Aux fuel tank

[KB0OU]

HB,

That would be Bennet, there was a local company and Bennet purchased that company.

I hauled a lot for Bennet here in the lower 48. Hauled for Jamb to Alaska.

One nice thing about Chanute, it is close to Joplin!!

 

[BLNRAY]

my transfer flow 74g in bed tank has about 350,000 mi on it,had to replace a level sender but trouble free other than that.

 

[HBarlow]

HB,
That would be Bennet, there was a local company and Bennet purchased that company.
I hauled a lot for Bennet here in the lower 48. Hauled for Jamb to Alaska.
One nice thing about Chanute, it is close to Joplin!!

I have an old friend who has worked for Bennett on the west coast for about 15 years.

Yeah, I know what you mean. It was 1400 miles from my home in Lubbock to Wakarusa so working part time was not an option. I used to split it into two days spending a night in Joplin or Springfield.

If I lived close to a pick up terminal I'd probably still pull an occasional trailer.

Has Joplin fully recovered from the devastating tornado?

 

[KB0OU]

Harvey,

No, we have not fully recovered!!

I work at the Water Treatment Plant, we lost one building on the plant grounds. That building just got replaced. We lost our Service Center where our Distribution and Meter Reading crews worked out of. They are finishing up that building now.

I am South of all the devastation at the home here, no damage.



One day drive from here to the RV Center of the Universe in Indiana.

I had two trucks, an International with 53 foot trailer/RV hauler with winches, and my pickup. We would load up the International and I would take a trailer, usually a 5th wheel on my PU (hard to get 5vers on the trailer too high).

We would caravan to Alaska and unload. Check for backloads (always had some) Load up the International/trailer with what we had, if we had room for my pickup we would load it and head back. A lot of the time I had a load behind the PU from Alaska.

Made pretty good money that way.

After we unloaded down south we would take some days off and meet back in Indiana,, Normally, sometimes we would meet out West with loads from there.

I got along with a lot of dispatchers because I would haul anywhere anytime. Got a lot of calls to go to NY etc. with bonus we took a few of those. Always nice to keep them calling!! The guy that drove the International for me purchased the rig from me when I got out of it. Not bad. .

 

[HBarlow]

Yeah, I'm sure you made good money with a two trailer piggy back rig and a pickup pulling on trips to Alaska. If you returned with a backhaul you probably earned in one trip what it took me a month or more to earn. Of course, you had expenses for two trucks and a driver you had to cover.

I talked to a driver who owned an older FL, I think it was, who was parked in a parking lot overnight waiting to make a delivery same as I was in Peace River, AB, Canada. He had a comfortable sleeper and I was waiting for dark to sneak into the trailer I was pulling with my sleeping bag under my arm.

 

[KB0OU]

Yes, that big sleeper on the International was a life saver!!

When we loaded up the PU and team drove back down to the 48 it was nice to get home early, 3-4 days to make the trip when driving single it took about a week, that really helped a lot.

 

[HBarlow]

As I think about it, I think the guy I talked with in Peace River, AB was driving an old IH not a FL.

Obviously you and your driver held CDL A's. Did you drive big trucks before you were a transporter?

 

[KB0OU]

Yes, we have CDL A have had for years, I have had every endorsement, now I don't, I let my HazMat go last time I renewed, they started a new School Bus Endorsement, don't have that, I do have Passenger Endorsement, drove school bus before they had the endorsement. I had to have CDL when I worked in Oklahoma City, started there in 1981 after I got out of the Navy (rode submarines).

I even have Motorcycle Endorsement,, ride a Goldwing.

I have been through Peace River many times, I have a Aunt that lives in that area too, used to stop and have supper with her a lot. She feed us Moose Meat.

 

[HBarlow]

That's interesting. We share a lot of experiences. We both served in submarines and both ride Goldwings.

 

[KB0OU]

I have even lived in The Great State of Texas

 

[HBarlow]

I haven't lived in Missouri but have an old friend, also a retired submariner, who lives in Shell Knob. I've visited many times. He's also an RVer and several years ago we used to spend hours walking through Colaw RV Salvage near Joplin.

I've been wanting to ride up to MO and spend a few days riding the Ozarks on my GW. Just haven't gotten around to it yet.

 

[HBarlow]

Yes, we have CDL A have had for years, I have had every endorsement, now I don't, I let my HazMat go last time I renewed, they started a new School Bus Endorsement, don't have that, I do have Passenger Endorsement, drove school bus before they had the endorsement. I had to have CDL when I worked in Oklahoma City, started there in 1981 after I got out of the Navy (rode submarines).
I even have Motorcycle Endorsement,, ride a Goldwing.
I have been through Peace River many times, I have a Aunt that lives in that area too, used to stop and have supper with her a lot. She feed us Moose Meat.

John,

I only had a basic CDL A without air brake endorsement. I got it because I was working for an outlaw RV transport company in KA that didn't know or care about DOT regulations. The owner was an old retired truck driver and his adult daughter was office manager and dispatcher. She was fun to work for and good at getting loads but had no clue about DOT. She frequently gave me huge Alfa fivers or Weekend Warrier fifthwheels that required a CDL A to haul. I took a couple days off at home, read the TX Commercial Driver handbook, and went downtown to DPS and took the tests. They let me take the driving test in my '06 Dodge dually pulling a borrowed 20k gooseneck tandem dually flatbed. I couldn't get the air brake endorsement without an air brake truck.

I surrendered my CDL A when I started riding a motorcycle. I didn't need the CDL any longer and didn't want the severe enforcement that comes with it.

 

[KB0OU]

I have to renew in May, may drop back to F. That is all I need to cover me driving stuff at work now. I plan on retiring in 5-6 years and do not plan on driving commerecial again.

 

[HBarlow]

Did you retire from the Navy also?

 

[KB0OU]

No,

Spent 10 years in the Navy, last 2 was on shore duty in San Diego, CA.

Daughter born at Balboa, I decided to see her grow up, The Navy said I could name the submarine and I had it, I decided to opt out.

Went into water treatment at that point with a 5 year stint at Truck Driving, sort of... .

 

[HBarlow]

Were you an A ganger?

 

[KB0OU]

Yes, A-gang, I was MM1 (ss) when I got out, I was up for CPO next time around.

 

[HBarlow]

What boat(s) did you serve on?

I was on Halfbeak SS-352 for 3 1/2 years in the '60s then George C. Marshall SSBN-654 for 6 1/2 years late '60s to mid-'70s then after a shore tour left the submarine force. I returned in the '80s to served my last assignment and retired from McKee AS-41 at Point Loma, San Diego. Fond memories but glad I don't have to do it now.

 

[KB0OU]

I did 5 years on the SSBN 657 Gold, Francis Scott Key. Before that I was in training and then I did 2 yrs at San Diego, then got out.

 

[HBarlow]

I remember the Key. It was a sister ship of the same class and built almost exactly at the same time.