According to estimates by the American Trucking Association there are over 3 million professional truck drivers in America . These hard workers are an integral component of our economy. They move things from place to place and make it possible for us to conveniently benefit from resources that aren’t naturally available in the immediate area that we live. Jason Muehlebach has been in the trucking business for over 25 years. This year he bought his first new truck and entrusted Spotlight Signs to provide him with graphics that represented his brand and conformed to strict government regulations. Our work with Jason is a good illustration of what makes us a leading provider of vehicle graphics in Chandler, AZ.
Jason Muehlebach’s Trucking Business
Jason is a veteran of the trucking business, but until recently had never owned a brand new truck. Last month, he excitedly flew to Tulsa, OK to pick up and drive home his 2018 Peterbilt 389. The massive vehicle boasts a 300” wheelbase and is powered by a 565HP Cummins X15 engine. This winter, Jason will be using his new vehicle to haul cattle. Come summertime, he will be transporting goods for his late wife’s family’s Chipseal business. Between the Chipseal and the cattle, Jason’s work takes him across all 11 Western US states.
Jason loves trucking because of the community that exists among the drivers. He has genuine friends in the industry all over the country and he stays with many of them when he is out of town. His young son has been traveling with him since he was just 2 years old. He loves exploring the country with his Dad and visiting his friends from all over the country. Truckers have the freedom to set their own hours. Jason and his son especially enjoy driving through the night; Jason fuels up with coffee and his young son curls up in the comfy bed in the cabin, right next to his dad.
Con of Trucking: Regulations
Jason’s least favorite part of trucking is the abundance of governmental regulations that must be dealt with. In order to legally transport goods across state lines, there are a number of various licenses and certifications that are required. These can vary based on what you are transporting and which state lines you are crossing. Keeping track of it all can be challenging.
To ensure that the trucks on the road are behaving legally, the government requires clear and large decals visible from 60 feet displaying identifying numbers on the cabs of all transportation vehicles. Whenever a driver crosses a state line, they must pull off into an inspection station where their numbers are run and their load is weighed. Police cars on the road will even pull up alongside semis and quickly run these legibly displayed numbers while driving. The transportation of goods is serious business in this country, and abiding by the regulations is essential for drivers. Drivers depend on these numerical decals for the smooth operation of their business.
Specifically there are two identifying numbers that must be displayed on the truck: the VIN and the USDOT numbers. When Jason brought his truck in last month, he described what he needed briefly and then took us out to check out the new ride while the graphics printed. As he told us all about his brand new truck he suddenly realized he forgot to include the VIN on one of the graphics. He ran into the production room to alert our production team of his error, but it turns out we had included it regardless because we were familiar with the truck driving requirements. This is a good example of our expertise with various industries signage regulations and our willingness to go to the next level to meet our customers needs.
Working With Spotlight Signs
Jason says that working with Spotlight Signs is like working with family. He came to us last year for a sign for his cattle trailer and he loved the final product and has been returning for recurring needs ever sense. We aim to develop close relationships with all of our customers. Getting to know them and their specific needs and preferences is key to our operation. At Spotlight Signs, our goal is always to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations.