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TruckersConnectionMagazine
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June 2019
June July 2020 2019
Vol ume 33
Issue Vol 6
ume 34 33
Issue 76
Features
Features
8
10
16
22
9
16
18
Viewpoint
Safety Tips
24
36
44
50
60
9
16
Viewpoint
Viewpoint
Safety Tips
Safety Tips
BRIAN SNELL, WHO AIDED
18
BRIAN SNELL, WHO AIDED
WOMAN
WOMAN
IN WRONG-WAY
IN WRONG-WAY
CRASH,
CRASH,
NAMED
NAMED
HIGHWAY
HIGHWAY
ANGEL
ANGEL
OF THE
OF
YEAR
THE YEAR
Bill Mack’s Bill Mack’s Entertainment Beat Beat
24
36
44
50
60
Let’s All Go to the Movies
Let’s All Go to the Movies
Tech
Bill Mack’s Entertainment Beat
Connection Tech Wordfind
Nascar News
Nascar News
Trucking News
Trucking News
Connection Wordfind
Connection Wordfind
Find 4 your favorite TRUCKER’S magazines CONNECTION at TruckDriverMagazines.com
TRUCKER’S CONNECTION www.TruckersConnection.com
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TRUCKER’S CONNECTION www.TruckersConnection.com
6 TRUCKER’S CONNECTION powered by Truck Job Seekers

Irrevocable Changes
It’s amazing to think that Covid-19 is
going to permanently change much
about life as we know it. I detested
the phrase “the new normal” as I was
sure things would eventually go back
to normal normal. But I’m beginning to
realize that, while that may still happen,
it’ll be so far down the road it’s not even
foreseeable right now.
Vegas opened their doors at the beginning
of last month and they did so
slowly, with partitions between gamblers,
masks required (by some), and not
all hotels even opened. Friends of mine
went and what I was shocked to learn is
that they do not intend to re-open the
buffets. Ever. Like, ever again.
That’s such a staple of Vegas even
though I never ate at them, personally.
(Who can eat $50 worth of food in one
sitting?) So, while my life won’t be interrupted
by this, it just really solidifies the
fact that some things in this world will
truly be forever changed. These glorious
feasts will be one of many “hey, remember
when…” items that we reminisce
over or joke about. I wonder what more
will join the ranks. Hey, remember when
people could actually attend graduations
and they weren’t exclusively on-
8 TRUCKER’S CONNECTION www.TruckersConnection.com

line? Remember when music artists
would perform live and thousands of
people attended? In the same building??
Remember when airplanes were
full of people sitting side by side? Can
you imagine? Sort of how we look back
now and think how outlandish it was
that there used to be smoking and nonsmoking
section on airplanes.
Yet, here we are. It’s sad that we have
viruses annually but this one, for some
reason, has nose-dived our economy,
created more fear and paranoia than
I’ve ever seen before, and is altering our
lives irrevocably.
Trucking is not immune to these
wholesale changes in our every day operation.
Drivers come in contact with
many more people than most full time
workers; from shippers and receivers to
other drivers to the public milling about
in truck stops, the changes we need to
implement will impact your daily life
more than many. How are you changing
your day to day?
If Covid did nothing else positive, it
crystalized how critically important truck
drivers are to the world. And we should
be equally concerned with how to keep
you all safe for your own health and so
that others will see trucking as a great
and viable occupation opportunity.
What changes have you implemented
for yourself, what has your company
added to help you feel and stay safe?
Much like many companies had limited
work-from-home employees previously
and figured out how to make that a
benefit during a worldwide shut down,
companies like CAT Scale who already
had a tremendous app called Weigh My
Truck to aid in convenience and speed
for drivers/companies will now have
even more folks looking to their innovative
solution simply because it also limits
human interaction.
What still needs to be done? What
would help you to be and feel safe in today’s
new normal? Email me: MeganH@
thetruckermediagroup.com.
www.TruckersConnection.com TRUCKER’S CONNECTION 9

