Trucking Life

When a graphic artist decides to buy her own tractor, you’d expect the paint job to be interesting. That’s certainly true of Carla Brown’s lime green 2019 Freightliner Cascadia. She designed the graphics herself including the ladybug motif down the center of the hood. “My truck is dedicated to my sister; she loved lady bugs,” Brown told The Trucker. “She was a truck driver, too.” Tragically, Brown’s sister, Carolyn, lost her life when she was struck by a pickup truck while spotting for another truck driver. Carolyn’s photograph is a part of the design, prominently displayed on the side of Brown’s truck. Brown is leased to Springfield, Missouri-based Prime Inc. and is purchasing her truck through the company. “I saw a lime green truck on the road and loved the color, so I knew that would be the color of my truck when I got one,” she explained. “I’m a graphic designer, so it was easy to come up with a design. She took the truck to Stripes & Stuff Graphic Signs in Springfield for design production. Prominently displayed on the truck are the words “hakuna matata,” a Swahili phrase that mean, “no worries.” “That’s me,” Brown said. “I live my life with no worries. I don’t worry about nothing.” Like many drivers, Brown followed a different career path earlier in life. She is a U.S. Army veteran, having served eight years as an administrative specialist. “I also cross trained with a group of MPs (military police) for two years,” she said, adding that she served in several U.S. military locations in addition to assignments in Korea and Germany. She married and had three children; then adopted a daughter, too. “They’re all grown now, scattered all over the world. I’m really proud of all of them,” she said. Brown also trained in graphic arts and web design, working in that field for years. “If I wasn’t trucking, I’d live in an RV and pay my bills with graphic-design work,” she said. Her love of recreational vehicles is what, in a way, got her into trucking. A friend who knew of her love for travel asked her, “Why don’t you get into trucking and get paid to see the country?” Brown got her commercial driver’s license but said she knew right away that she wanted to own her own business. Eventually, she teamed up with another driver so that each could save most of their earnings to start businesses. “We earned enough for the down payment on the truck, plus what was needed for upgrades and graphics,” she said. Once she had accumulated the startup money, Brown bought a truck and went back to solo driving. She pulls a refrigerated trailer for Prime, hauling groceries, produce or whatever is available. “I haul all of the above, and dry goods, too,” she said. “Whatever is moving and paying.” Brown’s faith has become more important to her over the years, even though she is often away from her church. “I guess I fell away during my Army years,” she said. “About 15 years ago, I lost an uncle. At his funeral service, I met the pastor of the church he was going to and fell in love. I’ve been at New Horizons Baptist Church ever since.” Brown said she doesn’t have much time for hobbies and that she puts most of her effort back into her business. “I’ve never thought of trucking as a job. It’s an adventure to me,” she said. She enjoys the variety of destinations and waking up each day in a different state. “I say it’s like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get tomorrow.” When asked what advice she would give other drivers who are considering buying a truck, she said, “You can achieve financial independence through trucking if you manage your money. There is an endgame. Get out here, make your money and work toward your goals.” In a profession that has its share of difficulties, Brown’s enthusiasm shines as brightly as her lime-green Freightliner. “Hakuna matata” is more than a decoration on Brown’s truck. It’s her attitude of success.

