anyone ever deliver to a prison ?

When I was working for a hot shot company, I made a delivery to the Tyrone, NM copper mine. Had to watch a video and sign a ton of paperwork and get a "license" so I could drive a 100 yards into the facility to deliver.

 

A couple times with no problem. One time at a medical prison pulled up to the gate and stopped, the gate opened, I pulled into the cage and the gate closed. The guard looked at paper work and asked if I had any sharp or cutting instruments. Yes a pocket knife, wire cutters, hacksaw and i was immediately interrupted. WHERE? Well the pocket knife is in my pocket and the tools are in the little tool box. We are going to to have to inventory every tool you have before you go in. Then on your way out inventory all your tools and if anything is missing you cannot leave intell it is found. Looked around,we were in the county, and asked how about you open the gate behind me and I will back out. Then I will set my little tool box out and come back in? OK. In and out. Don't sweat it unless you have unpaid tickets or a warrant out on you.

 

and I guess that "license" was good for 1 year..
last year I did pickup at open pit gypsum mine. honestly I was scared and will never go back there again. that place is located in moundhouse, nv. I had to drive the loaded truck(45.5k lb) up and down on 12% unpaved grade.

 

I have taken salt to the joint in El Reno, OK a couple times. No biggie, really. They make you turn your phone, computer, camera etc.. over. Guard stayed with truck the entire time I was unloading, along with the inmates working in boiler room. More of a hassle than anything. Second time I said I didn't have anything..phone, etc...I just kept them under my blankets in sleeper. He took a look inside my truck but that was it. Said I needed to turn over all my tools but then when I showed him my side box with my tools and crap, he said just don't leave the door unlocked. lol

 

I have pulled fat calves out of wrightsville my whole trucking career. Pulled some replacement cattle to other state prisons from wrightsville. Arkansas prisons are totally self supported. They raise or trade for everything they eat. Also make or trade for everything they use. Other than the usual say Bullhauler you got any chicken feed and my reply of you know I had to leave that stuff outside the gate you would never know you are surrounded by outlaws. They are polite, laughing and joking just like we all do. Just because they are doing a stretch of time doesn't always make em bad people

 

i took to loads of concrete wall slabs to a jail that was being built in pahrump nevada.

closest i've ever delivered to a prison.

 

I deliver to the Lusk Women's facility just about monthly. Get your background check done before you make the appointment, and then just follow protocol. Either turn in all your stuff (tools, sharps, phone), or don't come in. No biggie, but the first time is a little unnerving. Some of those girls are a little tougher looking than I prefer.......

 

I too worked at Angola back in 89-92. Oak dale had two parts- one was a prison camp with a bunch of dirty politicians and bankers, and the other part was a bullpen for Mexicans waiting to get sent back across the river. The Mexican part was pretty rough but the other part was "club fed." As for trucks, Angola is an 18,000 acre farm. There's a division called Louisiana Prison Industires which is the manufacturing part of the prison making stuff like furniture, license plates, clothing, and other stuff. A lot of the things made at Angola are shipped out to other prisons across the state. They actually had their own trucks to do that with. They actually let trustees drive them around Angola proper, but if they were going anywhere off the farm it would be an employee of Louisiana Prison Industires doing the driving. Inmates would haul cattle, hogs, chickens, hay, and even heavy equipment all throughout the prison. I would imagine that if any of them looked as if they were going to make a break for it would be met by a bunch of motivated guards with guns.
All that being said, I took a load of irrigation pipes into Angola about three years ago. I had to call when I was about 30 minutes out and stop at the front gate. They checked the truck inside and out, all the paperwork, my license, permits, the whole 9 yards. They had a guard ride with me to where I dropped off, and then rode back to the gate, and I was on my way. Kind of routine. The only thing I kept thinking when I saw them out in the bean fields in the middle of August was "better them than me."

 

yes a maximum security and a womens prison i really enjoyed the womens prison