Breaker Breaker

I’m in awe of how Eddy handles this 16-ton rig. Yesterday he drove more than six hours from Madison, Wisconsin south through Illinois and east into Indianapolis, where we hit rush hour traffic. AAARGH!

Passing, merging and maneuvering the on and off ramps is no small feat, and he does it all with grace and economy. The only thing that stresses him out is road construction. “I’m developing a strong dislike for the color orange,” he said today. We’ve driven hundreds of miles between orange cones and dividers, in very reduced lanes. It requires all of his attention and can be a little hairy, but he hasn’t lost his sense of humor. As soon as we exit the construction zone he relaxes, breaks into an Italian opera tune, or tells me a story.

He only stops once a day to refuel. Yesterday that was at 5 hours. I told him he must have a trucker’s bladder. Speaking of fuel, we ran a bit low in Illinois and hadn’t seen a sign for a truck stop in quite some time. Mind you that gassing up this vehicle in a regular gas station with small nozzles can take 45 minutes and is a huge hassle. So, Eddy got on the CB radio to ask the truckers where the next fuel stop might be. Several fellas offered suggestions and were very friendly and helpful.

Long haul drivers seem to be in demand. Most of the big carriers are advertising “Drivers Wanted” on the back of their rigs. The typical enticement is “more take home, more time home”. The truck driver “profile” also seems to be changing. We’ve seen more women, Hispanics and Middle Eastern drivers than you might expect. It must be a lonely occupation, but all the truck stops have WiFi and apparently many truckers travel with laptops. So now, they too can stay connected and in addition to “Breaker Breaker” its “You’ve got mail!”