File under ‘don’t try at home’

It wasn’t a bad injector or cracked cylinder head that put this truck out of operation. Rather, the 2011 Mack Titan was the truck of choice for part of the 2011 World’s Strongest Man competition, held in Charlotte, N.C. Competitors acted as if roadside assistance was not available and pulled all 22,000 pounds of the Titan – a truck Mack calls the “most powerful” it’s ever built – for almost 30 yards. The contest was won by Hapfor Julius Bjornsson of Iceland.

Six tons of potato pride

Set on a trailer and pulled by a Kenworth T660, this 6-ton, 28-foot-long potato was unveiled at the Dec. 17 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. This spud stud has since set off on a national, yearlong tour in honor of the Idaho Potato Commission’s 75th anniversary. To learn more about the tour, go to bigidahopotato.com.

Better health

Burn extra calories, reduce intake

• Drinking ice water with your meal helps you feel fuller and eat less food. Order extra ice with your drink and you will burn more calories as your body expends energy heating up the water.

• Chew each bite 40 times instead of the usual 15 most people average. Extra chewing may result in eating fewer calories per meal. The chewing motion helps fight hunger by reducing your appetite.

• Pack your daily snacks before you hit the road to avoid the need to spring for unhealthy convenience items. Put in reusable Ziplock bags and keep handy for snack attacks.

The above tips are part of our sister magazine Truckers News’ Daily Health Tip offering. Get them delivered daily via truckersnews.com/healthtips.

GAUGES

A weak second half

After a strong start in 2011, the economy continued to sputter and rates fell during the second half.

Forecast: Rising rates

Last year through November, contract rates rose an average 6.5 percent compared to year-ago figures, while spot market rates increased 7.4 percent, load matching service TransCore says. Spot market rates rose unevenly in 2011, especially for vans, says TransCore analyst Mark Montague.

Rates are likely to climb as carriers’ costs increase, and especially if the economy improves. “Expect rates to head up as soon as mid-March,” Montague says.

Monthly truck loan payment

The highest owner-operator truck note was $3,575 in a recent study done by the Mack-Blackwell Rural Transportation Center at the University of Arkansas.

* Percentages do not add to 100 percent due to rounding

Jan. 9, 2012 diesel price averages

FUEL SURCHARGE INDEX (www.FuelSurchargeIndex.org) prices are collected daily from more than 5,500 truck stops and averaged along specific routes.

Creature Comforts

Fifth-generation driver Ronnie Graves has put his own stamp on his family’s trucking tradition ever since he first sat in a truck cab as an infant in his father’s lap. Graves, a native of Sumter County, Fla., lost his left leg as a youth, but the loss served as a challenge, not a detriment, to work hard and help those in need, such as 9,700 animals in the last two years alone.

In 2011, Ronnie Graves was honored with the top responder award from Florida’s Agricultural Response Team for using his trucking resources in volunteer animal rescue efforts.

He was a long-haul trucker until 1979, when he became a full-time prosthetist and orthotist, though he kept his CDL. In 1998, after a series of devastating wildfires in Florida, he was enlisted to haul animals for the first time. He and 15 friends built compounds to house the rescued animals, and soon the State Agriculture Department and the Humane Society become involved. Graves and his wife started the Sumter Disaster Animal Response Team in 2004 after rescuing animals in Punta Corda, Fla., in Hurricane Charley’s wake.

“I had a garage full of Ford Mustangs and sold all but one,” he says, to finance the rescue equipment, including two tractor-trailers. One 53-foot trailer has 84 stainless steel kennels, four heating and cooling units, oxygen monitors, carbon dioxide monitors, living quarters for a handler and other custom features.

Graves’ rescues include dogs and cats after Hurricane Katrina and pelicans following the BP oil spill. “I transported 232 rabbits once,” he says. “Thank goodness they were all fixed.”

Those interested in being a part of the operation can find information at sumterdart.org. — Elizabeth Manning

TRUCK GALLERY

Make a wish

Leola, Pa., resident Lamar Buckwalter, former flatbed hauler and now dispatcher for JRC Transportation, uses his 2000 Peterbilt 379 in Make-a-Wish Foundation events, including a Mother’s Day convoy in Lancaster County each year. Buckwalter worked the truck full-time before retiring two years ago. The truck is powered by a 500-hp Caterpillar and an 18-speed transmission.

Port Orange special

This 1990 Peterbilt 379 hauls produce and seafood weekly between Florida and New York. The pride of owner-operator David Adorno Jr. of Port Orange, Fla., it’s equipped with a 400-hp Cummins and a 15-speed transmission. Adorno’s rig also has a pair of train horns, installed by its previous owner. Accordingly, it boasts the tag “Gone Like a Freight Train” on the back of the sleeper.

Hot Wheels

“I just wanted something different,” Midwest flatbed hauler Rich Carlson says of his 2005 Peterbilt 379’s aftermarket touches. “I wanted to make the job a little more fun.” Carlson, of Bolingbrook, Ill., has added 7-inch stacks, a 22-inch flip bumper, flamed fenders and lowered the truck’s suspension. It’s powered by a 475-hp Caterpillar and an 18-speed transmission.

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO To display your truck online and have it considered for Overdrive’s Truck Gallery, go to the Reader Truck Gallery at www.OverdriveOnline.com.

CHANNEL 19

Reactions to news of the handheld cell phone use ban ranged from muted support to the most common theme – that the safety problem handheld phones represent might be better addressed via an act of Congress aimed at all drivers. Nabisco company driver Buddy Wenners resorted to satire in the form of a dare. He urged regulators to impose an outright ban on truck driving. Sound absurd? Well, be thankful, Wenners says, that he waited till he got home from a long run to cool down before he wrote his proposal and posted it to Overdrive‘s Facebook page. “Otherwise it would have been longer and a little ‘crazier,’ ” he says. Check out his truck ban proposal on the Dec. 9 Channel 19 blog entry, plus responses it spawned from readers in the entries for Dec. 12 and Dec. 15.

Who got occupied at the ports?

The Occupy Wall Street movement claimed solidarity with West Coast port owner-operators in early December during protests blockading ports. But some news reports told a different story, with truckers voicing frustration with the blockade at Oakland, where a reported 600 protestors converged Dec. 12. One independent noted occupiers “should be targeting the offices of corporations and politicians, not blocking independent truckers such as himself from doing business at the port,” wrote Jeff Shuttleworth of Bay City News. For links to Shuttleworth’s reporting, the open letter and more, check out the Dec. 13 entry on the Channel 19 blog.

Trucking’s top troubadour

Leland Martin’s “Workin’ Class” record, inspired in part by the owner-operator and his rig, pictured on the cover, is available for order via lelandmartin.com.

Among today’s trucking songwriters, Leland Martin brings a lifetime of guitar picking, with no shortage of truck driving, to boot. His new “Workin’ Class” record is inspired in part by specialized owner-operator Colin Stuart’s “Working Class” work and show rig. Stuart and Martin met at the 2010 Walcott Truckers Jamboree and have been talking since – many of the “Workin’ Class” songs are direct descendants of those conversations. For links to a longer feature about the record, visit the Jan. 5 entry on the blog, where you’ll also find the title track’s video, shot at the Iowa 80 Truck Stop in Walcott. Smartphone users, scan the QR here to pull up the video.

For more of the interesting and odd parts of trucking, visit Senior Editor Todd Dills’ Channel 19 blog at OverdriveOnline.com/channel19.

CALENDAR

MARCH 6-8: THE WORK TRUCK SHOW, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, www.ntea.com, (800) 441-6832.

MARCH 11: DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS, Move clocks forward one hour.

MARCH 22-24: MID-AMERICA TRUCKING SHOW, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, www.truckingshow.com, (502) 899-3892.

APRIL 13-14: ATHS CHAPTERS SOUTHEAST REGIONAL TRUCK SHOW, I-40 exits 392 or 394, Knoxville, Tenn., (865) 789-7771.

APRIL 27-29: 75 CHROME SHOP ANNUAL TRUCK SHOW, I-75 exit 329, Wildwood, Fla., www.75chromeshop.com, (866) 255-6206.

APRIL 27-29: TRUCK SHOW & BBQ ATHS Central California Chapter, Kirkland Ranch, Plymouth, Calif., Dennis Chan, (916) 381-6063.

APRIL 28: ATHS NORTHWEST CHAPTER ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Harold E. LeMay Marymount Museum, Spanaway, Wash., Roy Friis, (360) 866-7716.

MAY 4-5: MIDWEST PRIDE IN YOUR RIDE TRUCK/TRACTOR SHOW, Tri-State Raceway, Earlville, Iowa, Eldon Jaeger, (560) 580-8200.

MAY 6: ATHS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Orange Empire Rail Museum, Perris, Calif., Ken Lund, (909) 790-7707.

MAY 19: ATHS SHENANDOAH VALLEY CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Lawn Party Grounds, Green Street, I-81 exit 240, Bridgewater, Va., (540) 478-4389, http://www.oldtrux4me@yahoo.com.

JUNE 10: ATHS METRO JERSEY CHAPTER, Automatic Switch Co., Florham Park, N.J., (973) 726-4586, http://www.thomasmulligan@msn.com.

JUNE 14-16: GREAT WEST TRUCK SHOW, Custom Rigs Pride & Polish, Las Vegas Sands Expo & Convention Center, (888) 349-4287, www.greatwesttruckshow.com.

JULY 12-13: WALCOTT TRUCKERS JAMBOREE, Iowa 80 Truck Stop, I-80 Exit 284, Walcott, Iowa, www.iowa80truckstop.com.

AUG. 11: BROCKWAY TRUCKS 100th ANNIVERSARY, Cortland, N.Y., www.brockwaytrucks.org.

AUG. 23-25: GREAT AMERICAN TRUCKING SHOW, Dallas Convention Center, Dallas, www.gatsonline.com.

Watch your roof

The driver of this rig was fueling at a Laredo, Texas, truck stop when a fellow hauler saw his extra passengers and attempted to locate the rig’s driver. The trucker approached someone else who was fueling – owner-operator Henry Albert, Overdrive 2007 Trucker of the Year. Albert took this photo, later posting it on his blog, of a young man and woman (pictured) crouched on top of the U.S.-bound sleeper behind the high roof fairing. The truck’s driver called police. The stowaways realized the jig was up and climbed down, running off before police arrived.

Hope for the next generation

Jeff and Lynette Lynd of Ft. Collins, Colo., say the favorite magazine of their 6-year-old great niece, Zoe, is Overdrive. “She had to read it while she was eating her cereal and said, ‘I love my trucking magazine,’ Lynette says of Zoe’s interest in our 50th anniversary issue.

If you missed the Dec. 1 special owner-operator/Overdrive history episode of the Truth About Trucking Live online radio program with Overdrive editors, scan the QR with your smartphone or tablet to listen, or visit blogtalkradio.com/truthabouttrucking.

“We have People magazine, nature magazines, and she picks up Overdrive every time,” Lynette says.

Jeff, too, is no stranger to Overdrive. He’s trucked for two decades, today as company driver for JPS Trucking, before that as an owner-operator.

When Zoe moves on with her family from the Lynd home, Lynette adds, “we’re thinking of getting her a subscription of her own.” With fans like this, the next 50 years ought to be easy.

Joint pain PM

Long hours behind the wheel with little exercise can lead to chronic joint pain.

BETTER HEALTH

People with sedentary lifestyles and those who are overweight are more likely to experience some type of arthritis. Dr. Ronald Rush of Highway Healthcare in Texarkana, Texas, says truckers might notice degenerative osteoarthritis — where bone rubs against bone — in joints they use often, such as shoulders, lower back, arms, wrists and fingers.

What can you do to treat or prevent joint pain?

• Move around. “You might think of it like the fluids in your engine or wheel bearings,” says Rush. “On a cold day, the fluids are thick and slow to move but after a few miles the fluids thin out and the engine and bearings run smooth. The fluids in the joints, when not in motion, stiffen the joint.” Yoga and other exercise regimens have worked for some haulers.

• Try medication. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, known as NSAIDs, can be effective. Some, such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen, are available in different brands over the counter. You need a prescription for others, such as Celebrex.

Find more about arthritis prevention via Overdrive sister magazine Truckers News at truckersnews.com/a-joint-problem. – Kathleen Buccleugh

GAUGES

Truckers: freight holding

More than 60 percent of owner-operators say their businesses are steady, with more than 10 percent saying freight and rates have improved.

Year-end van rates spike

Dry van rates jumped a dime from October to November while reefer rates recovered 6 cents during the same period, both due, in part, to seasonal holiday demand. Flatbed rates dropped 1 cent.

Dec. 7, 2011 diesel price averages

 FUEL SURCHARGE INDEX (www.FuelSurchargeIndex.org)  prices are collected daily from more than 5,500 truck stops and averaged along specific routes.

Anger Management

Scott and Suzanne Bawcom’s Dream Time Transportation is one of five owner-operator businesses competing in the new Shipping Wars reality-TV show, making its A&E debut Jan. 10.

“A good reason to start a business is because you’re mad,” says Scott Bawcom of his four-year-old hotshot trucking business, Dream Time Transportation. In 2007, Nashville, Tenn.-based Bawcom bought a 1940s Ford coupe street rod in Dallas. The 700-mile haul to Nashville took weeks. He decided he could do better, and he did.

The business that he and his wife run is one of five selected to be featured in the Shipping Wars reality-TV series, premiering Jan. 10. It will have back-to-back episodes at 9 and 9:30 p.m. ET and PT and running every week thereafter. The show follows the A&E network’s success with Parking Wars, about Philadelphia towing companies, and Storage Wars, about the storage auction business.

