Paul Sagehorn is an American Trucker. Paul grew up watching BJ & The Bear on 1970's television. Like many, he dreamt about one day driving that same movie big rig. Decades passed - Paul tracked down the truck he idolized from his childhood and bought them. Soon he will be driving his BJ & The Bear big rig to the very factory that custom built the truck for the NBC TV Series some 32 years ago.
Robb is building a replica WT9000 Ford "Blue Mule" in homage to the 1975 film "White Line Fever" with the help of his friends at Bill's Truck Service in Orlando, FL. To get there, Robb hops a ride with the support semis trekking over land to bring cars, trucks and supplies to the famous Baja 1000 off-road race.
Holding off Star Wars for 3 months at the box office in 1977 speaks volumes about a film's potential. It was Smokey and The Bandit that kept Lucas's breakthrough on the shelf. Burt Reynolds was the iconic Bandit driving the Trans Am. Jerry Reed was the Snowman who drove that forever famous big rig.
Robb's off to South Carolina to meet up with Kelvin Locklear, owner of K&L Chrome Shop and Outcast Kustoms. Kelvin has been customizing a 1983 Peterbilt 362 cabover rig for Niven Williams, an active Special Forces soldier stationed at Fort Bragg. Niven's father bought the truck back in the 1980's and after driving it for decades, gave it to his son. Robb learns more about the truck's family history and what Niven has gone through in order to get the truck to the shop.
Robb combs the nation for the coolest custom truck in America. Just like the world of Hot Rods, in the world of trucking, customization is a big deal. He visits three of the best custom big rig shops around, not only to check out their decked-out rides, but to put the rides to the test.
This episode of American Trucker brings us to Shandon, Ohio, where we'll catch up with the kings of the load, Diamond Heavy Haul. For over 30 years, these guys have been hauling the biggest and heaviest loads on the road. When it comes to delivering the superload, nobody does it like Diamond.
Robb's fascination with big rigs doesn't end with admiration. He wants to fulfill his childhood dream of being behind the wheel of a big rig. So it's off to the Dootson School of Trucking in Southern California. Very quickly, Robb realizes that getting his commercial driver's license will prove to be a lot harder than he thinks.
Robb tours with one of the biggest country acts in America.
Host Robb Mariani relives a childhood dream, driving a truck with a traveling carnival.
Robb meets an American trucking legend, UPS driver Ron “Big Dog” Sowder. Big Dog then leads Robb on a tour of the gigantic UPS facility in Louisville.
Robb rides shotgun with a NASCAR Sprint Cup transport team from Phoenix to Las Vegas.
Robb rides with the "push rigs," heavy trucks that help rigs stranded by snow and ice.
Robb tours NASA's special custom fleet of big rigs and semis used in almost every element of every Space Shuttle mission.
Robb rides along with truckers delivering supplies to victims of the tornadoes in Joplin, Missouri.
Robb visits a vintage truck show before touring the assembly line of the largest manufacturer of big rigs in North America.
Considered a dying breed by some, independent owner-operators are still the backbone of the local and regional trucking industry.
Robb spends a full day managing a truck stop on a busy interstate highway.
Robb rides with truckers who haul fresh seafood from southern California ports to the gourmet restaurants and luxury hotels of Las Vegas.
Robb rides along with a trucker delivery fireworks for the Rose Bowl's Amerifest 4th of July extravaganza.
Robb learns about truck farming from a longtime California tomato grower.
Truck expert Robb Mariani introduces the audience to iconic trucks, the famous routes they followed and the cargo missions that made history.
Robb hitches a ride with a truck hauling Angus cattle in Kansas.
Robb crosses the country in the cockpit of a specially designed collector car hauler filled with valuable collector cars and heads to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
Dallas is the home of the world's largest gathering of custom trucks.
Rob hitches a ride with a truck that's part of a long line of beer haulers.
At the Toyota plant in Kentucky, Robb observes parts delivered by truck, then assembled into new Camry vehicles, and follows a rig delivering the cars to a dealer.
