Monfort of Colorado: A True Legend of the Road
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- Опубликовано: 1 авг 2023
- In the 1970's and 80's it was not uncommon for the left lane to be called "The Monfort Lane." These orange, yellow and white trucks were known on the cb as "Circus Wagons" and in 1970 when the company started they could run 78mph. Here's the story of one of the true legends of the road, Monfort of Colorado!!
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I was about 4 and riding with my dad on a load to Omaha and back with pop bottles. Well my dad got loaded late from the glass plant in my town. Well he was trying to make up time to get there on time. He was pushing it across Iowa on 80 and caught up to a couple of Monfort trucks. He got a the radio and told them to get out of their lane. They said no one can pass us he said I will already BE PAST YOU IF YOU WOULD PULL OVER. They moved over and my dad passed them and they tried to catch him. His truck had a 1693 Kitty Cat under the hood turned to the sky. We made it Omaha on time grabbed a reload of pallets and were headed back to home when he stopped to call in. He goes made it on my way back to his dispatcher and the dispatcher is like what lie am I going to have to say why you are late. He goes I AM ALREADY coming home with pallets. Dispatcher was like impossible you would have had to made it there in like 6 hours. He said did it in 5 and made Monfort leave their lane also. All the dispatcher said was we will talk when you get home.
That's an awesome story. Thank you so much for sharing it with us!!
@@truckingresources4240 My late father and I did stuff like this all the time as drivers. We still hold the record at a closed carrier for most miles driven by a team in a month. Now this should tell you something about my father and I. He was an old school outlaw driver and had trained me to be one also when you could get away with it. Well Jan of 98 we went old school at our carrier. I had a friend that was a Cat Mechanic that deleted the company installed program on our 3406E and said we had a ECM failure and since we were running team he had picked an ECM off the shelf to fix the problem. Oh yeah he fixed it turned that 435 into 550 with no governor in 10 mins. Then we had a travel agent that hated her supervisor the head guy and was willing to run us how we wanted to run. So for 30 days we RAN and RAN hard. 38K miles is what the paychecks showed. We had a stuffed gorilla in the truck that it was running a comic book. How we got nailed was while getting the oil change done for the second time that month at the shop owner asked to see my logbook. I screwed up and handed him the gorilla's logbook. We got sent home after they reset the computer to fleet issue.
I did some crazy stuff solo in my career. Streator IL to Fredonia NY about 30 miles west of Buffalo in 7 hours it is only 550 miles and having to cross OH when it was a 55 mph state. Or going from Salinas CA to Salem IL in 38 hours solo more times than I care to count or Salem to Ontario CA in 34 hours solo heck I ran faster than the teams did at times. Best one however was I was at Troutdale OR having a beer at the Burns Bros truckstop there. I had delivered that morning my frozen pizzas and was told 2 days before I got a reload so relax. So I am sitting in the bar knocking back some Colorado Kool aids with another driver. He and I start talking about fast trucks and goes ever done trips in a truck I said a few times. I said my father I know did it more than once. Right about then some IWX rookie and his trainer goes impossible for a semi to go that fast. I said well the Illinois State Police will tell you differently on my behalf they escorted me home in April of this year being 97 doing 110 in IL up I24 and 57 to get me home. Then the guy I was talking to goes who is your father I say he goes by Pappy used to be known as Beaver Mechanic he goes you mean the guy that got out of a 147 MPH ticket in NV for buying the trooper the Boomtown breakfast I go yep that is my father. He said next time you talk to your dad tell him Plum Crazy said hello. I thought the IWX trainer was going to pass out. Then Plum looked at me and said hey in May what were you and those bullracks running across SD at. I said well over 120ish as we covered border to border in 3 hours. He goes what was that trucks name I said Rose. He went yeah Randy Martin wants to buy that rig as it was the only thing that could pass him.
About 85% correct, wrong on the logs.
I was riding with him. We left Streator at midnight and hit Omaha at 0500 so I think my time is correct. Reason why he waited til then was to ensure that less likely to have to stop. These loads tended to be heavy close to gross weight or more and he didn't want to risk an overweight ticket.
@@haroldbenton979 bull, mt bottles and pallets don't weight anything. No one ever made a monfort leave the left lane except a cop.
Back in 1975 thru 1980 Dad had 9 of his Trucks leased to Monfort. Those were the days. Greeley, CO to Jersey City, NJ in 38 hours. Return loaded to Denver. And 12 hours after arriving in Denver. Back to Greeley with another to Jersey City. Running 4 log books.
I've run 3 on accident
That's a great story. Thanks for sharing!!
They'd go back empty.
@@garyphillips3552 The Monfort Trucks went back to Greeley. Dad Reloaded in Jersey City back to Denver, dedicated account.
I used to run with them guys in 78 those were the days
I moved to Greeley in 1970. I remember seeing reefers being loaded on flat cars at a rail siding in town. Was told that the rail service was so bad that they started the trucking company. A close friend was one of the first drivers. When they arrived at their destination they started having trouble getting unloaded and so to help that there was always a case of cold Coors on the back of the trailer. With that they were always unloaded in a very timely manner.
Montfort's first Truck rolled out the gate in 1930 as the beginning of the Trucking legend. As the company grew KWs were the Companies ride of choice with of course BIG CATs in them. Most were 13 speeds of. All set up to do 100+ mph. Montfort fastest trucks were in the 60s 70s early 80s. Rumor has it that the Company paid all speeding tickets.❤ In the 80s I believe it was actually 87 revenues were way down and DOT Regulations were getting stricter ConAgra took over control. A few years later ConAgra merged Montfort with another company that would eventually become the biggest Common Carrier in the USA, and that would be Swift/Knight Inc. Montfort is just as big in American Trucking lore as Phantom 309, Teddy Bear and GIDDY UP GO. I LOVED Old School Trucking in the 70s.
