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Ranger Smith Can’t Catch This Bear
This month’s “Readers And Their Rigs” is a sharp company truck owned by CAL-TEX Express of Bloomington, Ohio and operated by Alan “Yogi Bear” Gentry. The metallic grey 2001 Pete 379 features a 500 Cat, an 18-speed transmission, 3:55 rears and a 72” sleeper. Alan has been driving trucks for 35 years, running all types of freight throughout the 48 states. For the last 23 years he has specialized in flatbed hauling. He joined the team at CAL-TEX Express about one year ago, hauling agricultural products from the west to the east, and then steel coils and other items from the east back to the west on a 48’ flatbed with a side kit and cover tarp. “Our customers like the fact that their loads stay dry and protected - the side kit and tarp have been a real selling point to our service,” said Alan. When asked how he got the handle “Yogi Bear” he laughed and told us this story: 35 years ago he pulled into a truckstop in Ada, Oklahoma. It was 2:30 AM and he was tired and hungry. He asked the sweet old lady behind the counter for a piece of pie and a glass of milk, in which she replied, “I’m real busy so you’ll have to wait!” So he waited... and waited... and waited. Finally, he reached into the pie case and took not a slice but a whole pie, along with a gallon of milk. Upon her return, the waitress realized that he had helped himself and asked, “What’s your handle?” Alan replied, “I don’t have one.” The lady said, “From now on it’s Yogi Bear - but I’m Ranger Smith - and don’t ever mess with me again!” From then on, Alan has been known as Yogi Bear. He even has a custom-made bug screen with Yogi holding a stolen picnic basket on the grille of his truck. With plans to marry his sweetheart Sara Ann, the two hope to buy a home in Mississippi and start slowing down. In business for only two years now, CAL-TEX is a sister company of Brandt Trucking, which has been around for over 10 years. Their fleet consists mostly of late model Peterbilt 378s and 379s. |
