnered with LeadHER Alliance to develop a new program to connect recent female truck driving school graduates to experienced professional female drivers. The 10-month mentorship program, this month, is designed to support new drivers during the most transitional period of their truck driving career.

Women In Trucking Driver of the Year Nikki Weaver is doing what she loves most

Nikki Weaver doesn’t have a crystal ball for seeing everything the future holds, but the 2021 Women In Trucking Driver of the Year can tell you one thing: Whatever is to come, it will find her behind the wheel of a truck. “When I grow up? I want to drive a truck,” the vivacious Pennsylvanian said with a laugh. “I’m really fortunate to be doing what it is that I love to do. I am looking forward to any opportunity that comes my way that I can share my love and my passion for the industry, educate anyone that’s interested, raise awareness for the motoring public, anything that I can do to give back to the industry that has given me so much. “It’s given me a great life and a happy life. I want to share that and, in any way I can, give back to the industry.” To that end, Weaver is an unqualified success, not only due to her on-the-road prowess (2 million accident-free miles and counting) and her longevity (20 years of driving with zero moving violations), but also to the passion with which she promotes the job to others. “Trucking has limitless opportunities. You can really make it into whatever you want,” she said. “The No. 1 thing I tell people who are thinking about this as a career is just to go for it.” Weaver is so enthusiastic about the life she’s chosen, and which has taken her to 46 of the lower 48 states, it’s hard to believe trucking wasn’t her first professional path. Unlike the many drivers who had a relative in the business or who turned onto trucks as a kid, Weaver didn’t find her true love until she was in her 20s. “Before I entered the industry, I really didn’t know that women drove trucks at all. I didn’t know that was a thing,” she said. “I always loved to drive — driving was definitely my thing. I couldn’t wait to get my first license. My father was a police officer, and he taught me how to drive. I had a love for just getting behind the wheel and driving a vehicle. “Then, when somebody made me aware that [truck driving] was actually something that women could do, I was really excited about it,” she said. “It just sounded like an amazing adventure, where I get to travel all over the country — and somebody will pay me to do it.” Weaver admits that her foray into trucking wasn’t supposed to turn into a decades-long career. But she’s very glad it did. “When I got into (trucking), I thought I was just going to do it until I figured out where I was supposed to be in the world,” she said. “I didn’t have the intent of being in it for the rest of my life. Then I really fell in love with it. I enjoyed it so very much. It didn’t take me long to realize that I was exactly where I was supposed to be, which was behind the wheel.” During the first seven years, Weaver’s over-the-road jobs were fairly typical. But 13 years ago she saw a FedEx twin trailer on the road that sparked her imagination. “I was completely fascinated with the concept of pulling two trailers,” she said. “Doing my research, I felt (FedEx) was also the best company I could possibly get on with. I already had an endorsement in double trailers and twin trailers, so I was good to go. I applied for them — they were the only company I applied for — and I was really fortunate that they hired me. I’ve been here ever since.” In addition to the equipment, Weaver also praised FedEx for the consistency of routes and the control the company gives her over a schedule that allows her to be home every night. “I would call what we do as being regional,” she said. “We have something called a bidding system where, based on seniority, you choose what run you want to do for a segment of about four months. I get to choose my run and my schedule; I can choose day or night. I’ve been on daylight for a few years now and I generally pick a run that’s somewhere between 500 and 600 miles a day, five days a week.” Having a say in her schedule as she does helps Weaver keep life in balance. Among her other passions are hiking into areas well off the grid, and being the involved mom of a 10-year-old son, Eli. “Over the road is a lot different than what I’m doing right now,” she said. “Eli is just about to graduate elementary school and go into middle school next year. He is so very excited about that. I’ve had a lot of support from my family over the years who have been able to be there for him when I’m on the road. That’s how I’ve balanced being a mom with the career of being a trucker.” Weaver parlays her love of trucking to others, both as a career and as a way to bring about positive change. She speaks at community colleges about the trucking industry and also addresses the Pennsylvania State Police Academy’s new commercial officer cadets on various issues. In addition, she’s a Truckers Against Trafficking advocate who has attended the group’s leadership conference, and she stays involved with outreach programs in her community. Weaver has also served as an America’s Road Team Captain since 2019. Because of these extra efforts, Weaver was recently a finalist for FedEx Freight’s Luella Bates Award, and she’s a two-time winner of the prestigious Bravo Zulu Award, an honor created by FedEx Freight founder Fred Smith. She can now add being named Women In Trucking’s Driver of the Year to the list. In addition to her trademark advice of, “Go for it,” Weaver advises newcomers to become a student of their profession. “Do your research. Build a network of resources, your fellow drivers,” she said. “It’s one thing to read the stuff in a book or listen to it, but to see these things being displayed — professionalism, safety — was very inspiring for me. The No. 1 resource in my success has been my fellow drivers, the senior drivers who I very much looked up to. They taught me the meaning of professionalism and the true meaning of all these things in real time. “I didn’t have a family member who was a driver,” Weaver continued. “It was really outside of the box of anything I was familiar with, but as soon as I learned about (truck driving), I was like, ‘Wow, this is an amazing opportunity!’ It is very challenging job, and I think that’s one of the things that has kept me loving it all these years, to this very day. I love the problem-solving aspect of being a professional driver. It’s still fun after 20 years.”

