In The News

Driver believes in professionalism of the job and honors it

Drivers who have been out on the road for years often talk about how the industry has changed, and usually they refer to the professionalism, or lack of, by a lot of the newer drivers.

Tim Arntz, of New Paris, Penn., has been driving trucks for 25 years. As an owner-operator, driving a 2003 Freightliner Columbia, he’s leased to North American Van Lines, where he hauls household, and has two guys with him to help pack, load, and unload the truck.

Arntz says he considers himself a professional.

“Sure guys call themselves truck drivers and there are those who really are truck drivers,” Arntz explained. “It’s not like it used to be with respect and helping other people, back when drivers truly were the kings of the road.

“They give CDLs away like candy. It’s ruined the industry.”

He says drivers are more often seen driving dangerously than in the past.

“You see them tailgating a car,” Arntz said. “It makes the true trucking professional look bad. So in that aspect, yes, drivers are more dangerous than they used to be. There are also a lot of unhealthy, unkempt drivers who make it look bad on everybody.”

As a truck driver he said the high price of fuel isn’t hurting too bad because of the fuel surcharges that he collects. But as a consumer he is feeling the pinch just like everyone else with prices soaring across the board, not just on fuel.

“It’s not as bad as people say; I’m making money,” Arntz said. “It’s not hurting me more than other consumers.”

In Arntz 25 years of driving he says he’s driven over 4 million accident-free miles with only two speeding tickets, both of which were for going five mph over the speed limit.

“The industry’s been good to me,” he said. “There are things they could do to make things better, but it’s good. I’m proud to be a mover. I enjoy being out here and meeting people, making new friends. That’s the good part of the business.

“My oldest son, Brian, is in the business too. He drives some. He’s a dispatcher manager and runs the warehouse and then he’s out on the road when they need him.”

Arntz is willing to help other drivers and cited one incident a few years ago where he pulled a woman out of her vehicle after a truck had rolled over on it.

“I helped her out, but she wasn’t hurt,” Arntz explained. “She was more alert than the driver of the truck. He thought she was hurt but she was alright.”

He said he doesn’t stop every time someone is broken down, but stops when he can. But more than he’s helped drivers who have been in wrecks, Arntz helps people who are in need of food or money when he sees them at trucks stops, never knowing if they are honest or not when they ask for help, but says that is not his job to judge.

“I can’t not help; the man upstairs knows I do it for good reason,” Arntz said. “I give out between $20 and $40 a week to those who seem to need it. You can judge, but it’s not my place to judge.”

After 23 years of marriage Arntz divorced, but is now engaged to Kelly. He’s got three children with his former wife, and three stepchildren with Kelly. One of the stepsons, Nick, who is 22 years old, works with Arntz loading and unloading the truck. He’s got three grandchildren with one on the way who live in Michigan so he splits his home time between Michigan and Pennsylvania.

His children include Brian 28, Brent 26, Brandi 24, Nick 22, Randy 20, and Megan who is a senior in high school.

Arntz spends two weeks out on the road on average and gets home two to three days at a time when his schedule is busy, but during the winter he gets more time off.

“I love spending time with my grandchildren [Landon 2, Jaylynn 1, and Jaxon 6 months],” he said. “They’re young. I just spend time with them. They are growing up so fast. They are doing something different every time I see them.”

Arntz fractured his neck back in 1995 when he fell down 14 steps carrying a baby grand piano. He had to take a year off of work and had a lot of physical therapy. He still has pain, but finds that working is better for it than just sitting.

At one time Arntz owned nine trucks, but only used his for household moving. He eventually sold all the trucks but one because it was too hard to be out driving his truck while managing other guys.

Arntz broke into the driving business when his brother-in-law taught him how to drive “before they had schools.”

His advice to other drivers: “Always be alert. Be safe, be courteous to others. Make us look good out there.”