William Edwards:
CLASS OF 1982
McKay High SchoolClass of 1982
Salem, OR
Chemeketa Community CollegeClass of 1984
Salem, OR
William's Story
Since leaving Mckay High: Went to Chemeketa, getting an AS degree in Electronics. Went to work at Norpac Foods in 1984 as a "temporary" position until I found work in Electronics, but it became my job for 11 years. Left Norpac in 1995, and did some odd jobs until I became a truck driver for May Trucking in 1996, then Market Transport in 1998. In 1999, left Market Transport and trucking. Went to Las Vegas for a "change of scenery" in 2001. Left Las Vegas in 2002, and returned to Oregon, eventually to the Eugene area. Left Eugene in 2004 due to a lack of jobs, and came to Phoenix, Arizona, and have not looked back.
Thoughts and Observations -
Norpac Foods: This place is the reason that I am very anti-union. Between incompetent managers, supervisors, a worthless union that could care less about employees, and promoting incompetent people "based on seniority", I could not stand it, and finally left.
May Trucking: It has to be something in the water or air in the area that causes companies to have incompetence in management and supervisory employees. After 2 plus years here, I left for (supposedly) better pastures.
Market Transport: And the incompetency isn't just at Brooks, OR, it was also at Market Transport in Portland, OR. Over 1 year there, and the management could care less about drivers. Too bad that they lost a great driver.
Las Vegas: It was interesting moving to Las Vegas. I learned how much I hate an income tax, and how much I could tolerate a sales tax. But I soon became tired of the environment, and moved back to Oregon.
Returning to Oregon: One of the biggest mistakes in my life!!! Somebody please tell me when, if ever, Oregon's economy will ever recover. I could not believe how depressed the economy was in 2002, and how it NEVER recovered, even after I left in early 2004. And I still hear from people I know in Oregon that it HAS NOT improved since I left. It just shows what over regulation and over taxation can do to an economy.
Arizona: Coming down here first in 1996 while a truck driver, and then being based out of Phoenix for May Trucking in late 1997, I was almost persuaded to stay here. In hindsight, I should have stayed here when I went back to Oregon in early 1998. I would have been SO MUCH happier.
I sure do enjoy the weather down here. Very little rain, no measureable snowfall, sunny days almost all the time, its a car lover's paradise. Very rarely do you have to put the top up on a convertible. Even in the hot days of summer, you can get away fro...Expand for more
m the heat by going north to the mountains around Flagstaff, or northeast to the White Mountains for some great fishing and camping.
Return to Oregon: Possibly to visit or for a vacation, but to live there once again is out of the question. Between the weather, economy, and political climate in Oregon, there is no way I could live there ever again.
Questions and answers -
Where are you usually found?
You can usually find me at car shows in and around the area. Something about classic American made vehicles that I have always liked, and will continue to like. Another place to find me is in the White Mountains of Arizona, usually fishing one of the White Mountain Apache tribal lakes or rivers on the reservation for the beautiful Apache Trout. Sometimes I'll just go in a direction from Phoenix just to see what is at the end of the journey.
If you had to live some where else, where would it be?
Good question, as I have done a lot of research into different cities in many states, but this is what I've narrowed it down to:
Albuquerque, New Mexico: Wonderful area of the United States, beautiful architecture, great weather.
Tuscon, Arizona: Far enough away from the Valley of the Sun in many ways, but cooler in summer.
Winslow, Arizona: It is funny how this town grabbed ahold of me and will not let go. Every time that I have been here, I have wanted to live here. Maybe one of these days.
Salt Lake City, Utah: One of the most livable large cities that I have ever been to! Within 100 to 200 miles I could be at Bonneville, some of the best fishing in the West, or skiing.
Idaho Falls, Idaho: The beautiful Tetons to the east, Yellowstone not far away, small town hospitality, great fishing so close by, it would be so easy to move here just for that alone, even if I did have to shovel snow in the winter.
Will you ever go back to being a truck driver?
NEVER!!! After what happened at May Trucking, and at Market Transport, I have NO respect for those in management in the trucking industry. I swear that May Trucking management couldn't pore piss out of a boot if the instructions were on the bottom. And Market's management could not pore the piss out of the boot either.
It is just to bad that these companies had a great driver that acheived multiple awards for job performance, yet when management was asked to perform, they were as worthless as a quadraplegic doing the ironman triathalon. Perhaps putting a window in their belly buttons so they get a clear view of the world would help.
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