On May 22nd, one of the worst tornadoes in our nation's history hit the historic town of Joplin, MO leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. More than 100 people lost their lives and an area of over 8 miles long and 3/4 mile wide was left in ruins. When the storm is over, the work of the American Trucker begins. Moving in supplies of every kind and clearing the rubble, big rigs come to the rescue no matter where or when disaster strikes.

On this very special episode of American Trucker, Robb will ride along with some of the unsung heroes of this tragic story. He begins his journey in Van Buren, Arkansas at USA-Truck, a company dedicated to donating as many resources as it can to disaster relief all over the country. He'll ride along with driver, Ken Vosejpka, on a mission to deliver a truckload of donated supplies to the Joplin area. Once he arrives in Joplin, Robb will be stunned by what he sees.
Exploring what remain of the city, Robb will meet some of the truckers helping to reconstruct this community in need. He'll meet Wayne, the trucker from Tulsa volunteering his time to help homeowners search for family heirlooms buried under what was once their home. He'll tour the temporary hospital made possible by the trailers and supplies brought in by big rigs.
Robb leaves Joplin with a sense of hope that with the strong determination of the American people and the help of American Truckers, this community will soon resemble the vibrant city it once was.

When it comes to the majesty and power of the American big rig, nothing holds more significance to American truck drivers and enthusiasts than the Freightliner. Since the 1940s, Freightliner has been nothing short of an American icon - and now, Freightliner stands alone as the largest manufacturer of big rigs in North America. On this episode of American Trucker, we give Robb the chance of a lifetime - to celebrate his love of Freightliner in a very unique way. First, Robb travels to one of the largest assemblies of vintage trucks in the nation - the Antique Truck Historical Society's annual national convention and truck show. Here, Robb will get up close and personal with Freightliners from years past and explore the history of this groundbreaking company. Robb won't only get to see these vintage beauties, but he'll even head down the road in a convoy of vintage trucks that still run as beautifully today as the day they rolled off the assembly line. And speaking of the assembly line, then we'll hit the road, traveling to Freightliner's state of the art factory in Cleveland, NC, where Robb will get a behind-the-scenes look at just what it takes to make one of today's state-of-the-art Freightliner rigs. Robb will get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to work the actual assembly line for Freightliner's Cascadia truck, helping to ratchet down every nut and bolt on this modern marvel. In the process, Robb will break down the anatomy of this amazing truck and show us how Freightliner has continued to push the edge of the technology envelope on big-rigs through the years. It's a mighty Freightliner adventure on this episode of AT.

The independent big-rig owner-operators: although a dying breed by some estimates, by others they are still the backbone of the local and regional trucking industry. With the heavyweight national truck lines like Conway, J.B. Hunt, ABF and Dayton continuing to gobble up market share, the indies are under constant siege to keep afloat. In this episode of American Trucker, we send Robb to Hickory, NC to meet up with Brad Wike and his fleet of independently owned and operated rigs. What Robb soon finds out is that the world of the indie operator is the world of on call, 'haul anything and everything' non-stop work. When the phone rings to pick up and deliver a load of watermelons, or cotton balls, or Styrofoam pool toys across the county or across three states, it's the indies that can make it happen. Where the national truck chains need time to schedule and plan, the indies are available on a moment's notice to keep the wheels of local and regional American business turning. And so, Robb is on call for a full shift with Brad and his team - and this means helping with truck maintenance on the fleet, dispatching drivers, handling customer service issues, AND, being ready to make a rush haul for a key client! But Robb wants to know from Brad if he's going to be compensated for all the hard work he puts in? Well, Brad knows just has to sweeten the pot for Robb... for you see, Brad is also the owner of a massive private collection of over 50 vintage big-rigs. So, if Robb does a good job and completes a successful rush haul, Brad promises Robb not only to let him look at his world-class collection, but he will also let Robb re-enact a scene from one of his all-time favorite trucker movies - Duel - using actual trucks from Brad's collection! All Robb can say is "When do we start?" Right now - on AT.

