The Veteran’s View: By Dennis Mitchell Where has this year gone? It feels like just days ago we were celebrating Christmas, then the inauguration of a new president, and here we are halfway through summer! Kids will be returning to school, and the dog days of August will give way to cooler, more seasonal, days. Don’t give up hope yet – we have been through too much to throw in the towel now. If you are like me and the air conditioner doesn’t work in your old classic ride, you might want to reach for another fresh, dry towel. You just have to do what you can to look “cool on the stool” out there on the open road. August is the time when many small towns hold their summer festivals and often car or truck shows. It’s always a treat for me to attend these events and to talk with the owners of those cool “old” cars, reminiscing of our earlier days. I’m of the age when most of us had at least one muscle car. Even if it wasn’t fast, we drove them like they were. Sometime in the late 1980s we started to see a change with the presentation of big trucks, along with the jacked up or lifted four wheel drive pickup trucks, at these events. In 1989 I traded in my fully restored 1968 Chevy Corvette with a 390-hp 427 for an 1986 Peterbilt 359. I think someone said to go big or go home. Just for the record, I think I went whole hog. However, those early days were crucial in the image we presented to the world. This may be hard for a few of our readers to believe, but I think this was the start of the good ole’ days. Deregulation had set the stage for new trucking startups and owner operators were making a big impact as leased operators began filling the need for independent contractors, thereby strengthening many of the mega carriers we still see today. We were also starting to see aerodynamic styling in Class 8 trucks. Fuel economy became a thing, along with fully stocked chrome shops in almost every truck stop. Along with all that shiny stuff, most of them still had a coffee shop or restaurant serving the professional driver, as well. Drivers greeted one another by their CB handles, not a first name (many of us never knew what their given name was even though we had known them for years). Cell phones were not prevalent yet, unless you count the bag phone. Yes, I had one, but I didn’t use it unless it was absolutely necessary. The CB (Citizen Band Radio) was still king, and America was listening. I think I bought my first radio in 1976 when my older brother and I made our first cross country trip. We knew if things went wrong we could count on a trucker helping us out in our time of need. It’s difficult to believe, but in the early days, “drivers” or true “truckers” were known as the knights of the highway. I have to ask myself what went wrong. How did we get so far from those good old days to where we are today? How many drivers would like to go back to this simpler time? Here, here, here… sign me up! If you’re wondering how I got to thinking along these lines, let me explain. The president recently signed an executive order stating all drivers not only needed to read and understand English, but must also be able to exhibit those skills when asked by DOT. I don’t have the official count, but many are claiming it took a great number of drivers off the road. I can confirm that some states are now randomly stopping drivers to clarify that they can in fact read and comprehend English, but some are complaining that the regulations are too strict, saying, “If they can drive, why do they need to speak in a different language?” Well, that brings up another question... who said they can drive? Those of us who hold a current state issued CDL have completed the requirements prescribed by our issuing states. They are supposed to be unified and adhere to federal regulations, but how can we be sure they are not just selling licenses? Should individual states recognize foreign licenses or give credit for training not acquired in the 50 10-4 Magazine / August 2025 FOR SAFETY’S SAKE
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