“FOR TODAY’S TRUCKER” AUGUST 2025 ® Magazine SINCE 1993! DOING WHAT’S RIGHT THE KW FACTORY SHOW & PARADE CELEBRATES THE WORLD’S BEST IN CHILLICOTHE, OH RICHARD NOLT’S HARDWORKING AND BEAUTIFUL 1986 PETERBILT Gary Amoth of Twin Falls, ID...
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20 62 10 ® 32 FUN: WordSearch 49 • Truckertoon 61 • Crossword 65 • Red’s Rides 69 • NumberSearch 75 • Words To Live By 84 AUGUST 2025 CONTENTS VOLUME 32 ISSUE 12 COVER FEATURE Gary Amoth: Doing What’s Right Since 1983 ................. 10 PERFORMANCE ZONE Aftermarket Parts May Now Be a Better Option .............. 17 TRUCK SHOW REPORT Celebrating The World’s Best in Chillicothe, OH ............ 20 CLINT’S CREATIONS A New Chapter Begins for Jimmy Norton ....................... 25 THE BOOKWORM SEZ... An Entertaining Memoir from a USPS Mailman .............. 29 TRUCK SHOW REPORT The Southern Idaho Truck Show in Filer, ID .................... 32 SPECIAL FEATURE Rick Nolt’s Peterbilt 359 Gets a Little Refresh ................. 38 THE VETERAN’S VIEW All Truck Drivers Should Have Proper Training ............... 50 TRUCK SHOW REPORT Dust & Shine at the Sunflower Classic in Kansas ........... 54 OUT OF THE ARCHIVES Another Old Gem from Bette Garber’s Collection .......... 59 TROY’S TREASURES Morgan Warner Moves at His Own (Fast) Pace .............. 62 WAYNE’S WORLD Opioid Drug Testing and New Medical Card Rules ......... 67 TRUCK SHOW REPORT The Ohio Vintage Truck Reunion in Ashland, OH ........... 70 TRUCKER TALK Looking Back at a Blessed and Fun Trucking Life .......... 76 POETRY IN MOTION A Few Kings You Might Have Known Over the Years ...... 81
8 10-4 Magazine / August 2025 We at 10-4 Magazine® love to hear from our readers. If you have any comments, suggestions, gripes, questions, or just some information you would like to pass on to other readers (truckers just like you)... VISIT US ON OUR WEBSITE: www.tenfourmagazine.com FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Search for Ten Four Magazine SEND US AN E-MAIL: 10-4@tenfourmagazine.com WRITE US AT: 10-4 Magazine Post Office Box 639 Dunlap, CA 93621 CALL US ON THE PHONE: (559) 338-2703 10-4 MAGAZINE IS: Daniel J. Linss - OWNER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/MARKETING Jean Osugi - OWNER/TRUCK SHOW SUPPORT/HR Tim Sieben - OWNER/TFK MANAGER/SHOW SUPPORT Shannon Linss - OFFICE MANAGER &DISTRIBUTION Eric Hill - PRINT SALES MANAGER/SHOW SUPPORT John Testa - SALES &DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER Stephanie Haas - PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Parker Linss - PRODUCTION ASSISTANT/SHOW SUPPORT John Hambro -WEBSITE MANAGER Vic Vasselin - MONTHLY “TRUCKERTOON” ARTIST Mark McClain - CUSTOM CROSSWORD CREATOR Ron Kelsey - PRINT &DIGITAL SALES/AZDISTRIBUTION Jonathan Townsel - CENTRAL CALIFORNIA DISTRIBUTION Hugo Ruano - L.A. & L.B. HARBOR DISTRIBUTION Teresa Franco - LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRIBUTION Derek Bennett - HIGH DESERT DISTRIBUTION Julio “Junior” Tapia - INLAND EMPIRE DISTRIBUTION Terry Coombs - OR, WA & IDAHO DISTRIBUTION CONTRIBUTING WRITERS, EDITORS &PHOTOGRAPHERS: Wayne Schooling • Eric Hill • John & Kim Jaikes Bruce Mallinson• Stephanie Haas • Clint Moore Trevor Hardwick • Dennis Mitchell • Colin Kund Mark Harter • Duncan Putman • Norman Chapman Mike Bradford • K.M. Stanfield • Miss Flatbed Red John Scarborough• Kasey Aslinger • Troy Miller Bryan Welsh • Terri “Bookworm” Schlichenmeyer WEBSITE: MEDIA: Magazine PHONE:
Cover Feature: By Daniel J. Linss memory happened when Gary was about seven years old. He and his family were in Spokane, Washington, and Uncle Don just happened to be in town picking up a brand-new 1967 Kenworth, and Gary got to ride back to Bonners Ferry with his uncle in the truck. With a 335 Cummins and a 4+4 two-stick setup, this was the best of times, and it left a huge impression on Gary. In 1975, when Gary was 15 years old, the family (including his two sisters) moved to Twin Falls after their dad bought some land with the intention of being a full-time farmer. Although Wayne did do a lot of farming, and Gary loves farming too, he ended up starting a business called Amoth Irrigation, which sold all sorts of Gary Amoth has been trying to do things right since 1983. Setting out as a driver with a vision to build a company around his philosophy and culture of “doing the right thing” all the time, his one truck turned into two, and then two into four, eventually expanding to a fleet of over 170 trucks. Today, Gary Amoth Trucking is a large, diverse, successful trucking and warehousing operation that employs 220 people. Originally founded in agricultural hauling, the company now spans multiple industries, boasting a diversified fleet of trailers and equipment to accommodate almost any type of load – and Gary and his entire crew have a sterling reputation! Based in Twin Falls, Idaho, with a secondary location in Nampa, Idaho, Gary Amoth Trucking is a nationwide carrier offering long-haul and transport services. With flatbeds, curtain vans, dry vans, maxi flatbeds, oversized, and even a few tankers, they can handle just about anything. In 1997, as the business continued to grow, they expanded into the overseas container drayage market, and Apex Container was born. A few years later, in 2000, Apex Warehousing was also added to offer a wide variety of storage options, from food grade storage to simple and basic public warehousing, as well as rail shipping and receiving. Today, they have three warehouse facilities in and around Twin Falls. Born in 1960 and raised in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, just 27 miles south of the Canadian border, Gary Amoth (64) credits his Uncle Don for getting him hooked on trucking. Some might remember our cover story from the December 2024 edition that featured Blayne Amoth’s Peterbilt cabover. In that story we talked a lot about Bonners Ferry (where Blayne is also from) and his family and, you guessed it, they are related. Gary’s cousin Delton is Blayne’s father. And the “Uncle Don” Gary speaks of is Blayne’s grandfather, who we also mentioned a lot in that other story. So, if you want a little backstory on all that, review the December 2024 cover feature. Although not a trucker, Gary’s father Wayne did do some driving for Don back in the day, and one of Gary’s earliest memories is going with his dad up to Nelson, British Columbia, to pick up a load of cedar, destined for Los Angeles, when he was about four years old. Another influential 10 10-4 Magazine / August 2025 DOING WHAT’S RIGHT
