ALL IN ONE - Riley Miller
ALL IN ONE
Legend Nominee: Riley Miller
I believe it’s safe to say that all military personnel understand that relocating their place of residency may occur, oftentimes frequently over an extended period of time. Having traveled extensively, living among various cultures in today’s society constitutes an awareness of diversity. Such experiences create a foundation of job security in a workforce seeking individuals that are comfortable with a similar lifestyle. This Legend driver’s sociability is his superpower, as many lean on him for guidance and support. With a military background in communications, educated in foreign languages (Chinese and Russian) he continues his service to our great nation as a professional truck driver.
A second-generation Army veteran, his childhood memories consist of polishing his father’s military shoes from the age of 5 to delivering newspapers as a young teenager, tossing them with one hand while the other remained steady on the wheel of their family station wagon… driving in reverse. Riley Miller, of Frontenac, Kansas is the oldest of 3, with 5 additional siblings from his father’s side. His father retired with 20 years of service in the Army, later switching his hat for sales becoming a traveling salesmen; which in turn, both presented a purpose in relation to the consistency of Riley’s work ethic and life away from home, driving over the road.
Riley discusses his experience in the military, how putting his family first impacts his every day decisions, and why being a positive mentor for younger generations, future and fellow truck drivers, along with his brothers and sisters of the service is so important to him. His personality is fun and uplifting, though his personal standards of one’s character and work performance is a bit stricter. Truck and trailer maintenance is top-priority, while customer service and presentation is never less than professional.
Transitioning out of uniform into the civilian workforce, searching to launch a new career is said to have proven more difficult than expected for some. Fortunately, veterans of service have been trained to adhere strict schedules and strive for efficiency, qualities that represent special skills that are highly sought after within the trucking industry by companies nationwide, proving why veterans alike are considered the perfect driver to recruit. As a former Army Combat Signaler (enlisted 31K MOS), a communications specialist, Riley is able to translate his leadership and interpersonal training by demonstrating self-discipline in a professional setting, while also working well with all parties involved; i.e., customers, dispatch, etc. Prior to securing his current route, running short haul pulling dry van through Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, Riley was driving a company truck for many years. Now an owner operator in a 2014 plum purple Freightliner Cascadia, his next venture is to attain 1 or 2 more trucks. One being his personal dream truck, a ‘stretch condo on wheels’ – a custom truck sleeper with a high roofline cab, walk-thru access complete with kitchen and full bathroom amenities with APU .
Though Riley has been driving 18-wheelers with a CDL in his pocket since 2006, his love and appreciation for trucks dates back to his earlier years. Tagging along with his father on work trips during summer-breaks from school, the two or more of the family would frequent truck stops to fuel and eat. Riley recalls sitting in the parking lot where the smell of diesel fuel dominated his sense of smell, as the sound of semi-trucks nearby played a majestic tone only real truckers could recognize. Their loud, thunderous horns and the purr of one’s engine sitting idle; the entire presence a truck exudes captivated young Riley. To this day, for him the sound of a semi’s wheels on a highway relinquishes every ounce of stress burdening him at that very moment. He says, “In a way it’s a healing process. Yes, I’m sure to many a truck seems like a very small area to be confined to, but it’s a big enough space to be alone in your own thoughts. When I’m on the road, just me in the seat listening to the wheels, everything becomes so peaceful.”
Closing in on his first million miles, Riley has driven from coast to coast, visiting every state with the exception of Alaska. He discovered his niche among the dry box and reefer lane, although his time in the service required him to operate most all equipment within the Army motor pool. Consisting of Humvees, 5-ton cargo trucks and small tankers that could haul any liquid, but mainly water for troops of the 243rd S & S Battalion and/or any unit that he was assigned to assist. Riley also pulled flatbed trailers transporting generators and equipment. His training as a soldier to assist during rail loading on trains is partly responsible for his quick advancement in learning to manage flatbedding.
Riley initially hoped to join the Navy and pursue a future within the Underwater Demolition Team. By good luck, the Army presented another opportunity with good timing, he enlisted September 13th, 1988. Unaware, he followed in line with his father’s exact career moves – both attended the same training school at Fort Gordon, located in Georgia. His father’s work experience was in communications, as well, specializing in radio and television broadcasting.
The role his father played as a positive mentor and strong family provider proved instrumental in Riley’s choices leading into his adulthood. While a student in high school, Riley worked as a volunteer with a few groups as a trail crew member at a few forests and parks. He started college to major in forestry in 1986, later joining the Army in 1988. Come July 14th, 1996 Riley served his last day after 8 years in the Army Reserves. Picking back up where he had left off, Riley updated his college courses to photography and commercial graphics in 1997. Having studied Chinese because his father began teaching him in his teenage years, he continued the foreign language in college until it was replaced by Russian in the year 2000. Stating,
“The freedom to travel and seeing the beautiful images I’m able to capture while on the road are two of the main reasons why I love my job. Studying the art of photography really opens your eyes to the amazing views all around us! The different sunsets, sunrises, the changing of seasons throughout the many different regions, witnessing trees transform colors and flowers bloom can all be truly breathtaking.
