Pride and the Trucking Industry

My name is Will James and I wanted to introduce myself as a member of the 4 State Trucks and Chrome Shop Mafia family.  I came to work here almost a year ago.  In that year I have learned many things about the heavy duty trucking industry.  That being said, what I don’t know could fill a football stadium and overflow into the parking lots.

If I had to tell you what I thought the most important thing that I have learned in this past year, I would say, “Pride”. 

Some people work solely for a paycheck.  Other people work because they love what they do.  Most people tend to fall somewhere in the middle of those two groups.   I doubt that the trucking industry is fundamentally different in that respect than any other industry.  But here is the difference: the people I see walk in the front doors of 4 State Trucks love what they do.  They take pride in their truck and they take pride in their profession.  We get the opportunity to be a part of that pride.

I see a level of excitement on our customer’s faces when they are here that creates excitement in me.  I hear kids asking for autographs and adults calling their friends and saying, “Guess where I am…. 4 State Trucks!!!”.  That is just not something I have seen at many places I have worked.

Our time doing the television show “Trick My Truck” on CMT was well spent.  We did 41 episodes over 3 seasons and we showed America what we do.  More importantly it showed America who we do it for.  While we are not currently participating in any television shows, we continue to attend truck shows all over the United States.

As I said earlier, there is a lot I don’t know about this industry.  Fortunately, I am surrounded by fellow employees who are experts in the heavy duty trucking industry.  I look to these teammates to educate me.  One of these mentors is Cy King, our New Parts Sales Manager.  He was kind enough to answer some of my questions about our role in truck shows.

Here are two excerpts from our conversation:

Will:  What do you enjoy about attending a truck show?

Cy: I enjoy meeting people, getting the chance to talk to them, getting their ideas, and getting their input.  They always want to know what’s going on, what’s new, what’s happening in the trucking world.  It’s just a great opportunity to sit and actually get to know some of the truckers and see what’s going on with them.  As a sales manager I don’t always get to look at all the trucks out here on the lot.  A truck show gives me an opportunity to go and look at some of the trucks a little closer and become a little more knowledgeable of what the trucker actually wants from us.

Will:  What can someone who is not a trucker gain by going to a truck show?

Cy: They get a little more insight into what a trucker goes through…see what a trucker’s life looks like.  It gives them an opportunity to see how these truckers are proud of their vehicles.  They want them as nice as their houses because that is their house on wheels.  They spend more hours in that truck traveling around than most people spend in their house so they want it to look nice.  The general public can see that these truckers are not just guys pushing iron down the highway.  They are guys who are proud of what they do, they take pride in what they do and they deliver the goods to keep America moving.

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I want to come back to the word I mentioned earlier: “Pride”.  Truckers don’t just go to truck shows to exhibit their truck.  They take their pride to the show and their truck is physical proof of that pride.   Someone who isn’t immersed in the trucking industry will have a hard time walking away from a truck show without feeling a connection to the incredible machines shown there.  I think they will have a much harder time walking away without feeling the pride and fellowship of the men and women who are the heavy duty trucking industry.

Will James