Tri- State Team Enjoys Stealth of Tricked Truck
Team drivers Patrick and Greg Baize were overcome by the stealth of CMT and the look of their newly tricked out truck. While eating breakfast in Joplin, Missouri one February morning, Greg said he was just being nosey when he walked up to a table where a bunch of people were milling about. When he found out he was talking to the producers of CMT’s “Trick My Truck,” he immediately filled out the applications, had his picture and photos of his truck taken, and did some on-camera interviews on the spot.
Greg said he didn’t expect to receive a number of phone calls in the next week. He was asked to keep the big surprise a secret from his brother until February, and to this day, he doesn’t know how he and his brother qualified to be on the show.
“We got to surprise Patrick and let TV magic happen,” Greg said. “He was shocked to the point that he really acted stupefied on the camera because he kept asking ‘What’s going on, who are these people?’ He totally knew who they were because we’re fans of the show.”
“I didn’t know that Greg was that good at keeping a secret!” said Patrick. “I’m still in shock, even after watching it on TV.”
The stealth bomber theme was not at all what Patrick or Greg expected when the truck was unveiled, but Greg said the black, subdued touch has a sharp appeal.
The brothers are certainly enjoying the ride and the recognition they’re getting from everyone who stops by and just wants to chat about how nice the truck looks.
“This really took driving out of the daily grind,” said Patrick. “People always want to stop and talk to us about the truck and my kids are treated like celebrities at school. We love everything they added to the truck, from the paint on the outside to the Infrared camera, TVs, and stereo on the inside.”
“The best part, though, is the recognition of what truckers do,” Greg said about the experience. “Not just me and my brother independently, but what truckers do, especially those who are with Tri-State Motor Transit and the type of work that Tri-State does.”
Tri-State is not a run-of-the-mill company. Their Secured Transport division is the best in the business at transporting explosives, radioactive materials and hazardous materials/waste throughout the United States and Canada for 75 years. The company’s safety record is unsurpassed and earned the company the right to be a primary carrier and business partner with the Department of Defense and Department of Energy.
While Greg said he and Patrick were excited that the new look highlights the service Tri-State provides, they both think it’s great that CMT has a show for truckers.
“I can’t think of anything for decades now that’s been done to focus on truckers and really depict how truckers live and the families they have,” Greg said. “In so many communities, truckers have a negative reputation or we’re treated as second-class citizens. Now, with the show, it’s a place to depict us in a positive light and show the human-side of our story.”
The staff at Tri-State was excited to be involved as well.
“This couldn’t have happened to two nicer guys,” said Joyce Thornberry, Driver Manager for the Baize brothers. “They work really hard and we are happy to have them as part of the Tri-State team.”
Tri-State Motor Transit carries a sense of pride for the valuable services it provides. If you thrive on variety and exciting opportunities, you too can succeed at TSMT. Company driver and owner operator teams are needed. Company drivers own part of the company with the Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP). Call 800-846-TSMT (8768) or visit www. tsmtco .com for more information. Tri-State Motor Transit is an EO/AA Employer.
