“FOR TODAY’S TRUCKER” MARCH 2025 ® Magazine SINCE 1993! Bobby Vaz... NEVER SAY NO! NEW FEATURE “OUT OF THE ARCHIVES” WITH BETTE GARBER AN AMERICAN JOURNEY: THE AMAZING STORY OF RAIKO GRAVERAN
2 10-4 Magazine / March 2025
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29 76 10 ® 36 FUN: WordSearch 49 • Truckertoon 61 • Crossword 67 • Red’s Rides 75 • NumberSearch 79 • Words To Live By 84 MARCH 2025 CONTENTS VOLUME 32 ISSUE 7 COVER FEATURE Bobby Vaz of Paso Robles, CA Never Says No .............. 10 PERFORMANCE ZONE A Hot Rod Heart for a Historic 1948 Bus ......................... 17 THE DIESEL ADDICT The Hassevoort Family Gets it Done Together ................ 20 TRUCK SHOW REPORT A Final Celebration of the Waupun Truck-N-Show .......... 26 WHO’S WHO IN 10-4 Our Social Media and Digital Guru John Testa ............... 29 DO-IT-YOURSELF How to Install an SCI Steering Wheel Smart Pad ........... 32 SPECIAL FEATURE Mike Marty Gave an Old KW a Second Chance ............. 36 THE VETERAN’S VIEW Protecting Yourself with the Proper Insurance ................ 50 CLINT’S CREATIONS This Unique 589 Peterbilt Made it Right on Time ............ 55 WAYNE’S WORLD Clearinghouse Updates, Top Violations & More ............. 59 TRUCKAPEDIA Cody Kirkpatrick and His Original Unicorn T600B .......... 62 EDITOR’S CHOICE Get Ready for “Live From Louisville” Once Again ........... 69 OUT OF THE ARCHIVES A New Feature Showcasing Bette Garber’s Pics ............ 71 TRUCKER TALK The Story of Raiko Graveran and His Little Blue ............. 76 POETRY IN MOTION A Demographic Shift: Because It Takes All Kinds ........... 81
8 10-4 Magazine / March 2025 We at 10-4 Magazine® love to hear from our readers. If you have any comments, suggestions, gripes, questions, or just some information you would like to pass on to other readers (truckers just like you)... VISIT US ON OUR WEBSITE: www.tenfourmagazine.com FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Search for Ten Four Magazine SEND US AN E-MAIL: 10-4@tenfourmagazine.com WRITE US AT: 10-4 Magazine Post Office Box 639 Dunlap, CA 93621 CALL US ON THE PHONE: (559) 338-2703 10-4 MAGAZINE IS: Daniel J. Linss - OWNER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/MARKETING Jean Osugi - OWNER/TRUCK SHOW SUPPORT/HR Tim Sieben - OWNER/TFK MANAGER/SHOW SUPPORT Shannon Linss - OFFICE MANAGER &DISTRIBUTION Eric Hill - PRINT SALES MANAGER/SHOW SUPPORT John Testa - SALES &DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER Stephanie Haas - PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Parker Linss - PRODUCTION ASSISTANT/SHOW SUPPORT John Hambro -WEBSITE MANAGER Vic Vasselin - MONTHLY “TRUCKERTOON” ARTIST Mark McClain - CUSTOM CROSSWORD CREATOR Ron Kelsey - PRINT &DIGITAL SALES/AZDISTRIBUTION Jonathan Townsel - CENTRAL CALIFORNIA DISTRIBUTION Hugo Ruano - L.A. & L.B. HARBOR DISTRIBUTION Teresa Franco - LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRIBUTION Derek Bennett - HIGH DESERT DISTRIBUTION Julio “Junior” Tapia - INLAND EMPIRE DISTRIBUTION Terry Coombs - OR, WA & IDAHO DISTRIBUTION CONTRIBUTING WRITERS, EDITORS &PHOTOGRAPHERS: Wayne Schooling • Eric Hill • John & Kim Jaikes Bruce Mallinson• Stephanie Haas • Clint Moore Trevor Hardwick • Dennis Mitchell • Colin Kund Mark Harter • Duncan Putman • K.M. Stanfield Mike Bradford • Bryan Welsh• Miss Flatbed Red Frank Strohmyer • Kasey Aslinger • Troy Miller Bryan Martin • Norma & Terence P. Hannigan WEBSITE: MEDIA: Magazine PHONE:
Cover Feature: By Daniel J. Linss years, the couple got divorced in 1987 so Bobby and his mother, along with his two sisters, moved back to the Central Valley (Denair, CA) where Bobby attended elementary and middle school. After another move to the Paso Robles area in California, Bobby started high school in the small town of Templeton, CA, and then his mother moved back to the valley. Bobby did not want to be in the valley, so at the young age of 16 years old he got emancipated from his mother (took legal responsibility for himself) and went out on his own. Moving back to the Paso Robles area and going back to high school in Templeton, he rented a room from his cousin and got several jobs, while still going to school, including hauling hay with his pickup, working at a local gas station and a car wash, digging holes with a backhoe for local almond farmers, and cleaning out horse stalls – whatever he could do, he did it. Halfway through his senior year in 1997, Bobby graduated early and went on a work/study program and took a full time job, working as an assistant to a truck mechanic, who had lost his driver’s license. Doing parts runs and driving trucks around the yard, Bobby learned a lot while at this job. At 18, his next job was at Whirlwind Excavating, but when the winter hit and the work In today’s ever-changing world of trucking, being a diverse operation can be the difference between failure and success. And one way to be diverse is to never say no! Whenever someone asks Bobby Vaz (46) of Robert Vaz Trucking (RVT) based in Paso Robles, CA if he can haul something for them, without hesitation he always says, “Yes, we can do that,” regardless of whether he has the proper equipment or knowledge to do it at that moment. Not to imply that he lies or leads people on, Bobby just doesn’t like to say no to any work, so he always finds a way to get it done – and get it done right! In his current fleet, Bobby has a bevy of different types of trucks and trailers, including ten tankers, eight flatbeds, one refrigerated van, two dry vans, one lowbed, livestock trailers and more, which allow him to haul bulk wine and other liquids, oversize loads, any and all refrigerated or dry products, hay, livestock, containers, and more. And to add to all that, they are currently building a transfer, so things like sand, gravel, rock, glass, and