Put in over 50yrs otr, it used to be fun and like a brotherhood. Everyone had respect for other Drivers and we all had each other 6. Now it is hooray for me fu. Mega Companies ruined the industry with their lack of training and delivery schedules so tight a driver couldn't make the appointments if they were driving a car. Gps, Social Media, cell phones and traffic have ruined the Trucking Industry.
I live in Western Colorado. I started driving in the very early 90’s.
Montfort at that time was owner operators. They still were left lane bandits. You’d see one coming up, and knew to be looking for that right lane.
15 over transmissions & 3:55 rears were the thing back then,
Thank you for sharing!!
I remember Montfort when I was a kid theat was a big thing late 80s early 90s
And no excuses
Monfot did not own trucks in 1930s did not pay for speeding tickets kw s power was 350 Cummins Trans was 4x4s that is o r was their 1st trucks in the late 60s early 70s
I used to pull swinging beef for caretta trucking out of paramus nj 1988 it was like pulling a liquid tanker.
I am not a trucker but lived in Colorado crom 1971 to 1977...During that time the gas shortage was in effect and the speed limits on I 80 and everwhere else were reduded to 55mph..CB radios then became very popular and with the Monfort trucks covering the 2000 miles from CO to NYC everyone with a CB tuned into the Monfort trucks and others to watch for Smokey...They were the ones covering the run and got the reputation for barriling down the left lanes....hens the Monfort lanes..
I undoubtedly saw these trucks as a kid running across I80 with my dad but I don't remember them. Thanks for the story!!
Not everywhere went to 55 Montana bucked the rules, they had a speed limit for trucks but it was never inforced in 1988 I blew past a Montana state trooper at 102 mph while he was running radar on 200 on my way to great falls he simply motioned for me to slow down so I slowed down to 85 mph 👍
@@middleclassretiree More than one trooper found himself in a ditch with tire marks on the side of his car. They got educated.
Hence
That sound like those rock haulers between Bridgeport, TX and Dallas.
@@craigsmith8217
I moved out to Colorado in '76, seen the Circus Wagons on I-80. and they hauled a$$! one thing to also cover is Stienbecker Trucking, they pretty much took over hauling Monfort loads to the east coast, and their trucks were ungoverned, Hauling swinging beef wasnt the worst, you could pack it and it would be alot more stable, at least that's how I was taught to haul swinging meat.
The "Good Old day" of trucking..
Thank you for the info on Stienbecker. I am checking them out now!!
In 1977 I ran 2nd shift at Greeley CO wastewater treatment plant. I always saw those Monfort trucks. Every now and then one of those trucks would screw up and wind up on plant property and I’d run out to help them figure out how to turn around. All those guys were badass cowboys. Thanks for this video.
I remember seeing the Monfort train rollin up the Monfort lane on I80 going to NYC every sun nite.
Leased my first truck from Monfort in ‘91(on my birthday). My Pete had a series 60-couldn’t keep up with those Cats. Some of those guys were crazy! One time I followed some guys from Atlanta to Garden City and we ran straight thru(except for fuel). When we got there, dispatch said got loads right back to Atlanta. Those guys took off snd I went to bed. Dispatch got mad and wouldn’t load me-had to bounce back to Greeley. Those guys expected you to RUN! Period.
That's a great story. Thank you for sharing!!
Sounds like CTI out of North Georgia they would give you three lod books and two bottles of pills and tell you to come back when those ran out 😂
I tried to run 2books, but it’s hard to keep things straight when you’re tired and just want to sleep!
I’m an office nurse and I’m enjoying your videos everyday on lunch. Reminds me of my grandfather telling me stories of trucking companies and what happened to them
I am so glad you enjoy them. I have so many ideas for more stories about trucking companies. I hope you enjoy them as well!!
@@truckingresources4240
Have you done a video about McLean(s) and piggyback service and then shipping containers?
Thanks
Left lane was called the Montfort lane, and they ran 425 cats. I hauled swinging beef out of Waterloo for Kroblin one winter. It's okay as long as you take the corners real slow 😊
Thank you so much for sharing!!
@@ScaldedSkies I don't understand why companies still to this day think that cutting back the horsepower will save fuel. The biggest fuel improvement to my cat was tuning it to 700 hp. I saw right at a 1 mpg gain. Of course you need to keep your foot out of it and let it do its thing!!
yep, like running heavy steel coils on flatbeds! We don’t need no stinkin rollovers!
They ran 3408's not the 1693 or 3406a
Lots of drivers learned of swinging beef the hard way even after being warned.
My uncle used to talk about those Monfort trucks. He was a true owner operator out Louisiana. He had several trucks but the one i remember most was an old Western Star and an old 42' shiny side refer. He ran from Louisiana to Washington State and then to Wisconsin and back to Louisiana.
Once i was running eastbound on i80 in iowa. Had monfort blow my doors off. A few miles down the road saw monfort getting a ticket. Then just a few miles down the road had same truck blow past me. On the radio i asked him what they got him for. 85 mph is all the guy said back. Loved the monfort boys. Last real bad asses out there.