Bawcom’s business has moved upward of 400 total loads since its launch in early 2008, more than half of them secured via the competitive online bidding marketplace uShip.com.

Scott Bawcom’s 2011 Ford F450 pulls a Broward trailer that was loaded with three boats, not without a good bit of problem solving involved, of course. He says you’ll see plenty of that in the Shipping Wars show.

“It’s a great menu to get a customer base from,” he says. All of his regular direct customers he originally met via the site.

His record should serve him well in the show, where five haulers compete to net the highest earnings after expenses by securing freight in the uShip system. – Todd Dills

CHANNEL 19

Iraq hauling: High miles, high risk

U.S. Air Force Sergeant and convoy commander David Perez of the 70th Medium Truck Detachment walks through the armed forces equivalent of a truck stop after completing a successful first leg of a seven-day convoy Oct. 22.

A 1,100-mile convoy in Iraq typically consists of six nights’ worth of hauling on city roads and highways both. Every inch of every rural or urban mile is “possibly hiding a bullet, roadside bomb or rock,” Air Force reps say, and the year was ending with plenty of miles. The 70th Medium Truck Detachment, after averaging 11 convoys a month last January, was looking at as many as 60 missions in December to meet the year-end military withdrawal deadline. For a fantastic window into stepped-up hauling missions, check out the photo gallery in the Dec. 1 entry on the Channel 19 blog.

You can make a difference

Truckers News Editor Randy Grider said it best in his recent editorial, titled “Your most important call,” in reference to the Truckers Against Trafficking hotline number for reporting child sex trafficking information. TAT’s recently released training film centers around the story of an Ohio teen who was abducted from her neighborhood and then forced to walk truck stop parking lots. A driver’s call to TAT’s hotline – (888) 373-7888 – sprung her from that life. For links to TAT’s website, where you can watch the film, check out the Nov. 4 entry on the blog.

MISSING

Reward: $50,000

What happens when a herd of 175 cattle goes missing, a man serves time for their theft and the owner receives a theft-insurance payout? Well, heads turned last September when Roholt, S.D., herd owner James Larsen bought newspaper ads offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the herd’s recovery, reporter Mikkel Pates wrote in AgWeek in November. Though the thief pled guilty, he’s never come clean about what happened to the herd.

If you hauled a load of cattle from Rosholt between November 2008 and January 2009, the approximate time of the theft, you may want to revisit your records. For details, including links to Pates’ full story – exploring the long relationship between Larsen and the thief, who worked under a share-crop arrangement for Larsen at the time of the theft – see the Nov. 29 entry on the blog.

Managing loads via phone

Posting your truck and booking loads via your smartphone got a little simpler with the launch of the TruckersEdge.net mobile site, says Transcore’s Scott McCollister. Above is a screen shot of the load search page on the optmized site that helps navigate the load-search, credit-check and rate-indexing tools there. If you’re a small fleet or other carrier, you also can access 3sixty Express and 3sixty Power. Scan this QR code to pull up the site.

TRUCK GALLERY

Class of ‘81

East Bernstadt, Ky., resident Robby Gaines bought this 1981 Kenworth W900A from a former boss after hauling refrigerated loads with it for years. Gaines, a member of the American Truck Historical Society’s Bluegrass Chapter, retired the truck after it topped 2.8 million miles, but it’s become a fixture at antique shows since. It’s equipped with a 340-hp Caterpillar and a 9-speed transmission.

Pet Peeve

James Regalado of Thonotosassa, Fla., drives this 2007 Kenworth W900L for Wurth Brothers Inc. With a 13-speed transmission and a 500-hp Cummins, it hauls electronics, oversize machinery and building kits.

Fine 389

This 2012 Peterbilt 389, owned by Valley Transportation and driven by Grand Meadow, Minn., resident Trever TerMaat, hauls oversize farm and construction machinery in the Midwest. It’s powered by a 500-hp Cummins and 18-speed transmission.

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO To display your truck online and have it considered for Overdrive’s Truck Gallery, go to the Reader Truck Gallery at www.OverdriveOnline.com.

“According to FMCSA stats, there are approximately 0.0046 deaths per 100 million miles of vehicle travel as a result of tired truck drivers. About 1/6 of those involved a tired trucker who was in hours violation. And that’s good reason to force putting $5,200 EOBRs in every truck, yet allow kids to continue down the highway texting away? Do the math. We’re being eliminated by Big Trucking interests. This isn’t even remotely about safety.”

— Webb Kline, owner of Pennsylvania-based Cream of the CropTransport, at OverdriveOnline.com, about the DOT’s ban of handheld cell phone use while driving

CALENDAR

FEB. 3-4: MID-WEST TRUCK & TRAILER SHOW, Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, Ill., www.mid-westtruckers.com.

MARCH 6-8: THE WORK TRUCK SHOW, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, www.ntea.com, (800) 441-6832.

MARCH 11: DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS. Move clocks forward one hour.

MARCH 22-24: MID-AMERICA TRUCKING SHOW, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, www.truckingshow.com, (502) 899-3892.

APRIL 13-14: ATHS CHAPTERS SOUTHEAST REGIONAL TRUCK SHOW, I-40 exits 392 or 294, Knoxville, Tenn., (865) 789-7771.

APRIL 27-29: 75 CHROME SHOP ANNUAL TRUCK SHOW, I-75 exit 329, Wildwood, Fla., www.75chromeshop.com, (866) 255-6206.

MAY 19: ATHS SHENANDOAH VALLEY CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Lawn Party Grounds, Green Street, I-81 exit 240, Bridgewater, Va., (540) 478-4389, oldtrux4me@yahoo.com.

JUNE 10: ATHS METRO JERSEY CHAPTER, Automatic Switch Co., Florham Park, N.J., (973) 726-4586, thomasmulligan@msn.com.

JUNE 14-16: GREAT WEST TRUCK SHOW, Sands Expo & Convention Center, (888) 349-4287, www.greatwesttruckshow.com.

JULY 12-13: WALCOTT TRUCKERS JAMBOREE, Iowa 80 Truck Stop, I-80 Exit 284, Walcott, Iowa, www.iowa80truckstop.com.

‘Red Giant’ makes big boast

In addition to being the hauler that carted “Ice Road” Trucker Alex Debogorski on his 2010 book tour, Wisconsin-based owner-operator Bryan Dax bills his “Red Giant” 1990 Diamond Reo as the “largest truck in the world.” The 430-inch wheelbase is underpinned by an extra axle and filled out by a mammoth sleeper.

Following the Reo’s decades of service hauling refrigerated commodities, it now serves Dax’s Reo Mobile Media business, displaying advertising on both sides of the cab. At the Chrome & Class Truck Show in Nashville, Dax said he was planning a nationwide truck stop tour with the truck. Follow Reo Mobile Media on Facebook for more on where to meet the giant in person.

How High Am I

Stephen Rowe says the Life Saver Height Stick is available at AutoHaulerSupply.com for $149.95.

If you’ve ever asked that question after loading a car hauler or an expensive piece of machinery on an open-deck trailer, Oregon-based Stephen Rowe has a product for you. His Auto Hauler Supply company’s new Life Saver Height Stick responds to customers’ requests for a more durable, functional height stick with a bright orange fiberglass construction. It measures up to 15 ft. and is also marked in meters. It collapses to just under 5 feet.

Yes, he’s still making music

In 1991, singer-songwriter Tony Justice opened for Charlie Daniels at a music festival. The veteran player advised him, “I’d tell you to ask yourself one question: If you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’d never make it, would you still be doing it?”

Morristown, Tenn.-based Justice has been driving trucks since 2000, today as company driver for B&B Transport, and he’s penned many a tune on the road, he says. One of those, the rockin’ country “Peterbilt 379,” is on a record available at Pilot Flying J locations. Justice’s “On the Road” disc might be a standard-bearer for a new generation of classic country-inflected trucking music. Check out samples via reverbnation.com/truckerjustice and Overdrive videos of Justice in action at overdriveonline.com.

GAUGES

Income goes up in third quarter

DRY VAN -- red FLATBED-- yellow REEFER -- blue

Strong freight demand spelled more miles in the third quarter for dry van and reefer owner-operator clients of financial services provider ATBS. Miles dropped only for flatbedders. Income per month rose slightly in all three segments in the third quarter.

Beautify each month

The 2012 Shell Rotella SuperRigs calendar, featuring photos of 12 custom working trucks, is available for $10 plus shipping and handling via www.rotella.com. The cover highlights the 2011 Peterbilt 389 of White Bear Lake, Minn.-based Joe Rondeau. October features Jerry Heiderscheit’s 2003 Peterbilt 379, the Best of Show winner from this summer’s SuperRigs competition at the Kenly 95 Petro in Kenly, N.C. Mail orders include a mini-calendar for the dashboard.

Loads in your palm

A new freight matching app for Android phones from Anderson Trucking Service’s brokerage wing, ATS Logistics, connects owner-operators to the company’s pool of brokered freight. The free app allows load searches based on location, desired search radius and load type, emphasizing van, flatbed, reefer, and specialized and heavy haul. Scan the QR code with your Android phone or search “ATS Freight Match” in the Android market to download the app.

Tools for the road

Since the Truck Stop Coupons app launched for iPhone and Blackberry devices, it’s expanded and changed its name to Trucker Tools. You’ll get access to a comprehensive truck stop guide with real-time fuel prices and traffic as well as weather forecasts and a message board. Scan the QR code for the new Android app or search in associated apps markets on your phone. The app (pictured) was created by Overdrive publisher Randall-Reilly Business Media and Information and partners.

A tank to bank on

With his Legacy Edition 2007 Peterbilt 379, independent Dan Bollinger runs on a dedicated contract for a liquid feed supplier to feedlots in western Kansas.

Single-truck independents are a rarity in tank hauling, partly because of the expense of the equipment. For example, Kansas-based Dan Bollinger paid $35,000 six years ago for a two-compartment, 6,000-gallon 1999 Polar tank. That was quite an expense for a seven-year-old trailer with more than 700,000 miles on it.

“The barrel itself was in good shape, but some cross-members in the frame were rusted pretty bad,” he says. In the first year, he put around $7,000 into refurbishments.

On the bright side, says Polar sales manager Willie Graham, an ex-driver himself, most tanks can be counted on to last. “Vans and flatbed have a seven-year lifespan,” Graham says. “Tank trailers better last 20 years. Typically one will outlast five trucks.”

Resale values are great, note Graham and Bollinger. Though he’s put on 760,000 miles since he bought it, “I could easily get $40,000 in resale out of it today,” Bollinger says. “A new Polar like this would be around the mid-70s in price. By the time you got it plumbed and set up to work, you’d have close to $80,000 in it.”

Salve for your shifting hand…

And your soul, says the maker of a line of shift knobs built from rocks. “If I’m ever stuck in traffic or I’m stressed out by circumstances in my life, the mere acts of looking at and touching one of these shift knobs drains away the stress,” the maker notes on its website, gemstoneshiftknobs.com. You may never need to buy another, either. About a $209 knob built from petrified 225-million-year-old wood from Madagascar, the maker says it “will match Mother Nature and offer a 225-million-year warranty on it.”

Q Do hydrogen-adding technologies work to boost fuel mileage?

A Some research shows hydrogen slightly improves diesel combustion, but the improvement may not be significant enough to warrant all the equipment necessary to separate it and meter it back in. Hydrogen does not add any energy. It only helps the fuel burn a bit faster and more completely. Diesel is two-thirds hydrogen anyway, so the probability that such a system will help the engine to run differently is likely to be small.

Ideally, the maker of such a system — those I’ve seen separate hydrogen from distilled water and meter it into the intake system — will have had an SAE Type II test to verify any mileage increase. Review the results. Then consider the cost of the system, including installation, and recurring costs, like distilled water and maintenance. You should also find out the system’s power draw and evaluate whether you’d need to install a more powerful alternator to handle it without strain. Also, check with your engine manufacturer to make sure doing this won’t void your warranty.

John Baxter

Got a vexing maintenance or technology question for Overdrive Equipment Editor John Baxter? Post it in the comments on the Overdrive Extra blog (overdriveonline.com/overdrive-extra) or email to tdills@rrpub.com. Keep tuned to the blog for the response.

CHANNEL 19

The other ‘victim’ in accident lawsuits

“How many times a day do you hear TV ads from lawyers making statements such as ‘big trucks can cause serious injuries?’ ” asked Bill Hughes, a reader of the Nashville-based Tennessean newspaper. “I think it’s high time that these lawyers lighten up on their ads.”

One commenter on the letter at the newspaper’s website, identified as “Witch_Doctor,” said it’s a shame such ads don’t include testimony from the lesser-known “victim” that can result from such lawsuits, such as: “Due to an accident I was involved in, I received $666,000, and my attorney, Mr. A., received his cut of $333,000 for his/her 85 hours of work, most done by his secretary, while not suffering one ounce of pain.” See the Sept. 28 entry on the Channel 19 blog for links to the letter to add your own 2 cents.

For this driver, it’s CSA

Rich Wilson tells of a fleet that passed its compliance review, though a driver was fined.

Think FMCSA isn’t serious about added driver responsibility for violations in this Compliance, Safety, Accountability era? During the Truck Driver Social Media Convention in Tunica, Miss., Oct. 15, Trans Products/Trans Services regulatory manager Rich Wilson spoke of a carrier who’d recently undergone a CSA intervention equivalent to a full-blown compliance review. A driver with the carrier was assessed a $1,400 bill from the agency for a 70-hour violation uncovered during the review. Former owner-operator Wilson called the occurrence unprecedented in his many years of dealing with regulatory issues. “I’ve never seen the drivers” fined so directly after a compliance review, he noted. The carrier passed the compliance review with flying colors. For more from the October meeting, see the Oct. 15 and 21 entries on the blog.