other building materials you might haul with a transfer can be added to that long list, as well. Bobby Vaz is one of the hardest working guys we have ever met, and he is not afraid to try new things. One of the sayings he kept using during our time together was, “If you put it on my plate, I’ll eat it!” Going back to Bobby’s roots, on his father’s side, his great grandfather Evaristo Vaz got in the dairy business in Northern California back in the 1930s. His grandfather Everett drove trucks and operated equipment for a concrete and aggregate outfit called McPhails located in San Rafael, CA for 38 years before retiring. Everett’s brothers, Raymond and Paul, got into the dairy business and trucking, respectively. Paul Vaz was in Lodi, CA and had close to 50 trucks at one point, which included bottom dumps, transfers, tankers and vans. On Bobby’s mother’s side, his grandfather John Dompeling, who was in Turlock, CA, had about nine cattle trucks and operated from about the 1950s through the 1980s. He passed away in 1998. One of his drivers and best friends, Angelo, took Bobby trucking a lot when he was growing up. Sadly, Angelo died in a wreck when he overturned his cattle truck on the Grapevine in the early 90s after driving for probably 50 years. Grandpa John and his friend Angelo were two of Bobby’s earliest trucking influences. Born in July of 1978 to Robert (Bob) and Catherine Vaz in Turlock, CA, Bobby’s dad Bob hauled hay and milk in California’s Central Valley. When Bobby was just two years old, his father died in a head-on collision in September 1980 while driving his hay truck at the young age of 26, so Bobby never knew his dad and has no memories of him. Bobby’s mother Catherine remarried in 1984 to another trucker named Bob Rylaarsdam from Chino, CA. Bob hauled cattle and hay in Southern California, and Bobby loved going out trucking with him. At seven years old, Bobby can remember going out with his stepdad to a ranch in Corona, CA to pick up cattle and then taking them down to the kill plant in Escondido, CA. Bob would let Bobby sit in his lap and “drive” the truck – a green 1962 Freightliner cabover truck and trailer – all the way home. This is where Bobby really fell in love with trucking! And today he has that truck sitting in his yard, waiting to be redone!! Living with Bob in Chino for just a few 10 10-4 Magazine / March 2025 NEVER SAY NO!
stopped, he decided to get his CDL (in 1998) and went to work at Oak Creek Ranch for Ed Bernard, a local hay hauler, running the squeeze and delivering hay. Over the next few years, Bobby worked for a few different people including Michael Dusi, his great uncle Paul Vaz, Nick Barbieri, and Gary Abatti hauling everything from hay, wine, beer, glass, propane and 200-proof pure alcohol. He also did some interesting work for Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) at the nearby Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in San Luis Obispo, CA. Every so often they would shut down one of their two reactors/generators to make upgrades and repairs, and when they did, PG&E would bring in a bunch of short-time workers – Bobby was one of those, working on a winch crew, on three different occasions. In 2010 Bobby went to work for David Crye General Engineering in Morro Bay, CA, driving a transfer, pulling end dumps, and running various types of construction equipment. David Crye helped Bobby buy his first truck in 2011 – a blue 1990 Freightliner cabover – which he used to haul hay on the weekends and do some work for David. You might know David from the articles our contributor Clint Moore has done on some of the trucks he has ordered and/or built for him. Bobby loved working for David, but in 2013 he sold that truck and went back to work for Ed Bernard at Oak Creek Ranch hauling hay. Getting older, Ed brought Bobby in to help him run his operation, and over the next few years, Ed became the dad Bobby never had. Hauling hay exclusively at first, Bobby helped him to diversify, and they began hauling grapes and cattle, too. In 2015, after feeling the pressure from CARB to upgrade their truck, Ed ordered a custom 2-axle 2015 Peterbilt 389 with a small 10-4 Magazine / March 2025 11
12 10-4 Magazine / March 2025 sleeper for Bobby. Painted dark metallic brown and cream, this truck was a real head turner, and Bobby loved driving it. After battling cancer for just over a year, Ed passed away in January of 2019. Bobby’s mom passed away that year, as well, so it was a particularly tough time. Not knowing what was going to happen, Bobby bought a couple used trucks from our mutual friend Mark Pounds at Central Valley Transport in Bakersfield, including a 2-axle 1999 Freightliner FLD and a 3-axle 2003 Freightliner Classic, and formed Robert Vaz Trucking (RVT). A few months later, Ed’s family decided to shut his company down and sell all the equipment (you might remember this brown and cream cattle truck because it appeared on our April 2020 cover after Terry Wright bought it from Ed’s family). Getting a loan from the bank, Bobby was able to buy Ed’s hay squeeze and a set of 1976 Merritt double cattle trailers and, using those two Freightliner trucks, he began hauling whatever he could find. Around this same time, Micheal Dusi Trucking of Paso Robles, CA – another past cover truck feature (October 2013) – abruptly went out of business, as well, so Bobby bought one of his tanker trailers. Hauling grapes and then eventually wine with that tanker, Bobby never looked back! Over the years, Bobby has bought and sold plenty of used trucks, but after incorporating the business in 2020, RVT got its first new truck – a 2020 Peterbilt 389 daycab – painted in the RVT colors of Peterbilt Cream and Omaha Orange. With a 240” wheelbase, this truck (which Bobby still has) is equipped with a 525-hp Cummins, a 