Scott Scheer, Public information Officer
828-286-3636, Ext. 206
sscheer@isothermal.edu
July 23, 2002

This story begins like one of those jokes where you would lead with the opening line, “Did you hear the one about,..?” This story is also so heavy with irony, you could fill an 18-wheeler with it.

The story, all-true, by the way, began like this. On a clear but 32-degree below zero winter morning in Alaska, Susan Sides called. She connected with a live voice in Spindale, North Carolina at the Isothermal Community College Truck Driving office. Ironically, on this particular day Isothermal had been closed due to ‘heavy’ snow. What were the odds?

Van Bridges, Director of the Isothermal Community College/SAGE Truck Driving Program decided to drive by his office through several inches of snow on this day in January to check on a few things when his phone rang. On the other end was Susan, calling from Glennallen, Alaska, some 6,000 miles away. “Worlds away,” as she said recently.

Mrs. Sides, who just the day before was standing in a Department of Motor Vehicles line, and met a couple who told her about their careers and love for trucking. On a whim, Sides got on the internet and surfed her way through trucking schools in the lower-49 states. Just recently posted was the mention that Isothermal’s Truck Driving Program had been ranked the #1 program in the country. Sides said she scrolled through several schools on the worldwide web. She remembers the other schools were in other parts of the country, “not quite so far south.” She recalls how she said to herself and later to her husband Danny, “You know, if we were ever going to do this, why not go with the best?”

Danny Sides spent over twenty years as an Alaskan State Trooper. In that position, he was always moving, rolling along. As a trooper, he did search and rescue, motor patrol and often worked riding snowmobiles. As a pilot, he did airlift rescue missions. His family transferred some six times with him across Alaskan territory. Susan Sides, like her husband, recently retired from her job in the state school system. The couple was actively working in other lines of business, but the notion to pack up, move and start a new career, was growing increasingly hard to ignore.

Married for twenty-nine years and with three children now grown and on their own, Danny and Susan Sides said the voice of Van Bridges, “in all that friendly southern drawl,” was one of the convincing factors to sell the home, most of their personal belongings and head south. Susan explained, “Van was just so friendly and helpful and when we saw that the school was ranked the best in the country, we decided to go for it.” Later in the year, the couple drove over 2,000 miles across Alaska, Canada and more than 3,000 miles from Washington state and arrived in sunny Spindale, NC to begin new lives.

Danny, a native Alaskan and Susan, a Washington native, had traveled in some parts of the lower-49 states, but had never been further east than Texas. Driving across the country, they realized just how much fun it would be and what a great way to see the country together, as a truck-driving team. Once at Isothermal, the Sides said they quickly felt comfortable with their major decision now a memory in the rearview mirror. Danny remarked, “Van and all the instructors have been unbelievable. The school is even better than we had hoped for. Both the school and the program are so nice and we learned right away that this is where we want to be.”

The Sides became quick friends with their fellow students. Van Bridges can flip through his class rosters and see students who have found the Isothermal/SAGE Truck Driving Program from as far away as Florida, Michigan and New York. He laughs, “Alaska, now that was a surprise. Not only did we get an inquiry from Alaska, but we now have two great people, who studied, worked very hard and are graduates of this program---FROM ALASKA!”

The Sides, who said they were impressed by the pricing of the Isothermal program, compared to all the others they researched, also found the hilly countryside to be an even better locale in which to learn all one needs to learn in trucking. Instructor Kenneth Cheatham has also become a favorite ‘southern’ attribute for the couple. Danny explained, “He really sets the tones with all his ethics, rules for driving and his high degree of professionalism. His whole presentation, from his years as a trucker and the way he teaches, listens and gives, really is so special. You add up all the pluses, from Van taking the time to help us from Alaska, to the school itself, the wonderful facilities, staff and fellow students, we knew this was the right place.”

When the Sides graduated, they left good careers voluntarily and moved away from a healthy economy, unlike many of their fellow student drivers. They have seen the concern and need for new beginnings in the eyes of some students, who have lost textile jobs and see the truck driving profession as that solution. “The blending,” Susan sides added, “has been interesting. Yet, it has been so smooth, so enjoyable. We are all basically in this for the same reasons—new careers, financial necessities and what better way to see the country?”

Susan Sides admits many family members and friends think, “We are nuts for quitting jobs, saying goodbye to our families and leaving Alaska. Our kids on the other hand, think it is neat. They think and now realize, we are doing something fun.” Danny added, “It is a different life right now. We basically don’t check our mail but every three weeks. We are looking forward to the open road and what lies ahead. The experience here has been tremendous and we have already told our family and friends how great Isothermal and the truck driving program has been. We are recommending it to everyone. I mean, to sell everything, leave family and our lives behind in Alaska and come here and find such a treasure, we feel so fortunate.”

The couple left with a job with Werner Enterprises. Susan Sides immediately points to her husband when asked who is the better driver. Danny laughed, saying, “I hate to wear that crown because it could fall off at any time.” She goes on to say, “We haven’t let much moss grow under our feet, but we have great hopes for our future as truck drivers. We hope to drive across this country many times, making new friends and seeing family all along the way. We do plan to have a real home again, hopefully with a garden and a pool. But, for now, we just are just looking forward to a new world and new lives as truckers.”

The odds are very good they will do just fine.