surface irrigation products. The business was a success, and Wayne worked hard until he sold it and retired. He devoted the next 20 years of his life to the ministry, and then later on got into woodworking. At 91 years old now, he and “Uncle Don” (who is 94 and lives nearby) hang out a lot together, and I can only imagine the things these two have to talk about! In 1981, after hauling hay for a local outfit, Gary and a friend partnered up and bought a truck from Uncle Don – a blue and white 1966 Freightliner cabover truck with a 24-foot bed and a 24-foot pull trailer (which they later painted two-tone blue). Hauling hay at first, the two eventually got a “corn contract” from Green Giant and began hauling bulk sweet corn from the field to the factory for about three months in the fall. During this time, the truck ran 24/7, and the “Corn Campaign” as it was called locally, was a big deal. To do this, they would remove the hay bed from the truck and mount a live floor trailer bed on it, then hook to a 20-foot pup trailer with a live floor, as well. Back in those days, you had to be creative, so if you only had one truck and multiple types of hauls, you just switched out everything when needed. It was not uncommon for Gary to drop a sleeper on his truck and go long-haul trucking, as well. After about two years, Gary’s friend decided to move back to California, so they dissolved the partnership, with his friend getting the truck, and Gary getting the trailer. Purchasing a really cool 1976 Peterbilt 359 to replace the Freightliner, Gary continued doing the same thing, and Gary Amoth Trucking was officially started in 1983. The light green Peterbilt with a white stripe had a 1693 CAT under the short hood, and Gary just absolutely loved it. Unfortunately, this truck met an early demise and only lasted a little over a year. After it got wrecked, Gary found and bought the 1974 Kenworth W900A you see on the cover and centerfold this month (and on these pages) in 1984. Although it didn’t look like the truck you see here today, it was still really cool. When Gary first purchased the W900A, it had a short 228” wheelbase, a 475-hp 1693 CAT, a torsion bar suspension, and it was painted brown with thin white stripes. Over the years, the truck changed a lot, but in the beginning, it was Gary’s everyday driver. He figures he personally logged almost a million miles in that truck, and since then, other drivers brought that number closer to 2.5 million miles. The engine was rebuilt once, but after it blew up again, Gary replaced it with the 400-hp 3406B it still has in it today. At some point, the suspension was switched to a Reyco 4-spring system, and then later it was upgraded to a Peterbilt Low AirLeaf suspension, which it also still has today. The next truck Gary bought after the W900A was a yellow and black 1969 Kenworth W923 (he later painted it dark green), and then he bought a 1980 Kenworth W900A. This last truck was painted Viper red, and Gary really liked it, so he painted the ‘74 red to match. After that, until more recently, almost all his trucks were Viper red! In 1993, Gary traded the 1980 W900A for two 1990 Freightliner FLDs, and from there is when the company started to really grow. These first few trucks were the core of the company and the ones that built the solid foundation for the monumental growth of Gary Amoth Trucking over the next three decades. In the beginning, Gary did everything – he drove, dispatched, did maintenance, washed trucks, office work, and whatever else needed to be done. Until they built up to ten trucks, the entire company was operated out of a shop and small office space behind their house. In about 2001, they finally got a yard in nearby Filer, Idaho, and Gary hired his first maintenance guy. And the rest, as they say, is history! Around that same time, the 1974 Kenworth, which was still 10-4 Magazine / August 2025 11
12 10-4 Magazine / August 2025 being used regularly, was involved in a small “incident” so Gary decided to do a complete refresh of the classic rig. Giving it new “bones” (frame rails), the wheelbase was stretched out to a modest 255 inches, the cab and sleeper were converted to air ride, and a fresh coat of Viper red paint was applied. The sleeper had some damage, so it was replaced with an identical period-correct 36” flattop like it originally had. The custom 48” drom had been on the truck for years, so they kept it (they hauled a lot of pallets up there on that deck). The truck still has the 3406B CAT, and it is hooked to a Spicer 5+4 two-stick setup. Other features include a 6” Dynaflex exhaust, a stock stainless visor, “Double Bubble” lights, (5) glass watermelon cab lights, and pinstriping, done by Jeff’s Graphics out of Twin Falls. To help make it easier to get in and out of the Kenworth, the steps were customized, and a lower third step was added to the two stock steps (these old A-models were always really tall and that lower step was still way up there). Another unique feature is the custom flap weights from Gary’s friend (and ours) Colby Williams of Fueled Photography. If you don’t know him, Colby is a talented photographer that has done a lot of work for Gary and his company over the years. Gary put a set of his flap weights on the back of this truck to give a nod to Colby – and because they are really nice flap weights! The inside of the “K-Whopper” was re-done way back in