Personal Stuff

Can we get a thread going where we can learn about fellow drivers? Especially those who are regular posters on TT. For example, Big Scott. How is the vegan thing going? Etc.

Tell us about anything that is related to your trucking experience.

I'm in driving because construction became too hard for me physically. I wish I had started driving 20 years ago. It's a great vocation for an older gentleman like myself. Not to hard but enough exercise to keep me healthy.

Being a whole food plant based vegan is wonderful. I have lost weight and feel great. Plus, in a small way, I'm helping the planet.

Well, y'all KNOW MY STORY. (in pieces, I reckon...)

Found this 'Tom' guy in 1998 ... i was in a quandry with my ex, but Tom wasn't quick enough to be the first Dually on West 4th Street, in Mansfield Ohio. He saw me, but I caught another ride, from one of Bobby's pals (my ex.) JSYK, We had JUST MOVED from Florida ... with my late ex/then husband. Sad stuff. He drove for LCT in FL before we moved, and Valley in Ashland, when we settled.. oh,and I paid for HIS school in the late 90's.. go figure? He passed in 1999. Our son was here, in Ohio, with me. I knew Tom, a little bit.

One day, Tom comes into Olive Garden, with a mutual friend, me still 'stuck' in Ohio. Me, bartender. Sure, I can wait on tables in the cafe' ... okay, cool. Took care of him & Junior.. when I was really trying to set him up w/Michelle, haha!

Waits for me after work with 2 Molson Ice & 2 roses.... and walks me to my Geo Tracker. Door falls OFF THE RUSTED HINGES. He traded me .. and welded my doors within a few days,; as I drive his huge Dodge (1998!) home .. with a few detours. BRAND NEW. Sucker? NOPE. HELLA GUY. He was still working for ICG in CMH ... and studying STNA because IT was 'Rif'ing' like crazy. His co worker was the original guy from Life Cereal..."Hay Mikey, he likes it!" No joke.

So, we hung out. Made it official in 2002 best we could . . . he was bouncing between IT, STNA, and some 'rogue' trucking stuff (and DID own his own refuse/trash company in the 1980's) and... I helped him study HERE (bet Brett has the records, but we never registered, methinks...) in 2003. Roadmasters graduate, sadly company training wasn't the 'thing' back then. WIOA grant . . . was.

He's been at it ever since. USX, Transport America, FX/LH, and .. my favorite.. when we pulled tanks for Saunders, LLC., Circa 2013 and prior. I got my permit 2x.. and was a co'driver in a hella sweet Pete (or 3!) He landed at FAB Express in Joliet/Lemont .. and here we are!

RE; Tanks. . . Kids at home... couldn't further myself. Tom's nephew's GF (our babysitter) moved out from next door, ....and that was that. Never COULD test out.. even in the DAYCAB hood .. (Petercar..yeah, I'm addicted..) so .. no Class A. In my photo gallery. Just a wife of a trucker, still & again.

NOW, our daughter is out & about doing well, my son will be 'on his way' in January 2022.. it'll be MY time to shine. Y'all KNOW my story. Many of the veteran drivers don't give any credence to my postings; I get that. Some have reached out vie email, that's fine, too. I've helped MANY A DRIVER (and/or aspiring) with the 'little bit' of experience on the road (NO MUCHO!) BUT the treasure trove of information, i've got right here, at home. Twenty years a wife of, I know some things...and some, I won't repeat. Rick S. and I shared SO much. We were peas in a pod.

Great thread! Great idea, Bruce !!

~ Anne ~

ps: I DROVE HOTSHOT with a 3/4 ton Chevy, 3 on the tree.. in the late 80's early 90's all around Florida.. for General Propeller and Miami Propeller. We were right behind Tropicana in Bradenton (my hometown at the time!) I got my 'truck legs' on, with a 28' er ... all in the marinas, et al! Dang fun at 20 ... ! Never lost the love.

Below, my 'learner.' 13 too many gears, haha!

There is something similiar somewhere in the okd files I believe.

I got into trucking 8 years ago to have something to do after retirement. I have turned it into a nice little business. I own 1 truck, (the avatar pic), and have a lease on a second truck. After pulling box’s and skateboards I got into the tanker world and love it.

I cultivated a source where I run out and back. I work as much or as little as I wish. Nice to not be running all over the place for several weeks at a time.

Great stories , espec]ially by Mother Anne

Well, not going into much old history, married 8/1981, divorced 11/88 ,,,my mother in law, paid for my div lawyer, I re-payed her later. I got sole legal/physical custody of our 2 kids.

My son was street punk & thief always in & out of jail, as she let him do as he wished. Well, he died of a heroin O/D while locked up !! He was 28, and a new dad. Never listened to me to straighten up n fly right, he chose his path in life and paid the ultimate price......

So my sister called me yesterday, Sunday, telling me the ex-wife died last Thursday, of cancer. @ 60 She was married to her 2nd hubby for 29 years, they got along because they both liked to go to local bar and drink.... Which is where she met him when she wanted to not be a mom but a barfly. Amazing how that worked out LOL

I started as diesel Mech in 1982-83 at a local trash company. Waste Management bought us out later, I did 2 bits there, left once to Pepsi-Cola teamsters job, wasn't what they made it out to be. So once the supervisor we had at WM, was replaced, my friends kept bugging me to return. So I went and chatted the new super, he gave me a $3.00 hour raise (was gone 9 months) Well, I did my 1 year and seen none of the reasons I quit before were changed, were the same.