Whoa there, puppy!

Is a television show about truck stop life good for the industry’s image?

Absolutely not, says Bruce “Bandit” Wieser, proprietor of the Dispatch Me Home social website. He says the “Truck Stop Missouri” show on the Travel Channel is a “grossly poor supposed look at the trucker and trucking industry” and likened it to a local circus atmosphere. One of a few episodes he watched, Bandit says, focused on the heat and employees’ efforts to “curb a dog that felt the need to urinate on the corner of the Travel Stop building.”

On the other hand, Joe Bechtold, general manager of the Midway Travel Plaza truck stop that’s featured on the show, says it presented a positive image.

Decide for yourself: You can hear more from Bechtold, as well as Weiser’s responses, by checking the Oct. 5-6 entries on the blog.

TRUCK GALLERY

Plum Crazy

Husband and wife Charlie and Jeanetta Wilson of Tamms, Ill., dubbed this 2000 Kenworth W900L Plum Crazy for the touches of purple on its body and on the 525-hp Caterpillar under the hood. With a 13-speed transmission, the engine powers the Wilsons’ produce hauls between Michigan and Georgia, Florida and Washington.

The Young Gun

“I just got my CDL less than a year ago,” says owner-operator Jim Pettus of the name of his 2003 Peterbilt 379. After someone called him young gun, “it just kind of stuck.” The 21-year-old Reinholds, Pa., resident hauls regional loads with 525 horses of Caterpillar power and a 13-speed transmission.

Rough & Ready

Mercer, Maine, resident Zachary Thompson uses his 2005 Freightliner FLD120 as the cornerstone of his Rough & Ready Trucking. Powered by a 600-hp Caterpillar and an 18-speed transmission, the truck hauls logs, chips and trash intrastate.

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO To display your truck online and have it considered for Overdrive’s Truck Gallery, go to the Reader Truck Gallery at www.OverdriveOnline.com

CALENDAR

FEB. 3-4: MID-WEST TRUCK & TRAILER SHOW, Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, Ill., www.mid-westtruckers.com/mid-west-truck-show.html.

MARCH 6-8: THE WORK TRUCK SHOW, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, www.ntea.com, (800) 441-6832.

MARCH 11: DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS. Move clocks forward one hour.

MARCH 22-24: MID-AMERICA TRUCKING SHOW, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, www.truckingshow.com, (502) 899-3892.

APRIL 13-14: ATHS CHAPTERS SOUTHEAST REGIONAL TRUCK SHOW, I-40 exits 392 or 294, Knoxville, Tenn., (865) 789-7771.

Electrical system PM to prevent corrosion

With states boosting usage of magnesium and calcium chlorides to de-ice roads, maintaining brass and copper base materials in the contact pins in your electrical system’s plugs in winter has never been more ugent. Phillips Industries’ Qwik Tech Tips newsletter (phillipsqwiktechtips.com) recommends the following steps to clean and maintain the system.

• Apply dielectric grease to every plug and socket to keep moisture out and increase energy flow.

• Change plug ends every six months to even out plug degradation.

• Clean and grease the seven-way plug interface at PM intervals, or every three months – more often with heavy exposure to de-icing chemicals.

• Wash cables, plugs and sockets more frequently in winter, but avoid power washing. If water gets into areas where it can’t drain, it can also cause corrosion.

.

For Overdrive’s interview with Charlie Daniels, who performed during the Charlotte Diesel Super Show in North Carolina, see the Sept. 16 entry on the Channel 19 blog: overdriveonline.com/channel19.

“If you looked at each individual 18-wheeler and the taxes that the trucker pays – fuel, tolls, this and that, permits and all the crap they have to put up with – we ought to be able to pave every inch of the U.S. with the money we get from truckers. But … only 20 to 30 cents of each dollar goes toward something truckers need. It’s just ridiculous.” — Charlie Daniels

Actor with ‘square jaw’ once wrote for Overdrive

Actor and former Overdrive correspondent Charles Napier died in Bakersfield, Calif., Oct. 5. He was 75.

For more about Charles Napier, check out his recently published memoir, “Square Jaw and Big Heart,” available in electronic and print editions.

Napier was in his mid-30s when he worked as a correspondent for Overdrive, a job he took after appearing in the 1970 flick “Moonfire,” a trucking-themed movie produced by Overdrive founder Mike Parkhurst. He’s perhaps best known for his roles as one of the Good Old Boys in “The Blues Brothers” and the lead intelligence officer in the “Rambo: First Blood Part II.”

Keep those thumbs on the wheel

If you’ve been tempted to text while driving, you’ll appreciate the clever message from high school science teacher Marsh Carroll. ZoomSafer, a fleet software provider, commissioned Carroll to do a song and video supporting the anti-texting message. Carroll, a stand-up comedian in his spare time in Manitoba, Winnipeg, went to his science students, who put together drawings that told of a truck driver’s journey through the temptation of texting across the United States. Carroll, with his son Gil on guitar, did the music. Scan this code to view the video on your smartphone, or search “Won’t Start Texting” on youtube.com.

GAUGES

Chicago leads nation’s bottlenecks

Routes in Chicago, Fort Lee, N.J., and Houston head 2010’s worst bottlenecks for truck freight, says the American Transportation Research Institute. With I-290 at I-90 and I-94 in the Windy City being the most congested road, trucks crawled at little more than 22 miles per hour during rush hour. Over last year, 250 locations were monitored to document chokepoints at peak travel times.

“The impact of traffic congestion on truck travel is well-known, but rarely in a fashion where we can pinpoint projects for resource allocation and reconstruction,” says Keith Bucklew, Indiana DOT’s multimodal planning manager.

Ten most congested highways

Chicago I-290 at I-90/I-94

Fort Lee, N.J. I-95 at SR 4*

Houston I-45 at U.S. 59

Houston I-10 at I-45

Houston I-10 at U.S. 59

Gary, Ind. I-65 at I-80

Austin, Texas I-35

Chicago I-90 at I-94 North

Atlanta I-285 at I-85 North

Chicago SR 60 at SR 57

*State Route

Rates stabilizing

Shipping rates fell by 3 cents and 1 cent in the flatbed and reefer segments, respectively, from August to September, while jumping 3 cents in the dry van markets.

Oct. 3, 2011 diesel price averages

FUEL SURCHARGE INDEX (www.FuelSurchargeIndex.org) prices are collected daily from more than 5,500 truck stops and averaged along specific routes.

Credit where credit’s due

When John “J.W.” Jackson joined George Bennett Truckline in 1960, he was part of a five-truck fleet. More than 50 years later, Jackson’s still there with what is now Bennett Motor Express and 575 drivers.

John Jackson drives a 2000 Volvo and pulls open-deck trailers.

Jackson, a McDonough, Ga., resident, was working at Robins Air Force Base with a desire to see the world when George Bennett offered him his first trucking job. He has since driven more than 1 million safe miles. An owner-operator since 1974, Jackson says the key is to take his time and do the best he can.

“I put it in the hands of the good Lord,” he says. “Every time I get ready to go somewhere, I ask to get back home.”

In 2008 Jackson won the company’s J.D. Garrison Commemorative Award, named after J.D. Garrison, who bought Bennett Motor Express in 1974. Jackson is known for loyalty, perseverance and flexibility, says spokeswoman Asia Rambo, adding that Jackson and Garrison “built this company together.”

— Christi Cowan

App nails freight location

The developers of the free See It Ship app for the iPhone and Android devices aim to give independents a way to provide a real-time window into trip progress. The app utilizes the location capabilities of smartphones and the See It Ship app’s website (seeitship.com), which receivers/shippers will utilize for tracking your arrival simply by entering the tracking number you provide them from the app.

CHANNEL 19

Don’t get burned!

Next time you hear the term “hot load,” check out plaintiff’s attorney Kent Emison’s Aug. 29 story in the National Law Journal. He details how legal teams working truck accident cases have access to vast amounts of data on over-the-road drivers. “Every time that they swipe a card, make a call, an email, a text-message, that is data that goes somewhere,” he says. Emison hopes a growing awareness of this will give a driver leverage over a dispatcher who would pressure the driver to work beyond hours of service limits. If you do and an accident happens, “you’re going to get caught,” he says. For a link to his law journal story, and more about this novel “hot load” strategy, see the Sept. 6 entry on the Channel 19 blog.

Trucking for kids

You can pick up a copy of Jim Gill’s new CD/DVD, featuring the “Truck Stop” tune, via the online store at jimgill.com.

Need something to help teach the kids about what you do? On Jim Gill’s most recent CD/DVD, “Music Play for Folks of All Stripes,” an interactive tune called “Truck Stop” schools listeners in the basics of trucking. As with many of Gill’s tunes, adults are coached toward leading kids through imaginative play. In this case, that means pretending to be trucks and drivers. It’s better described by a video of Gill and company doing the jazzy tune live with parents and children. Find it in the Sept. 23 entry on the Channel 19 blog, with mini-reviews of a couple classic trucking books for the kids. Or scan the QR code here to bring it up direct on your smartphone.

Dr. Love’s prescription for Louisiana roads

Dr. B.G. Love (pictured) retired from the road recently, but he will remain at one with the American truck driver, he says, as he begins promoting self-help endeavors in his Lovology Research Project.

“Bad roads tear us up. They make our health bad, our vehicles bad, and the freight we’re carrying [bad]. I just want you to see how rough it can be.” So goes a piece of Dr. B.G. Love’s intro to a new video of a gut-rumbling 15 miles of I-55 South into Hammond, La. In the video, he tries to show the toll bad interstate highways can take on a driver’s body. Find the video and links to Dr. Love’s blog in the Sept. 12 entry on Channel 19.

For more of the interesting and odd parts of trucking, visit Senior Editor Todd Dills’ Channel 19 blog at OverdriveOnline.com/channel19.

Better Health

Right-size your diet

EXERCISE PORTION CONTROL. If you too often wind up with big helpings, invest in a food scale and measuring cups. These tools will teach you the most about sizing your meals to meet your weight loss goals.

ORDER AN APPETIZER. When eating out, order an appetizer and a side dish instead of an entree. Smaller dishes make for a more reasonably sized meal.

COUNT CALORIES. But if you do, be wary of any nutrition labels on restaurant menus. Researchers say more than 20 percent of menu items averaged 100 calories more than what the restaurants claimed. To be safe, cut your meal in half to ensure the healthiest portion size.

INDULGE IN MODERATION. Don’t completely give up on your favorite desserts. Just learn to eat them in moderation.

Sign up for daily health tips via Overdrive sister magazine Truckers News at truckersnews.com/healthtips

To Toll or Not

Bad, bad idea. The Northern Virginia corridor is already over-stressed, over-exhausted, with traffic during the morning and afternoon rush hours. Expect U.S. 301, U.S. 1, and other main drags now already full to get even worse.

— William McKelvie on Overdrive’s Facebook page in response to news Virginia was pursuing tolling I-95 under a federal pilot program. Pennsylvania tried the same thing on I-80 – three separate times, striking out after wide owner-operator protest.

Connect with other readers on Overdrive’s Facebook page at facebook.com/OverdriveTrucking.

CALENDAR

NOV. 4-6: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHOW TRUCKS MECA SOUTH FLORIDA TRUCK SHOW, Florida 595 Truck Stop, 270 S. Burris Road, Davie, Fla., (305) 884-2028.

NOV. 5: ATHS PIEDMONT CAROLINA CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, North Carolina Farmers Market, Colfax, N.C., (336) 431-6824.

NOV. 6: DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS. Turn clocks back an hour.

NOV. 8-9: SLEEP APNEA & INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE, Sheraton Baltimore City Center, Baltimore, (888) 293-3650.

NOV. 12: ATHS NORTHWEST CHAPTER ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Walrath Trucking, Tacoma, Wash., (360) 866-7716.

MARCH 6-8: THE WORK TRUCK SHOW, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, www.ntea.com,

(800) 441-6832.

MARCH 11: DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS. Move clocks forward one hour.

MARCH 22-24: MID-AMERICA TRUCKING SHOW, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, www.truckingshow.com, (502) 899-3892.

JUNE 21-23: GREAT WEST TRUCK SHOW, Las Vegas Convention Center, (888) 349-4287, www.greatwesttruckshow.com.

JULY 12-13: WALCOTT TRUCKERS JAMBOREE, Iowa 80 Truck Stop, I-80 Exit 284, Walcott, Iowa, www.iowa80truckstop.com.

TRUCK GALLERY

Strictly Business

“It’s all about going up and down the road,” says Ray Crandall of Jefferson, Wis., about this 2005 International 8600 he uses for Milwaukee Delivery Service. “There’s no room for toys.” Hence the “Strictly Business” moniker. The truck is powered by a 425-hp Cummins and a 10-speed transmission, hauling furniture and mail in the Midwest.

Miss Anna

Owner-operator Butch Weast of Charlotte, N.C., runs the Southeast with his 1999 Freightliner Classic XL, named after his daughter. It has a 500-hp Detroit Diesel and a 13-speed transmission, and Weast says he pulls anything he can put in a 53-foot dry van.

Back in Black

When Scott Gannon of Camden, Ohio, had work done to his truck recently, he gave it a new name. “It used to be red, and we just got it back from the shop from being painted, so now it’s Back in Black,” he says. The 1994 Freightliner FLD120 has a 425-hp Caterpillar and a nine-speed transmission. He hauls steel in the Midwest.

.SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO To display your truck online and have it considered for Overdrive’s Truck Gallery, go to the Reader Truck Gallery at www.OverdriveOnline.com.

