Hurricane Helene Relief: Cypress Drivers Answer the Call

1 00:00:01,600 --> 00:00:08,080 September 2024 Hurricane Helene slams into Florida, then does something 2 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:14,400 nobody expected. Instead of weakening and disappearing, it keeps moving. 3 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:21,400 North Carolina, Tennessee. Georgia. Mountains turned into rivers. 4 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:27,600 Roads vanished. Entire towns were isolated from the outside world. 5 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:35,320 And somewhere in western North Carolina, a critical medical supply plant found itself cut 6 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:42,160 off from the very communities that depended on it. No bridge, no access, 7 00:00:42,480 --> 00:00:49,400 no easy way in. So Florida did something remarkable. Governor 8 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:55,880 Ron DeSantis authorized the deployment of more than 7500ft of temporary bridge infrastructure, 9 00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:03,330 and somebody had to move it. Not soldiers, not politicians. 10 00:01:03,729 --> 00:01:10,290 Truck drivers. A convoy of Cypress truck lines. Drivers loaded up bridge sections, 11 00:01:10,290 --> 00:01:15,369 rolled north into a disaster zone, and delivered the pieces that would help reconnect the 12 00:01:15,370 --> 00:01:22,249 community to supplies that hospitals literally couldn't operate without. Today 13 00:01:22,690 --> 00:01:29,209 we're talking to two of those drivers, not because they'll tell you they're heroes. In fact, 14 00:01:29,410 --> 00:01:35,970 you'll hear the exact opposite. But sometimes the most important stories in trucking 15 00:01:35,970 --> 00:01:42,569 aren't the ones about the freight. They're about the people waiting on the other end. 16 00:01:43,290 --> 00:01:48,009 This is the Cypress Truck Lines podcast. Let's roll. 17 00:01:52,889 --> 00:01:57,409 Countdown to the Cypress Truck Lines podcast starts now. 18 00:01:59,750 --> 00:02:06,230 Your number one professional flat betting podcast here to deliver stories, safety updates and 19 00:02:06,230 --> 00:02:11,350 company news directly to your ears. Let's get down to business. 20 00:02:19,270 --> 00:02:25,589 The river that runs alongside this community is surging incredibly fast, bringing a ton of mud and 21 00:02:25,589 --> 00:02:31,830 muck with it. The water and the debris that it had caught up just tore through homes that were along 22 00:02:31,830 --> 00:02:37,589 the river there. It has been one of the most devastating storms that the US has seen in a very 23 00:02:37,589 --> 00:02:44,310 long time. There are many homes destroyed. People who have lost their livelihoods, their 24 00:02:44,310 --> 00:02:50,229 hometowns, their loved ones. The states that were hit by this hurricane include Florida, Georgia, 25 00:02:50,270 --> 00:02:56,840 South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia. In all of those, there have been pockets 26 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:03,600 of severe destruction. But it's become clear in recent days that western North Carolina was the 27 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:10,280 hardest hit area by this storm. This community is very small. It's in the mountains right now. 28 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:16,880 They're the only way to bring in resources is by hand, carrying them across this plank, or in a raft 29 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:23,000 over the river, or by helicopter, which has been one of the most important lifelines for the 30 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:29,840 people there. They said that the most helpful drops of supplies and other things have come 31 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:36,759 from private people who are just flying things in. A lot of people have left their homes, 32 00:03:36,759 --> 00:03:40,800 whether because it's destroyed or because there's nothing around them. And then there are other 33 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:46,080 people who really want to stay. Who say that this is their home and that there's no way they'd 34 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:52,720 leave, no matter what it looks like. So many people that we have been interviewing are just at a loss 35 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:57,928 about what they've experienced, about everything that has been destroyed by this storm. Everywhere 36 00:03:57,929 --> 00:04:04,009 we go, people say, I didn't think it was going to be that bad. And that seems to be a big reason why 37 00:04:04,049 --> 00:04:10,648 some of these communities have suffered so much. A little look back into the past there at Hurricane 38 00:04:10,649 --> 00:04:17,089 Helene in 2024. That was Nicholas Bogle Burrows, who is a reporter for The New York 39 00:04:17,089 --> 00:04:23,809 Times, taking us through what he was seeing during the aftermath of Hurricane Helene 40 00:04:23,809 --> 00:04:30,769 back in 2024. Welcome in here to the Cypress Truck Lines podcast today. Starting off with a 41 00:04:30,769 --> 00:04:36,129 little bit more of a somber feel than what we typically open this podcast with, and for very 42 00:04:36,129 --> 00:04:42,689 good reason. We are here today to talk about Cypress Trucks involvement in 43 00:04:42,849 --> 00:04:49,849 the aftermath and the recovery effort after Hurricane Helene hit in late September 44 00:04:49,850 --> 00:04:56,070 2024. Uh, of course, I'm your host, Marcus. Welcome to the show today. This one is 45 00:04:56,070 --> 00:05:02,950 gravitational. You heard it in the open. This was real stuff. Um, a lot of people, 46 00:05:02,950 --> 00:05:09,630 I mean, a lot of people. 250. In fact, more than 250 fatalities 47 00:05:09,870 --> 00:05:15,790 were caused across the southeast, making Hurricane Helene one of the deadliest storms to strike the 48 00:05:15,790 --> 00:05:22,669 United States in decades. And while most people remember the wind and the flooding, recovery came 49 00:05:22,670 --> 00:05:29,069 down to something much simpler, which was getting supplies, equipment and infrastructure back where 50 00:05:29,070 --> 00:05:35,390 they were needed. And that is where our show kicks off today. Um, I have been 51 00:05:35,390 --> 00:05:42,030 very excited is the wrong word. I have been excited because I know how important this 52 00:05:42,030 --> 00:05:47,790 episode is, and I know how important the story is and the context in which you will hear the story, 53 00:05:47,790 --> 00:05:54,359 how important that is as well. And I didn't know how the interview with our drivers was going to 54 00:05:54,400 --> 00:06:00,279 go. And you'll hear it here in just a few minutes around the corner. I really wasn't sure what I was 55 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:06,000 in for and how they were going to present the story to me, but I will tell you this I'm not 56 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:11,519 surprised at all. I've already recorded that interview. I know how it went. And now that I'm 57 00:06:11,559 --> 00:06:18,240 talking to you from the other side of it, briefly, I will tell you that I'm not surprised one 58 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:24,040 bit, but we'll get those drivers in here in just a moment to talk a little bit about their 59 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:30,779 experience, because it was, I believe, the Tuesday of the maybe the 20th 60 00:06:30,780 --> 00:06:37,519 of September in 2024, where Governor Ron DeSantis decided that the state of Florida was going to 61 00:06:37,559 --> 00:06:44,359 send 7500ft of bridge infrastructure up to North Carolina in 62 00:06:44,359 --> 00:06:51,339 order to do many things and connect many communities back to vital resources. But most 63 00:06:51,340 --> 00:06:58,099 importantly, I think this factory that we will talk about throughout today's episode 64 00:06:58,299 --> 00:07:04,220 was a factory that was producing saline solution and isopropyl alcohol. And those two things are 65 00:07:04,220 --> 00:07:10,659 absolutely crucial at any hospital. You go to any medical facility that you go to. And I'm not 66 00:07:10,659 --> 00:07:16,659 talking about in disaster relief times. I'm talking about on a random Wednesday. You better 67 00:07:16,660 --> 00:07:23,299 hope whatever medical facility you walk into with whatever ailment or injury you may have 68 00:07:23,339 --> 00:07:30,139 has saline solution and isopropyl alcohol. These are two absolute staples in the medical 69 00:07:30,140 --> 00:07:36,419 field and what we were dealing with in the aftermath of this storm in North Carolina was a 70 00:07:36,459 --> 00:07:42,819 saline and isopropyl factory that had been cut off from the communities that it served. And some 71 00:07:42,819 --> 00:07:48,429 people might hear that and think the local community that it served. No. This is one of those 72 00:07:48,429 --> 00:07:54,749 factories that is pumping this stuff out for maybe the the region at large or even possibly 73 00:07:54,750 --> 00:08:01,589 other places in the country. You know, we are a trucking podcast, so it makes perfect sense to us 74 00:08:01,590 --> 00:08:07,549 to say it's nothing if maybe a truck from California pulled in and grabbed a load from this 75 00:08:07,550 --> 00:08:14,510 facility and took it all the way back out west, but for the, uh, for the 76 00:08:14,510 --> 00:08:20,989 intents and purposes of the disaster recovery effort post-Hurricane Helene, this factory was 77 00:08:20,990 --> 00:08:26,909 very important. And I know he doesn't like me to say his name on here very often, but I have to 78 00:08:26,949 --> 00:08:32,189 call him out right here. Not call him out, but shout him out. Uh, Matt Penland told me a very 79 00:08:32,190 --> 00:08:38,309 personal story about his stepdaughter, who was a nurse who was was talking about. We are running 80 00:08:38,309 --> 