SAFETY
TIPS
(iStock Photo)
Personal dash cameras offer protection for
drivers from unjust claims, tickets
By Cliff Abbott
Love them or hate them, in-cab video recording
systems are here to stay. Most carriers are putting
video-recording devices in every truck. In some
cases, video can be viewed almost immediately
after recording; in others, the video is downloaded
when the truck visits a terminal or other location.
Most people recognize the benefits of recorded
video. Lawsuits can be dismissed or settled when
video reveals whether the truck driver was at fault.
Video can also help reveal areas in which the driver
can benefit from training, or — unfortunately —
might be subject to disciplinary action.
It’s not a bad idea, however, for you as a driver to
consider having your own device for controlling
video data, even if the company you drive for has
already installed one in the truck. Easy access
to the data is one reason for this advantage: You
own the video recorded by your personal dash
cam. You’ll know whether it’s been altered.
Most camera systems contain an accelerometer
that triggers the saving of video. The commercial
systems often save a specified number of
seconds before and after a triggering incident,
such as a hard braking or an impact. The
personal systems, however, usually save video in
chunks, for example in three-minute segments.
If nothing happens during that segment, it can be
overwritten once the memory is full. The driver
also has the option to save the video.
Here’s the benefit: Your three-minute video
might contain something that isn’t in the
30-second snippet from the company system —
10 TRUCKER’S CONNECTION www.TruckersConnection.com

THANK YOU to Flatbed Truck Drivers and
All Essential Workers on the Front Line
of Covid-19
• Local, Regional & OTR
• Great Home Time &
Benefits including Paid
Holidays
• Percentage Paid Weekly
• Ask About Our Pay
Guarantee & Vacation
PAID TRAINING PROGRAM FOR COMPANY DRIVERS
APPLY ONLINE NOW
www.piimx.com
866.819.8913
PAID TRAINING PROGRAM FOR COMPANY DRIVERS

SAFETY
TIPS
something that could help you win a court case
or even keep your job. Additionally, you might
intentionally record something that the company
video didn’t save at all.
If you’ve decided to purchase a personal videorecording
system, there are some things to look
for. Video playback options are important if you
want to replay the video at the scene or share it
with another person, such as a law-enforcement
official. The screen on some devices is tiny. Some
devices transmit video to your phone or another
device via Bluetooth technology. Some record
video on mini SD cards that can be plugged into
a laptop or other device.
Recording resolution is important, since you’ll
want to cover a wide field. Look for 120 degrees
of coverage or better. You’ll want recording in
high definition or ultra-high definition so the
video will still be clear when viewed on larger
screens; 1080 pixels is good and 1440 is better.
Most dash units record data other than video,
such as GPS location and speed. You may — or
may not — want your speed displayed in the video.
Many video cameras also record sound. That’s
another area where you’ll need to make some
decisions. In jurisdictions where it’s legal, a
recording of a conversation with, for example, a
law-enforcement official or a DOT inspector might
be something you find beneficial. On the other
hand, you might not want your video to record you
singing, talking or yelling at another motorist.
You’ll also want to think about where the device
will be mounted. Most dash cameras come with
suction cups that grip the windshield, but it can
be difficult to find a spot that doesn’t interfere with
your view of the road. The device will need to be
plugged in, and you’ll need to manage the cord.
Finally, dash cameras are one area where
you’re not restricted to truck-specific equipment.
You’ll see familiar brand names at truck stops,
but a camera system purchased elsewhere can
work just as well.
In these days of heightened safety awareness by
government, law enforcement and even carriers
— in addition to Interstates lined with billboards
for personal-injury attorneys — a personal dash
cam can provide an added measure of security
for every driver.
12 TRUCKER’S CONNECTION www.TruckersConnection.com

Coal City Cob
Company, Inc.
Hiring Company Drivers
& Owner Operators
In 1970, the Cloonen family
started Coal City Cob with one
truck and a plan. Fifty years
later, that plan spans the nation
with over 200 drivers providing
quality service to chemical and
hazardous waste customers. At
the heart of it, though, we’re
just folks that love trucking. As
the big get bigger, we welcome
you to join us and remember
what it’s like to work in a culture
that is family. We look forward
to hearing from you soon.
TERMINAL LOCATIONS
CHARLOTTE
Charlotte, NC
CHIGAGO
Diamond, IL
CINCINNATI
Cincinnati, OH
DALLAS
Waxahachie, TX
HOUSTON
La Porte, TX
LOUISIANA
St. Gabriel, LA
MORROW
Morrow, GA
NEW JERSEY
Rahway, NJ
Pedricktown, NJ
888-860-2434
Drive4CCCOB.com