I was a meat hauler out of Omaha from 84-86 and Monfort definitely owned the left lane , for those that remember they called us jr. meat haulers and were forever telling us to get out the left lane. I was 24 and am glad and proud to have experienced them times , the end of an era . Roll on brother roll on
Ah the good ole days,ran box beef out of denver,we had a saying ashes to ashes,dust to dust,if it wasn't for us meat haulers the hammer lane would rust , thanks for the memories
Thank you for the story!!
Yep. Remembered Monfort back then, as the majority of my loads traversed I-80 from Omaha to Ohio. My 72 Pete COE (318DD and 13spd) was constantly getting the doors blown off by them.I was an O/O back in 1978-1980, leased to Michigan Nebraska Trucking hauling reefer loads. I hauled a lot of 'swingin' beef in those three years. Not too many issues if the load was packed tight. Get a loose load, and it begins to earn the 'swingin' title. Never ran multiple logbooks, but let's say, I used a lot of 'creative logging' techniques...
Thank you for the story!!
Creative logging techniques 😅.
Trucker told me in the 80s the easiest state to get a license was Nebraska
I used to see those guys at drivers lounge with papers, receipts trying to get caught up(week behind on their “comic book”)
I remember my old man coming and , being so proud that he passed a Monford truck. Him running an old Astro with a 8V-71 Detroit turned way up 🔥 😂.
There were lots of them passed, going the other direction.
That’s because they ran bone stock weak ass 350’s and 400’s and the only time they were “fast” was coming back west.. because they were empty.
Which a 400 was a monster back then. But an 8v71 turned up would walk the dog on almost any of them.
@@Halfstep2024 ... Bull Hockey !
Their A model KW's had 1693's . ... The 350's were early 80's. ... .. .
Monfort also had a plant in Grand Island NE. I met Ken there a few times when I was working maintenance there. I got to know some of the drivers. Some of the trucks ran faster, and if they lost there CDL for speeding they had a desk job till the got it back. In 84 one of the drivers came in with a truck with a fancy scenic paint all down the tractor and trailer. I notice a little painting on the sleeper "Member of the Monfort Racing Team". He told me three of them had it, they had tickets for doing over 100 mph. I can't confirm it but that's what I was told in 85 just before they were sold.
I started driving in the early 70s, over the road most drivers had a stack of drivers licenses so if the got a ticket they just picked one. I once was on 70 in Kansas when I heard that the Grey Ghost was coming my way. So I got in the right lane as a truck flew by disappearing in a minute. He ran a daily turn around from Denver to KC.
FYI Swinging beef is not that rough, the most dangerous loads are smooth bore (no baffle chambers), such as milk requires skill as the load shifts. You hit the brakes and that milk can bounce you 6 ft forward or off the road. The most dangerous is live haul. If you don't restrict the animals together if they rush to one side, you've lost your rig.
Only 6 feet?
@@scotcoon1186maybe he was in the Navy
My dad was a USDA Meat Inspector and would occasionally work at Monford in the early 70's. I don't have many stories about his job there but one thing that always stuck with me. At the time we lived in Denver (65 miles from Greeley) Anytime we knew it was going to rain in Denver and the storm was coming from the North of Denver we'd get a strong smell of manure from the Monford cattle yards. This is something only Colorado natives would be able to remember.
I was in school at CU in the late 70s and certainly remember smelling the feedlots before a storm would roll in. Memories...!!
Barnyard gold!!
Monfort owned other packing plants besides Greeley, they had a plant in Nebraska, & one in Dodge City, KS. I used to haul fats into all the plants, & hauled feeders into their several feedlots they owned. I very well remember the Monfort lane, you saw one coming up behind you, you moved over!
Cactus had a big Montfort plant. Just north of Dumas Texas. Swift owns it now.
There was one plant in garden City, Kansas. Unfortunately it caught on fire Christmas Day 2000.
@@Carla-tz7qw Swift owns Monfort of Colorado also I work on thier Bldgs.
Lived in Greeley in the early 60’s. Montfort and Farr Farms were the big guys then.
Yes, that does bring back memories. I was driving over the road during Monfort's heyday. You would look in your mirror and do a double take when seeing one come up behind you, as they would be approaching so fast. I saw conventional KWs and heard they ran 425 Cats back then. Also heard Kenny Monfort did pay their speeding tickets for awhile, but if they got one more ticket, they were going to be banned in Ohio and be forced to go around it. He supposedly guaranteed beef delivery anywhere within a 48 hour period.
Their first fuel stop going east of Greeley was Morris, IL - mile marker 112 if I remember correctly.
Thanks for the video - I had forgotten all about Monfort. They were legendary.
I'm glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the information.
OHIO has always been a c-sucker state. I ran thru it coming and going from Davenport IA. to Baltimore. when i drove for Midwest Emery during this time period. And yes i remember those "circus wagons."
Oh yeah, Morris! That R Place restaurant is still there! One of best places to eat on 80! It’s a T/A now-big lot-usually full. I drove for them in early 90’s. Very hard to keep up with those guys!
@@billbelk7250 I couldn't keep up with them. Back then I drove a cabover International Transtar with a 318 8V71 Detroit Diesel - 13 speed. I didn't have a chance! Ha!
I hauled swinging beef throughout the '70 for Robert Heath Truckling in Lubbock, TX. There is a technique to hauling swinging that you can't be taught to do. You have to learn it yourself. Robert Heath Trucks were equal or faster than Monfort trucks, although we didn't run a railroad track like Monfort. We hauled swinging meat from the Texas panhandle to everywhere. We hauled bananas from NOLA or Galveston and apples from CA to everywhere. I'm retired since 2000 but remember Monfort well.