So, I quit to take a diesel tech job in LA, a Haz mat tanker outfit. Worked a year as solo tech keeping the fleet working, did road calls etc too. Made lots $$ putting in 60+ hours a week, 1 week I put in 93 hours Mon-Fri only. Did all the BIT inspections etc so when CHP came around yearly everything was in order maint/paperwork/mechanicals, did the same at Pepsi, make sure we had no DOT issues with equipment.

Moved to Arizona in 1990-91 with my girlfriend and her son, and my 2 kids ****il they went to live with mom n step-dad) Took job @ the Ford dealer in Needles, did 1 yr stint at Chrysler/Dodge dealer in BHC, job sucked made more in casinos playing video keno/poker. Turned in my uniforms and told my boss where to stick his job, went back to Ford for couple years. Did my own side work then mobile mechanic'd some. Back to Cali now into automotive jobs.

Finally decided was time to get into trucking in 2019, after a few years reading in here and making up my mind to just go for it and become a trucker lol Now semi-retired just waiting for SS to kick in, and Philippines to reopen for tourism, so I can live there fulltime with my 30 yr old filipina fiancee, who has patiently been waiting my return the past 2+ years, since Covid BS prevented me getting there sooner..... But I am a very patient guy now in older age, I hope to live to see #100, ok age 90 would be good enough too !

There Annie, I posted somethin' lol Sorry didn't mean to type so dang much

Love the stories. Like you Bruce, I worked construction for 30 years, was a contractor. I grew to hate dealing with homeowners and had been burnt out for years. I finally made the change, it took a year of planning.

I road race motorcycles, I taught skiing for over a decade. I have a recording studio, keep a mobile studio setup on the truck. I play bass, drums and keys.

Also in the process of writing a semi biographical novel of my gals escape from East Germany and the reality of living in a communist country.

One thing among many that I've taken from teaching skiing is movement/video analysis. I record a lot of my backs and use that to adjust. But then again, I have an obsession on all things trucking.

There is something similiar somewhere in the okd files I believe.

I got into trucking 8 years ago to have something to do after retirement. I have turned it into a nice little business. I own 1 truck, (the avatar pic), and have a lease on a second truck. After pulling box’s and skateboards I got into the tanker world and love it.

I cultivated a source where I run out and back. I work as much or as little as I wish. Nice to not be running all over the place for several weeks at a time.

Yikes has it really been 8 years already?!

Making me feel old!

Well, not going into much old history, married 8/1981, divorced 11/88 ,,,my mother in law, paid for my div lawyer, I re-payed her later. I got sole legal/physical custody of our 2 kids.

My son was street punk & thief always in & out of jail, as she let him do as he wished. Well, he died of a heroin O/D while locked up !! He was 28, and a new dad. Never listened to me to straighten up n fly right, he chose his path in life and paid the ultimate price......

So my sister called me yesterday, Sunday, telling me the ex-wife died last Thursday, of cancer. @ 60 She was married to her 2nd hubby for 29 years, they got along because they both liked to go to local bar and drink.... Which is where she met him when she wanted to not be a mom but a barfly. Amazing how that worked out LOL

I started as diesel Mech in 1982-83 at a local trash company. Waste Management bought us out later, I did 2 bits there, left once to Pepsi-Cola teamsters job, wasn't what they made it out to be. So once the supervisor we had at WM, was replaced, my friends kept bugging me to return. So I went and chatted the new super, he gave me a $3.00 hour raise (was gone 9 months) Well, I did my 1 year and seen none of the reasons I quit before were changed, were the same.

So, I quit to take a diesel tech job in LA, a Haz mat tanker outfit. Worked a year as solo tech keeping the fleet working, did road calls etc too. Made lots $$ putting in 60+ hours a week, 1 week I put in 93 hours Mon-Fri only. Did all the BIT inspections etc so when CHP came around yearly everything was in order maint/paperwork/mechanicals, did the same at Pepsi, make sure we had no DOT issues with equipment.

Moved to Arizona in 1990-91 with my girlfriend and her son, and my 2 kids ****il they went to live with mom n step-dad) Took job @ the Ford dealer in Needles, did 1 yr stint at Chrysler/Dodge dealer in BHC, job sucked made more in casinos playing video keno/poker. Turned in my uniforms and told my boss where to stick his job, went back to Ford for couple years. Did my own side work then mobile mechanic'd some. Back to Cali now into automotive jobs.

Finally decided was time to get into trucking in 2019, after a few years reading in here and making up my mind to just go for it and become a trucker lol Now semi-retired just waiting for SS to kick in, and Philippines to reopen for tourism, so I can live there fulltime with my 30 yr old filipina fiancee, who has patiently been waiting my return the past 2+ years, since Covid BS prevented me getting there sooner..... But I am a very patient guy now in older age, I hope to live to see #100, ok age 90 would be good enough too !

There Annie, I posted somethin' lol Sorry didn't mean to type so dang much

Hey Stevo,

I met my wife from outside the US, too. Just got married last month to a beautiful Zambian woman and we are expecting now, too.