10-4 Magazine - For Today's Trucker

AUGUST 2004 WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO...

United’s Johnny “Loco” Martinez

Story and Photo by Truck Historian/Author Stan Holtzman

(Click on image for larger photo)

Seen here in this 1965 photo is a 1947 low-mount Peterbilt, pulling a 35’ reefer trailer, parked under I-10 at the Alameda Street off ramp in Los Angeles. For more than 20 years, the familiar dark blue and white (with red frames) Peterbilts, KWs and Autocars of United Motor Lines ran produce in California and Arizona. It was rumored that when Johnny “Loco” Martinez was running empty for United, he would put two blocks of ice inside the trailer, near the back doors. As the ice melted, truckers would see water leaking out the trailer from under the doors and assumed that the trailer was loaded with produce. The truckers, much to their amazement, could not understand how Johnny “Loco’s” truck could pull away from their loaded 335’s and 318’s, as “Loco” was running a 220 horsepower Cummins without a turbo - after all, water was running out from the trailer, indicating the rig was loaded. Anybody knowing the whereabouts of “Loco” Martinez or United Motor Lines can contact me at the magazine by calling 1-888-440-4104. And don’t forget to check out my website (www.linerigs.com) the next time you are cruising around online.