Meet Billy Wright, Dry bulk Driver

It's a crisp spring day, marking the beginning of the cement season. For Ruan driver and seasoned professional Billy Wright, it will be a day like many others. Wright has been in the powdered cement hauling business for more than 30 years, 29 of which he has spent with Ruan in Des Moines, IA.

Several of the terminal's drivers handle powdered cement, fly ash and soda ash.

"I like my job. I like what I do," Wright said. "Also, I get to be home every night, which is great." 

Wright arrived around 6 a.m. to prepare his truck for the day and perform his pre-trip inspection. All of his loads are picked up in Des Moines and delivered across town to Grimes, IA. Today is a light day with just six loads; Wright will end his day around 5 p.m. As the cement season-which services construction jobs- progresses, he will have anywhere from six to 10 loads a day, and he'll work some Saturdays in addition to his Monday through Friday schedule.

To pick up the powdered cement, Wright prepares his pneumatic tanker with quick trips up the SafeRack. Then he pulls around to the silo and heads inside. He checks in with the customer and fills his tanker with the simple push of a few buttons. Wright credits his philosophy of making the customer top priority as part of the reason for his successful career hauling cement.     

"It's all about the customer. We put the customers first and make sure they're happy. If it wasn't for the customer, we wouldn't be here," Wright said.  

In less than an hour's drive, Wright is across town in Grimes. He backs into the receiving area and then adjusts his tanker pressure to prepare for unloading. With his mallet handy, Wright unloads all three hoppers by hooking up the hose to the corresponding valve. As he keeps an eye on the unloading process, Wright said he enjoys the steady pace of his job.

"I like trucking because I get to move around and the day goes by fast," Wright said.

While on the job, Wright drives a brand new 2015 Volvo truck equipped with safety alerts for when he is too close to other vehicles or the next lane. This new feature inspires several quips from Wright about how someday the truck will drive him. However, his expertise serves him well as each load goes smoothly-and Wright is quick to lend a helping hand when a fellow Ruan driver has an issue. The two quickly troubleshoot and the day continues in a steady pace-just another day in the life of cement hauler Billy Wright.

Click here to learn more about Ruan's home daily cement jobs. Ruan-it's the right fit for your family.