Shown here on the cover of Life magazine, December 11, 1944, is 23-year-old truck driver Bud Shields of Webster City, Iowa. 97% of the nation’s agricultural products were carried by truck at some point in their journey, and Shields’ job was to get hogs from Webster City to Waterloo. His rig was a Chevrolet cab pulling a 32-foot semi trailer. He made the run about five days a week, starting out by putting wood shavings on the floor of the trailer to keep it clean, and setting off around sunset. The 93 mile trip took about 3-1/2 hours with a stop for food.

After delivering the hogs, he shoveled the shavings into a railroad car and hosed down the trailer. Then, “after a couple of beers, he starts off for home.”