Thanks for the memory. You're right on regarding Monfort running back empty as the main reason for the "Monfort Lane" legend. Monfort's top end wasn't actually THAT fast as they ran 13 spds, but the top hole (12-Over) was blocked off. I ran for Midwest Seaboard and would often run with Monfort as we delivered to the same places. We also ran W900 KWs, big Cats w/13spds and the fleet's CB handle back in the day was "Monfort Stompers" That being said, following a Monfort truck going back across PA empty was epic. (The same was true for their western runs over the Rockies.) Greeley was basically 30hrs or less away from any of their customers.
The trucks were actually operated by the Shupe brothers for Monfort and by the mid '70's they typically ran three man teams. Running a three trip cycle, every trip home the team dropped the 2-Out driver and picked up the rested driver from the house.
Monfort envy was also true at the customer sites since they had often had a form of drop & hook where drivers could put it in the door, unhook, pick up an empty and book if there were other Monfort trucks delivering. (The last driver cleared the door.) Monfort teams didn't have to waste time getting a washout, as that was all handled back in Greeley. BTW...in NYC, Hunts Point was the produce market while Ft. Greene was the meat market, but there were a number of packers all around the city. Swinging beef (Swinging Chucks were a different story.) was actually easy to haul and rode better than box meat on the floor since the roof of the trailer had a bit of give. The real hassle was managing the meat hooks during the backhaul.
Wow, thank you for all of that. I knew about the Shupe Brothers but didn't want to confuse the story too much lol. I had heard about the 3 man rotating team but thank you for confirming it. Thank you also for telling me about Ft Greene. I knew Hunts Point was produce as having spent way too much of my early career there lol but I did not know what the meat market was called. Thank you again!!
Yup, sure do remember them blowing the doors off my one stack mack with a window in the back. Long retired and glad I'm not out there today
Here's one for the new kids. We used to start our trucks on Monday morning and not turn them off till we went home on Fri or Sat. Electric mirrors, nope. We used a broom handle through the wing window to tap the mirror to see on turns. I'd love to see a new driver try a twin stick truck. How old am I, I've driven a diamond REO with an 8 speed on the tree.
What year did they convert that Diamond REO over to pneumatic tires ?
Hell my truck runs from the time I leave Tennessee until I get back which is weeks sometimes. 😂
Your a bad dude!
I started OTR driving in '96. Montfort was a different type of outfit by then, but I learned, when somebody says "Montfort is in the left lane", lookout on the interstate. They blow right by like you are standing still.
Thank you so much for sharing driver!!
Back in the day 4 hrs on 4 hrs off was a great way to run the drivers never got tired, I ran this way with my partner up through 1999, back when dot let drivers do what worked best for them you literally never had to shut down when done right. By the way my dad hauled swinging beef and told me the same thing so I drove freight for yellow and switched over to groceries when they went to packaged beef and loved it
I remember those trucks! I ran with one a time or two. I miss the good ole' days.
That's a great feel good story. I've only been in trucking for 11 years, but I have heard the stories on Monfort of Colorado, and of the Monfort lane.
I'm glad you enjoyed it!!
I remember when i rode with my dad when i was young up here in canada he was a bed bug hauler for NA . We went from Toronto to LA once every 3 weeks. They would pass us like we are standing still had the best looking trucks back then.
From Los Angeles. My older brother pulled up in a brand new 93 grey 379 Peterbilt from Monfort called Monfort Transportation Greeley Colorado at that time. Monfort had started a lease purchase program. So I went to Greeley and came home with a concord blue 379 Peterbilt 4.25 Cat 15 speed overdrive ran 93 mph. Great program great runs and yes I’ve hauled that Monfort swinging beef or packaged beef to the East Coast but everywhere at that time. Monfort sold the trucking part to Ameritruke or something like that. And ConAgra bought the beef plants. We bought out our trucks from Monfort, and I started hauling tankers. Miss them Montfort days.
That's a great story. Thank you so much for sharing!!
@@truckingresources4240You’re welcome brother! Love what you’re doing.
I’ve been looking for a Tanker company from the 70’s my father use to work for called Oilfields Trucking Company off of Hamilton Blvd in Torrance Ca now Penske truck lease. The Corporate Headquarters was located in Las Vegas Neveda.
I think the thing that described their drivers was a can do attitude and ability. I was on the road in those days and traveled on I 80 between the Midwest and NEW York city and Boston. My truck was either a Mack with 237 or a white with a 318. Detroit. A lot of their trucks had 1693 Cat engines hardly a match for what most of us had. So they were the fastest on the road then. As I think back on those days performance was the thing that counted in both trucks and drivers. In my humble opinion. This is my 52 year of over the road driving . I have been blessed to be able to make a living and survived this way of life.
Thank you so much for helping pave the way for our industry!!
I've drove trucks for many years and hauling swing beef out of Brooks Alberta Canada was one that I myself did enjoy doing. Most loads went to the west coast but the odd load did go east. That was in the early 80's. Loved those days.
1693 CAT..... now that brings back memories! Sounded like a Folgers can half full of 3/8s nuts and shaken.... while other change years, it changed counties....
Maybe 3mpg though.