13-speed, an air-ride front axle, and rides on 255 rubber all around. When Bobby first got this truck, he hauled anything and everything with it. Today, Bobby’s son-in-law and right hand man Ryan Johnston drives the truck, which is typically hooked to a tanker or hauling equipment. With about 400,000 miles on the odometer, which is a decent amount considering it doesn’t run long haul, Ryan takes great care of it. Over the next two years, Bobby ordered several more brand-new cream and orange trucks, including two 2021 Peterbilt 389s with 48” flat tops, and then two 2022 Peterbilt 389s with 36” flat top sleepers, one of which was a 2-axle and the other a 3-axle (this is Bobby’s current sleeper truck to this day). His personal truck – the 3-axle 2022 Peterbilt 389 with a 36” sleeper – was ordered “plain Jane” with no cab lights, no visor, no fenders and no vertical pipes (it has a weed burner exhaust underneath), and was then sent to Kyle at Transportation Services in Sacramento, CA to be customized. Arriving in May of 2022, the truck spent the next three months in Sacramento getting done up by Kyle and his crew. Much of the truck was painted cream including the tanks (fuel and
air), mirror brackets, rear full fenders, battery boxes, cab and sleeper drop panels, visor and breathers, which also got painted front panels with (3) watermelon lights. The truck was also fitted with 8” dummy stacks, custom orange Peterbilt emblems, a custom orange tail plate with (14) recessed watermelon lights, and a custom orange “I-Panel” between the fuel tanks with (6) recessed watermelon lights (all with clear lenses). The back of the sleeper also got (6) recessed watermelon lights, three on each side, and the DEF tank was hidden. Much of the truck’s exterior (and interior) is accentuated with tastefully applied pinstriping, including the custom painted deck plate, complete with recessed connections (there are air and electrical connections out the back of the truck, as well). To finish off the exterior, the back of the polished front bumper is painted orange and pinstriped, too! Moving inside, the door and ceiling panels are painted orange, pinstriped, and feature a total of nine watermelon lights overhead. There are also billet foot pedals, a custom steering wheel, and a painted shifter floor plate. The dash panels are also painted orange, but the interior is not overly done. Putting the truck in service in August 2022, Bobby also bought a reefer trailer and painted it all to match, debuting the combination at the first Bobtail Apparel show in Dixon, CA a month or two later (where we first saw it). Although it is typically hooked to a tanker, Bobby will use this truck to pull just about anything. Admittedly, Bobby doesn’t get to drive as much as he used to, but when he does, he rides in style. And if the load he has to move is hay, he gets to be even cooler! With deep roots in dairy farming and cow relocating – and especially hay hauling – that go back almost 100 years, Bobby has a special truck for that job... the Peterbilt cabover truck and trailer seen on the cover and centerfold this month (and on some of these pages here). Purchased from John Oliviera in Gustine, CA back in 2021, the 1995 Peterbilt 362 truck and trailer was in pretty good shape when Bobby got it. John had been running the truck for years, but mounting pressure from CARB to replace it finally motivated John to sell it – and John’s loss was Bobby’s gain. Originally powered by a Detroit and a 10-speed, and equipped with a 12,000-lb. front axle, John re-powered the Peterbilt cabover with a 6NZ CAT (with a DPF filter) and a 13-speed and upgraded the front axle to a 14,000-lb. version. Painted white and red, John also added 13 bullet-style cab lights up on the roof, along with a big front bumper, which by the time Bobby got it, was a bit rotten with rust. After purchasing the cabover, Bobby drove it like he bought it for the first few months, but then stopped while on a trip down south at Vic Caliva’s place in Los Angeles, CA to get a new bumper installed (Bobby wasn’t cool with having a rusted-out bumper on his ride). That winter, they spruced up the COE by tearing it apart and fixing a few things. Installing a new clutch in the truck, they also replaced the shocks, air bags, shifting cables, and fixed some cracks in the rear ends. They (Bobby and Ryan) also did some maintenance on the truck bed and trailer, and installed new tail boards, as well. The following year, in August of 2023, it was time to really get serious and get the truck and trailer repainted. Taking it to Calvin Cox at Starcraft Commercial Big Rig Painting in Exeter, CA, Bobby opted to keep the paint scheme and striping the same and just update the colors – all the white parts were painted Peterbilt Cream, and all the red parts were painted Omaha Orange, to match the rest of his fleet. They also painted the fuel tanks, which were later pinstriped. After getting the fresh paint, Ryan and Bobby did everything else you see now, including installing all new lights (including a bunch of watermelons underneath), new fenders and stacks, polished and painted the emblems, and polished the steps (and anything else they could). With its big one-piece front windshield and triple wiper setup, old Peterbilt 362 cabovers like this are getting harder to find – and much 10-4 Magazine / March 2025 13
