Have you ever wondered what happens to those big trucks that vanish on a deserted highway in the middle of the night?
Picture this. It’s 1987. A semi-truck loaded with a shipment of brand-new refrigerators is crossing the scorching plains between California and Nevada. The driver’s name is Raymond Hoffman.
He is a middle-aged man, quiet and meticulous in his work, who has driven long hauls for various companies. He had an impeccable reputation as a reliable person who never accepted risky jobs or got involved in conflicts. Many appreciated him for always being there to help a fellow driver in need.
But on that hot summer day, he left California for Nevada, and no one ever saw him again. At that time, there were no advanced satellite tracking systems like the ones we have today. There was a logbook where coordinates were recorded using an old version of GPS, but the accuracy left much to be desired, and the database was incomplete.
Even so, the control service managed to determine the approximate location of the truck and trailer. The signal showed up at a large gas station a couple of hours later. Cameras recorded Raymond stepping out of the cab, getting a coffee from the vending machine, and talking over the radio for a while. His face showed no nervousness or concern. It looked like a normal rest stop.
Drivers who entered the store at that time recalled that he didn’t speak to anyone, aside from brief responses over the radio. Then he returned to the truck, started the engine, and rejoined the federal highway. Everything appeared normal, with no signs of danger. Approximately two hours after refueling, radio communication with Raymond was lost.
Dispatchers confirmed that the signals had disappeared somewhere in a deserted area near an old bridge crossing a narrow river. In theory, he should have passed through there and exited onto the highway leading to Nevada, but they noticed something odd. When dispatchers contacted the local road service, they discovered that none of the workers had seen Raymond’s truck.
Given that the road was not very busy, someone would surely have noticed a large trailer loaded with refrigerators if it had passed that way. The police became aware of the issue when the truck failed to arrive at the delivery point on time. The client, who was expecting the refrigerators, raised the alarm and began calling the transport company. The dispatcher checked the records and realized the last contact with Raymond had been at the gas station.
After that, total silence. The search began. At first, they thought Raymond might have had an accident, and they began combing ditches, ravines, and gullies. Another theory was that he might have been robbed and the cargo stolen, but no wrecked vehicle was found.
They even brought in a helicopter to survey the vast, deserted plain within a radius of several dozen kilometers. No trace. Truckers listened in on radio frequencies, asking if anyone had seen the brand of truck Raymond was driving. The answers were negative. Everyone was stunned that a vehicle the size of a house could disappear without a trace.
FULL STOR
