Robert Baesel has been trucking for more than 43 years, the last eight of which have been as a company driver with AN Transport out of Poseyville, Indiana.
He started his trucking career “at an early age in Louisiana,” he said, hauling sugar cane out of the fields. Today, he pulls a conestoga hauling anything that will fit on the trailer -- “robots, computers, steel, steel coils, lumber” and more. Baesel noted he’s one of the longest-tenured drivers with the company, and when it came time to put him in a new truck, company owner Casey Conrey asked Baesel what kind of truck he wanted and told him to get to work designing it to his liking.
He chose a 2024 Peterbilt 389, which he showed at the 2024 Stars, Stripes and White Lines Truck Show at the Atlanta Motor Speedway last Fall.
Nicknamed “The Hen House” -- appropriate given Baesel’s nickname is “Rooster” -- the goal with the rig was to have “an old-school look with a new-school attitude,” he said.
Beautiful Legendary Red paint covers much of exterior surfaces, with immaculate free-hand pinstriping all around. The pinstriping work was done by “an older gentleman, an old hot-rodder” from Kentucky, Baesel said. “He has trucks himself, he has hot rods, and he’s the one that free-handed every pinstriping on this truck.”
The pinstriping was done on the breathers, the fuel tanks, the DEF tank, the fenders and more.
Paint work overall was recognized by Peterbilt at the Semi Casual Truck Show in Crossville, Tennessee, this past August, with Baesel and the truck winning the Peterbilt’s Choice Award. “I was very honored,” Baesel said.
The truck is powered by a Cummins X15 with an 18-speed, which, at the time of the show last Fall, had just 68,000 miles behind it. “It’s brand-new. It ain’t even broken in yet,” he said last Fall.
The rig's interior is mostly factory with a Legendary Red dash, black and red paneling and more.
"It's amazing hardware," Baesel said, "great to drive. And I couldn't be happier. I couldn't be more privileged. The good Lord blessed me." Hear more from Baesel about the truck in the video up top.
[Related: '07 Pete 379 built for oil-field work, styled for show]
Find plenty more views of the rig in the video up top, and for more videos and custom-equipment features delivered to your email inbox, subscribe to Overdrive's weekly Custom Rigs newsletter via this link.
Robert Baesel: Robert Baesel with AN Transport out of Indiana. Man, I've been trucking for... It's been 43 years. I'm 62. I've been 43 years. It's been a hell of a life. I started at early age in Louisiana, and hauled sugarcane out of the field. And that's how I came to get driving. I pull everything from robots, computers, steel, steel coils, lumber, whatever. I pull a conestga, curtainside.
This is a 2024 Peterbilt 389, X15 with with an 18-speed. It's brand new. It ain't even broke in yet. Hopefully I'll be out there on a racetrack today. The Legendary Red. It's a beautiful color. Beautiful paint scheme. She strolls. She looks good going down the road. It's just an awesome truck. It's an awesome truck to drive.
I'm honored and privileged to drive it. So they bought the truck for me. I had a lot of say-so in the truck. I wanted an old-school look with a new-school attitude. It's called "The Hen House." So I guess it's ironic because I go by Rooster
Pinstriping was done by a gentleman, Dave, out of Kentucky. That's what he does. He's an older gentleman. An old hot-rodder. He has trucks himself. He has hot rods, and he's the one that free-handed every pinstriping on this truck. Amazing job. The paint was still wet when we hit Louisville, Kentucky, this year for the show.
But we gave him free range on truck. We said this is what we want. Old school look. And this is what I got. Amazing job. We painted the breathers, the old school breakers. We painted the fuel tanks, the DEF tank. We painted the fenders. And, I was presented with a trophy this year from Peterbilt, and, they said my truck, the paint was immaculate, so. And I was very honored. I was very privileged to do that.
It's amazing hardware, man. It's a beautiful truck. It's great to drive. And, I couldn't be happier. I couldn't be more privileged. The good Lord blessed me.