But it was my time in the military that changed my life for the better. When I was younger, I was so fast to fly off the handle, then later had to eat crow. The military teaches you the importance of respect and courtesy, it’s up to you on how you choose to apply those values to everyday life. For me, as I had matured and began driving, sitting behind the wheel of a truck humbled me. You have to think twice about every action. How you respond to other people or stress… basically how you carry yourself as a person. Over the years, I’ve tried to continue bettering myself and improve my overall attitude. That’s especially tricky as a truck driver, but in our line of work it’s extremely important to keep your Zen in check because we’re driving a piece of equipment that can-do tremendous harm if not operated correctly. The military shaped me into the man I am today, and trucking allows me to be that version of myself with people from all over who need a smiling face or helping hand.”
Riley considers himself a workaholic, ‘if the wheels are rolling the money is coming in.’ To succeed as a truck driver, he reverts back to the measure of patience one must possess. Obtaining the ability to bend with the wind if need be, but also know that as a driver you have the right for your voice to be heard. Which leads to what makes Riley proud; being well informed and able to pass on his knowledge to the next person so as many drivers as possible can achieve success. “Performing a job to the best of my ability was engrained in me since I was a kid. Being a part of a huge organization like our trucking community is very similar to the brotherhood of the military. We all want each other to do well, so I do my part to stay active and in-the-know to help keep drivers enlightened too,” he said. As for advice, he keeps it simple. “Backing up is as easy as pulling forward, just pay attention to detail and don’t rush.”
He is leased on to one of the largest truckload carriers in the U.S., Dart Transit Company based out of Eagan, Minnesota. Family-owned and operated with over 80 years in the business, the staff know Riley by name and often recognize his voice beforehand. Considered a huge asset for his dedication to the company, Riley recently teamed up with Dart to help make veteran, Robert Mikel’s bucket-list-wish of riding in an 18-wheeler come true.
Retiring in 1995 with a total of 31 years of service, Robert joined the Air Force at the age of 19 serving 8 years; later, reenlisting in 1972, finishing the remainder 23 years of his military career in the Army Reserves. With a master’s degree in the field of social work, he served 3 active tours at Fort Leonard Wood as a counselor, assisting trainees.
Robert and Riley crossed paths back in the early 90’s while both were in the Army Reserves training at the 1010th and 243rd Supply & Service Battalions in Pittsburg and Parsons, Kansas. In hopes to attend his 65th high school class reunion, Robert decided to look up his long-time friend to ask a favor. He continues,
“When I first met Riley, he had this great sense of humor. He’s a natural comedian. So, when this opportunity came up with my class reunion, I began thinking of how I could piece it all together and Riley came to my mind. I knew that he was a truck driver in civilian life and it all took off from there. Riley and everyone at Dart made the arrangements to get me there and back. They went out of their way to make this happen for me and I’ll never forget it! It was a trip of a lifetime, all thanks to them.”
Wanting to savor the entire trip, the two veterans traveled the long way to Galesville, spending 4 days over and 2 back. During those days, they exchanged stories, shared memories and added more to their list of life-filled experiences. For Riley, being involved in such a special moment of a person’s life served as a reminder that he is doing exactly what he is meant to be doing within his profession: using his work to make a difference. In the eyes of Robert, sharing the front seat of a semi-truck for the first time was everything he had imagined and more. He says, “I had never realized how important the trucking industry really is for our way of life. People depend on these deliveries to run on time. Each time we stopped, Riley went over his truck and trailer with a fine-tooth comb for preventative maintenance, a lot like in the military and explained in detail everything that he pointed out. He expressed the importance of keeping a truck in good condition, stating that if it’s running properly it’ll take care of you. As he drove, he was always careful and respectful of other drivers. Riley is just a fine example of a true professional. He’s also very intelligent, well educated. He made my trip as perfect as it could’ve been.”
Riley’s life journey thus far, with the development of his own talents intermingled with the experiences unfolded before him have molded him into a respectable and trusted truck driver, a mentor for many, and an honest friend that you can always count on. What we can take away from Riley’s testimony is that everyone has a role in life, whether to their family as the provider or a soldier within a unit, each person has something valuable to offer for another to learn from. By following in his father’s footsteps, Riley gained a sense of pride that later helped him navigate his own path into an industry in need of strong-willed individuals to help grow, teach and inspire. One can never predict the influence of a positive example nor the effect in which it could escalate, although being aware that even the slightest compassion can nudge a person in the right direction is worth the effort.
This Legend considers himself a regular Joe, just an average guy that works hard and enjoys helping people. And in part, he is correct but it’s normal men and women like Riley that make good things happen. He’s a little bit of everything, all in one.