A blind date turns into a small business, allowing two unique personalities to shine

SHELBY, N.C. — When Timothy Bradshaw, a truck driver, met Heidi Bowlby in 2011 through a mutual friend, he had no idea he’d end up teaching her how to drive a rig just a year later. He certainly had no clue they’d be partners — both personally and professionally — with three children and forever to go. As Bowlby walked toward the bar where she was meeting Bradshaw for a blind date, she saw a man smoking a cigarette outside the bar. She thought, “Oh man, he’s cute,” but didn’t think he was the man she was there to see. But once he entered the bar and she realized he was her blind date, they danced the night away. “We’ve been stuck together ever since,” Bowlby said with a laugh. At the time, Bradshaw had been a truck driver for 35 years. He learned how to drive a truck at age 16, when a man who hauled cattle and livestock taught him how to drive a 1970 GMC with a two-speed axle. “I drove it one time and I was hooked,” Bradshaw said, adding that his love of driving hasn’t waned during his now nearly five decades on the road. “I just love driving the truck.” In 1984, Bradshaw got involved with heavy-hauling trucking with Metro Lines of Transportation, a small company with only three or four trucks. Working with two of his three brothers, Bradshaw did team driving out of California for three years before the company dissolved. Bradshaw then moved to North Carolina to drive for another company, Kennedy and Son. When that company dissolved, Bradshaw looked to find his place with a right job before starting his own trucking company with Bowlby. When he met Bowlby, trucking was the only career Bradshaw had ever known. Bowlby, on the other hand, had never even been in a truck — much less thought about driving one herself. “I was in a dead-end job,” she said. “It was never even a thought for me to get on a truck.” Bradshaw said he suggested teaching her so they could drive together. It wasn’t the first time he’d trained future truck drivers: He taught all three of his brothers, plus four of his friends, his uncle and, finally, Bowlby. She’s now been driving for nine years. “Believe it or not, she was a lot easier to teach than (them),” Bradshaw laughed, as he referred to his past trainees. “When I taught my older brother to drive, he wouldn’t get over 55 miles an hour. Once he got to 56, he’d be hitting the brakes. He was scared because (the truck) was so big. But they all turned out to be good drivers.” Once Bowlby was trained, the couple worked as company drivers for three years. “It was the only thing that made sense at the time,” she said. But their shared career came with a challenge. After the couple had their first children together, they discovered they didn’t want to miss those first smiles, first words and first steps. Bradshaw suggested they get their own truck. That way, they could be their own bosses, spend time together as a couple and be with their three boys, Dakota, 10, Nicolas, 3, and Lukas, 1. “I was like, ‘I literally know nothing about it,’” Bowlby said. “’I’ve never even owned a business. I went from waitress to truck driver, and now you want to run our own company.’ It was a big jump. But we ended up with our first vehicle.” That was when Bradshaw and Bowlby started getting creative. They recognized that as owner-operators, they could now have a say in their time off, their time together — and their trucks. The engaged couple bought their first truck in 2015, and it looked a typical truck. It was plain, a standard size and just what the couple needed to launch their own trucking company. But Bradshaw and Bowlby wanted more than just a truck. They knew they wanted to stand out, so they started looking for artists to decorate their rig. Rather than using a traditional wrap for their truck, which can cost as much as $15,000, they wanted to create a truck that blended the couple’s unique personalities. “The truck is a mixture of me and him,” Bowlby said. “He is more of the fantasy type guy. He loves dragons and wizards and skulls, that kind of thing, so one side is all him. He gave the artist ideas of what he wanted. As far as colors and exactly what it looked like, (the artist) had free reign on artistic ability. The other side is a horizon, and I feel like that’s just a reflection of our job in general. It’s the things that we see all the time because we get to see scenes that look like that. I thought it was the perfect reflection to have a pretty side of the truck and a more unique side of the truck.” “We find that typically, adults or older people, they love the horizon side of the truck, and the kids, they’re more for the dragons,” she said. The artist, Trent McCauley, is located in Butte, Montana, and this was the first time he had ever painted a whole truck, Bowlby said. In total, it took McCauley four days to create the $10,000 traveling painting. Their oldest son, Dakota, favors the dragon side of the truck, while Nicolas and Lucas haven’t quite decided which side is their favorite. The couple now have three trucks, with plans to paint the rigs in the future. The next one will feature Bradshaw’s love of the band Iron Maiden. Of course, the couple will use the same artist. The rig has also caught the attention of CAT Scale folks. In 2017, the couple’s truck was one of 60 trucks featured on CAT Scale Super Trucks Cards. The couple agree that the attention certainly helps their trucking company, dubbed No Destination Trucking, capture attention both on and off the highway. Along with the unique truck decor, Bradshaw and Bowlby wanted their company name to stand out. When the two were choosing the company name, each of them would suggest a name, then the other would reject it, Bowlby said. Finally, Bradshaw casually mentioned that the trucking company wouldn’t really have a destination. Then, it was like a light bulb flashed. “That’s it!” Bradshaw said — “no destination” could be the name of their company. “That’s kind of funky, because we’re a trucking company and we’re going places — but in aspect, you really don’t have a final destination, right?” she said. “A lot of people love it, but every once in a while, you get one or two that they’re like, ‘Well, that just doesn’t make sense.’ But it’s a unique name.” Either way, the name gets the company noticed. Because of it, Bowlby often uses a quote attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson — “Life is a journey, not a destination” — as a motto for No Destination Trucking. “The work that we have put in to get to where we are is the reason why we are where we are,” she said. “And without him (Bradshaw) … I couldn’t have done it without him, and vice versa. I think us being a team like we are, has really built something that I’m proud of.” Bradshaw’s said his achievement of 45 years on the road doesn’t always top the achievement of getting to spend his time with Bowlby and their children. At the end of the day, it’s his family that makes him the proudest. “I’ve been with Heidi longer than I have anybody,” he said. “And I’m not going to go anywhere.” To see a video of Bowlby and Bradshaw’s unique truck when it was featured as a CAT Scale Rig of the Week, click here. 

