TRUCKING - PRISONER OF THE FREEDOM OF THE ROAD...
- By Tomas San Jose
- Published 10/27/2008
Tomas San Jose
Previous Nationality: Spain. Attended Christian Brothers College in Memphis, Tn.- Met and married a beautiful Southern Belle in 1952. Still together. Drafted during the Korean War; active duty with 1st Cav.Div. earning my U.S. Citizenship.Have a Memphis born daughter,a great son-in-law and two granddauhters, our pride and joy. Living in a small town just north of Memphis - Retired - we are enjoying the peace, quiet, and good neighbors we are lucky to have.
After retiring from the Central American cotton export business based in El Salvador, due to the situation created by the civil war in that country, on my return to Memphis, Tn., saw an advertising on TV that said: "Learn to drive an Eighteen Wheeler, see the country and make good Money" giving the name of a truck driving school in St. Louis, Mo., and a telephone number. Needless to say I called and enrolled for a ten week course.-
Had never been inside the cabin of a tractor-trailer, and 18 wheelers looked monstrous to me. Seriously doubted I could ever learn to drive the things!
But off to St. Louis I went, and took up residence in a Motel that had an agreement with the school, charging very low rates. It was to be home for the next ten weeks.
The instructors were excellent, had good equipment, and gradually became familiarized with the "monsters" and their multiple gear system. It wasn't to bad, after all!
A few days before graduation, a recruiter from Schneider Trucking visited the school scouting for candidates for his Company, and he hired me. I was sent to Schneider's Home Base in Green Bay, Wisconsin for a week of additional training and Orientation, and then instructed to report to their West Memphis facility, across the Mississippi River from Memphis. After two weeks of team driving with another novice, I was assigned a truck - an old one at that - being a rookie.
My dispatcher must have been a sadist.- On my very first "solo" run, he sent me to New York City - Brooklyn. I am sure you heard the expression: "Sweating Bullets"? That
was me! Lost for a while, found myself in Staten Island, for God's sake! but finally found the shipper in Brooklyn, and loaded my trailer full of waste paper bales for recycling to be
delivered in Rincon, Ga. That was my first run in my long haul, cross
country career.
Stayed with it for about ten years and went to all 48 States repeatedly, every major city, and lots of towns in the U.S.A., and a couple of trips to Quebec and Toronto, Canada.
By law, couldn't drive more than eight hours in a 24 hour period, and had to keep an always precise and current log book to turn in to the Company every month or so. States Troopers would often ask to see it; and it better be current to the last stop, or you would have to pay a hefty fine. Weight Stations located an States borders, could be sometimes a nightmare.
With a limit of 80,000 pounds overall weight, and limits also for each axle, had to make sure the load was evenly distributed, and the rear set of wheels on the trailer adjusted to comply.
After two years with Schneider, went to work for a Company - MD Transport - based in central Florida, not far from Orlando. With them I drove a new Volvo tractor with a cabin that almost was nothing short of a studio apartment. Heat, AC, stereo, TV, refrigerator, you name it! Extremely comfortable to drive, its weight and suspension system gave the impression of riding on a cloud.- Hauled a lot of Budweiser beer, mainly from brewery to brewery, e.g. Williamsburg, Va. to Houston, Tx.
Loved long trips, because of high mileage (get paid by the mile) and not having to load/unload as often, when you have to wait, first on your turn, and then for the forklifts to finish; wasting time that could be used driving money making miles.
While driving, always saw kids, passing in cars with their parents, pumping an arm, asking you with the gesture, to blow the air horn.
Finally had to retire because of a heart condition; and I must confess: I miss it! Lots.
Learned what they meant when saying: "You are a Prisoner of the Freedom of The Road".
Keep on trucking,guys! And enjoy that Country Music.
Had trips from Jacksonville, Fla. to Los Angeles, from San Diego to northern Maine, and Seattle to Albany, N.Y.
Had never been inside the cabin of a tractor-trailer, and 18 wheelers looked monstrous to me. Seriously doubted I could ever learn to drive the things!
But off to St. Louis I went, and took up residence in a Motel that had an agreement with the school, charging very low rates. It was to be home for the next ten weeks.
The instructors were excellent, had good equipment, and gradually became familiarized with the "monsters" and their multiple gear system. It wasn't to bad, after all!
A few days before graduation, a recruiter from Schneider Trucking visited the school scouting for candidates for his Company, and he hired me. I was sent to Schneider's Home Base in Green Bay, Wisconsin for a week of additional training and Orientation, and then instructed to report to their West Memphis facility, across the Mississippi River from Memphis. After two weeks of team driving with another novice, I was assigned a truck - an old one at that - being a rookie.
My dispatcher must have been a sadist.- On my very first "solo" run, he sent me to New York City - Brooklyn. I am sure you heard the expression: "Sweating Bullets"? That
was me! Lost for a while, found myself in Staten Island, for God's sake! but finally found the shipper in Brooklyn, and loaded my trailer full of waste paper bales for recycling to be
delivered in Rincon, Ga. That was my first run in my long haul, cross
Stayed with it for about ten years and went to all 48 States repeatedly, every major city, and lots of towns in the U.S.A., and a couple of trips to Quebec and Toronto, Canada.
By law, couldn't drive more than eight hours in a 24 hour period, and had to keep an always precise and current log book to turn in to the Company every month or so. States Troopers would often ask to see it; and it better be current to the last stop, or you would have to pay a hefty fine. Weight Stations located an States borders, could be sometimes a nightmare.
With a limit of 80,000 pounds overall weight, and limits also for each axle, had to make sure the load was evenly distributed, and the rear set of wheels on the trailer adjusted to comply.
After two years with Schneider, went to work for a Company - MD Transport - based in central Florida, not far from Orlando. With them I drove a new Volvo tractor with a cabin that almost was nothing short of a studio apartment. Heat, AC, stereo, TV, refrigerator, you name it! Extremely comfortable to drive, its weight and suspension system gave the impression of riding on a cloud.- Hauled a lot of Budweiser beer, mainly from brewery to brewery, e.g. Williamsburg, Va. to Houston, Tx.
Loved long trips, because of high mileage (get paid by the mile) and not having to load/unload as often, when you have to wait, first on your turn, and then for the forklifts to finish; wasting time that could be used driving money making miles.
While driving, always saw kids, passing in cars with their parents, pumping an arm, asking you with the gesture, to blow the air horn.
Finally had to retire because of a heart condition; and I must confess: I miss it! Lots.
Learned what they meant when saying: "You are a Prisoner of the Freedom of The Road".
Keep on trucking,guys! And enjoy that Country Music.
Had trips from Jacksonville, Fla. to Los Angeles, from San Diego to northern Maine, and Seattle to Albany, N.Y.
