"These are mostly for when we retire from trucking, if we ever do," says Allison Shields of the growing fleet she and Scott McKim have put together. Owner/operators leased to Atlas Van Lines, they haul for the climate-controlled division. They haul mostly electronics and exhibits, as well as specialized cargoes requiring strict temperature control.
Because they spend so much time on the road, they wanted plenty of power and comfort. Their truck is a 1998 Kenworth W900L with more than 415,000 miles. A 550-hp Caterpillar engine through a 13-speed transmission powers the 325-inch wheelbase tractor.
A 126-inch custom Double Eagle sleeper sits behind a factory 38-inch single sleeper that they have equipped with cupboards and closets for storage. Inside the big sleeper, they have a refrigerator/freezer, shower/potty unit, double sink, central vacuum, convection oven, built-in coffeemaker satellite TV, VCR and stereo.
The W9 was one of two built by Sioux City Kenworth for display at the 1998 Mid-America Trucking Show. Allison and Scott saw it and bought it before it went to MATS. "It's a popular model for people whose loads are relatively light and who can afford the weight," says Allison of the 25,000-pound tractor.
Fun time means taking to the road by other means. Scott owns a 1958 Chevrolet Apache with a 350-hp engine, original factory 4-wheel-drive, custom bed cover that proclaims "58," retro-styled Stewart-Warner gauges and "blue spruce" paint.
They also have a '67 Impala in storage pending a new paint job and some more chrome, and a 1947 Plymouth that is presently mostly apart. The most recent addition to the family is a 2000 Dyna Wide Glide Harley Davidson. Painted "sinister blue and diamond ice," the muscular bike comes out when Scott "feels the need to be a speed racer," Allison laughs.
"I'm totally into it," says Allison. When they're home in Sandpoint, Idaho, she often drives the Impala, while Scott tools around on the bike or in the Apache. They both say there'll be more vehicles bought and sold in the years to come, but don't look for any shy and retiring types.
