Holmes Park Elementary Huskies hosted representatives from local business John Christner Trucking, including driving trainer and safety department instructor Jack Wallace and his semi-truck, on Friday morning. The learning opportunity and respectful recognition were in honor of Truck Driver Appreciation Week, which kicks off Monday.
Principal Roger Johnson welcomed Wallace to the school and said that he and other drivers are members of an important group who “have kept us fed and clothed. They kept the world going during this whole pandemic.”
The first group of excited students to which Johnson introduced the instructor was a bevy of kindergarteners. Though initially disappointed that they weren’t being visited by an ice cream truck, that turned to excitement as they saw the shiny black Freightliner.
Johnson explained that truck drivers are “in charge of making sure everyone gets what they need. They bring you clothes and food.”
“And toys?” asked one of the children. “Ice cream?” asked another. “Yes, sometimes,” conceded Johnson with a smile. “They even go to Mars in Illinois. It’s not a planet, it’s where they make candy bars and M&Ms.”
Wallace explained that Sapulpa is JCT’s main terminal in the nation, and that they “specialize [in hauling] refrigeration products, such as produce, meats, Tyson chicken nuggets, and big thanksgiving turkeys. We move groceries and food all over the country.”
The long list of items the company carries also includes Coca Cola, orange juice from Florida, produce from California, and frozen goods. When asked about McDonald’s French fries, Wallace answered, “kinda, sorta…we deliver a lot of potatoes.”
He shared that, “If you’ve ever had a sausage biscuit from McDonald’s, it’s probably one of ours. [Tulsa company] BAMA Industries makes pancakes and biscuits, and we haul those out to distribution centers who then haul them to the stores.”
Questions abounded from students in all grades, from, “Where do you sleep?” to “What about bathrooms?” to “How long does it take for a driver to do his job?”
“It’s got a sleeper in it,” Wallace said in response to the first question, pointing to the rear of the cab. “There’s a bed in that truck so the driver can take naps when he’s done driving.” He showed them the Auxiliary Power Unit, or APU, which provides electricity, heat, and air conditioning for the cab. “There’s a fridge in the truck, and a microwave and TV.”
But, there is “no restroom in the truck. Drivers hope to find a nice, clean truck stop” for that.
Different drivers stay over-the-road for different spans of time. Some stay out 2-4 weeks and some as long as 6 months. “If you want to make money, you’ve gotta be out at least 3 weeks,” Wallace said.
Although the trucks are capable of traveling quite speedily, they usually take an average of about 53 miles per hour from pickup to delivery. Mandated breaks, sleep, traffic, accidents, and other factors slow them down.
Other questions included, “When you’re on the road, where do you stop to sleep?” (“Drivers try to make it to a truck stop or another safe place.”)
“Have you ever hauled animals?” (“Yes, but not for John Christner.”)
“How much do you get paid?” (“By the mile. But drivers can only drive so many hours a day and have to take so many breaks per day, per government regulations. They can drive 11 hours at a time before having to take a 10 hour break.”)
At the conclusion of the informational session, Principal Johnson encouraged the youngsters to pump their arms to prompt the quintessential semi truck honk from Wallace, and the ensuing loud horn delighted them. “Do it again! Do it again!” they pleaded.
From now on, suggested Johnson, “when you pass a big truck with mommy and daddy you’ll know what to do!”
“I’m going to be a truck driver,” avowed one impressed kindergartener.
Wallace and his Freightliner will make another appearance next week on Thursday, September 16th at 9:30 a.m. at Jefferson Heights.
