Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

Did you watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade yesterday? All the people, the colorful floats and marching bands. There was one float dedicated to the “heroes” of America- the first responders – fire fighters and ambulance folks – and nurses and postal employees.

Postal employees? The rain, sleet, snow and ice folks? Did they leave someone out? Think hard now. Hum. Yeah – truck drivers. The hard working sacrificing men and women that keep this country moving 24/7 x 365. Maybe the ATA and OOIDA should stop wasting time sending each other love letters and get “our” profession bumped up to hero status in the hearts and minds of America. Instead of parking somewhere failing to sign up members who can’t afford $40, the OOIDA “official” truck should be in the damn parade surrounded by truckers.

Oprah also did a “hero” salute that included postal workers, but ignored truck drivers. What a shame. Reminds me of what someone told me the other day when they learned I “blog” about truckers and the trucking industry – “Why don’t you write about something that people care about.” Truer words were never spoken.

Let’s talk about Black Friday – that crazy shopping day after Thanksgiving. The one day during the year that hundreds of thousands of Americans will see what its like to be a truck driver. With their bellies still full from turkey, stuffing and sweet potato pie, people will wake up at 2,3 or 4 AM to brave the cold night air and drive in their SUV’s and pick-up’s to stores, malls and shopping centers all across the country. Just like truckers do every day.

And, again, just like truckers, they will be tired, cranky and frustrated as they attempt to find a parking space while avoiding pot holes, water puddles, loose rolling shopping carts and hordes of other rude sleep deprived people. Some places will be well lighted, others not. Just like truck stops. And more than likely, there will be nobody waiting for them with a hot cup of cocoa or coffee and a breakfast sandwich. They will have to stand waiting for hours until the doors open and the blitz to begin. Sound familiar?

Of course it does. But then truckers experience Black Friday almost every day. America is just not aware of it,nor care. There was a commercial with a woman going to bed with alarm clocks up and down her body – ticking and tocking – the alarms set for 5 AM – so she can be on time for a Black Friday sale at some store. How many times have you gone to bed in the truck at 1 AM hoping you’ll wake up in time for your delivery appointment? Another commercial had girlfriends sleeping in tents at each other homes to make sure they get up in time to go shopping.

You know as a trucker that there’s nothing like being in a deep sleep and having someone bang bang bang on the side of your bunk wanting you to wake up and immediately get into the front seat and drive somewhere. I’ve been awakened with bangs, thuds and taps in three languages by beggars, cops, lot lizards and others. And the thousands of hours waiting waiting and more waiting on lines, at shippers and receivers early in the morning long before the sun arises.

There’s just nothing I need that much that would make me want to get up in the middle of the night to go shopping today or any other day of the year. I don’t care how cheap stuff is. The whole Black Friday “experience” reminds me way too much of what I do for a living when I’m not home for the holidays trying to relax.

And a PS/It’s now 9 PM – Black Friday time – I just left a Wal-Mart that is open, but in the process of being converted to a super center. This morning they opened their doors at 5 AM. EVERYTHING that was priced to move early this morning is now – at 9 PM – still available for purchase. The $79 Magnavox Blu-Ray player, the $49 Tom Tom GPS and lots of other stuff. So if you woke up early this morning and fought the crowds, well, you could have waiting until much later and stayed in bed.