By: Denny

I can’t say exactly when it started, perhaps it was always part of my DNA inherited from my father. He once commented that I had diesel fuel in my veins. I remember at about the age of ten riding along with my dad on short day trips. He drove semi for B.F.C., a trucking company in Cedar Rapids who pulled trailers for the Weyerhauser cardboard plant there.  I loved to hear the engine roar and look in the mirror to see the trail of black smoke behind us as dad would run through the gears putting the power to it. I wondered how he knew when to shift and it all seemed so complicated to me. There were so many gauges, valves, and switches and I just had to know what each one was for. Even then, I think he knew he was training a future truck driver. He answered all my questions, but I also learned a lot just by watching him. When we stopped at truck stops to get a bite to eat, all the trucks would be idling. Each engine made a unique sound that was music to my ears, and I loved the smell of diesel exhaust. I listened intently at the conversations as many drivers sat at tables relating their common experiences. Sometimes at the terminal when the trucks were parked, dad let me sit in the driver’s seat. Of course, I couldn’t reach the pedals, but I would grab the steering wheel and gear shift and pretend I was driving by making my own engine noises. It was a real thrill to blow the air horn until he stopped me by saying, “That’s enough.”

There was so much to learn, and my dream was to be a truck driver just like my dad. That desire and hope kept the dream alive until I was ready, but why did it have to take so long? Patience isn’t a virtue that many ten-year-old boys have. Fast forward sixty years. I’m seventy now and retired with a fifty-year driving career under my belt. It seems like only yesterday that I was a wide-eyed kid with a big dream. Now I’m asking, “Where did the time go?” I guess two-million miles of white lines ate it up. Often, I sit and reminisce about the places I’ve been and experiences I’ve had. Now the dream I once had is a fulfilled reality with memories I can replay in my mind and write about. In 1987 I composed a poem entitled “Just Like My Dad”, I dedicated it to him and I recited it at his funeral in 1990.

Just Like My Dad

When I was a boy I used to say, “I’m going to drive a truck like my dad someday.”

It seemed like time stood still back then, but it couldn’t stop my dreams when I was ten.

My mind was made up; a trucker I’ll be, I loved to imagine the places I’d see.

Like Hollywood, where movies are made, and Arizona, where there is no shade.

I’ll go to Las Vegas and see the bright lights, and walk in the desert on moonlit nights.

Up to Montana, they say the sky is big, I’ll see lots of country from the cab of my rig.

Places like Texas and New Mexico, why, there isn’t any place that I won’t go.

Down to Florida to see the beach, there was no place my dreams couldn’t reach.

So I waited and waited . . . impatiently, for time to pass so I could be;

Just like my dad and drive a big rig, my hopes were high, my dreams were big.

So much has happened since way back then, I’m no longer a boy the age of ten.

I’ve gained some wisdom through the years, by closing my mouth and opening my ears.

This one thing I’ve found to be true, a fact that I will share with you.

The only difference between men and boys, is not their age, but the size of their toys.

The years have come and gone so fast, those hopes and dreams are things of the past.

I’ve seen all the places I wanted to most, from border to border and coast to coast.

I’ve pulled the steep Rockies way out West, conquered her grades and passed the test.

Thousands of miles and sleepless nights, I can name every city by seeing it’s lights.

I cannot begin to count the loads, but how well I remember all the roads.

In all kinds of weather . . . good and bad, I am a truck driver . . . just like my dad.

Being a long-haul trucker is adventurous and exciting as far as seeing the country, but there’s more to it than most people know. Drive, eat, and sleep is a constantly repeating cycle. You’re under pressure from dispatchers, shippers, and receivers to meet delivery schedules and appointments. You hurry to get a load delivered without so much as a thank you, then you may wait for days or run hundreds of miles to get the next one. Breakdowns, traffic jams, detours, accidents, bad weather, and even worse drivers, will challenge your resolve. You spend many lonely days away from your family, and about the time you think you’re headed home, they dispatch you in the opposite direction. Nevertheless, you keep pressing on, because being a trucker isn’t just a job you do, it’s who you are. Those drivers who see it any different are “wanna be truckers” and usually don’t stick it out or are miserable to be around with their whining and complaining. As Merle Haggard wrote a line in a song, “If you don’t love it, leave it.” I wrote another poem in 1984 while laid over in Utah. I was hauling a wide load and not permitted to move it on the weekend. It was a single part of a huge Bucirus Erie crane that I picked up in Burley, ID and I hauled it to the Port of New Orleans where it was put on a ship bound for Africa. I named it, “A Trucker’s Poem”, and I mailed it home to my four-year-old son Adam to let him know I was missing him.

  A Trucker’s Poem

The days seem like months, and the weeks like years, ya stiff up your lip and fight back the tears.

It’s a dog’s life at best, that’s no doubt, and often ya wonder . . .   what’s it all about?

Is it worth all the trouble day in and day out? Does anyone care? Would they even notice if you weren’t there?

There are good days too; they’re not all bad, that’s when it’s easy to forget the problems you’ve had.

You’re easin’ down that mountain kickin’ in the jake, bellerin’ through the canyon; wonderin’ who’s awake.

They don’t know what they’re missin’, and most just don’t care, but man, there’s nothin’ like that clean mountain air.

You’re rollin’ down that road with the wind in your face, thinkin’ what some would give to be in your place.

Some four-wheeler full of kids will pass you by, ya know what they want by the look in their eye.

