Midwestern Distribution , Ft Scott Kansas

Yeah, I didn't stay long either. I went to cdl school and graduated with a buddy of mine. I went with MidWestern and he went with a reefer outfit hauling produce coast to coast. He made great money right out of school and for me $75 or $100 a week. At truckstops I'd fill out those postcard size job application and mail them. Finally got a job offer hauling boats, so jumped to that.

 

I bought a hammock and installed it over the passenger and drivers seats. Worked out pretty well. When I quit the company I left it in there. Also installed a rod in the sleeper berth to hang clothes.
While I was home for a few days, installed the rod for clothes and the hammock. Put an eye bolt on each side over the drivers seat and the passengers seat for the hammock. When time to hit the road, just roll up the hammock and go.

 

When did You guys started driving?

 

The Todd Motel, it was on the south end of the main drag going through town. The Sonic drive in and Pizza Hut were close by. Started there late '76, didn't take long to realize my O/O dreams were not going to happen at MWD. My dispatcher Henry kept me going, he looked like Porter Wagner. Had 2 trucks there a real POS '74 FL #1116-1, then a new '78 FL #8594. When I left in mid 1978, I was an old timer.

 

I'd been trucking for a few years about that time and will tell you about my introduction to them.
I used to run down to a plant in Winfield KS and would pass thru Ft Scott regularly so I was familiar w them and a company out of Albert Lea MN called Becker hi-way frate.
Both were training companies w lease options.
Bad deal even back then.
About that time ,and maybe you recall, a MD driver tried to turn around on Crystal lake in Robbinsdale,MN during the winter and broke thru. It made the local news here as the driver thought it was a open field and the wrecker company tore off nearly every axle winching it out.
It garnered some not so flattering publicity for MD.

 

I second the motion on the Todd motel. I think the owner’s name was Gary. I rode into town after a cross country bus ride on Greyhound and Trailways. I had eaten some bad food along the way and by the time i got to Fort Scott i was so sick i barely moved from my room at the Todd for 3-4 days.
I was the co-driver on #1193 for about a year. A friend of mine actually paid that thing off after I left. He bought another one snd kept for I don’t know how long.
MD ran fuel squeezer 290s with 13 speeds. No Jake brakes and MD removed the trailer hand valve too …. Too many guys were using trailer brakes instead of service brakes