the mid-1980s, and it is mostly stock (maybe too stock even for Gary’s liking). Done in tan leather with diamond button tuck, sitting in the cab is like going back in time. The 3406B under the hood is pretty stock, too, except for the fact that it is a Viper red CAT engine! Sorry, not sorry, purists. This truck is known as #3, because it is Gary’s third truck, but it technically is the second one owned by Gary Amoth Trucking (the 1976 Peterbilt 359, Gary’s second truck, would have been the first one for the company). One day, Gary hopes to find his first truck – the 1966 Freightliner cabover – but he has no idea where the old hay truck might be. Today, Gary Amoth Trucking mostly hauls general freight, lumber, and steel all across the country, and the container division (about 40 trucks) hauls drayage from the Southern Idaho area to the Northwest ports and Salt Lake City railyards. All the Apex Container trucks are blue and white, to help differentiate them from the rest of the fleet. Gary prides himself on taking great care of his drivers and employees. A few key people recently retired after 20+ years, and while there are many others who have been there that long or even longer, two examples would be Elden Easterday and David Whaley. Elden was hired as a driver in 1992 at the young age of 20 years old (he had to run locally at first because he was too young to run out of state). Gary actually taught him how to drive a truck, and 33 years later, he is a fleet manager and Gary’s right-hand man. David manages the Nampa facility and is the fleet manager for the
maxi flatbed division. He has been with Gary for over 20 years. Gary wanted to acknowledge and thank the entire team, because it takes everyone, working together, to be successful. Thanks go out to the drivers, managers, dispatchers, office personnel, warehouse workers, and maintenance people for always giving 100% and being an integral part of the entire operation. 10-4 Magazine / August 2025 13 Another part of his “team” is his family. Gary and his wife Kathy met back in 1984 in a corn field – literally! Gary was out running the sweet corn, and Kathy came out to ride with a friend. Fortunately for Gary, Kathy’s friend was going off shift, so he recommended that she ride with Gary. Well, after finally getting married in 1991 (Gary was busy building a company), the two have now been married for 34 years and have two grown daughters – Whitney (32) and Madison (27). Whitney, who is the Wellness Manager and works in employee benefits, is married to Hunter, and they have three children (two girls and a boy). Hunter is a warehouse manager for Gary. Madison, who helps with marketing and is a licensed Realtor, is married to
14 10-4 Magazine / August 2025 Dalton, who is a Boise Firefighter, and they have one young son. Kathy never really worked directly in the company, as she was in the banking industry, but she helps whenever she can, and she is Gary’s biggest supporter. These days, no longer in banking, her biggest job is being “grandma” and babysitting those grandkids, which she loves to do. Gary and Kathy do not have a lot of time for hobbies, but they do have a cabin, and they try to sneak off to it whenever possible. They also enjoy attending a few truck shows throughout the year, with the Southern Idaho Truck Show, held right there locally, being the one they attend and support the most (this year they had 13 trucks on display at the show). Doing our photo shoot after the Southern Idaho Truck Show concluded, we started out at Balanced Rock in the Salmon Falls Creek Canyon. The wind-carved rock, which is over 48 feet tall and weighs 40 tons, balances precariously on a pedestal only 3 feet by 17 inches. We took a few pictures there and then headed to nearby Balanced Rock Park – an excellent spot for a picnic – and an even better spot for a truck photo shoot! After driving across flat farm and dairy land for over 30 minutes, all the sudden you come up on – or should I say drop into to – Salmon Falls Creek Canyon. One mile later you climb up out of the canyon and you are back to flat desert land. It is surprising and weird, but the canyon is absolutely incredible. From there, we headed to Gary’s house to take some photos on his front lawn (sorry Kathy), and then to their yard in Twin Falls for some fleet shots. We would like to thank Gary and Kathy, along with all the drivers and others who helped us that day by moving trucks around, wiping them down, and even breaking into one so we could move it. It was a long and hot day, but it was also a fun day, and we could not have done it without everyone’s help. Me and my wife Shannon had a nice time getting to know Gary and Kathy and spending time with them – they are truly nice and friendly people, who are very easy to get along with. We would also like to wish them a belated “Happy Anniversary” as their 34th wedding anniversary just happened to fall on the day we did the photo shoot. Thanks for spending your special day with us. One other really cool thing Gary and the entire company had the privilege to experience was hauling the U.S. Capital Christmas Tree to Washington D.C. in 2016. Each year, a different company is asked to haul the tree, depending on the state it comes from, and that year the 80-foot Engelmann Spruce was harvested from the Payette National Forest in Idaho. Selected by Kenworth, who sponsors the entire deal, Gary Amoth Trucking was awarded the haul due to that sterling reputation mentioned earlier. Gary didn’t know how to choose who would get to drive the truck, so he decided to do it himself. Leaving on November 6th, with 33 hospitality stops along the way, Gary was gone for five weeks, but what an honor it was for them to be tasked with hauling this sacred cargo! Although he has no plans to retire anytime soon, Gary feels like there are some key young people in place to help move the company into the future. And Gary is not afraid to grow the company even more, but only if needed. “Growth for the sake of growth is always a mistake,” he said. Overseeing the entire operation, Gary works hard to maintain the company culture, because that makes a real difference with their employees and customers. And their culture of “doing the right thing” has served the company well for over 40 years now so, as the saying goes, if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it! n 1st Truck 2nd Truck 3rd Truck
