10-4 Magazine December 2024

Our Best of the Best Pick: By Eric Hill One of the privileges that I have at selected truck shows I attend each year, is to collaborate with Editor Dan Linss to pick a 10-4 Magazine “Best of the Best Pick” award, which comes with a nice trophy, along with feature story in a future edition of the magazine. I had the privilege of doing that again at this year’s Amcan Truck Fest in Union Grove, Wisconsin, held the second weekend of June. The magazine started this tradition in 2021, and so far, we have handed out three of these awards. Continuing that tradition, the latest 10-4 Magazine “Best of the Best Pick” features yet another red Peterbilt, but this one is a 52-year-old Wisconsin classic. After being refurbished, upgraded, and rebuilt into a road and show worthy work truck, the truck I’m referring to is a 1972 extended hood “little window” 359 Peterbilt, owned by Andy Pagels from Franksville, WI. Andy is the oldest son of three boys from his father Richard and mother Gisela. Like my father, Andy’s dad served in the U.S. Army and was a veteran of the Korean Conflict in the early 1950s. During his tour of duty, Mr. Pagels drove tankers for the Army. This experience would later come into play as he started and grew his future tanker trucking business. After returning from Korea, Richard met his future wife Gisela and married in 1959. In 1972, Richard and Gisela purchased 10 acres of land near Union Grove, started a family, and then formed Richard Pagels Trucking from their small farm in Wisconsin. In 2017, shortly after celebrating 58 years of marriage, sadly, Richard Pagels passed away. Today, his son Andy Pagels oversees a total of 53 acres for his mother and his own farm, and also trucks. Richard Pagels began his trucking career right out of the military hauling fuel oil for heating and black oil (black oil is repurposed oil for mixing with and binding asphalt). Richard decided to make a change and began hauling sand and gravel with a B-61 model Mack dump truck pulling a pup trailer. In 1988, Richard got his own authorities and incorporated his trucking business in 1990. He then made another switch, from hauling sand and gravel to chemicals. In the beginning, business was slow, only hauling 2-3 loads per week out of Racine, WI for Bulk Transport. But, eventually, Bulk Transport got bought out by Quality Transport, that later got purchased by KAG (Kenan) Transport. As his tanker business grew, Richard purchased three tankers for hauling chemicals and black oil. After attending Union Grove High and graduating in 1988, Richard’s son Andy began driving for his dad and Richard Pagels Trucking. Andy met and started dating his future wife Connie in 1990 at a mutual friend’s wedding after being stood up by his planned date. Three years later they married in 1993. They have been happily married for 31 years. Their marriage has produced a beautiful family of two sons, Seth and 28 10-4 Magazine / December 2024 Thomas, and a daughter named Olivia. They also have a granddaughter named Elsie from Seth and his partner Alyson. In addition to starting a family, Andy bought 35 acres to further plant his roots near his business and parents’ farm. At the time of Richard’s retirement in 2014, he continued to drive and began transitioning the running of the trucking business to Andy and his two sons. Andy ultimately took over managing the business in 2017 after his father passed away, and continues to run the business. His mother Gisela still owns the family trucking business, and Andy’s official title is that of Vice President. Recently, Andy has involved his sons, Seth and Thomas, with managing the business while they continue to drive. His goal is to have both boys eventually take over the family trucking business when he decides to give up the steering wheel and gear shifter! In the meantime, he remains actively involved in day-to-day operations of the business, and enjoys driving his 1972 Peterbilt 359. Richard owned and drove a variety of trucks over many years of trucking including several International 4300 and A WISCONSIN CLASSIC