Speaker 1: 0:07

Hi everyone, welcome back to another episode of that's Delivered. I'm your host, trucking Ray, and I have an honor that I'm sitting down with someone who embodies the heart and grit of the trucking industry Jesse Herron. Grit of the trucking industry, jesse Heron. Jesse has built an impressive career as a dedicated truck driver, a proud Teamster Union member and a leader in advocating for drivers across the country. He was named a Driver of the Month by Minnesota Trucking Association in 2022, and beyond that, he has been actively involved in national trucking initiatives, working alongside influential industry figures like Sean O'Brien.

Speaker 1: 0:54

We're going to dive into Jesse's journey in trucking, his work in the union and the biggest challenges facing the industry today, what the future looks like for driving truck across america. So buckle up because this is going to be a great conversation, all right. So how you doing today? Jesse? Doing good, ray, how are you all right? Glad to have you on the show, uh, in the studio, actually. So yeah, glad you're able to join us here, right here in Minnesota studio and St Paul, so yeah. So you guys, you've been trucking for quite some time. It's quite an inspiring journey. We're going to dive into that. You know your biggest work is what you've done in the trucking industry with the union? What inspired you to pursue a career in trucking and how did your journey in the industry begin?

Speaker 3: 1:49

Well, my career started after high school. I went to the military. So I was in the Army, in the Reserves, and my dad was a truck driver and my brothers and my uncles, so my dad was a 46-year Teamster, local 120. I had a brother at UPS, I had one at CF Consolidated Freightways, now at Breakthrough Beverage. I had uncles at Hyman Freight, Raymond Freight, super Value, yellow, you name it. We kind of had family everywhere. Coca-cola, coca-cola, yeah. So it was kind of in my blood. And then my journey kind of began. When I was 20, so two years out of high school, I knew I couldn't work in a factory. There's no way I could handle that. I'd rather be out on the open road. Kind of started out as working for Wiseway Hauling Furniture. In high school I worked for Clean Coat Truck Wash so I washed trucks. So I was around trucks pretty much all my life, nice wow, and that's uh, that's definitely uh says a lot.

Speaker 1: 3:10

I mean, you got a lot of people that uh support you in industry and a lot of people that you can rely on, um family, uh, I mean, even your biggest supporter here is with us right now. You know you have your wife with us, jackie, so I appreciate you being here with us too.

Speaker 3: 3:25

You're gone on the road. Family life is important, but you got to have somebody that supports you doing it because you're gone a lot. If you're an owner-operator, you're gone months at a time, weeks at a time. I try to stay mostly union, just because the motto of eight hours paid for eight hours of work. You know you can have a family life, a home life, outside of work. But somewhere along the line I think that changed, like somewhere around the 90s.

Speaker 1: 4:02

Yeah, what makes you think it changed? What did you observe?

Speaker 3: 4:05

Well, because you're working more hours. Yeah, you know, these companies push you more. They want more because they feel it's better to work you than have to hire somebody and pay the insurance and benefits on them.

Speaker 1: 4:20

Yeah, because as a member of the union, it works great for eight hours of work.

Speaker 3: 4:26

Yeah, I mean, that's plenty. I mean, you know, I just don't want to be there 14 hours a day.

Speaker 1: 4:35

Yeah, yeah, I understand. You know it seems like less members that the company has to pay is almost better for the company because, like I said, it's less benefits. So they get a kickback for having more hours and the members. It works better when the union has more members, right, yeah, it's just a different calculation, but it works better for the company with more hours, right? Can you share your experiences as a truck driver and what some of the challenges you faced starting out? You know, I know in the beginning things are different.

Speaker 3: 5:08

Well, starting out when you're young. You know a lot of these companies want you to be a certain age. Yeah, they have so many miles driving over the road, you know, whether it be 500,000 or 100,000 miles, you know well where are you going to get that. A lot of the union companies wouldn't give you a chance. So then you have to go out and drive somebody else's truck, you know. And then you have interstate and then you have intrastate. So, depending on your age, you know you can leave the state. Yeah, you know so. And then now you know anymore. I mean, I mean, you know, to go to get a license. Now, like me, I got kind of grandfathered in. I took it with a free delay. Uh, fifth wheel trailer, with one of them, van front ends with automatic. Yeah, you know, now they have truck driving schools, um, but a lot of them are just fast tracking drivers through. You know they're short of drivers everywhere, so now they just kind of fast track them.

Speaker 3: 6:13

At one point in my career, you know, I was a driver trainer and I had one one. One person I had, it was Kyle and he came out of truck driving school and he was going to take his test on a Monday. So I got in on a Saturday morning to help him out and I had asked him. I said just hook that tractor up to that trailer. I got to run inside, hand some paperwork in. I'll be right back. Well, it turns out I come out and he still wasn't hooked up. He was standing there and I go, what's going on? He goes. They never showed us in truck driving school how to hook a trailer up. He said everything was already hooked. You know, to me wouldn't that be one of the first things you would learn is procedure hooking up a trailer, because if you might have to go somewhere and drop that trailer and then go hook another trailer, you should know what you're doing. But, like I said, because if you might have to go somewhere and drop that trailer and then go hook another trailer, you should know what you're doing. Right. But like I said, they fast track everything. You know. But like me I mean I was young, you know nobody really wanted to give you a chance or a start. It was tough. I did some over the road stuff which is, you know you're fresh out of high school and now you're going across country, which is kind of scary, and now you know, even like today, now you've got way more traffic out there. You know that's a challenge too.

Speaker 3: 7:37

Most of these jobs are nighttime driving. You know it's. I mean, you really got to know what you want to do. Yeah, absolutely yeah, you just can't go. Oh, I'm going to know what you want to do. Yeah, absolutely, yeah, you just can't go. Oh, I'm going to go drive a truck. Well, are you going to work days? Are you going to work nights? And over the years, you know, I've transitioned from day to night, night to day.