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10-4 Magazine / August 2025 17 The Performance Zone: By Bruce Mallinson You’re rolling across I-80, humming with the CB chatter, when the turbo suddenly sounds like a blender full of gravel. You limp to the next exit, find a parts counter, and ask for the factory replacement. The parts clerk sighs and says, “They are back-ordered for six weeks, buddy.” Translation: a month-and-a-half of motel waffles, missed loads, and awkward calls to the bank about the truck payment. Oh – and that shiny OEM tag on the box? It will cost more than your kid’s first semester at tech school. Most drivers eventually face the same fork in the road – pay top dollar for Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts and hope the supply chain behaves, or grab an aftermarket equivalent, bolt it on, and get rolling before the coffee goes cold. Which choice really protects both your wallet and your truck? Let’s talk about it. First, with OEM parts, there’s the obvious price shock. Factory parts usually carry significant markups, thanks to the logo tax, dealer overhead, and the comfort of a familiar brand. Independent suppliers compete far harder on price, which often turns the decision from “put it on the credit card” to “yep, that’s within the weekly budget.” Then there’s the waiting game. OEM components move through a single, branded pipeline. If that pipeline clogs – pandemic, rail strike, alien invasion – your rig sits. Independent distributors pull from multiple warehouses, so the part that fits often ships the day you order it. The secret that many parts managers won’t tell you is that the difference between OEM and aftermarket has shrunk significantly in recent years. The factories that produce parts for Tier-1 giants such as Bosch, Denso, ZF, and Continental – and even the big engine and truck names you already know, like Cummins, Caterpillar, Paccar, Volvo, and Daimler’s Detroit Diesel – often pour, machine, and inspect the very same castings before one box gets an OEM logo and its twin slides into plain aftermarket packaging. In many cases, the metallurgy, machining, and quality checks don’t change – only the branding – and therefore the price tag is the only real difference. Quality isn’t automatic, though. Aftermarket is a big tent, and not every vendor under that canvas is selling the good stuff. The real trick is trusting the source, not just the online product thumbnail. Reputable distributors test batches, demand traceability reports, and reject any parts that look like they were forged from recycled soda cans. Factory warranty is another consideration. If your truck is still under coverage – especially on emissions – it’s usually safer to stick with OEM until that clock runs out. After that point, the decision opens up. Many aftermarket suppliers spell out warranties that match or even outlast the factory promise (reading the fine print is smarter than assuming “generic” means “no recourse”). Safety-critical systems remain their own island. Steering gears, brake valves, and airbags should pass the most stringent standards you can find. Fleets often adopt a blended strategy: OEM for anything that can put lives at risk, aftermarket for everything else. It is less about brand loyalty and more about sensible risk management. Enter PHD – Pittsburgh Heavy Duty! Pittsburgh Power, after forty years of squeezing extra ponies out of Cummins, Cats, and Detroits, AFTERMARKET MAY NOW BE A BETTER OPTION! has watched the parts circus from every angle. That experience gave rise to PHD – our new division built on a simple promise: we already did the homework, so you don’t have to. Instead of listing every cheap casting on Earth, our team worked with suppliers and bolted sample parts to test trucks. Suppliers that couldn’t prove consistent metallurgy or traceable batches were politely shown the door. The catalog that remains is a curated mix of Tier 1 and vetted Tier 2 manufacturers. And if something were ever to fail, the tech who answers the phone knows which end of a wrench to hold. The idea is to blend OEM-level confidence with aftermarket speed and savings. It isn’t about replacing factory parts outright, it’s about handing drivers a trustworthy alternative when the dealer counter guy shrugs and says, “Come back next month.” OEM offers a pedigree but demands patience and substantial investment. Quality aftermarket products, especially when vetted by folks who live under the same hood space you do, deliver equal punch for fewer bucks and far less downtime. Pittsburgh Heavy Duty (PHD) positions itself as that dependable middle lane – factory-grade selection without the factory-grade headaches. Here’s the bottom line, straight from the driver’s seat – factory parts aren’t evil, they’re just expensive and occasionally mythical. The right aftermarket part, sourced from people who tested the metal before you ever saw the box, can put you back on the road fast with enough cash left to spring for a real sit-down meal instead of another roller-grill mystery dog. Next time someone says OEM only, respond with a grin that says you know better. A call to PHD could have you rolling again before their invoice is even printed – and your schedule, wallet, and sanity will all breathe a little easier. n