Cool
The 237 mack is probably still running today tho, maybe without even having the heads off yet..... .....likely can't say that about the others
For a few years in the 1970s driving for the Midwest Refrigerated Express with "Super 250s'" Cummins hauling swinging beef and sheep to Manhatten and Boston. Didn't envy Monfort Tracks passing me just made me hungrey for a faster truck. That never happened. Enjoyed seeing those Monfort trucks speeding by me. Great fun! Thanks for the good explanation of their history.
You are welcome sir and thank you for your many years of service in this great industry!! We have a lot more companies we will be doing stories on!!
Rumor had floated around that Montfort wanted to buy left lane on 80 from the government
I work for steinbicker brothers back in the late 70s . They leased to Monford, I met a lot of Minfort drivers and I was told the story about the left lane how it got its name. Apparently, back in the early 70s running I-80 through Iowa was absolutely brutal .Kenny Monfort told his drivers to run the left lane he would pay the ticket.. then I was told he called the governor and told him that he would buy and maintain that left lane just leave his trucks alone.Again along time ago . .
Yeah i remember Monfort!! I was working for C R England that was 1975 was there for year and a half ran teams they would run! Monfort ruled the left lane lol!! Long story short i trucked 43 yrs. Retired in 2018 still get the itch!! Thanks for the memories! Take care be safe!!
Stay tuned for more. I have a lot of old trucking company stories coming up. Thank you so much for paving the way for those of us still out here. I hope retirement is treating you well!!
I bet you got some good stories...makes my 30 years in driving seem like a rookie..lol
I worked for 'Clay Hyder Trucking' out of Auburndale, Fla. in the late 70's. We hauled a lot of 'Swingin' Beef' out the Amarillo area. ARMOUR, IBP, SWIFT, NATIONAL. Cabover Freightliners w/Formula 290's & 40ft Reefer Rail-Trailers. - When loaded with 'swingin', I always pictured a card-table sitting in my trailer with a glass of water on it. The goal was to drive so as to not upset the glass-of-water.
Hauled a lot of 'swingin' to the Carolinas & also straight back to Florida. Two(2) lane roads with a high crown used to make me feel very uncomfortable !
Running 'single', there were many times I'd get back to Auburndale (our only terminal) & have to wait a day or two for my (official) logbook to catch-up to me before I could 'check-in'. Back then, the speed limit was 55mph & you could only log 50mph (500 miles) in 10 hours (hard to do with a 62mph truck grossed-out !) - I started out with a cabover Freightliner w/a Cummins 'straight' 250 w/4:30 rears & a 10speed Spicer.
In '79, I finally moved to 'Refrigerated Transport of Atlanta' & drove for a owner-operator running a 1978 KW K100 w/a 430 Detroit, 13 o/d w/3:70 rears & had a ball !! I could finally keep-up with the Monforts !! - Couldn't/wouldn't do it these days with all of the ELD's & cameras in the cab & other garbage. Glad that I got to experience 'The Good Ole Days'.
Steve / W5BIB - OTR Reefer & CF Line haul team/solo - 1977-2009
That story doesn’t make sense all the numbers you gave doesn’t add up for us old school, Drivers. Just my observation
What a great video, thank you!
Just found your channel. Really enjoying it.
My brother and I hauled swinging beef and lamb out of Colorado for Curtis we were leased with Curtis out of commerce City Colorado
Great memories I'm sure
Great story, Thank you for sharing!!
I was one of the monford drivers back in the early 80s
Wow, if you have any pictures or stories please send them to finchresources@gmail.com. This story I got so much attention I might do a follow up.
@truckingresources4240 I admire you for taking on this project of preserving history, while providing a forum for these experienced drivers to give us a peek into their trucking experiences.
Those days were the wild west of trucking before rules and regs made it a pain in the ass.
It's ironic that bureaucracies have ruined everything that was fun in America. We hauled cattle, farmed grain and drag raced on summer weekends. Bureaucracy promoting safety stole our liberty. You can't have both. Our ability to trade risk for reward has been killed over the last 50 yrs.
Just found your channel. Good stuff.!! In my time, like others, I drove most every kind of motor there was, but the "'93''s" were the cats meow!! I'm retired now, but love hearing about the 'good 'ol days', It will never be the same. New sub here for sure!
I remember cat 93's bowling smoke ,old myself
True Monfort Stories; Many moons ago, I lived in Greeley (actually, Kersey, Colorado, 4 miles to the East of Greeley). Outside of town was (just one) of Monfort feedlots. At that time, he had over 80,000 head on feed to be processed. This was just one of many feedlots across Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska that Kenny Monfort owned. One year the Union bosses came to Kenny to renegotiate their contracts. Kenny informed them that he wasn't earning any profits at that time and couldn't swing any raises for the thousands of Union employees that he employed. The Unions threatened a strike and called Kenny Monfort a liar about the profit situation. Kenny told them that if they struck, he would shut everything down until the Union was broken. You guessed it, they struck he shut it down. In the video (Trucking Resources) said he was the largest employer in Greeley, Kenny Monfort, in the 70s, 80s, and most of the 90s was actually the largest employer in Colorado. In the end, the strike bankrupted untold amounts of businesses, including banks. The Governor went to Kenny and begged him to reopen his businesses, and he said, "Not until the Union dissolves and apologizes to me for calling me a liar." Legend has it that Kenny lost some $500,000,000 on that strike to retain his honor of being called a liar. One other side note, legend also has it that Kenny Monfort petitioned the states of Ohio, Indiana, and parts of Pennsylvania to purchase the Turnpike so his trucks could exceed the speed limits to get to NYC faster. Don't know if that is true or not, but many old friends of mine who drove for Monfort claimed it as being true. To all the "OLD-GUARD" out there, hat's off to you. I do miss my 379 Pete with the 500HP Cat and 13-speed tranny. Yep, had some good times in that beauty.