14 10-4 Magazine / March 2025 more desirable. The bed on the truck is 27.5 feet long, and the trailer is 28.5 feet long, which allows Bobby to haul 480 standard small bales of hay, or 544 of the newer-style compressed bales, which weigh the same and have the same amount of hay, they are just a little smaller in size. All the pinstriping on this rig, which is lime green, silver, purple and orange, was done by Harry’s Auto Signs... aka Harry’s Custom Paint... aka Harry’s Auto Art, located in Hollister, CA. Running at least one load a week with this unit, how can Bobby operate it when others can’t? Paso Robles is located in San Luis Obispo County, and that county, as well as many around it, are part of a NOx-exempt area, which allows Bobby to operate his cabover within these areas. In fact, he can legally run between Santa Barbara County, all the way up to Santa Cruz County, along California’s Central Coast. One of the places he frequently delivers to is a place called Stepladder Ranch & Creamery in Cambria, CA. Established in 1870 and located way up on a hill with a tight driveway, Bobby was able to deliver a load of hay for their goats (they make goat cheese there) with the cabover. The guy there said, “This is the first hay truck we’ve ever had all the way up here to the barn in 150 years. They usually deliver it to us one block at a time!” Currently, the RVT fleet includes 13 power units and a bevy of trailers, as mentioned before. Bobby could not run this company without the help and support of his awesome wife and partner, Brenda. The two met in the early 2000s when they both worked at Michael Dusi Trucking (MDT) – Bobby was a driver, and Brenda worked in the office. Back then, Brenda was married to another driver at MDT, and coincidentally, Brenda’s sister was married to Michael Dusi at that time. Bobby and Brenda started dating in 2009 and got married in 2015. Brenda has four grown children – a son named Austin (31) who has his own rig and works in the family business, twin daughters, Kyleigh (30) works in the wine industry and Kelsea (30) is a hairdresser, and daughter Kenda (29), who is married to Bobby’s right hand man and driver Ryan and owns her own salon. The couple also has four young grandchildren, with another on the way. With nine employees and many subhaulers (depending on the time of year), Brenda runs the entire office and does all the billing. Bobby said, “Brenda is the peanut butter to my jelly!” They also get help from Brenda’s sister, Melinda, who handles all their accounting and compliance stuff. And, as mentioned before, the company is very diverse and can (or will) haul just about anything. In addition to Brenda, Bobby wanted to thank his son-in-law Ryan, who helps him keep all the trucks looking good, his stepson Austin for all his help at the company, and all their drivers for helping to keep the wheels turning. And speaking of wheels, there is one more set of wheels we have not mentioned. After being rolled over in an accident in December 2023, one of Bobby’s 2-axle Peterbilt 389 hay trucks, with a 36” sleeper, has been being rebuilt and totally customized by Kyle and his crew over at Transportation Services. This truck, which is scheduled to make its debut at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, KY this month, will be a head-turner, for sure. Down about as low as a big truck could ever get, this rig features tons of custom body work and a special metallic tangerine orange and cream paint job. Along with a custom interior, this rig will sport a diamond theme – there are several diamond-shaped windows (including peep hole windows in both doors), and the taillights are also shaped like diamonds. The goal is for Bobby to have this new truck, along with the cabover, at MATS. Lastly, I wanted to talk about where we took most of the pictures for this feature. What was once an 1,150-acre thoroughbred racehorse facility known as Cardiff Stud Farm in Paso Robles, CA, which cost over $30 million to build and was rumored to once be worth about $60 million, is now a wedding venue and home to acres of vineyards called Windfall Farms. The property, which is mostly vacant today, has over 22 miles of fencing, 25+ beautiful horse barns, three big hay barns, a full vet clinic, an owner’s residence, three employee houses and a huge shop. Once owned by TV game show host Alex Trebek, it is sad to see the place empty, but one can still imagine what it was like in its heyday. If diversity is the key to survival in today’s tough trucking industry, then Bobby Vaz and RVT should be okay. He not only has a wide variety of trucks and trailers to handle almost any type of haul, he also isn’t afraid to try something new and invest in whatever equipment he might need to make that venture possible. Like Bobby says, “You can’t pull the trigger if you don’t have any bullets!” Bobby was raised the right way, at the right time, and in the right place to appreciate and enjoy all that the best of trucking has to offer. And it doesn’t get much better than an old school Peterbilt hay truck and trailer! Apparently, never saying “no” has its advantages. n
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10-4 Magazine / March 2025 17 The Performance Zone: By Bruce Mallinson When Steve Belsky jokes about making bad decisions, one of them stands out – his “Pancake Engine” project. But if you ask anyone in the world of high-performance engineering, they might argue that this so-called “bad decision” is actually a masterpiece. Steve’s passion project is a 1948 Greyhound bus, a relic of a joint venture between American Car and Foundry, known for making rail cars, and Brill, a company famous for its trolleys. From 1946 to 1949, these two giants collaborated to produce Greyhound buses, with Steve’s specific model being built in 1948 and hitting the road in 1949 for inner-city routes. Today, the bus still carries its original marquee names – something Steve refuses to change, keeping a piece of history alive. But nostalgia isn’t the only driving force behind this project. Steve has set his sights on a land speed record, joking that it’s all part of his 30-year plan. With a previous engine, he has already clocked 105 mph on the freeway – twice. But with the Pittsburgh Power-built Pancake engine