Word of anything travels rapidly across airwaves of those "knights of the road" who have their "ears on." But word of free lunches being served at the Hoekstra Trucking terminal near St. Anne may have even busted Einstein's theory of relativity - traveling faster than light.

Steve Hoekstra invited any and all truckers traveling his way to stop for some chow and camaraderie Friday as part of the truckers appreciation week festivities. With Hoekstra's terminal located at the intersection of Routes 1 and 17, there was no lack of hungry truckers to feed. Hoekstra estimated the truckers had eaten about 100 each of brats and burgers by about 2 p.m. with another four hours to go until he shut the grill down at 6 p.m. in the afternoon. Actually, Hoekstra was forced to run into town to replenish his food before mid afternoon.

Hoekstra employee, Steve Roberts' usual job with Hoekstra is the director of driver's services and safety. But, when asked Friday how he got the job of chief grill cook he replied, "Well, I like to eat." However, it appeared Roberts had very little time to enjoy what he was cooking since trucker after trucker read the invitation on a sign that invited any and all truckers to stop and enjoy the free food.

Just in case a trucker might miss the sign, Hoekstra trucker Berry Theesfeld was in a semi cab's radio urging passing truckers to "come on in and eat something." Theesfeld's "handle" for the day was "melon man." Melon Man's refrain was "Ya'll come on in for some food, big truck." Very often the reply was, "I hear that," followed by the sound of air brakes slowing the rigs.

By mid-afternoon the parking lot was full of "caution-make wide right turn" signs, and the eating area near the BBQ grill was filled with ravenous truckers. Even those truckers with no time to stop at least slowed and gave a long thank you blast on their air horns and a wave.

When asked why he chose this method to show his appreciation to truckers, Hoekstra said, "I wanted to show all truckers how important and appreciated they are in the trucking industry. Being a trucker is often a thankless job, so we took this week to show them how much we appreciate them and to say 'thank you' to a great bunch of guys."

In the past we gave out T-shirts for Truckers Appreciation Week, but this year we started by going to our customers and providing the trucker's lunches there, until we hit on the idea of serving every trucker lunch right here," Hoekstra explained.

Hoekstra, who employs about 40 drivers himself, said he couldn't think of a better way to show appreciation to truckers than food because, "truckers like to eat and they're not a bit bashful about it, either."

Hoekstra, who runs one of the largest trucking companies in the area, got his start in trucking hauling potatoes for his family's potato farms near St. Anne but says today those potatoes make up very little of the other mostly commodities he hauls.

An astute listener Friday would discover that even with truckers working for different companies and traveling different routes, by and large know each other through the brotherhood of over the road haulers that's very much like an informal club. "How long you been making this run, I haven't heard you on the horn for awhile." The answer was, "since I got off the east coast haul a couple years ago," came the reply.

John Hamilton
Journal Correspondent
The Daily Journal