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20 10-4 Magazine / August 2025 For the last four years, the town of Chillicothe, Ohio, has been celebrating the world’s best. 2022 was the inaugural show and parade, while 2023 celebrated Kenworth’s 100th anniversary, and then 2024 celebrated Kenworth’s Chillicothe assembly plant’s 50th anniversary. And for this year’s (2025) show and parade, Kenworth celebrated the end of an era with a big tribute to their legendary and iconic W900 line of trucks. Introduced in 1963, the Kenworth W900 is one of the most iconic, popular, and recognizable rigs ever built. Three iterations of the truck have been built over the last 62 years beginning with the W900A, followed by the W900B in 1983, and the W900L (1990) models, along with a vocational version, known as the W900S. The W900 model is truly historic in that it helped shape the North American trucking culture and tradition as we know it today. Featured in movies (Smokey and the Bandit) and TV shows (Movin’ On), along with proud owners showing off their W900s at truck shows around the country, the W900 is a truck that’s cherished by so many truckers and trucking aficionados alike for its timeless styling and classic look. Of the 55 trucks invited to this year’s truck show and parade, 31 of them were W900 models. Some examples of the W900A that caught my attention were owned by Radco Trucking out of Gridley, California, who brought a pair (1973 and 1974) of W900s, Clyde and Melody Green of Cheyenne, Wyoming, brought their beautiful 1982 W900A, Kate Whiting of Chetek, Wisconsin, had her gorgeous 1973 W900A named “Cherry Pie” at the show, Kyle Weaver of Wooster, Ohio, had his 1981 W900A on display, and Wes Roberts of Maceo, Kentucky, who had his custom built 1978 W900A there. Sporting a 324-inch wheelbase and powered by a Cummins N14 pushing over 600-hp and mated to a 5x4 Spicer transmission, Wes’ truck has a custom 120-inch Aerodyne sleeper on it with a custom interior by ATG of LaGrange, Indiana. Of the several W900L models in attendance, Jerry Linander of Winona, Minnesota, had his 1994 W900L named “No Fences” at the show. Driven by Jerry’s brother Odell in the parade, the truck is painted black with red frame rails, sports a classic Aerodyne sleeper, and rides on a 300-inch wheelbase. The truck is powered by a 3406E Cat, a 13-speed, 3.25 rears, and rides on a Paccar low air-leaf suspension. A pair of fuel tanks, totaling 400 gallons, are strapped to each side of the rig. Pulling a matching black 2025 spread-axle Great Dane van trailer, a large image of a Texas Longhorn adorns each side of the trailer and turned heads as it rolled through downtown Chillicothe on the Parade route. An orange 1994 W900L pulling a Wilson livestock trailer that caught my attention was owned by Aaron Smith of Kanorado, Kansas. I was shooting some photos of his truck at the Ross County Truck Show Report: By Mark Harter Fairgrounds on Thursday evening, June 12, when Aaron walked up to me and introduced himself, his wife, and son. I had never met Aaron before this, but needless to say, I was humbled when Aaron told me that he had heard of me and knew my story (I am legally blind for those of you who don’t know), along with telling me that I was an inspiration for not giving up and continuing to do what I love in the trucking industry. Guys like Aaron are proof positive that there’s so many great men and women in the trucking industry who go about their lives quietly every day to keep America moving and provide for their families. So, from me personally, thank you Aaron, and a big shout out to you. Yet another awesome W900L that was in attendance was owned by Nate and Ann Peterson of Clear Lake, Iowa. “Spirit of the Glades” is a 2022 W900L that sports a 72” Aerocab flattop sleeper and rides on a nice 303-inch wheelbase. Painted in a beautiful turquoise green pearl, the W900L is powered by a 6NZ C15 Cat, a 13-speed transmission with an AG400L suspension, and 3.25 rears. “It’s truly an honor to be invited to the CELEBRATING THE WORLD’S BEST
10-4 Magazine / August 2025 21 Kenworth show and parade because it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Nate. That sentiment was consistent with everyone at the event, with Washington, Georgia, based trucker JT Mercier, who had his gunmetal gray and blue 2005 Kenworth W900L on display, telling me, “I’m blown away by how much Kenworth has laid out the red carpet for all of us, and the opportunity to tour the plant and see the trucks being built was an amazing experience.” There were also a few of the 100th Anniversary W900Ls in attendance, too. Chillicothe based Clary Trucking had their 100th (#802) on display, and driver Kevin Miller of Lewisport, Kentucky based First Class Services brought their 100th (#386), pulling a polished 2006 J&L-Heil pneumatic trailer. Bill and Sayra Rethwisch of Tomah, Wisconsin, along with Scott Bender, brought their 2024 100th Anniversary W900L (#684), hooked to a matching 9,500-gallon MAC TTL fuel tanker to the show, as well. While the 2025 event was a tribute to the sunsetting of the W900L, other notable Kenworth models were also in attendance. Mary Norton, an owner operator from Knapp, Wisconsin, had her Green Bay Packers themed 2014 Kenworth T660 (Jordy) and reefer on display, along with New Holland, Ohio based Cody Kirkpatrick, who had his 1995 T600B and Timpte Hopper on display. Six beautiful K100 cabovers were in Chillicothe for the show, as well. Three that got my attention were Greg Kendall’s from Orleans, Indiana, who had his 1982 K100C on display, Ryan Smith’s 2000 K100E Aerodyne from Motor Truck Equipment of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, who brought the last K100 their dealership ever sold, and a 1979 K100C named “Blueberry Bill” that was restored and owned by Steven Phillips of LaFollette, Tennessee. One special Kenworth that was invited to this year’s show was owned by Cory Troxell of Stevens Transport. As a proud partner of the “Hiring Our Heroes” program, Kenworth supports US Military veterans who have made the transition from serving our country to a successful trucking career. A US Army veteran, Cory won the 2024 event and earned the keys to a brand new and fully loaded 2024 Kenworth T680 equipped with a 76-inch sleeper, a Paccar MX13 engine, and a TX-12 transmission – it even has a diamond tuck interior! The oldest KW in attendance at the show this year was a 1947 Kenworth 923 conventional driven by Scott Clary