Speaker 3: 7:57

That's really hard on your body, it's hard on your family life and you know it's nerve-wracking. It can be, you know. And then you got winter, you got snow, you got ice and no one can really tell you how to drive in that type of weather. You have to experience it, you know. And I just tell new guys hey, just drive it whatever you feel comfortable. You know they can't fire you for stopping or, you know, playing it safe. They just come and say, hey, I'm going to wait a couple hours, wait for the plows to come out, or salt, or whatever. I mean, you know, so you're in charge of your own life. So I mean it's like, hey, you're going to fire me because I pulled over. Well, I guess, so be it. You know I'll get a job somewhere else. All kinds of people are hired nowadays.

Speaker 1: 8:49

Yeah, I just think about a lot of those changes that happened over the years. I mean, you've probably seen quite a few things change. What has motivated you to stay in the profession and what do you find most fulfilling about it and what do you find?

Speaker 3: 9:05

most fulfilling about it? Well, you know most fulfilling would be you know, I'm able to have a life to be able to pay my bills, feed my family, enjoy time with my kids and my wife. You know you get somewhat normal weekends depending on when you work, but the understanding of the family and the kids are. There was a time where I didn't see a lot of my kids' events because I was gone working. I think I'm honoring them because I'm working, putting food on the table, right? Most guys, that's what you want to do, you know. But, like I said me, I go to work. I have a new job now and every night before I get in my truck, you know, when I pre-trip that truck, I'll stand at the front of that thing and I say a little prayer to myself Keep me safe while I get in this truck, give me good thoughts, keep my brain fresh, keep me awake and do the best we can.

Speaker 1: 10:16

I like that, knowing that you're not alone out there, looking to a higher power, that's important. I think that's a good practice for any day, or anybody too, too. So, um, sometimes we take, take it all for granted because, uh, just like that it can be changed in the blink of an eye. Um, things can real. You can get back real fast, right?

Speaker 3: 10:37

yeah, that's correct. Yeah, yeah. And, like you know, motivation, or you see, motivated really is this, you know. So it storage truck driving championship, which I haven't been able to compete in in the last three years, two years, two or three years. I mean, you know one company I worked with. They closed so we were out of work and I went on to the next company. Well, they didn't, they didn't get to compete because it's pretty expensive to get in the MTA, depending on your company. So now I'm at a new company that wants to get very involved in it. So hopefully maybe this year, if I can't drive, I can help everybody and kind of train them and teach them what to expect how to solve the problems, expect how to, you know, solve the problems. You know they have written tests and you have a driving test and you have a pre-trip inspection. You know, and of course, you know when you're at work. You know you're out there 15, 20 minutes pre-tripping your stuff or you know the competition is sometimes six,7 minutes or 13 minutes.

Speaker 2: 11:48

You haven't been accident free.

Speaker 3: 11:51

You have to be accident free for a year. You drive for 11 months and you don't necessarily have to drive the class that you drive every day. You can pick whatever class you want. The thing is, ultimately, is to win and go to nationals wherever they may be, but this year they're in Minnesota, so probably at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Speaker 1: 12:13

Yeah, I got a chance to go and be a part of it last year. It was nice just to be there. It almost felt like you were a winner already, just being a part of being a safe driver, like I said, for a year. I mean, that's a great point, man, that's a, that's a celebration itself. When you're out there, uh, it's difficult to be safe and it's hard to not get involved in any accidents, even if it's not your fault.

Speaker 3: 12:36

So yeah, well, I said I got Bumgarner. He was over 4 million miles safe driving in his career. You know I worked with guys that got 3 million miles. You know I'm a 2.5 million mile driver myself. So to go out there, you know to run in these snow storms or ice storms, and you know bad weather rain.

Speaker 3: 13:00

And then you know when you look at how people drive today on their cell phones or whatever, not paying attention, you know the road ragers. I mean it's surprising how many trucks a company can send on the road and not have an accident. Right, you know, you'd think there'd probably be one or two a day. But you know the main thing is to stay focused and I believe you know the more you talk safety amongst your fellow employees and your fellow workers, the more you're going to pay attention when you're out there. You know, or you're going to see something you guys talked about and go oh yeah, you know what. I kind of remember that Now, this is what I should do, right, right, you know, I kind of remember that Now, this is what I should do, right, right Now.

Speaker 3: 13:46

You know I was in dispatch the other day and I had a. You know where I'm at now they got cheater chains. You know where you put on the turn and they just get you out of the parking lot, right, yeah, well, I told them the other day. I said I haven't changed a truck in 36 years, never have. You know. And you're like, well, how is that possible? It's like, well, everybody knows, if it's on that bed, you just don't stop, you just plug along as far, get as far as you can, and you know, most of the time you can run out of it Sometimes. But, like where I worked, we ran turns and slip seats so we always snowstorm coming home, you know. But if you're running through somewhere like a different state, you can usually run out of it. You know, down a road.

Speaker 1: 14:30

So yeah, sometimes the storm just follows you. Yeah, right.

Speaker 3: 14:36

You'll talk to somebody on the CB. Oh yeah, it quit snowing 20 miles up the road and you get there and it's snowing just as hard because it's following you. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 14:48

Oh man there, and it's snowing just as hard because it's following you. Yeah, yeah, oh man. So let's talk about memorable moments. I mean those. Those are some stories you probably got right going through those snow storms or seeing all kinds of stuff out there oh yeah.

Speaker 3: 14:57

Well, you know, there was a time I was involved, uh, came on the scene of two accidents, uh, while I worked at holland, um, it was in wisconsin. Um, a truck had pulled off the shoulder no lights and one of our trucks rear-ended them and so back in them days we ran, ran two, three trucks anyway. Well, this was a Chicago driver, we were on Minneapolis, but me and Ted Reeves came up on this truck sitting in the middle of the road, smashed up. It was one of ours. So we got out, checked on the driver and then basically secured the scene and directed traffic until the state patrol got there. And then, when the state patrol got there, he says hey, what happened out here?

