Midwestern Distribution , Ft Scott Kansas

I drove for Midwestern for three torturous years in the early '80s, if memory serves. The pay was 8.5 cents a mile for the co-driver and 12.5 for the lead driver—ten bucks to offload the whole trailer when we had to. LOL, I could go on for thousands of words here, but I won't. I was young and saw the country while meeting three great people, one lead driver and two co-drivers. I'll never forget them. Cheers

 

Would you believe Becker is still around?

SAFER Web - Company Snapshot BECKER HI-WAY FRATE LLC

 

I would...lol
Don't know if he is running any freight currently but when I go by he keeps updating his Trump billboards on trailers in the yard.

 

I have seen that every time I take the interstate to Albert Lea (I usually stick to CR46, its shorter and takes the same amount of time while using less fuel).

 

I drive there 82-83.. me and a buddy went to school and then there. He got his truck first, so I quit mine and we drove together for about 2 years. We split $ 50/50.. got in a wreck in Chicago. We turned in the truck and went on home...

 

My parents drove for MD in Fort Scott, ks. They even paid off a cabover through them back in early 80's. My sister in law drove the taxi named Charlie's Taxi. There was a major flood because I was the genius who thought my 74 jeep could wade through it. Needless to say, as a teenager, it wasn't a great idea. Also the bar across the street, Wheel Barrow, was a regular spot as well. Those were the good ole days. I still have the photos and each year's plaque where my parents were with Midwestern D.

 

I drove for MD from76 to 78. Previously, I'd been a UPS driver and thanTeamster hall bobtail driver until getting a Class 1 with 5 other guys. We all arrived in Ft Scott together. Had a dispatcher who keep me running all the time coast to coast. I could see family in MN, PA and CA. I became lead driver by default when my lead "jumped truck" and I drove it solo back to the Fort. It was #8485, 290 fuel squeeze Cummins. I recall the truck that went through the ice and made headlines. I was towed out a few times to company wrecks as far as Wyoming to salvage cargo and trailer; I still recall the steak dinners at the Fort with photo shows of the month's wrecks and occasional driver victims! I moved on in '78 to local driving in CA for 3 ore years before moving on to marriage, appraising and police work. I can only recall the names and faces of 4 of my month-long codrivers

 

I ran from '76 to '78 and drove leading 8484 to all 48 states. I'd done UPS and Teamster hall prevuous to class1 interstate. I did wreck/salvage trips as need for MD's insurance dept when not doing paper, tuna, tires and copper loads. I was lead driver on #8485. I still recall the steak dinners at the company with photo shows of the month's truck wrecks. I left in '78 to do CA intrastate and Bay area trucking. I left freightliner in the '80's for marriage, appraising and police work. I can only recall 3 of my codrivers: Ray, Dave and Victor. My handle on the air was "Snagglepuss".

 

I went to one of the safey meeting in Ft. Scott. Won a drawing for a grease gun...lol

 

I do recollect somebody winning a greasegun; but mostly I recollect the photos of drivers who I dined with the previous month...now on the photo show wall as victims. What way to enjoy a steak dinner! One in particular had made to within 10 miles just east of the Fort and failed to negotiate a one-lane bridge on the Missouri side. Falling asleep at the helm was #1 cause of accidents. I also recall gazillions of mayflies creating a living carpet of dying insects as they hatched all along I-40 one horrendous night in Arkansas and flew into the headlights, completely covering the truck's front. Truckstops had set out buckets and brooms at the pumps; essential as the wiper blades were useless in the onslaught. My new codriver adamantly refused his turn on cleaning off the truck front, ie: failing to "perform the duties of a truckman" as per contract...I gave him his busfare back to the fort. Some time later, I encountered him in Nevada; he'd had a few irksome codrivers of his own by then and actually apologized for his poor conduct in the bugfest. Snagglepuss
​

 

I remember two drivers teaming that wrecked in Ohio. Ran off the interstate and hit a power substation.
Killed them both. One driver was so fat the police thought there were 3 people in the truck due to body parts strewn about inside the truck.