MAINTAIN TIRE PRESSURE

To reduce rolling resistance and save fuel, don’t neglect trailer tires. The trailer may belong to your carrier, but why pay the extra fuel cost (to say nothing of possible safety risks) of pulling a trailer with under-inflated tires? Check air pressure in all 18 tires and ensure they meet manufacturer’s specifications.

This tip comes from the Partners in Business program, which is produced by Overdrive and ATBS and sponsored by Freightliner Trucks, SelecTrucks and Ryder System.

“In the Driver’s Seat” is available via Amazon in print ($13.05) and for Kindle ($2.99). For a lengthy excerpt from Marc Mayfield’s book, see the Aug. 20 entry on overdriveonline.com/channel19.

“You’re a run junkie. Just what we’re looking for.” That’s what Marc Mayfield’s main terminal manager told him just weeks into his 10-year on-highway career. Retired since 2001, Mayfield has chronicled his million-plus-safe-mile highway addiction as company driver and leased owner-operator in his memoir, “In the Driver’s Seat.” Among the highlights: A marriage is stretched to the breaking point. Trucks are leased, hit in parking lots, sold. Lies are told, truths by the truckload revealed. Recounting his odyssey as “three-dimensional and in full color” was part of Mayfield’s recovery challenge. Now, “I’d like to know if somebody wants to punch me in the nose and tell me I’m full of bull or that I nailed it. I’d love to hear from drivers.” If you’ve got a non-violent response for Marc, write him at: marc@inthedriversseat.net.

Q What are the normal intervals for changing differential and transmission oils?

A When you use synthetic lubes, it’s usually at least 300,000 miles, and may be 500,000-600,000, depending on the exact specification of the fluid. Your owner’s manual should specify all details. Mineral lubes need to be changed much more often (100,000 miles at least) because they break down from the heat, and normally don’t make sense to use unless you need to change frequently because of contamination.

SEND US YOUR EQUIPMENT QUESTIONS. Stumped by a vexing maintenance or equipment problem? Get them answered by longtime Equipment Editor John Baxter. We’ll be sharing the Overdrive Extra blog space with John’s advice to readers. Email questions to tdills@rrpub.com or post in comments on the blog: overdriveonline.com/overdrive-extra.

Big futz over ‘truck nuts’

So-called “truck nuts,” fake bull testicles that are available for purchase in various colors and finishes, are a common sight hanging from hitches of pickup trucks, and have been spotted for sale at more than one trucking show. They were also seen hanging from the pickup of 65-year-old Virginia Tice in Bonneau, S.C., in July. She was ticketed $445 for the hanging nuts by Bonneau Police Chief Franco Fuda. He cited state law prohibiting public displays of “sexual acts, excretory functions, or parts of the human body” that are offensive.

Charleston law firm Savage and Savage is representing Tice in a case both attorney Scott Bischoff and representatives of the plaintiffs requested go to a jury. “We’ll let a jury decide whether this is really criminal behavior,” Bischoff told reporters, adding: “I don’t want to take anything away from the importance of free speech, but this is really comical.”

GAUGES

Truck trade cycles increase

Nearly half of owner-operators own a truck that is at least nine years old, according to Overdrive research. Trade cycles have lengthened in recent years due to the recession and the introduction of new emissions technology, which drives up prices for new trucks.

Freight in a slide

Dry Van - Red, Flatbed - Yellow, Reefer - Blue

Dry van and flatbed rates each dropped 6 cents from July to August, while reefer rates decreased 5 cents during the same period, after dropping as well from June to July.

FUEL SURCHARGE INDEX (www.FuelSurchargeIndex.org) prices are collected daily from more than 5,500 truck stops and averaged along specific routes.

How to get – and keep – the contract

“We understand that customers come first,” says Erick Enbarth, who drives a 2009 Kenworth W900 and dry van.

Success hauling with your own authority often requires negotiating contracts directly with shippers and keeping those contracts when competitors come prowling.

The father-son operation of John and Erick Engbarth learned this by experience. Erick makes regular hauls from North Carolina to California loaded with plastics and usually carrying motorcycles back.

When Engbarth Trucking first bid on a key contract with an N.C. manufacturer, the rate didn’t exactly seal the deal, but the prospect of regular, dependable service did. With the promise of a truck every Friday, each of the Engbarths has loaded on alternating weeks virtually every week since 2003, with plenty of home time for both men.

Though competition has tried to “under cut the rate,” says Erick, their service has kept them in freight. Features such as “not being late, taking care of the product, operating nice equipment, having a one-on-one conversation with them, just being able to talk to them about what they need and help them understand the trucking aspect of it” pay off.

After loading on July 29, for instance, the shipper noted at the last moment that a part at the front of Erick’s van needed delivery sooner than his scheduled drops would allow.

“They decided to air-freight the piece,” says Erick, which meant the entire trailer had to be unloaded, then reloaded. “It put me a little bit behind,” he says, “but to keep hauling this stuff, which pays good, you don’t want to cry about it.”

He had no problems making his delivery on time.

— Todd Dills

Plinko at the truck show

At the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, Wright Express reps, pushing the new OTR Pro Fuel Card (otrprocard.com), channeled game show The Price Is Right with this Plinko board at their booth. Show attendees could compete for a Maglite and other prizes. The new OTR card is a credit product offering flat off-the-top per-gallon discounts to small fleets and owner-operators (with a $4 a month membership fee) at more than 700 truck stops. For more scenes from GATS, check out the Aug. 26 entry on the Channel 19 blog.

20 years driving, but still a ‘rookie’

At the banquet and awards ceremony for the Minnesota State Truck Driving Championships this summer, to the surprise of Koch & Sons driver John Borman, the emcee “called my name as winner of the Rookie of the Year award.” Strange, says Borman, considering his 20 years of on-highway experience.

Turns out that it was his maiden voyage through the competition that made him eligible for the honor. He also bagged a Second in the Sleeper Berth category.

Check out the Aug. 15 entry on the blog for his inside look at the championships. Next year, Borman says, he hopes to make it to the Nationals, scheduled for his home state.

iPhone app computes axle weights

The Scale It smartphone application is a quick cheat that allows you to input the different weight readings you get as you roll onto platform scales. The app then does the math for you to determine axle-group weights, saving time and ensuring accuracy. If it’s 2 in the morning, and/or five other trucks are lined up behind you, “it’s easy to make mistakes,” says John Christner Trucking driver Jerry Wilks, programmer/developer of the iPhone app. It’s 99 cents in the iTunes app store. Scan the QR Code with your phone to download, or visit scale-it.limelightapp.com. For information on apps with similar functionality for Android phones, see comments on the Aug. 8 entry on the blog.

For more of the interesting and odd parts of trucking, visit Senior Editor Todd Dills’ Channel 19 blog at OverdriveOnline.com/channel19.

—— HEALTH TIPS ­­­——

Call it quits

Trying to give up tobacco? Research shows telephone hotlines can help increase the success rate of those trying to quit the habit. Get free phone counseling by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

This tip comes from our sister magazine Truckers News’ new Daily Health Tip offering. Sign up for email delivery of the tips at truckersnews.com/healthtips.

GET YOUR THIRD.

The average ATBS client nets only 32 cents for every dollar of gross revenue. That leaves 68 cents for business expenses. If your net is significantly lower than 32 percent, determine where you can cut costs. You may have a spending problem you can cure by adjusting personal habits, such as dining out too much, or business habits, such as idling too much. Not sure if you’re netting almost a third of what you bring in? Get your accountant to help you organize a profit and loss statement.

This tip comes from the Partners in Business program, produced by Overdrive and the owner-operator consultants at ATBS. It is sponsored by Freightliner Trucks, SelecTrucks and Ryder System.

TRUCK GALLERY

Shanghai Rooster

This1992 Peterbilt 379 was named after its previous owner’s CB handle. Jack Handy, known as the the Shanghai Rooster, passed the truck down to his grandson, current owner Shawn Carroll, who converted it into a tandem dump in 2006. Carroll’s driven the truck since he was 18. The rig has a 13-speed transmission and a 425-hp Caterpillar, and Carroll uses it to haul sand and gravel.

Orange Crush

Heath Stagg of Cuthbert, Ga., hauls pulpwood around the Southeast in this 2005 Peterbilt 379. The truck’s equipped with a 475-hp Caterpillar and a 10-speed transmission, and Stagg says he plans on adding a few upgrades, including old-school 359-style headlights.

Always at home

Harlen, Iowa, resident Jim Behrens’ 2005 Freightliner Classic XL rarely leaves his corn and soybean farm. The truck is powered by a 640-hp Caterpillar and a 13-speed transmission.

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO To display your truck online and have it considered for Overdrive’s Truck Gallery, go to the Reader Truck Gallery at www.OverdriveOnline.com.

CALENDAR

OCT. 7-8: CHARLOTTE DIESEL SUPER SHOW, zMax Dragway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.,

www.dieselsupershow.com.

OCT. 8: ATCA EASTERN SHORE CHAPTER TRUCK/TRACTOR SHOW, Tony Tank Tribe 149, Redmens Lodge, Fruitland, Md., (302) 242-3544.

OCT. 8: ATHS BLUE MOUNTAIN CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Southeast Washington Fairgrounds, Walla Walla, Wash., bluemtchap@360comm.net.

OCT. 9: ATHS PIONEER VALLEY CHAPTER TRUCK & TRACTOR SHOW, Dufresne Park, Granby, Mass.,

(413) 330-8189.

OCT. 14-15: ATHS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA ANNUAL TRUCK SHOW, Old High School, Cherokee, N.C.,

(828) 421-9399.

OCT. 15: COTTONWOOD ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Oxendale Chrysler Dodge Jeep, Cottonwood, Ariz.,

(928) 634-3656.

OCT. 15: ATHS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Porter Welding, Orland, Calif.,

(530) 865-8631.

OCT. 15: TRUCK DRIVER SOCIAL MEDIA CONVENTION, Gold Strike Resort & Casino, Tunica, Miss., www.truckingsocialmedia.com.

OCT. 21-22: CHROME & CLASS TRUCK SHOW, Rush Truck Center-Nashville, Smyrna, Tenn., (615) 220-7777.

OCT. 21-22: CONVOY FOR A CURE USA, Texas Motor Speedway, Ft. Worth, convoyforacureusa.com or

(903) 288-0374.

NOV. 4-6: MECA SOUTH FLORIDA TRUCK SHOW, Miami, nastshowtrucks.org or (305) 884-2028.

NOV. 5: ATHS PIEDMONT CAROLINA CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, North Carolina Farmers Market, Colfax, N.C.,

(336) 431-6824.

NOV. 12: ATHS NORTHWEST CHAPTER ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Walrath Trucking, Tacoma, Wash.,

(360) 866-7716.

When 82-year-old Margarette Kirsch, with the help of the Twilight Wish Foundation, was granted her wish to roll across the country in an 18-wheeler, little did she know she’d get the opportunity to run with a bona fide “Truck Drivin’ Mama.” Though she’s no longer a “gainfully employed trucker at this point” by her own estimation, Pennsylvania resident Annabella Wood (pictured, left, with Kirsch) continues to haul in a straight dump truck for a tree service company once a month or so to maintain her on-highway credentials. She spent nearly 30 years driving 18-wheelers, beginning as a company fuel-tanker driver in Los Angeles and ending with her own authority hauling dedicated for a technology trade-show touring company. Wood’s also a musician with a new album, “Truck Drivin’ Mama,” available at annabellawood.com.

Bumpless, burnless

Two Auburn University researchers say it’s time for the paving industry and governments that allocate funds for roads to step up to the plate. In a report to the National Asphalt Pavement Association, they say smoothing the pavement could save 3.3 billion gallons of fuel, a fourth of it diesel. Researchers Richard Willis and Rob Jackson calculate the savings at $12.5 billion yearly in fuel.

Whoa! And if you’d like to see a number with even more zeros at the end, that would be how much governments would have to spend to eliminate those fuel-robbing potholes and cracks.

Better health

How to cut tension, build confidence

• De-stress your neck. Your neck often takes the brunt of a stressful day. Relax those tense muscles by soaking a hand towel in hot water. Place the towel on the back of your neck and other tense areas. Let the heat help calm your body.

• Make your mantra. Find a saying that encourages you. “I think I can,” “You can do this” or any self-encouraging phrase will help build confidence in yourself, improve your concentration.

• Find positive people. Relationships are important, but some take a negative toll. Surrounding yourself with friends who are encouraging, who make you happy and who are upbeat can improve your emotional health. Get rid of the other kind, where you can.

• Pat yourself on the back. Finally, don’t be afraid to recognize your own accomplishments. Be the first to congratulate yourself on the little things for a job well done.

Right-side sweep needs practice

2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram attempted a right-side pass, but failed when he hit Paul Clewis, who will stay on for the rest of the 2011 season. There were no refs on hand for this collision as Ingram’s four-door Infiniti encountered the right front end of Clewis’ tractor. Clewis, a long-haul driver and a Green Bay Packers fan, wasn’t aware a New Orleans Saints football personality had hit him “until a reporter told him,” wrote Lee Roop of the Huntsville (Ala.) Times on July 22. No one was injured in the crash.

TRUCK GALLERY

Cowboy blue

Scott Mueller chose the blue and silver paint on his 2007 Western Star 4900, bought new, to express his love for the Dallas Cowboys. A third-generation driver from Fremont, Wis., Mueller hauls equipment and machinery nationwide with the truck, which is powered by a 550-hp Caterpillar and an 18-speed transmission.

