10-4 Magazine November 2021

Detailer’s Diary: By Renegade Products We’ve all heard the stories about men getting into trucking from either experiences they’ve had as a child or fluke moments which set their course. Jason Mayrand isn’t out of the ordinary in finding his path to the industry early on, but you could say he always knew he would be driving a truck. We don’t know anyone who does not enjoy hearing stories of trucking’s past, with how the industry used to be, and also hear the timeline when an individual knew he or she was destined to be behind the wheel. Growing up in western Michigan, Jason enjoyed plenty of time with his grandparents, whether he went trucking with his grandfather, who pulled a hopper bottom all over Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, or the trips his grandparents took him on when he wasn’t in school. But since he was four years old, there was never a doubt that Jason would go trucking one day. Fast forward to fourteen years old, when Jason’s grandfather took him out west to Idaho in a 379 Pete, and Jason realized he would one day own his own truck and call his company Flat Top Transport. Why this name? Because “Flat Top” was his grandfather’s CB handle. This is definitely an awesome and heartfelt way to commemorate someone who was so instrumental in leading Jason on the path to where he is today. Jason started driving at age nineteen when he obtained his CDL, and we guess you might say, there was no looking back from there. On August 6, 2005, Jason married Jeanette, and they have maintained a well-versed love and support system as the years have passed. Jason started Flat Top Transport LLC in September 2013, with his first truck being a 2004 flat top Peterbilt 379. Jeanette is the backbone of the company in charge of everything, including the accounting and human resources, as well as anything else that needs to be handled. The first truck show Jason attended was the 2015 Richard Crane Memorial Truck Show in St. Ignace, MI. He has been attending that show, along with his family, every year since. It has basically become a “family” reunion of sorts, with being able to hang around with friends, plus the opportunity to look at all of the cool trucks in attendance. Truck detailing and polishing is very important to Jason and his drivers because image is everything. He takes pride in his trucks and wants his drivers to feel the same way, because for most behind the wheel, you want to look good rolling down the road. For the last few years, Jason has used Renegade Products on his trucks, with his current favorite 74 10-4 Magazine / November 2021 HE ALWAYS KNEW