WALCOTT, Iowa — Like many other truck shows and events since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Iowa 80 truck stop’s 2020 Walcott Truckers Jamboree moved to an online format this year to comply with social-distancing guidelines. The virtual event kicked off Thursday, July 9, and continued through Saturday, July 11. “Participation for our online events was larger than we could have imagined,” Heather DeBaillie, vice president of marketing, told The Trucker. “Thank you, drivers! We look forward to seeing everyone in person at next year’s Walcott Truckers Jamboree, July 8-10, 2021.” During the jamboree, participants had the opportunity to vote for their favorite entries in the Trucker’s Best Friend Pet Contest and the Super Trucks Beauty Contest. “Congratulations to all of the winners,” DeBaillie said. “We are truly appreciative of how hard drivers have been working during this pandemic and we still wanted to be able to celebrate everything they do to keep America rolling.” Following are the winners in the Trucker’s Best Friend Pet Contest. Best trick Winner: Reno the dog, owned by John Jaikes of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania. (Click here to see a video of Reno’s trick. Owner look-alike 1st Place: Jake the cat, owned by Su Schmerheim of Commerce Township, Michigan. 2nd Place: Cooper the dog, owned by Rocky Johnson of Fairfield, Ohio. 3rd Place: Yoda the dog, owned by Jesse Cruz of Princeton, North Carolina. Best dressed 1st Place: Dixie the dog, owned by Eva Knelsen of Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada. 2nd Place: Jake the cat, owned by Su Schmerheim Commerce Township, Michigan. 3rd Place (tie): Gypsy the dog, owned by Merton Sammis of Rocky Top, Tennessee AND Cash the dog, owned by Nikki Higgins of Lyon, Pennsylvania. Winners in the Super Truck Beauty Contest categories are as follows: Cabover Winner: “Not Daddy’s Money,” a 1993 Kenworth K100E entered by Matt Schleuger of Wesley, Iowa. Company truck/bobtail 1st Place: “Blue Bull,” a 2003 Kenworth W900L entered by Steve Bradford of Waterloo, Iowa. 2nd Place: “Hickabilly,” a 2020 Peterbilt 389 entered by Jeff Whited of Pakmyra, Michigan. 3rd Place: “Honor,” a 2021 Freightliner Cascadia entered by Gunny Ange of Phoenix, Arizona. Company truck/combination 1st Place: “Act with Class,” a 2008 Kenworth T800 teamed with a 2016 Doyle Horse Van, entered by Su Schmerheim of Commerce Township, Michigan. 2nd Place: “Simply Red,” a 2015 Peterbilt 389 teamed with a 2015 MAC, entered by Zach Pletcher of Elkhart, Indiana. 3rd Place: “Nancy Mae,” a 2018 Peterbilt 567 teamed with a 2018 Walker, entered by Michael VanNess of Georgetown, Illinois. Specialty 1st Place: “Truckright,” a 2011 Kenworth K200 entered by Rod Hannifey of Dubbo, New Brunswick, Canada. 2nd Place: “The Gambler,” a 2019 Western Star 4900 SF entered by Gary Geib of Waldo, Wisconsin. 3rd Place: “Legendary,” a 2005 Peterbilt 379 entered by Dan Horst of Cedarburg, Wisconsin. 2020-2017 bobtail conventional 1st Place: “Blue Moon,” a 2019 Peterbilt 389 entered by Aaron Walters of Pipestone, Minnesota. 2nd Place: “Somewhat Satisfied,” a 2020 Kenworth T800 entered by Greg Nelson of Earlville, Illinois. 3rd Place: “Profilin,” a 2019 Kenworth T800 entered by Shawn Swanson of Prophetstown, Illinois. 2016-2010 bobtail conventional 1st Place: A 2011 Kenworth W900 entered by Erik Heidenreich of Ancona, Illinois. 2nd Place: “Fat Boy Boogie,” an International ProStar entered by Robert Barnette of Lake City, Florida. 2009-2002 bobtail conventional 1st Place: “Satisfaction,” a 2009 Kenworth W900L entered by Paul Saline of Rio, Illinois. 2nd Place: “Pure Attitude,” a 2002 Kenworth W900B entered by Shawn Swanson of Prophetstown, Illinois. 3rd Place: “Razzberrys & Chrome,” a 2003 Peterbilt 379 entered by Duane and Cindy Anwiler of Pingree, North Dakota. 2001-1996 bobtail conventional 1st Place: A 1996 Kenworth W900L entered by John Biddle of Maple Park, Illinois. 2nd Place: A 2001 Peterbilt 379 entered by John Balmer of Fort Madison, Iowa. 3rd Place: A 1999 Kenworth W900L entered by Kenneth Liddle of Camanche, Iowa. 1995 and older bobtail conventional 1st Place: A 1986 GMC General entered by Scott Sokach of Kernersville, North Carolina. 2nd Place: “Class of ’85,” a 1985 Peterbilt 359 entered by Kenneth Liddle of Camanche, Iowa. 3rd Place: A 1987 Peterbilt entered by Dan Nerison of Westby, Wisconsin. 2020-2015 combination 1st Place: “Ken Worth,” a 2018 Kenworth W900l teamed with a 2018 Wabash, entered by Eva Knelsen of Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada. 2nd Place: A 2020 Kenworth W900L teamed with a 2016 MAC, entered by Shawn Barnhardt of New Florence, Pennsylvania. 2014-2006 combination 1st Place: A 2014 Peterbilt 386 teamed with a 2018 Timpte, entered by Wade Riffey of Reedsburg, Wisconsin. 2nd Place: A 2011 Peterbilt 388 teamed with a 1976 Fruehauf, entered by Scott Meisel of Ottawa, Illinois. 3rd Place: “Ruby,” a 2013 Kenworth W900L teamed with a 2016 Fontaine, entered by Nick Kaufman of Ramsey, Minnesota. 2005 and older combination 1st Place: “Only Class,” a 1999 Kenworth W900L teamed with a 2005 Utility, entered by John Jaikes of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania. 2nd Place: “Still Never Satisfied,” a 2002 Kenworth T800 teamed with a 2018 Wilson, entered by Gerald Nelson of Earlville, Illinois. 3rd Place: “I Was Framed,” A 1996 Peterbilt 379 teamed with a 2016 Reitnouer, entered by Chad Cooper of Fort Loramie, Ohio. Show class 1st Place: A 1979 Peterbilt 352H entered by Larry DeGroot of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 2nd Place: A 1003 Ford LT9000 entered by Cory Soucy of Clair, New Brunswick, Canada. 3rd Place: “Ken,” a 1977 Kenworth W900A entered by Donald Arnauckas of Oakville, Connecticut. People’s choice Winner: “Ken Worth,” a 2018 Kenworth W900L teamed with a 2018 Wabash, entered by Eva Knelsen of Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.

