Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/748284
Voices 2 | Overdrive | November 2016 The record-breaking 400-plus-truck convoy for Special Olympics in Joplin, Missouri, in late September raised upward of $100,000 for the charity. The event filled Main Street with custom rigs for one heck of a celebration of highway hauling. But a quieter convoy happened the day after with 14 trucks, many of them driven by military veterans among the owner-operator community on hand for the Guilty by Association Truck Show at 4 State Trucks. Spearheaded by trucker/sing- er-songwriter Tony Justice, the convoy brought together veterans and patriotically decorated rigs to produce a music video for a song that unites patriotism, the sacrifices made by veterans and the American truck driver. Justice's "Stars, Stripes and White Lines" is set for release as a single in the new year. One of those who fit the bill was Farmington, New Mexico-based own- er-operator Grant Maxey, a Navy veter- an leased to Thriftway Fuels. One of Maxey's primary runs is to the Navajo reservation in Arizona, although he pulls his military-tribute tank as far up as the Salt Lake City area. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he went directly back to trucking, his first love. He wanted to have a canvas big enough to offer a fitting tribute to America's veterans, and last year he rolled out the "All Gave Some, Some Gave All" tribute tanker. It was hand-painted by Adrian Vigil at Airgraphics in Farmington, work- ing closely with Jamrs Inc. Custom A touching salute to veterans U.S. Navy veteran Grant Maxey's 1988 Heil military-tribute fuel tanker was one of 14 rigs in a convoy filmed as part of a music video for trucker/singer-songwriter Tony Justice's "Stars, Stripes and White Lines." Scan the QR to view a video with scenes from the convoy's staging and rollout, backed by audio from Justice's live debut of the song at the Great American Trucking Show in August. Otherwise, search the song title at OverdriveOnline.com to read more about the convoy. Owner-operator Charlie Flowers didn't serve in the military, but his daughter was in the Army. His 2000 Peterbilt 379 carries a patriotic theme. Owner-operator Jerry Reed of Cassville, Missouri, served in the Army and Reserves from 1981 to 1994. He's leased to Powersource Transportation of Griffith, Indiana. His Peterbilt is pulling Wisconsin-based Jerry Kissinger's patriotically decorated reefer. Photos by Todd Dills