00:08:44,950 out of these things. This is saline solution is I.V. fluid a lot of times. Right. It's it's a it's 81 00:08:44,950 --> 00:08:49,200 the things that you. It's the stuff you can squirt in your eye when you've got something on your 82 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:55,919 contact it. It is an amazing invention in medical. I don't want to say medical tech, but in the 83 00:08:55,919 --> 00:09:01,718 medical field. When saline solution came along, there was a lot of advancements made in its wake 84 00:09:01,719 --> 00:09:08,479 and great advancements. And you need an overstock of these types of materials 85 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:15,399 when you're dealing with a disaster effort that saw a hurricane claim over 250 lives 86 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:22,240 in the region. Um, it's a very, very serious storm and one that did not follow 87 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:29,039 storm protocol at all. It hit Florida. We expect that that is something you guys 88 00:09:29,039 --> 00:09:35,719 are down there. You know, Florida and Hurricanes. I mean, name a more iconic duo. But Florida 89 00:09:35,719 --> 00:09:42,479 has the infrastructure in place as a state to deal with these things. And maybe North Carolina 90 00:09:42,479 --> 00:09:47,420 does on the coastline. Maybe South Carolina does on the coastline. Uh, you know, it doesn't have any 91 00:09:47,420 --> 00:09:54,020 coastline. Tennessee. You know who doesn't have any coastline? Western North Carolina, western South 92 00:09:54,020 --> 00:10:00,820 Carolina. Uh, any place north of the coastline in Georgia. These places are not 93 00:10:00,860 --> 00:10:07,539 fit for taking on gale force winds and rain and hail and all the rest of it that you see 94 00:10:07,580 --> 00:10:14,259 come off the ocean. Typically, the geography of the United States will dissipate that storm before it 95 00:10:14,260 --> 00:10:20,739 works its way inland. And I say typically, because that is not what happened when Hurricane Helene 96 00:10:20,739 --> 00:10:27,099 introduced herself to the great southeastern United States. And if it wasn't for the state of 97 00:10:27,099 --> 00:10:33,739 Florida, the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, and companies like Cypress Truck 98 00:10:33,739 --> 00:10:39,899 Lines, who knows what would have happened in the aftermath of this storm. 99 00:10:40,419 --> 00:10:46,629 And today I've got two drivers here joining me that were at the forefront. They were in the 100 00:10:46,629 --> 00:10:52,669 convoy. They were hauling some of that 7500ft of temporary bridge 101 00:10:52,670 --> 00:10:59,668 infrastructure, and they're here to tell their story today. So when you're listening to this, 102 00:10:59,669 --> 00:11:06,548 just remember that truck drivers, everyday truck drivers, the job that you guys do every single 103 00:11:06,549 --> 00:11:13,429 day in our eyes, the people that don't do that job, it really does make you heroes. 104 00:11:13,430 --> 00:11:19,909 Because without you, I don't have my toilet paper. I don't have my dude wipes. I don't have 105 00:11:19,909 --> 00:11:25,029 my, uh, my frozen chicken in the fridge that I can whip out and make a quick dinner for the wife and 106 00:11:25,030 --> 00:11:30,789 I. We don't have any of it. We don't have the buildings and the infrastructure that we talk 107 00:11:30,830 --> 00:11:37,829 about. If it's not for you guys. Everyday heroes is what I have always viewed 108 00:11:37,869 --> 00:11:44,399 truck drivers as. And in a scenario like this where they have the chance to step up and 109 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:51,039 become even more heroes, even even bigger heroes, even more, 110 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:57,920 more spotlighted heroes. What you're going to hear is a couple of guys stay humble. Say it's 111 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:04,199 another job and we got it done. And I don't have anything further to say in this intro. It's time 112 00:12:04,199 --> 00:12:10,799 to get those drivers in here and let them tell their amazing story about the aftermath of 113 00:12:10,799 --> 00:12:11,918 Hurricane Helene. 114 00:12:19,879 --> 00:12:25,560 Welcome back in here to the Cypress Truck Lines podcast. Very excited about the next two gentlemen 115 00:12:25,560 --> 00:12:31,400 joining me here on the program today, because as you heard in the open, we are telling a very good 116 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:36,999 story. Very heartwarming story and a feel good story. But behind every heartwarming and feel good 117 00:12:37,039 --> 00:12:42,179 story, especially one like this. There's going to be some work involved. And we got a couple of the 118 00:12:42,179 --> 00:12:47,780 guys here joining us today that were involved very intimately with that work. So let's welcome 119 00:12:47,780 --> 00:12:53,019 them in. Uh, joining us first today we've got Antonio Martinez on the line. Antonio, thank you so 120 00:12:53,020 --> 00:12:58,299 much for being here, my friend. Thank you for having me, man I appreciate it. Of course man, I 121 00:12:58,300 --> 00:13:02,179 can't wait for you to tell your part of this story. Uh, how long have you been driving with 122 00:13:02,179 --> 00:13:07,259 Cypress? Real quick so we can get to know you a little bit? Um, I'm coming up on my third year 123 00:13:07,260 --> 00:13:13,739 driving for Cypress. Great. And so far, so good. It sounds like. Oh, yeah. It's it's it's a blessing. 124 00:13:13,739 --> 00:13:18,738 Really? Really is. And is this your first driving job, Antonio, or did you drive before you came to 125 00:13:18,780 --> 00:13:25,339 Cyprus? Oh, no. This is my very, very first driving job. And like I said, it's it's been great so far. 126 00:13:25,340 --> 00:13:30,099 It's it's awesome. Awesome, man. Love to hear it. And whenever somebody tells me it's their first job 127 00:13:30,099 --> 00:13:35,099 with Cyprus, I always gotta ask him, uh, did you go through CTC and the whole program or did you get 128 00:13:35,099 --> 00:13:41,669 your CDL someplace else? Oh no, I went through CTC. I actually went when I was right when I turned 20. 129 00:13:41,750 --> 00:13:47,348 You know, they told me, hey, you know, you can come along once a year, get closer to that 21, you know, 130 00:13:47,349 --> 00:13:51,949 age range. And, you know, that's what I did. And that was the best decision I've ever made so far. 131 00:13:51,989 --> 00:13:56,468 That's awesome man. So you were one of the youngest guys in class then? Yeah. Pretty much. Yeah. 132 00:13:56,469 --> 00:14:01,750 That's awesome. Well, uh, shout out to Ken and the guys over at CTC. We always like to give them a 133 00:14:01,750 --> 00:14:06,589 tip of the cap because they do such a great job over there. Uh, sounds like another bang up job 134 00:14:06,590 --> 00:14:11,349 they did with you, my friend. Uh, thank you so much for being here. And welcome to the show. We've got 135 00:14:11,349 --> 00:14:16,710 another driver joining us here that also was a part of this story. His name is Mike Shealy. Mike, 136 00:14:16,710 --> 00:14:21,950 thank you so much for being here today, my friend. It's nice to be on the show. Uh, hey, man, we're glad 137 00:14:21,950 --> 00:14:27,069 that you're here now. How long have you been driving for Cypress? Right. Coming up on four years. 138 00:14:27,109 --> 00:14:32,029 Okay. And is that your, uh, your first driving job as well, or were you driving before you came here? 139 00:14:32,070 --> 00:14:37,409 I was driving before I came here. Okay. And about for how long? Uh, about three years before I come 140 00:14:37,409 --> 00:14:43,649 here. Okay, great. Great. Well, welcome to the show, fellas. Uh, this is such a cool story. When Matt was 141 00:14:43,650 --> 00:14:49,489 telling me about, uh, why we we kind of wanted to do this episode. One thing that he told me had a 142 00:14:49,490 --> 00:14:56,249 little bit of a personal connection to it, and, uh, what Matt told me was that, uh, let me see here. His 143 00:14:56,249 --> 00:15:03,209 stepdaughter was a nurse up in, uh, in the area, I think, up in North Carolina. And she was telling 144 00:15:03,209 --> 00:15:10,128 him, hey, we are out or we're getting dangerously low on saline solution. And this factory that had 145 00:15:10,129 --> 00:15:16,890 a bridge go out that led to it, uh, was basically making, uh, saline solution, 146 00:15:16,890 --> 00:15:22,169 isopropyl alcohol, rubbing alcohol for cleaning wounds and things like that. It was a very 147 00:15:22,169 --> 00:15:28,530 important factory that needed to be up and running during Hurricane Helene. And as we said in 148 00:15:28,530 --> 00:15:35,420 the open, uh, governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, uh, decided back in 2024, when Hurricane Helene 149 00:15:35,460 --> 00:15:40,939 touched down, that we got to send some bridges up there, some temporary bridges, and it looks like 150 00:15:40,939 --> 00:15:47,619 they sent about 7500ft worth of temporary bridges up there. And Cypress was tapped 151 00:15:47,620 --> 00:15:54,019 with the job of getting it up there. And you guys are a couple of the drivers that ran that route. 