The Mistress

This 2002 Peterbilt 379, owned by David McDaniel of Jefferson City, Tenn., is equipped with a 550-hp Caterpillar and 18-speed transmission. McDaniel says he began adding parts right after he bought it in 2006. He’s added 8-inch stacks, custom mud flaps and clear LED lights. He’s installed chrome inside. McDaniel hauls glass from Tennessee to Canada. 

A Cadillac among dump haulers

Sara Hayes and her son Owen of Leesburg, Ga., dubbed their 2005 Kenworth W900L the Dump Bucket Cadillac. Owen likens operating the truck to driving a Cadillac and says it is one of the nicest pulling dump loads in south Georgia. The truck is powered by a 550-hp Caterpillar and a 13-speed transmission. 

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO To display your truck online and have it considered for Overdrive’s Truck Gallery, go to the Reader Truck Gallery at www.OverdriveOnline.com.

‘Come on back, truckers, and talk to Teddy Bear’

When we asked in July for the best classic trucking music, you responded loud and clear. With you, we longed for the comfort of home after six days on the road and shed a tear for young, crippled “Teddy Bear” and his faithful CB friends. We narrowed nominations to 10, took your online votes and here are the results.

Find links to MP3 downloads of each via the Aug. 4 entry on the Channel 19 blog: overdriveonline.com/channel19.

Overdrive’s top 10 trucking songs

1.  Six Days on the Road, by Dave Dudley (1963)

This classic, made popular by Dudley (pictured), was covered by artists such as Sawyer Brown and Steve Earle. It’s lauded by drivers for its portrayal of the joy and hardship of the road — and the longing to get home.

2.  East Bound and Down, by Jerry Reed (1977)

Reed’s classic theme song in “Smokey and the Bandit” came in a close second.

3.  Teddy Bear, by Red Sovine (1976)

This tells the story of a homebound boy whose trucker father was killed in an accident, and the driver friendships he cultivates via his CB radio.

4.  Convoy, by C.W. McCall (1975)

The truck drivers’ rebellion depicted in this No. 1 pop- and country-chart hit was the inspiration for the Sam Peckinpah film of the same name. Its dramatization of CB chatter between characters Rubber Duck and Pig Pen helped spur on that era’s pop CB craze.

5.  Roll On (18-Wheeler), by Alabama (1984)

The chorus of this gem, told from a trucker’s child’s point of view, is pure highway singalong: “Roll on highway, roll on along / Roll on daddy till you get back home / Roll on family, roll on crew / Roll on momma like I asked you to do..”

6.  Prisoner of the Highway, by Ronnie Milsap (1984)

An evocation of the pull of the highway and the difficulty of the driving life.

7.  Drivin’ My Life Away, by Eddie Rabbitt (1980)

Inspired in part by Rabbitt’s truck driving days when struggling as a songwriter in Nashville.

8 Movin’ On, by Merle Haggard (1974)

Theme song to the trucking television show of the same name starring Claude Atkins.

9.  Phantom 309, by Red Sovine (1967)

The tale of a hitchhiker’s ghost trucking ride, a take on the iconic urban legend of the vanishing hitchhiker.

10.  Give Me Forty Acres (To Turn This Rig Around), by the Willis Brothers (1964)

“Some guys can turn it on a dime, or turn it right downtown / But I need 40 acres to turn this rig around.”

Freewheelin’s top trucking tunes since 1985

The hits keep rollin’

Freewheelin’ hosts Meredith Ochs and Chris T.

Meredith Ochs and Chris T., hosts of the Freewheelin’ show on SiriusXM’s Road Dog Trucking Radio, Channel 106, put together their top 10 of songs from 1985 forward, with an emphasis on more recent tunes:

1. “Trucker’s Lament,” by Buck 65 (2007)

2.  “I’m a Road Hammer,” by the Road Hammers (2005)

3.  “Asphalt Cowboy,” by Jason Aldean (2005)

4.  “Highway Junkie,” by Chris Knight (2000)

5.  “Let This Trucker Go,” by Dale Watson (2009)

6.  “Diesel, Diesel, Diesel,” by Del Reeves and Jim Lauderdale (1996)

7.  “Say a Prayer for Jason,” by Barry Allen and David Ayers (2010)

8.  “Gear Jammer,” by George Thorogood (1985)

9.  “The Worst Truck Driver,” by Jack Grace Band (2010)

10.  “Ice Road Trucker,” by Johnny Neel (2010)

WOOF!

The best dog story contest

Fred was Mike “Mustang” Crawford’s in-cab buddy for many years until she (“Fred” was short for Frederica) died last year. Crawford was Overdrive’s 2010 Trucker of the Year.

Tell us about your special four-footed friend and, if possible, send us a photo. You could win a contest sponsored by OverdriveRetro, our website dedicated to trucking history. Entries will be will be accepted through Nov. 30 and posted online and some in print. Four entrants will win OverdriveRetro T-shirts and other gifts. Send entries to Managing Editor Lucinda Coulter, LCoulter@rrpub.com, or to 3200 Rice Mine Road NE, Tuscaloosa, Ala., 35406. Include your first and last name, phone and email.

GAUGES

Strong Net Income

Strong rates enabled dry van, reefer and flatbed operators to see increases in net income in the second quarter, in spite of rising fuel costs and, for dry vans and reefers, a drop in miles during the first half of 2011.

The data is based on owner-operator clients of financial service provider ATBS.

Dry Van - Red, Flatbed - Yellow, Reefer - Blue

Love at first cluck

Ever had someone offer over the CB to buy your truck? That’s just what Tobby Donalson did in 1982 when he saw this needlenose 1959 351 Pete pulling chickens near Sneed, Ala. When the driver told Donalson it had a 290 Cummins in it, he had to have it. He put the motor in an old Kenworth he ran hard for many years. Now a retired independent, Donalson kept the tractor, transforming it into the finished custom ride pictured here, powered by a 425-hp Cat 3406B. For a full gallery of the immaculate interior and exteriors mods Donalson performed himself, see the July 25 entry on the blog. For a first-hand look, visit the Nashville Chrome & Class Truck Show Oct. 21-22.

Truckloads on the auction block

The eBay-like online-auction model of the uShip.com system has to date been used mostly by individuals and small businesses looking for a hotshot hauler. But Class 8 owner-operators should take heed: uShip is on a mission to boost commercial LTL and truckload freight volumes available for bid.

For an interview with uShip’s Charles Myers about what owner-operators can expect for commercial freight in the uShip system, check out the July 11 entry on the blog.

The man behind the mission is new Freight General Manager Charles Myers, a former president of GetLoaded.com. “I can’t tell you how many times carriers would call and say, ‘If the broker would just post the price, it would save me a lot of time,’” Myers says. He notes that uShip’s auction model often starts with an offer price, carriers then bidding in real time, bringing more transparency to competition for the freight transaction.

For more of the interesting and odd parts of trucking, visit Senior Editor

Todd Dills’ Channel 19 blog at OverdriveOnline.com/channel19.

CALENDAR

SEPT. 15-18: ATHS OZARKS 4-STATE ANNUAL STEAM-O-RAMA, Republic Steam Show Grounds, Republic, Mo., (417) 839-7649.

SEPT. 16-18: RICHARD CRANE MEMORIAL TRUCK SHOW, St. Ignace, Mich., info@stignace.com.

SEPT. 17: ATHS HEART OF DIXIE TRUCK SHOW, Highway 36 exit from I-65, Hartselle, Ala.

SEPT. 18: ATHS AUBURN HERITAGE TRUCK CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Paulding Historical Museum, Paulding, Ohio, (419) 399-5462.

SEPT. 22-24: ATHS CHAPTERS TRI-STATE ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Stonewall District Ruritan/Frederick County Fairgrounds, (540) 478-4389.

SEPT. 23-24: ATHS MUSIC CITY CHAPTER ANNUAL TRUCK SHOW, Hyder-Burke Pavilion, Cookeville, Tenn., (931) 277-5177.

SEPT. 24: ATHS NORTH GEORGIA CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, 4403 Highway 115E, Cleveland, Ga., (706) 865-7777.

SEPT. 24-25: ATHS HUDSON MOHAWK ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Saratoga County Fairgrounds, Ballston Spa, N.Y., (518) 893-7804.

SEPT. 25: ATHS SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Riverside Park, Ypsilanti, Mich., (734) 482-5200.

SEPT. 25: ATHS NORTHWEST INDIANA TRUCK SHOW, Sunset Hill Park, Valparaiso, Ind., (574) 287-8702.

SEPT. 25: TRUCKIN’ FOR KIDS, Toyota Speedway, Irwindale, Calif., (888) 349-4287, www.truckinforkids.org.

SEPT. 30-OCT. 1: MACK DAYS, Gerhart’s Lititz, Pa., (717) 626-8544

SEPT. 30-OCT. 1: ATHS HEARTLAND SOONER CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Petro Truck Stop, I-35 & I-40, Oklahoma City, (580) 658-3535.

SEPT. 30-OCT. 1: GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION TRUCK SHOW & Customer Expo, Joplin, Mo., www.chromeshopmafia.com, (888) 875-7787.

OCT. 7-8: CHARLOTTE DIESEL SUPER SHOW, zMax Dragway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C., www.dieselsupershow.com.

OCT. 15: TRUCK DRIVER SOCIAL MEDIA CONVENTION, Gold Strike Resort & Casino, Tunica, Miss., truckingsocialmedia.com.

Here comes the judge

Not only will the Speed Channel show be on hand at the Great American Trucking Show filming an “American Trucker” episode, but host Robb Mariani will be one of the judges in the Custom Rigs Pride & Polish competition. Coming from an art and design background, he says he’s excited about the prospects: “The trucks I consider to be large artworks.” Check out a profile of Mariani in Overdrive sister magazine Truckers News’ July edition via truckersnews.com.

Drivers, start your legs

There’s plenty of activity at the Great American Trucking Show, but nothing quite as active as the 5K Big Rig Run. Show attendees will have plenty of time to make the 7 a.m. run, Friday, Aug. 26, at Katy Trail, and still put in a full day at the show. Read more at bigrigrun.com.

Free Concert

Jamey Johnson will bring his brand of modern Outlaw Country style to the Friday night concert at GATS, sponsored by Mobil Delvac. Tickets will be available at the show that morning on a first come, first served basis.

Owner-operator seminar

Get a free copy of the 2011-12 Partners in Business manual, produced by Overdrive editors and ATBS consultants, at the free PIB seminar 2-4 p.m., Aug. 26, at GATS. It’s presented by Dollars & Sense columnist Kevin Rutherford. Visit piblive.com for further info on the owner-operator training program.

Making exercise your new normal

• Make it a priority. Take a look at your daily schedule and decide if you need to cut out something else to give exercise its proper place.

• Plan your downtime. You have to sleep, but what are you doing with your other off-duty hours? If you are stuck at a dock, get out of the cab and walk around.

• Quit making excuses. Rather than invent 30 reasons not to exercise, list five reasons you should. Once you recognize excuses for what they are, you’ll overcome them.

• Start out small. Don’t overwhelm yourself by overdoing it. Even a small amount of exercise makes a big difference in how you feel, and you can build on that.

• Get support. Whether it’s from your spouse or a group on Facebook, find someone who can cheer you on as you progress. Support from other truckers who exercise can be especially helpful because they understand the challenges.

Soggy haul

Flooding across the nation’s midsection created all manner of hassles for drivers this year. One hauler in April documented his traverse of shallow waters on I-29 in North Dakota. The resulting video, posted to YouTube, has a soundtrack that includes the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Can’t Stop” as the driver and others slosh through high water. Shoot the QR code on your phone for the vid or visit the June 27 entry on the Channel 19 blog.

The National Weather Service wants you

In April 2006, Sean Kiaer was a long-haul driver and witnessed the EF3 tornado that went on to devastate Newbern, Tenn. Kiaer then made it his mission to better equip himself to be able to report severe weather from the road, and launched Trucker Weather Watch. Today, the growing group comprises drivers who’ve gone through National Weather Service SkyWarn training as severe weather spotters. Kiaer has spearheaded development of online training to make it more accessible to truckers. To apply for the courses, contact Kiaer at truckerweatherwatch@gmail.com. And for more on TWW, see the May 18 entry on the blog.

Can you drive 69?

Would a sign like this get your attention – and your foot off the accelerator? The Kansas Olathe News wrote in June about a public art project/series undertaken in Roeland Park, Kan., by architect Joel Marquardt, including a 34-mph sign posted on Roe Boulevard between W. 48th Street and I-35. Definitely novel on a public roadway, we imagine it’s turned a few heads, if not slowed drivers down. Shopping malls have been doing this sort of thing for years, with signage for limits as low as 3 miles per hour to get drivers’ attention. For pictures of the actual sign and a link to the Olathe News story, see the June 24 entry on the blog.

Tribute to a pioneer driver

Minnie Spotted Wolf never encountered combat in World War II, yet she blazed trails as the first Native American woman to serve in the Marines — as a truck driver, nonetheless. She joined the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve in 1943 and served four years. The trucks she drove, based in Hawaii and California, most likely included International M-5H-6s and Chevrolet WAs, says Kater Miller, of the Marine Corps National Museum. After military service, Minnie Spotted Wolf got a college degree in education, married, had four children and taught school in Montana for 29 years before her death in 1988 at age 65.

“She wasn’t in the military just for herself but for the Indian people,” her daughter told the Great Falls Tribune in a tribute published in 2009. She was a proud patriot, often wearing her Browning American Legion Post 127 uniform and carrying a flag for annual Indian Days celebrations, according to the Tribune. 

