This former Transport International Pool trailer sits at a warehouse in Kent, Washington. I have driven past it numerous times thinking "I should photograph that." While driving to a destination in Kent on May 27, I saw it again and decided that on my way back I would photograph it. On the return trip I pulled into the warehouse parking lot, got out of the car, and took this picture. But wait---there's more: a minute later I photographed another T.I.P. trailer in the same parking lot as I looped around the warehouse. *****************************************************************************

Many moons ago I worked for Transport International Pool (abbreviated “T.I.P.” or “TIP”), a company that leased highway trailers to trucking companies. It was part of Gelco Corporation. Wikipedia says it is now called GE Trailer Fleet Services.

When I went to work for T.I.P., I had never heard of it previously. Nor had I heard of the city in which it had its headquarters (Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania). All I knew about the trucking industry was that “trucks transport stuff.” My employment there was a great learning experience. Terms like “kingpin,” “landing gear,” “fifth wheel,” and “hub odometer" became meaningful, as did the names of companies with which T.I.P. did business.

The aspect of the job that I enjoyed most was parking trailers in our storage yard, which was great fun once I got the hang of turning the truck’s wheels in the opposite direction of where I wanted the trailer to go.

T.I.P.'s logo is almost identical to the "TIP" icon appearing in federal income tax booklets. Pictures appear here in chronological order.