The Big Boys

I'm sure you know ARCO but before them was Richfield. I was taught how to drive by Richfield drivers out of the Washington and Alameda terminal right next to the Los Angeles truck stop and the big talk back then was CF or Consolidated Freightways. They were the big OTR company that every driver tried to get on with. Of course back then around the late 1950's and 1960's or so most trucking companies did their own hauling including Richfield which they called the Highway Division. I's sure there where more out east but in L.A. CF was the talk.

 

Young Transport-Logansport IN, Viners Transport-Eagle Grove, IA-I was leased to Crete from 1986-1991 and there were more O/O there than company trucks, Contract Freighters-all O/O or Fleet Owners(No company trucks) The two I really remember were Monfort and Garreta, man those trucks would pull and run. For somebody with 290 cummins in a 82 Intl those trucks were the BIG BOYS. It's shame they are gone. Guess that's Progress.

 

the big CF terminal here is still vacant with there signs up

 

actually I need to correct you on something, Monfort was divided among several companies. Navajo, DSCO, Dick Simon all divided this up. There are still some of the old Monfort trailers on the road repainted with Navajo or JBS (formerlly DSCO) colors.

In the early 90's I worked for a book company here in Denver, Monfort would run to the east coast, then pick up a book load for a back haul. It was a drop/hook in PA on Friday afternoon, with instructions to be in Denver by 4am Monday. It wasn't uncommon for us to come in at 9pm on Sunday (yeah I worked the overnight stocking shelves) and have the inbound already sitting there. One night we came in at 9pm, the inbound was already there, we were slow so I went to wake the guy up and have him move his truck so we could open the doors and unload early. He was nowhere to be found and the hood was cold. He and his ol' lady showed up about 3am, he said he had gotten in about 11pm Sat. night and decided to go home for the day. Yeah, he hauled ###.

 

I have been trying to remember for 2 days the name of that company based out of Grand Rapids MI. They pulled reefers had nice Red KW's and I think the owner went to jail for Taxes or something... It was nothing for them to do 2 days to L.A. solo

 

I had a friend that worked for them for about 5 years in the 70's.

My buddies dad was leased to them in the mid 70's.

They ran empty so much that they had the nicname Chain Haulers...

Truck for a buck!

A friend of mine was leased to them for years

Black and white Freighttliner COE's.


Remember M Bruneger?

 

i worked for c h a long time. never heard of chain haulers. always loaded. sometimes we would transfer trailers to a rig move.

 

I knew them as Cold and Hungry. One of their old drivers works some for me as a escort.It's not PC to mention what else C & H stood for.

 

Had a truck leased to IT. International Transport. Never moved for less than 2.50 a mile. Then Schneider bought them (by by good freight). Ah tne good ole days