Good story
Turnpike story is just that ,a story
@@earlevans2428 As I said, it is legend and I never claimed it to be true or accurate. Does make for a good story to drink coffee with friends at a truck stop.
There was the Montfort Lane and the McLean lane McLean were the slowest trucks at the time the drivers didn’t wear cutoff pants and no such thing as back packs or tennis shoes and you had to know someone to learn how to drive a truck those were the good old days
Wow that brings back memories!!
My grandpa told a similar story one time about a company running the left lane and I think this is the company. Great story man!
Thank you so much!! Standby for more companies!!
Drove for nearly 40 years all over the US with 2 runs to Alaska. My favorite load was out of Colorado with a drop deck trailer. I had dropped off a fire truck in Winchester Colorado and happened on a truck wreck. Helped the driver get out and to make a long story short I ended up with his load on my trailer. Stacked, strapped and tarped---- 40,000 lbs of silver in 60 lb ingots out of a mine in Nevada. The driver rode with me to Philadelphia and got unloaded. Those people were shocked all that silver was on a drop deck trailer.
It was going to the US mint I'm guessing?
We delivered it to a processing facility which I am sure was part of the mint but I know there were not any signs saying US Mint. A lot of guys around not doing any work, sure they were guards. Were not wearing a uniform but we're concealed carrying. Really nice place best I remember.
I still run swinging beef till this day & I’m 29 years old . I run an empty rail trailer to Iowa , drop it & pick up a loaded wagon with swinging beef headed for Chicago . I would love to share some pictures I have . Not really people know about this aspect of the industry
What a fantastic story of by the sounds of it a very determined company and so great to here they looked after there drivers and local people very awesome thanks for sharing 👍
In the 70s I drove for Zacky Farms out of Cal, we had a Pete with this huge Cat, the driver was a nice guy, young with gray hair called 'Pappy.' I was riding my big bike along side of him as he was climbing Cajon, I had seen him earlier at the terminal picking up 40+ ton load of chicken so I knew he was heavy. He knew me as I waved goodbye and snapped that bikes throttle. The bike jumped but that big Pete stayed right beside me going over 80mph accelerating up the mountain. He'd leave on Monday afternoon solo for Chicago to return early Sat with Swift pork.
Thank you everyone for your stories. Ive been out here for 27 years so i caught the tail end of the Monfort days. I was living in Fort Morgan at the time so Greeley wasn't too far away. These stories bring back great memories of a time when trucking was fun and simpler. I know I'm too young so i missed the golden age of trucking. trucking has changed so much. Not only the rules but the people in the industry. Were losing a lot of the old timers and the ways are sadly going with them. It'll never be the same but the memories of running across 90, 80, 70, 44, 40 the quick friendships you'd make and the crazy stories and jokes you'd hear were a lot of fun. To all the old timers...thank you for paving the way and to everyone who's still out here keep'r safe
I'm glad you're enjoying the stories. I have a few more and lots more to come!!
You are so right, and you are so welcome. I have been at it since 1974 and it's sad to see some of the foreigners that have no regard for other drivers and for the trucking culture. Hope we don't lose it entirely.
My old man always told me,boy stayout of the left lane thats monforts only,ive been trucking for 29 years ,niw and only seen 1 old monfort 45 footer reefer years ago in a field if i remember.
I went to Denver with my Dad in July 1975 in his 1974 Peterbilt cabover. I remember seeing the Montfort trucks
I’ve hauled swinging beef - how it’s packed makes all the difference. A tight pack in the trailer results in a much easier haul.
Ain't all that big a deal.
Leased to Onley. Midwest Seaboard.
Trively and Sons.
Al Marshall
It’s a Monfort of Colorado gotta be back in Greeley day after tomorrow, I’m headed east with a load of swinging beef. Gotta wife back in Boulder she’s been cry’n on her husband shoulder saying honey babe you gotta quit this job. He said there ain’t no way to do it, I got my heart and soul into it, and headed east with swinging beef’s for me…… those were the days my friend we thought they’d never end.
Amen Driver!!
Back when I was young, my dad had a KW 900, with a 450 Allis-Chalmers "Big AL" in it. Nothing would run with it. It was a Cat killer. Allis had it turned up to 500 dad said. It never did break the crankshaft off like a bunch of them did.
Wow that's awesome. Horsepower like that back the would have definitely been the king of the road. Thanks for watching!!
I drove from 92 to 05, even then Monfort was the stuff of legend and tall tales. heard about them and the phrase "Monfort lane" from some of the drivers that had been out there longer than me, even got called one once. had an XL Classic that would run triple digit in the late 90's, and one night on I-70 in western Kansas I flew by a line of several trucks. a voice over the CB said "ha ha, he thinks he's a Monfort truck!"
Monfort used to deliver direct to an upscale Supermarket chain called Heinen's in the Cleveland, OH area. The trucks would arrive before dawn and be unloaded and gone by opening time a 8 AM.
No CDL but we had a chauffeur's license which was a truck driver classification and points did add up I had at one time 4 different licenses from 4 different states played like a Bingo card to many points on one start.on another one
Awesome story!! I've heard a lot of stories like that!!
I started driving trucks in 1979, I remember being passed by Monfort trucks! Exciting times those were!
As a child, traveling down I-80, going to and from Iowa, I used to just love the looks of those Monfort rigs!!