Driver Q&A: On the Road with Lisa and Lee Schmitt

Over-the-road drivers Lisa and Lee Schmitt answered a few questions about his career on the road in a recent interview with The Trucker. Q: What do you like most about being on the road? A: Lisa: We have the freedom to do what we want when we want. We have the ability to turn down a load and go where we want, take off when we want, go home when we want. Q: What do you typically haul and where? A: Lisa: We like to stay in the Midwest, but we’ll go anywhere. Right now, we’re pulling a Conestoga, which is like an open-deck freight, but we have done RTN and lots of oversized freight in the past. Q: What is the most interesting thing you’ve ever hauled? A: Lee: I would say modules for NASA. The NASA (load) went to Anaheim, California. Lisa: I’m going to have to say the train that we picked up from the state of Washington and hauled to a museum in South Dakota. They were going to redo it. Q: What can you tell us about owning your own truck but leasing to another company? A: Lisa: They help us find loads, but we’re also able to find our own loads. We use their authority and we run under their insurance. Even though we pay the insurance, it’s under their company — we use their DOT and their authority. They bill the shippers and wait for 30 days to get their money, and we get paid every week. Q: What did you look for in a company to lease to? A: Lisa: Their rate pay is enough, they have consistent freight, and they don’t complain when we want to go home. Lee: You ought to be able to talk to the owner at any given time. A lot of guys will lease to companies, and they’ll hear all the BS but never get to talk to the owner of that company or the president. If you can’t do that, there’s a problem. Q: How long do you spend on the road at a time? A: Lee: Three weeks to five weeks; it depends on how good things are running. But then we’ll go home for a week to three weeks, depending on what we feel like and what’s going on at home. I own the truck, and I’m going to go home as long as I want to go home. I don’t think it’s right that people are leased to companies and then the companies say, ‘Well, if you stay out a week, you can go home for 34 hours.’ Excuse me, I own a truck and I’m paying for everything; I’ll go home as long as I want. Q: What would be your advice to anyone looking to lease their truck with a company? A: Lee: For starters, if any driver gets into a lease with a company, make sure they can walk away with no strings attached. If drivers are going to lease to a company like we did, make sure they have the freedom to go where they want with no forced dispatch, and make sure they see everything on the up-and-up, and it’s not hidden stuff, in nickel and diming. Lisa: Try to see the rate confirmation so you know what the load is paying. That’s one of our rules up-front. We won’t haul a load unless we see the actual document that shows what the load is paying.