BIDDEFORD, Maine — It’s immediately obvious that Brown Dog Carriers and Logistics is a trucking company unlike any other. Does any other motor carrier have a mission to “Create a world where we whine less and wag more”? Or have an official “chief canine officer” on staff? Founded in 2017 by Graig Morin, company president, and Darrell Pardy, director of finance and business development, Brown Dog’s name honors Lily Rae Morin, a chocolate Labrador Retriever adopted by Morin’s wife, Christine, back in 2009. Lily, obviously, serves as the company’s chief canine officer, and has logged more than 500,000 miles riding along with Morin each day. “In 2017, when Graig and I first met and decided to start Brown Dog Carriers and Logistics, I asked him what he thought would be a good name for the company,” Pardy said. “Since he had two boys at the time (he has three sons now), I was expecting something like ‘Morin & Sons.’ Instead, he said, ‘Brown Dog,’ after the family’s brown Labrador Retriever,” he continued. “I thought immediately that it had great brand and marketing potential. Who doesn’t love Labradors? And when I first met Lily, I was completely won over.” The company began with two trucks, hauling general freight throughout New England. In only three years, Brown Dog has grown to eight trucks, 18 drivers and a dedicated support staff of five that includes Morin, Pardy and Lily, along with Carolyn Hughes, who handles human resources and accounting, and Jeff Dorais, who oversees operations and business development. Brown Dog provides all the services one would expect in a motor carrier, including timely, reliable shipping to the 48 contiguous United States and a commitment to safety, transparency and family values, Morin said. The company’s tagline is “Your loyal carrier,” another nod to the faithful canine companion that inspired the name. A  helping paw There’s much more to Brown Dog than just shipping and logistics. The entire team is deeply rooted in the community, working to support not just the inhabitants of Biddeford, Maine, but all the communities in the nation’s New England region and beyond. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brown Dog launched a community call to action to help those affected by the national crisis. The program, dubbed “A Helping Paw,” is designed to organize efforts to deliver essential services and supplies to Maine residents in need and to help wherever possible in the response to COVID-19. “Now more than ever, people are relying on truck drivers to transport food, water, fuel and other essentials to stores and medical facilities on the front lines of the COVID-19 response, so we’re doing everything we can to keep trucks rolling and shelves stocked while maintaining safe driving standards and social distancing to protect the health of our team,” Morin said. Brown Dog seeks to connect with Maine companies, organizations and individuals that are producing personal protective equipment, donating food or supplies or making other contributions to the COVID-19 response, with a goal of exploring opportunities to make a bigger impact together. Maine businesses, organizations and individuals that are in need of shipping or transportation services for donations to the COVID-19 response, can contact Morin at [email protected]. To learn more about A Helping Paw, visit www.browndogcarriers.com/ahelpingpaw. “Recently, we volunteered to transport 125 folding chairs donated by Hussey Seating Co. to Southern Maine Healthcare and Maine Veterans’ Homes,” Pardy said. “That got us thinking that we have both an opportunity and a responsibility to help,” he continued. “If we can use our equipment and experience to enable and bring attention to our community partners doing incredible things, so that they can serve more people, we’re committed to doing that.” Even when the nation is not in crisis, Brown Dog makes a point of supporting nonprofits and veteran-service organizations, including Wreaths Across America, K9s on the Front Line, Trucking 4 Kids and more. On June 29, Brown Dog hosted the Wreaths Across America education exhibit, offering free tours and other activities, all following social-distancing guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The goal of the educational exhibit is to bring local communities together with the nation’s military through education, stories and interactive connections. The tour offers visitors a chance to explore, learn and remember the nation’s fallen heroes. “Brown Dog is proud to support this cause,” Morin