Think Outside the Box
Posted on Apr 20, 2008 - 6:57pm by Wayne Weisser in Trucking
We’ve been saying this since the beginning of this blog. In podcasts, in several posts and comments. If you really, really, really want to drive a truck you’ve got to specialize or think outside of the box and be different from every other truck driver out there.
From the Last Lecture Video:
Brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to keep out other people.”
“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”
The big carriers have reported how bad it is and they’re not sure how long it will last. Trucks at Work Blog
Housing is down, new construction and remodels are down. People buying appliances and stuff in general is down. There are parts of this economy that are booming.
Exports: If you can haul something that was actually built in the USA and is being shipped somewhere else, you’ll do pretty good. Because our dollar is getting to be like play money to the rest of the world, it’s cheaper to buy something in the US and have it shipped thousands of miles, than it is to buy it in their own country.
Mining: Copper and other minerals being dug out of the ground are being exported to China and India. Some mines are reporting adding shifts and going to 24 hour days.
Oil: Oil fields are hiring truck drivers to haul supplies and equipment. if you want to move to western Colorado, Wyoming, West Texas, Alaska and any where else there’s an oil field. Keep your Hazmat.
Green: All of those windmills come from somewhere, just ask Mick. Solar panels don’t just show up out of thin air. California is talking about building a school to train people in all of those green jobs. Because that equipment still fails and people are still needed to repair it. If you can find something green to haul, it might be slow at first, but could take off later.
If you’re looking on the internet for jobs. Stay away from the normal everyday trucking jobs. They’re just looking for slave labor. Anything in an oil field or a company with a private fleet is looking for quality or someone willing to work and or move.
A lot of our exports, like wheat, cotton, coal and other bulk heavy items go better on rail. But there are things that still go on truck to the rail or ship yards.
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Speaking of Windmills.
T. Boone Pickens has placed his first order for five hundred of them, for his new Wind Ranch. His plan is to emplace twenty-five Hundred or so. That means they’ve got to be moved by somebody. It takes about (wild guess) ten or so trucks to move ONE windmill. Believe it or not some of it, a lot actually, is NOT oversize.
If I’m not an O/O, how would I sign up to haul these windmill pieces? — probably couldn’t.. We (husband and I drive team) are out of work, and looking for a place to drive for..
Several of the Big Carriers use company drivers for the Wind Projects. Unfortunately Teams are not very prevalent in that most oversize can only run daylight hours so teams don’t help much there. However as I mentioned earlier in another post not all Wind is oversize so that might be of some help to you.
Just off the top of my head I’d say check with Anderson, Lone Star , Bennette and maybe Daily.
Everyone is struggling right now even the Wind Power Carriers because they have to keep everyone busy not just the wind drivers.
Good luck.
That’s pretty much just a guess. I’m sure there are others