Highway angel twins aid as trainers and in times of need

LUCIE, Fla. — Calvin and Corey Williams are two peas in a pod — literally. The two are identical twins who share and do everything together — even following their dream of becoming heroes. In their book, that meant becoming the best truck drivers possible. Little did they know that they would achieve their goal of becoming heroes in every sense of the word. In addition to serving as truck drivers and trainers for Armellini Express Lines, the pair have been recognized by the Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) Highway Angel program as trucking heroes. Trucking met heroism when the two witnessed a catastrophic crash and came to the rescue one cold, gloomy February morning. On that fateful day, Calvin was looking for a rest area while driving on Interstate 44 near Bristow, Oklahoma, when he witnessed a vehicle going unusually fast. It was around 4 a.m., pitch dark and the roads were icy. All of a sudden, he saw the vehicle take a hard right. “I was like, ‘Whoa, is there an exit ramp right there?’” Calvin recalled. “When I saw them swerve off and I saw the car lights do like a cartwheel, I was like, ‘Damn, they lost control and went off there!’ I didn’t think about it; I just stopped the truck immediately.” As he began to stop the truck, he woke up Corey and their trainee, Allen Ford, and the team got to work. Before the truck had even stopped, the Williams twins called 911; then they both ran toward the spot where the car, which was now burning, had gone off the road. While retelling their story, Calvin and Corey described how they tore their hands up as they jumped over a barbed-wire fence to get to the car. The morning was still dark, and Corey and Calvin had nothing but a phone light, feeling around with their feet toward the car. There were two people in the car when it crash-landed in a cold, muddy ditch; somehow, they had managed to crawl out from beneath the inflated airbags and exit the vehicle. “They hit a tree so hard it knocked the headlights out and pushed the motor and transmission into the cab,” said Calvin. The car’s windows were broken, and the brothers found a male — the passenger — conscious, lying on the ground with a serious leg injury. The female driver was about 30 feet from the vehicle. One of the twins ran back to the truck to grab blankets. “She was bleeding and shivering and couldn’t move her legs,” Calvin told the Truckload Carriers Association when they were awarded the Highway Angel designation. He suspected she had a broken back. “She kept saying she had fallen asleep at the wheel. She looked like she was going into shock.” Calvin and Corey shared with TCA that the crash scene was near an old dirt road, and challenging to reach. It was an hour before the police reached the scene, and it was yet another hour before emergency medical services arrived. “Once they got there and I saw a flashlight and heard sirens I’m like, ‘Thank God,’” Calvin said. “I felt relieved, like the end of a good movie. ‘OK, they’re going to be saved and things are going to be great.’ The two recall the police officer who arrived on the scene saying, “’Well, I can’t do nothing. You guys did everything, you already got the situation under control. All we needed was for the EMTs to come.’ We were like, ‘What?’” Calvin and Corey had to help the officer over the fence because he had all his gear weighing him down. Even then, the first responders could not be the first responders at that moment. It took them a while to get to the crash scene because it was blocked by a barbed wire fence, hills, mud and wooded areas. “They had no way to get down the hill and successfully bring two people back up, especially with their injuries,” said Corey. “The (police) just looked at me like I was crazy,” Corey said of climbing the fence and helping. “And I when I thought about it, I was like, ‘Wow, that is kind of crazy. I could have gotten killed.’” But, at that moment, neither brother was thinking about his actions. “If you thought about (helping), you weren’t going to do it,” Corey said. In total, the twins stayed at the crash scene for more than four hours. The sun was peeking out by the time everything was all said and done. Despite the drive time lost while the twins stayed by the couple’s side, they said they don’t regret staying and helping. “If we called the police and drove off, they were never going to find the people,” Corey said. “By the time we got done, the fire went out on the car and the headlights went out and they were down in the trees. How were you going to find them unless you knew the exact spot they were at?” For their efforts, the brothers earned a Highway Angels award from TCA. The Highway Angels program presents recipients with certificates, patches, lapel pins and truck decals in recognition of an act of heroism while on the road. “We just looked at it as doing our job,” Corey said. “And I’ve learned a lot. You want it to be a learning experience. What I learned was that if you see a bad accident, you can’t pass it assuming that somebody’s going to go down there and find those people. You can’t just call 911 and just leave. You’ve got to jump into the accident as fast as you can because it doesn’t happen like you think it happens.” Calvin added, “You can’t ever assume that the police are going to come in and everything’s going to be peachy.” The brothers’ gut-feeling reaction to never hesitate before helping others was inspired by their grandfather, Keny Pringle, who drove a Coca-Cola truck. Pringle was the one who instilled in them a love of and admiration for truck drivers. “I thought he was a hero. He used to pull up (in his truck) and all the ladies would run up behind him and say, ‘Oh my god, can I get a free Coca-Cola?’” Corey laughed as he reminisced. “I thought it was so heroic.” Calvin remembers getting into Pringle’s truck every Christmas Day and thinking that one day, he would drive a truck, too. “I love everything about it,” Calvin said of trucking. “It’s like going on a field trip for free. You don’t have to pay for nothing — just get up, and show up. You never know what you’re going to see. It’s like going on a great adventure every time you get up.” Calvin and Corey’s road to adventure took them to becoming truck drivers, like their grandfather. The best part, they said, is that they get to do it together. “We are always together. We live together and we do everything except take a bath together,” Calvin joked. “We can’t do that,” Corey said with a laugh. Although “everything” hilariously excludes bathing, it DOES include driving. Often, the two still surprise themselves when they realize they have identical characteristics, personalities and interests. Their trucking adventure has gone on for 13 years, and it won’t stop anytime soon. However, the two spend the majority of their time training others how to drive. “My favorite thing to do is to teach it,” Corey said. “We take three people out in the truck and we love to teach it, because we became the best at it. We didn’t become drivers just to drive, we became drivers to become the best drivers.” This translates in their hobbies together. They strive to be the best drivers whether it’s on a bike or in drag races. Their love of driving doesn’t stop there; the Williams twins are car fanatics as well. Of course, they do all of that together.