Speaker 3: 15:47

I said, well, this guy ran into a truck. Well, where's the other truck? Well, if you looked up the road about a mile or so, you could see it was just going around the curve and he pulled over. Well, no, the cop said well, I'm going to go check on that driver. You guys stay here and keep what you you know, because we had our flashlights and vests on right. Yeah, he says you guys direct traffic until I get back. Of course we're kind of looking at each other going. Really, is this legal? You know, but nobody showed up yet. You know, none of the other highway patrol or ambulances or whatever. And uh, you know, the thing about it is these highway troll men. They want to keep. They just kept pursuing to say, hey, did you fall asleep? Did you fall asleep? Did you fall asleep? They kept asking me. It's like the guy's in shock. How can he, how do you expect to get an answer out when he's in shock, you know?

Speaker 3: 16:45

So that was the first one, and then there was another one where, years later, I was working with a guy and the accident I came upon was his dad. So another truck had rendered him. He was broke down on the side of the road. He had a big, long nose, peter built, and he was in between the tires under the hood when he got hit and that hood came down and that truck spit him out the front of the truck, out the bumper, and the other truck was smashed up all the way to the passenger seat on the one side. And so there was one of our trucks, a flatbed, a dry van, and then two of us from Holland. So us guys from Holland, we just pulled out and blocked the highway so nobody could get around, because I mean, there was parts every year and no product and the only guys phone that work because we're down in a little valley down here in Wisconsin. Ups driver I said hey, your phone works, call 911. So he did.

Speaker 3: 17:59

It was weird because the two owner-operators wouldn't get out and help. Really, yeah, and they were right behind the accident. One crawled in his sleeper like he didn't want nothing to do with it. Yeah, it wasn't no liability. One guy gave me a blanket out of his truck. Okay, so we could cover up the one guy on the road, you know, keep him warm. So them were about the only two really memorable accidents. I think I was in.

Speaker 1: 18:26

Yeah, that's some life-changing events there.

Speaker 3: 18:27

Yeah, it really kind of makes you want, you know, wonder what was going on, you know right, yeah, they're all that's always a question is trying to figure out.

Speaker 1: 18:35

You know they start those investigations and trying to figure out what happened. I see you got that ring on. What's um? What's that all about there?

Speaker 3: 18:43

well, this right here I got yeah that would be my uh two million mile ring. I got for two, two million miles without an accident.

Speaker 2: 18:51

Wow, how many years did it take you to get that?

Speaker 3: 18:54

well, the company figures every nine years you go a million miles. You know that's just some kind of math they use, you know. Know, I mean, if you think about it when you're on the extra board at some of these companies, like we ran, they figure anywhere from 150 to 160,000 miles a year. Okay, you know other companies. I mean you see city guys walking around with this similar stuff and you're like going, yeah, right, like you went a million miles in burnsville. You know, I mean they probably got more miles backing up than I do. But, yeah, you know. But you know, that's just some of the awards that these companies give.

Speaker 3: 19:33

I mean I got jackets, I got shirts, I got, uh, name plates for your truck. You know a lot of companies, don't? You don't have the same truck every day, but places I worked at and I know like even yellow, you always had a different truck every time you went out. But if you got a certain amount of miles you get your own truck, yeah, and then they letter it up with your name and whatever. And one guy even has his own trailer. Really, yeah, the trailer, pup, trailer, all done up, wow.

Speaker 1: 20:02

So Nice, nice accomplishments.

Speaker 3: 20:05

Right.

Speaker 1: 20:07

There you go.

Speaker 3: 20:10

I think where I'm at now they call it the circle of honor. Is that right? That's right?

Speaker 1: 20:16

Stay in the circle. Exactly that's great Rodeos and truck shows and stuff like that. You're involved in a lot of those rodeos. What do you have to say for individuals that are maybe a little hesitant about being in a rodeo maybe this year, you know, trying to get them to go out and compete Maybe a little hesitant, maybe a little shy? What would you say to them?

Speaker 3: 20:38

I would say, just, you know, trust your gut and go for it Because, honestly, I get all the answers. You know I get all the same answers. Oh, I know I can drive, oh, I know this and I, you know, I don't think I do. Well, because you know I get. You know, I don't like people watching me.

Speaker 3: 21:02

Well, if you think about it, you're a city driver. Or you're a city driver, you're backing into docks. You're backing into retail stores, right. You're backing into malls, grocery stores. There's all kinds of people watching you, right, right, we have, you know. So when you go to the rodeo, they have vendors there, they have a bleacher, set of bleachers, you know, for people to sit in, and then each company has their own tent. Usually you know where you can sit under and you know all the wives can talk and safety people and management and whoever. So, honestly, when I drive I don't even see anybody. Really, I kind of block them out, huh. And my wife can contest that that she's sitting right next to me. I mean, you know she'll say, did you see me waving?

Speaker 3: 21:50

I said I don't even know where you were sitting, you know yeah and then the one year I did look, I think I had my window cracked down so I could hear him when I drove by. Okay, you know, um, but yeah, I mean, mean, it's a great experience. I've been doing it since. Well, I did it back in 1989 for Lakeville Motor Express, which they don't exist anymore. A friend of mine got me into it and that was my first one, and then I didn't do it for from 89 I think. I got back into it in about 90 or 2000,. 2001 or 6.

Speaker 3: 22:34

I got a shirt at home I think it was 2006. That's a favorite one I wear all the time, right, yeah, but it was 2006 and I've been kind of doing it every year since and like I was the only guy that did it at my company, okay okay, yeah and guys go.

Speaker 3: 22:49

Well, don't you have to practice? Well, yeah, you should, um, but if you really think about it, you're practicing on the street every day, right, you know? Um, yeah, the problems on our course is, you know, you gotta get as close as you can without hitting it and, of course, in real life, your boss wants you to stay as far away from something. So you're doing the exact opposite you do every day, but it's a controlled atmosphere. I mean, you know it's. You can go as slow as you want. Yeah, you can go as slow as you want. I mean, you're timed on the course, okay, and the only reason you're timed is because if it comes down to a tie, like you have the same score. They go to who ran the course the fastest, I see, but you know what? You just go out there, you take your time. If it's your first time, now they've got Rookie of the Year too. So I mean, if you do good on the written test and the pre-trip and driving, now they put you up for rookie of the year. And last year we had one at our company and then he went to Nationals too. Wow, that was unified Okay. And the year before that we had one at Yellow which was McCarty. Before that we had one at yellow which was mccarty.