and a specialized transmission, he aims to push the bus to an eye-watering 145 mph. Steve’s journey started when he found the bus just three miles from his home in Austin, long before the internet made such searches easier. Scouring Hemmings Motor News, he specifically sought a mid-engine configuration with the door positioned behind the front axle. He chose this classic over a modern bus because, as a child, he associated these models with a sense of freedom – though, by the time he acquired it, the project was more about “surviving with a thrill” than anything else. The bus’s original powerplant was a Holscott pre-war gas engine, but Steve replaced it with an engine from a Hungarian Ikarus “twist bus” that was headed for scrap. After refurbishing it through a Cummins dealership, he installed it in the old Greyhound bus using broomsticks as makeshift frame rail mock-ups, since the new engine was nearly twice the size of the original. However, he later regretted scrapping the historic Holscott engine – a decision he acknowledges as another “bad decision” perhaps. When Steve began his project, the land speed record for a bus stood at 92 mph, but with his racing background, he was convinced he could surpass it. Years later, after extensive researching online, he found no evidence that anyone had officially beaten that record – until his own documented 105 mph run. Despite this achievement, Steve doesn’t believe the bus will ever make it to the Bonneville Salt Flats due to its weight – 15,000 lbs. without glass and 19,000 lbs. when fully assembled. The fragile salt surface, along with strict regulations, makes it unlikely that the bus will see action there. However, that won’t stop him from pushing forward on other proving grounds. With our legendary expertise in Cummins Big Cam engines, we at Pittsburgh Power got involved with this project. Steve first met with Pete Sharp, our longtime Cummins specialist, who recently passed away. Pete helped him understand the intricacies of modifying a Big Cam to reach peak performance. What started as a backup engine quickly became the first in line as the primary powerplant. With that in mind, Steve said, “When you’re going for any kind of record like this, you have to be willing to plant your foot and blow up the engine.” A HOT ROD HEART FOR A HISTORIC 1948 BUS! For the past two and a half years, Pittsburgh Power has been crafting this one-of-a-kind Pancake engine. It features Mechanical Variable Timing (MVT), originally developed as an emissions-friendly feature for California. However, in Steve’s case, the MVT system has been re-purposed to advance timing and “throw the heat,” essentially hot-rodding the engine in a way that defies its initial intent. Steve’s Greyhound is more than just a bus, as it has another claim to fame – it’s the same model used in the classic Marilyn Monroe film Bus Stop. While he has found some scripts from the film inside his bus during the restoration, a club of Greyhound enthusiasts insist that his isn’t the bus from the movie. But for Steve, that’s just a minor technicality. “It’s the same kind of bus,” he says with a grin. “So, it was in a movie. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.” Whether or not it’s a Hollywood icon, one thing is certain – this bus, with its custom-engineered engine, is on a mission to carve its own place in history. If Steve Belsky has his way, his so-called “bad decisions” might just make him a two-time record-breaker. Stay tuned! If you would like us to build a specialty engine for you, stop by our shop in Saxonburg, PA, call us at (724) 360-4080, or contact us through our website at www.pittsburghpower.com today. I would like to thank my associate Jordan Greathouse for writing this month’s article! n
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20 10-4 Magazine / March 2025 The Rabbit River is a tributary of the Kalamazoo River within Allegan County, which is one of two counties that Holland, MI calls home. There is a house bordered on three sides by the Rabbit River, which is owned by Bruce Hassevoort. Bruce (71) is also a father to two sons, Eric (49) and Jeremy (44) who own, after the river name, Rabbit River Transport II, LLC out of Holland, MI. Cattle have always been a kind of mainstay in the Hassevoort family, even going so far as starting a company in the early ‘90s for the purchasing and selling of cattle, along with owning a couple trucks called Rabbit River Farms. They eventually transitioned out of cattle into trucking only, and Rabbit River Transport II, LLC was born. Bruce started trucking in 1979 and basically paved the way for his sons to come on board as the second generation in the family. The company equipment used to be in the front yard of Bruce’s house, but as they grew, they rented a few different places. Eric learned how to drive from his dad, Bruce, having started around the age of 16. A couple years later, in 1993, he officially obtained his CDL and started out within Michigan, hauling live birds at night and local freight during the day. Being the younger brother, Jeremy had the benefit of learning from both Bruce and Eric, including riding with them a lot, before he started driving. Around age 14, Jeremy was driving on his own with no supervision and helping with truck maintenance, then got his CDL in 1998 when he turned 18. In 1999, Eric took the first step of ownership with the purchase of his first truck, which he leased on to the family business, and Jeremy did the same a short year later. The Diesel Addict: By Stephanie Haas Into the 2000s, the family and the company started growing, beginning with Jeremy marrying his wife Anne on May 6, 2006. Around 2008, Rabbit River Transport II, LLC bought their first shop, and May 16, 2009, Eric married his wife Jodi. Rabbit River remained in that shop for 