The Truck Stop - the lifeline and home-away-from-home of the American trucker. This week on AT, Robb Mariani an employees of a huge truck stop. No more making jokes about the food, the showers, the laundry facilities or the smells. This episode, Robb is put in charge - and spends a full shift helping to manage every aspect and function of this massive facility. But before we send him in and suit him up, Robb will stop by a famous vintage truck stop, and discuss how truck stops operated in the early years of trucking and the evolution and anatomy of the truck stop as the industry grew to what it is today. Then, it's on to a massive modern truck stop - a literal city-within-a-city - for a few days of living, learning and working. He'll get a feel for every aspect of how the modern truck stop operates today, and the kinds of support services that are critical to keep the American trucker on the road. Then, it's time to put on the shirt and get to work. He'll help run the restaurant, operate the truck wash, operate the repair shop, coordinate the retail facilities and even handle some serious clean up chores. If Robb is going to be the 'hardest working man in trucking', this episode will prove it. Robb becomes King of the Truck Stop on this episode of AT.

Las Vegas: a city that enjoys the best life has to offer. Home to some of the finest gourmet dining and restaurants in the world, Las Vegas isn't exactly ocean-front property. So how is it that a city in the middle of the desert has some of the freshest fish in America? Before the break of dawn, boats come into the docks of Southern California's ports and their catch-of-the day is instantly shipped off to the finest hotels in Vegas 400 miles away. This pipeline of refrigerated trucks from L.A. to Vegas runs everyday, insuring the freshest fish in the desert. We'll start at 4 a.m. with Robb at the dock to help unload the fish from the boats and put it on a specially designed refrigerated truck. Then its crunch time for Robb and his truck driver as they try and get the fresh fish to Vegas in 100 degree weather, praying throughout for no accidents or breakdowns. We end the trip with Robb at the world-famous N9NE Steakhouse ordering his own haul, fresh off the menu. From dock to asphalt to buffet, every minute counts in this one-day challenge that only Robb can pull off!

Celebrating the Fourth of July with fireworks is an American tradition. Each year all across the country friends and family gather to view the night sky light up in honor of our nation's independence. This year, Robb will be part of the team of truckers making the magic happen.

When dealing with explosives, it's always best to consult the experts. In this case, that means PyroSpectaculars in Rialto, CA. These guys have been in the business of prepping, hauling, and detonating fireworks for over 90 years. They haul more than 150 trailers full of pyrotechnics each 4th of July alone and with Robb's help they will be executing one of their biggest fireworks extravaganzas this year - the Rose Bowl's Americafest. More than 20,000 attendees are expected at this year's event and the pressure is on to make the show go off without a hitch. Robb will work along side veteran trucker and fireworks technician, John Livingston. In addition to prepping for the big event, John has to haul a 53' trailer full of basketball-sized shells and 4' tall mortars on the crowded Los Angeles highways from Rialto to Pasadena. Transporting combustible cargo is a nerve-racking task, but if Robb and John can make it the Rose Bowl without any mishaps, the pay-off will be truly spectacular.

For more than 50 years, California has been the number one agricultural producer in the US. A wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts and dairy products are produced in the third largest state in America. The need to get all those fruits and vegetables to the consumer makes the agricultural sector the largest user of freight transportation in our economy. While it may sound like one of the simpler types of trucking, moving cargo this delicate and time sensitive from the farm to the grocery store requires several unique types of trucks and trailers and drivers with technical knowledge specific to each. Robb is about to find out just what it takes to get the ever-versatile tomato to the ever-hungry consumer.

Tomatoes are an important part of almost every meal; in fact, 28% of Americans consume at least one tomato-containing meal per day. Whether they're one third of a Caprese salad or the ketchup we put on our French fries, they're unique, savory taste can add flavor to any meal. The Ramirez family has been tasked with the delivery of this delicious product on-time and bruise-free each year for more than 6 decades. Their fleet of trucks ranges from a 1949 classic Peterbilt to state of the art Freightliners and they have the trailers to handle every step of the journey.
After a tour of the family's trucking heirlooms, it's time to put these rigs to work Robb starts off with a low bed trailer fully loaded with farm equipment and has to trade it out for a gondola trailer brimming with fresh tomatoes. Putting his skills to the test, Robb will have to hook up these massive gondolas without spillage before he can leave the farm for the packing plant. Washed, inspected and sealed up for transport these tomatoes are loaded onto a reefer truck destined for your local market with none other than Robb and an American Trucker behind the wheel. Three trucks, two days and the freshest produce that northern California has to offer on this episode of American Trucker.

