Every once in awhile, someone will come into the world of ours that requires a redoux of the founding of both the Knytes as well as our parent organization the UITA. The United Independent Truckers Association started life as the TeenAge Truckers Association in 1974, as the only of its time 4-H truck Transportation group, of aspiring OTR truckers. The TeenAge Truckers Association was modeled after the original Independent Truckers Association aka RoadMasters Association that was created in part by my Dad as well as the then President Mike Parkhurst who also created the pioneering truckers mag, Overdrive. More on that in a future edition of HazzardAyre.
At the conclusion of the nationwide long haul truckers strike in 1982 at the time our Dukes-of-Hazzard fan club combination hot rod truck group got together, the group made as its mothership the Road Commanders Association, the only at the time super rig organization in the U.S.
Years after Mike decided to disband much of the founding ITA, but there were those of us that held true to what Mike started. So in 1985 at a long winded meeting at the Hill Top Truck Stop near American Falls Idaho, 4600 members of our group converged and created what is now known as the United Independent Truckers Association. Nearly 80,000 member strong today, and based in Salt Lake City Utah, the organization still fights for independent OTR haulers and yes us toewers nationwide. Of course this would not be complete unless I added this. In mid 2007 there became a movement by our regional group, to redoux our Hazzard County Knytes club. The Dukes had been off the air for some time by then although some of continue that legacy today, but DOH(Dukes-of-Hazzard) was gone. Yes Hollywierd had tried to do two movies of the Original series, but failed really bad. So as we figured it the frost was off the pumpkin. So we reformed, under the handle Rode Eagles Association. However something was brewing besides the day old coffee. After I had discovered many of our founding Knytes members had moved away from the area and the two that remained here near me, who drove truck we all met at Burns Brothers in Boise. After watching the hit bikers TV show Sons of Anarchy, we renamed our regional OTR group, the Knytes-of-Anarchy. Not to be a bikers club, but rather an organization to preserve trucking’s past and history an as well as fight for justice the smb owner/operator trucker and toewers. The word toewer, is misspelled here on purpose. Reason being as years ago, Bill Mack legendary trucker radio personality did some program liners or intros for our radio station KTOW , which is KAY-TOE(TOW). However as most do , he mispronounced the word tow like the word cow. One of my interns suggested respelling the words together, both toe and tow, together is toew.
Getting back on course here.
The Knytes-of-Anarchy is not, repeat not a bikers group, although there are some members who ride Harley’s, that said, like bikers, OTR truckers, love most of the same things. Open highways without a bunch of law enforcement on them to heed our drive time. Good food that is low cost. Cheap fuel, there’s more but ya’ll get the idea. As we said it then and say today.
Truckers ARE bikers with more wheels and a cab.
After 31 years , I’m still going toewing as much as I ever have, albeit today laid up after taking a beating on my knee past eve on a toew. I still own and operate one of in fact the REAL love of my life , LexiBelle, the truck I started with. Along with 8 others, here in Rupert. Check out our profile on www.manta.com
Today the Knytes-of-Anarchy and its parent organization the United Independent Truckers Association operates 12 regional radio stations for and of the American independent trucker. We publish the printed version of HazzardAyre , and I do my radio gig, HazzardAyre Radio. Which is part of the original Dixie Diesel Truckers Radio Network, and oh yes KTOW still operates in Buhl Idaho on 105.7 FM.
How the idea of flying and toewing got together in our next edition.
L8R ya’ll
Quote of the day:
Those whom the Gods would destroy, they first call promising. - Cyril Connolly
| Psalm 119:30“I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved. |
