In the spirit of WIRED's Autocomplete Interview, we (Camelot’s newsletter team) have asked Billy some of the most common questions we get about Camelot’s history.

1. How and when did Camelot get started?

“In April of 1986, with only one truck that we parked in a dirt lot nearby, a packing supply store in our garage, and a home office in a spare bedroom upstairs, my wife and I started Camelot Movers. Santa Clarita wasn’t even a city yet. The company eventually outgrew those facilities, but my wife and I still live there. It is comforting to know that while many things change (just check out the now-and-then photos below in which I have aged just a bit), some things remain the same.”

2. Since Camelot predates the city, what sort of changes have you seen?

"The community has really grown. We used to go off-roading in our Jeep in the hills that are now The Summit in the center of Valencia. My kids used to play in dirt lots that are now homes around our neighborhood. One of the neighbors even had horses that my kids could feed.

“And we’ve seen the city go through some ups and downs in the economy and housing market. Wildfires have always been a threat. And of course, the ’94 earthquake had a drastic effect on the community. With the damage to the freeways, the city was kind of cut off. We moved a lot of families out of California following that earthquake. And the families that stayed suddenly needed storage while they relocated and fixed their homes. So, the earthquake really changed Camelot as well. That was when we started offering storage, almost overnight. Our customers needed it, so we quickly 're-tooled' to offer it. It has become a major portion of the services we offer. It was hard to see the city go through such a difficult time, but it was also nice to be a part of helping families return to their repaired homes and see things begin to get back to normal for them.

“There are a lot of echoes now with the pandemic. People are moving to house more people as households combine; downsizing to economize; or putting things in storage to make room for the home office in the garage. But most of all, people are leaving California. Both the earthquake and the pandemic have driven a lot of people out of the more densely populated Southern California. But just like after the earthquake, I see signs that the community will recover and get back to normal.”

3. What are some other memorable moments?

“I will always remember when I met and hired a fellow from Alaska. He could drive a tractor-trailer better than most, but he did not have a license to do so. His explanation: ‘Well, there was only 40 miles of paved roads where I lived and everyone was pretty casual about the requirements.’ We quickly got him his license and put him to work!

More recently, I got a call from my son driving a truck heading home across the Colorado Rockies to tell me that he was stopped, and it could be a while before he got rolling again. A forest fire had shut down the entire Interstate 70 in both directions.

Then there’s the time a past customer, a large animal veterinarian, called me and said, ‘Hey Billy, I need you to move some tigers for me.’ And we did! Seven of the biggest cats you’ve ever seen. There’s a photo on our office wall to prove it.”

4. What are you most proud of?

“I have the opportunity to work with and teach some very hard-working young guys—some right out of high school—a variety of skills, from work etiquette and work ethic to leadership skills and often enough how to drive an 18-wheeler, getting them that special Class A license (including all the guys pictured below). Many of these guys now have families of their own and have gone on to build a career on that skill to support that family, just like I did. It’s really something.

“Some of those young guys have been my own kids—all of whom have contributed to the company. You can read last month’s newsletter to see Camelot’s latest accomplishment, which I owe almost entirely to the next generation!

“I’m also very grateful that Camelot is in a position to bring practical help to people in need. So often, in the face of something like a natural disaster or even a pandemic, we feel helpless to help others. But Camelot’s trucks have often been able to help. About a year ago, we donated our services to move the local homeless shelter into a larger facility that allowed for safer social distancing for its residents. I was so touched by the care and diligence of our crew on such a unique assignment. And soon we are going to move the shelter and its residents back to their permanent facility!

“Similarly, after Hurricane Katrina, several local foundations worked together to collect everything from clothing and water to textbooks. We loaded them onto two of our 18-wheelers and donated the drivers, tractor-trailers, labor, and fuel to drive the supplies across the country to the Gulf Coast. That was awesome, seeing our trucks help fill a need.”

5. What, if anything, would you do differently?

“From day one, I would begin building that rainy day fund and work to grow it every month. That rainy day could be a slow economic period, a major truck engine issue, or some other unforeseen event—like a pandemic!

“And something I would have done sooner is to be willing to wonder like a child, think about what does not exist yet. Way back when fax machines came into existence, I wondered if there would one day be a way to fax furniture. If so, we could have the opportunity to be on the cutting edge or left behind. That fantasy morphed into drone furniture deliveries. While Camelot isn’t flying any drones to relocate our clients, allowing and even encouraging creative wonder has kept Camelot moving (pun-intended). From improving our services and equipment to caring for our employees to simply keeping things interesting for this ol’ moving veteran, a willingness to explore and change has been vital to Camelot’s success so far.”

6. After traveling hundreds of thousands of miles moving people around the country, what have you found to be the most beautiful part?

“Having driven through every state, it’s hard to put any one place above others: the trees in the Northwest, the Rockies, the Great Plains, New England with buildings over 200 years old, Niagara Falls, the coast of the Carolinas, the trees of Tennessee, the swamplands along the Gulf Coast…and don’t get me started on the food! But I have to say, one of coolest sites is right here, within an easy drive of Santa Clarita: the view of Vasquez Rocks and the surrounding canyons from the southbound 14 freeway early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the shadows are long, especially from high up in the seat of an 18-wheeler. If you haven’t seen it, give me a call. It’s breathtaking. You gotta check it out!”

P.S. Three things for your consideration and distraction