said, adding that the team volunteers to help carry wreaths to honor fallen soldiers each year. Another way the company is working to support the local community is to extend a “helping paw” to local restaurants in and around Biddeford and Saco, Maine, throughout the summer through a social-media contest. Community members can visit Brown Dog Carriers & Logistics’ Facebook and LinkedIn pages to nominate their favorite local restaurant and enter to win a $100 gift certificate. “This is a great way to support our neighboring businesses and employees — and enjoy an opportunity to get out for a great meal at the same time,” Pardy said. All about Lily The Brown Dog website offers a complete bio for its chief canine officer, who doubles as a goodwill ambassador. Lily was born and raised in Maine. Her birth name was Olivia, but when she was adopted by “mom” Christine Morin in 2009, she became Lily. Because Christine loved to run, Lily soon did as well. They often raced, with Lily always finishing first. Lily’s experience in the trucking industry began one fall day when she accompanied Graig to work. “She was quite curious about the new adventure with Daddy and his work truck. From that day forward, Lily looked forward to each morning, knowing that when Daddy’s alarm went off, she was traveling somewhere new with him,” according to the Brown Dog website. As Lily continues to travel with Graig, she has made many friends, human and animal alike, bringing smiles to customers. In fact, many customers shower her with treats whenever she visits. Today, as Graig and Christine’s family has grown, Lily finds joy in playing with her three two-legged brothers and playing catch in the backyard.

Making the change from being a full-time mom and dealing with an empty nest is never easy. Luckily for Kathy Wolter and her husband, Jeff, the two have found a shared passion to pursue. “Our adventure of raising kids was over. They left us with an empty nest, and it made us realize that an opportunity and a desire arose for a new adventure,” said Kathy, adding that the couple has now been in the trucking industry more than 10 years. “We both realized, we had a desire for something else — something more exciting,” she continued. “We just started thinking, ‘What’s next?’ We have a beautiful place in the country, along the river, and we have 20 acres, and we didn’t want to let go of this, because we wanted to live out our lives here.” While discussing their future, the subject of trucking entered the conversation. “We both had uncles that drove trucks in the ’70s, and that was attractive to us. We both looked up to (our uncles) with admiration, and I think it just imprinted on us at a young age,” she said. “My husband went on a few runs with his uncle, and my uncle would take my brother, who is a year younger. I was always envious because I never got to go on the trips. I could sit in his truck and hoot the horn, but my uncle always said the road was no place for a girl.” Once they decided to start driving for a living, Wolter and her husband started researching to find out exactly what they needed to do to become professional drivers. In addition to searching the internet, the couple drove to a nearby weigh station to ask drivers about the industry, and they visited with some members of their logging community. After that, they sent out about 50 questions to different driving schools seeking further guidance. Wolter and her husband have been married for 40 years and they have two children, Adam, 31, and Donata, 32. The couple met in high school and married in 1980. For the first six years of their marriage, Jeff served in the Air Force. For their 30th wedding anniversary, the two had saved money to go on a trip, but they instead decided to use that money to go to driving school, which cost about $5,000 apiece. After earning their commercial driver’s licenses, the couple started off as flatbed truckers out of Spokane, Washington. After driving for a couple of years, Wolter said they heard about the opportunities available in hauling high-security loads. Wolter’s husband, Jeff, and her son, Adam, both served in the military, and the couple has a lot of friends in the military, so the two gravitated toward that segment of the industry. For the past five years the couple has worked as owner-operators. “That was definitely a surprise and bonus for us, being a part of this industry and being around military,” Wolter said. “I’m very grateful for what (members of the military) do. It is fun to support. I’m very patriotic and grateful, so it is a rewarding feeling to support those who protect us.” The two own a 2015 Kenworth with a sleeper cab, nicknamed “Copperhead” because of its color. The Wolters removed the sleeper’s upper bunk and made it the space into a home away from home. Pictures personalize the space, which includes two small closets, a microwave, a slow cooker and more. “The biggest challenge is our relationship maintenance because we are together 24/7,” she said. “One of the ‘ingredients’ for being married for more than 30 years is being able to always look forward to the end of the workday, when you can take the time to talk to one another after being apart all day,” she noted. “But you