In what's become a tradition at the town square in Denton, Texas, this time of year, more than 50 trucks sporting the iconic red oval rolled through in the 8th annual Peterbilt Pride & Class Parade this past Friday, Oct. 17.
Participating trucks and their owners were invited by the manufacturer to attend the exclusive event, which included a plant tour for attendees and an “open house” for Peterbilt employees and their families to come out and see the work done on the trucks they helped build.
The annual event is part of Peterbilt Motors Company’s fundraising effort for the United Way of Denton County. Over 20-plus years, Peterbilt's partnered with the local chapter to raise more than $10 million to support families in need. Peterbilt General Manager Jake Montero noted during a ceremony before the parade began that during Peterbilt’s 2025 United Way Week, the company will raise “about another half a million" for the same purpose.
Perhaps the most unique truck featured in the parade belonged to longtime truck builder and small fleet owner Bill Rethwisch -- this custom 2017 Peterbilt 389 is now a handicap-accessible motorhome for his son, Fred. The unit boasts a 461-inch wheelbase.
“All I can say to Peterbilt is thank you for making Denton County ... your home,” said Gary Henderson, CEO of the United Way of Denton County. The UW chapter is comprised of a network of 18 nonprofit organizations, Henderson added, noting that because of the donations from Peterbilt and others in 2024, the chapter “helped 54,000 people last year, and we’re going to do more this year with your generous donations.”
Denton Mayor Gerard Hudspeth read a proclamation recognizing the fundraising efforts of Peterbilt for United Way, officially declaring Oct. 17, 2025, as Peterbilt Pride & Class Day in the city.
[Related: Pride and Class: 7th-annual Pete parade event in the books]
As much as the annual event means for the city and its citizens, receiving an invitation to participate in the event might mean even more for the owner-operators in attendance.
“This is amazing,” said Oklahoma-based owner-operator Robbie Basse.
Basse was invited to bring his 2022 Peterbilt 389, nicknamed “Can’t Stop,” to the event.
“I couldn’t put it into words," Basse said. "The English dictionary has not made words for this. There’s 50 trucks here. To be picked out of all of the Peterbilts in the whole country, and somebody sees your truck and wants to invite you to the Peterbilt show… Can’t describe it.”
Basse’s immaculate rig was also used on promotional materials and T-shirts around the event.
Basse's 389 was one of the first trucks to roll in the 2025 parade.
“To be invited, then to get picked and have your truck on all the promotional material and to get picked and your truck on the T-shirt, words can’t describe it,” Basse added.
Kansas-based owner-operator Greg Wertz said he was surprised when he got the call with an invitation to attend.
“Have you seen my truck?” he said he asked when invited, referencing the 2007 379 cattle hauler here in the picture. “It does have some battle scars, it surely does. It works. But it’s a heck of an honor. It’s a great thing.”
As might be obvious, Wertz hauls cattle, mostly. “It’s something that you don’t ever think you’re going to get the nod for,” Wertz added. “But it’s great to be recognized. It’s humbling to realize that people think of you that way.”
For Wertz, the honor is about more than just recognition for himself, though. “It’s about what my grandfather went through to get started and what he built, and then it’s the long days and nights of me and my dad laying on a concrete floor working on trucks and stuff.”
[Related: Pete's invite-only Pride & Class Parade and truck show]
More views from the parade follow:
Davis Brothers Designs' immaculate "Lessons Learned" 2024 Peterbilt 389 was one of the stars of the show with its impressive stereo system and old-school look.
Georgia-based Adam Kimball showed off his 1990 Peterbilt 379, featured recently in Overdrive.
24-year-old owner-operator Matt Niell drove his 1987 Peterbilt 359 to the show from nearby Seymour, Texas.
Luke Rethwisch's custom 1987 Peterbilt 359, which was built earlier this year and won the Mid-America Trucking Show's Big Rig Build-Off, drew plenty attention from parade onlookers.
[Related: 'Dressed to the Nines': 2023 Peterbilt 389 spec'd for excavation heavy haul]