22 10-4 Magazine / August 2025 of Clary Trucking. Powered by a 220 Cummins with a 4x3 Spicer setup, Scott recently purchased this yellow and black truck for their collection, saying, “My great grandfather founded the company in 1947, so to have a 1947 Kenworth in our fleet is pretty special now.” While the trucks get most of the glory in Chillicothe every June, there are many hard working individuals behind the scenes who make the Kenworth Truck Show and Parade a success every year. Chillicothe’s plant manager Doug VanZuiden relies on his experienced team, led by Assistant Plant Manager Jack Schmitt, to make the weekend fun for all the Kenworth employees and their families, along with residents of the Chillicothe area, who come out to enjoy the parade. “David Robinson and Tom Arnold are two essential individuals who work closely with Jack and myself to find and invite the best Kenworth trucks and owners from around the country every year,” said Carie Wolfe, who has worked at the Chillicothe plant for 22 years and handles important duties for the show and parade, including coordinating with the Majestic Theatre, the parade route, organizing communication and truck and owner information. “Stacie Robertson does so much behind the scenes as well with our vendors, when it comes time to recognize the trucks, and when the drivers receive their plaques and goody bags during the Friday night dinner,” said Carie, continuing with, “We also rely heavily on Alek Morgan, who is our communications and marketing director here at the Chillicothe plant. Alek takes care of many of the media items that we use for the parade.” In addition, there are so many who contribute in other ways and volunteer their time to the show. Lana Arnold is one of these individuals who plays an important role helping with so much organizational work and registering the trucks and owners once they have been invited and arrive at the show, along with Dan Clary of Clary Trucking, whose company provides trucking services to the plant. Dan generously brings in a catering company and provides dinner for everyone on Thursday night, which even includes an ice cream truck for dessert. Dan will tell you that this is one weekend he looks forward to all year long – he really enjoys spending time with so many great people who share a love for the trucking industry and a love for Kenworth trucks. One of the most interesting parts of the weekend provided to the invited truck owners and their families is a tour of Kenworth’s awesome state-of-the-art assembly facility. “We all look forward to this weekend and we enjoy giving the tours,” said Debra Welch, who is a Fleet Coordinator, and has been employed at Kenworth for 27 years. “From start to finish, when the frame rails roll in to the plant all the way to the end when the truck is driven off the line and out of the plant, it currently takes about 7.5 hours to build a truck,” Debra explained to me on the plant tour. “We’re currently producing around 137 trucks a day right now, but we have the capacity to build almost 200 trucks a day when the market demands it,” Debra added. As impressive as it is to witness Kenworth’s Chillicothe facility in action, Kenworth keeps investing heavily in the plant and it is constantly being upgraded and expanded with new technology to improve quality and efficiency. A recent addition to the plant is a new frame paint booth that is scheduled to go online by the fourth quarter of this year. Also, a new test facility was recently built on the far northeast corner of the property where the trucks are aligned, dyno’d, receive ABS checks, camera and other electronic calibrations, chassis and paint inspection, as well as additional quality inspections before being released to be sold and leaving the plant property. Many of the trucks start arriving throughout the day on Thursday, but the fun begins on Friday. Kenworth goes into full celebration mode beginning with the plant tour and a dinner that night celebrating the trucks and the truckers who brought their rigs and traveled from all ends of our country to be a part of the “World’s Best” truck show and parade. But, when Saturday rolls around, that is when the trucks really shine. Lined up from end to end in a large portion of the plant’s parking lot, Kenworth employees get to see some of the great trucks they build and meet the proud owners who drive them. After the family day has ended, the trucks line up and are individually photographed under the large Kenworth sign on the plant. Then, after arriving back at the Ross County Fairgrounds, a quick meal
was served and, with the help of the Ross County Sheriff’s Department and Fire Department, the roads were blocked off, and then a convoy of Kenworths were escorted to the parade staging area. Saturday night saw a short rain shower before the parade began, but that did not stop Chillicothe residents from lining the streets. As my co-photographer Spencer Schmerheim and I were setting up tripods and getting cameras ready, we had several parade goers stop and talk to us, including some Kenworth plant employees, along with one trucker (a proud Kenworth owner himself) who made the trip all the way from Northern Ohio to watch the parade. It’s amazing to see how much Kenworth means to Chillicothe. As the largest employer in the area, so many jobs, both directly and indirectly, exist because of Kenworth, 10-4 Magazine / August 2025 23 and for one night, a town, its residents, over 50 truckers and many Kenworth employees, both past and present, get to celebrate The World’s Best! n AUTHOR’S NOTE: Big thanks go out to Spencer Schmerheim and Fred Rethwisch for the photography help, Dan Clary for a fun ride to the show, and Kevin Miller for a first class ride in a “First Class” Kenworth back home!
