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| My trusty rental car back in Dallas , Texas after it's 2,000 plus mile journey . |
This year, my Freightliner “Cascadia Evolution” will be part of the Freightliner exhibit booth at the Great American Truck Show in Dallas, TX. (Aug.25-27) I took a shipment from North Carolina to Wylie, TX. After delivering, I dropped off the truck to be staged along with the other trucks getting prepped for the show.
I had one week of free time prior to the Dallas show. Therefore, I decided to schedule sales meeting and 
driver training events throughout the Central United States. Speaking with drivers and offering instruction on today’s latest technology has been quite rewarding. The feedback from participants has been tremendous in that drivers are realizing that even with the new added advances being made to the equipment; they are still an integral part of the equation.
Upon dropping off the truck in Dallas for staging, I picked up a rental car to head out for my scheduled appointments. From Hertz, I received a Chevrolet Impala for my 2,000 mile journey. Although very comfortable, the car isn’t my truck by any means. I would much rather cover 
600 miles in my truck than 400 miles in a car. I guess I’ve gotten spoiled over the last 33 years of driving a truck. The funny thing is I still find myself feeling as though I should pull into the weigh scale as I pass by. When I pull into a rest area, it’s hard not to go onto the truck side of the parking area. As I plan where to stop and eat, my thoughts tend to think of the next truck stop. I then realize that I can go wherever I want. However, one day I did go into a truck stop restaurant. As I pulled my Impala into the “car” parking area, it felt strange walking in the entrance of the opposite side of my usual entrance area.
What I have observed is that the vast overwhelming majority of truck drivers are safe and courteous on 
the road. In passing or being passed by a large truck which happens to wobble a bit can be quite imposing. Also, while in heavy traffic being tailgated by a truck is quite unnerving.
The week was quite interesting viewing the highway from an automobile driver’s point of view. My take away is that the majority of my fellow truck drivers are adhering to the rules of the road. However, it really stands out when someone is driving inappropriately and you happen to be driving in a car in close proximity. Let’s try to remember, it’s a much different view looking out the driver’s side of a car window at the axle level view point compared to sitting up in the driver’s seat of a Semi Truck .
| Very soon, I will be once again traveling in my Cascadia Evolution. |
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