don’t get to do that when you are living 18 inches from each other. You have to be creative. We’ve adjusted to it, and we give each other space when we are driving, so we can be focused on the safety.” One way the two give each other “personal space” — at least before the COVID-19 pandemic restricted dine-in options at restaurants — is to go separate places for dinner. For example, Wolter said, Jeff likes oriental food and she doesn’t, so she might go to an Italian restaurant while he eats Chinese. Between loads, the two also enjoy hiking and visiting museums. Wolter recently wrote a book, Changing Careers to Shifting Gears: A Mother Shares Her Transition from Domestic Life to Becoming a Truck Driver, which is available on Amazon. She said writing the book was the most challenging thing she has ever done. “I am grateful to God to be living this dream (of driving with my husband),” she said.

If life had turned out differently, Julie Mills might be happily teaching third graders in Cumberland County, New Jersey. As many truck drivers can attest, however, our lives don’t always follow the path we plan. Mills is still using the knowledge and skills she acquired while studying for a teaching career, but instead of teaching school, she’s using those skills to keep drivers safe. Mills serves as the director of safety at Camden, New Jersey-based NFI Transportation. She’s also Women in Trucking’s June Member of the Month. Mills came to trucking like many others do. She graduated with a Master of Education from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey, but because of cutbacks in the state’s school system, some teaching positions had been eliminated and local schools weren’t hiring. She chose, instead, to look for work in nearby Camden, across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The job hunt led her to a safety analyst position at NFI. “I was completely surprised,” she told The Trucker. “I fell in love with NFI and with safety.” Because Mills was new to the trucking industry, she had a lot to learn. “I knew nothing about the trucking industry or the job of truck drivers,” she said. “I’ve learned so much.” Her work in safety helped her identify issues with the company’s onboarding process; at the time, it took three weeks or more to hire a new driver. She spearheaded a pilot program at NFI that reduced onboarding time by two-thirds, helping the company keep its fleet moving in a market where drivers are hard to come by. Mills continued to progress at NFI, rising to her current position. She says her job keeps her busy. “Honestly, I don’t have a lot of free time, but I’m blessed to be in this career,” she explained. “This is my hobby. I enjoy this every day.” Part of her day at NFI is spend reviewing video recorded by the Lytx DriveCam system used in NFI vehicles. “I’m a huge supporter of the video system,” she said. “I’m reviewing video all the time, and I see what our drivers encounter.” In some cases, the videos reveal training opportunities for drivers. Mills explained, “I really feel like I am using my teaching degree. So much of the safety role involves training and assessment; I’m teaching every day.” A part of Mills’ knowledge comes from the ride-alongs that NFI requires for its safety personnel. “They are required as part of the training,” Mills said. “It was a huge eye-opener. You never know what a driver will encounter day by day.” Another part of her daily activities, which Mills says is just as important as working with drivers, is communicating the safety message to other departments at NFI, such as operations. She makes it clear that everyone in the company plays a part in safety. Mills joined the Women In Trucking organization last fall, after the group selected NFI as a Top Company for Women to Work for in Transportation in October. The company was selected from 150 entrants. “I try to read all the literature and keep up with the issues,” Mills said, adding that she’s familiar with a local group. “We actually have a group, ‘NFI Women In Trucking’ that sends representatives to WIT events. I’m looking forward to going.” Mills also discussed an NFI initiative to increase recruitment of women for the company’s driving fleet. “We had a ‘She Drives’ campaign to provide recognition to our women drivers,” she explained. The marketing campaign, developed with input from NFI women drivers, showcased the abilities of women in their driving fleet with a series of videos that can be found on YouTube. The successful program helped bring more women to drive at NFI. When she isn’t working, Mills enjoys going to the gym near her Marlton, New Jersey, home and spending time with her family. “My family has been extremely supportive of me and my career. I enjoy spending time with them when I can,” she said. She’s a fan of Philadelphia sports, too, and basketball is her favorite. “Go Sixers!” she cheered. Mills also participates in volunteer work sponsored through NFI, such as working food lines for homeless people in the community. “We volunteer at NFI,” she said. “NFI is a great company.” Whatever she’s doing, Mills keeps her focus on safety. “Safety comes in a ‘can,’” she says. “I can, you can, we can be safe. That’s something I try to live every day.”  

