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Two-Million-Mile Truck Owner Michael Punter
What advice would two-million-mile truck owner Michael Punter give to someone just entering the trucking industry? “Find yourself a good mechanic. He’s going to keep those wheels turning, and you’ll always make a buck.” That strategy has certainly worked for Punter, who’s approaching the half-century mark on the road.
By Caterpillar | Posted: May 2024
Shifting Gears in the Bronx and Beyond
Many truckers first learned to drive on dirt roads, country lanes or other out-of-the-way places. Not Michael Punter. Born and raised in the Bronx, he caught the driving bug from his uncle, who worked for a freight company hauling goods throughout New York City’s five boroughs.
“My uncle taught me how to drive in the city,” Punter says. “I was so intrigued with his truck. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him shifting the gears.”
Punter must have learned those lessons well, because shifting gears is exactly what he’s spent more than 45 years doing himself. He started his trucking career hauling groceries, ventured out to other types of cargo and finally decided to buy his own truck when he turned 50.
Today, Punter works for Trailer Transit Inc., an Indiana-based towaway company that provides power-only transport across the U.S. And in 2023, he joined the Million Miler Club, the Cat truck driver loyalty program.
Regular Trips to the “Beauty Parlor”
Punter’s million-mile truck is powered by a Cat C15 engine, which actually topped two million miles in 2023. What’s his secret to reaching that milestone?
On the road, it’s taking his time and being patient, so he always arrives at his destination and back home safely. Off the road, it’s the support he gets from his Cat dealer.
“I had an old-timer tell me once, ‘If you take care of the engine and transmission, the rest of the truck will fall apart first,’” Punter says. “He was right. That’s how much a good mechanic means.”
Punter’s “good mechanic” is the team at Blanchard Cat in Columbia, South Carolina. He brings his truck into Blanchard's shop — or the "beauty parlor,” as he calls it — every six weeks or so for regular maintenance and oil sampling.
“They keep it rolling,” Punter says. “They’re the only ones I go to. If it wasn’t for them, I would never have made it two million miles.”
From Black Hawks to Beyoncé
After nearly half a century on the road, Punter says people are always asking when he’s going to retire. But he’s not ready to hand over the keys to his two-million-mile truck just yet.
“When you enjoy what you do, it’s not that easy to leave the game,” he says. “You work for the pleasure of doing it. I didn’t even realize I had two million miles on the truck until Caterpillar told me. I just drive.”
Hauling interesting cargo definitely helps keep the job fresh. In recent years, that’s included everything from Black Hawk helicopter simulators to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) equipment to Beyoncé’s concert gear.
“I don’t haul groceries anymore,” Punter jokes.
To hear more about Punter’s two-million-mile truck and a lifetime of adventures on the road, be sure to tune in to Season 2, Episode 4, of Haul Talk, the Cat Truck Engine Podcast.
Longtime truck driver Michael Punter celebrates topping the two-million-mile mark with some of the team members from Blanchard Cat who help keep his Cat engine and his truck rolling.