— Lucinda Coulter

Devising a PM plan

About 60 percent of owner-operators and company drivers say they develop maintenance plans based on their own experience, Overdrive’s 2011 market research shows. Nearly 16 percent say they form a plan based on their truck manual’s recommendations.

Reefer rates rise

Reefer rates jumped 15 cents a mile from May to June. Dry van and flatbed rates also rose, by 9 cents and 5 cents, respectively, during the same period. Analysts attribute the reefer uptick to demand for produce.

July 7, 2011 diesel price averages

FUEL SURCHARGE INDEX prices are collected daily from more than 5,500 truck stops and averaged along specific routes. (fuelsurhargeIndex.org)

CALENDAR

AUG. 11-13: SALT LAKE TRUCK SHOW, Thanksgiving Point, Salt Lake City, Utah, (800) 877-1320.

AUG. 14: ATHS TWIN TIERS CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Brockway Truck Museum, Cortland, N.Y., (315) 696-8353.

AUG. 19-21: NAST BIG RIG TRUCK SHOW, Eau Claire, Wis., (715) 832-6666 or (800) 727-4488.

AUG. 19-21: SAM CROUCH MEMORIAL TRUCK & TRACTOR SHOW, Falmouth Fairgrounds, Falmouth, Ky.,

(859) 472-2817.

AUG. 20: WATT’S TRUCK CENTER TRUCK & EQUIPMENT SHOW, New Alexandria, Pa., (888) 304-6225.

AUG. 20-21: GRANITE STATE NATIONALS, Sandwich Fairgrounds, Center Sandwich, N.H., (800) 753-3978.

AUG. 21: ATCA MID HUDSON CHAPTER ANNUAL SHOW, Orange County Farmer’s Museum, Montgomery, N.Y., (845) 888-7613.

AUG. 25-27: GREAT AMERICAN TRUCKING SHOW, Dallas Convention Center, (888) 349-4287, www.gatsonline.com. Includes Custom Rigs Pride & Polish National Championship, www.prideandpolish.com.

AUG. 27: ATHS OREGON TRAIL CHAPTER/PACIFIC NORTHWEST TRUCK SHOW, Brooks, Ore., (503) 312-0039.

AUG. 27: ATHS SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY CHAPTER ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Route 11, 198 Kost Rd., (717) 665-4621.

AUG. 28: ATCA LITTLE RHODY CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, R.I. Connecticut Historical Air Field, Coventry, R.I., (401) 647-7226.

SEPT. 2-3: ATCA SHORTWAY CHAPTER ANNUAL TRUCK SHOW, Montour-DeLong Fairgrounds, Washingtonville, Pa., (570) 458-6228.

SEPT. 2-3: WHITE TRUCK BASH, Holiday Inn Express, Celina, Ohio, (585) 786-8621.

SEPT. 2-5: ATHS KICKAPOO CHAPTER HISTORIC FARM DAYS, Billie Creek Village, Rockville, Ind., (217) 251-3343.

SEPT. 3: ATHS SIERRA NEVADA FALL TRUCK SHOW, Performance Diesel, Sparks, Nev., (775) 284-4484.

SEPT. 3: LIBERTY FEST ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Rte. 34 & Ellis Road, Harrisburg, Ill., (618) 841-9106.

SEPT. 4: ATCA NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Harford, Pa., (570) 222-4478.

SEPT. 8-11: WHITE RIVER VALLEY ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Eleanor, Ind., (812) 381-0983.

SEPT. 10: ATHS ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHAPTER ANNUAL SHOW, Art Robinson Transportation Museum, Salina, Utah, (801) 580-7532.

SEPT. 10: ATHS SOUTH JERSEY SHORE CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Pardo’s Truck Parts, Deptford, N.J., (609) 970-1737.

SEPT. 25: TRUCKIN’ FOR KIDS, Toyota Speedway, Irwindale, Calif., (888) 349-4287, www.truckinforkids.org.

OCT. 7-8: CHARLOTTE DIESEL SUPER SHOW, zMax Dragway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C., www.dieselsupershow.com.

Beauty at any scale

Bruce W. Smith, editor of Overdrive sister magazine Custom Rigs, photographed these hot haulers at the Shell SuperRigs event June 2-4 at the Kenly 95 Petro in Kenly, N.C. The flatbed is hauling gallon jugs of Shell Rotella; the big Lonestar is a company display trailer. The mid-size Lonestar lookalike – well, you can check it out at the model truck go-kart races!

TRUCK GALLERY

Herding sheep with a Cat

Drew Jorgensen and his father haul sheep around Utah, California and Colorado in their 2008 Kenworth W900L. The family has about 3,000 sheep on its Utah ranch. The truck is equipped with a 550-hp Caterpillar and 18-speed transmission and pulls a 1997 48-foot Wilson sheep trailer.

Old iron

Jim Lammon, of Grass Lake, Mich., hauls flatbed freight regionally with this 1985 Peterbilt 359. It’s powered by a 400-hp Caterpillar and 15-speed transmission. “Old iron is getting harder to come by these days, so when I see an old truck like mine, you can bet I will compliment you on it,” Lammon says.

Wasted

Randy Rollins of Jacksonville, Ill., drives this 2005 Kenworth W900L, owned by Envirovac Waste Transport. Dubbed “Wasted,” the truck is equipped with a 475-hp Cummins and a 13-speed transmission. Rollins hauls hazardous waste throughout the Midwest.

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO: To display your truck online and have it considered for Overdrive’s Truck Gallery, go to the Reader Truck Gallery at www.OverdriveOnline.com.

Jamey Johnson will perform in a free concert for truckers sponsored by Mobil Delvac in Dallas. His latest release, Guitar Song, is available at jameyjohnson.com.

Outlaw Riding into Cowboy Country

Rolling Stone called him heir to Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard, and that only begins to describe him. Mixing funk with a hard-bitten Outlaw Country style — “It might be lonely at the top, but it’s a bitch at the bottom,” runs a line from his Black Album — Jamey Johnson brings Alabama honky-tonk roots and Nashville swagger to the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas Friday, Aug. 26, in a concert free to CDL holders. Tickets will be available from 9 a.m. same day on a first-come, first-served basis at Mobil Delvac’s tent in the lobby. More information: GATSonline.com.

Another dame on the Dalton

The latest season of the History Channel’s “Ice Road Truckers” franchise brings stars of last fall’s Himalayan adventure – Rick Yemm, Lisa Kelly, Alex Debogorski and Dave Redmon – back to North America. They’re squaring off with others in what the History Channel was promoting as a U.S. v. Canada duel, with U.S. drivers on Alaska’s Dalton Highway and Canadian haulers running the Manitoba ice roads. There’s a new competitor: ice-road rookie Maya Sieber, a New Yorker with a passion for big rigs (pictured, left, with Kelly) and plenty of pluck to give the vets a run for their money. The show premiered June 5 and airs Sundays at 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.

TIP: STOP AT THE TOP

For layovers, fuel-conscious operators try to avoid rest areas and truck stops situated in valleys, stopping whenever possible on hilltops or level ground. If you have to take a steep grade coming out of a truck stop compared to going downhill, the cost of getting up to speed can amount to several dollars.

The Partners in Business program is produced by Overdrive and the owner-operator consultants at ATBS, and is sponsored by Freightliner Trucks. Get a copy of the new 2011-12 edition of the PIB manual for owner-operators at the PIB seminar 2-4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, during the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, or order a copy via piblive.com.

After near miss, a direct hit

Ozark Mountain Leasing driver Todd Arnold and his wife, Jamie, missed by hours the tornado that devastated the Glade Spring, Va., TA Petro on I-81 this spring only to take a direct hit in their Freightliner Cascadia in Joplin, Mo., weeks later. The Cascadia emerged as one of just five or six rigs at the Pilot Flying J on I-44 that could be driven out, which was not the case for the rigs in these pictures, taken by Todd Arnold in the storm’s aftermath. No serious injuries were reported at the truck stop, Arnold says. Read his harrowing account and related reporting in the May 23 and 24 entries to the Channel 19 blog, which links to organizations in local recovery efforts.

Truckers say no to human freight

Coinciding with the Mexican bust of two trailer-loads of would-be migrants to the U.S. in early May, Truckers Against Trafficking announced an initiative that shows headway made on the international issue of human smuggling. Chapter 61 Ministries, which formed the TAT group and also operates mobile chapels (pictured) via the Transport for Christ effort, is expanding its educational outreach. Training materials are being provided to TravelCenters of America to educate its workforce and help raise awareness about TAT’s key issues. Find links to the organization’s website and more about the initiative in the May 20 blog post.

That’s no CB you hear squawking

A flock of geese has been grabbing the attention of drivers stopping at the Ft. Bridger, Wyo., TA on I-80. This photo, taken by Robinson Transport driver Bob McGilvray, was sent to Overdrive sister mag Truckers News’ monthly photo challenge in December. Another, taken three months later, was a runner-up in March’s challenge. The photographer, Yvonne Allen, runs with her husband, leased to Landstar Ranger. “I’ve seen birds begging for food at truck stops before, but these geese were a first,” she said. “They were not afraid of the big trucks or the noise.” Truckers News’ challenge this month asks for driver photos on the theme of “summer.” Find links to the magazine’s Flickr.com group, where it hosts the contests, in the May 19 entry on the blog.

Reduce stress with meditation

Meditation isn’t a complicated practice mastered only by a few. Approached methodically, meditation can reduce stress and increase a sense of well-being for anyone, says Elizabeth Harper, a nurse, yoga instructor and author of “Wishing: How to Fulfill Your Heart’s Desires.”

Meditation can reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, pain and depression. It also can improve concentration, sleep and immunity to infection. Try integrating meditation into your pre-driving routine, and repeat whenever possible:

1. Sit upright in a comfortable position and close your eyes.

2. Empty your lungs, then take a deep breath through your nose and into your belly. Hold this breath for a few seconds and then breathe out through your mouth. Deep breathing will help you relax and go deeper into meditation.

3. Focus on a sound or on your breath. Your breathing should normalize as you begin to feel a sense of peace.

For more of the interesting and odd parts of trucking, visit Senior Editor Todd Dills’ Channel 19 blog at OverdriveOnline.com/channel19.

Different strokes

After 18 years out of the water, Indiana resident Siphiwe Baleka could no longer resist a first love: competitive swimming. “It was something I decided: Let me see if I can be a long-haul truck driver and compete,” says Baleka, who sought out YMCAs for his training.

Prime owner-operator Siphiwe Baleka won national swimming championships this year and is a driver fitness consultant.

Leased to Prime Inc., the owner-operator won championships at the 2011 U.S. Masters Swimming Spring Nationals in Mesa, Ariz., on April 29. Baleka, 40, placed first in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events.

At 10, Baleka was already a champion swimmer in his home state, Illinois. In addition to playing multiple sports as a teen, he competed nationally in swimming. In college, he was on Yale University’s swim team.

Taking initative is not unsual for Baleka, who changed his name from Tony Blake several years ago after he renewed ties to his African heritage. Consulting firm Fitness Trucking (fitnesstrucking.com), which he started last year, offers advice on nutrition, exercise and weight-loss plans for long-haul drivers. “For most truck drivers to be successful in any kind of nutrition or fitness program, it has to be convenient and it has to take little time,” he says. “What I teach most truck drivers is how to do a workout right outside of your truck, because you can do that anywhere.”

For starters, Baleka says, replace soda with water, eat every three hours so the body’s metabolism doesn’t slow down, and exercise at least 15 minutes a day.

Accidents are caused by driver fatigue, Baleka says.

“Just like you have to have a maintenance plan for the truck, you have to have different strategies for how to be a successful businessman,” he says. “You have to have some kind of plan for how you’re going to stay in shape on the road.”

— Katherine Martin

GAUGES

Deadly cities

Premature deaths in 2010 attributed to traffic emissions

Fine particulate matter emissions from traffic congestion in the nation’s 83 largest urban areas led to more than 2,200 premature deaths last year and $18 billion in costs. The estimates were made by Harvard University’s School of Public Health. Fewer people are dying prematurely in recent years, the researchers say, due to more low-emission vehicles on the roads. Of the cities studied, Raleigh, N.C., is expected to experience the biggest rise in traffic congestion – 54 percent – in the next 20 years.

Reefer rates spike

Spot market rates for reefer segments gained 19 cents from April to May, an increase analysts attribute in part to seasonal produce demand. Dry van rates rose 6 cents and flatbed increased 3 cents during the same period, according to Internet Truckstop. In mid-May, freight capacity reached its highest volume for one week in the last six months, TransCore says.

May 31, 2011 diesel price averages

FUEL SURCHARGE INDEX (www.FuelSurchargeIndex.org) prices are collected daily from more than 5,500 truck stops and averaged along specific routes.

A Mack on a mission

What’s 15 feet long, seven feet high and upward of 2,000 pounds heavy? The Mack Pinnacle tractor leading State Farm’s Spring “Agents on a Mission” tour for the Cars 2 movie surely beat those dimensions when it stopped in Allentown, Pa., to show off life-size models of three of the film’s main characters. Lightning McQueen, Mater and British super spy Finn McMissile were quite the attraction at Mack’s Allentown Customer Center for dealers, customers, local leaders and their families. The Pinnacle subsequently took the tour to Los Angeles for the film’s red-carpet premiere on June 18, stopping in more than two dozen U.S. cities.

CALENDAR

JULY 14-15: WALCOTT TRUCKERS JAMBOREE, Iowa 80 Truck Stop, I-80 Exit 284, Walcott, Iowa, www.iowa80truckstop.com.

JULY 15-16: ATHS CENTRAL COAST CHAPTER OF CALIFORNIA TRUCK SHOW, Trinity Hall, San Luis Obispo, Calif.