Increase the chances of finding safe parking with planning and awareness

While the battle rages in Washington over what should be included in the latest infrastructure bill, drivers can rest assured that some version will eventually pass — that is, if drivers can find a place to “rest” at all. Neither President Joe Biden’s $2.3 billion infrastructure proposal nor the Republicans $568 billion counterproposal includes funding to address the national shortage of safe parking spaces for truckers. It isn’t as if legislators aren’t aware of the problem. The issue was addressed in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), the highway funding bill that was passed in 2012 and extended until September of this year, was “Jason’s Law.” Named for trucker Jason Rivenburg, who was killed by a gunshot while parked at an abandoned gas station near St. Matthews, South Carolina, the law directed that funding be made available to states to study the parking problem and to construct additional spaces. On March 26, 2021, U.S. Reps. Mike Bost (R-Ill.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.) reintroduced the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act in the House of Representatives. The bill calls for $1 billion in funding over five years to provide additional truck parking. Spaces would be created by expanding current weigh stations and rest areas and by providing grants to privately held truck stops that add additional free parking. A similar bill introduced last year died in committee. When new truck parking spaces are created, if they are at all, finding one in which to safely park will still be an important item in each driver’s trip plan. Assuming that a space will be available when you become tired or run out of driving hours is a good way to run into trouble. Phone apps have virtually replaced truck-stop directories, and these apps do more than simply provide truck stop locations and contact information. Some allow for driver input about the number of available spaces and other information. Some can be used to reserve parking spaces at truck stops — but these are generally paid parking spaces, and the service can sometimes be haphazard. Trucker Path, TruckPark and Park My Rig are some examples of apps that can be found in the Apple store and Google Play store. Most of the major truck stop chains have their own apps, including TA/Petro’s TruckSmart, Pilot Flying J’s Prime Parking and the National Association of Truck Stop Operators’ (NATSO) ParkMyTruck. Whether you intend to pay for parking or not, it’s helpful to know which truck stops have locations in the area you plan on stopping for a rest break. While your first choice may not be available, there may be another option across the street or at the next exit. Another option might be at the receiver. Some businesses don’t allow trucks onto the property until an hour or so prior to their appointment, but others have available space and allow drivers to take rest breaks on site. Others may know of available parking nearby. In some areas of the country, however, finding an empty parking place after 5 p.m. is nearly impossible. If changing your schedule is an option, it’s worth considering. Parking spaces are usually easier to find early in the afternoon, and driving after midnight typically means less traffic. Pickup and delivery schedules don’t always allow for a change in the driving schedule, but when it’s possible it can make a difference. Sooner or later, almost every driver runs into a situation where suitable parking can’t be found. Some drivers look for local shopping centers or abandoned business properties. Be careful. Stories abound of drivers waking up to find their truck has been “booted” or chained, not to be released until outrageous fines are paid. Others have received expensive tickets from local law enforcement. Check carefully for signs and, when possible, ask permission before parking. Parking on the shoulder of the road or on freeway entrance/exit ramps is another tactic some drivers turn to when parking lots are filled. This is illegal in some jurisdictions but permitted in others. Even where it’s legal, however, there are still dangers. Ramps are often secluded and unlit and could be unsafe for the driver. In addition, it’s hard to gauge the condition of the shoulder at night, and trucks have rolled over after driving on gravel or ground that’s too soft to support the weight of the vehicle. Wherever you find room to park, the basic safety tips still apply. Light is a proven theft deterrent. Park in well-lit areas when possible. Secluded spots may be quieter, but places with people around are safer; no criminal wants witnesses to his or her activity. Locks on trailer doors aren’t foolproof, but they will help keep the amateurs at bay. Any evidence of a break-in, including a broken seal, could cause the receiver to reject the load. A sturdy padlock can discourage some would-be thieves before they start. Backing up close to a wall, post or even another trailer is cheap insurance against cargo theft. If thieves can’t get the doors open far enough, they can’t steal freight. In the cab, it’s important to keep the doors locked whenever you’re inside and when you leave the tractor for any reason. Thieves may want your money, your keys or anything else of value. Don’t give them an opportunity. Some drivers use “strap” devices that prevent cab doors from being opened from the outside. Keep the windows fully closed; if you need to open one for air circulation, don’t open it far enough for someone to get an arm inside. If it is necessary to leave the cab, even at a truck stop, always conduct a visual scan all the way around the truck before opening a door. Be aware of your surroundings as you exit the cab and walk through the parking lot. Thieves look for victims who aren’t paying attention. If you are approached, head for the closest area where there are other people. There is no foolproof answer to the problem of finding safe parking when needed, but with planning and driver diligence, instances of running out of hours with no place to safely shut down can be kept to a minimum.

