History of Roadway Express

[kscarbel2]

 

[Hobert62]

Neat video.  If you ever run across something about "service lines inc." please post it too.  That's who originally purchased my B model.    You always come across some real informative info.    

[BillyT]

The legendary White 3000, ya gotta feel for the guys that drove those!

[kscarbel2]

20 hours ago, BillyT said:

The legendary White 3000, ya gotta feel for the guys that drove those!

Billy, the sum of kickbacks from truckmakers into the pockets of trucking company executives over the years runs into the billions of dollars, and Roadway was no exception.

[james j neiweem]

Probably why they had every truck brand under the sun. Never saw a Peterbilt.

[Maxidyne]

A lot of companies would shop their specs around the truck makers then go with the low bid.

[1965]

I know roadway had a lot of Detroit’s in there trucks. Worked on an old roadway Mack that had an 8V-71 in it. Thinking it was an U model but might of been a R.

[Red Horse]

4 hours ago, 1965 said:

I know roadway had a lot of Detroit’s in there trucks. Worked on an old roadway Mack that had an 8V-71 in it. Thinking it was an U model but might of been a R.

I think the R's were 700's.  The U models with either 8V-71s or V-903's-not saying roadway had any 903's but I think the U's with V-8's all had that higher cab and a spacer section on the front fender-

How about it KSC?

[carlotpilot]

roadway did run some 903s but i would not say they were in macks most likely were in whites

[kscarbel2]

10 hours ago, Red Horse said:

I think the R's were 700's.  The U models with either 8V-71s or V-903's-not saying roadway had any 903's but I think the U's with V-8's all had that higher cab and a spacer section on the front fender-

How about it KSC?

Bob, the cabs on the Cummins-powered U-700s were indeed mounted higher for clearance and a larger radiator. When I recall the U-700, I instinctively think of Columbia, South Carolina-based Southeastern Freight Lines. They had NHs, not 903s.

.

[Maxidyne]

Was Carolina the other fleet that bought Us with 903s? Legend has it that a big eastern fleet had decided on the U model, then shopped around for an engine and Cummins offered them the lowest price on the 903, so they inked the deal and told Mack to put the 903s in their U models. IIRC they were single drive with a tag so the could readily take off the tag should doubles be legalized nationwide.

[kscarbel2]

All the Macks I knew with Cherryville (northwest of Gastonia), North Carolina-based Carolina Freight were Mack-powered. They bought some of everything, and ran many White 4000s (local) and 7000s (over-the-road).

Winston Salem, North Carolina-based McLean Trucking also ran many makes, including Whites.

There was so much trucking going on in North Carolina at one time, we had a factory branch in WInston Salem, in addition to Charlotte, to support the massive fleets up there. We sold the Winston-Salem branch to Jim Bland and Triad Mack was born.

[james j neiweem]

I believe St Johnsbury had 903's in their U models. I used to see and hear  them out of the Springfield Mass terminal. They were low hood U's. KS- did the 8V-71's require a U high hood. I thought they did due to the 60 degree block with the supercharger on top.

[kscarbel2]

10 minutes ago, james j neiweem said:

I believe St Johnsbury had 903's in their U models. I used to see and hear  them out of the Springfield Mass terminal. They were low hood U's. KS- did the 8V-71's require a U high hood. I thought they did due to the 60 degree block with the supercharger on top.

Probably Jim. All the U-700s I supported had NH power.

Holly Farms taught me with their 903-powered K100s (on "the shore" in Temperanceville, VA) that the 903 didn't make for a good truck engine. They finally replaced them with beautiful new Ford HN80s.

[Red Horse]

2 hours ago, james j neiweem said:

I believe St Johnsbury had 903's in their U models. I used to see and hear  them out of the Springfield Mass terminal. They were low hood U's. KS- did the 8V-71's require a U high hood. I thought they did due to the 60 degree block with the supercharger on top.

Janes-regarding Maxidynes comment on eastern fleets agree -St J for sure-but I think they were hi-hoods.Also maybe Hemingway???

[Red Horse]

2 hours ago, kscarbel2 said:

All the Macks I knew with Cherryville (northwest of Gastonia), North Carolina-based Carolina Freight were Mack-powered. They bought some of everything, and ran many White 4000s (local) and 7000s (over-the-road).

Winston Salem, North Carolina-based McLean Trucking also ran many makes, including Whites.

There was so much trucking going on in North Carolina at one time, we had a factory branch in WInston Salem, in addition to Charlotte, to support the massive fleets up there. We sold the Winston-Salem branch to Jim Bland and Triad Mack was born.

Kevin, Carolina also had a lot of Fords.  I was at KTP on a day when a large number of Carolinas were in production.  What surprised me that day was the fact that they were all not going through as one large batch.  Would have thought that would have been standard procedure.  

[kscarbel2]

From the workers point of view and my own, a straight run is/was more convenient. But sometimes production planning has orders contrary to logic.

[Hayseed]

22 hours ago, kscarbel2 said:

Holly Farms taught me with their 903-powered K100s  that the 903 didn't make for a good truck engine.

I'm continually amazed at the Incredibly poor opinion you North American Guys have of the venerable 903..

Here in Australia they had (& still have) a reputation for being very durable & reliable motors (albeit a bit thirsty) that made a lot of people a lot of money. 903 powered IH ACCO's & LNT9000's were basically the Truck of choice for Owner Drivers & small Fleets throughout the 70's & 80's.  With Quite few still  seen on our Highways right up until the early 90's.

Every Grain harvest/Cotton picking season they can be still seen earning their Keep..

What were the  903 Issues in North american market??

[Brocky]

Carolina Freight also had about 37 Brockway cabovers (Basically the Mack F model) 225 Cummins and 10 speed. 11k steers and 38k drives

[theakerstwo]

On ‎8‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 5:22 PM, 1965 said:

I know roadway had a lot of Detroit’s in there trucks. Worked on an old roadway Mack that had an 8V-71 in it. Thinking it was an U model but might of been a R.

I remember in 67 and 68 I saw a lot of macks come in at the mack dealer here with Detroits and also the 1674 and cummins also.

[1965]

9 minutes ago, theakerstwo said:

I remember in 67 and 68 I saw a lot of macks come in at the mack dealer here with Detroits and also the 1674 and cummins also.

I worked on them in the 90’s. Roadway had a bunch of white’s. They were 6V-92’s. Had the slipper bearing campaign going on. Might not be anything wrong but had to replace them. I remember when Detroit’s came out with what they called them air to air. Everybody calls it charged air. We had to change the valve springs. They had them set at low rpm’s and they just gunted up the (air box);

The Mack’s that had the DD’s were old roadway trucks.

(slipper bearing) was a wrist pin bearing; when bad they would miss due to low compression.

[kscarbel2]

Air Products took delivery of 6V92-powered R-models (R626STs) in the 1980s via the Allentown Branch. You had to wonder............

[1965]

Never saw a 6V-92 in a R model 

[1965]

Back in that time I figured roadway must have owned part of DD. I never could figure why anybody would have DD’s in any truck!

[theakerstwo]

On ‎8‎/‎5‎/‎2018 at 9:11 PM, 1965 said:

Never saw a 6V-92 in a R model 

When I think more about it I cant remember them my self.The first I remember working on here for roadway was fleetstar IHC 2000 with cummins and B67 with 711 engines.

 

Edited August 7, 2018 by theakerstwo