Speaker 3: 24:11

So yeah, it's uh, you know there's. You know there's prizes with that winning there. And then you go to nationals and you know it kind of comes on whatever your company does for your people. You know, but it's a, it's a, it's a how does my wife put it? It's a great big family. Everybody cheers the same for everybody. You know, union, non-union, that's not a factor there. Yeah, you're all one big family. And you know what, when I run down the road, it doesn't even matter, I'll pull over and just make sure the guy's okay, because it's if your truck's not running, it's 40 below out. Yeah, you know, so it can get real bad.

Speaker 1: 24:51

You carry a. You know you do a little different than some drivers. You carry something with you right, just to make sure you get back home safe. Oh.

Speaker 3: 24:58

I carry a bag with all my winter survival. You know I get the guard check, you know, and he's like is that big enough? I said I hope so, but I hope I never have to use it either. You know I've had to use it in the past. You know all them trucks, they don't stay warm very long if they shut down.

Speaker 1: 25:16

So you carry a candle and a cup right.

Speaker 3: 25:18

Candle camping cup. Yeah, you know, because a candle you can keep the uh, you know heat the truck. And then, of course you know you carry your candy bars or whatever, because they'll last a little longer nice nice that's right, all right, wow.

Speaker 1: 25:34

A lot of great tips, a lot of great motivational um things for people to think about for a road. I mean, it's a big, big deal to be recognized for the skill and the things you do. I think it it also helps along the road, even when you're not competing, to know that what you do matters out there on the road. So can you tell us about your involvement with Teamsters Union and how you got started with that?

Speaker 3: 25:53

Well, the Teamsters Union, that was well. My dad's been a Teamster, like I said, for about 46 years, so for me I can say we grew up union as kids. So do I really know what the other life is like? I don't know, because I've always had union life. We've always had the support of the union. Something happens. You've got them fighting for you. They got your back. If a union company gets shut down, they'll help you find another job. If you get hurt and you can't do your job or drive or whatever, they'll send you to school for a different trade or different work.

Speaker 2: 26:44

When you're laid off, there's a food shelf.

Speaker 3: 26:46

Yep, you got the Teamster food shelf. You get laid off. If you got some medical issues, you use the Teamster food shelf. So you know, that's all good stuff.

Speaker 1: 26:56

Nice. Yeah, that's good to know. So, has being part of the union impacted your career or your personal growth in any way?

Speaker 3: 27:06

Yeah, you know, after a good friend of mine got in the union, then we had a steward election and I won that. So I was a steward for, I want to say, about 15 years Sound, about right, and that is a job that's thankless. You know, one minute you're a hero, 30 seconds you're a zero and you're the go-between between the company and the employees. So you're a lawyer and a driver. So you're a lawyer and a driver. You know you're doing the best you can because you've got a full day and then you've got to come in and fight for what's right and stick up for everybody. Yeah, the same. Always answering your phone? Yeah, well, that's a little different. I'm going to tell you every steward's a little different. Every. I'm gonna tell you every steward's a little different. You know, some guys go on vacation and they shut their phones off. I, unfortunately, answered my phone all the time. Yeah, in the middle of dinner, family dinner, um taking a nap, yeah, taking a nap, I'd still answer it.

Speaker 3: 28:24

I was in my truck sleep, I think. You know I always answered the phone, you know what was that?

Speaker 1: 28:29

what was that like uh for home life?

Speaker 3: 28:31

well. Well, here my wife's right next to me.

Speaker 2: 28:34

You want to say something, honey yeah, jesse, being a steward, um, you know he would. He would field a lot of questions, a lot of people who didn't know their contract or, you know, had a grievance and, you know, wanted to complain or whatever. They would call him and he would always answer the phone and we would be sitting down for dinner and he'd answer it. He'd answer it every time. There would be times when I like, put the timeout sign or, you know, wrap it up or whatever, because you know it did take away from family time, but but he was. What I found is he was well respected for what's that. He was dedicated and well respected for what he did. But, yeah, things, you know, when things don't go well, they would call Jesse and he would calm them down or he would make sure that they knew what the contract was and what their rights were. No, he just said it like it is.

Speaker 1: 29:41

What was it like for you, though? Think about the wife of a truck driver. I mean, that's a story in itself.

Speaker 2: 29:50

Oh, I'm so proud of him. Yeah, I have a sticker on the back of my car and it says proud wife of a truck driver with a big truck semi truck on it. Got it for my birthday one year from my kids. I asked for that, but no, I'm very proud of him. Got it for my birthday one year from my kids. I asked for that, um, but no, I'm very proud of him. Um, you know, we we do hold on the fort. You know, as, as wives and uh, the camaraderie among truck drivers and truck driving families and truck driving wives, there's nothing like it. Um, we are always like, if there's a snowstorm, we'll call each other saying, hey, did your husband come home? Is everybody safe over there? Um, you know, on on facebook, we're always kind of, you know, chatting about how how life is. You know, um, we have a sign in our house that says don't wake the bear there you go because he sleeps during the day.

Speaker 2: 30:39

And if his friends you know friends come over to play with the kids, you know we just say, okay, you can, you certainly can be here, we're happy to have you, but go to the basement and keep it down. And I have a sign, and if they're a little bit loud, I just quietly bring the sign and show it to them. It's like, ok, guys, keep it down. Yeah, so we don't know anything different. You know 23 years of marriage, you know we just are so used to it. But when he's home, those weekends are sacred. You know, those days that he has off family you know Nice.

Speaker 2: 31:16

So yeah.

Speaker 1: 31:19

That's awesome.

Speaker 2: 31:20

Proud to be a truck driver's wife Awesome, proud to be a truck driver's wife.

Speaker 1: 31:22

I love it. I mean, I think that's a story that so many people can relate with and there's so many families that are involved that know someone's a truck driver or that was raised by a truck driver.