17 years and was relocated to their amazing new facility in 2024 (see my story about that grand opening event in the Dec. 2024 edition). Doing an article about these two brothers, there wasn’t a way I could pick photographing one brother’s truck over the other, so I thought it would be a little change of pace to include both trucks. Eric’s truck is a 2021 Kenworth W900L with a Cummins X15, 18-speed transmission, 292-inch wheelbase, 3.36 rears, and can be found hooked to a 2016 Wilson livestock trailer. The truck sports a stainless American Eagle bumper, factory stacks with Dynaflex tops, Sutherland Bros. air ride, and Hogebuilt stainless full fenders. Jeremy’s truck is a 2018 Peterbilt 389 powered by a 550 Caterpillar 2WS, 13-speed transmission, 3.55 rears, and a 300-inch wheelbase. This classy truck has a Lincoln Chrome bumper, 12 Ga. Customs visor (as well as light bars and deckplate), Dynaflex 8-inch stacks, Shift Products fenders, and the interior was done by Davis Bros., with a nice stereo install by Kevin Johnson. I saw Jeremy’s FATHER AND SONS
truck for the first time in September 2018 at the Richard Crane Memorial Truck Show in St. Ignace, MI where I was able to capture some cool shots of the truck with the Mackinac Bridge. Even though business keeps Eric and Jeremy very busy, they still find the time for things they enjoy. Eric enjoys time and camping with his family as well as playing with his cows. A passion for cattle has always stuck with him, and today, although he doesn’t raise beef cattle, he has a herd of cows. The calves that are born are for the kids to work with and show. Jeremy enjoys time with family, including Anne and his grandkids. With the family, he also enjoys trips in the motorhome, snowmobiling in the winter, and side-by-side riding in the summer. Truck shows of yesteryear have a way of making someone feel nostalgic because some of those amazing shows are no longer happening. One of those is the Peterbilt Only (anniversary) show in California, and Jeremy said that it was one of the coolest shows to go to. However, Jeremy and Eric both agree that their favorite show to attend as an annual event in their home state – the Richard Crane Memorial Truck Show in St. Ignace, MI. This show provides a great time to be had by all, located in a beautiful city, kind of like a vacation, and just an awesome show to hang out at. Today, Rabbit River Transport II already has the third generation in the Hassevoort clan taking on integral roles within the company. Eric’s sons Corey (29) and Austin (21) work in the dispatch department, while Jeremy’s son Cody (28) is the lead mechanic in the shop, and his other son Tyler (25) drives, hauling livestock. The future plan is to continue thriving the way they have been and to one day hand the company off to their sons. Eric’s beautiful daughter Nicole (25), who according to Eric is the smart one, because she didn’t come onboard with the trucking – instead, she went into the medical field and became a nurse. Eric oversees the drivers, dispatch operations, customers, and still does plenty of trucking with hauling livestock or pulling a stepdeck. Eric’s wife Jodi is a sales representative for west Michigan and sells livestock medication for a vet and poultry company. Jeremy is what some would call a Jack of all trades, usually starting his day in the office at Rabbit River, which has a connecting door directly to Reliable Road Service. 10-4 Magazine / March 2025 21 Throughout the day, he’ll float around to wherever things need to be done, which includes running one of the heavy-duty wreckers during winter storms or he’ll haul livestock in his 2024 Wilson trailer. Jeremy’s wife Anne is the caretaker of the books for all the companies and holds everything together. Between Eric and Jeremy, their family continues to expand to include grandkids. On Eric’s side is grandson Dawson (5) and granddaughter Lenni (6 months), while on Jeremy’s side is granddaughter Margo (2) and grandson Cash (8 months). Since last year, Rabbit River has been relocated into the same complex as the Hassevoorts’ other two companies, Reliable Road Service and Preferred Truck and Trailer Sales, in a beautiful, state-of-the-art, 60,000 square foot building. On the Rabbit River side, they designed it with their out-of-state drivers in mind, but it is available for any of their employees to utilize. The new facility includes 24-hour access, a modern cafeteria style kitchen where drivers are able to cook meals, dishwasher, large paperwork room, fitness room, driver’s lounge with ample seating and a big screen television, vending machines, two full shower restrooms, and a laundry room with washers and dryers. Another perk is the use of a company vehicle to go into town, and the trucks are washed
22 10-4 Magazine / March 2025 in the onsite wash bay before the driver heads back out trucking. This was a big part of the design to aid the Rabbit River side for employee retention and to attract new hires. The Hassevoorts welcome anyone to stop by for a tour. Founded in 1995, the National Association of Show Trucks (NAST) has seen hosting shows for decades. About four years ago, the president stepped down, then a year later, Chuck Kemner, who was the executive director for NAST, passed away. Jeremy was approached to see if he had any interest, otherwise it was going to be the end. Jeremy and Anne, along with Dave Laarman and Kendra Hendrixson, dove straight into this to keep it going. This series typically hosts four shows yearly, which change each year, with exception to the Richard Crane Memorial Truck Show in St. Ignace, MI. These four individuals
