Another Great Book By Jerry Aaron

Jerry Aaron’s new book Nevada’s Teamsters, Truckers and Truck Stops is a first-rate chronicle of the people and companies that have been trucking in Nevada. Jerry’s conversational style and passion for both the trucking industry and Nevada are evident. If you are a truck driver, or have an interest in Nevada history, Nevada’s Teamsters, Truckers and Truck Stops is an enjoyable and easy read. In this new book, Jerry tells the story of the trucking industry from a Nevada perspective and lays out the story of Nevada’s trucking industry, both past and present. Starting with the Teamsters, who ran mule trains that served communities such as Tonopah and Goldfield, Jerry shows how they progressed into trucks equipped with solid tires and manual transmissions, and then into the trucks (and industry) we know today. The book describes an era where truckers were considered the knights of the road – an era where a trucker would always stop to help a stranded trucker or motorist. It was a time before CB radios, when truckers would use hand signals and flashing headlights to warn others of hazards that lie ahead. There is also a symbiotic relationship between truckers and truck stops, which is covered in this book. Jerry aptly documents some of those businesses, including Bill and Effie’s, Slim Olsen’s and The Truck-In, which dotted Nevada’s roadsides and served truckers from all over. The most compelling part of Jerry’s book is on the trucking companies and the people who worked for them. The companies that Jerry writes about vary greatly. These are companies Jerry either observed on the highway or, in some cases, had a professional relationship with. Some of these companies have a long history, such as Packer Transportation, which was started in the 1940’s, while others have only been around in this century. The pictures that Jerry uses in telling these stories are both beautiful and illustrative. Some, such as a 1904 mule fight, truck wrecks on Donner Summit and an asphalt silo crushing the cab of a truck, remind us of the dangers that can occur on the road, while others, like the old trucks and neon signs, leave you feeling nostalgic. Nevada’s Teamsters, Truckers and Truck Stops takes you through a journey of one of America’s most essential and dynamic industries, in one of our nation’s most fascinating states. This 196-page book is filled with great stories, history and over 200 black and white and color photographs. It is the perfect companion to his first book, Diesel Smoke Over Asphalt Ribbons. Both of these books are available online at www.nevadateamsterstruckerstruckstops.com.