Speaker 3: 31:35

So, man, great job to you guys putting in the hard work, thank you, I didn't always drive, you know, I worked the city for a lot of years, oh sorry, oh sorry. So I worked in the city for a lot of years. I worked the freight docks. I kind of did it all Worked the yards, drove the yard, hovers Nice. So I learned all the aspects of the job, which is nice I do miss. Like I told them guys, guys, I was talking to a friend of mine last friday night, I worked there and I just said, yeah, I kind of missed the dock. I said they told me they had a forklift. If I could drive I'd probably go do it yeah you know, yeah, he goes.

Speaker 3: 32:17

Yeah, you kind of always did like putting them trailers together. You know, packing that freight in and stuff. So, um, you know, I worked at companies where we were considered a velocity driver, where I'm a road driver but yet I run down and unload my trailer and then reload it and then come back and if I had hot freight I'd deliver it on the way in because I knew the city guys couldn't unload the truck fast enough and get it back out Kind of helps the company. You know, I think as a and I think, as you know as far as it goes, as a steward, you know you kind of need a guy that's kind of friendly with the company but yet it's all for the men.

Speaker 3: 32:55

You know they got your back 110%. You know the thing of it is, if you're, you know, if you got to get good with the company, you're going to get things solved maybe quicker. Okay, Because some of these grievances could take you out three months and you're not working. So, depending on the outcome, you might get your back pay and what the outcome is, you may not, Right? So yeah, as far as all that goes.

Speaker 3: 33:21

I mean, it's like I said, you're a hero or a zero and, like I said, you know you got to a lot of the guys I worked with. You know I told it like it is it's. You know this is the way it is. I'm not going to sugarcoat it, no-transcript at work. Walk out the door and go have breakfast with you and never talk about it, and that's what we kind of had where I worked before. You know you had some guys. Well, how could you go and have a breakfast with them after that? Well, that's not work. Yeah, work is work. And then when I leave outside the door, that's different. Yeah, unless I get the phone call at home or whatever. You know they try to help as best as you can.

Speaker 1: 34:08

Yeah, won't call it home or whatever. You know they try to help as best as you can. Yeah, you got to be able to resolve these issues without taking it personal. I mean, that's uh, I think that's a huge um skill in itself. Some people may struggle with it, but, uh, it's something you can develop over time because it's for the greater good you know it's looking for. Make sure that all works out right. You know it's supposed to be a union. It's supposed to be able to get along with each other to a certain extent right.

Speaker 3: 34:29

All right, teamster, we're a team, we're all doing the same job. We're doing the same work. You know, help a brother out or sister, yeah, Absolutely.

Speaker 1: 34:41

Are there any specific union initiatives or movements, I guess, or moments of advocacy that you're particularly proud of?

Speaker 3: 34:51

well, I think you know, as far as when you're union, you talk about the organizers, um, where I came from, we we have organizers, um, but really everybody's an organizer. You as a driver see the other competition on the street. You go into these other buildings that might be trying to negotiate something. You're the advocate. We are all organizers.

Speaker 3: 35:20

I know a lot of guys won't talk to other guys on the street or whatever, but the greater good of things, everybody kind of has to be an organizer, can't just leave it up to the guys at the local, because you're the ones giving them the leads. Hey, check this company out. I talked to these guys. The best thing to do is get the phone number. If you're talking to a guy and they're serious, you want to get a phone number so that way you can give that to your local. They can be, you know, contact somebody, you know, and these companies nowadays they can't do nothing to you if you're talking about it, you know. You know a lot of them say, oh, we're going to fire you this, and that they by law cannot do that. Why would they even say that anyway? Well, because they don't want to be. You know, they want to reap all the rewards for themselves. It's big business. I mean, you see Sean O'Brien talking about it all the time. But these big companies.

Speaker 3: 36:16

You know they want to hoard the money for themselves. You know you get rich off the people that are doing the work.

Speaker 1: 36:24

I just don't feel like that gets you where you need to be in life. I think it puts you back. Money is not everything, so I feel like they kind of lose a little bit when they do that internally.

Speaker 3: 36:37

Yes, yeah, yeah. Like I said, I did the organized a little bit of organizing over there. I was in the local 120 for 36 years, so I did some organizing over there. I was in the local 120 for 36 years. I did some organizing over there with them guys. I drove the team's truck to different events. The one event I liked the most was the Special Olympics Convoy we did every year.

Speaker 1: 37:02

Tell us about that. That's usually in October. People don't know about that.

Speaker 3: 37:05

That's usually in October, the first week in October and the 5th of October. Um, you know, companies can pay. Well, they can donate as much as they want, but you know, 500 bucks gets you five trucks, you know. Or you can bring five company, five of your company's trucks for, you know, like $500, you know, and usually you, and usually they want you to be able to take an Olympian with you from Special Olympics. But sometimes the only companies don't allow passengers in their vehicles. But you can still go on a convoy and they usually meet up at Running Aces and then they run up to Harris, minnesota and then they make a U-turn and come back and then they have a luncheon Hold on. My wife wants to talk. Yeah, go ahead.

Speaker 2: 37:50

This is a really cool event that fundraisers for the Special Olympics of Minnesota and the really cool thing about it is you have this parking lot filled with trucks and they're blowing their horns and it's just really like an amazing event. And then they have this long line of trucks. They call it a convoy for a reason. You look in that rearview mirror and you see trucks for as far as the eye can see and you go around a corner and it's even more spectacular and they have the sheriff's department from several different counties come and they are blocking all the entrances to 35W so that people cannot get on. It's like blocked so that it's just the convoy. And then when you turn around, that's when you see all the trucks go by, like you. You just see them all go by one by one and, uh, I tell you, it's really, it's really an honor and a privilege to be a part of that.

