Sometimes, the biggest change comes not from failure, but from the decision to finally say, “enough is enough.” This chapter begins the last stretch of my trucking career — a road that tested my patience, my endurance, and ultimately brought me to the longest contract I ever held.
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Before I canceled my contract with Kaplan Trucking, I visited both Steel Transport and Area Transportation. I asked an Area driver at the Pilot Truck Stop in Michigan City if the company was a good choice. He said, “Sure — if you’re into waiting around for loads.” That settled it for me — Area was out.
I had also talked to Steel Transport back when my contract with BESL ended, but I had second thoughts then because I wasn’t sure if I’d be running close to home. Everything else about Steel Transport was spot-on. As luck would have it, Kaplan and Steel Transport had terminals right down the street from each other. So, after turning in all my stuff to Kaplan, I drove down the street to Steel Transport’s office and signed on.
There was definitely an adjustment period. It sounds simple, but anyone who has gone through it knows it isn’t easy. For the first year and a half, I picked up loads out of North American Stainless in Ghent, Kentucky, and delivered them to several cities in the Chicago area:
Minooka, Illinois
Elk Grove Village, Illinois
Bellevue, Illinois
Schaumburg, Illinois
Bensenville, Illinois
Just to name a few.
It wasn’t all bad, but dealing with the Chicago area is something I have never enjoyed. The loads coming back usually came out of Burns Harbor, East Chicago, Gary, or New Carlisle. My favorite was New Carlisle because it’s only nine miles west of South Bend. That meant I could drive US 31 South straight to Indianapolis — a highway with almost no traffic.
The return loads down to Ghent usually went to the same customers Kaplan had covered from Chicago: Florence, Georgetown, and Louisville, Kentucky — and very rarely, Bowling Green.
When COVID hit in 2021, I was in heaven — and you’ll never guess why. Chicago with almost no traffic was a dream come true. For a short while, I was absolutely giddy every time I had to make the run. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long enough for my liking.
I’ll close this chapter here, but the next one brings a brighter turn. My runs to Chicago come to an end — and what replaced them made all the difference. So keep reading.
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My Trucker Life 