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Mencl learned to drive dry vans, reefers and flatbeds. Agri-Carriers grew by buying trucks and trailers from John Searcey, whose family owned seven grain elevators and who then allowed the company to bid first for its hauling needs. Ten Mencl by himself bought Debb Trucking, which had trucks and reefers and interstate authority to haul beer for Anheuser- Busch and which also hauled produce from Texas, California, and Washington. At its peak, Mencl and his dad between


them had about 12 trucks and 18 trailers and seven or eight owner-operators. By 1978, however, it was time to do something else. Interest rates were high, fuel was expensive, and the regulatory environment was oppressive. Mencl sold everything, bought one truck and trailer and became an owner- operator until a truck crash ended the venture. After working several jobs outside of


trucking, Mencl returned to the industry as a driver for a new ADM fleet in Lincoln, where he “learned how to haul about anything and everything under the sun.” “One day you’d be hauling a load of feed to


BLOWS UP OR THE TRANSMISSION GOES OUT OR THE DRIVER QUITS ON A GIVEN DAY, IT’S JUST NOT QUITE THE SAME


CONSEQUENCES. IT’S LESS STRESSFUL.” —RON MENCL


the sand hills, and the next day you’re hauling a tanker load of soybean oil to Frito-Lay out in California that they needed yesterday,” he said. “It was fun having the diversity of all the different products that they handled.” Tose years gave him the ability to relate to


different areas of trucking operations as well as to drivers’ experiences. He also developed a lifelong friendship with Earl Miner. As driving partners, the two traveled the country together discussing their beliefs about the trucking


industry and about how a transportation company should run. A bond developed. As Miner explained, “If you’re putting your life in their hands, you have to be able to trust them.” After two years, Mencl was ready to move


into management. He left ADM and became a terminal manager for Herman Bros., Inc., now known as TransWood, in Superior, Nebraska and then was promoted to a general manager slot with Pratt Transportation, a


Continues Cornhusker International www.cornhuskerinternational.com


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NEBRASKA TRUCKER — ISSUE 6, 2015 — www.nebtrucking.com 15


“HAVING TRUCKS IS LIKE LEGALIZED GAMBLING TO ME. …IF THE ENGINE


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