Speaker 2: 38:56

It's really amazing and um, seeing the, the faces of the special olympians. And then, as you go by, there's people um, at the overpasses holding flags and holding thank you signs from Special Olympics and from the communities around the area, and so everywhere you look, there's people waving and honking and asking you to honk and it's just really fun. So we look forward to that every year and it keeps building. So we look forward to that every year and it keeps building, like more and more companies hear about it and learn about it and they bring their trucks and they bring their funds with it and it's just a really grand time. And if you can get an Olympian in your truck, that's even better, like it's so much fun. So that's the Special Olympics Convoy Begins at Running Aces, goes to Harris and then comes on back and then there's styling, auctions, there's just all kinds of really fun activities that go along with it.

Speaker 3: 39:54

Awesome To go back to the rodeo. Mta is for the whole state of Minnesota, so any company that becomes an MTA member in Minnesota can send their drivers.

Speaker 1: 40:09

Nice. I mean just the fact to be able to give back in that way, that's huge. I mean for the community, for so many people that don't know about the Special Olympics, that would be a great place to show up and also show their support as well.

Speaker 3: 40:23

Great job, man. Thanks for mentioning it. Well, thank you for company recognition too, because I mean you go on the website and you got all the video and all that you know, so it's pretty good publicity for your company also.

Speaker 1: 40:36

Nice, Nice. That's a good motivator as well. Well, it looks like congratulations is in order. I mean you're named Minnesota Trucking Association Driver of the Month in 2022. What did that recognition mean to you?

Speaker 3: 40:55

I mean, what helped after that for you and your life? Well, that was a little bit of a surprise. You know, I was told I was put in for it and then they picked drivers, I believe based on their portfolio Right, and I based on their portfolio Right, and I had quite the portfolio evidently. So, yeah, I was picked for November of 2022, minnesota Trucking Association Driver of the Month.

Speaker 3: 41:23

You know, like I said, I guess the real honor with that is basically, uh, to me, everybody's, you know, everybody should have one. That you know, because our job is that difficult. I mean, it's pretty stressful, you know, long hours. You know, I just see a thing that says, oh, um, I have a 70-hour work week, and how'd that go? Something about, oh, and you have a 40-hour work week, boo-hoo, you know. But you know, like I said, we're out there in the element, we are in the snow, we are in the ice, we are hot. I mean, you know there's no break for us, it's just a constant grind and uh. So you know it was a little disheartening.

Speaker 3: 42:15

I didn't get driver of the year, but you know, I belong to a club, the matrix club, which is the past champions of the Minnesota truck driving championships and you know, you go there and it's surprising at how many drivers are drivers of the month or even driver of the year in the club. Wow, you know, because it's basically your company's safety department that kind of puts you up for it. Okay, you know. So it kind of you know kind of helps if your company's a little more involved. I like it. Yeah, you know, like I said, I got a plaque, got a jacket. Okay, we got a dinner, you know it was good it was.

Speaker 3: 42:59

You were written up in the magazine. Oh yeah, I was written up in Minnesota Trucking Association Truck. Minnesota Trucking Association.

Speaker 1: 43:06

Yeah, you showed me that you got a news article right.

Speaker 3: 43:08

Yeah, in the magazine, yeah. And then the thing about the rodeo when I ended up going to Nashville and I got that driver of the month thing. When I got back I was actually driving down the road one day and my cousin called me and said, hey, my son called me and says you're on the internet Transport topics. But you know, in Minnesota here they have, you know, your third party logistics. Okay, so I was on their website and they were using it as, hey, these are the kind of drivers we call to haul your freight. Oh, yeah, so you know, to find out from my cousin that his son works at a Monday 3rd party shipping places and they have me on their website, you know, just really floored me. Okay, you know how about that. So, yeah, that's been. You know, I was at a couple of them. I heard that from a couple of people hey, I seen you on the website at this company that says this is the kind of driver they hire.

Speaker 1: 44:11

What do you think set you apart to earn the honor, to get those awards and those recognition? Maybe help other drivers that could reach out or to expand their career in that area.

Speaker 3: 44:21

I think a lot of that. I was over 2 million miles accident-free. Well, I had. I was over 2 million miles accident-free. You're safety-minded, safety-minded. I never got a scale ticket, never got a violation. You go into the scale and they inspect you, and that I mean they check all that stuff. In all my years I haven't got any violations, haven't had any accidents. I think that all accounts for it.

Speaker 1: 44:56

Yeah, it's a celebration.

Speaker 3: 44:57

Do the rodeo, I do the Special Olympics, I do other things outside of work for the public.

Speaker 1: 45:10

Yeah, you invited the truck driver.

Speaker 3: 45:12

A great example, so not just at work, but also outside of it as well well, yeah, then, along with the rodeo, like with National, that you can sign up to be an America's Road Team Captain, which that then you go out and you're a spokesperson then for the trucking community. You know where you go, do engagements all over the country, or you might run out and pick up the ATA truck in Oregon and drive it out to Louisville. You know stuff like that, yep, then you go there truck driving competitions, you go to other truck competitions all over the country. You know, and it's paid, it still pays you while you're gone. So you got speaking engagements all over or you're just helping out or you know with your industry. Of course, yeah, you know, yeah, absolutely. Yeah, those are great things, fighting them, of course.

Speaker 1: 46:04

Yeah. You know, yeah, absolutely yeah, those are great things.

Speaker 3: 46:08

Fighting them. Autonomous trucks yeah.

Speaker 1: 46:11

Yeah, I mean those are definitely something that you got to watch out for. You know those awards and those achievements. Those accomplishments also speaks to who you are as well, you know. So being a positive individual about trucking, knowing that you can make a difference, I think does show through on who you are as well. So those awards come along with just being a great person through and through so that's good, man, that's real good.

Speaker 3: 46:40

It didn't go to my head. Let's put it that way. You say what now? I said it didn't go to my head yeah, yeah, I'm still the same guy I was yesterday or the day before. Yeah, it's a great honor. And it's a good honor yeah.

Speaker 1: 46:55

Well, I think you've built something and it's good to see something that you build, come out to do something positive and also help other people to see that, so it's something to be proud of. You've got to be proud of the hard work you do. So, yeah, absolutely. So. You're also involved in national initiatives. Can you share a little bit more about those roles, maybe on a national level?

