My Little Pony: Highway Haulers
Chapter 1: Chrome and Diesel
The movement of goods is essential to the economy of any nation. To move those goods you need roads, and you need the transportation on the road to move those goods from Point-A to Point-B. That's where we come in. In our line of work, it is mostly the stallions who dominate the ranks. Then there is me and my two best friends. We are all truckers.
The world is our home, and the open road is always calling to us. My name's Gracie. I'm a griffon. Just the typical eagle-lion griffon with a black beak and fur and feathers are in a shade of light brown with talons that match my beak. I got big smooth flanks. If you are to ask me what it's like to be a trucker, I'd tell you it's probably the greatest job ever.
I had worked other jobs in the past, but once I'd found my wings in the trucking business I never looked back. I am an independent. I started up, and now own my own business in the Royal Eagle Hauling Company. I'm nothing without my trusty truck. It's a 1985 Peterbilt 359 EXHD. She has a 270inch wheelbase, 63inch flat top sleeper, and about 600hp
My truck is my home on the open road. It's where I sleep, and it's my office. There's always a client out there in need of my services. That is why truckers are so valuable. You shut us down, then you shut down the economy. I haul everything one can think of off the top of their heads. Tankers, box trailers, reefer trailers, flatbeds. You name it, I haul it.
"Breaker 1-9, this here's Momma Eagle, any pony gotta copy on me, c'mon?" I said into the CB in the cab,
A mare responded, "That's a big 10-4, Momma Eagle, you got Sideswipe and this here's Roadmaster,"
"Good to hear from you ladies," I replied with a grinning beak, Roadmaster and Sideswipe are unicorn mares from Appleloosa. They're as big as I am, and they've been my two best friends for years. I proudly call them sisters since I got no family in Griffonstone. Roadmaster is a steel grey mare with a black mane and tail, blue eyes, and healthy flanks
Sideswipe's a tan-colored mare with a black mane and tail and a black nose, light brown eyes. Their cutie marks are a truck tire with flaming exhaust pipes for Sideswipe, and a truck wheel with two crossed wrenches for Roadmaster. Their rigs are just as big as mine. Sideswipe has a very sharp 1997 Peterbilt 379 EXHD with a 63inch raised-roof sleeper
"Your rigs are looking their best, I must say," I radioed to them as I saw the familiar Peterbilt and Autocar come in to view at my sideview windows. Sometines I wonder what's prettier, my friends or the trucks. The truth is among some mares that there aren't very many of the 'big and flanky' types. We're a bit shorter than Princess Celestia, mind you
Roadmaster rocks a 1984 Autocar AT64F. The wheelbases, sleepers, and engines are nearly equal to mine. My rig is viper blue with navy fenders, Sideswipe's rig is copper with black fenders, and Roadmaster's has black with gold fenders. We applied chrome steel upper door trims and sunvisors. My rig has a chrome steel turbo wing as does Sideswipe's
I've heard it all on the CB from stallions. There're good stallions out there, don't get me wrong. Then there are those that bully me or my friends on CB. I've been called a 'Fat Flying Turkey'. I have been told to 'go back to the Griffon Kingdom', or that 'I should be at home baking cookies'. It doesn't stop me or my friends, and hey, cookies are the best.
"Looks like you gotta a thermos bottle, whatcha haulin' Eagle? c'mon back," asked Sideswipe,
"I got sugar, this one's going to the soda plant in San Franciscolt, nice to see your rigs lookin' good,"
"Oh? That new craft soda factory that just opened? I really like soda pop so I'm going to try some," said Roadmaster radioing back to me. These two are big, rugged, and strong mares and some of the nicest mares you would ever want to meet despite how negative their names might sound. What's cool is that some pony names can also be CB handles
"10-4 there Big Mare, If you ladies aren't busy, you can follow my tail to San Fran, and I'll see about getting you two a six-pack," I radioed back, and they were onboard with the plan. Sideswipe had an empty spread-axle flatbed, and Roadmaster had a refrigerator trailer, or 'reefer' as we truckers call it. Roadmaster's trailer is black and matches her truck
I pulled into a truck stop near Appleloosa for a break. There I saw those two rigs, and the two mares. I was quick to give them both a hug, and a nuzzle on the cheek. And some say we griffons are greedy and unfriendly toward ponies. Well, you find the right ones out there, and things just work out. In Roadmaster and Sideswipe, I found my best friends
Like me, they're independent truckers. They don't work for the large logistics and hauling companies around the kingdoms. With custom chrome steel wheels and dashing rigs, it is common on the road for a little filly or colt to give us the old 'pull the horn'. We'll always happily oblige. Making somepony happy, be it a youngin' or a client, makes me happy.
(Note: There will more to come. Their theme song is 'Convoy' by C.W. McCall)