Whether it’s the look of a truck, the way a driver presents himself, or maybe a combination of both, the old school ways are very appealing. For those guided or born into it, there is a sense of remembrance of trucking’s past that is shown by those old school ways. It is important to document those who have been in the trucking industry a long time, but what shouldn’t be overlooked is the younger generation that gives everyone hope that these traditions will be carried on. Weston McAllister of McAllister Enterprises, Inc. out of Lindon, UT may only be 25, but his desire to maintain what was started before he was born is something to write about.
I met Weston, his father Matt, and the rest of his family during the 2018 Great Salt Lake Truck Show, then had the chance to catch up with them again the following year at the same show, which is where I saw Weston’s current truck for the first time in person. Raised in Highland, UT by his parents, Matt and Andrea, Weston doesn’t remember a time that he didn’t want to be in trucking. He is the third generation of truckers in his family, with his grandfather initially starting with the farm truck he used to haul cattle. Weston’s dad Matt formed McAllister Enterprises in 1994 after getting the opportunity to buy a truck because he saw the need for trucks in the Utah valley. Trucking is definitely in the family, as Weston’s uncle Mark also has a trucking company, with his sons driving for the company, as well.
Growing up, Weston rode along with his dad whenever he could. The first truck Matt purchased brand new was a 1999 Peterbilt 379 dump truck, and Weston has many fond memories of riding in that truck with his dad. In 2006, Matt purchased a 2001 Peterbilt 379 that he began driving, which is the truck Weston drives today. Every summer and whenever he didn’t have school, Weston would be with his dad, helping where he could. He remembers one of his favorite things was the candy he would get from the ladies at the quarry scale houses. Matt started teaching Weston how to drive around age 12, and at 14, he drove about 400 miles across I-80, with Matt in the passenger seat.
The day after Weston turned 18, he obtained his CDL, and was finally on the road doing what he had wanted to do all along. He started out in a 1992 Peterbilt day cab, pulling a side dump trailer, then moved into the previously mentioned 1999 Peterbilt 379 dump truck, with the matching pup trailer, that his dad had been driving (this can be seen in Weston’s Rolling CB Interview done by Big Rig Videos). He would go on driving this truck until December of 2018, when the newly restored 2001 Peterbilt 379 rolled out of the paint shop. This is the same truck Matt was driving when Weston started driving. On May 18, 2019, Weston got married to his wife Taylor and, later that summer, he got to show off the 379 at the truck show.
The 2001 Peterbilt 379 pictured here has a CAT 6NZ under the hood, an 18-speed transmission, 3.55 gear ratio, and a 285-inch wheelbase. Weston’s goal with this truck started with the paint scheme. The truck was originally red with a black frame and fenders and had a 63-inch flat top bunk. They took the truck to Peterbilt of Salt Lake to make their vision come to life. Peterbilt had the original factory layout of the stripes, which was a pattern they wanted to use to give the truck an old school flair, that they knew many would appreciate. The 63-inch bunk was swapped out for a 36-inch flat top, and then the interior of that 63-inch was cut out and installed to match the interior of the cab.
The restoration process took about a year, having dropped it off in early February of 2018 and then picking it up in December of 2018. Although it took a while, it was a pretty straightforward process, without any snags. The truck pulls 2020 Smithco doubles, and you will mostly see Weston hauling aggregate locally, but occasionally you will see him hauling heavy equipment, too.
The truck sports a retro-looking 14-inch Valley Chrome bumper and a rear light bar, also from Valley Chrome, an RLK Services visor and breather lights, 6-inch miter cut Dynaflex stacks, and plenty of other little extras to make this truck what you see today. Thanks go out to Copper at Hub City Chrome in Chiloquin, OR for the custom parts for not only this truck, but other trucks in the McAllister fleet, as well.
The first truck show Weston ever attended was the 1999 Great Salt Lake Truck Show, and it was the same show in 2016 that he first brought a rig to enter. Over the years, we reflect on things that have happened and memories that have been made. Weston is no different, with the recollection of riding with his dad as often as he could, but today, since he has been driving, it is actually a pretty rare occurrence that he and Matt get to run together. Even still, the times that they do is always a cool experience. Much like the old hands in the industry, the younger generation can have a surprise “bud meeting” just the same, and Weston shared one of these stories with me.
A couple years ago, while running I-70 to Denver, CO with a water truck in tow, Weston was able to meet up with a few of his friends on the road. One of his buddies was running I-80 across and down to Denver, and another was coming into the same area, all within 20 minutes of each other. So, they all met up at a truck stop in Kersey, CO. They hung out, talked trucks, ate dinner, and then parted ways, each heading to their destinations. The reflection of this story made him ponder on what it was like, back in the day, when friendships were made on the road and the meetings were unintentional but always appreciated.
Today, Weston and his wife Taylor currently reside in Eagle Mountain, UT with their one-and-a-half-year-old son named Waylon and Taylor’s daughter Laikyn (8). Weston is the oldest sibling in his family, followed by his sister Alex (23), brother Carson (19) and sister Stella (15). The 379 has 1.8 million miles on it and counting. Matt is still driving full time, running a 1995 Peterbilt 362 cabover (featured in the December 2014 issue by Troy Miller).
McAllister Enterprises currently runs 14 trucks, plus they have two project trucks they are working on. The trucks are both local and regional, depending on what kind of work needs to be done. The majority of their work is aggregate, plus they haul heavy equipment, dirt, and pipeline materials.
Special thanks from Weston goes out to his dad for teaching him the value of hard work, having fun doing it, and shaping him into the person he is today. Thanks to his friend Brett for being a great friend and the great times working together. To his friend Andrew for always being there to help, including prepping trucks for the show season. Thank you to Peterbilt of Salt Lake for the great work they did on the truck. Last but not least, thanks to his wife Taylor for putting up with his crazy life and always being there to support him.
I had gone out to Utah in August to photograph several of McAllister’s trucks, including Weston’s, just prior to the 2021 Great Salt Lake Truck Show. Utah is definitely one of my favorite places to go. Even though the sky was a smoky haze from fires on the west coast, we had good weather, and were able to get some great photos in different areas. I even got to photograph Weston and the truck while he was being loaded and unloading. Thank you to Weston for his time in making this all come together, both during the photography process and the writing of this article.
Multi-generation companies seem to diminish over the years, so it’s always refreshing to hear the stories of future generations coming up in the industry. To hear the stories, defining moments, and the smiles in their voices, we can only hope future generations continue the traditions, lifestyle, and pride that was passed on to them. Keeping up with how the industry continues to evolve is one thing, but to maintain those old school ways along the way, is something we can all appreciate. As always, to all the drivers out there doing the deal, truck safe.