152 00:15:54,020 --> 00:15:59,978 So I just want to jump in here, uh, and talk about the story kind of from soup to nuts with you 153 00:15:59,979 --> 00:16:05,819 fellas. Antonio, um, where were you at when you first got that phone call? I imagine pretty early 154 00:16:05,820 --> 00:16:12,019 in your driving career. This was kind of a shocking but exciting time for you. It was very 155 00:16:12,020 --> 00:16:18,699 interesting. I'd say that because I had actually just came back from, I think, taking a break like a 156 00:16:18,699 --> 00:16:25,139 3 or 4 day break. And I did want to work the weekend and it was on a Friday. And, you know, my 157 00:16:25,140 --> 00:16:30,659 dispatcher calls and he says, uh, hey, man, we really need the help. And, you know, it just it was perfect 158 00:16:30,700 --> 00:16:35,629 timing because I did want to work the weekend and I was actually getting done with the delivery. And, 159 00:16:35,670 --> 00:16:40,108 you know, it was just perfect timing. I didn't really know much about it. I just knew that it was 160 00:16:40,109 --> 00:16:46,229 very important and I was just willing to go. I was I was ready to go. That's awesome man. What a great 161 00:16:46,230 --> 00:16:51,309 attitude to have. And I'm sure that Cyprus really appreciated it. Uh, kind of an all hands on deck 162 00:16:51,309 --> 00:16:56,069 moment. You got to get it up there. And it's a it's a timely thing. Just like all your deliveries, uh, 163 00:16:56,070 --> 00:17:00,430 needs to be up there as quick as possible. And I'm sure they were glad to have you throw your hat in 164 00:17:00,430 --> 00:17:05,949 the ring, man. Oh, yeah, I was I was ready to go. I mean, it was, um, like I said, it was it was kind of 165 00:17:05,989 --> 00:17:12,189 like an off moment for me. I didn't realize what was going on. But later when I was informed, I was 166 00:17:12,189 --> 00:17:18,349 very glad I did it. I felt like I was I could be a part of something bigger, you know? Absolutely. 167 00:17:18,349 --> 00:17:22,589 That's awesome. How about for you, Mike? Do you remember getting the call? Was it kind of out of 168 00:17:22,590 --> 00:17:29,589 the ordinary for you? A little bit of a shift? It was because. Uh, it was one of the dispatchers 169 00:17:29,589 --> 00:17:35,329 calling me Asking for a favor? They did. They needed another driver to help haul that up. That 170 00:17:35,329 --> 00:17:40,848 actually does. That is what worked the weekend. And you were all over it. You're just like. Yeah, I you 171 00:17:40,849 --> 00:17:45,290 know, it's not hard to find a truck driver that wants to make a little bit of extra money, right? 172 00:17:45,610 --> 00:17:51,688 No it's not. So, uh, how quick did you jump at the opportunity? Did you? Was it kind of the same thing 173 00:17:51,689 --> 00:17:56,649 as Antonio? As you didn't know quite exactly what was going on? You just kind of threw your hat in 174 00:17:56,649 --> 00:18:01,369 the ring to help. I actually knew a little bit about it because I've hauled stuff on that before. 175 00:18:01,370 --> 00:18:06,969 So it was. It was nothing. It really wasn't all that new to me, but I was able to go ahead and 176 00:18:06,969 --> 00:18:11,810 just jump on in and just help out wherever I was needed. That's awesome. Now. What type of stuff like 177 00:18:11,810 --> 00:18:16,569 this. Have you hauled before? Have you done, you know, uh, like, kind of storm relief or disaster 178 00:18:16,569 --> 00:18:23,169 relief stuff before, uh, in your career? Uh, I have I've, I've got stuff like that. I've hauled a 179 00:18:23,209 --> 00:18:29,139 equipment. I mean, I've done all different types of loads. That's awesome man. Did it make you feel 180 00:18:29,139 --> 00:18:33,859 good that you're going to be able to be one of the guys that helps out a community that's 181 00:18:33,859 --> 00:18:39,739 nowhere close to yours? I mean, look, North Carolina is not the furthest place from Florida, but it's 182 00:18:39,740 --> 00:18:45,020 not like you're helping out right in your hometown there. So did that kind of just give you 183 00:18:45,020 --> 00:18:51,059 that warm, fuzzy feeling inside, Mike? Oh, yeah. It always does me. You know, you're helping somebody. 184 00:18:51,099 --> 00:18:57,699 Yeah, absolutely. What were the what were the loads like? Was this a a larger or a heavier load than 185 00:18:57,699 --> 00:19:03,259 you guys are used to? Mike is it oversize or anything like that? When you hear 186 00:19:03,260 --> 00:19:10,219 7500ft of temporary bridge. Um, your mind can kind of go wild in thinking, hey, this 187 00:19:10,219 --> 00:19:15,899 could be a massive trailer. This could be one of those, you know, huge ones that they haul the, uh, 188 00:19:15,900 --> 00:19:21,379 the the blades for the, uh, the windmills on or something like that. Or was this your standard 189 00:19:21,380 --> 00:19:25,939 cypress flatbed trailer that you were hauling? This was our this was our standard cypress 190 00:19:25,939 --> 00:19:32,909 trailers. So 53 footers. Okay. Was there. Was there anything about the load that was challenging 191 00:19:32,910 --> 00:19:37,030 or anything that was different from what you guys normally haul? I imagine it's probably a little 192 00:19:37,030 --> 00:19:43,149 heavier than a than a load of wallboard, but I don't know. Talk to me about it. It was closer to 193 00:19:43,189 --> 00:19:48,149 like Hall of Steel where you got to play with the chains. You got to play with the straps. You got to 194 00:19:48,150 --> 00:19:54,748 make sure you're you're security the way that that it's it's safe to go down the road. 195 00:19:54,789 --> 00:19:59,670 Right. Like I said, when it comes to change, I kind of when we were getting where we're loading other 196 00:19:59,670 --> 00:20:05,989 players, I was out there with, with all the other guys up on chain down there loads and just, just 197 00:20:05,989 --> 00:20:11,389 kind of talking about there how, how how to secure them. Yeah, that's awesome man. The camaraderie that 198 00:20:11,390 --> 00:20:16,109 you guys have out there at Cypress has always been, uh, really cool to me because, you know, so 199 00:20:16,109 --> 00:20:20,949 many guys have come on this show and talked about how, look, if they see somebody at a truck stop or 200 00:20:20,949 --> 00:20:26,290 at a rest area or at a at a yard somewhere, and they're tarp in their load or their strapping 201 00:20:26,290 --> 00:20:31,489 their load down. You guys seem to be real keen to jump in and help one another out there. Did you 202 00:20:31,489 --> 00:20:36,489 feel like that was sort of the same mindset that everybody that was involved in this Bridge Hall 203 00:20:36,490 --> 00:20:43,448 had? Oh yeah. Most definitely. Yeah. Especially Mike. Mike was helping out for sure. Oh, 204 00:20:43,449 --> 00:20:49,569 yeah. Especially for someone like me who, you know, like I said, I, you know, most of the time I'd be 205 00:20:49,569 --> 00:20:55,209 hauling sheetrock. And I've used chains before on our equipment, hauling our own trailers. But, you 206 00:20:55,209 --> 00:21:00,769 know, getting somebody who has the knowledge, who has done it before to help you out, really? Did you 207 00:21:00,769 --> 00:21:07,529 know, put me at ease to do my job? That's got to make you feel pretty good, huh, Mike? Oh, yeah. 208 00:21:07,610 --> 00:21:13,729 Always. Did you kind of feel Mike like you were kind of in the the the leadership role a little 209 00:21:13,769 --> 00:21:18,849 bit there helping. I assume that, uh, maybe Antonio wasn't the only guy that maybe needed a little 210 00:21:18,889 --> 00:21:24,459 bit of a of a guide to work with stuff like this. Did you help out a lot of different drivers and 211 00:21:24,499 --> 00:21:31,339 kind of lead the charge with that. I did. I kind of helped out, you know, a couple others. 212 00:21:31,339 --> 00:21:35,499 But there was there was two guys I was with. I was a little more experienced. I didn't really have to 213 00:21:35,499 --> 00:21:41,780 help so much with them, but with the guys that that were a little bit newer than me, I just got 214 00:21:41,780 --> 00:21:47,620 to be a help out and kind of make sure I kind of what to do and pretty much how to what's the 215 00:21:47,620 --> 00:21:54,299 correct way to actually secure the load? Sure. Now, Antonio, I gotta ask you this. Was it at all 216 00:21:54,300 --> 00:21:59,179 intimidating getting out there, maybe working with some, uh, some straps that you hadn't worked with 217 00:21:59,180 --> 00:22:04,179 before, or some techniques that you hadn't worked with before, were you? I kind of imagine if I put 218 00:22:04,180 --> 00:22:08,500 myself in your shoes. It's like, yeah, I want to work the weekend. I want to get out there and get 219 00:22:08,500 --> 00:22:12,579 some extra miles, and then you show up and it's this completely different thing that you've never 220 00:22:12,579 --> 00:22:16,978 seen before. What was going through your head once you first saw the load and started to get your 221 00:22:16,979 --> 00:22:23,639 hands on it? Well, funny enough, I actually wasn't too worried about it because I kind of had an 222 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:29,759 idea, um, of what it kind of was because I used to work in construction, so I kind of know about 223 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:34,959 those type of bridges and stuff and how to secure them. But, you know, at the same time, you know, 224 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:41,759 hauling them is, you know, different. So, you know, I just I was just more careful really. But yeah, 225 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:46,840 it's it was just more, you know, it was a little bit more work than usual because you have I had 226 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:50,879 to use my brain a little bit, but I wasn't too concerned. I was pretty confident. You know, Cypress 227 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:55,480 Trains trains us pretty well. And I was pretty confident throughout the whole process. This is 228 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:59,599 going to be one of those episodes that Cecil Clark's really excited about listening to over in 229 00:22:59,599 --> 00:23:06,359 Load. Sacrament. Right. He's he probably took a lot of pride in this one as well. Well, I'm sure I'm 230 00:23:06,360 --> 00:23:11,560 sure he's he's doing you know, I've seen him work and he does a really good job with those guys. But 231 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:17,119 I actually came from, uh, and I don't know if Mike had the same experience, but I came during the 232 00:23:17,120 --> 00:23:22,889 time where they didn't have Cecil, and it was just different trainers coming in and helping out. And 233 00:23:22,890 --> 00:23:27,488 like I said, I'm, you know, I'm I think Cyprus just does a really good job because all the trainers 234 00:23:27,489 --> 