VILLA RICA, Ga. — Robert Morris has a lot of women in his life. “I live with seven females,” he said. “There’s my wife, twin daughters Amber and Summer (19), and three other daughters, Hayley (15), Emily (13), Caydence (7) — plus the dog.” Then there’s “Fiona,” the 2018 Peterbilt Morris drives for CDJ Bulk Express, based in West Columbia, South Carolina. As for Morris, a lot of years passed between the first time he took the wheel of a tractor-trailer and Fiona’s arrival. Growing up below the wheel “I’m a 16-year driver with 38 years of experience,” Morris said with a laugh. Like several drivers we’ve met from the days before a truck-driving job required a commercial driver’s license (CDL), Morris got into the business at an early age. Then again, for kids like Morris growing up in Southern regions like Carroll County, Georgia, learning to drive before they could reach the brake pedals wasn’t unusual. Of course, most kids didn’t start out with an 18-wheeler. “My grandfather and father both drove trucks,” said Morris, who today lives in Villa Rica, Georgia. “I remember my grandfather’s first truck,” he said. “My grandfather had a K-100 cabover. It was the first truck I ever sat in.” It was also the first truck he ever drove. “I must have been 10 or 11,” he said. “We were traveling some empty road in Texas.” Morris’s grandfather told him to sit on his lap and trying steering the truck. The next thing Morris knew, he was sitting alone in the driver’s seat; his grandfather had slipped to the passenger side. “I don’t know how far I drove,” Morris said. “It may have been a quarter-mile, but to me it felt like a hundred miles. “At some point, my grandfather offered a little training,” he continued. “He pointed to the white line on the shoulder and said, ‘Don’t cross it.’ Then he pointed to the dashed line and said, ‘Don’t cross it.’ After that, as far as I know, he slipped off into a nap.” Trucking without a booster seat Despite the family tradition, Morris didn’t rush into a professional truck-driving job. He spent a few years working in the HVAC business before taking a step toward driving a truck. “I worked as a driver’s helper, distributing food products to all Burger King franchises in the Southeast,” Morris said. When the company created an in-house CDL training program, Morris jumped in with both feet. “It was a great setup,” Morris said. “I was riding in the truck, so I just as well could have been getting hours behind the wheel. After six weeks, I had the supervised experience I needed to take the CDL test.” After Morris received his CDL, he drove for five years before becoming a trainer himself. “I rode with 24 trainees,” he said. “As far as I know, all 24 are still on the road today.” Morris says truck driving is an occupation almost tailor-made for him. “I don’t like working inside, and I really don’t like working with a lot of people,” he said. Those preferences lead to Morris hauling a lot of specialty freight, something other drivers try to avoid. He’s worked as an OTR driver but prefers driving for a small carrier like CDJ Bulk Express. “When CDJ buys a new truck, the company encourages the driver to come up with a unique color scheme or wrap, and the company pays for customization,” he said. “When I got my truck, I wanted something different,” he continued. “The trucks arrive green, and a lot of drivers just add some black or white. But the company wants us to take ‘ownership’ of our trucks, so I kept looking for something unique.” Morris’ wife, Tiffany, works as a special-education teacher at a day care. When the son of one of her co-workers was diagnosed with high-functioning autism, Morris said the issue of autism awareness intrigued him. “The NFL and NASCAR have autism-awareness weeks,” Morris said. “I liked the idea. I showed the graphics guy the colored puzzle pieces symbolizing autism awareness. He took my idea to a whole new level. The wrap he put on is 3D.” Driving ‘Fiona’ “The hood looks like it’s ‘puffing’ out as you walk by. People can’t help but touch it. I’ve posed for a lot of photos with Fiona,” Morris said. But where did the name come from? “My last truck was green, and I called it ‘The Incredible Hulk,’” Morris said. “When the kids’ movie ‘Shrek’ came out, Fiona was the ogre’s girlfriend. The guys started calling (The Incredible Hulk) ‘Fiona’ instead.” With a new green truck, Morris decided to beat them to the punch. Plus, he said, “Fiona” is a good name. “Drivers like naming parts of their trucks,” Morris said. “Fiona has twin stacks — there’s Becky and then there’s Bill.’” You’ve got to give Morris a break, after all. With all those women around, it’s only fair he has an exhaust stack on his side. Morris said he hopes Fiona’s autism-awareness theme helps people understand the struggles different families face. “My first