10-4 Magazine / March 2025 23 are the glue that hold this organization together, with extra help from amazing people like Jason Mayrand of Flat Top Transport, Brian Hitchcock of MBH Trucking, and Tyler’s (Jeremy’s son) fiancé Anna. Special thanks from Eric to his wife Jodi for her love, support, and putting up with all of this. To his mom and dad for all the guidance, to his brother that he is pretty thankful to be able to work with, and to all the drivers and employees for their years at the company. Special thanks from Jeremy to his wife Anne for her love, support, being there for it all, and for keeping everything moving, both at home and at work. To his kids and grandkids who are very important to him, and to all the employees who help make it all go around. Some people briefly pass through your life, while others remain constant. I met Eric for the first time in Missouri about a month after wildfires wreaked havoc on Kansas and Oklahoma in 2017 as he and others were hauling hay from Michigan to aid ranchers in Kansas. I met Jeremy not long after, and these brothers have remained my friends and two people I admire, not only for what they do in the industry, but for who they are, as well. I was able to meet their father Bruce Hassevoort last year at the grand opening of the new facility. It was nice to see the facility, hang out with the family, meet most of the employees, and see a father and his two sons amidst it all. As always, to all the drivers out there doing the deal, truck safe. n
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Truck Show Report: By Eric Hill When the phrase “Hall of Fame” is mentioned, what comes to mind is something related to sports. You might think of Hall of Fame football player Bart Starr, or baseball’s Hank Aaron, or basketball’s Michael Jordan. Arguably, the greatest of all time in their respective professions. Thesaurus defines Hall of Fame as individuals carefully selected as the best in their class. I don’t believe there is a “Hall of Fame” for truck shows, but if there was, I would bet a $100 that the Waupun Truck-N-Show would be a perfect candidate. After 35 successful years, this truck show was retired on August 11, 2024. The last event was appropriately titled the “Waupun Truck-N-Show Last Ride” with over 600 trucks in attendance. In December 2024, the truck show team assembled at the Waupun Rock Golf Club one final time to celebrate the 35 years of hard work that made this truck show such a huge success. I had the privilege to attend this event, and many memories were shared, tears were shed, and hugs were given. It was a fitting send-off into the history books for the Waupun Truck-N-Show. What makes a “Hall of Fame” event? First, it’s longevity. There are only a handful of major truck shows that have been in existence for longer (MATS and TFK come to mind). The origin of this show began in 1989 in a discussion between Alton Asmus, Don Schultz, Steve Wendt, John Williamson, and Ron VandeZande. Steve Wendt suggested the idea over burgers after attending a truck show in Green Bay, WI. Their goal was to start a truck show in Waupun, that local drivers and truck owners would actively participate in, with a goal of raising donations to benefit some local charities. The idea was agreed upon unanimously and they proceeded with making the show a reality. Ron VandeZande was elected as the first President to lead the team. The early shows were held in the town center of Waupun on Madison Street. The first one-day truck show took place on August 4, 1990. As the truck show grew, it necessitated a move to the Main Street Waupun Community Center, on the northeast side of Waupun. It also required the creation of committees with a designated committee chairperson. At its peak, there were 22 committees and 50 people involved in the organizing, planning, and executing of the event. Over its 35-year span, the show would vary in size from 300-600 trucks. Because of health issues in 2019, Ron VandeZande was forced to step down as the first President of the show. Sadly, Ron passed away in December of 2021 at 78 years old. That same year another member of the original group, Steve Wendt, also passed away. Duey VandeZande was elected as the next President for the final six years of the 26 10-4 Magazine / March 2025 truck show. Other key team members included Nancy Kutschenreuter, who managed registration for 28 years, and over the last five years, she served as Vice President. Lola Milner assisted Nancy with registration and was also responsible for ordering and selling Waupun show apparel for 32 years. Besides the goal of having a “Hall of Fame” worthy event, the most important objective was raising money for two major charitable organizations – the Make-a-Wish Foundation and Special Olympics. There were other charitable organizations that got donations, but those two were the largest. In 35 years, the show donated well over $1 million in contributions from all the participants, sponsors, and attendees, that benefited many families. Here is a breakdown for each charity: Make-a-Wish (2004-2024) $687,000; Special Olympics (35 years) $385,000; Reach Waupun $57,000; and Waupun Animal Shelter (2023) $5,000. The donations of this sizeable amount cannot be overstated enough, and they will now unfortunately be missed. A “HALL OF FAME” SHOW
