​Tom McConnell Retires

PORTERSVILLE, PA… Professional Truck Driver Tom McConnell officially retired on December 31, 2019 after 45 years as a Dump Hauler. Tom worked at John Brown Trucking in Portersville, Pennsylvania his entire driving career. Tom got this 2006 Peterbilt, pictured above, on his 30th Anniversary with John Brown Trucking. It now has 1,385,000 miles.

Tom McConnell joined the U.S. Army in December of 1970 and was stationed in South Korea for 2 years. After his discharge in July 1972, Tom got a job as a tree trimmer and then worked at the Ellwood Forge. Tom moved to Florida, and after a few months, decided that he missed the hills of Pennsylvania and returned home to the Keystone State. It was September 26, 1975 when Tom got a job driving triaxle with John Brown Trucking in Portersville, The company was purchased by American Bulk Commodities in 1995.

Throughout his trucking career Tom has driven both triaxle and end dump, logging approximately 4.5 miles, of which nearly all were accident-free. His last 20 years of driving have been ticketless and accident-free. During his stellar driving career Tom has earned numerous awards. He has always been the kind of guy who does his job and does it well.

Harry Frelin, Terminal Manager at John Brown Trucking said, “I’ve been working with Tom for 20 years. It’s hard to see him go. He has been great to work with. Tom took a lot of pride in his job. He’s very easy going, dedicated and very professional. Tom was an old-school truck driver, which are almost extinct these days. There are a lot of guys who know how to drive a truck, but not many truck drivers left anymore.”

Tom stated, “My wife Bonnie has always been my rock.” Now that he is retired, Tom said that he may get back into hunting again and just do “whatever the hell I want”, that is – after he gets Bonnie’s “honey-do list” done.