Trucker Talk: By John & Kim Jaikes Hauling coal is not for the faint of heart, but I recently met two families that have been “rolling coal” (literally) for generations, and their heart is in it, for sure. While in Bristol, TN at Tony Justice’s Large Cars & Guitars show in May, there were three very impressive “coal buckets” that were standing pretty tall. At the end of the show, we had the pleasure of meeting the owners and shooting pictures of the tough old trucks. Like every truck and driver, there is a story to be told, and I don’t remember hearing many stories about these types of workhorses and the men who drive them. But that’s about to change right now. Although coal is facing significant environmental, economic, and policy challenges, it is still high in demand. In 2019, nearly 23% of all electricity was generatedbycoal. Coal-firedpower plants burn pulverized coal in boilers to produce steam, which drives turbines connected to generators, converting chemical energy into electricity. Many plants are built near mines, especially for low-value coals like lignite, which gets delivered via conveyor or truck. The coal used for making steel is high in carbon and low in moisture, ash, sulfur and phosphor. Coal has a myriad of other uses, including carbon fibers and foams, the production of cement, tars, medicines, cosmetics, synthetic waxes and petroleum-based fuels, and home and commercial heating. Some other products made with coal are ammonia, lubricants, nitrogen fertilizer and chemicals. There are basically two types of coal mining – deep mining (which is the underground tunnels) and strip mining (a surface mining method where layers of soil and rock are removed to access coal seams near the surface). Unlike underground mining, strip mining does not require tunnels, making it faster and often safer for workers. Highwall mining is a hybrid mining method that extracts coal from the exposed face of an open pit mine – these are the types of mines that these drivers haul from. Washed coal goes straight into rail cars that get sent to Ashland, KY where trucks then take it to barges where it’s loaded and sent up or down the Ohio River. Mark, Teresa and Dalton Coleman displayed their blue 1999 International, powered by a 425 CAT, hooked to an 18-speed and heavy-duty Rockwell 80 rear ends, at the show. A lot of hours had to be put into cleaning her up from the dirty work she does every day. Mark’s dad Clifford had trucks back in the 1970s and he worked in the mine until he got sick and couldn’t work anymore. Markboughthisfirsttruckin 1995 – a 1977 Ford from Eugene Justus, the man he was driving for since he was 16. In 1999, while still holding their baby girl Carlee in his arms, Mark bought the blue International he still drives today. A new baby and a new truck in the same year! That baby girl now says it’s “her” truck. And although she doesn’t drive it, she is daddy’s girl, the self-proclaimed boss, and a passenger seat princess. Like most of the kids in families that do this kind of work, not surprisingly, Dalton followed in his dad’s tire tracks. In 2024 they found the truck that he drives today – a blue International with the VIN just one number off his dad’s truck, making them sister trucks. Painted the same blue color, father and son work on the same jobs, most of the time. The haul roads are treacherous – if it’s winter they are icy, when it rains they are muddy, and even dry they are very steep – you only get one chance to start down that mountain in the right gear. More than one truck has gone over the side of a mountain. More on that scary reality a little later. Dalton posts a lot of videos on TikTok showing what it’s like to haul down those mountains, so check them out if you get the chance. Teresa takes care of the paperwork and enjoys going to a few truck shows with Mark and Dalton. The pink ribbons on the truck are for her, as she is a breast cancer warrior, and she shared with me the first time she heard Tony’s song “War Paint” she couldn’t help but cry because it hit close to home. After this show, she got the news that her cancer has come back, so she is preparing to fight, once 62 10-4 Magazine / August 2026 ROLLING COAL
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