introduction to autism (was) a family at church who had a son on the spectrum. He was nonverbal, with sensory issues,” Morris said. For Morris, meeting and watching the youngster was an education in itself. “One day he had what other folks called a ‘temper tantrum,’” Morris said. “But it wasn’t a tantrum; it was a full-fledged meltdown. I could see his family was really struggling.” It turned out the wind had blown the youngster’s hair a direction he didn’t like, and he experienced sensory overload. “Part of Fiona’s message is, ‘Don’t judge a kid off what you think you know,’” Morris said. “Every kid is unique, and every family has unique challenges.” A benefit of driving Fiona is the many people, including drivers, who take the time to tell the stories of their own children who are on the autism spectrum. “They really seem to appreciate what I’m doing with my truck,” Morris said. Puzzling the pieces together Morris advises anyone interested in driving a truck to understand that it is not a job — and it is not a career, either. “Truck driving is a lifestyle,” he said. As a driver, he and his family accept the impact the nature of the job has on their lifestyle. “They all know that when I’m home, it’s only temporary,” Morris said. “And during that time, I only have a few hours a week to be a dad, husband, lawn boy and handyman.” As far as driving a truck for a living is concerned, Morris said young drivers need to steer clear of the stereotypes shown on television. “It’s not all ‘Smokey and the Bandit’ out there,” Morris said. As Morris suggests, driving a truck may not be as entertaining as Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed creating chaos between Texarkana and Atlanta. In the real world, it’s Robert Morris, his family and Fiona, Becky and Bill, all traveling with a purpose — focusing on autism to remind us our differences don’t nearly offset the sum of what we have in common.prim

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Pilot Flying J has announced the kickoff of its seventh annual Road Warrior contest to recognize professional truck drivers for their dedication to keeping our country going. From June 22 through July 20, 2020, anyone can nominate a professional driver into the Road Warrior contest for the chance to be named the 2020 Road Warrior and receive the grand prize of $10,000. New this year, Pilot Flying J is also introducing a weekly sweepstakes to the program and will randomly select 100 professional driver entries each week during the nomination period — a total of 400 winners throughout the contest — to win 5,000 myRewards loyalty points, a $50 in-store value. “Professional drivers brave the roads each and every day to safely transport the goods that keep America moving,” said Ken Parent, president for Pilot Flying J. “The Road Warrior program is our way of thanking drivers and showing them how grateful we are for their dedication and tireless work, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. We invite the public and the industry to join us in recognizing the many exceptional drivers for their continuous hard work to support the economy and our nation.” To honor these unsung “heroes on the road,” Pilot Flying J is now accepting online story submissions about professional drivers that go above and beyond as Road Warriors in the industry and in their communities. Last year, the Road Warrior program received nearly 9,500 nominations. Following the contest period ending July 20, a Pilot voting committee will select three finalists who exemplify Road Warrior standards, based on their community and charitable involvement, safety records and personal stories of working hard on the road. Pilot Flying J will then announce the grand prize ($10,000), second place ($5,000) and third place ($2,500) winners in August. Nominators of the winners will also receive a $500 prize. Last year, Pilot Flying J recognized Timothy Chelette, a professional driver at Big G Express and an American Road Team Captain, as the 2019 Road Warrior grand prize winner. Chelette was selected for his hard work on the road and his charity to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through an annual motorcycle ride he created. “It was a great honor to be named the Pilot Flying J Road Warrior winner,” said Chelette. “Thank you to Big G Express for nominating me and to Pilot Flying J for putting on this great program that recognizes drivers like me. Thanks to Road Warrior, I’m able to do more charity rides now that my motorcycle is paid off. I appreciated everyone who voted – it really meant a lot.” To nominate a professional driver, learn more about the Road Warrior program and view complete contest rules, visit pilotflyingj.com/road-warrior-2020. To join the Road Warrior conversation on social media, follow #RoadWarrior.