00:23:33,969 that I've encountered have done a perfect job in showing, you know, trainees and other drivers who 235 00:23:33,969 --> 00:23:40,169 need the help to do what we need to do. Right, right. And and Mike, when I set this interview up 236 00:23:40,170 --> 00:23:44,209 with you, you were talking to somebody kind of giving them some instructions. So you're a driver 237 00:23:44,209 --> 00:23:51,089 trainer, I assume I am. I haven't seen driving the truck right now. Perfect. That's 238 00:23:51,089 --> 00:23:54,969 why you could be on the phone with us. That's awesome. How long have you been training for 239 00:23:54,970 --> 00:24:01,930 Cyprus? Oh, Lord. Um, I started I started right about nine months after I 240 00:24:01,930 --> 00:24:07,809 started with Cyprus, with training and been training ever since. So that'd be right. Right. At 241 00:24:07,810 --> 00:24:13,050 three years. That's awesome. And you. You like it then, don't you? Because you're still doing it, 242 00:24:13,050 --> 00:24:19,219 obviously. Oh, yeah. I thoroughly enjoy training. What about it? Do you like the most? Is it? Is it 243 00:24:19,260 --> 00:24:24,660 when you see a guy that you trained years down the road? Uh, just absolutely killing it and having 244 00:24:24,660 --> 00:24:29,620 a great career and being safe and doing it the right way, is it watching those guys, watching it 245 00:24:29,620 --> 00:24:34,419 finally click for them when they're still with you? What's the best part? The best part of me is 246 00:24:34,459 --> 00:24:40,818 actually getting to see them. I have to have a career in truck driving. And actually you get 247 00:24:40,939 --> 00:24:46,379 knowing that you're a part of that. I mean, I have I have a I have a suit out there right now that's 248 00:24:46,380 --> 00:24:53,059 a trainer himself. Oh, wow. He's still here with Cypress. I have a I have quite a few students that 249 00:24:53,699 --> 00:25:00,699 every time I see them, they'll they'll walk right to shake my hand. Uh. They're doing great. 250 00:25:00,699 --> 00:25:06,779 I got. I know for a fact I got another student that he stays on the top dog list. Oh, really? Okay, 251 00:25:06,780 --> 00:25:12,698 that's an achievement. That's good. He's out there putting the miles behind him, then. Oh, yeah. That's 252 00:25:12,699 --> 00:25:17,919 cool man. Well, look, I the reason I always take a moment whenever there's a driver trainer. On 253 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:23,160 joining me to just shout that out real quick is because I can see the amount of pride that you 254 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:29,560 guys take in it. We've had so many driver trainers on here before, Tony Miller, Angela Scotto, yourself, 255 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:36,519 and every single one of you guys. Um, you can tell that the you just well up with pride once a guy 256 00:25:36,519 --> 00:25:41,160 gets out there on his own, it's almost like, uh, the same way that you'd watch your kid go on to 257 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:45,800 college or go on and get their first career. It's like part of you is going out there with them, 258 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:52,719 isn't it? Oh, yes, sir. It is. Now, uh, that trainer that's now or the the trainee 259 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:57,559 that's now training. Uh, do you think he uses some of the stuff that you taught him? Do you think he 260 00:25:57,599 --> 00:26:03,359 kind of uses some of the, uh, maybe the methods that you use? Or is he out there doing it his own 261 00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:10,319 way now? Uh, a mixture. He he still takes some of what I taught him, and I actually, 262 00:26:10,360 --> 00:26:15,049 still I should still talk with the guy. We haven't talked on the phone almost every day. Oh. That's 263 00:26:15,050 --> 00:26:22,010 cool. Anytime he needs help, I'm. He calls me. I help him out. That's so cool, man. 264 00:26:22,050 --> 00:26:27,529 I the amount of trucking knowledge in those phone calls has got to be just off the charts. Oh. It is. 265 00:26:29,130 --> 00:26:35,208 I love it, man, I love it. Well, uh. Great job. Uh, I will say that you can tell just listening to 266 00:26:35,249 --> 00:26:39,608 Antonio talk about you helping out with the chains and stuff on the bridges that, uh, helping 267 00:26:39,609 --> 00:26:43,968 guys out is something that you take a lot of pride in. And I always love to just stop for a 268 00:26:43,969 --> 00:26:50,129 minute and and shout that out, because without guys like you, uh, Cypress doesn't run as as well 269 00:26:50,170 --> 00:26:56,850 oiled as it does bike. So, uh, hats off to you, buddy. I appreciate that. Absolutely. Uh, 270 00:26:56,969 --> 00:27:02,449 turning the wheel back to the story that we're here to talk about. Uh, we left it with you guys 271 00:27:02,449 --> 00:27:07,849 out in the yard getting these loads strapped down. Now, as you talk to me about that, I'm imagining 272 00:27:07,849 --> 00:27:14,578 this big convoy of cypress trucks headed up there, uh, all at the same time. Nose to tail. Is that how 273 00:27:14,579 --> 00:27:19,139 you guys approached it, or did you all get out of the yard at different times and sort of get up 274 00:27:19,140 --> 00:27:25,619 there on on the schedule that worked for you? How how was it all laid out? Mike. We, uh, we actually 275 00:27:25,620 --> 00:27:32,579 went up as a convoy. We, uh, we we all had, uh, just followed one another, um, at 276 00:27:32,579 --> 00:27:38,900 the at that time, I actually did have a student actually was driving a truck, and 277 00:27:39,540 --> 00:27:45,739 I had to go out there with me. Um, how I was able to kind of coach him through all the security on 278 00:27:45,739 --> 00:27:52,660 that as well. Boy, you talk about kicking him into the deep end of the pool, huh? Exactly. If 279 00:27:52,660 --> 00:27:57,739 you go, if you go, you're gonna train him. You gotta you gotta train him, right? Yeah, absolutely. Was 280 00:27:57,740 --> 00:28:01,979 that the. Was that the largest convoy that you've ever been a part of? Because, you know, we don't see 281 00:28:01,980 --> 00:28:07,579 that a lot anymore. I mean, you see 1 or 2, uh, sometimes together, but I imagine this was, you 282 00:28:07,579 --> 00:28:13,319 know, quite a few trucks heading up there. I mean, we were on the downtime. We all. We all spent there, 283 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:19,119 spent time hanging out, talking. It was actually a lot of fun to see. That's how we do it. That's so 284 00:28:19,120 --> 00:28:23,359 cool that you get to actually have fun when you're doing a job that's as important as this 285 00:28:23,360 --> 00:28:29,319 one was. And not to take anything away from the job you guys do every day, and how important to 286 00:28:29,519 --> 00:28:35,239 the United States economy that it is. But this one was one of those ones where you might actually 287 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:40,279 save lives by getting that bridge up there in a timely manner. And did you guys ever stop to think 288 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:45,519 about that, Antonio. Were you when you were hauling this up there? Did the gravity of the situation 289 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:50,520 itself ever set in for you, or were you able to just approach this like, man, it's a it's another 290 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:57,439 job. It's an important one, but it's another job. Um, I will say I did have a 291 00:28:57,479 --> 00:29:04,199 sort of a connection to it, um, because I actually have family who lives in North Carolina, you know, 292 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:10,130 all over the area and including that area where we delivered to and, you know, I was, you know, 293 00:29:10,170 --> 00:29:14,649 making. I made phone calls with some of those family members. And, you know, they were telling me 294 00:29:14,650 --> 00:29:20,569 that, you know, how bad it really was. And so, you know, but yet again, you know, you got to keep, you 295 00:29:20,569 --> 00:29:25,009 know, your head in the game and kind of just approach it, you know, like, hey, you know, you got to 296 00:29:25,010 --> 00:29:31,209 focus, you got to get it done. But yes, I did. I did feel some sort of way. You know, because of course, 297 00:29:31,250 --> 00:29:36,169 you know, you're always concerned about not just your family, but, you know, just in people in 298 00:29:36,169 --> 00:29:40,129 general, you know, you want to make sure that they're doing okay. You know, we're all human, you 299 00:29:40,129 --> 00:29:46,889 know? Yeah. So I'm I'm sure I'm sure what we did really did save lives, in my opinion. I think 300 00:29:46,890 --> 00:29:52,289 so, I think so. I mean, look, we wouldn't have a nurse talking about it and telling Matt, hey, we 301 00:29:52,329 --> 00:29:58,410 we're running low. This is a really crucial thing for the medical field. If it wasn't a problem. You 302 00:29:58,410 --> 00:30:02,889 know, nurses, doctors, they don't tend to blow things out of proportion that often. That doesn't 303 00:30:02,890 --> 00:30:08,549 really serve them well in the job that they do. So yeah. Um, that's that's a really good point, man, and 304 00:30:08,550 --> 00:30:12,989 I hope just because you mentioned it, I want to make sure that we go on the record here. Everybody 305 00:30:12,989 --> 00:30:18,869 in your family was okay after Hurricane Helene. Oh, yeah. They were everything. You know, they're 306 00:30:18,869 --> 00:30:25,350 they're health wise. They're fine, you know? Um, I come from a family where material isn't 307 00:30:25,350 --> 00:30:31,909 everything. So, you know, yes, they probably lost, you know, some of their property or, you know, just 308 00:30:31,909 --> 00:30:36,629 materialistic things. But overall, their health is the most important thing. And and they're all fine. 309 00:30:36,630 --> 00:30:41,869 They're all fine. That's great news. Great