FRINGE BENEFITS
THE LATEST PROJECT FROM CLINT MOORE
This month’s “creation” was built for Bruce & Vicki Roy out of Clyde, Kansas for their driver (and son-in-law) Kent. Vicki’s dad Russell began working in the propane business back in 1963, then slowly ventured into trucking and formed Russell LP Gas. In 1987, Bruce & Vicki bought the company from Russell and started their own operation called Roy Trucking, which currently has two trucks and six trailers. Getting this new truck, Kent is enjoying some of the benefits of being married to the boss’ daughter, much like Bruce did back when he married Vicki.
Bruce grew up as a “normal” guy (not around trucking). After high school, he went to college for two years before figuring out that he was just going to “drag a hose” (deliver propane) for the rest of his life. He went to work for Russell driving a straight truck, which is where he met his future wife Vicki (the boss’ daughter). The two have now been married for 37 years and have two daughters, Angela and Lindsey, and four grandkids. Angela & Kent have two daughters and one son (Hannah, Haley and Holden), and Lindsey and her husband Aaron have a brand new baby boy named Mitchell, who showed up right around the same time Bruce & Vicki took delivery of this new truck. Lindsey & Aaron, who live nearby in Shawnee, Kansas, are not directly involved in the trucking business, but they do help out whenever needed.
After buying the company in 1987, Bruce & Vicki bought a used 1984 Peterbilt 359 for Bruce to drive. In 1990, they added a second truck for Angela’s husband Kent to drive, and have been a two-truck operation ever since. Today, hauling whatever is in season (propane, anhydrous ammonia or grain), they run all around Kansas and southern Nebraska. Currently, Bruce drives a 2001 Peterbilt and Kent gets to drive the new 2010 Peterbilt 389 pictured here.
When it was time to order Kent’s new truck, Bruce took the advice of his friend Steve Wren and went to see Clint. Bruce & Kent spec’d out the plain white truck with a 525 ISX Cummins, an 18-speed transmission, a 36” sleeper, a 261” wheelbase and a car-hauler front axle (to reduce the big gap between the fenders and the tires). They went with the odd 261” wheelbase because the old-timers all say that if you can divide your wheelbase equally by 3, the truck will ride much better (261÷3=87). It must be true, because Clint says that nobody has ever complained.
Once the truck arrived at Clint’s shop, the guys went to work, adding the 3-color striping, the rear full fenders (they painted those, too), cab and sleeper extensions with extra lights and some breather lights. Looking at the “before and after” pictures Clint sent, you’d think that they did a lot more, but that was pretty much it.
Vicki’s dad Russell and his wife Arlene are retired and living in Arizona (Russell plays golf almost every day). Bruce & Vicki continue to run their business with help from their daughter and son-in-law, who will undoubtedly, at some point, become the company’s next owners. In the meantime, just like Bruce did years ago, Kent is enjoying some of the “fringe benefits” of being married to the boss’ daughter.
~ If you would like Clint Moore to order and/or build you a new custom truck, contact him at Kansas City Peterbilt via e-mail at clintmoore@kcpete.com or call him at (913) 441-2888. You can also visit his website at www.custombuiltfor.com and check out pictures of other custom trucks he has built.