Comments By Minnis B.

This is the truck I turned in. I never put it on here I don’t think. 1989 Peterbilt 379 with the 400 big cam Cummins, a 13 speed, and 46k lb axles on spring suspension.

Keep plugging along and maybe the next one will have a sleeper.

Actually the last one had a sleeper, I just never posted pictures of it lol

Congratulations on the new rig!

Keep plugging along and maybe the next one will have a sleeper.

Why would he want to down grade?

That’s what I’m saying lol

Well a few may have seen me mention in other threads I’d been having some health issues preventing me from driving for a few months. I returned to the job last week in my old 379 Peterbilt. Got a surprise yesterday evening when the boss called and told me to bring my truck in and said that he was taking it from me. Now this kicked me into worry mode trying to think of anything I’d done wrong. I get to to shop and he tells me to clean the ol girl out. I get it cleaned out and walk in the office prepared to call a ride home. We talk a few minutes then he gets a big grin and throws me a set of keys and says walk out back. I walk out to the side of the shop and there sits a beautiful KW W900L and a shiny Alfab tri-axle trailer. Turns out while me and my coworker was hauling coal all day he had went and bought a new (to us) truck with the intention of giving it to me. I have to say y’all, I’ve been blessed with the best boss/owner in the industry. She’s an 01 model with the Cummins ISX, an 18 speed, and 52k lb axles on air ride suspension (which is a first for me, I’m accustomed to springs). Here’s a picture for everyone’s visual enjoyment.

Pretty sure you can CAREFULLY pop the outer one out with a screwdriver. Did it on my pete 379 all the time and a KW is a very similar truck. I just traded my 379 for a W900L yesterday. If I get the chance I’ll check it out and report back.

Congrats fellas. Those are some serious numbers. Making me rethink my line of work lol. This year being an election year the coal industry was severely slow as it is every election year. So with all the time off, reduced hours,and slow going plus being sidelined nearly a month for some health issues I got in the equivalent of roughly 9 months of work in a good year. Pulled in just shy of $41k gross for my 3rd year in a truck. Not too shabby for 50 hour weeks or less.

That's a beautiful truck Minnis!

Also, it's great to hear from you! I'm glad to know you are still out there getting it done!

Thanks Old School but like you I’ve been sidelined for a bit now with health problems. I have to have 6 teeth removed on the 15th. They keep getting infected causing abscesses which is causing a great deal of pain which in turn is sending my bp up to the 180’s over 100’s. Me and the boss man mutually agreed I shouldn’t be in a truck until it’s resolved. Just waiting on an appointment now. Also, I check in several times a week I just don’t post more often than not.

Kinda already have my dream truck. Currently driving a 1989 Peterbilt 379 flat top sleeper with the 400 big cam Cummins and 13 speed trans. I know what I do is much different than over the road but for heavy haul these are the trucks to have in my opinion. The only way it could be better is if that 13 speed was a 15 speed.

Pic because it’s gorgeous and although me and the truck are the same age, she has fared much better lol

I had the exact same license you have now before getting my class A. You can drive any class B vehicle. The M restriction only disables you from driving articulated buses. That’s the way it was explained to me at least.

I'll add one more thing the old timers around here have taught me. If you need to get stopped a little sooner than what is possible by downshifting and using your brake pedal sparingly, grab a little bit of the hand spike (trailer brake). Loaded heavy like that assuming the roads are dry the chances of locking up your trailer tires are slim to none and you still get additional braking without using brakes on your steer axle. Worked wonders for me a few months ago coming down a 6-7% grade grossing 124,000 lbs and the steer tire popped.

Not sure about the newer aerodynamic trucks but on my old 379 Peterbilt I've found if I keep the base of the hood ornament on the inside edge of the white line I'm near perfectly centered in my lane.