JULY 16: ATHS STEEL VALLEY TRUCK SHOW, Kenworth of Pennsylvania, I-70W exit 26, New Stanton, Pa., (412) 287-2110.

JULY 16-17: ATHS LONG ISLAND CHAPTER ANNUAL TRUCK SHOW, Hallockville Farm Museum, Riverhead, N.Y., (631) 821-4845.

JULY 17: ATHS UPPER DELAWARE VALLEY CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Green Acres Field, Honesdale, Pa., (570) 937-4162 or (570) 253-3564.

JULY 22-23: OLD TIME TRUCKS NATIONAL SHOW & EXPEDITE EXPO, Roberts Convention Center, Wilmington, Ohio, (765) 935-5301.

JULY 23: ATHS HIAWATHALAND CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Nuss Truck & Equipment, Highway 63 South, Rochester, Minn., (507) 421-3697.

JULY 23-24: ATHS PINE TREE CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Owls Head Transportation Museum, Owls Head, Maine, (207) 582-3224.

JULY 24: ATCA UNCLE SAM CHAPTER ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Washington County Fairgrounds, Greenwich, N.Y., (518) 753-2169 or (518) 642-9437.

JULY 24: ATHS BLACK SWAMP CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Rimmelspach Produce, Fremont, Ohio, (419) 721-9204.

AUG. 12-13: WAUPUN TRUCK ‘N’ SHOW, Waupun, Wis., http://www.waupuntrucknshow.com, (920) 934-9985.

AUG. 25-27: GREAT AMERICAN TRUCKING SHOW, including Custom Rigs Pride & Polish National Championship, Dallas Convention Center, (888) 349-4287, www.GATSonline.com and www.prideandpolish.com.

TRUCK GALLERY

Molly

Centerville, Kan., resident Bob Morse says he “never expected to own something like this” 2010 Peterbilt 389. He’s talking about all the aftermarket work he and his son, Levi, put into the truck. After a few lights and new exhaust pipes, Morse says “it just kind of took off and became a working show truck.” Named after a friend, Molly is equipped with a 550-hp Cummins and an 18-speed transmission, hauling general freight nationwide.

Humpin’ & Dumpin’

This sand and stone hauler pierces the darkness with more than 160 lights, says owner-operator Randy Johnson of Cambridge, Md. He bought this 2005 Kenworth W900L, equipped with a 625-hp Caterpillar and 18-speed transmission, in 2009. Johnson has been working the concrete and stone yards for more than 20 years with his company, Dorchester Dumpin’.

Will Work for Chrome

This 2005 Kenworth W900B, owned by Wally Austin of Bradford, Ohio, is powered by a 430-hp Caterpillar and an 8-speed transmission. The interior shows hardwood flooring and chrome gauges, air-conditioning vents and upholstery buttons. Austin says the truck hauls asphalt and stone for road projects “and looks good doing it.”

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO: To display your truck online and have it considered for Overdrive’s Truck Gallery, go to the Reader Truck Gallery at www.OverdriveOnline.com.

Heister photographed this tornado from the Boyd terminal.

Trying to outrun a tornado

Overdrive’s 2011 Trucker of the Year, Dan Heister, was loaded on I-65 southbound for Saginaw, Ala., April 27 when he spotted a big tornado in Cullman, Ala. “I kept the hammer down and got about four miles south of it” before it reached the Interstate, says Heister, a Boyd Bros. owner-operator. Then, while stopped at his carrier’s terminal in Birmingham, he saw another twister coming, and “it went right over the top of our building,” dropping a trailer on top of his load. For the rest of Heister’s story, see the April 29 entry on the Channel 19 blog (overdriveonline.com/channel19) and search “Alabama tornadoes” for more about the disasters. Many truckers and fleets have brought aid to tornado victims throughout the Southeast, including victims of a massive tornado that tore a long path of destruction through the heart of Tuscaloosa, Ala., a few miles from Overdrive’s headquarters.

Will rail overtake trucking?

An April Business Insider website analysis, “Trucking running on fumes,” concluded that rising fuel prices make trucking “one of the most inefficient” freight modes when compared to rail.

“When fuel prices shift materially,” the analysis says, “it can cause retailers to begin rethinking their shipping priorities. Short-haul routes may still be a necessity, but when it comes to longer distance shipping, there are better alternatives.”

OK, so that’s why we see so many rail cars unloading behind retail stores? And that’s why 70 percent of all freight tonnage in the United States continues to move by truck, in spite of significant fuel price hikes in the last decade?

Some investment analysts need to check their anti-truck rhetoric in at the nearest rail siding.

Bail to the trail

Scott Grenerth rides the Shelby Bottoms Greenway, a couple miles from the Nashville, Tenn., downtown TA and Trinity Lane/I-65 Love’s.

Itching to get away from the truck stop and do some pedaling? Anyone toting a bike can take advantage of the RideandRoll.me website, a new interactive map of trails and other cycling locations in easy proximity to truck stops. Fikes owner-operator Scott Grenerth hopes the map will grow as users recommend destinations. In April it contained nearly 30 locations entered by Grenerth and drivers Jeff Barker and Truckers News Marathon Trucker columnist Jeff Clark. For more, find them on Facebook: Search “Ride and Roll Cycling on the Road.”

Sleep apnea monitoring is no dream

Indiana-based driver Ed Webb learned about his home state’s driver health auditing procedures the hard way. Watch Overdrive Senior Editor Todd Dills’ interview with him at OverdriveOnline.com, and read more about sleep apnea in the June Truckers News, Overdrive’s sister publication.

Indiana is alone among states in requiring a minimum usage level for state-licensed CDL holders who use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines to combat sleep apnea. The state’s also aggressive in auditing drivers. Those documented as having apnea have been increasingly required to prove usage patterns with downloads from their CPAP machines. Some observers contend other states and perhaps the feds will follow Indiana’s lead.

Cold freight, hot rates

Dry Van - Red, Flatbed - Yellow, Reefer - Blue

Revenue per mile increased 11 cents in reefer segments from the fourth quarter 2010 to the first quarter 2011, based on averages of clients with ATBS, an owner-operator financial services provider. Nevertheless, rising fuel costs and short miles hurt the bottom line for reefer haulers and others. Cass Freight Index analysts say that while truck tonnage is continuing to grow and U.S. factory production is climbing, “the damper has been higher fuel prices and rising prices for food and other consumer goods.”

Liners are easy on the face

RemZzzs CPAP Mask Liners are made from a special blend of naturally absorbent fibers designed to help absorb facial oil and moisture.

For drivers using Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machines to combat sleep apnea, the new RemZzzs CPAP Mask Liners are designed to fit under the facemask to help eliminate noisy air leaks and prevent skin irritations and pressure marks. The liners fit ResMed Quattro, ResMed Ultra Mirage, Respironics ComfortGel and Respironics ComfortFull 2 machines. Find more at www.remzzzs.com or call (517) 990-3132.

CHANNEL 19

“Shippers should be held accountable.”

— Anne Ferro, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, discussing detention time in a conference call of owner-operator members of the Trucking Solutions Group (www.truckingsolutionsgroup.org) and nearly 200 drivers. For further coverage of the call, see the May 10 entry on the Channel 19 blog.

Thieves getting brazen

Reports surfaced in April from California to Florida about cargo-theft rings posing as legitimate freight companies – down to the U.S. DOT number – to make off with unusual commodities. “The high price of produce, especially for tomatoes after the deep winter freezes, has attracted more than heightened attention from consumers,” William Neuman reported in the New York Times. For example, a “ring of sophisticated vegetable bandits” disappeared like rats in the night with $300,000 worth of brokered fresh tomato loads in Florida. For a link to the full story and more, see the April 25 entry on the blog.

Thank Wall St. for diesel prices

The run-up in diesel prices is remarkable in what it’s revealing about the glacial pace of change in financial regulation. An April report on the Huffington Post said a prime contributing factor was the absence of congressionally mandated action by a February deadline from the Commodites Futures Trading Commission against oil speculators. What’s more, Ed Wallace, writing in Bloomberg Businessweek in May, blamed the Fed’s easy-money policies for the flood of speculative money in the oil market.

The coalition of fuel-user groups at S.O.S. (“Stop Oil Speculation”) Now, which includes some trucking orgs, has been waging a campaign to get a fix. Check out the April 6 and May 5 entries on the Channel 19 blog for links to its website and other coverage of the issue.

CALENDAR

JUNE 7-9: 2011 ROADCHECK, nationwide truck and driver inspection program organized by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

JUNE 9-11: GREAT WEST TRUCK SHOW, Las Vegas Convention Center, (888) 349-4287, www.greatwesttruckshow.com.

JUNE 10: ATHS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Baraboo Steam and Gas Grounds, Baraboo, Wis., (920) 361-1666.

JUNE 11: THS COLUMBIA BASIN CHAPTER ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Sacajawea State Park, Pasco, Wash., (509) 786-6908.

JUNE 11-12: ATCA CONNECTICUT YANKEE CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Bethlehem Fairgrounds, Bethlehem, Conn., (203) 790-4186.

JUNE 12: ATHS NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Dickson-Murst Farm, Montgomery, Ill., (815) 955-0052.

JUNE 17-18: ANTIQUE AND WORKING TRUCK SHOW, ATHS Music City Chapter in conjunction with Cumberland Plateau Antique Truck and Engine Show, Fairgrounds, Crossville, Tenn., (931) 200-3203.

JUNE 17-19: ATCA NATIONAL ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Macungie Memorial Park, Macungie, Pa., www.antiquetruckclowofamerica.org.

JUNE 18: TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS & TRUCK DRIVER APPRECIATION TRUCK SHOW, Waupaca County Fairgrounds, Weyauwega, Wis., (615) 406-3671.

JULY 14-15: WALCOTT TRUCKERS JAMBOREE, Iowa 80 Truck Stop, I-80 Exit 284, Walcott, Iowa, www.iowa80truckstop.com.

AUG. 11-13: SALT LAKE TRUCK SHOW sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation, Thanksgiving Point, Utah, (800) 877-1320, www.saltlaketruckshow.com.

AUG. 12-13: WAUPUN TRUCK ‘N’ SHOW, Waupun, Wis., http://www.waupuntrucknshow.com, (920) 934-9985.

AUG. 19-21: NAST BIG RIG TRUCK SHOW, Eau Claire, Wis., (715) 832-6666 or (800) 727-4488.

AUG. 25-27: GREAT AMERICAN TRUCKING SHOW, Dallas Convention Center, (888) 349-4287, www.GATSonline.com.

AUG. 25-27: CUSTOM RIGS PRIDE & POLISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, Dallas Convention Center, www.prideandpolish.com.

SEPT. 16-18: RICHARD CRANE MEMORIAL TRUCK SHOW, St. Ignace, Mich., info@stignace.com.

SEPT. 30-OCT. 1: GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION TRUCK SHOW & Customer Expo, Joplin, Mo., www.chromeshopmafia.com, (888) 875-7787.

OCT. 7-8: CHARLOTTE DIESEL SUPER SHOW, zMax Dragway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C., www.dieselsupershow.com.

OCT. 15: TRUCK DRIVER SOCIAL MEDIA CONVENTION, Gold Strike Resort & Casino, Tunica, Miss., www.truckingsocialmedia.com.

Adequately muffled and looking sharp at 50

The nickname for Jacobs Vehicle Systems’ technology has become so synonymous with engine brakes that city noise ordinances use “Jake Brake” in their signage. (Though as Overdrive’s Lucinda Coulter pointed out in her August 2009 story, any significant noise is typically due to a faulty muffler.) This year, Jacobs joins Overdrive in celebrating a half-century of existence. The makers have revamped JakeBrake.com to coincide with the milestone and showcase the company’s evolution. If you missed Overdrive Equipment Editor John Baxter’s piece on the Jake Brake, visit OverdriveRetro.com and click “More Equipment Innovations.”

For more of the interesting and odd parts of trucking, visit Senior Editor Todd Dills’ Channel 19 blog at OverdriveOnline.com/channel19.

‘Truck of the Year’ gets its gear

This 1:53 scale model Kenworth T700 is among almost 50 items in the Kenworth Merchandise collection.

What’s it like to be a celebrity truck? Well, if you’re the Kenworth T700 with the Paccar MX engine – named the 2011 American Truck Dealers Commercial Heavy Duty Truck of the Year – it means appearing on lots of merchandise. The truck is represented on a cap, T-shirt and key chain, and the MX on a jacket, cap, polo shirt, mug, water bottle and more. Visit www.ShopKenworth.com or call (877) 705-3314 to order.

Black Magic

 Terry Carnahan of Huntsville, Mo., hauls feed, grain and fertilizer with his 1995 Kenworth W900. After a friend dubbed it “Black Magic,” Carnahan added decals to make it official. The truck is equipped with a 500-hp Cummins and a 13-speed transmission. “It looks like an old truck with a pissed-off attitude,” Carnahan says. “A lot of guys say it looks like something out of a movie.”

Heavy hauling

Uncasville, Conn., resident Matthew Frechette uses his 2001 Peterbilt 379 and a 2009 Talbert trailer to haul specialty machinery, jet engines and other equipment in the Northeast. The truck is powered by a 500-hp Caterpillar and an 18-speed transmission.

Poverty

Steel and equipment hauler Jim Stannard runs the Great Lakes region in his 2003 Peterbilt 379, which is powered by a 475-hp Caterpillar and an 18-speed transmission. The Brownsville, Ontario, resident says he lavishly decked out the inside with a black and blue interior, vinyl-wrapped dash, hardwood flooring and low-rider seats. Of the truck’s name, he says, “It makes everybody laugh.”

