Jones Memorblia

Ballsout Ranger

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I would like to see how many of the old Jones drivers there are out there. My step moms Dad is a old Jones guy from Wichita Kansas. He has a personal collection of old jones stuff. The most intresting is a metal sign. if you look at the sign up close it has the names of 2500 of the best drivers in the world, old Jones drivers. All the names are diffferent sizes, when you setop away 3 to 4 feet the names create the head on look of a International. He is in bad health battling cancer right now. Most of his collection from sales stuff (coffee cups,pens,clocks,metal trucks, and signs) wil be donated to the National Trucking Museum located in Kansas City Missouri.
 
Hello Ballasout Ranger.

Today I was checking on the Net for some info on trucking companies I worked for in the past. And I came up on this Thread.

I was an employee/ city driver in Chicago from 1981 till the end, June 1991. I have a similar poster made in 1988 with 1800 drivers. Jones 70th anniversary. My name is in the grill of the International truck. (T. March). I only took it out of the mailing tube two times. I have other stuff from Jones, patches and buttons and coffee cups. I held on to them so they can gain some value. I see you are going to donate your moms dads stuff. I'm choosing to sell mine. Because, after the bankruptcy we only got 1/3 of our back wages and vacation pay back. I don't blame Jones for this at all. Jones was having no finical problems at the time. We were in the process of purchasing new power equipment from International and GMC/Volvo at the time. The Bank called in their lone because they taught the economy at the time was so bad they wanted Jones to come up with all the money to pay off the debt. Jones had no choice but to go bankrupt.

I purchased a tractor and two trailers at action in Chicago and started my own small trucking company in 1992. Bright Motor Express. I stayed in business till September, 2001. 9-11 killed my business and many others around here.

This is an old Thread. Hope your moms dad is ok. I'm 69 years old and so far with some luck I'm still in good health. I've lost a few friends I worked with from Jones lately.
 
I remember Bright. I worked as a casual for Jones for awhile just before Jones/The bank pulled the plug.
 
I remember Bright. I worked as a casual for Jones for awhile just before Jones/The bank pulled the plug.

I got married in June and when I came back from the honeymoon I had no job. What still gets to me still today. The Union let them keep/hold back three weeks pay rather than the usual two. I lost a lot of money. I worked the night shift and had a lot of over time worked. And lost three weeks vacation pay.

It was the best company I worked for at the time. I worked for Glendenning for eleven years, before Jones.
 
Mike432

I got your PM. I can't PM yet so I will post my reply.

I had 21 years in Local 705 IBT, when Jones went out. I only had 4 more years for 25 and out. I started with Lasham Cartage, don't know if it's spelled right, Glendenning and ended with Jones as far as union jobs. Had my own company for 9 years. I drove and ran the office. Closed after 9-11. In 2005 I went to Fed X and Eagle Express (USPS contractor). Got hired by Fed X and Eagle. Fed X even had my ID card made up for me. But I took the Eagle job. The best driving job I ever had. I loved working for the USPS. The driver that took me for my road test at Fed X worked for Eagle part time and was doing fireworks for local towns in the summer. I for get his name.

I took my pension at 57. 705 wanted me to wait till 65. I did the math and if I waited till 65 who knows if I would live longer then my 70's. I've collected now for 11 years. Not as much if I could have collected at 25 and out. Something is better then noting. 705 tried to screw me out of two years. They said I only had 19 years vested. They had no record of Jones paying into the plan for two years. I said, what years. Since the days I worked for Glendenning I saved every one of my pay stubs including the last weeks of Jones. I started this because in the 60's old timers would put in for retirement and the Union would tell them they had no record of some years they paid in. They couldn't prove it so they had to keep working. I gave them copy's of those years. Their eyes were popping out of their heads. They couldn't dispute anything with my proof.

It looks like you are vested. You should check now and make sure they have all your years paid in before you decide to collect your pension. Don't wait till your 65. Because they start paying when everything checks out. Not when you turn 65. So if it takes 6 months to get everything checked out that's when you start collecting. Not going back six months to your birth date. I have a friend that's in 705 Chicago and since he retired they cut his pension amount twice, I think.

I worked on Harley's all my life as a hobby. So after I stooped driving. I worked for a Harley dealer on and off for about five years. Now I repair Harley's from my house. Can't wait for it to warm up so I can get out and ride.

Tom
 
Sorry for the SLOW response guys. Shorty Rhodes passed away last month with a long battle with cancer. To my understanding he was a sales man for Jones out of Wichita Kansas. He and his sons opened Wichita Southeast Transit which was successful for many years before being bought out by OD. As I posted a long time ago most of his collection will be donated. It has come to my attention that there is a Jones museum somewhere down in OK. Hope is all well in your worlds
 
My dad was the Wichita terminal mgr. from Jan '70 'til the spring of '77 or '78. Shorty Rhoades must've been before or after his time. The salesmen I remember were Cliff Ferguson and Tom DeVore.
 
I would like to see how many of the old Jones drivers there are out there. My step moms Dad is a old Jones guy from Wichita Kansas. He has a personal collection of old jones stuff. The most intresting is a metal sign. if you look at the sign up close it has the names of 2500 of the best drivers in the world, old Jones drivers. All the names are diffferent sizes, when you setop away 3 to 4 feet the names create the head on look of a International. He is in bad health battling cancer right now. Most of his collection from sales stuff (coffee cups,pens,clocks,metal trucks, and signs) wil be donated to the National Trucking Museum located in Kansas City Missouri.
I would be interested in purchasing some JONES stuff!
 
Good ole Checker J.

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