10-4 Magazine February 2024

54 10-4 Magazine / February 2024 Opportunities present themselves all the time, but the door to opportunity is not always open for long. We’ve seen and heard the excuses including what doesn’t appear to be the right time, something looks better at that moment, or being too busy. This is a story about Chris Prins (33), his father Tom Prins (62), and his grandfather (Tom’s dad) Wilbur Prins (85) of Reading, MN, and their desire to find a photographer willing to come out to Minnesota to capture photos of three generations in trucking with their trucks. This was a moment in time that would go on to become precious moments and memories that won’t soon be forgotten by their entire family – or me. What is pretty cool about this family is the fact that they are four generations strong in the trucking industry, beginning with William Prins, who started WM Prins Trucking out of Rushmore, MN, in 1936. He and his wife had owned a filling station and convenience store in a German community. William’s son Wilbur (Chris’ grandfather), who was born in 1938, had to learn English when he started school because the family spoke German. He started driving in the 8th grade and continued driving, without a license mind you, for quite a while. There was one time he and William were pulled over with Wilbur in the driver’s seat. William told the officer that Wilbur eats off his plate, so he’ll work for his food – the officer let them go. Married in 1958, Wilbur and his wife Carol would go on to start a Purina feed store in town, then went into farming and, in the early 70s, they bought a 1968 GMC and a 40-foot livestock trailer. Wilbur hauled livestock while farming, and also hauled for his brothers, Leroy and Gary, for a while. At some point during his driving career, Wilbur started Prins Trucking. Tom (Wilbur’s son and Chris’ dad) started hauling cattle at 15 years old because he was too young to run the combine. He learned to drive from his father and his uncle Gary, who he rode with a lot. And while Uncle Gary napped, Tom would get in some miles driving on the interstate. Tom worked for a local grain elevator until 1988, then he went to drive for his uncles. Tom and his wife Tammy were married on March 20, 1982, and in 1996, Tom got his own authority for his trucking company, Prins Farm and Trucking. Attending college for three years after high school, Chris studied two years in law enforcement and one year in agriculture production. Right out of high school and while still going to college, he went to work nights at a factory and stayed there for over ten years. In 2010, he had the opportunity to work with his grandfather Wilbur, and the two went in together to rent 240 acres of land. Chris and his wife Ashley were married on July 29, 2017. When Chris bought his The Diesel Addict: By Stephanie Haas truck, it was plated for farm use for about a month, then he hauled for Leroy Prins Trucking for about six months, until getting his own authority as C.W. Prins Trucking LLC. On August 17, 1990, Wilbur Prins purchased the pictured 1971 Peterbilt 359 from Kenworth in Sioux Falls, SD for $9,500. It has a350Cummins, a13-speed, 3.55 rears, and a 265-inch wheelbase. The orange 2000 Pete 379, which Tom Prins purchased in 2005, had 160K miles on it. It has a Caterpillar 3406E, a 13-speed, 3.55 rears, and a 265-inch wheelbase. It sports WTI double hump fenders, 8-inch stacks, and a Lincoln Chrome bumper. Chris Prins (Wilbur’s grandson and Tom’s son) bought his 2000 Peterbilt 379 on September 26, 2022. His truck has a CAT 2WS, a 265-inch wheelbase, an 18-speed, and 3.70 rears. However, since I photographed the trucks, his truck has seen some changes including 3.36 rears, a stretched frame (to 290-inches), a custom deck plate, an MOMENTS & MEMORIES