10-4 Magazine / January 2026 73 When her kids were young, they would go on the truck with their mom. When they were in school, she would work locally, and when they got out of school, she would run long haul. Her mom Ginger helped out with the kids a lot when they were younger. The kids had many adventures out on the road with their mom, and after they grew up and had kids of their own, the grandkids got to take their turn riding in the truck with grandma. Norma and her mom have had several adventures of their own. She has been on the truck with her on a few occasions and they have done road trips that always include stops along the way to see the sights and take pictures. The first furry co-driver Norma had was Blade – a puppy that was born in her bathroom to her dog Cricket in 1996. Blade was her constant companion until he died in her arms in 2010. After losing Blade, Norma waited six months and then she found Atlas at a rescue called “Heaven Can Wait” in Las Vegas. Atlas got on the truck on August 18, 2010, and has been full steam ahead ever since. By the time he’d been on the truck six months he had already been to all 48 states. He has since traveled to Norma’s beloved Alaska eight times and to British Columbia several times, as well. In 2016, Norma had a bad asthma attack and Atlas alerted people to the attack. Because of this, he got to stay with her while she was in the hospital. The doctors convinced her to register Atlas as a service dog, since he had picked up on things before even the monitors she was hooked up to did. She believes Atlas saved her life that day. Since then, Norma and Atlas have been all along Route 66, from Chicago to LA, the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, the Seattle Waterfront, the Embarcadero in San Francisco, Santa’s house in Alaska, numerous zoos and aquariums, the Field of Dreams, and Graceland. They also lived in Glouster, MA, above the Crow’s Nest, where the fishermen would bring Atlas his own lobsters, and braved an F5 tornado in Oklahoma together, as well. Because he is a registered service dog, Atlas has been able to travel with Norma everywhere. He’s enjoyed riding in train cars from California to Seattle, on the Coast Starlight in a sleeper car, been on the Grand Canyon Railway to the Grand Canyon twice, and Southwest Airlines know Atlas by name (they even celebrated his birthday on one flight). Not only airplanes, but he once got a helicopter ride in Lebanon, TN in 2022. Atlas also enjoys boating, as well as the beach. Just like me, the beach is our happy place. Everyone loves Atlas, and the pictures taken of him are countless. Norma and Atlas were also in our wedding. Afterward, Norma, while still wearing her purple bridesmaid’s gown, drove her truck filled with all our stuff from the wedding venue back to the Iowa 80 Truck Stop, where their annual “Jamboree” was taking place. Atlas was looking quite dashing in his tuxedo that day,too. Now,sadly,heisfightinga heartbreaking battle with cancer on his right front leg. At over 16 years old, Atlas is completely healthy except for that, and he still enjoys going as many places as he can. Please say a little prayer for Norma and Atlas, because when that final day comes, it is going to be really tough. These days, both Norma and me remember the good old days, but our desire to be “out there” has faded. We have memories that can’t be taken, friendships that have lasted decades, and thousands of pictures to remember all we have done and everyone we have met. One memory Norma shared was that she once hauled edible pansies (flowers) to the White House for a special dinner. Over the years, she’s hauled a lot of fish and produce, done oversize work, and so muchmore. Today,sheissemi-retired, but if it has an E-log or doesn’t go faster than 62 mph, she’s done. Forty-six years on the road has afforded Norma a life that many people, other than truck drivers, might never know, but it has come at the price of missing so many holidays, birthdays, school plays, and plenty more. On the other side, trucking has taken her to places that she knew what she was doing made a difference – like the hurricane relief she was able to do recently and being a part of the People’s Convoy in 2022. Trucking isn’t for everyone, but for my dear friend Norma Bradford, it has been a “Little Bit of Heaven” for almost five decades. n
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