Paul Sagehorn and Robb set out to find one of their childhood fantasy rigs. Besides Paul's independent trucker status, and collector of Hollywood big rigs, Paul Sagehorn is also a motorcycle jumper and made national news with a major crash! Robb and Paul set out in the BJ rig and head South to find the legendary Evil Knievel hauler. After the trail goes cold, Robb phones his good friend Bubba Blackwell to see if he can help. Considering that Blackwell (Harley Davidson Sponsored) grew up idolizing EK, he made his career as The All American Daredevil, and has respectfully broken all of Evil's records on a Harley XR750. Bubba knows a lot about Evil - and thinks he knows the guy to talk to about the lost rig...
The three Evil freaks meet up with Bubba's connection in Florida and are lead into a private, gated yard and find the Evil Knievel hauler rotting in the weeds! The spectacle of this act will be unrivaled, for the time being... Jeff plans to restore the truck back to it's pristine glory. Robb feels that we should pay tribute to Evil and "jump-start the spirit of Evil" and have Blackwell jump the EK hauler in tribute! Just a few miles away is the Sunshine Speedway, the last place Evil Knievel ever jumped in 1981!
We tow the truck to the speedway for a night jump - complete with Bubba's pyro team.

As the lazy summer sun slowly rises over Hanston, Kansas, Robb prepares himself for a good, 'ole fashioned cowboy adventure-American Trucker style. Since the dawn of the U.S. cattle trade industry in the late days of 'manifest destiny,' proper handling of the herd has been an essential art form, displaying forms of American tenacity and meat-and-potatoes machismo. Whether by horseback or by trailer, moving these powerful animals in large quantities is no easy task; it proves to be both incredibly time-sensitive and downright dangerous. And Robb is about to experience the challenges of a ranch-hand, firsthand. Hilker Cattle Transport of Kansas has been hired to haul more than 1,000 head-of-Angus cattle from Winter Livestock Ranch in Hanston to a livestock market 200 miles away. These beefy beasts will be worth up to a thousand dollars a piece at the auction, so getting the stock to their destination quickly and safely is of the utmost importantant. This haul, which consists of more than 16 trailers full of cattle each day, will take every bit of labor they have, so Robb's been offered the opportunity to help out. But not without a little training, first. The introductory cowboy lesson will be quite the educational experience for Robb, as he'll quickly learn that maneuvering multiple half-ton creatures into a narrow trailer takes patience and an understanding of bovine psychology. The specialized trailers these steel cowboys use to haul more than 45,000 pounds of live cargo are unlike any other and so are the challenges that come with the transporting. Once Robb passes muster with the cattlemen, it's time to head 'em up and move 'em out so he can get these cattle sold at the historic Dodge City auction.

What was once the business of 'Trash' is now the business of 'Treasure.' Indeed, recycling is now one of the largest big rig hauling businesses in America, and Robb wants to cash in too! Robb shows up at the crack of dawn at a major municipal recycling truck plant. This is a big city facility where dozens of trucks are doing the stop-pick-up-go routine all day long. Over 300 stops-a-day per truck is creating mountains of glass, aluminum, plastic and paper. But now what? In come the big rigs! This mess of recycling gold has to move across the state and sometimes intrastate to massive specialized facilities that turn this trash into treasure. Robb hitches a ride with a 52' plastics hauler on his way to make an appointment to melt some water bottles! Each facility has a weekly quota, so Robb's run is on the clock to make sure he brings the tonnage in on-time and on-schedule. It's big money recycling that is completely dependent on big time big rigs this week on AT.

On this episode of American Trucker, Robb delves into the multi-million dollar world of the custom rig. These 18-wheel show pieces are some of the most outrageous works of truck art ever created. But there's only one place to see them all... at the world's largest gathering of custom trucks - the Great American Truck Show in Dallas, Texas. But Robb won't be just gawking at the trucks - no, on this episode of AT, Robb will join the judging team at GATS as part of the Custom Rigs Pride & Polish Truck Show Beauty Contest. This is the Oscar of the custom truck world, and Robb's keen eye will be responsible for helping hand out the awards. The pressure is on as Robb looks over every tiny detail of these steel and chrome monsters. Will he make the right choices and put the right owners on the podium? Find out on this episode of AT.

Welcome to the Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach, CA... arguably the home to the most valuable group of cars seen in one place at one time on earth! Every summer, the collector car world converges on Pebble to show off the most expensive cars on the planet - from Duesenbergs to Bugattis, the price tag on these vehicles is in the millions. But how do they all get here? By big rig of course! Enter Robb Mariani - who on this episode of AT will be on a mission to deliver a load of multi-million dollar collectors cars to Pebble Beach. He'll follow the journey from pick up to delivery, and cross the country in the cockpit of a specially designed collector car hauler filled with $65 million in chrome and steel. The pressure is on, as one scratch can mean tens of thousands of dollars in repairs. Put on your white gloves as Robb hauls automotive treasure on this episode of AT.