I hauled cattle out of Windsor Colorado in the 70s and 80s . Delivered to Gilcrest and Keensburg. Drove for Cactus Hill, and Booth Brothers, we would bring cattle in from California, Utah, Montana and other western states. Glory days of Trucking.
Its really cool to listen to your stories. Also, its great to see you wearing 1 of G's Trucker G hats, hes a really great guy.
Thank you for the compliment. You are right Trucker G is a great guy. I got to meet him and his family at MATS this year!!
My Dad used to drive a truck during that era from the IBM plant in Boulder to DC. He had a few Monfort stories. His favorite was the Coors trucks, bright red and big motors. You should research there trucks during that time.
I remember the Monfort Lane!!!!!!!!!
I hit the road in 1978.If I was in the Monfort lane and saw a Monfort truck approaching,I would get the H out of the way.
My uncle that taught me how to drive drove for Monfort. I did work for Montfort feedlots for 12 years it was fun
+When I was Driving for Ford delivering parts to dealers in North & South Carolina I teamed with a driver which ran a lot on I 80. I had driven for Trailways for 17 years we were talking about how the buses ran. I ask him about the company that owned the left lane. He said that was Monfort. Then he said one night on I 80they flit the lights for him to move over, about the time the truck got by him the turn single came on and Monfort was moving to let someone by. He got on the CB and said, " I though you guys owned the left lane" The Monfort came back " we do, except when a Trailways Eagle gets behind us" Oh The good old days!
I remember the Monfort lane well. Turned up Cats, twin sticks, and 3.55 gears.
We used to pull the throttle stop all the way up and lock it. That second stick stayed pushed up against the dash!
I don’t know exactly what that means, but sounds fast!
4x4 on air ,no twin sticks,4.33 rears
My grandpa and an uncle drove for Montfort. My dad drove for Curtis Inc. out of commerce city Colorado and all they hauled was Montfort beef. Anyway, the truth of the monfort lane was because monfort trucks were steadily getting robbed along i80 thru pa so Kenny Montfort stopped his trucks running east. Being the largest beef supplier out there at the time, the governor of new york and pa begged monfort to resume supplying them. Kenny told them only on one condition. My trucks will run the left lane straight thru and they will not stop for anything! It was agreed and there was the birth of the monfort lane!!!!
Yep! During this time period I was still in high school but would truck with my older brother every chance I could and where I learned to drive. Also heard very similar to what you just said!!!
Wow, I hadn't heard that one yet. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Wow cool history thanks I remember seeing there trucks when I was younger
Swinging beef. Argghh. That brings back some nightmares hahaha.
We did a lot of recovery’s back in the day, usually the boys would flip those hanging beef trailers over on the new clover leafs ramps, they would enter the turn a little hot and because it was such a tight turn that swinging beef was too heavy amd over she went.
Sorry. Top heavy
I've heard a lot of them stories!!
NOT too HEAVY. Too LOOSE! AL Marshall
Monfort didn't haul into hunts point ny. The went to the meat market in lower Manhattan. Hunts point is a produce terminal. Monfort truck teams drove flat out all the time. Had plenty of c.b. conversations with them on I-80 in Pennsylvania. We ran a respectable 78-83 mph and Monfort was faster. Some of the beef needed to be in N.Y.-Philly due to Kosher laws. Greely co. was also called 'Port Israel'. Rumors say.....once loaded they needed to be in NYC inside of 24 hours
I believe that it had to be blessed again by a Rabi
Hunts point handles meat also I delivered it there
Keep on talking old timers I’m listening
Not true. Monfort did in fact haul into hunts point and the beef was not kosher! That had absolutely nothing to do with anything!
A good friend of mine did haul kosher beef from St Paul to NYC and he mentioned from time to time the Rabi needing to bless the meat
I retired in 2014 with 43 years of OTR experience. I almost never ran team except once a year from New York to California so myself and another company driver could visit our respective Trucker Buddy school classes. Mine was at the school on Edwards Air Force base and my partners class was in a Catholic school in Aroyo Grande. I worked for the largest private fleet of any retail corporation, and they NEVER allowed logging violations. We were the first major fleet to adopt and use auxilliary power units so a driver could stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer without the truck engine idling. We were also one of the first fleets to have electronic logging, which doesn't allow a driver to violate the hours of service regulations and will literally shut the truck off after 30 minutes in violation. Anyway, unless they've changed the rules for teams, 4 on and 4 off IS or was a legal way for team logging. Incidentally, I started driving in the mid 70's when Monfort was just getting big. The official CB name for the left lane was absolutly the Monfort lane for the reasons you cited. It will forever be enshrined in the CB radio lingo museum along with "meat wagon", "local yokel", "smokey bear doing flips in the comedian" and "Kojak with a Kodak shootin ya in the face at the 73 yard line". Incidentally, I once ran with a Monfort driver and I happened to mention the Monfort Lane. What he said when he replied was priceless. He lamented that "because of the CDL, The Monfort Lane is just a memory lane". And so it goes!
You must have run for Werner
Started otr 1973 after my service running Ohio to NYC and Boston. In PA get out of the way. The cb would let you know to move over Monfort was coming through. One night I stopped at TA in middle PA. It looked like a monfort convention. Nice trucks and fast. I know they were told to hold it down in Ohio. I-80 was well protected by the state patrol. I counted 13 troopers in 25 miles one day. I’m still driving an old W900 with 2.5 million miles still on paper logs. The good days are gone. I’d old guys are dying off not the fellowship of truckers anymore. The Monfort lane was a real thing. I’d run a little over the speed limit and I’d regularly get my doors blown off.