Then comes the signal . . . “Honk your horn mister . . . please”, ya give ‘em toot, and they giggle with glee.

This is what makes it all worthwhile, seein’ those kids with their innocent smiles.

Then all of a sudden; it hits ya like a ton, the Lord has been with you; right from mile one.

No, the Lord isn’t my co-pilot, ‘cause that would make me number one.

Jesus is my pilot, I depend on Him to get the job done.

There are several basic things that make for a good long-haul truck driver and separate the “wanna bees” from the “doers”. These are only a few fundamentals. If you can’t abide by them, then stay home and get a 9 to 5 day job. There’s already too many “wing nuts” on the highway giving truckers a bad image as it is.   

• Understand and recognize that it requires sacrifice, self-motivation, and willingness to give up family time and leisure’s that others enjoy every day.
• You will suffer and deal with trials and setbacks that come in many ways, but you must not let them affect your attitude. Forget what happened last week, yesterday, or that crazy driver who cut you off two miles back. Anger, one finger waves, and a mouth out of control will get you in trouble faster than anything.
• It’s imperative that you know and understand the written rules. This means those of the D.O.T., states, your company, and common sense. Ignore or disobey them and you will pay the consequences.
• Plan your trip and prioritize your time. Know how long it will take to get to your destination and keep a steady pace. Don’t compare yourself to or pay attention to those truckers who always have the hammer down. You’ll pass them up at the next truck stop as they sit and brag about themselves to other drivers. You’re in a marathon, not a 100-yard dash. Plot your fuel, food, and rest periods so they coincide. A road atlas will give you a bigger picture and guide your way better than an unreliable GPS.
• Don’t be distracted or sidetracked. STAY FOCUSED! Not just for the sake of avoiding accidents, but for preventing late deliveries. I’ve seen many drivers stop at casinos and bars, wasting time and money, forgetting they had a load to deliver or pick up. Shippers and Receivers don’t cut slack for excuses and a truck they expected yesterday. Moreover, it’s a bad reflection on the company.
• Many trucking companies require you to check call every day and communicate with them. They may have knowledge of things you don’t. Maybe the Receiver is wanting the load diverted and delivered to another location, and you need to be able to accept the change in direction. If you’ve had a delay, the dispatcher will notify those who need to know and change your appointment time. Communication is key to being a team player. I once hauled two quarter coin presses from the manufacturer in Hastings, MI to the Denver Mint. It was top secret and I had to call several times a day. There was a satellite tracker on board and if I failed to call, the FBI would be alerted. It was a flatbed load and tarped. When I got to the mint, they told me where to park and armed guards escorted me outside the gate. I took the tour of the mint and when I got back, my trailer was empty, tarps folded, and chains and binders hung up.
• You should possess certain skills such as: ability to back up a trailer in a straight line to a dock using only your mirrors, know how to do a complete inspection of your equipment, how to load your trailer distributing the weight evenly without being overloaded, understand your engine and what it can do, and be able to shift any type of multiple-speed manual transmission without using the clutch. (automatic transmissions don’t count in my opinion because all that’s needed is to step on the accelerator pedal, and how much skill does that take)
• Do what’s expected of you, always give your best, and realize you’ll get few pats on the back and “atta boys” right away. Some recognitions come later in the form of rewards and bonuses. Remember, you’re “In It for the Long-haul”.

Jesus used the occupations of fishermen, farmers, shepherds, vine-dressers, and servants to reveal many principles of the Kingdom of God through the parables He told. Had there been truck drivers back then, He would’ve used them also as I’ve attempted to do in the preceding paragraphs.  Go back and look at the underlined words above and notice how closely they line up with Biblical principles and exhortations. Repeatedly, Jesus said in order to follow Him it demanded sacrifice, and those who choose to do so would suffer persecution and experience many trials. The Apostle Paul states in Philippians that He forgets the past and presses onward to the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. It’s also imperative that every true believer read, know, and understand the written word of God, which requires prioritizing time to do so. Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 10:12 that to compare yourself to others is not wise. The Bible is full of examples and warnings about what happens when we don’t stay focused on the call of God and His will for us. Consider Sampson, Saul, David, and others who lost their focus and fell into sin. Even in our day, many well-known men of God have brought reproach upon the name of Jesus, having given into temptation and sin. Consider also how five of the ten virgins lost their focus and were late in meeting the bridegroom. The door was shut and none of their excuses could open it. Prayer is an every day check call with God, in fact the Bible says we should pray without ceasing. In other words, keep the communication open and listen to His voice. He knows things we don’t, and we need to trust, obey, and accept His will even when it involves a change in direction. The Holy Spirit gives each believer spiritual gifts, or even natural skills when needed, that enable us to do what’s expected to see God’s Kingdom manifested in our lives and upon the earth.

Paul addressed the “wanna bees” in writing Hebrews 5:12-14, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the Word of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.” James 1:22, “Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.“ A trucker would probably say it like this: You’ve been sitting for years in the truck (pew) at the terminal (church) holding the steering wheel, grabbing the gear shift, and making all kinds of noise (going through the motions), and tooting your own horn, but you are going nowhere. It’s time to crank up the engine (get on fire), pour on the power (Holy Spirit), make some smoke, shift into higher gears (be doers of the word), and start delivering the goods (your calling) for God, because you should’ve been further down the road (lost your focus) by now. That’s enough! It’s time to put up, shut up, and get . . . In it for the Long Haul.