San Diego native starts trucking journey with unique cat by her side

Purple-haired truck driver Heather Krebs, who loves traveling with a hairless Sphynx cat as a companion, might not fit the image of a “typical” trucker — but Krebs wouldn’t have it any other way. In fact, Krebs refused to learn how to train to be a truck driver and obtain her CDL if her cat, Pebbles (better known as “Squish”), wasn’t on board. “If I couldn’t bring her, I wouldn’t have done it,” Krebs said. “I wouldn’t have even wanted to go into trucking at all.” Krebs said she has always been an “animal person.” In fact, one could say she was bred to be an animal lover, working as a veterinary medicine technician for 16 years. During her time as a vet tech, she acquired five cats, including Pebbles. “It’s not horribly unheard of in the veterinary industry,” she said. Five Sphynx cats and counting may be abnormal for a typical household, although Krebs believes it may be the perfect fit for her personality. “I am not a cat person,” she said. “I’m a dog person. However, there is one breed of cat that I like, and that is the Sphynx, or the hairless cat. Their vocals are more friendly, and they’re more social.” In her former career as a vet tech, Krebs says, she frequently got to wrangle with dogs. To her, Sphynx cats are much like dogs in their behaviors. Plus, she explained, she fell in love with the Sphynx breed from the moment she saw one on television as a youngster. “(I thought then) if I ever owned a cat, it’s going to be that kind of cat,” Krebs said. She wound up owning five. In fact, she said, the companionship of five Sphynx cats helped her face her own battles with depression and divorce. While Krebs enjoyed working as a vet tech, she said it took a toll on her physically, particularly her hands. This eventually led to not one, but two surgeries on one of her hands. She loved her career, but she loved her health, too. “I’m 50 years old,” she said. “I just thought, ‘How many more surgeries can I do? How long do I want to be wrestling 100-pound dogs on the floor?’” As Krebs recovered from a hand surgery, her truck-driving boyfriend, Kelly Jones, took her along on a three-week run in his truck. “I was just a passenger, and I just kind of fell in love with it,” she said. “As a kid, I definitely thought about (driving a big truck), but I was very intimidated. Coming out on the road with Kelly really gave me an insight to the lifestyle. Sometimes, you’re driving at 2 a.m. Sometimes, you’re driving at 2 p.m. You’re sleeping odd hours, and it appeals to me.” With her children growing up and graduating from college, Krebs said she figured it was the perfect time to go out over the road and “give this a go.” “I’m looking forward to seeing things I haven’t seen,” she said. A born and raised Californian, she hasn’t explored much of the U.S. She’s lived in San Diego her entire life, and says she’s “spoiled” to the ability to drive to the beach and the mountains in the very same day. “I haven’t seen any other places — let alone lived in other places — but I’m kind of excited to see what this means and to find something I like better than San Diego, which will be hard to do,” she said. When Krebs started her CDL training journey, Jones asked if she was open to the idea of moving. “I definitely have an interest. I’m not tied to California, and I could definitely be somewhere else,” she said. “(California is) all I’ve ever known, but the adventure of living somewhere else is definitely interesting.” Krebs said she’s excited about downsizing her life and living low-cost, with the option of buying a house and vacationing when she wants. “It’s just being able to live and have so much control of what you do,” she said. “Currently, I mean, yes, your dispatch does loads but you’re kind of your own boss. You travel the nation and take the home time that you want. That appeals to me. I’m excited to work for myself but still have the protection of working as a company driver.” Krebs is just finishing up her training and is testing with Knight Transportation to get her own truck. Of course, she made sure Knight would allow her to take a cat on the road with her. With the company “cat checked” and her training nearly complete, Krebs said she’s ready to go. There was one dilemma, however: Krebs said she had to choose which one of her five cats to bring with her on the journey. Two, Sprite and Raisin, are sisters, and she didn’t want to break them apart. Then there were Smudge, and Tiny, who could be a little too energetic. With everything considered, she said Pebbles won by a landslide, having the best temperament and potential to best handle life on the road. That doesn’t mean the other cats are gone forever. Krebs enlisted friends to care for them while she’s away, and she loves receiving pictures and videos of her fur-free forever friends. Krebs said she is happy with her choice of companion. Pebbles loves the road, and Krebs loves having the cat along for the ride. “She just sits in the passenger seat, and she’s a great co-pilot,” Krebs said. “Even though she’s not a road dog, which most people have, she’s done amazing, and I’m very, very lucky to have her. I had no idea what it would look like to bring her on a truck, and she just has free rein. When we’re moving, most of the time she’s sleeping. She’s a food hound, and if she hears any kind of wrapper, or we open the cooler at all, she’s out.” It helps that Pebbles, a “dwelf,” or dwarf elf cat, only weighs about 4 pounds. Krebs describes Pebbles as built like a dachshund, with a long body and short legs. Pebbles earned her nickname, “Squish,” because of her dwarfish, dachshund-type stature. Between Pebbles the hairless cat and Krebs’ purple hair, the appearance of the group is a conversation starter for most. When Jones took her and Pebbles out on the road, Krebs said, the three were at one point stuck in a terminal for three days. Every person that walked by wanted to know about her unique cat, she continued. “It prompted a lot of conversations, and she was kind of this little celebrity of the terminal for three days,” Krebs laughed. “She wears her little bells anywhere she is. Everybody just loves her; she’s super, super friendly. Sphynx cats are not like typical cats. They are not aloof, they love to be loved and they’re just really social. They don’t go off in the corner and only come out when they want to. It’s been my experience that they’re just lovers, and they want to be wherever you are.” Krebs strives to do the same, all while loving her own life and freedom. In a way, she’s always been a free spirit, especially after a bout of breast cancer 19 years ago. “For a little while, I did sort of roam around,” she said of her life after becoming a cancer survivor. “When I got divorced, I said, ‘You know what? I get to do whatever I want. I don’t have anybody.’ The color of the year at that time was this dark wine, purple-red color. I went to my hairdresser and I said, ‘That’s what I want.’” That purple hair is Krebs’ tribute to her survival. She has persevered through all the challenges life has handed her, and believes she’s found the life she was meant for. During a bout with depression, Krebs said, she found a partner in Pebbles. Through her divorce, she found Jones, a man she describes as her “home,” along with a whole other life waiting to be explored on the road.

