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March 1943. "Baltimore, Maryland. Associated Transport Company trucking terminal. 'Yard jockeys' or 'spotters' drive trucks around the terminal and back them up to the loading platform." Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size.
This could be a scene out of a 1940s B Film-Noir.
The cylinder above the driver's head indicates the wipers are probably powered by the compressed air system for the brakes. The handle visible here and in the photo in Dave's comment would regulate wiper speed. In the '90s I had a job where they still had several older International tractors with pneumatic wipers, although the plumbing for them was buried in the headliner with a switch on the dashboard. I wasn't fond of them.
Lyrics by Brother Dave Gardner
"You could tell by the way he hung his head to one side and gunned the motor, he was going to run over you."
Any drivers recognize the hand (!) operated windshield wiper (singular)?
I can't imagine driving in a storm using that.
[The truck has two power-operated wipers. - Dave]
That's my job for nearly 15 years now, and whatever the man in the picture is feeling, my expression is often similar, just another day of hooking and unhooking, opening and closing trailer doors. Nowadays we have the convenience of a sliding rear door, which this truck does not appear to have. As previously mentioned, a hydraulic fifth wheel, as well as air operated release are convenient, too.
Every region had their own terms. When I drove trucks we called them "yard horses" or "hustlers". The tractors they drove were special models which can pick up and drop trailers quickly without having to wind up and wind down the landing gear.
So that's what the truck driver in Duel looked like!
How does one get such dramatic lighting AND no reflections from the windshield?
[The light is inside the cab. - Dave]
I think he qualifies.
Obviously it isn't!
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