Entertainment Beat
[Greatest Hits]
“Remembering Tammy Wynette”
Tammy Wynette and I were very good,
close friends. I met her when she first
came on the Nashville scene in 1966,
and our friendship was a treasure to me
until her sudden and mysterious death
on April 6, 1998. The former Virginia
Wynette Pugh (she used to laugh and
say to me: “Sometimes, when I hear
some of my recordings, I think I should
have retained the name ‘Pugh’ on the
labels”) died of a reported blood-clot.
Not long after Tammy died at her
home in Nashville, the rumors began
spreading rapidly about the cause of
her passing. Then came the bits of
personal information about Tammy that
many of her closest friends and associates
were surprised to hear. Everyone
knew the “First Lady of country Music”
had undergone surgery more than the
norm, but very few realized she was
also heavily addicted to Class A controlled
substances. After all, this was
the lady who had witnessed her husband,
George Jones, fall into a near
pit of death because of drugs and had
done her best to save him. She eventually
divorced George because of his
heavy drug and alcohol problems.
A few weeks ago, my good friend and
best-selling bio author, Tom Carter, telephoned
to ask if I would like to have him
and Tammy’s daughter, Jackie Daly,
fly into Texas for a visit. They had just
completed a book titled: Tammy Wynette:
A Daughter Recalls Her Mother’s
Tragic Life and Death. Naturally, I was
excited and looking forward to the visit.
However, it was to be one of the most
chilling, and at times, depressing, meetings
I’ve experienced.
I want to share with you portions of the
conversations I had with Tom and Jackie,
but I don’t want to leave the impression
that Tammy was “just another one of
those dope addicts.” She wasn’t. She
was a lost creature in the woods, so-tosay.
Tom Carter put it into the appropriate
words when he told me that “Tammy was
one of the greatest female vocalists who
ever lived and was the first female country
artist to sell more than 30 million records.
She was the ‘queen of heartbreak’
on records but she was an essentially unhappy
person, as manifested, perhaps by
her continuous search for love…five husbands
and numerous boyfriends.”
I asked Jackie Daly why she had decided
to get with Tom and write the book.
She replied: “Really, it was a labor of
16 TRUCKER’S CONNECTION www.TruckersConnection.com

By Bill Mack
By Bill Mack
love. It was a very difficult thing to do. It
took over two years, and we interviewed
over 40 people who knew my mother. I
wanted to reveal the truth about Mother
as I know it and also what we have found
out pertaining to her death.”
Tom added, “It’s not something Jackie
did to make friends, either. Usually, it
would have been to make a valentine to
her mother but Jackie paints a ‘warts and
all’ picture. She talks about her mother’s
infamous drug addiction, her treatment
at the Betty Ford Center, how the treatment
failed, and she brings up questions
that have been asked by Tammy’s fans,
friends and associates since that sad day
back in 1998 when her mother died at
home. And she takes an objective and
investigative approach into the mysterious
circumstances surrounding Tammy’s
death. We’ve found out, in looking back,
that there is as much interest in the way
Tammy died as in the way she lived.”
I asked Tom and Jackie about the
drugs, which had come as a surprise to
me. I knew Tammy had been on prescribed
medication but was a bit shocked
when Tom said, “We’re not talking about
marijuana here. Tammy was on Demerol.
Demerol, as most people know,
is a pain-killer but is also a synthetic hypnotic.
And she craved Demerol so badly
she pretended to fall from a stage when,
in fact, she threw herself off the stage
and willfully broke her arm so she could
get a prescription for Demerol and have
another six or eight week ‘high.’ A doctor
would prescribe the drugs but her
husband, George Richey, gave it to her.
After she was addicted for a few years,
her veins collapsed. Then came Versed.
This is also a hypnotic drug. Anyone
who has undergone major surgery has
probably taken Versed. They give it to
you right before putting you to sleep, and
they ask you to count from 100 backwards.
Most people say, ‘100, 99…’then
they are out. Versed comes in packages
with a warning label saying it is only to
be administered by a licensed physician
and only in a hospital. However, George
Richey admitted under interrogation that
he administered Versed to Tammy Wynette
at home, not in a hospital. 29 vials
of Versed were received at the Wynette
household during the last five weeks of
her life. Nine vials came on the very day
she died. That much Versed was enough
to kill a grown bull. Tammy was taking it
in fragments, administered by Mr. Richey.
I asked Jackie when was the last time
she had seen her mother alive. “I went
18 TRUCKER’S CONNECTION www.TruckersConnection.com