Speaker 3: 47:19

National level.

Speaker 1: 47:22

I understand you work with Sean O'Brien. At some time you had a relationship with him Well yeah, he came up to 120 there.

Speaker 3: 47:29

So we were down at the strike down there at the refinery.

Speaker 2: 47:34

All right.

Speaker 3: 47:35

So yeah, he showed up to that and then he talked to the guys on strike and then the guys were there and then kind of hang out a little bit afterwards and that and you know, he's just a regular guy, just like everybody else Wants to get the message out and get the word out on the teamsters.

Speaker 1: 47:54

What do you have to say about that? The message that he has to say, and that he's trying to get the word out. What would you like to add to that?

Speaker 3: 48:02

The thing with this is we as employees are the union. Your contract is what your fellow employees want. It's not them dictating what you're going to get. You come together as a group, a family, and you negotiate what you want from the company. They're just there to help you along the way. You know, like I said, you know the seniority aspect, like of these jobs. You know where somebody doesn't get. You know some companies might give somebody special preference for some reason and he might be junior. You know in my mind you're junior and then why is he getting that, when I'm actually been here the longest or whatever, where you know, like, where we're, we all understand there's a culture, it's it's you know. You follow suit and honestly in my mind is okay, if you take care of the junior man, the senior man is automatically taken care of.

Speaker 1: 49:17

A lot of people don't see it that way, give them a little more insight.

Speaker 3: 49:21

Well, you know what I'm saying. You protect the junior guys. The senior guys protect it. You know they already got everything, but you protect those guys on the bottom. We're coming up in seniority. I mean you're going to retire someday, right, you don't want to. What do you call it?

Speaker 2: 49:47

It's a culture of taking care of everyone.

Speaker 3: 49:49

Yeah, it's a culture of taking care of everybody. It's not individualism. You know, me, me, me kind of thing. You're unified, you stand as one, you negotiate as one. You're all in the same business, you're all doing the same job.

Speaker 1: 50:06

Nice. Yeah, I mean there's a lot of individual work that's being done and people kind of look after themselves and try to bring that into a union. That doesn't necessarily work as well, Does it?

Speaker 3: 50:17

Well, you might've been there 30 years and I come in and I got two years, but I'm getting paid the same money as you are. Yeah, we're doing the same job. You know it's. It's the senior guy's job to educate the junior guys. And I think that goes whether you're union or non-union. That's in every company. You know educate your people. You know you take care of the guys at the bottom. They're going to take care of you guys on the top there you go.

Speaker 1: 50:49

I like it. It just works that way. It's more like fundamentals and good practices, maybe even just a good human way of treating each other Feels camaraderie. Yeah, absolutely All right, wow. So as for the future, what goals or milestones are you looking forward to in your career? Looking ahead, what do you expect?

Speaker 3: 51:12

Well, looking ahead, I'd like to retire someday. You know, just like everybody else, milestone, I mean, I'll be well. I'll have about 46 years in the union when I retire, just like my dad had To me. That's a privilege and an honor to have alongside him. You know I got my brothers. You know I got one brother he's still working. My other brother retired early. You know he's out living the good life. So you know I look forward to being able to hang out with them guys when it's done. You know, because we all worked just kind of the same job. We're all truck drivers, we all had the weird hours. So it's kind of like you go to places and you're like, well, what are you doing awake? You just got off work, didn't you? Well, yeah, but my son's doing this or my daughter's doing that you make, do you make it work? I'm not always the happiest guy when I don't have sleep. The bear right.

Speaker 1: 52:19

And if I didn't?

Speaker 3: 52:19

get enough sleep. That's a get out of the way. But every time I go to work I'm smiling and guys would always say what are you smiling about?

Speaker 1: 52:43

And I'm like you, tell me a job or I can go to work and hang out with my buddies and talk on the phone, all it is.

Speaker 3: 52:51

I think what makes the companies are the people. You know there's good companies out there, but the companies I work for I miss the people. I worked with the fellow drivers, you know, because you know, like I said, I left the company. One company shut down. I went to a company where I knew the guys, so that was okay. You know, I got in there. You know kind of changed the culture at that company where everybody started to get along a little better. Well, and then I left there. I went to this really huge company, yeah, which you know you're like. It's like leaving middle school to go to high school. You're not the big fish in the pond anymore, you're at the bottom. You know, like I said, camaraderie is everything.

Speaker 1: 53:42

There you go, awesome. So I see good things in the future for you, I see good things for unions. If we just do what we have to do, those grassroots, the work that we need to do to stick together and be there for each other, a camaraderie will will all just come together.

Speaker 3: 53:58

So, um, like I said, I was at 120 for 36 years, so now, if I could be in local 638 for the next 10 years, that'll be my 46 years.

Speaker 1: 54:10

There you go.

Speaker 3: 54:11

Yeah, Of course everyone wants to retire early, so I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Speaker 1: 54:18

Yeah, absolutely yeah. You know that's good man, awesome. So, man, I appreciate, jackie and appreciate you too, jesse, coming on here that you guys have put on a great show. There's plenty of things that are going to happen in the future. I see it happening. We've got to think good things right. Like you said, those improvements that we can do with each other is going to help out just for everybody. Because trucking encompasses so much in the industry, what do you see the trucking industry doing as a whole? What do you see there?

Speaker 3: 54:55

Well, I see them fighting them autonomous trucks. Really, I don't know how they think that's going to. Even you know, I know they have them out there. Yeah, I think they're down in Arizona or Colorado area.

Speaker 3: 55:09

I think Texas, yeah, yeah right, but how's that going to work in the wintertime? Yeah, how's that going to work in the wintertime? Yeah, how's that going to work going down the mountain? Yeah, you know, and I think if they do somehow figure this out, you're still going to have to have a hub outside of every major city where you have drivers when these things come in, because there ain't no way you're going to drive them into a city yeah, and who's going to load it? I have to have a driver unloaded a city? Yeah, and who's going to load it? You have to have a driver unload it, right? Yeah, then you have to have it reloaded and then bring it back out. I just don't understand why they all think that this is just a great thing. I mean, between trucking Ray and me, you really think that computer, that thing on the front of your tractor, that you think that's really safe when it's giving the wrong signals and messages to the truck and it's locking the brakes up?