Clint’s Creations: By Clint Moore and planted roots in Kansas. In 2015, Jimmy’s parents moved to the Emporia area, as well, because when they would come to visit Jimmy, they really liked the atmosphere. During harvest, Jimmy would run combines, and then in the winter, he would drive one of Dan’s trucks. About two years ago, Dan and Stephanie retired from the harvesting gig, but they still had a few trucks, so Jimmy drove one for them. A year ago, just trying to get his foot in the door, Jimmy bought his first truck – a 2007 Mack. He thought an older used truck would be the best for him, but he quickly learned what an old timer once told him was true, and that is, “You can make payments or repairs, but you can’t make both.” And he was spending a lot trying to keep that Mack going! After a year of trucking in the Mack, Jimmy decided to step up to a lower mileage truck and gave me a call. We had just got some 567s in stock, so he came to look, but before I could even bring him out the keys, he was eyeing another truck on the lot – a 589 I had just ordered with a new green color I had Axalta mix up, and it just grabbed Jimmy’s attention. Misty liked the color, too, so they decided to go with a brand-new truck. Jimmy figured if he really liked the equipment he was driving, that would help get him through the bad days, because we all know trucking is not all sunshine and roses. The truck is a 2026 Peterbilt 589 with a 44” sleeper, a 565-hp Cummins X-15, an 18-speed, disc brakes all around, and riding on low air with This month’s truck was ordered for stock on our lot, and I am super happy that the Norton Family gave it a good home. Jimmy Norton (40) and his wife Misty have been married for just two years, and they have four children from previous marriages – Addisyn (14), Jaxsyn (11), Ryker (8), and Dexsyn (5). Running under JM Norton Trucking, LLC out of Emporia, KS, this is Jimmy’s first brand-new truck, and he couldn’t be more excited about this new chapter in his life. The youngest of five kids, Jimmy is the only boy of Richard and Agnes Norton. His dad was a trucker until Jimmy was six months old, but he gave it up to work locally in construction, and also started a salvage yard and shop, so he could be home more. Jimmy said he caught the trucking bug at an early age when one of his dad’s friends, who had an old 1960 Kenworth with a butterfly hood and a 3406 Cat engine, took him for a ride when he was six years old. Growing up in Illinois, Jimmy graduated from Seneca High School in 2003 and wound up with a job at an outsourcing company for Caterpillar and, of course, lots of nice trucks came in and out of there, and Hinds Express of Sugar Grove was one of them. Working the second shift, Jimmy got to know some of the drivers and eventually met the owner, who helped Jimmy get his license. Once Jimmy got his CDL at age 20 in 2005, he went to work driving locally until he turned 21, then he hit the road. He drove for Hinds until 2008, then switched to running waste, pulling end dumps, belt trailers and low boys. In 2010, a friend told him about some custom harvesting work in Kansas. Jimmy was handed a list of names, and on that list he came across Dan Skinner of Skinner Harvesting in Emporia. Jimmy called Dan and they hit it off. Jimmy joined the harvest crew and worked from Texas to Montana. Working for Dan and his wife Stephanie, he felt like family. He loved the area and the people where they lived, so Jimmy moved 10-4 Magazine / August 2025 25 a car-hauler front axle. I hadn’t ordered a truck with oval hole wheels in a long time, so I did it on this one just to be different. Jimmy came up on Monday to do all the paperwork, then brought me some I-29 parts late Tuesday evening for the truck. Then, Mike and the Geis Dealer Group crew got her dialed in so he could pick it up on Friday. On Monday morning, after adding a few more items at home over the weekend, Jimmy took the truck to Nadine Ward’s Signworks in Wichita, KS for some vinyl door logos, and by Monday afternoon, he was out working. Jimmy wanted to give a special thanks to his parents that have always been big supporters of anything that he’s involved in – from racecars, to trucking, kids and family – basically, everything he is passionate about. Jimmy also wanted to thank Dan and Stephanie Skinner, who have always been very supportive and had a positive influence on him, as well. When I mentioned doing this article, Jimmy told me he was a big 10-4 Magazine fan, saying, “It’s hard to find any magazines these days with all the online stuff, but not only is 10-4 a real magazine, it’s still free, too!” Good luck with this new chapter, Jimmy, we can’t wait to read the next one! n A NEW CHAPTER
26 10-4 Magazine / August 2025 • Live Special Guests • 10-4 Magazine News • Truck Show Coverage • Trucking Discussions • Interact w/Team 10-4 • And Much More Fun! Join John Testa for the “Studio 10-4 LIVE!” Weekly Update on Facebook & YouTube! Wednesdays @ 5:00 pm (PST) @“Ten Four Magazine” WE ARE IN BRIGHAM CITY, UT OFF I-15 AT EXIT 365 435-744-5501 WE AT TRUCK WASH, CHROME SHOP, TRUCK & TRAILER REPAIR!