Man of Steel: Perseverance drives Louisiana trucker to ‘super’ status

After 11 years in the trucking game, John Williams finally realized his dream of becoming an owner-operator with the purchase of his own rig last September. And while that milestone may have been more than a decade in coming, he’s more than made up for lost time. Everywhere he goes, people recognize the Superman-style design of his truck. “The Superman logo was on the truck when I bought it,” Williams admits of the 2005 9900 IX International he purchased off of an acquaintance. “Somebody at the dealership decided to put it on there. It wasn’t an idea of mine.” The paint job may not have been his doing, but the identity has quickly stuck to the Louisiana native. “Mercer Transportation, the company I lease my truck to, is based out of Kentucky. They have over 2,000 drivers,” Williams said. “When I was in orientation with them, during COVID, they were only doing 10 people at a time. Those guys see me now, they always say, ‘Hey Superman!’ That’s what everybody called me. “Now, don’t matter where I go, doesn’t matter what state I’m in, they see the Superman logo and everybody calls me Superman,” he continued. “And I work out, you know, so I’m kind of a big guy. I’m not a scrawny guy. I’m a little muscular, so it just goes with it.” All of that makes a charming story — but Williams’ life on the road has demonstrated that his “Man of Steel” mettle goes much deeper than a coat of paint. If ever there was a guy who started at the very bottom in an industry it is he. “Since I was young, I always knew I wanted to drive trucks. It’s not a family thing. It just always intrigued me, ever since I could remember,” he said. “After I got my license, I was 19 years old, and me being so young, nobody wanted to hire me. So, I kind of asked around, asked a few of my friends (about job leads). A cop that stayed down the street from us, one of his buddies owned a sanitation business, like portalets. “I stayed there for three years and got me some experience; started out with a Class B truck with a tanker on the back, pumping out portalets,” he recalls. “Once I did that, I moved up to the Class A, and I started driving in the oil fields. And then I started driving big trucks, big tractor-trailers.” Williams reveled in the open road, just as he had dreamed. In addition, he said, he felt a sense of pride for his ability to support his family, which now includes two boys and a girl, ranging in ages from 1 to 12. He was also fulfilling the core values his mother, Constance, instilled in him early in life. “Man, she always told me, even when my dad wasn’t there and it was only my mom and my siblings, ‘My kids, when they get big, they won’t depend on anybody, and they’re going to have their own,’” he said. “She said, ‘You ain’t going to depend on the government or anything. You’re going to go out there and you’re going to work, and you’re going to strive to support you and your family.’” So, when the oil fields suffered a downturn and Williams’ income plummeted, he never had any option but keep pushing onward. A friend recruited Williams for some job opportunities outside of trucking in West Texas and, despite being separated from his family, Williams did what he had to do. “Trucking just wasn’t in it for me at that time. I was looking for an alternative to support my family,” Williams said. “Turns out I needed my CDL, because I had to drive the crane trucks and all the rest of the equipment. I got my crane certification with them. I got my craning license. “I stayed with the company for two years, working 28 days on and 14 days off. I saved up my money until it was time for me to come back home,” he continued. “I made really good money, but I just got tired of being away from my family all the time.” The experience helped Williams get a leg up on his next goal, one that had been hatched while still trucking in the oil fields. “When I started, I wanted my CDL so bad. I really wasn’t thinking about owning my own truck. Getting my CDL was the only thing on my mind,” he said. “In the oil fields, there’s a lot of owner-operators, and they all told me, ‘If you ever have the opportunity to buy your own truck, that’s the way to go.’ “When I came home from Texas, I knew for a fact that I was going to buy me a truck,” he explained. “They have this Facebook group for truckers back home and I put on there, ‘Hey, if anybody has a truck for sale, I’m interested in buying one.’ All these people hit me up, saying they had a truck for sale for this price, that price. There just wasn’t anything that caught my eye to where I had to have it.” As word got around, Williams’ friend eventually approached him about buying his truck, Superman logo and all. Making that deal, Williams had come full circle, not only with his career, but with that particular piece of equipment. “Actually, this truck here is the very first 18-wheeler I drove when I first started driving,” Williams said. “When I moved up to the 18-wheelers, this was my very first truck.” Williams said the life of an owner-operator has fit him to a T, providing the chance to earn while doing what he loves, and on a schedule that helps him minimize time away from home or missing his kids’ events and activities. And it’s already sparked his next goal. “I want to own at least two more big trucks. I would love to help out somebody that’s in the same shoes that I was in, where nobody really wants to give them a shot,” he said. “But you have to have the same mindset as me. I want somebody that’s on the same level as me, that’s going to respect my truck, that’s going to respect the business and respect themselves. You know what I mean? Have the decency to respect another man’s craft. That’s how I’m providing for my family, as well as you, the driver. Simple as that,” he continued. “I’m never going to put just anybody in my truck that’s going to go out there and is going to total my truck or hit somebody else, kill a family, or that’s going to disregard anything that’s going on with the truck,” Williams concluded. “I want somebody that wants to be there, that actually loves trucking and sees it the way I see it. If they’ve driven, I’ll give anybody a shot. I don’t care who you are.”