Speaker 1: 55:58

Yeah, it already does. The ghost braking right. People are like what's ghost braking? Somebody hit it, it wasn't me.

Speaker 3: 56:05

Right. And then when you try to explain it to the company, they just think you're lying. Maybe you just hit it you know it's and the arguments that we've had at other companies I've had been at it's like hey, you know you're going down the road because somebody had well, I hit a deer one time. They put a new computer on the front radar or radar. Yeah, it never aligned it uh-oh right.

Speaker 3: 56:27

So it was everything on the left side of my truck. It was locking the brakes up for and anything on the right side nothing, it just kept on going. Wow, now if you truck, it was locking the brakes up for and anything on the right side nothing, it just kept on going. Now, if you guys think it's smart to have this thing operating at an 80,000-pound vehicle, I just don't get that. It must be the same people putting in the super safe roundabouts.

Speaker 1: 56:47

Yeah Well, I mean think about all the money that they're putting in, that they could actually probably pay the drivers or pay people a little better.

Speaker 3: 56:55

Well, they say with some of the trucks they have a driver in there sitting behind the wheel, but the truck's driving itself. Yeah, what's the driver doing? Taking a nap or reading a magazine, and by then something happens. That's too late.

Speaker 1: 57:06

Yeah, it's too late. Yeah, you got less than a second a lot of times for these decisions.

Speaker 3: 57:10

But that's like I said, these roundabouts. They don't make these roundabouts for trucks and yet they expect us to maneuver them, although trucks do have the right-of-way in them. I don't know if people know that, but there's signs that some of us say trucks have the right-of-way and yet, because they're disgruntled, because they're trying to get home from work and they try and pass you in there and you're like going, you're not gonna get around me, you know. But and that's where your accidents come from just senseless driving from other drivers yeah, you know.

Speaker 1: 57:48

Uh, yeah, I don't get it. Um, it's gonna be a topic for a long time. Um, the money, the time, like I said, then they got to get.

Speaker 1: 57:55

Maybe they have to get rid of the roundabouts to bring in the autonomous yeah, right around the boat, keep going around oh, wow, hey, it gives us something to talk about, something that we can also start the conversation about working what we got right now and making what we have work uh, or make it even better. So, um, yeah, I really appreciate you coming on the show and sharing your wealth of your knowledge and hopefully that will inspire more people to get involved in rodeos and get more people involved in just the community uh of a union or at their company to be the best uh employee that it could be our best driver.

Speaker 3: 58:32

So, uh, I said that rodeo. I learn something new every year, wow, whether it's from other drivers, I mean. The course is set up by what used to be set up by one of our guys, and he's won the national championship.

Speaker 2: 58:50

Grand champion.

Speaker 3: 58:51

Grand champion at nationals 13 times.

Speaker 2: 58:57

He ran grand champion. He was first in his class 13 times at the state level. He was a grand champion at the national level yeah Wow. He's better than all 52 states. All the champions at all 52 level. Yeah, wow, so he's better than all 52 states. All the champions at all 52 states.

Speaker 3: 59:16

Yeah, and you got to figure out when you, when you're running a class at nationals, you've got 50 guys, cause there's 50 states.

Speaker 1: 59:22

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 59:23

In your class.

Speaker 1: 59:24

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 59:24

You know to come out and be, you know that's a that's a big deal. That's a big deal. That's a great honor.

Speaker 1: 59:32

Yeah, yeah, huge, yeah, wow. So that's just to wrap things up. Um, jesse, it's been an incredible conversation. Your dedication and truck industry, your advocacy, um that you've done your leadership within the union is truly inspiring. Uh, also, you know the support you receive from your loved ones. Your family Really appreciate you also, jackie. You have done an amazing job with being there. Man, it doesn't take one person, it takes a team, it takes a whole community to get things going, and a lot of people play a part in keeping a truck driver on the road. So, before we wrap it up, where can people find you or get in contact or maybe even follow your work?

Speaker 3: 1:00:19

Are you out there on the social?

Speaker 1: 1:00:20

media, or are you kind of just uh uh?

Speaker 3: 1:00:21

hanging out at the union shop I'm laying in the weeds. Yeah, I'm trying to coast through. You know I may help guys out from time to time and that hasn't changed. You know, like I said, you need you got an issue. Or if you don't, even you know if you're in a union, if you're at a union shop and you don't know who your steward is or your committee man, make sure you seek them out and find them. There you go. Or if you are a committee man or steward, seek out the new guys right away. Introduce yourself. Give the phone numbers. You got a problem. You know contact Ray. Don't call me. You know contact this guy. Don't call me. You know whatever. Yeah, however, you want to do it, but you know you should seek out your stewards. Seek out you got any problem, any questions. They should be able to answer them. Yeah, you know.

Speaker 1: 1:01:07

Should be available.

Speaker 3: 1:01:10

Because you know. So you know, like I said, that's a whole nother. That's a whole nother episode but it's just even like nine, you and you got a question, go ask somebody that knows, go ask another fellow employee, you know, yeah, stick together absolutely that's it.

Speaker 1: 1:01:27

Stick together. I think that's to be the main thing that we take away from this show. Um, we really appreciate you sticking in there and all those years I mean, you've been driving, and we love the accolades that you have hey man, show them off. You worked hard for them.

Speaker 3: 1:01:41

Yeah, but I work at a place where I can't word on the list.

Speaker 1: 1:01:46

We'll see what we can do about that. We can try to fix that, some of those things.

Speaker 1: 1:01:49

We're working on it, right All right, folks, we're wrapping up another episode of Das Delivered and that was an episode with Jesse here and we appreciate everything he has to say. We appreciate this If you guys share it with your friends. Talk amongst yourselves. If you have a review, we'd love to hear from you as well. If you have any show ideas or want to be on the show, we would love to have you as well. So share with your fellow drivers. No-transcript.