Wow, what a year to start in the trucking industry!! I am currently working on a video that will be released this weekend that's all about trucking in the 70's. Thanks for the great story!!
Thanks for sharing. I will subscribe.
Thank you!! I'm Glad you enjoyed it!!
Thx Buddy!!
Hauling swinging beef was a skill.
No sudden lane changes and take your turns easy.. I hauled swinging to Boston every week for several years.
Oh and they unloaded it for you. No driver uploading lol
Awesome story, Thank you for sharing!!
Swingin wasn't much different than hauling live cattle.
I drove for an independent back in the late 80s about the time it changed to Con Agra,we hauled furniture from the Carolinas out and meat back we had left lane trucks as well,it was fun but I lost a lotta sleep as well
Great video even here in Australia I recently bought a great book all about Monfort.
The old saying
" 95 looks like 95 even though the speed limit is 55 "
Yeah great time to be trucking in the USA.
We had a similar company here in Australia.
Clevelands of Adelaide.
Recently closed the door after more than 47 years or trading.
East - West Express.
Sydney to Perth
Melbourne to Perth
Either trip over 2,000 miles over the paddock the Nullabor Plain.
There semi's were known as
" Mack Munchers "
All Kenworth & they go head to head with 500hp V8 Superliners.
I hitched a ride back in 92 in a Mack Muncher still upshifting gears at 80 plus mph or 120 kph here in Australia.
Would run 3406B Cats with 15 speed double overdrive & 3.5 arse end.
Express freight.
Good old days anyone reading my comment look up Cleveland on RUclips.
Like USA, 3 log books, 3 licences.
Now days forget it you would goto jail for 20% of what used to go on on the highways back then.
Great story.
Cheers
Louis Kats 🇦🇺 🇺🇸 👍 🙂
I ran across one of those "triple digits" monfort trucks backing in the early 90s across Eastern Colorado on 96, I guess he thought triple digits ment 100, and no more, I went around him hauling cows at 125, in a 1983 Pete 359 big cam 400 with a 15 double overdrive, BYE BYE monfort
Yup got almost spun around several times by those left lane trks
Heard some of the drivers would go fist to cuff in CO yard to get the fastest trks just a rumor that was going around , can't verify it , you know how stories get started, you anit going to believe this crap , that's how some drivers have no proof to back up there story
Yes, I definitely would I use to run to these codes Hollyn, swinging meat out a Greeley. I used to have a circus wagon passed me all the time.
I go by the Monford feed lot outside Greely from time to time and see it is owned by JBS.
Isn't JBS a Brazilian Corp?
@@rt3box6tx74 yes
I remember the monster in the 70s fast sharp-looking trucks I never could keep up with them mostly Nebraska but they were and the Montfort Lane continuously a lot of times three or four in a row
I've been hearing that a lot. I wish I could find a picture of a Monfort Convoy. Thank you for sharing!!
I remember Monfort. The Left lane was something I had heard about. They always Hammered Down.
My dad drove for Monfort where he met my mom who worked in the office he used to tell a lot of stories, interesting fact they used to carry coors on the truck with them to get unloaded ahead of others as they couldn't get Coors back east.
I used to haul swinging kosher beef out of Gymon Oklahoma to NYC every 2 weeks or so. Had some fun drag racing on I 40. 1980 w900A. 3408 DITA, 6×4, 3:55s and tall rubber. Good times
Was a swinger with Sunflower Carriers, Xmas'78 to '81. Know Montfort well. Hauled beef to them, they would unload onto their trailers and take to Hunts Point
The buddy John worked for them late 70s.. ..
Trucks set at 75. ..boss said to his workers. No problem to make it out east in 2 or 3 days.. make it happen
Thank you for the info!!
I still remember the first time I got passed by a circus wagon in 74 .I couldn't believe it but the Munford lane became reteen
Great story...
I'm glad you enjoyed it!!
The Monfort Lane. I remember it well. Bull racks beware!
In 1979 I went to work driving for Hartley trucking. We hauled swinging meat from Colorado, Nebraska.Iowa on I-80 to the East Coast. My Frieghtliner ran well in the Monfort Lane.
Man, I'd love to see a picture of that old Shaker. Thanks for sharing!!
I will look for an old picture and send it to you.
Team driver here, also the Monforts went to HS with my foster dad and we use to have season tickets behind the visiting dug out. Team drivers now can run 24/7 driver 1 uses up his 11 hour time clock over a 14 hour period and than driver 2 takes over and go on sleeper birth. The truck basically can run 24/7. Food service however will have you drive your hos and then log into sleeper birth and keep unloading for another 10-11 hours. Illegal asf😂😂
Amen to that!! Thank you for sharing driver!!
Someday do a piece on Vitalis Truck Line out of Iowa in the 60 s and 70s. They were high classed w900 driven by company drivers.
Thank you for the info. I'm not familiar with them but I will look into them!!
Remember them well. Get out of the hammer lane if you heard they were coming. Beautiful sight if they were in convoy. I started driving teams in 1970 with my dad and two uncles. We ran east to west and back
. Saw them coming and going.
Thank you for sharing and also thank you for being one of the great drivers that paved the way!!
I like those o cabovers. I remember I use to see cabovers all the time here in the USA 🇺🇸 back in the 80s & down. Nowadays I see mostly conventional cabs.