Delivering UPS packages out of U-Haul truck, part 2

While delivering in one of these U-Haul trucks on a NE Texas route toward the end of the day, I was trying to find a house on the major highway in the area surrounding the Texas State Troopers Commercial Truck Inspection Station. One of the troopers noticed me coming toward them and I pulled into the driveway of a house. Luckily, there was someone outside that house who told me where to find the address I was looking for. I had already passed it, so I turned around and went the other direction on the highway, away from the inspection station.

You can guess what comes next. I pull up at the correct house and even before I can clearly get out of the U-Haul, a state trooper is right on the rear bumper, jumping out of his car, hand on his gun, thinking I'm probably a drug trafficker trying to avoid the inspection station.

Once the trooper sees me in my UPS uniform, he will figure out that I'm just delivering packages and trying to find a house. Hell naw, this guy was obviously overexcited since he had run me down from the inspection station, asking why I was trying to avoid the station. Told him I wasn't trying to avoid anything, but was trying to find the right house. I asked him what the hell he thought I was doing anyway!

That really got him going, and this would not be the last time I would be "greeted" by the Texas State Troopers while driving a U-Haul truck for UPS.

One day, I was fortunate to get one of the few U-Haul trucks that was not governed. It would run 90-95 topped out, and during Christmas time every UPS driver is stressed for time amidst increased traffic and extreme package volumes. Normally during non-holidays, deliveries would total about 100-110/day, but would double throughout December. Almost everyday I was pushing against the time limit for returning to the UPS building by 7:30p. Predictably, I'd see the FedEx truck about 20 miles outside of Texarkana and I would run 80-90mph all the way back.

Only once did a Texas State Trooper catch me running 77 on his radar. I was more likely doing 85 when I saw him. That mistake cost me over $100 in the late '80s, which ruined a day's pay.