2021 Walcott Truckers Jamboree ready to jam July 8-10

WALCOTT, Iowa — With more than 100 exhibits, contests, food and fun, one might think the 2021 Walcott Truckers Jamboree is an overwhelming blowout party. Instead, it’s more like a family reunion, according to Heather DeBaillie, vice president of marketing for the Iowa 80 Group. Hosted by the Iowa 80 Truckstop, the jamboree is a favorite for both the nation’s truckers and Iowa residents. This year’s event, scheduled for July 8-10, is a return to an in-person three-day event after the 2020 Jamboree was held online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We liken it to a family reunion for truckers,” DeBaillie said. “If you think about the family reunions that you go to, there’s always food, and then somebody is always in charge of games, and people sit around and talk. We thought about those kinds of elements to make it fun and be kind of getting back together for a lot of drivers that make this their vacation every year.” The Walcott Truckers Jamboree is like a family reunion, but with trade show and entertainment components. That means a firework display, live music and free admission. Although the truck show is geared toward truckers, there’s a free invitation — with free parking — for the general public to join in the celebration of trucking life. “It serves all purposes,” DeBaillie said. “First and foremost, we want to celebrate drivers and the hard job they do. This is a party about them, but we also want to encourage local people to come because we want them to see trucks and drivers.” Since its inception in 1979, the truck show has grown in both attendance and in participating trucks. In 2019, the event brought in nearly 43,000 people. In the beginning, there was no Super Truck Beauty Contest or Trucker Olympics. There were no vendors or antique truck displays. It was just a simple gathering of local truck dealers, giving professional drivers a chance to get an up-close look at new semitrucks and to talk about the industry. No matter how plain the 1979 event may seem to today’s regular truck showgoers, the late Bill Moon, founder of both the Iowa 80 Truckstop and the Walcott Truckers Jamboree, centered it on his vision to appreciate the nation’s drivers. Despite the jamboree’s prosperity and the passing of the torch to a new generation of the Moon family, that vision hasn’t changed. The vision also stayed strong when 2020’s Walcott Truckers Jamboree pivoted to a virtual format in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing an online voting system, the contests continued, with the familiar face (and voice) of Eric Harley of Red Eye Radio emceeing the event. A few local truck driving residents even brought their trucks out to the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum to video the interiors and exteriors. This year, the Jamboree is back and in person with to celebrate its 42nd anniversary. Festivities will start at 10 a.m. July 8 and 9, and at 9 a.m. July 10. Each day’s activities will last until dark, with fireworks displays closing out the first two days of the jamboree. Check out some of the most anticipated events of the Jamboree below. Super Truck Beauty Contest The Super Truck Beauty Contest is a display of about 80 trucks, although DeBaillie said they’ve had 100 trucks in a show before. Judged by 15 to 20 judges, the trucks are critiqued on their interior and exterior. Trucks must be registered on the Iowa 80 website (iowa80truckstop.com) or at the jamboree before participating. The trucks are in different classes based on the year of the truck, and there are 24 categories. Judges will review trucks for three hours beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 8. Awards for the show will be presented at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 10. Trucker Olympics This year’s Trucker Olympics involve a tire roll, a coffee cup relay, a strap winding race, a truck pull and a water balloon toss. These events continue throughout the Jamboree to ensure every driver — as well as the public — has a chance to participate. “It’s fun games you might play at a family reunion, but ‘truckified’ a little bit,” DeBaillie said with a laugh. The events can involve being timed for speed or present unique challenges, such as going through an obstacle course without flipping a tire over. There’s also a “strong man” and “strong woman” competition in which participants attempt to pull an antique cement mixer weighing more than 12,000 pounds. Every participant receives a prize, but the competition is limited to CDL-holders. The Trucker Olympics will be held from 1:30-3:30 p.m. July 8, from 11:30 am. to 1:30 p.m. July 9, and from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. July 10. Trucker’s Best Friend Pet Contest Although the Jamboree is primarily about truckers, there’s room for their pets to be recognized as well. The Trucker’s Best Friend Pet Contest will once again include categories for Best Dressed, Best Trick and Owner Look-A-Like. “It’s fueled by the personality of the pets … these pets couldn’t be any cuter,” DeBaillie said. “There is the creativity of the owners for the best dressed, to see what they come up with — and how they dress up their pets is quite funny.” Pets must be registered on the Iowa 80 website before entering. The pet contest will take place on the main stage at 10:30 a.m. July 9. Pork Chop Cook-out Prepared by the Iowa 80 Kitchen, the Iowa Pork Chop Cook-out includes a full dinner — a one-and-a-half-inch-thick pork chop with a baked potato, coleslaw, a roll and a drink. Pork chop sandwiches, grilled chicken and chips will also be available. There’s plenty of time to grab a plate, as the cook-out will be open from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. A few food vendors may also serve lemonade and frozen drinks. Inside the Iowa 80 Truck Stop, fast food restaurants are available, such as Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Dairy Queen, Einstein Bagels, Caribou Coffee and Orange Julius. Live Music No trucker party would be complete without live music, and the Walcott Truckers Jamboree has plenty to offer. Musicians will take the stage each day of the event. On Thursday, a local country group, Dani Lynn Howe & Band, will open for country music artist Casey Muessigmann, who competed on Season 3 of NBC’s “The Voice.” An energetic local country band, North of 40, will open for the nationally known country music group Lonestar on Friday. Opening acts take the stage at 5 p.m., while the main acts will follow at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Mo’s Garage, which specializes in covers of ’70s and ’80s rock, will close out the music as they take the stage at 1 p.m. Saturday. For more information about this year’s event, click here.