While only a small percentage of Americans actually know what the word means (it's an anglicized phonetic pronunciation of the Japanese word 'kanmuri,' or crown) almost all are aware that it is a reliable and affordable mid-size Toyota. For the last decade, the Camry's sleek style and smooth rides have allowed it to be ranked among the best-selling cars in the nation, but this appreciable automobile wouldn't be anywhere without the American Trucker, which is why Robb is going to take a look into the task of transporting transportation. The adventure starts straight at the assembly line at the Toyota plant in Kentucky. The cars couldn't be assembled without the necessary parts, and they're shipped from all over the country. Their delivery service? You guessed it, big rigs. Like the hundreds of thousands of other manufacturing facilities in the United States, Toyota's progress and stability relies on the American Trucker to deliver their materials, move their products, and even help build the plants, themselves. Today, Robb will see first-hand some of the sophisticated devices involved in delivering the Camry's raw supplies, and then, he'll actively observe the popular car's creation. Modern technology and modified techniques demonstrate the perfected manufacturing process, and when the cars roll off the assembly line, they go straight onto a truck. But not just any truck, these cars are loaded onto one of the remarkable rigs from Cassens Transport Company. Cassens is no stranger to delivering cars they've been hauling them since the Great Depression. They understand that cars, especially those as important as the Camry, are not just a means of transportation; they are the invention that shaped humanity's progress in the past century. Since this is an extraordinary delivery, they know to use extraordinary trucks. Their car haulers are truly a visionary achievement in safety and efficiency and are specifically designed to transport this precious cargo. These car-haulers, using what's called a 'semi- trailer,' can hold up to ten Camrys! That's 40 tons! Once the car-hauler is loaded, the team will hit the road for a dealership a few hundred miles away. With amazing time and precision, they'll unload the cars onto the lot in a blink of the eye. Robb will drive the Camry onto the front and center of the showroom and hand the keys off to the satisfied car salesman. Another job well done for the American Trucker.

Paul Sagehorn is an American Trucker. Paul grew up watching BJ & The Bear on 1970's television. Like many, he dreamt about one day driving that same movie big rig. Decades passed - Paul tracked down the truck he idolized from his childhood and bought them. Soon he will be driving his BJ & The Bear big rig to the very factory that custom built the truck for the NBC TV Series some 32 years ago.

Robb is building a replica WT9000 Ford "Blue Mule" in homage to the 1975 film "White Line Fever" with the help of his friends at Bill's Truck Service in Orlando, FL. To get there, Robb hops a ride with the support semis trekking over land to bring cars, trucks and supplies to the famous Baja 1000 off-road race.

Holding off Star Wars for 3 months at the box office in 1977 speaks volumes about a film's potential. It was Smokey and The Bandit that kept Lucas's breakthrough on the shelf. Burt Reynolds was the iconic Bandit driving the Trans Am. Jerry Reed was the Snowman who drove that forever famous big rig.

Robb's off to South Carolina to meet up with Kelvin Locklear, owner of K&L Chrome Shop and Outcast Kustoms. Kelvin has been customizing a 1983 Peterbilt 362 cabover rig for Niven Williams, an active Special Forces soldier stationed at Fort Bragg. Niven's father bought the truck back in the 1980's and after driving it for decades, gave it to his son. Robb learns more about the truck's family history and what Niven has gone through in order to get the truck to the shop.

Robb combs the nation for the coolest custom truck in America. Just like the world of Hot Rods, in the world of trucking, customization is a big deal. He visits three of the best custom big rig shops around, not only to check out their decked-out rides, but to put the rides to the test.

This episode of American Trucker brings us to Shandon, Ohio, where we'll catch up with the kings of the load, Diamond Heavy Haul. For over 30 years, these guys have been hauling the biggest and heaviest loads on the road. When it comes to delivering the superload, nobody does it like Diamond.

Robb's fascination with big rigs doesn't end with admiration. He wants to fulfill his childhood dream of being behind the wheel of a bg rig. So it's off to the Dootson School of Trucking in Southern California. Very quickly, Robb realizes that getting his commercial driver's license will prove to be a lot harder than he thinks.