Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/441527
VOICES 10 | Overdrive | January 2015 Young Anthony Mascari, pictured above in November 1984, suffered from neuroblastoma, a devastating cancer. He had two wishes toward the end of his fi ght with the disease at the age of 2. With the help of the Spe- cial Wish Foundation at Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, one of those wishes came true – in spades. Anthony got a ride in a big truck with a United Van Lines-leased team with a convoy of other trucks behind it on the I-270 loop around the city before he passed on two days later. His mother, Elvie Sprague (previous- ly Elvie Mascari), approaching the Nov. 23 anniversary of the convoy, as well as the anniversary of her son's passing, wrote in to thank Overdrive for a story that ran in the January 1985 issue. Sprague, who now lives in Texas, says the 30th anniversary of her sec- ond son's death has been "hitting her hard this year," but that the convoy and the truckers who participated in it are cherished memories she'll never forget. Here's a tip of the hat to Anthony's memory and to the truckers who took time to make a dream come true. Military logistics coordinator Rob Ahlers is on a mission. His new MSR Transport Services small fl eet is look- ing to ease the transition for former military into the often lucrative world of contract military-freight hauling in the private market. Ahlers landed in his current federal job in 2009 as a civilian managing logistics with the U.S. Army, after years working as a driver and in other capacities with FedEx divisions out of Ohio. In recent years, the carrier ap- proached him about managing a nongovernment small fl eet "because I had access to military drivers. They come with security clearances" as a general rule, Ahlers says. Further- more, the CDL skills test waiver program in place for such haulers would make it fairly simple for them if they wanted such a career when they made the transition from active military service. Finally, Ahlers and two principal partners began planning to launch MSR Transport Services out of Ohio. (MSR is military-speak for "main supply route.") Ahlers says his military haulers "are driving essentially civilian vehi- cles now" -- big Class 8 trucks with automated manual transmissions, which have become more common in the private arena. "As long as they've driven for a year or a year and a half and have oper- ated a Class 8 size vehicle," he adds, "we go through and look at their driving record and are able to waive the road test and school portions." Ahlers and company have fi nanced fi ve tractors. They're leasing two of the new 2015 Freightliner Cascadia Evolutions to FedEx Custom Critical, two to Panther Expedited Services and the other unspecifi ed at press time. Search Ahlers' name at Overdrive- Online.com for links to the new fl eet's Facebook page. For vets who drive, an opportunity Rob Ahlers, pictured above addressing troops during the Hurricane Sandy relief effort in 2012, and back in 2003 when he drove for FedEx Freight. Scan the QR to download the January 1985 Overdrive story of the convoy that granted young Anthony Mascari one of his final wishes before he passed in 1984. Alternately, search his name at OverdriveOnline. com. Looking back: 1984, Anthony's Convoy Elvie Sprague