For long-haul truck driver, there's no place like home
By JenniferArchibald Staff writer

Back in the '80s This was Michael Murphy's second truck, which he drove in the 1980s. He was a long-haul driver for 20 years, logging about 100,000 miles a year. He received various safe-driving pins. Photo provided

In 27 years of trucking, MichaelMurphy rolled through 48 states and logged two and a halfmillion accident-freemiles.

Recently retired, he said he is staying home now and enjoying the change of pace. He resides in Flora.

Murphy said he bought his first truck because he had wanderlust.

"That's one thing about trucking. I got to see the country," Murphy said.

"Every state has its own beauty. One of the prettiest runs was in Virginia and West Virginia."

He said from a truck driver's standpoint, one of the worst places to drive in is Boston, partly because of the narrow streets.

"One of the easiest to find your way around in is Los Angeles," he said.

Murphy has hauled all kinds of cargo - fromgiant stuffed animals to hand grenades. He said he originally thought he was just hauling grenade casings, but later found out he had 40,000 pounds of the whole explosive.

Murphy

He said the highest valuemerchandise he carried was a load of slot machines, valued at $1.5 million. The run was fromReno to Atlantic City, and he had an escort the whole way.

"Once I hauled a prototype of a new type of business jet," Murphy said.

He picked it up in Detroit and was to deliver it to a small business airport in San Antonio. After he arrived in the area, a tornado hit and destroyed all the hangars at the airport.

"I had to turn around and bring it back," Murphy said. "I got paid both ways without opening the doors."

Murphy said he's seen a lot of changes in the trucking industry since he started driving in the '80s.

He said one of the biggest changes has been random drug testing by the Department of Transportation.

"I used to see syringes on the ground at truck stops, but that has been drastically reduced," he said.

He listed other changes, such as computers on the engines, more power out of a smaller engine, and better economy. He said the availability of a computerized communication systembetween the driver and dispatcher has also made a big difference.

"Diesel fuel was 28 cents a gallon when I started out, and now it's around $2.89," he said.

Murphy was an owner-operator for 18 years, and a long-haul driver for 20 years.

He said his first truck was a 1980 Ford cabover.

"It was just a basic truck, nothing fancy. It didn't have cruise control or power steering," he said.

"It would do 62, and that's it."

He said he got used to it and ran at that speed from then on.

Murphy pulled for several different companies including Mayflower andAtlas.

Some companies required uniforms, but if they didn't, Murphy said he always wore a white shirt.

"That was my trademark," he said.

Like most truck drivers, he's had his share of close-calls, including the time his brakes went out on a steep hill;when he almost hit cattle in the road; and the five times he had front-tire blowouts. Once in New York City, he said he returned to his truck and found three bullet holes in the side.

Alittle fender benderMurphy had at a truck stop left a big impression because it came just after he achieved his consecutive two and a half million accident free miles.

Murphy said in 27 years, he's only gotten two speeding tickets.

"One was in Ohio and one was in Missouri - just after the speed limit was reduced to 55."

The last seven years, Murphy stayed closer to home to care for his mother, Elsie Murphy of Flora. He drove for Venture Logistics out of Lafayette, hauling parts to Subaru.

His mother died in 2006, and Murphy retired late this summer. He has chosen to stay in Flora and live in the family home.

He said he's been busy working on the house. He's also looking forward to spending more time on his hobbies.

"I build model ships, I have a boat, and I'man avid reader," he said. "I plan to enjoy life."