SPARTA, Ill. — When Amanda Valleroy, of Sparta, Illinois, was enrolled at the 160 Driving Academy in Belleville, Illinois, one of her driving instructors was Matt Craft. While she was attending the school, she discovered Craft was also a minister who pastors the Nashville First Assembly of God church in Nashville, Illinois. “I went there a couple of times, but I didn’t regularly attend,” Valleroy said, adding that her fiancé later attended the same driving school. “Now, Matt is going to be the minster that is going to marry us. It is an interesting twist for sure.” Valleroy and her fiancé, Al Aukema, both truck drivers, recently got engaged after dating for just over a year. She is a driver for Beelman Truck Co. pulling a pneumatic tank, and he drives a flatbed truck for Stock Transport. “We are both local,” she said. “I drive about 560 miles every day, and so we are gone away from each other during the day, but we talk quite a bit. It is a little bit challenging. We are lucky, because there are some drivers who don’t see their spouses for weeks at a time.” Aukema describes Craft as “a very good” man. “Matt basically taught us to drive, and he invited us to go to his church,” he said. Because the couple works in the same industry, Aukema said he and Valleroy have a lot in common and that has brought them closer, even though they are apart from each other during their runs. The two regularly communicate with each other through their headsets, bouncing ideas off of each other and working out any problems they might be having within their jobs. He said it is helpful to have someone that is so supportive and understands the situation. “I have never met anybody like her,” he said. “I love her to death.” Aukema said there is a huge wall inside the warehouse of the driving academy the pair attended, where all the graduates sign their names. He said he found Valleroy’s name, drew a heart around it and then signed his name underneath. The couple met through a mutual acquaintance, and neither was necessarily looking for a serious relationship at the time. However, love blossomed, and the couple’s plans changed. Aukema proposed to Valleroy at a local Chinese restaurant in front of their families; then the couple re-created the proposal in front of their trucks for photos. “That was important to me because it is the lifestyle we live,” Valleroy said. “We are both very proud of our careers in the trucking industry, and I wanted my Kenworth in the picture. He loved the idea.” Aukema said he never thought they would receive so much attention over the engagement photos with the trucks. “She is so much like me,” he said. “I finally met someone that is like me, but a woman. I couldn’t be happier.” The couple will be married Oct. 10 of this year. Before Valleroy started driving, she worked in the medical field for more than 18 years, as a certified nurse assistant (CNA) for Red Bud Regional Hospital. She had considered being in the transportation industry before, but making it a reality didn’t seem feasible. “I have always liked the idea of driving,” she said. “My grandpa used to work for McLane Trucking and didn’t want me to be a trucker. He said it was a terrible idea, and ‘they won’t respect you.’ I just figured he knows more than I do, so I decided not to do it.” She said after being in the medical field for so long, she was “burned out” and wanted to do something else. She said she is very glad she is not in the medical field right now because of COVID-19. “To me, driving is freedom,” Valleroy said. “I run my own show. I feel like as women, we have to work harder and be as good as men, because this has been a male-dominant field for so long.” Before becoming a driver, Aukema worked in a factory and as a mechanic. “It is challenge,” he said. “You have to worry and be concerned about everybody around you. These trucks don’t stop on a dime, they stop on a dollar — it takes about 100 feet to slow down. Not only is it a physical challenge, but you have to be aware of everybody around you. It is a very unique challenge, but you get to see things that you normally wouldn’t and every day, there is something new. It is exciting.” Valleroy said she saw that Aukema was also burned out at his current job, so she encouraged him to attend driving school and work toward a whole new career. “He went the same way I did, and now he loves his job,” she said. “It is the best money we both have ever made.”