This month’s creation was built for Jesus Fuentes (53) of Fuentes Trucking, Inc. – a family business based in Tecate, CA. Jesus believes that keeping your word is the most important thing you can do. Do what you say and always give 100% no matter what you do, and things will work out. Their family business is sort of a one-stop shop that does all sorts of jobs – they have flat beds, step decks, low boys, end dumps, and dump trucks, and they try to help their customers with whatever they need.
Unfortunately, his wife Lourdes of 27 years, passed away in December of 2019, and she is still missed dearly. They have three children. Gabriel (29), who dispatches trucks, who is married to Claudia, who works in the office, a daughter named Alejandra (25), that also works in the office, and Andres (22), their son who works in the shop as a mechanic. Gabriel was in an auto accident a few days after getting home from picking up this truck in KC, so please keep him in your prayers for a speedy recovery.
Jesus is one of four children from Jesus and Elsi Fuentes (Jesus is the only one in trucking ). Sadly, one of his brothers passed away in 2011, but Jesus is very close with his children, and one of them even works in the shop as a mechanic, as well. Jesus’ dad has always been involved with horses, training and breaking them. To this day he still works with horses and has clients from all over North America. When growing up, Jesus and the rest of the family were always involved with ranching, but as he got older, he realized that there was only so much that ranching could provide, so he got a job as a laborer at a local environmental company.
At the time, meth labs were booming in the area, and Jesus worked for a hazmat team that helped government agencies and local authorities clean them up. Over the next seven years, he worked himself up to being manager, and then his brother-in-law helped him get his CDL and talked him into buying a truck – a 1986 Peterbilt 359 he still owns today. Within four months, Jesus left the hazmat company and started driving his own truck full-time. As he began getting more loads, he bought a Ford F450 and a goose-neck trailer, and his wife Lourdes got her CDL and started driving, as well. After two years, Jesus purchased a 379 Peterbilt and made it into a 10-wheeler dump truck, which his wife drove for a very long time.
In 2013, CARB started bugging Jesus, so he called me to order a new Peterbilt – and we hit it right off. Jesus really wanted a King Ranch dark copper color, and with some help, we were able to get that from the factory. This first brand-new Peterbilt, and many to follow, was drop shipped for them to our friend Mike Green in Yuma, AZ. The next year they ordered a truck-tractor combo, which is a truck that has a fifth wheel, but can also be fitted with a dump bed, making it very versatile. They got to watch this truck being built in Denton, TX, and his wife was even able to drive it off the line! They added two more trucks in 2017 and then one more in 2018 and 2019. In 2021 he added two low boy trucks and opted to have them shipped to Kansas City for me to do some tweaking on (hide the DEF tank and add straight stacks), so I was finally able to meet Jesus in person when he came to get them.
Last year, Jesus was able to get on the list and get one of the last 389s built. The truck is a 2024 Peterbilt 389 extended hood with a 36” sleeper, an X15 Cummins, an 18-speed, and all the goodies. Painted in his company’s brown color with an orange frame, Lilly was in charge of the main build on this one, with some help from Cody, for the seven cab lights and breather lights that strobe. She also added a stainless drop visor, hid the DEF tank, and installed 7” full function stacks. I added a temporary mudflap bracket before it headed to their friend Charlie with Unlimited Metal in Yuma, AZ to get ramps, rear fenders, and some other final touches.
I really enjoyed visiting with their oldest son Gabriel when he came out to pick this one up, as he was a very respectful young man. We went to the park to take pictures, and I realized I had not ever done an article on them, even though they had purchased ten new Peterbilts from me over the years. So, this month, I wanted to thank Jesus and his family for their business and friendship. I thought it might be cool to include some photos of his other trucks here, as well. These guys do it all, and their one-stop shop takes great care of all their customers.
