Troy’s Treasures: By Troy Miller Elevated can mean different things to different people, but for Eastin Franek (28) of Kersey, Colorado, elevated is just partofthejob! Eastin’sloveoftrucks andtruckingstartedatanearlyage. Like others, coming from a trucking family, Eastin often rode with his father Don as ayoungkid. FormuchofDon’scareer, he ran refrigerated freight, and there were many trips to the East Coast for Eastin with his late father. Towards the end of Don’s career he made a shift towards cranes for Wayne Schmeeckle, driving for Schmeeckle Bros. Crane Service in Greeley, Colorado. This move would prove instrumental for Eastin, as well, as it was his dad, after all those trips and lessons, that got Eastin’s foot in the door with Wayne Schmeeckle for Eastin’s first driving job. Since his start, Eastin has hauled a littlebitofeverything. FollowingWayne Schmeeckle, Eastin began running some specialized rigs for Devoe Companies and Shaun Devoe, running big wreckers, lowboys,andwinchtrucks. Transports and tows could range from towing Penske box trucks to coil-tubing units, as well as doing heavy recoveries and salvage operations from wrecks and big traffic accidents. Muchlikehisfather,Eastin has also run refrigerated freight, mostly westbound to the Golden Coast for BrandedLivestock. Eventually,Eastin found his niche and preference, hauling equipment and running lowboy. 2024 gave Eastin the opportunity to go trucking for Elevated Excavating, a local construction and transport outfit inFortLupton,Colorado. Foundedin 2016, Elevated Excavating focuses on mass excavation, as well as subdivision and development dirt work, along with underground utility, water, sewer and relatedprojects. Operatingmorethan 40 pieces of machinery including skid steers, excavators (from minis up to 120,000-pound units), dozers, scrapers, haul trucks and all the yellow iron in between, Elevated Excavating also operates three tractors, including the 2020 Peterbilt 389 seen here. Sitting on a 280-inch wheelbase, the double-framed 389 Peterbilt features an X15 Cummins backed by an 18-speed Eatonand3.91differentials. Builtfor work, the truck sits on tall 24.5s out back (less the lift axle on low-pro 22.5s) and fat 365/70R22.5 floats up front, and features vibrant metallic blue paint with ametallicgoldframe. Witha60-inch flattop bunk, the truck also has 8-inch Dynaflex miter-cut stacks, Talladega fenders front and back (painted to match with a gold pinstripe), and a flush and boxedrearlightbar. Someotherexterior features include a stainless-steel visor, seven cab lights, smooth stainless battery and toolboxes, and a 20-inch stainless frontbumper. Thetruckalsofeaturesa custom air-ride steer axle arrangement built by Cody Tondre. 62 10-4 Magazine / November 2025 AN ELEVATED EXPERIENCE
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