Ernie! this goes back a long way colonial sand&stone and certified transit mix were two big ready mixed companies on Long Island In the 70s and 80s.

I used to be a teamster member local 282 and I used to shape colonial and certified yard in the morning for work when I was younger.

I lived in new Hyde Park and colonial had a yard on denten ave in Garden City and certified ready had a yard and West Bury off of old country Road.

Not too long ago last year driving to Brooklyn from Long Beach we always go the back way true to rockaways Beach Channel drive and then you go under the railroad trestle to Flatbush Avenue Bridge. I would see old mixers sitting along that stretch of road they used to have a few concrete plants when they were building the projects.

They used the old barrels the horizontal ones. There might be something there that you're looking for and it's not too far from New Jersey if you go thru Staten Island.
Anyway I figured I'd tell you that,

Thanks Tony, I will check it out!!! I to worked for Colonial S&S started in 71 untill 87 then I started my own Cement hauling co in 87 (worked out of Nwk NJ yard)
Ernie

Do you know what street Certified was on in Westbury? My Dad worked on Magnolia Ave, around the block from Elm Transit Mix. There were a few different company names that worked out of the Elm yard but I don't remember seeing Certified trucks parked in that part of town.
I lived up the street from the Westbury water tower until I was 8.

No I don't? not Certified but I will find out , now you had Cross & Astro on Grand blvd down in the pit next to Elm, I del. cement to Cross many times the guys name was Pat, an also del. to Elm RM next door

OK this might be a little before your time it goes back to 1961 I was 18 years old and I just got my chauffeurs license that's what they called it back then, they didn't call it a CDL
Down in the hole that you call the pit which is owned by Pat from cross ready mix.
Was Westbury ready mix owned by an Italian man name of Joe Barrati.
And I used to work for Elm transit mix when the fathers owned it his name was Sandy.
This is before Elm transit mix had any plants now they're one of the biggest concrete companies on Long Island
I knew all these people personally I grew up in Queens with a lot of their families.
Getting back to certified transit mix at the beginning of Grand Boulevard down in the back where Universal transit mix is today that's where certified yard used to be along the railroad tracks. On the corner of grand Boulevard and old country Road there used to be a mason supply yard called A VENDENTTI that was my uncle Mike he had B-61Macks
I used to work for him also.
And another big company in the area was FARINA BROS they had all the B-61 Macks that war in top shape you got to clean your truck in the morning before you went out and at night when you came back in that was a tough company to work for.
By 1963 I moved out to Suffolk County and got a job with a fellow by the name of Orlando and he owned Roman transit and I stood with him for many years.
Before I went into my own business

Ragman are you in the rag business did your father have a rag business the reason I'm asking because when I had my gas station and automotive business I used to buy rags from the ragman?????

I do remember Cross and Astro. I thought it was all one company because the trucks were parked facing Grand Blvd and and it seemed that each one had a different name on the water tank.

Certified-If I understand correctly, they would have been across the tracks from Jamaica Ash & Rubbish?

A Vendentti-I can't picture it but the name definitely rings a bell. My Dad worked for KenRoy truck renting on Magnolia. They did some for hire work but their bread and butter was supplying the equipment for King Kullen when they were on Prospect Ave next to the Wantagh Parkway. The route from the shop to the warehouse was Grand Blvd, then left on Urban Ave and right on Prospect Ave. Some time in the early 70's they put a weight restriction on Urban Ave so KenRoy had their drivers take Old Country out to Charlotte Ave in Hicksville and take that up to Prospect. I'm not sure how effective that restriction was with so many businesses on Urban.

He also drove for Messina Banana on Magnolia. I guess you guys remember when Island Transportation was on Main street and their trucks were parked on the street for several blocks around the terminal. I'm 48 years old and the time period most of my memories are from is between 1971-1978, give or take.



You're the first to ever make the connection.
Back when no one used their real names on internet forums I was stumped when trying to think of a user name and, not wanting to put much thought into it, I just used the name I heard so often when I had a service route with a uniform company.

These days I'm a P&D driver for Pitt Ohio Express.

Tony,
In the shape room the runner would come in with your key an????......... Your CHAUFFEURS DAILY WORK CARD .Yes Tony; Those were some good times!!!
Ernie DS PS I'm at my place in Del Ray till Tuesday, is that near you?

Ernie,
Del ray is 2 1/2 hours south of me. You did the right thing, coming to Florida.
It should get close to the 80s today enjoy yourself. I am around the house all of time you want to give me a call. CELL 516-448-9500 you never know maybe we could set something up

Hey Tony, Do you know where Jimmy Hoffa is???

That is a good question Emery?
Some of the stories that I have heard he was fitted for a pair of concrete shoes.
And another story I heard he could be in Pennsylvania in one of the landfill.
Or he could be in the concrete foundation in New York somewhere.
My father-in-law who lived to be 95 years old was a truck driver in the garment center in New York City. And he used to tell me a lot of stories when I was young.
My father-in-law was a tough guy. He made many runs to Pennsylvania and New Jersey and upstate New York never knowing what his load was in the truck.
He says it could have been whiskey mink coats or cigarettes. Or what ever,
He had a good job he made $37 a week but the week had no beginning and no end.
Anyway how are you doing?
Did something to my 358 that I copied from Glen 359 and I will post some pictures next week after I get it done this weekend.
If you come down to the East Coast, you told me you go to Vero Beach, if so stop in

Certifieds plant was in Hicksville at 344 Duffy Avenue on the south side of the tracks, east of Charlotte Ave. My Father drove for them and as a youngin' I used to go with him as often as I could. I had to duck down in the cab as we came up the hill after getting loaded. They were not supposed to have riders.
John

Thanks John! you are right about Duffey Avenue same set of railroad tracks just a few miles east of grand Avenue.
That was 40 something years ago for me and I just didn't remember.

Thanks John, I do remember that yard now.

Messina Banana wasn't keen on me riding with my Dad but I still managed to make several trips with him. They had a former Exxon F700 daycab so I can feel your pain regarding having squeeze into the passenger footwell of a Certified F model.

Ragman,
How fun was it going with Dad to work. When I rode with him in Hicksville he was driving a B-61 and later a Mack DM-600. A snug fit with the B-Model but I was maybe 8-10 years old at the time. When he worked out of the city he drove several Crane Carriers and a 1/2 cab Autocar. So no tagging along. In 1973, the F-900's came along. Back in the truck for me and eventually I went to work there and drove.
John

P.S. If I can I'll put up a few pictures of the mixers.