10-4 Magazine / August 2025 29 Junk mail, an advertisement, and two bills. It’s quiet in your mailbox today, but who knows what you’ll get next time. A check? A package? A card from Aunt Mary? It’s a surprise every day. And as you’ll learn in the new book “Mailman” by Stephen Starring Grant, you have one workforce to thank. After moving his family to Blacksburg, Virginia to raise his kids in his hometown, Stephen Starring Grant landed a job with a challenging commute, no big deal, just a logistics thing. And so it was, at the very beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, that he stood in a nearly empty airport in North Carolina, phone in hand, suddenly laid off from this job. With no income and a dwindling savings account, Grant applied for “anything I was even remotely qualified for... and there was never a snowball’s chance of me getting any of them.” Then he learned that the United States Postal Service was hiring. A short wait to be accepted, two weeks of training, and a huge learning curve later, Grant was an official, sworn-in, real-life USPS mail carrier, but it took months for him to feel comfortable. Your mail is sorted before the carrier gets it, he says, and then the carrier sorts it again, by house number into a large contraption called a case. Packages go in a cage. A mail carrier must remember one or multiple routes and there is no cheat-sheet, which can complicate a rural route in mountain country. Furthermore, it’s an acrobatic endeavor: in smaller towns around the country, deliveries are often made from a carrier’s private vehicle, from a passenger seat, with one leg stretched across the cab. So many times, Grant thought about quitting, and then suddenly one day, “I had become a mailman.” We joke. We poke fun at the USPS, complain and switch to bill-paying online. Still, a walk to the box is pure anticipation. It’s a treat to see what’s in that mailbox, and inside “Mailman.” And yet, all is not smooth. Though there are many irrelevant asides and chapters that would be more suitable for another kind of book, “Mailman” is funny, profane, and fun to read. Author Stephen Starring Grant is quick to admit his total befuddlement with his new job and admits when things get rough he pokes a lot of fun at himself, which lightens every letter of this story. Part of his problem with the job – and another issue with this book – is the terminology and trying to remember what’s what, and where. Grant admits that he struggled with that, and readers will, too. Still, most readers will laugh out loud, and they’ll love knowing more about the USPS and its inner workings. If you want an unusual memoir that opens the doors with a behind-the-curtain peek, find “Mailman” because it delivers! And right to your front door!! n The Bookworm Sez: By Terri Schlichenmeyer DELIVERING THE MAIL AARON DISPATCH, INC. ...Stay Loaded At All Times Running California / Arizona / Nevada / Utah For More Information, Please Contact Sina at 760-456-7227 FLATBED WORK AVAILABLE Quick Pay Availabe ***FLATBED TRAILERS AVAILABLE FOR LEASE***
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32 10-4 Magazine / August 2025 Raising money for a good cause has never been so much fun. We had the pleasure of attending the Southern Idaho Truck Show in Filer, ID (just outside of Twin Falls) on June 27-28, 2025. It was not the first time we had been to this show, but it had been a few years, and it was in a different location than the last time we were personally there in 2019. Held at Twins Falls County Fairgrounds, the show is a great excuse for local truckers to get together, have fun, and raise money for a good cause. Rolling into town on Friday, June 27, from Salt Lake City, most of that day was filled with vendors getting set up and trucks being parked on the grassy lot. At 7:00 PM, a delicious smoked prime rib dinner was served to everyone lucky enough to have a ticket. The $25 ticket got you a nice slice of prime rib, a loaded baked potato, both macaroni and potato salad, watermelon and a drink. And if that wasn’t enough, there were cakes and cookies, too. After dinner, the Whiskey River Band took the stage while we all waited for the light show to start. Because of the time of year and the location, the sun did not go down until 9:30 PM, so the light show started late, and didn’t end until late, as well. Saturday morning began with a free breakfast hosted by JD Truck Repair and Ol Greg Transportation. Our friends at Express Pressure Wash were working hard before and during the show, getting many of the trucks in attendance washed and polished. With over 100 trucks at the fairgrounds, along with a handful of vendors and several food trucks, we had a great time strolling around, taking pictures, and talking with our friends. It was a little warm, but nothing too crazy. This show just has an easy going, casual, feel to it, which is nice, because some others are hectic and stressful. Checking out all the trucks, there were several standouts at the event including Tony Huttenstine’s cool white and black Peterbilt 379 with a big sleeper, Wagner Transportation’s old tan and black Freightliner cabover cattle truck and trailer (it was nothing fancy, I just love those setups), and Clyde Green’s always-amazing cream and maroon W900A. Gary Amoth Trucking of Twin Falls (our cover feature this month) filled a huge area at the end of the show grounds that featured 13 trucks, parked in a semi-circle, with a big American flag flying in the center. It was impressive. Other head-turning rides included Frasier Transport’s fleet of mostly copper color trucks (nine of them), Marty Miles and his blue and white cow-haulin’ cabover Kenworth, and Rich Hettinga’s yellow and red Peterbilt cabover hay truck and trailer (an old Ed Erro truck). Ryan Readmond’s super-cool tan, orange and brown International 9300 Eagle was Truck Show Report: By Daniel J. Linss probably one of my favorite trucks at the show, and it took home two plaques, which is a lot considering this show only has six total truck awards. A few more good-lookin’ units were Jared Jakino’s dark blue and white 1987 Peterbilt 359 hooked to reefer trailer, a neat maroon Peterbilt with a classic “heartbeat” paint scheme in tan, black and gold (with a Varishield), and Justin Barlow’s clean Legendary Brown 4-axle Pete 389. One interesting truck that got a lot of attention was owned by Jeff Badders of Double J Cattle out of Eagle, ID. This white 2007 Peterbilt with a red frame had a unique paint job – sort of. As the owner began buffing on it to prepare for the show, which was the next day, he went a little too hard and started taking the truck’s white paint off, and red paint from the truck’s original factory color began peeking through. Jeff liked how it looked so much, he began intentionally rubbing off more white paint to expose more bits of red. To make the white sleeper match, he actually rattle-canned RAISING FUNDS IN FILER
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