The Rocking Chair (Old School Trucking in the 21st Century)

Hey triple six; That is exactly how I learned to drive. Well, close enough. It was late '97. I went to a little local trucking company owner (15 trucks, Rattle Trap KW T-600 - dry box trailers) and told him I wanted to drive. He told me to get my permit and he'd put me to work. I did. Just studied the book and took the test and passed first time. He sent me out with my wife's cousin for a week to learn how to drive. He spent most of the time in the sleeper and basically just said for me to figure things out myself and wake him up if I got in a jam or pulled over. by DOT. Then Boss gave me my truck, fuel card and first solo load (yeah I know I still only had a permit) from Irwinville, GA to Houston, TX and come back empty. He wrote the most worthless "Authorization To Drive Solo" out, by hand, on a sheet of his company letterhead and off I went. Sink or swim. No log book, hadn't even heard of a map book (bought a paper fold up at the gas station before I went) no CB but I did have $20 in quarters for pay phones. My wife's cousin didn't have any of those things. He was school trained but he was a real dirt bag. He's in prison now for murdering his father in a scheme with his mother to get the family land. Anyway, made it back, took the road test and passed. First purchase (in fulfillment of a promise I made to a Louisiana State Trooper at a scale getting busted driving on just a permit that first trip) was a RMN Motor Carrier Atlas and a blank log book and then a CB. I spent MANY, MANY trips in the rocking chair with total strangers running front and back door coaching me on the CB in the big hills and long flat fast runs (Boss had FAST trucks). So here's tipping a frosty cold one to all you old hands that taught me the hard way because the School of Hard Knocks and Sink or Swim is the shortest and toughest school there is and it was the likes of guys like you that kept a sideways eye on me and threw me a rope whenever I needed one; after letting me flounder a little so I'd remember what I did that jammed me up. Thanks and keep on keepin' on.

 

I started out my first stint in trucking in '77. Fond memories of running convoys in the middle of the night in the Midwest, a bit of a white knuckle experience for a rookie when the objective is to suck that cabover right up within 20 feet of the rear doors of the trailer ahead of you to maintain a good draft.

I remember in particular running from Denver to Kansas City one night, averaging 80+ mph, with truckers joining in and dropping off the convoy. We had anywhere from 3 to 18 truckers in that choo-choo train and constant updates from eastbound convoys as to the status of speed traps and chicken coops.

CB's were always full of chatter back then, and truckers were always ready to stop and help each other. Today I can run a full shift out west and maybe hear someone on the CB a handful of times in a night. As for stopping to help a trucker on the side of the road? Well, we assume he/she has already contacted the mother ship and is waiting for Scottie to beam them up.

 

It seems to be a lot locale too. I ran a retail route through the pig paths in eastern KY mountains going to all the little bergs with "Pike" in their names way back in the woods. Hairy roads.Them coal buckets bee-bopping like nobody's business loaded at 120K+.

Chattering away. All personal too. They knew each other and were convoyed up "mountain style".

"Six gun. You takin' Missus out for Mother's day or you spendin' the night takin matters into your own hands again?"

"I reckon I'll take her out to Carraba's over in [wherever it was] this year."

[different driver] "What you talkin' bout this year? Six gun takes matters in his own hand EVERY night."

[Six Gun] "Your sister'll tell you different"

[different driver - obviously the front door] "Mash on it ladies. Four wheeler about to trip the light sensor bottom of the hill. We can make it but gotta go, go, go."

[Six gun] "Hey tool box. Where you headed?"

[Me] "Hindman store".

[different driver] "Run that route before?"

[Me] "Sure ain't . New to this route"

[the front door guy] "Watch it commin' off the mountain. Keep her slow and easy. They gotta bunch of construction at the bottom this mornin'. Won't see it til it's too late if you're commin down hot and heavy."

[Me] "Thanks. Ain't seen a thing to bother ya but a County Mounty in the curve back in [wherever it was]."

[different driver] "He ain't no bother. He's there every mornin' tryin' to score on us. Thanks though."

