July 2001

Show doesn’t work in Boston
I attended the North American Truck Show in Boston as an exhibitor, and I was disappointed at the attendance. The promoters finally got what they deserve for keeping this show in Boston, where expenses are sky-high.

Parking was $10. The lack of factory support was evident, with only the local dealers having trucks and trailers on display.

If this show is going to survive, costs need to come down. Fifty miles west of Boston is the Eastern States Exposition, a great facility that hosts other huge trade shows and has free parking. You would be hard-pressed to find a hotel room in Springfield for more than $90 per night, while the average in Boston is something like $175.

Wayne Clark
Schodack Landing, N.Y.



Jersey allows younger drivers
In response to the “Viewpoint” editorial on the proposed younger driver program [April 2001], I have been driving a truck since I graduated from high school. I am now a 23-year-old owner-operator leased to FedEx Custom Critical. Companies are wary of someone my age, and getting my own authority and insurance has also been a challenge. I recently purchased a Kenworth T600, and it’s even harder to get a truck at my age than it is to get a license.

My home state of New Jersey allows 18-year-olds to drive a truck intrastate. I think more states should have a program similar to New Jersey’s. Dreams of driving a truck are often pushed aside because of age or inexperience, so young people settle for something else. Some people my age can’t break into the industry.

Chris Kikelhan
North Brunswick, N.J.



Road blocks for recruiters
Nathan Russell [May 2001] was right. I can try for weeks to get an employment history. When I finally get it back, I see only dates because of a company’s policy.

I call to get a recorded history, but I never get to speak to a person. An employment history is not a good reflection of a driver’s abilities. I spend hours doing a 10-year history, only to see a driver go to a company that did not take three or four days to evaluate his application.

I try very hard to hire quality drivers, but we need help from past employers to ensure we put qualified drivers behind the wheel.

Ann Kissinger
Des Moines, Iowa



Couple thanks driver
On April 5, we were on I-95 near Florence, S.C., in a Ford F250 truck and pulling a 27-foot Prowler trailer, when a 32-ft Bounder RV pulling a car came across from the fast lane and forced us to the shoulder. The RV then came to the shoulder, forcing us to go down the ravine while he drove on.

We would like to thank the truck driver who was nice enough to pull the RV driver over to tell him what he did. The man walked around his unit to see if any damage was done, and after seeing none, he got into his RV and drove off. The truck driver reported his license number to the police who arrested him and charged him with the accident.

Because of this trucker’s action, we got the proof we needed to show the accident wasn’t avoidable, which prevented an increase in our insurance premium.

Partner Insights
Information to advance your business from industry suppliers

Mr. and Mrs. George Berrue
Edison, N.J.



Send letters to Write On, Overdrive, P.O. Box 3187, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403, or fax to (205) 750-8070 or send e-mail to [email protected]. Letters are subject to editing for length and content.

Showcase your workhorse
Add a photo of your rig to our Reader Rigs collection to share it with your peers and the world. Tell us the story behind the truck and your business to help build its story.
Submit Your Rig
Reader Rig Submission