news. And I also have to ask this as well. Was this the 310 00:30:41,870 --> 00:30:48,870 largest convoy that you've ever been a part of, Antonio? Um, yes. I mean, it's probably the only well, 311 00:30:48,910 --> 00:30:53,949 I'd say one of the only two convoys that I've been a part of so far. But yes, this was the 312 00:30:53,949 --> 00:30:58,909 biggest one so far. Was it? Was that a cool feeling? Just, uh, you know, seeing all those cypress trucks 313 00:30:58,910 --> 00:31:04,910 lined up and seeing everybody come together to do such an important job? Oh, man, it was super cool. 314 00:31:04,910 --> 00:31:09,799 And it's actually pretty funny. I was actually in the back because I ended up getting loaded last 315 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:15,719 and I ended up with most of the platforms. So, you know, just seeing everybody, you know, rolling 316 00:31:15,759 --> 00:31:20,520 together, you know, you have the front guy, the bad guy, the rocking chair. It was it was a pretty cool 317 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:25,760 experience. Is that what they call the back guy in the convoy is the rocking chair. I think they call 318 00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:30,039 the middle guy the, uh, the rocking chair, if I'm not mistaken. I think Mike knows better than I do, 319 00:31:30,040 --> 00:31:35,039 but I've heard there's terms where, you know, I got to learn a little bit, you know, throughout my 320 00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:40,479 career for sure. Mike, talk to me about that a little bit. Why is the guy in the middle or is is 321 00:31:40,479 --> 00:31:44,919 the guy in the middle, in fact, called the rocking chair? And if so, what's the what's the purpose 322 00:31:44,919 --> 00:31:51,479 behind that term? That's kind of a I guess in the middle of the rocking chair, I guess you just you 323 00:31:51,479 --> 00:31:56,239 just there you you really just that one guy that's just driving the truck. Really. I mean, I 324 00:31:56,240 --> 00:32:02,519 don't really know the if I gotta to phrase it, to be honest. But it sounds like a kind of an 325 00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:07,049 easygoing place to be. You're not dictating the speed. You're not playing catch up. You're just 326 00:32:07,089 --> 00:32:13,569 there in the middle. Yes, you're just there. Just this far alone. I love it, I love it, that's awesome. 327 00:32:13,769 --> 00:32:18,688 Now, Mike, I kind of want to turn to you for the same question that I asked Antonio right there. 328 00:32:18,729 --> 00:32:24,569 When did the gravity of this situation really set in for you? Was it before you ever left? Was it 329 00:32:24,609 --> 00:32:30,209 once you got there, or did it? Was this just another job for you? Well, talk me through the way 330 00:32:30,210 --> 00:32:36,849 that you were feeling about this one. For me, it was more of another job, because, I mean, I'm 331 00:32:37,209 --> 00:32:43,689 I'm so used to situations similar to that because I've been there and done it so many times. 332 00:32:44,489 --> 00:32:51,329 So for me, it was really just another job. I was able to kind of just go out there and just get 333 00:32:51,330 --> 00:32:55,410 there, get, get, get, get my load hooked up to the truck because there was another driver that got 334 00:32:55,410 --> 00:33:02,009 it loaded for me because I couldn't make it there as fast as he could. Okay. But I was able to 335 00:33:02,490 --> 00:33:07,109 he brought them out here. He had them alone, you know. Most of the way down. But I still had to kind 336 00:33:07,109 --> 00:33:12,829 of finish it up. Then I was able to kind of move on to the other guys and actually really jump in 337 00:33:12,829 --> 00:33:17,429 and kind of help them and kind of talk them through it. And for me, it's just another job, 338 00:33:17,429 --> 00:33:24,429 because with me being a trainer, I'm able to just communicate the exact same way. Sure, that's cool 339 00:33:24,430 --> 00:33:30,709 man. And maybe never a better example of when paying it forward and helping the next guy. Uh, can 340 00:33:30,710 --> 00:33:35,349 be such a such a great thing to do, especially when we're talking about what you guys are 341 00:33:35,349 --> 00:33:41,388 hauling in this instance. Uh, you didn't get there in time, and another guy was there already working 342 00:33:41,389 --> 00:33:46,069 on your trailer, which freed your time up to go help other people after you finished up yours. 343 00:33:46,109 --> 00:33:51,269 That's what it's all about, right? We're all a team here. Yes, there we are. That's awesome. That's 344 00:33:51,270 --> 00:33:57,190 really cool. Well, the next thing I have here on my outline, fellow is that I want to get to because I. 345 00:33:57,190 --> 00:34:03,599 I'm kind of wondering. It says in my article that I'm referencing here, that the announcement that 346 00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:08,359 the governor made was on Tuesday and you guys were talking about hauling over the weekend. So 347 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:13,678 it's a couple days after he made the announcement that you guys actually take off and head that way. 348 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:20,439 Um, was the storm still raging at that point in time? I mean, this was a big one, but to be fair, I'm 349 00:34:20,439 --> 00:34:26,158 all the way over here in Eugene, Oregon, on the West Coast. So, um, we don't get as much news about 350 00:34:26,159 --> 00:34:32,879 these storms as as you guys will down there in the actual region. But this was one that we heard 351 00:34:32,879 --> 00:34:37,959 about, like, this was a really big one. So I'm wondering, Mike, was the weather still kind of 352 00:34:37,999 --> 00:34:43,279 dicey as you guys worked your way up into North Carolina? Because if I'm not mistaken, Hurricane 353 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:49,199 Helene hit in Florida and then kind of worked its way north and west a little bit up into those 354 00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:53,799 more inland states. So what was the weather like that you guys were dealing with on the way up 355 00:34:53,800 --> 00:35:00,009 there? The reason why they had us wait just a few days was to kind of let it kind of clear out. the 356 00:35:00,009 --> 00:35:05,408 way. We didn't even have much of a weather issue. Uh, weather wise. I mean, it was sunny the whole 357 00:35:05,409 --> 00:35:11,889 ride up, but, I mean, we just. I mean, we mostly drove. You know, super early in the morning. So when we, 358 00:35:11,889 --> 00:35:18,129 when we showed up there. Right. Right at 7 a.m.. Wow. Well, that's nice, since you guys got the nice 359 00:35:18,129 --> 00:35:24,488 weather out of the deal, because if you did. Yeah. It was. I mean, it was a little dicey driving up 360 00:35:24,489 --> 00:35:30,010 there because of all. Because of all the damage. But we were able to find ways to get to actually 361 00:35:30,050 --> 00:35:36,849 make it there. So everything wound up working out at the end. Was there, uh, lots of debris and stuff 362 00:35:36,850 --> 00:35:41,168 like that on the road? I mean, the high winds are just great for ripping down tree branches and 363 00:35:41,169 --> 00:35:46,570 things like that. I'm sure you saw that, uh, devastation not only on the road, but off the side 364 00:35:46,570 --> 00:35:51,290 of the road. Uh, what what kind of stuff were you guys seeing up there? I mean, buildings torn down, 365 00:35:51,290 --> 00:35:58,069 flooding. What did you see along the way? I mean, there were there that were that you could tell 366 00:35:58,070 --> 00:36:04,628 that as he did kind of actually move them off of their foundation. Wow. So, I mean, there were trees 367 00:36:04,629 --> 00:36:09,350 down everywhere but the roads that we stayed on with, the roads that they have are they've already 368 00:36:09,350 --> 00:36:14,629 cleared. Okay. Well, you got to drive down the road. You just couldn't eat. Did you just see it all in 369 00:36:14,629 --> 00:36:21,030 ditches? Okay. So were you mostly on on smaller highways? It doesn't sound like a lot of these 370 00:36:21,030 --> 00:36:26,110 were. Were maybe. Or was maybe interstate driving. You guys kind of were on the more local routes to 371 00:36:26,149 --> 00:36:31,709 get to where you needed to be. No, we were. Actually a little bit more on the. Interstates because, uh, 372 00:36:31,710 --> 00:36:36,109 anytime anything happens like that, they always try to clear the interstates first. Okay. Then they 373 00:36:36,110 --> 00:36:43,109 start working on your state routes and us, US routes, and then it turns into your, um, your your 374 00:36:43,149 --> 00:36:48,749 county roads. Gotcha. So for the most part, it was mostly interstate until we had to get off of it. 375 00:36:48,749 --> 00:36:54,948 Then we were just we just stayed on state routes after that. Okay, Antonio, as you're driving up 376 00:36:54,949 --> 00:37:00,319 there, you're still pretty green here at this point in your career, man. You know, you're you're 377 00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:04,319 driving up there seeing this devastation. What's going through your mind as you maybe see a 378 00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:08,918 building that's been flooded off of its foundation or knocked off of its foundation by 379 00:37:08,919 --> 00:37:15,039 wind? Were you at any time intimidated at all by the stuff you were seeing around you? If I'm being 380 00:37:15,039 --> 00:37:21,359 honest, it was just for me, an odd feeling because, you know, in Florida, we get these, we get these 381 00:37:21,399 --> 00:37:25,878 hurricanes all the time. And, you know, you see that type of stuff all the time. So you don't really 382 00:37:25,879 --> 00:37:32,679 think much of it. It was just odd seeing it in a state where they weren't ready for that at all. 383 00:37:32,719 --> 00:37:37,479 You know, and it's just very it's just very unfortunate that they had to deal with that. But 384 00:37:37,520 --> 00:37:43,439 you know, yeah, I'm pretty much saw the same thing that Mike saw was just a couple things here and 385 00:37:43,439 --> 00:37:49,439 there. And, you know, even on the interstate, you saw debris on, you know, on the side of the roads and 386 00:37:49,440 --> 00:37:55,129 stuff, but they cleared it up, up to, uh oh. What what was that? I think us 321 I think that's where 387 00:37:55,129 --> 00:37:59,369 we got off or something like that. I don't remember, but I remember getting off on a US 388 00:37:59,370 --> 00:38:05,249 highway and drove a couple miles and, you know, you would talk with these people who unloaded us, and 389 00:38:05,249 --> 00:38:10,248 they say that it's even worse when you get further down. But, you know, we we actually got 390 00:38:10,249 --> 00:38:16,929 lucky, you know, sitting there. Sure. Well, as I read through and research this story, that's one thing 391 00:38:16,929 --> 00:38:22,249 that that, um, comes up a lot is what you said there, Antonio, is that you're talking about a 392 00:38:22,249 --> 00:38:28,968 region where they don't get these types of storms that often, if at all. And this was really a thing 393 00:38:28,969 --> 00:38:34,409 where they were not prepared, the infrastructure was not in place already like it is for Florida 394 00:38:34,409 --> 00:38:40,289 to deal with this type of stuff. And that's why the state of Florida, in such a big way, stepped up, 395 00:38:40,289 --> 00:38:45,769 uh, to help out not only North Carolina, but some of these bridges went up to Tennessee as well. Um, 396 00:38:45,809 --> 00:38:51,849 in, in what we call this operation Blue Ridge. Um, do you guys ever do you, do you talk about it like 397 00:38:51,850 --> 00:38:56,309 that? If somebody asks you about it, do you talk about its Operation Blue Ridge, Antonio, or you 398 00:38:56,310 --> 00:39:01,110 just kind of that that's a political thing. This was just you were hauling bridge parts? Yeah, 399 00:39:01,110 --> 00:39:05,749 that's pretty much what it what it was it was just, you know, doing what we had to do to help 400 00:39:05,749 --> 00:39:10,668 those people out. We didn't really have, like, a name for it. We just we just had to do what we had 401 00:39:10,669 --> 00:39:16,148 to do. You know, that was on our mind. And in the group's mind, you know, we just had we had to get 402 00:39:16,149 --> 00:39:21,109 there as quickly as possible to help these people out. Yeah. And you know, all that, all that pomp and 403 00:39:21,110 --> 00:39:26,908 circumstance naming the operation and everything that's for the guys in the suits, right? Oh, I you 404 00:39:26,909 --> 00:39:33,549 know, I hate to say it, but maybe I think that's what it is. Maybe. Uh, Mike, as far as the convoy was 405 00:39:33,550 --> 00:39:38,309 concerned, were there any issues, uh, that happened when you were going up there? Um, you know, you said 406 00:39:38,310 --> 00:39:42,749 the weather was pretty nice. I imagine that if it was sunny, you probably weren't dealing with high 407 00:39:42,749 --> 00:39:47,509 winds or anything like that. Was it just smooth sailing all the way up to where you guys had to 408 00:39:47,510 --> 00:39:54,319 be? No problems. Everything in its place and a place for everything. Oh, yeah. Everything went 409 00:39:54,320 --> 00:40:01,000 very smoothly. It actually really did. Did that surprise you? To a certain. To a certain 410 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:07,159 extent. I mean, it I kind of expected a lot of it to go smoothly. I want to spend the in it to go to 411 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:11,399 go as smoothly as it did. Like when we actually made it there. It was actually getting downloaded, 412 00:40:11,399 --> 00:40:15,360 just the way download us was a little bit different, because they were actually using a 413 00:40:15,919 --> 00:40:22,839 excavator, where if that's something kind of newer for us, but once we were there, I mean, they got 414 00:40:22,879 --> 00:40:27,919 the guys there, took over and we were able to actually just kind of stand back and watch it, 415 00:40:28,160 --> 00:40:33,159 just stand back and watch. For the most part. That's cool that that's that's awesome. Now, I 416 00:40:33,199 --> 00:40:38,279 understand that the protocol around where you guys were offloading, you know, obviously, um, 417 00:40:38,279 --> 00:40:42,679 there's red tape all through trucking. We all know this is one of the most heavily regulated 418 00:40:42,679 --> 00:40:47,999 industries that there is out there. Uh, but from what I've been told from some of the management 419 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:53,340 back at the Jacksonville terminal was that there was even more red tape. Once you guys got to the 420 00:40:53,340 --> 00:40:58,139 actual place that you were dropping the bridge off. Now, I've heard some whispers of things like 421 00:40:58,139 --> 00:41:03,779 there was some NDAs that had to be signed, some non-disclosure agreements, but I'm not 100% sure 422 00:41:03,780 --> 00:41:09,859 if that was this exact convoy that we're talking about. Um, walk me through it. Mike was. You said 423 00:41:09,899 --> 00:41:14,658 they're they're using an excavator. That's already different. Did they have a bunch of paperwork for 424 00:41:14,659 --> 00:41:19,139 you guys that you had to fill out? Was it was it a lot different on that end of things? Kind of the 425 00:41:19,139 --> 00:41:26,139 the clerical side of things? Absolutely. No. It was it was kind of just like normal. I mean, for us now 426 00:41:26,179 --> 00:41:33,099 for the guys, that's that that's the over us. There might have been more paperwork, but honestly, I 427 00:41:33,100 --> 00:41:39,100 can't really give you a direct answer on that because I'm not for sure. But for us, it's just 428 00:41:39,100 --> 00:41:45,779 like going to anywhere else. Get your get get your bill signed. That's cool. Make it easy on you and 429 00:41:45,780 --> 00:41:49,829 then you don't even have to deal with the unload. You just get to sit back and and watch. I hope you 430 00:41:49,830 --> 00:41:56,429 brought a lawn chair for that trip. No, no, we didn't do that. Actually, I noticed pretty 431 00:41:56,430 --> 00:42:01,229 quick. Okay. That's great. That's awesome. So you guys can get right back down now. Was it a thing 432 00:42:01,229 --> 00:42:06,269 where you just. They got you unloaded? It happened all quick, and you were just headed right back for, 433 00:42:06,270 --> 00:42:12,629 uh, for Florida at that point. Uh, I think we all went to Georgetown after that was was just 434 00:42:12,629 --> 00:42:18,870 another, um, sheetrock plant. We did. We all went out there and got there and just kept right on 435 00:42:18,870 --> 00:42:23,829 rolling. Oh, wow. So it worked out perfectly. You guys all went to kind of one central location, got 436 00:42:23,830 --> 00:42:28,590 your trucks filled up, and then off to all the different areas of the, of the, uh, region or the 437 00:42:28,590 --> 00:42:34,870 country that you'll head from there. Yes, sir. That's cool. Do you remember where you went next? 438 00:42:35,110 --> 00:42:41,669 That one right there. Okay, once I got here, I apologize. I can say I don't really 439 00:42:41,669 --> 00:42:47,878 remember exactly where I went after that. I want to say I went back down to Florida for me, I know. 440 00:42:47,999 --> 00:42:53,119 I know other ones went to other places. Sure. Well, other guys went different. Different places. I kind 441 00:42:53,120 --> 00:42:57,638 of asked the question because it wouldn't surprise me if that part of the trip is kind of 442 00:42:57,719 --> 00:43:02,879 almost an afterthought. Right? Because at that point in time that that really important, kind of 443 00:43:02,959 --> 00:43:08,239 unique job is done, and now you're back to business as usual. I could see that disappearing 444 00:43:08,240 --> 00:43:14,599 in the ether for sure. Oh, yeah, it did. Antonio, you got that young brain, though, man. You probably 445 00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:19,799 remember where you went after that. You seem to have pretty good recollection, all this stuff. Yeah. 446 00:43:19,800 --> 00:43:25,999 Um, I mean, like Mike said, we all just went to Georgetown. I think I ended up, yeah, I ended up 447 00:43:25,999 --> 00:43:32,158 picking up a load going back to Jacksonville. And because the way that I had worked my clock 448 00:43:32,159 --> 00:43:37,719 throughout the week, I actually had made it to Jacksonville and had to do with 34 there just 449 00:43:37,720 --> 00:43:43,040 because of that bridge. And I don't regret it at all. I bet it was. It was it was really good, man. It 450 00:43:43,040 --> 00:43:49,339 was a really good haul and and I enjoyed every part of it. Did you find yourself being more 451 00:43:49,340 --> 00:43:55,379 mentally tired after that run? Uh, maybe versus a regular run that you've made time and time again? 