Joseph Phelps is a relative newcomer to trucking, however he didn’t waste any time making an attempt to make his mark by way of his work within the business.
Phelps got here to the enterprise across the time of the COVID pandemic. He’d been doing offshore oil work, however COVID shut that work down. “And so, I used to be like, ‘Nicely, I received to do one thing,’” Phelps stated.
He contacted Stevens Transport and went by way of their CDL coaching program, working for them for a short while earlier than transferring to Absolute Trucking, owned by Midwest Dairy in Coopersville, Michigan. Absolute put him on the High quality Life Science (QLS) contract, which he drives for at this time, hauling prescribed drugs principally within the Midwest right down to the Southeast.
Phelps hauls in a 2022 Kenworth T680 owned by QLS, powered by a Paccar engine with an computerized transmission, which Phelps stated he wants “due to disabilities from the army.” It’s outfitted with a 60-inch sleeper.
The very first thing you discover in regards to the truck, although, is the autism-awareness theme with colourful puzzle items and different options throughout, meant to construct consciousness for the situation. It is a rolling tribute to his son, Elijah, who suffers from autism. “I simply determined that his combat’s my combat,” Phelps famous. “If he can go on in life coping with that, then I could make everyone see what it’s like.”
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On the aspect of the cab is an autism consciousness ribbon, together with a {custom} “His Struggle Is My Struggle” autism consciousness sticker on the sleeper window.
Phelps joked that the truck is definitely Elijah’s — “I simply make the cash with it.“ And extra critically: „I simply love the message, getting the message on the market,” he stated. “As a result of lots of people consider autism from the ‘70s and ‘80s as, ‘Eh, they cannot do a lot.‘ And it is 100% not true. It is a particular potential, not a incapacity. So, they simply see the world otherwise, they usually react otherwise. So I am simply actual happy with the message she will get on the market.”
On the entrance of the truck, Phelps added an autism-awareness cranium over the Kenworth emblem on the grille, which Elijah purchased for him.
“He thought that was cool with the reflective lights, so I put it on the entrance of the truck. That’s the very first thing you see.” Phelps additionally added a grille guard from GrilleAdz with the autism consciousness emblem, together with window chops that he wrapped in an autism consciousness theme.
The aspect of the hood incorporates a callout to the Autism Society with their emblem, too.
The again of the cab incorporates a mural with the “You’ll By no means Stroll Alone” autism consciousness message and paintings.
He’s additionally added Twin Revolution lights across the truck that swap to blue for the “Mild It Up Blue” autism consciousness initiative.
Contained in the truck, the entire inside lights are blue, and he’s added multi-channel flooring lights that he sometimes retains blue to stick with the theme.
The sleeper additionally showcases the theme with a light-up emblem on the again of the sleeper, blue lights throughout and extra.
The truck is nicknamed “Daisy,” after a cellphone dialog with a good friend that he particulars within the video up high. Catch extra views of the rig there.
[Related: Kimball Transportation’s ’96 Kenworth W900L, built for show]
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Joseph Phelps: I drive a 2022 Kenworth T680. Did it up for Autism Society for my boy. My identify is Joseph Phelps. I drive for High quality Life Science out of Coopersville, Michigan. We haul primarily prescribed drugs — Pfizer, McKesson, so on and so forth.
It is a 2022 Kenworth T680. It is received a Paccar motor in it. It has the 60-inch sleeper. We run mild masses, so I get nice gas mileage. However I did it up for my boy. He truly purchased this for me. He thought that was cool with the reflective lights, so I put it on the entrance of the truck. That is very first thing you see. So I simply determined that his combat’s my combat. If he go on in life coping with that, then I could make everyone see what it is like. My son’s identify is Elijah. So it is his truck. I simply make the cash with it.
Nicely, I modified out the inventory entrance bumper as a result of, once I received the truck, it was truly cracked, so. And I simply went with slightly 12-inch drop bumper, did not need nothing large. GrilleAdz provided the grille guard with the autism emblem. I added the window chops and wrapped these, after which the remainder of the murals I put in the apart from the one on the rear of the truck.
I added a brand new mild bar with the 4 twin revolution lights on the again. I put the Twin Revolution lights on the edges. That is actually it. I imply, principally beauty work, not a lot mechanical work on it. So yeah, on the inside, I’ve changed all the inside lights with blue inside lights. All my lights are blue. I’ve received multi-channel flooring lighting, which usually I run them is blue, proper now they’re flashing totally different colours.
I’ve this emblem and a metallic plaque on the again of the sleeper. It is also lit up. Acquired the „You by no means stroll alone“ fleece blanket. I’ve the Autism Society carpet in there. Took out the work mats and put in precise blue pleated flooring mats. So I attempted to tried to maintain it blue with the „Mild It Up Blue“ theme.
Matt Cole: Does the truck have a nickname or something?
Phelps: Daisy. A good friend of mine… With Stevens Transport, I drove 68 mile an hour truck, this one set at 75. And, I truly was on the cellphone with a buddy of mine in Florida, and truck come up beside me and I stated, „Nicely, looky right here. I am getting handed.“ And he goes, „Nicely, they seem to be a daisy in the event that they do.“ And I stated, „you realize what?“ And it simply caught after that.
I am simply I identical to love the message, getting the message on the market. So as a result of lots of people consider autism from the ’70s and ’80s as, „eh, they cannot do a lot,“ and it is 100% not true. It is a particular potential, not a incapacity. So they simply see the world otherwise they usually react otherwise.