[somebody] "Billy, you ever gonna wash that thing. I seen pigs got less sh!+ on em".

It went on like that til we faded.

It's still out there.

 

The Basin Bridge is great for that.. that stretch is one of the places where it's like it used to be on the road. 90% of the time you will know where the cops are before you get to within 10 miles of the bridge.

I can remember running Louisville to the Windy and never seeing the bottom side of 75.. I90/94 from Janesville to the Twin Cities doing the same... and a few others back in the day. Nowadays, I can go for an hour or 2 before I get a response on the radio. Many of the rigs I pass don't even have one, but I cannot imagine driving without one. There are still a bunch of old timers out there, but the numbers are dropping all the time. It's a good feeling, however, to see threads like this and know that they are still out there.

Keep the shiny side up, y'all. I'm out.

 

Yeah, and I think a lot of the stuff we hear about the lack of CB on the big road because of megas might be because they have so many new drivers that are still in starvation wage mode. Probably their trainer didn't even turn his radio on. Wanted the trainee to concentrate on driving. I agree the good stuff is on the back road.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."

Robert Frost; The Mountain Interval; c.1920

Kinda fits the theme of the whole thread.

 

If fuel was still a buck/gal......

 

Then pigs would fly. Oh if only . . .

Had a real nice conversation yesterday on a FL State rout coming' in from the west toward Williston.

I don't know if we were on 301 yet but prolly since it was around Gainesville. Oldish bobtail FL in front of me. Clearly O/O produce hauler running B/T. Stopped at a RxR crossing and a light and a school bus in the LL next to him opens the door. No biggie. That's what they're supposed to do. Then another light and she opens it up again (but no RxR, just a light.). I'm thinking kids getting out; something odd. But then that's SB Drivers. All the time in the mobile zoo makes them a little quirky.

Next light, same thing. WTF? I'm checking B/T's six out and I don't see a thing other than a need for a good truck wash and I CERTAINLY wasn't one to talk about that because at the end of that route, my truck and I BOTH needed a good bath. Next light same thing. I'm thinking: What is this chick doing? There's no tracks and what you tryin to say? You letting kids off in the middle of 301? Nobody's getting out. Weird but; That's SB driver's for ya.

Next light I hear on my CB.

"Best Buy. You got it on?" I ain't Best Buy, I'm Do It Best Hardware but it was loud and clear enough it was obviously him looking in his rear view and saw Best backwards and was calling me.

"You calling big orange behind ya?"

"Yeah. You see anything wrong on me. This bus driver keeps opening her door and pointing at me waving and stuff, every time we stop. Anything floppin or flappin I need to know about?"

"Nope. Seen her stopping and oppenin up the door for no reason and wondered what she was doin but I'm lookin at your six real good and I can't see anything outta place. Looks fine to me. Tires, lines, flaps, lights and sides. Look fine. Don't know what's up."

"Thanks. Who knows. I'm almost to the house anyway. Where you heading?"

A very nice conversation ensued for the next 40 miles till we said goodbye as he broke off on a county road for home.

"This is my jump off. Headin for a brew and the beach by sun down. Keep 'er slick, slick."

"Do the same hand. Good Lord and this electronic babysitter willin' I'll be reclinin' with a cold one up in the Palmetto come about 8:00 if Jacksonville don't poke too bad. Be safe hand and have a good weekend."

"Right back at ya and watch Lawtey. Speed trap big time. First one's for you."

"Got Lawtey's number. "Preciate it and my first is for you. They call me Wrong Way."

"Call me anything but late for supper. Most call me Smokey. See ya round."

"Roger that Smokey. I'm gonna mash it hammer down for hometown. Catch ya on the flip or another trip. Wrong Way headin the right way today."

Very nice conversation.

YUP. It's still out there.

 

I come here to research and learn...this is by far one the best threads I've read regarding the Brotherhood. Very good read that put a smile on my face. Thanks for sharing and I appreciate ya'lls hard work.

R/
Frat