452 00:43:55,379 --> 00:44:01,178 Was it something where you're you're kind of turned on the entire way and I don't want to say 453 00:44:01,219 --> 00:44:06,700 worried, but just cautious. Um, because I know for me, you know, if I'm worried about something, like 454 00:44:06,780 --> 00:44:11,898 if I'm taking a road trip for seven hours in my truck, it's no big deal. But if I'm towing a if I'm 455 00:44:11,899 --> 00:44:16,699 towing a camp trailer, if I'm towing a boat, then all of a sudden when I show up on the other end 456 00:44:16,700 --> 00:44:21,899 of that road trip, I feel more mentally exhausted because I'm constantly worried about what's 457 00:44:21,899 --> 00:44:27,658 behind me. But you guys do that every day. Was there any difference in the the, uh, the mental 458 00:44:27,659 --> 00:44:32,579 exhaustion after that trip? And you said you were happy that you got to take your 34 in 459 00:44:32,579 --> 00:44:39,219 Jacksonville. Was that part of it? I think because we all were thinking the same 460 00:44:39,220 --> 00:44:45,549 way in terms of how we work, and we do things kind of similar. It was nice to know that we were 461 00:44:45,870 --> 00:44:52,429 able to plan throughout. Well, even before we went out, we planned this whole entire thing and it 462 00:44:52,430 --> 00:44:58,469 made everything smooth. So when we got unloaded, I mean, I wasn't stressed at all. I actually had even 463 00:44:58,469 --> 00:45:03,709 more energy because, you know, like I said, we planned it thoroughly and we got there. We did 464 00:45:03,710 --> 00:45:10,149 what we did. And you know, now we just move on to the next thing you know, it was it was great. Yes, 465 00:45:10,149 --> 00:45:14,509 sir. Was there a lot of high fiving going on amongst you drivers when she got up there and got 466 00:45:14,509 --> 00:45:21,470 unloaded. You know, and it was it was just surreal to just do that. And 467 00:45:21,590 --> 00:45:28,349 everybody was just, you know, amazed at what we did. And but honestly, it was really 468 00:45:28,350 --> 00:45:33,469 funny actually. You know, we we all helped each other out with the loads. And, you know, right after 469 00:45:33,469 --> 00:45:37,429 that we just all went, you know, we just had to go go, go. It was it was really funny. But the 470 00:45:37,429 --> 00:45:42,439 camaraderie was there. You know for sure. We all understood why we were there and what we did was 471 00:45:42,439 --> 00:45:47,839 very important for sure. And I'm sure that that probably kind of solidified it because, you know, 472 00:45:47,879 --> 00:45:51,959 you you talked about it in the open when we introduced you, you said, this is my only drive and 473 00:45:51,959 --> 00:45:58,079 job and you like it here and things are going well. Um, I'm sure after that trip, you probably had 474 00:45:58,080 --> 00:46:02,399 a little moment of, hey, man, this is I'm in the right spot here. This is exactly where I want to 475 00:46:02,399 --> 00:46:09,398 be. Oh, yeah? Yeah, 100%. And I. And to this day, I still think that way. Like, this is the 476 00:46:09,399 --> 00:46:15,999 best company for me so far. This is. This is great. I want to stay here forever. Mike. As a as a 477 00:46:16,000 --> 00:46:20,679 trainer and sort of a leader out there on this trip, uh, with, with a lot of prior knowledge 478 00:46:20,679 --> 00:46:26,039 helping guys out. Uh, was that comradery something that was, uh, was something that kind of stuck with 479 00:46:26,040 --> 00:46:32,199 you as well after this trip? Oh, yeah. I mean, it was really nice to kind of actually see 480 00:46:33,080 --> 00:46:39,499 other drivers from the same company just coming together and just make it making it happen, I mean, 481 00:46:39,979 --> 00:46:46,859 all of us work together. We all just just did our part. And we. We made 482 00:46:46,860 --> 00:46:51,899 sure we got out there safely, and we made sure everything went as smooth as food as we could get 483 00:46:51,899 --> 00:46:58,379 it. Did it make you after this one? Has there been any other special ed halls like this that that 484 00:46:58,379 --> 00:47:03,059 Cypress has been involved in, that you guys have kind of jumped at the opportunity for? I know that 485 00:47:03,060 --> 00:47:09,018 this is sort of the big one, and you're probably not hauling 7500ft worth of bridge anywhere else, 486 00:47:09,060 --> 00:47:14,739 because we haven't had a devastating hurricane like that in your guys's area, uh, since this one, 487 00:47:14,740 --> 00:47:19,938 uh, since Helene back in 2024. But has there been any other kind of special products, uh, project 488 00:47:19,939 --> 00:47:26,539 stuff that you've jumped at since then? Mike. For me, there has been, um, this 489 00:47:27,340 --> 00:47:32,499 like we said, we know there's hurricanes always coming through Florida. So every time that happens, 490 00:47:33,300 --> 00:47:37,749 a lot of times we'll get generator runs where we'll go, we'll go and try to take generators down 491 00:47:37,749 --> 00:47:43,509 to where the hurricane hit. And I jumped at the opportunity like that. And I still try to jump 492 00:47:43,509 --> 00:47:47,789 every chance I get. That's awesome. How about you, Antonio? Have you jumped at any of those 493 00:47:47,790 --> 00:47:53,949 opportunities, or have you had them presented to you since this one? Not. Not really. Um, and I'm 494 00:47:53,989 --> 00:47:58,949 guessing just because of where I got the next load, I didn't get the opportunity to do so. 495 00:47:58,989 --> 00:48:03,989 Actually, I think, um, I think I spoke to Aaron about that generator load, and I think he said 496 00:48:03,989 --> 00:48:09,829 that everybody or they, they had it pretty much covered. So I didn't get to do that now. But I've, 497 00:48:09,870 --> 00:48:14,749 you know, I've done other loads that were pretty interesting, like, you know, military like calling 498 00:48:14,790 --> 00:48:20,269 to the military bases and stuff. Um, I even did a load to Kennedy Space Center. And, you know, it's 499 00:48:20,270 --> 00:48:26,029 pretty interesting to see, like, government stuff and big stuff. You know, what they do and how they 500 00:48:26,030 --> 00:48:31,349 get prepped up. So, you know, that experience kind of gave me even more confidence to approach 501 00:48:31,350 --> 00:48:36,490 different places like that. For sure. For sure. That was, uh, you took the words right out of my mouth. I 502 00:48:36,490 --> 00:48:41,849 was going to ask you about the confidence that this instilled in you. Um, but, I mean, I can hear it 503 00:48:41,889 --> 00:48:46,929 when you talk about it, like you were confident before going in because you got good training and 504 00:48:46,929 --> 00:48:52,769 good education starting out, and now you're even more confident. It just it's funny how being 505 00:48:52,769 --> 00:48:57,769 confident, knowing that you can do something like this, makes you more confident in the future for, 506 00:48:57,969 --> 00:49:03,810 uh, other special things that you might get to get your hands on. Yep. That's right. That's very cool, 507 00:49:03,850 --> 00:49:10,689 guys. Well, uh, listen, this has been this has been so awesome. I, I want to give you guys a chance to 508 00:49:10,729 --> 00:49:15,969 say anything about this, really that that we haven't already said. Um, normally we would call 509 00:49:15,969 --> 00:49:22,128 this segment final thoughts, but I'm not quite there yet. Um. I'm curious. Mike, is there anything 510 00:49:22,129 --> 00:49:28,009 that we really haven't touched on here that was an aspect of this load or this, this project, uh, 511 00:49:28,009 --> 00:49:32,649 that you want to make sure and put on this episode? Because we're here to tell this story for, 512 00:49:32,649 --> 00:49:37,259 for a reason. We want the people that are listening to this, whether it be Cypress drivers 513 00:49:37,259 --> 00:49:42,379 or guys that are thinking about driving for Cypress, to hear this and know that this is the 514 00:49:42,379 --> 00:49:48,698 type of company that Cypress is. They will jump in and they will help out when help is needed. Um, is 515 00:49:48,699 --> 00:49:53,379 there anything else about this story, Mike, that we haven't touched on yet that you might want to get 516 00:49:53,379 --> 00:49:58,418 out there for anybody that's listening? I guess I just, I just feel like we, you know, we pretty much 517 00:49:58,419 --> 00:50:04,339 said everything about it because, I mean, we, like I said, we just all come together. I mean, we just all 518 00:50:04,340 --> 00:50:10,859 played up one team and we made it happen. Right. Well, I think that's that's a kind of an aspect in 519 00:50:10,860 --> 00:50:15,979 and of itself is like even when things are as dire as they were in North Carolina and you guys 520 00:50:15,980 --> 00:50:22,099 are hauling something as important as 7500ft of bridge, that's going to connect a factory that 521 00:50:22,100 --> 00:50:28,779 makes saline solution back to society. You guys are thinking, hey, it's important, I know that, but 522 00:50:28,780 --> 00:50:33,749 this is another job and this is what we do. And I think there's a there's a little bit of, of 523 00:50:33,790 --> 00:50:38,309 poignancy in that. In and of itself, Mike, to be honest with you. And I think that's really cool. 524 00:50:38,309 --> 00:50:43,469 I'm, I'm glad that we touched all the aspects today. But I also think that just your guys's 525 00:50:43,469 --> 00:50:50,149 mindset about this whole thing is, is so, um, unique. And, you know, a lot of people would pat themselves 526 00:50:50,149 --> 00:50:56,149 on the back and, and wish for a podcast host to call out and say, hey, come tell the story. You guys 527 00:50:56,149 --> 00:51:00,549 are just incredibly humble about this whole thing. And I think that's really unique amongst the 528 00:51:00,550 --> 00:51:07,469 company you work for. Oh yeah. For sure. Uh, Antonio, your your same. Uh, question to you. 529 00:51:07,629 --> 00:51:13,269 Is there anything that we haven't touched on yet that, uh, maybe sticks out in your mind here as, as 530 00:51:13,269 --> 00:51:19,230 part of this story that you want to tell before we let you guys get back to work today? Um, I mean, 531 00:51:19,230 --> 00:51:26,109 there's little things that I've seen and what I've heard from the whole story and the whole, you 532 00:51:26,110 --> 00:51:33,089 know, thing about how, you know, the government handles it and stuff. But, you know, I like 533 00:51:33,090 --> 00:51:39,209 to think that we did our part. You know, we we did our best. We did what we needed to do. And, and the 534 00:51:39,209 --> 00:51:44,409 people were so grateful to us. You know, you know, we have people tell us like, thank you. Like, this 535 00:51:44,410 --> 00:51:50,249 is this was very necessary. This was, you know, you guys did what you needed to do. And we're so happy 536 00:51:50,250 --> 00:51:54,649 that you guys came here and and helped us out. You know, and that's what, you know, Cyprus, that's why I 537 00:51:54,649 --> 00:51:59,729 like about Cyprus is, you know, they're willing to do everything to make it happen. You know, they 538 00:51:59,730 --> 00:52:05,249 actually care and, you know, and and we did what we did. So yeah, we pretty much touched everything, you 539 00:52:05,250 --> 00:52:10,889 know. But it was a great experience for sure. That's awesome fellas. Well, I can't thank you 540 00:52:10,889 --> 00:52:15,968 enough for taking the time out of your day to come and and tell this story here on the podcast. 