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO: To display your truck online and have it considered for Overdrive’s Truck Gallery, go to the Reader Truck Gallery at www.OverdriveOnline.com.

Now that’s horsepower

Sometimes, the best solutions are the simplest. Or that’s one way of looking at a video posted to YouTube by Joel Appleman of Ottawa, Pa., showing a tractor/tank combination pulled out of the snow by a “few extra horses.” While out taking photos in the snow, Appleman came across an Amish man on a stand-up cart driving horses “to the rescue. I thought I would stick around to see what might unfold. Glad I did.” Check out the video in the March 10 entry on the Channel 19 blog.

Onboard recorders and pay

“In theory, EOBRs would seem to be a good idea: force everyone into complying with the hours-of-service rules, and the ‘outlaws’ would be shut down, thereby pushing the pay of legal drivers upward. The big flaw in this theory is that EOBRs can be manipulated also. I know of a large company using EOBRs that changes its electronic logs on a regular basis to show that it is in compliance when it is not… Real wages have gone steadily down regardless of the promises of the CDL and hazmat programs.”

­— Driver Rob Thomason, commenting on

Editor Max Heine’s March 25 Overdrive Extra blog post on OverdriveOnline.com.

Big Kitty Purrs in Vegas

The CT660, built in partnership with Navistar, is primarily for vocational/severe service operators.

“No one knows heavy-duty like Caterpillar,” says the promo video for the new Cat Class 8, the CT660. You can read all about it on Page 38, but for video glimpses of it, including its introduction in Las Vegas, visit drivecat.com.

Channel 19

Drivers on Facebook, Twitter and other online communities are “becoming the media” every day, but few are as far ahead of the curve as Allen and Donna Smith. They’ve got a driver issues-centered blog, AsktheTrucker.com; an online talk show; and thousands of Facebook fans. Now they are injecting real-world interaction to the virtual online world with their Truck Driver Social Media Convention, Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Gold Strike Resort and Casino in Tunica, Miss. The $89 fee covers meals and interactive presentations aimed at helping you impact your industry. Registration deadline is June 1. Details are in the March 28 Channel 19 blog.

Trucker’s novel revisits Civil War era

Greatwide-leased owner-operator Bob Grantham, based in San Antonio, Texas, calls the evocative writing in his new Collinstown novel an “unintended consequence of being a truck driver.” From Treble Heart Books under the “Robert Neal” pen name, the novel follows the intertwining lives of a current and former Texas Ranger facing divided loyalties to state and country — and each other — at the outbreak of the Civil War. Working as a company driver for J.B. Hunt in the 1990s, Grantham placed as honorable mention in the Mark Twain writing contest run by Truckers News. After that, he pursued writing fiction in earnest. Find links to the Collinstown Amazon order pages ($13.50 in print, $7 in Kindle edition) at robertneal.info. For more about the book, see the March 18 entry on the blog post.

Come on in!

It’s “awesome” to be back up, said Virginia Kirk, manager of the TravelCenters of America C-store and fuel islands in Nashville, Tenn., during the reopening in March. The store endured floodwaters in May 2010 and was closed for nine months. For more on the reopening, including photos of the redesigned Music City-themed stop and its flooding, see the the Feb. 15 and March 8 entries on the Channel 19 blog.

HOW-TO Catch A/C Problems

Cab air conditioner refrigerant is under more than 30 psi even when the system is idle. When it leaks, so does the oil. The fluids remaining in the system absorb water from the humidity in the air, producing corrosive acid. Here are some routine maintenance tips:

1.  To keep compressor shaft seals lubricated even in winter, make sure you turn the A/C system on for a few minutes at least once a month.

The sight glass is located on top of a small black cylinder called the receiver-dryer, which is in the thin piping leading from the bottom of the condenser to the evaporator.

2.  Inspect hoses, connections and other components every month. Any leak produces an oil film, which attracts dirt. It also pays to have the system inspected by a licensed refrigeration mechanic at least once a year.

3.  Check the appearance of the dot on the sight glass. When the system is dry, the dot is blue or aqua and it changes to pink or white when the dryer becomes saturated.

4.  Inspect compressor mounts and belt-tensioning systems. Belts should have no cracks or glazing. Carefully check condenser mounting bolts and brackets. Vibration is one of the system’s enemies.

5.  The clutch engage should grab in a second or two, with only momentary slippage. Slow or partial clutch engagement may indicate an electrical or mechanical problem that could cause component failures, often non-warrantable.

6.  Recharge yearly, having the system evacuated and the oil inspected for color.

— John Baxter

Vanished into ultrathin air

News outlets in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, said 700,000 Sagami Rubber Industries-produced ultrathin condoms were stolen from a cargo container en route to market from the Japanese manufacturer’s Malaysia plant. As reported by Antara News, officials with Sagami say “the prophylactics, which it bills as being 14 percent thinner than conventional ones, are worth $1.5 million at Japanese retail prices.”

TIP: LIMIT IDLE TIME

The average owner-operator, idling about five hours a day for a year, adds the equivalent of 18,000 miles of wear and tear on the engine, says Argonne National Laboratory. Cutting idling to zero eliminates that wear, extends your oil-drain interval and saves nearly $6,000 in fuel with diesel at $4. If you’re not ready to invest in a cab heater or auxiliary power unit, consider getting a remote starter (about $80) with a temperature sensor that starts the truck at a specified temperature.

This tip comes from the Partners in Business program, which is produced by Overdrive and the owner-operator consultants at ATBS, and is sponsored by Freightliner Trucks. The next live PIB seminar will be 2-4 p.m. Friday, June 10, during the Great West Truck Show in Las Vegas.

Truck fatalities fall to a record low

The rate of truck-related fatalities in 2009 fell to the lowest levels since first being recorded in 1975, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports. The number of miles traveled also dropped from about 311 billion in 2008 to 288 billion in 2009.

The number of deaths fell 14 percent from 2008 to 2009, down to 3,380 fatalities from 4,245, according to analysis of NHTSA data by the American Trucking Associations.

Rates spike in March

Shipping rates increased substantially from February to March: 10 cents per mile for reefer, 15 cents for dry van and 16 cents for flatbed. March freight volume was the highest since TransCore’s North American Freight Index was formed in 1986, the load-matching service reported, and its record of truckload freight availability was the highest for any single month except October 2005.

April 4 diesel price averages -- FUEL SURCHARGE INDEX (www.FuelSurchargeIndex.org) prices are collected daily from more than 5,500 truck stops and averaged along specific routes.

CALENDAR

MAY 6-7: MIDWEST PRIDE IN YOUR RIDE TRUCK/TRACTOR SHOW, Tri-State Raceway, Earlville, Iowa, (563) 580-8200.

MAY 21: ANTIQUE & WORKING TRUCK SHOW, ATHS Music City Chapter, Ward Agriculture Center, Lebanon, Tenn., (615) 330-0475.

MAY 21: ANNUAL TRUCK SHOW, ATHS Greater Cincinnati Chapter, Howard Trucking Co., Fairborn, Ohio, (937) 878-6154.

MAY 21: LESTER J. BROWN MEMORIAL SHOW of ATHS Piedmont Carolina Chapter, North Carolina Transportation Museum, Spencer, N.C. (336) 431-6824.

MAY 21: TRUCK/TRACTOR SHOW of ATHS Shenandoah Valley Chapter, Lawn Party Grounds, Bridgewater, Va., (540) 292-1058.

MAY 21: ATHS NORTHWEST ILLINOIS TRUCK SHOW, Route 39 and Baxter Road, Rockford, Ill., (815) 734-4529.

MAY 26-28: ATHS NATIONAL CONVENTION & ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, St. Joseph County 4H Fairgrounds, South Bend, Ind., (816) 891-9900.

JUNE 2-4: Shell Rotella SuperRigs, Kenly 95 Petro, Kenly, N.C., rotella.com.

JUNE 3-4: ATHS DERBY CITY CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Shelby County Fairgrounds, Shelbyville, Ky., (502) 939-8883.

JUNE 3-5: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHOW TRUCKS GREAT LAKES TRUCK SHOW, Dundee, Mich., greatlakestruckshow.com.

JUNE 4: ATHS NORTHWEST CHAPTER PARADE, Shelton, Wash., (360) 866-7716.

JUNE 5: ATHS METRO JERSEY CHAPTER ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Automatic Switch Co., Florham Park, N.J., (973) 726-4586.

JUNE 5: ATHS OCEAN STATE VINTAGE HAULERS CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Johnson Memorial Park, Johnson, R.I., (401) 822-4966.

JUNE 9-11: GREAT WEST TRUCK SHOW, Las Vegas Convention Center, (888) 349-4287, www.greatwesttruckshow.com.

JUNE 10: ATHS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Baraboo Steam and Gas Grounds, Baraboo, Wis., (920) 361-1666.

JUNE 11: ATHS COLUMBIA BASIN CHAPTER ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Sacajawea State Park, Pasco, Wash., (509) 786-6908.

JUNE 11-12: ATCA CONNECTICUT YANKEE CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Bethlehem Fairgrounds, Bethlehem, Conn., (203) 790-4186.

JUNE 12: ATHS NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS CHAPTER TRUCK SHOW, Dickson-Murst Farm, Montgomery, Ill., (815) 955-0052.

JUNE 17-18: ANTIQUE AND WORKING TRUCK SHOW, ATHS Music City Chapter, Fairgrounds, Crossville, Tenn., (931) 200-3203.

JUNE 17-19: ATCA NATIONAL ANTIQUE TRUCK SHOW, Macungie Memorial Park, Macungie, Pa., www.antiquetruckclowofamerica.org.

JUNE 18: TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS & TRUCK DRIVER APPRECIATION TRUCK SHOW, Waupaca County Fairgrounds, Weyauwega, Wis., (615) 406-3671.

JULY 14-15: WALCOTT TRUCKERS JAMBOREE, Iowa 80 Truck Stop, I-80 Exit 284, Walcott, Iowa, www.iowa80truckstop.com.

AUG. 19-21: NAST BIG RIG TRUCK SHOW, Eau Claire, Wis., (715) 832-6666 or (800) 727-4488.

AUG. 25-27: GREAT AMERICAN TRUCKING SHOW, including Custom Rigs Pride & Polish National Championship, Dallas Convention Center, (888) 349-4287,

www.GATSonline.com and www.prideandpolish.com.

SEPT. 30-OCT. 1: GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION TRUCK SHOW & Customer Expo, Joplin, Mo., www.chromeshopmafia.com, (888) 875-7787.

OCT. 15: TRUCK DRIVER SOCIAL MEDIA CONVENTION, Gold Strike Resort & Casino, Tunica, Miss., www.truckingsocialmedia.com.

Glory in the Sunshine State

Mike Hug’s Peterbilt 379 Rollin' Jake, was customized and shown in honor of Hug's late friend, Jake Eilen.

The 2011 Custom Rigs Pride & Polish show season kicked off last month in Wildwood, Fla., at the 75 Chrome Shop show. Mike Hug’s 2007 Peterbilt 379 took home Best in Show in the Working Combo category, and Ron Huey’s 2010 International ProStar won Best of Show in Working Bobtail. Pride & Polish – and the event’s new National Championship qualifying shows – will resume in June at the Great West Truck Show in Las Vegas.

REDUCING BLOOD PRESSURE

Five routes to better heart health:

1.  Maintain a healthy weight. The NIH recommends consulting a doctor to find out if you are in a healthy weight range, then losing weight gradually and at a healthy pace if necessary.

BETTER HEALTH

2.  Be physically active. The recommended amount of daily exercise is only 30 minutes.

3.  Eat healthy. This means less saturated fat, total fat and cholesterol, and more fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods.

4.  Decrease sodium intake. Find alternates to salty spices to flavor foods, or use garlic or onion. Look for reduced-sodium options in pre-packaged foods and at restaurants.

5.  If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. The recommended maximum is one drink per day for women and two for men.

How to maintain trailer power connection

The seven-way electrical cable carrying power to your trailers gets plugged and unplugged umpteen times during its life. Standard design sockets don’t always hold up well, so many fleets use sockets with split pins. This design allows a user to “spread the pins” when the connection between the plug and socket has deteriorated, extending its life. To keep the plug and socket connection as robust as possible:

• Insert a flathead screwdriver a quarter-inch between every split pin. Don’t force the screwdriver too far and risk damage that could result in a nonwarrantable issue.

• Apply pressure to spread the pins slightly.

• Clean the socket and plug connection using a plug brush or a socket/plug cleaner.

• Re-grease the connection with dielectric grease and connect.

TRUCK GALLERY

BIG FISH

Meriden, Iowa, resident Matthew Cronin hauls livestock in the Midwest with this “Sea Monster” 2003 Peterbilt 379. The name comes from the sea-foam color, he says. “I’d seen a truck with a color like this once,” Cronin says. “It’s different than everything else – that’s what I liked about it.” The truck is equipped with a 750-hp Caterpillar and an 18-speed transmission.

HAULING EARTH

Chuck Armes of Oakland, Calif., owns this 2003 Peterbilt 379, to which he has added an 18-in. bumper, 8-in. straight pipes and a 14-in. drop visor. The truck is powered by a 550-hp Caterpillar and an 18-speed transmission. Armes hauls contaminated soil within California.

HOT ASPHALT

Matt Mason uses his 2005 International 9100 to haul hot asphalt mix in his hometown of Sellersburg, Ind. He also pulls a cement tanker. The truck is powered by a 450-hp Cummins and a 13-speed transmission.

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO: To display your truck online and have it considered for Overdrive’s Truck Gallery, go to the Reader Truck Gallery at OverdriveOnline.com.