10-4 Magazine / March 2025 27 For the participants, trophies were an important part of the show. Besides the Mid-America Trucking Show, the Waupun truck show handed out the most awards for all the events I’ve attended. There were so many trophies, they almost filled up an entire flatbed trailer! At one point, there were roughly 395 award categories. In the beginning, plaques were handed out for the award winners of each class, but eventually the switch was made from plaques to trophies. Over its 35-year history, three different companies provided plaques and trophies for the event. Two special awards were created for the truck show. The first was the Memorial Trophy. This was a trophy created and awarded in memory of a special person who was a driver or owner that participated in this event. The second special award was the Kid’s Choice Award. Several selected children attending the truck show, along with our beloved 10-4 Magazine team member Kim Jaikes, would scour the show field and pick their favorite truck. These desired awards were presented at the Saturday afternoon awards ceremony. There were many “Hall of Fame” sponsors, as well, that contributed to the event’s success over the years. Some of these major sponsors were AMCAN Truck Parts, Big Rig Chrome Shop, Brakebush, 4 State Trucks, Homer’s Towing, JX Enterprises, J&J Trucking, Jones Performance Products, Smedema Trucking, Time 2 Shine, Quad Graphics, Skinner Trucking, Wisconsin Kenworth, TTI/Blu Leasing, and Truck Country. A big “high five” goes out to all of these longtime show supporters! Many accomplishments were made from this event, including contributing to charitable organizations, driver and owner involvement in every show, the development of both personal and professional lifetime friendships and partnerships, and major financial benefit to the businesses in and around Waupun. Over the 35 years of this truck show, millions of dollars were taken in, and its ending is a very big financial loss to these communities. One of the key characteristics of a “Hall of Fame” truck show is the staff of people who made it happen and the time they invested in planning, organizing, and executing the show. A very special thanks and recognition to the following “Hall of Fame” team members: Lola Milner (33 years); Duey VandeZande (33 years); Steve and Judy Schaalma (32 years); Nancy Kutschenreuter (28 years); Tom Loveless (26 years); Brenda Douma (20 years); Jeff Kreuizenger (15 years); Peggy and Jeff Bolstad (15 years); Terry Beine (15 years); Scott Tofteland (10 years); and Carrie Sackett (10 years). In addition, a very special “Thank You” to all the volunteers and judges who contributed their time, expertise, and effort to each show, along with the City of Waupun, for allowing the truck show team to put on this amazing event for all those years! On a personal level, I’ve attended many truck shows as an attendee and participant, and more recently, as a 10-4 representative. Over the past few years, I have provided truck show support and written many reports for the magazine, but Waupun was the last truck show event I attended with my parents before their passing, so it was special to me. I’ve developed many personal friendships and professional relationships because of this show and would like to say a very sincere “Thank You” to the Waupun Truck-N-Show team for always making me feel welcome. It was a truly “Hall of Fame” show, with “Hall of Fame” people, that created “Hall of Fame” memories for so many of us over the years. We will sincerely miss this legendary August event! n
10-4 Magazine / March 2025 29 Team 10-4 is the many facets of what keeps 10-4 Magazine operating like a well-oiled machine. Included on this team is the face of Studio 10-4 Live! (created in 2020) and the man behind the videos we bring to our fans on our social media pages – John Testa (63). Like most of us, John didn’t start out in the trucking industry, but in the automotive industry as a mechanic. After high school, he spent a couple years in college for Automotive Technology and worked at a repair shop until age 24. At this point, a family friend, who owned a trucking company, hired John to work on their trucks. Even though he lacked specific experience with big trucks, the company was willing to train him (this was also where he would learn to drive a truck). After a couple years, he found himself in the construction industry as a company owner. Once he realized that the trucks he had were making more than the construction work, he embarked on starting his own trucking company in 1996. Around 2000 is when he came across our beloved magazine at a truck stop. In 2002, John met Erik Sieben and Dan Linss at Cherokee Truck Parts in Stockton, CA where he was able to show them his new truck – a black cherry colored Peterbilt 379 transfer. At the time, the truck was still fairly stock, but in 2003 he did some customization to the truck and started attending shows. After the Reno show in 2003, Erik and Dan told John they wanted to feature him and his truck on the December 2003 cover. John said that was the biggest thrill and compliment someone could get. He said, “10-4 Magazine was a big deal, and still is, and it was pretty cool to be chosen for the cover.” In 2006, he sold his company and took a job at a truck body manufacturer. Moving on from the truck body manufacturer (thanks to the Great Recession), he went back into construction and also began doing some social media work. Knowing this, Dan Linss reached out in 2010 with questions regarding the magazine’s social media, and in 2015 asked if John could spearhead the social media platforms. 2017 was not the first time he attended the Mid-America Trucking Show, but it was the first year he came out as part of 10-4 Magazine’s presence at the show, bringing the first livestreams from that event. About our beloved magazine, John said there are many layers to being a part of Team 10-4 with the people he gets to work with, the “family” we have all become, and the friendship that turned into a working relationship with the magazine as a whole. Today, John is in charge of 10-4 Magazine’s various social channels, heads up Studio 10-4 LIVE! with production and on-air hosting of our growing weekly webcast, and in charge of all things digital. Thank you, John, for your continued efforts and for being a valuable part of the 10-4 Team! n Who’s Who in 10-4 Magazine: By Stephanie Haas ALL THINGS DIGITAL
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