541 00:52:15,969 --> 00:52:20,409 I think there's a lot of drivers out there that are really going to think this is a cool story. Um, 542 00:52:20,409 --> 00:52:25,570 and now that we're kind of past that, and I want to give you guys a chance for your final thoughts 543 00:52:25,570 --> 00:52:31,939 here, uh, before I let you go, but I figure maybe we turn this final thoughts into a shout out segment, 544 00:52:32,020 --> 00:52:37,539 because obviously we only got in touch with two of you guys. Everybody out there that was involved 545 00:52:37,540 --> 00:52:42,619 that's still working for Cypress. They're busy. You guys are all busy. And that's a very important 546 00:52:42,620 --> 00:52:47,620 part that I want everybody listening to this podcast to remember. None of these drivers have to 547 00:52:47,620 --> 00:52:52,099 give us their time. They do it out of the kindness of their hearts, and they come on and tell stories 548 00:52:52,100 --> 00:52:57,298 like this that are really gripping and gravitational to a certain extent, especially 549 00:52:57,379 --> 00:53:03,218 regionally, to the people that were affected. So, uh, Antonio, I'll start with you, man. Anybody you want 550 00:53:03,260 --> 00:53:08,780 to shout out here? It could be anybody. It could be other drivers. It could be your family. Um, you got 551 00:53:08,780 --> 00:53:13,179 the mic, man. You might as well say whatever you want here before I let you get back to work, my 552 00:53:13,179 --> 00:53:17,979 friend. Um, you know, I like to shout out, you know, the other drivers that were there, you know? 553 00:53:18,019 --> 00:53:24,899 Jonathan. Uh, James. Uh, Mark, you know, those are the guys. I mean, they they really pulled through 554 00:53:24,979 --> 00:53:30,589 to do what we needed to do. Um, shout out to Joe. You know, my dispatcher. He's really he's really 555 00:53:30,590 --> 00:53:36,989 great. And I'm really glad that he had. You know, the trust in me to be able to be a part of that 556 00:53:36,990 --> 00:53:43,269 experience. Absolutely, man. Well said. And Antonio, thank you so much for being here today, man. We'll 557 00:53:43,269 --> 00:53:48,749 get you back on the podcast again. You guys have done great today. Thank you man I appreciate it. 558 00:53:48,789 --> 00:53:54,029 Can't wait. Absolutely Mike I'm on to you man. Anybody that you want to shout out or anything 559 00:53:54,029 --> 00:54:00,070 else you want to say before we let you get back to it. Really save that people? I mean, we were the 560 00:54:00,070 --> 00:54:06,269 ones that was actually involved. So I mean, really about really the same. I mean, I don't really have 561 00:54:06,270 --> 00:54:13,110 anybody else that kind of kind of miss much to me while we were doing that. Then, 562 00:54:13,110 --> 00:54:18,229 then that right there. Okay. Well, how about this? Uh, let me throw a special one out there. You want to 563 00:54:18,229 --> 00:54:22,228 shout out your trainee right now, since he sat here and listen to you do your first podcast 564 00:54:22,229 --> 00:54:29,209 interview? Uh, no, because he's already shaking his head. Okay. All right. I totally 565 00:54:29,209 --> 00:54:35,369 understand that, man, I totally understand. Uh, you guys just be safe out there. Uh, it's fantastic job 566 00:54:35,370 --> 00:54:41,569 that you guys did in this situation. But one thing we proved here today on this episode is that it's 567 00:54:41,569 --> 00:54:45,929 the. It's the same job. It's the job you guys always do. It's the job that you're all really 568 00:54:45,929 --> 00:54:51,849 well trained at and really proficient at. And, uh, we just thank you both Mike and Antonio, for the 569 00:54:51,850 --> 00:54:58,129 time today. Uh, like I said, be safe out there. We'll get you back on here again soon. Okay. John. Thank 570 00:54:58,129 --> 00:54:58,648 you. 571 00:55:07,409 --> 00:55:12,289 What great stuff there from Antonio. And Mike. Can't thank those guys enough for coming here and 572 00:55:12,289 --> 00:55:18,249 and sharing that story with us. Uh, it's so amazing to me how humble they are. Uh, that's just, you know 573 00:55:18,250 --> 00:55:23,729 what? It's another job. We had to get it done. We got in a convoy, we helped each other out, and we 574 00:55:23,739 --> 00:55:28,459 got it done and it went smooth. And before you could even blink an eye. We're all back out there 575 00:55:28,459 --> 00:55:35,099 on the road doing the job that we're all here to do. Um, fantastic stuff. I think by far the most 576 00:55:35,100 --> 00:55:41,620 moving episode that we've had here on the Cypress Truck Lines podcast. Uh, so again, hats off to 577 00:55:41,659 --> 00:55:47,458 Antonio and Mike for making the time to join us today. Uh, fortunately, Mike had a trainee there, and, 578 00:55:47,459 --> 00:55:52,459 uh, he was able to be in the passenger seat for a little bit. And, uh, of course, Antonio taking the 579 00:55:52,459 --> 00:55:58,419 time as well. Man, I, I love a good storytelling session. You know me. Uh, I'm a chin wagar. You guys 580 00:55:58,419 --> 00:56:04,059 know that I can talk about anything for any given amount of time. But when we get a chance to get 581 00:56:04,060 --> 00:56:08,938 storytellers in here with a real story like that, that there could be people listening to this 582 00:56:08,939 --> 00:56:15,219 podcast right now that lost their homes in that flood or in that storm. Pardon? There could be 583 00:56:15,219 --> 00:56:21,978 people here who lost loved ones listening right now. And to hear those guys talk about that job 584 00:56:22,000 --> 00:56:27,080 like it was another job, and it was one that they were going to do safely and they were going to do 585 00:56:27,080 --> 00:56:33,799 well and professionally. Uh, man, I think it just draws a big circle around the company that 586 00:56:33,799 --> 00:56:38,959 Cyprus is. And you hear it all the time on this podcast. Why do you like working for Cyprus? 587 00:56:38,959 --> 00:56:45,199 Because they care. They care about me. I'm not just a number here. All those good things that we hear. 588 00:56:45,520 --> 00:56:52,158 Um, yeah, I would say that we put a exclamation point on a lot of those sentences today, 589 00:56:52,399 --> 00:56:57,999 uh, with the story that we just heard from Antonio and Mike. And you know, what stands out to me after 590 00:56:57,999 --> 00:57:04,879 talking to those guys isn't the bridge at all? Of course it's not. It's how casually they talk about 591 00:57:04,879 --> 00:57:11,719 the job that they did those days. To them, it was just another load, another dispatch, another job to 592 00:57:11,760 --> 00:57:18,680 do. And maybe that's exactly why trucking is so important. Because while the rest of 593 00:57:18,680 --> 00:57:24,809 us are watching the disaster unfold on television. Truck drivers are already figuring out a solution 594 00:57:24,810 --> 00:57:31,049 on how to get there with supplies that are desperately needed. And it's not happening the 595 00:57:31,049 --> 00:57:37,569 next month. It's happening. Not the next week. It's happening today. How do we figure this out 596 00:57:37,610 --> 00:57:44,528 today? Hospitals can't wait. Communities can't wait when something like this happens. 597 00:57:44,570 --> 00:57:51,209 Recovery does not wait for anyone, and neither do truck drivers. And especially 598 00:57:51,210 --> 00:57:58,129 not Cypress Truck Lines drivers. So again, to Mike Antonio and every Cypress 599 00:57:58,129 --> 00:58:03,089 driver who was part of that convoy. There's a bunch of them. We got to call some of them out. And 600 00:58:03,090 --> 00:58:08,009 some of them we weren't able to get Ahold of. For this episode, if you guys want to come on and tell 601 00:58:08,009 --> 00:58:13,129 your part of the story, you're more than welcome. We will absolutely do a part two of this. If you 602 00:58:13,169 --> 00:58:17,969 hear it and you go, hey man, I got some things that I want to say that I think would add to this 603 00:58:17,979 --> 00:58:24,619 story. Let's do it. You just give me a call. Hop on over to the website podcast.cypresstruck.com 604 00:58:24,619 --> 00:58:31,458 and drop me a line. Okay. Trust me, I'll bring you in for it. I would love to extend this 605 00:58:31,459 --> 00:58:38,299 because what a fantastic story. I gotta say, thanks to the guys. Uh, everybody, I, I cut 606 00:58:38,300 --> 00:58:43,259 myself off because I was too excited about saying, let's do a part two. I want to talk to more of you, 607 00:58:43,260 --> 00:58:49,179 but to Mike, Antonio and every other Cypress driver who was part of that convoy. Thank you for 608 00:58:49,179 --> 00:58:54,499 representing the company, the state and yourself the way that you did. 609 00:58:56,060 --> 00:59:02,219 I can't say that enough. And thank you for reminding us that some of the most important 610 00:59:02,219 --> 00:59:07,299 freight in America is not the freight that we all see. 611 00:59:08,379 --> 00:59:14,499 Fantastic episode here today on the Cypress Truck Lines podcast. Thank you all for tuning in. Don't 612 00:59:14,500 --> 00:59:21,199 forget to run on over to podcast.cypresstruck.com. Check out our website. All the episodes are 613 00:59:21,200 --> 00:59:27,239 located there. You can find everything about every single episode there. And if you're one of those 614 00:59:27,239 --> 00:59:32,799 drivers that just heard this podcast and has a story to tell, it's time for you to get in touch 615 00:59:32,799 --> 00:59:39,720 with me. You can do that at the website as well. podcast.cypresstruck.com. Thank you so much 616 00:59:39,720 --> 00:59:45,560 for joining us here today on this very special episode of the Cypress Truck Lines podcast. We'll 617 00:59:45,560 --> 00:59:51,239 be right back here Wednesday, 5 a.m. local time, with another hour of content for you next week. 618 00:59:51,280 --> 00:59:56,159 Until then, stay safe out there. Cypress Truck Lines. We'll see you around the bend.