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Entertainment Beat
Continued
by her house and saw her about noon on
the day she died”, said Jackie. “ She was
asleep on the couch with a blanket over
her. Then, I went back to see her about
2:00 pm and she was still asleep. And
she was making no sound. Richey was
there both times, but was more or less
‘out of it’ and in no condition to talk. After
going home, I received the telephone call
that my mother had died. When I got to
her house, I was surprised to find a lot
of people there I didn’t know, and Mother
was still on the couch. This time, she had
two or three blankets over her body and
socks on her feet. I believe someone
had tried to keep the body warm. And
I believe she was probably dead when I
saw her at noon. Now, I wish I had kissed
her or whispered something to her then.
Maybe she would have awakened. However,
I believe she was dead at that time.”
What really grabs attention is the fact
that when Tammy Wynette died, 911 was
never called, no local physician was summoned,
and the Medical Examiner was
never called by George Richey. The only
doctor called was her personal physician,
Dr. Marsh, who was over 500 miles
away. When Dr. Marsh arrived after midnight,
Tammy was rapidly embalmed,
thereby eliminating any conclusive autopsy
results. More than a year later, in
the face of public pressure, her body was
exhumed and traces of Versed were still
in her corpse. And there are other bits
that bring measures of doubt. The death
certificate states her death at 7:30 pm although
friends and the media were calling
the Wynette household as early as
5:00 pm inquiring about Tammy’s death.
Somehow, word had gotten out, according
to Jackie and Tom.
Tom Carter concluded: “It was never
said that Tammy was murdered. It was
only stated that her death was drug related,
and George Richey was quoted as
saying he administered the drugs that are
believed to have killed tammy Wynette.”
You can now read the book, but we
may never know what really happened
April 6, 1998 in Nashville.
Visit Bill at BillMackCountry.com
20 TRUCKER’S CONNECTION www.TruckersConnection.com

PUZZLE
Patriotic Movies
SOLUTION ON PAGE 24
THE RIGHT STUFF
GETTYSBURG
YANKEE DOODLE DANDY
G. I. JANE
SUPERMAN II
SEABISCUIT
STRIPES
LONE SURVIVOR
PRIVATE BENJAMIN
LINCOLN
CAPTAIN AMERICA
INDEPENDENCE DAY
THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT
AIR FORCE ONE
ROCKY IV
TOP GUN
HIDDEN FIGURES
PATTON
MIRACLE
GLORY
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
AMERICAN SNIPER
THE PATRIOT
MIDWAY
22 TRUCKER’S CONNECTION www.TruckersConnection.com

INDEX
Cargill .................. 19
TMC ................... 21
Coal City Cob ........... 13
East West .............. 2-3
Millis ................... 17
Navajo .................. 15
P.I. & I. Motor Express . 11, 26
Red Eye Radio ........... 14
Royal ................ 7, 12
Stageline ................ 23
WordFind Puzzle
(page 22) Solution
24 TRUCKER’S CONNECTION www.TruckersConnection.com

THANK YOU to Flatbed Truck Drivers and
All Essential Workers on the Front Line
of Covid-19
• Local, Regional & OTR
• Great Home Time &
Benefits including Paid
Holidays
• Percentage Paid Weekly
• Ask About Our Pay
Guarantee & Vacation
PAID TRAINING PROGRAM FOR COMPANY DRIVERS
APPLY ONLINE NOW
www.piimx.com
866.819.8913
PAID TRAINING PROGRAM FOR COMPANY DRIVERS