Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

So I’m here in Laredo. At “our” terminal. It is hot and uncomfortable. Actually it’s just like being in an oven. It is busier than ever. Freight headed everywhere. Going inside the office, I encountered a bunch of “men-children.” Whiny, lazy, young and old, fat and extremely fat, unmotivated, very unprofessional truck drivers. I just wanted to leave. I’m so disappointed with these people. I’m sad for the company. Unfortunately, my load and paperwork were not ready to be taken over to the broker. I’m stuck here overnight. It’s dark and 102 degrees. Bummer.

What do you think of this? I’m in the rest room. One of the “men-children” comes in. He tries to open my stall and the one next to me. He almost takes the doors off. He yells “full house!” I thought he left. When I’m done I open the door and he almost runs me over, tells me to “get out already” and he slams the door. This goober is one of our million-milers! The decal on both sides of his truck says: “Ambassador.” Well, this “Ambassador” from hell must weigh over 400 lbs., clearly has trouble walking and you can smell him 10 feet away. The company just gave him a brand new International ProStar with a host of free options. He barely can get up and in the cab. This clown is an disgrace and I’m sure my company has no clue of this man-child’s piss poor attitude. You know the expression, what comes around goes around, well, I will not forget this little “incident.”

Then there was the driver who refused to take a load over to the broker less than fifteen minutes away because he claimed his 14 hours were up. The other driver who refused a load to North Dakota because he doesn’t want to go West because he wants to make sure he gets home two weeks from today. Another driver couldn’t figure out how to secure the load he was assigned. One driver was too tired to work anymore today. One guy doesn’t want to leave until tomorrow. I have never seen such stupidity. The operations staff here is the best in the business. They seem to let all this roll off their shoulders and just move on to the next available driver. A pathetic situation, clearly.

Read the rest of this entry »

For those that are interested in the fuel economy on a 2010 KW T660, I took this photo of how fast I generally run, at what RPM and what the truck computer is calculating the MPG’s at – with about a 45K load on the trailer. As you can see, it’s showing 8.3 MPG. That’s an average, of course. If it’s important, I drive exclusively with the cruise on. My last truck, a Freightliner with a small Detroit, I remember was getting, at best, about 6.4 MPG’s. I don’t know how that compares with what you’re driving and/or how you’re driving. A reminder that I have a Cummins 1997 ISX engine with a  Eaton ten speed. I have no clue what the “rears” are or the other “specs” truckers like to argue about, because quite frankly, none of that data would help me do my job any better. I received the truck with about 625 miles on it – it’s been less than a month and the odometer is now at about 12,000 miles. The odometer reading in the photo was from a few days ago.

This is another one of those posts that I’m going to jump all over the place, so as I usually say, please bear with me. The one item that keeps popping up in trucking concerns tolls and States allowing heavier weight trucks on their roads. I’ll discuss that in a second. But first, let me ask you this question – why isn’t there a decent truck stop in the Cleveland OH area? After I delivered in Bedford Heights, I received a preplan for a 5:30pm pick-up in Tallmadge, about 26 miles South. I didn’t want to get back on I-80. And the shipper has arrogant idiots working there and don’t allow ANY truck parking.

The QUALCOM said the stupid shipper “recommends” to go to the Knack Morgan Truck Plaza off I-76, exit 26 Eastbound, exit 25B, Westbound. The truck stop directory shows a Marathon in Akron, again off I-76, exit 26 WESTBOUND, 25B, EASTBOUND. The opposite of what was on the computer. Well, I didn’t see anything at either of those exits. If there was in fact a Morgan anything, it would sure be helpful if they managed to put up a damn sign or two. For all I know the QUALCOM message and the lousy directions were written years ago and NEVER updated.

Read the rest of this entry »

Happy Friday 13th LOTR followers. For those drivers that are fortunate enough to get home this weekend, have fun. For the rest of us, America’s freight rolls on. There was a 1 vehicle “accident” on I-40 westbound east of Nashville this afternoon. Traffic was backed up 5+ miles to the West and 8+ miles to the East. The TN State Police did their usual miserable job of managing the situation and what in other states, on other roads would be nothing, this “event” lasted hours longer than it should have.

Speaking of TN, I truly resent that the 55/65 and 55/70 mph speed limit “split” is still in effect there. When OODIA stops wasting their time with barbeques and giving out awards nobody cares about, maybe they’ll get down to business and get the speed limits safe for truckers in TN. Split speeds anywhere are totally unsafe. And, back to the 1 car accident, there was no reason for any backup in either direction, but it was the worst case of “Oh, let’s stop and take a look at what’s happening.” These folks are as dumb as bowling pins and the truckers trying to “control” traffic are no better. Shame on all of you.

As I was trying to make time down to Texarkana, I got a call from dispatch telling me there is a HOT load that will be at our Dallas yard tomorrow night. So forget Texarkana, head straight to Dallas, drop the trailer and wait for the other load that needs to be delivered to Wausau WI next Thursday. Next Thursday? The rationale behind all this is “we” don’t have enough drivers to “handle” this load. Well, isn’t that special. Problem is, I’m low on hours. I will have 8.5 left on my 70 tomorrow afternoon and need to shut down for 36 on Sunday. I’m about 600 miles from Dallas. Long story short, turns out someone else will handle it and I will proceed on schedule. That’s the photo I took of the 1 car accident. The driver was air lifted out hours earlier. I don’t know what his/her condition is.

Moving on, my hatred of Facebook continues. I have 57 e-mails from people who are asking to be friends. I have no idea who the heck they are. I would love to comply, but Facebook has me on “hold” from adding friends because I’m abusive and annoying. This constantly happens to me. I can’t wait to meet someone who works for Facebook. I intend to shove their head in a bucket of ice water. Facebook along with Twitter are no better than the bowling pin morons who sit on the interstate waiting to see a 1 car accident. I find the fact that Facebook allows the use of profanity, repugnant. There is some intelligent “conversation” occurring, but the rest of the nonsense is no better than childish CB chatter. I’m now hearing of some influential and popular media folks pulling out of Facebook and concentrating on building their web sites and chat rooms. The photo to the left is just after I “cleared” the 1 car accident heading west – look at the other side standing still – OMG.

Read the rest of this entry »

I-81 Mountain Top PA. 195 miles – 3 hours away from my final in Seymour CT. I can’t wait to get out of this part of the country. What is up with I-80? The road work is terrible. Nine miles of monotonous orange cones, down to one lane of traffic and no obvious work being done. I don’t get it. Then five more miles of cones, again one lane of traffic and you finally get to the end, or the beginning? and there is a small truck picking up the cones. That, along with slow moving Floridians and those Greenpeace supporters in their little grey Prius’s, made this day a long one.

Just after 504 miles of driving, I was exhausted. I shut down here, which is a rest area. At 10:39pm there is no more truck parking. As far as getting up to CT, there is no way I’m taking I-287 to I-95 over the GW Bridge. It’s I-81 to I-84. As I’ve said many times before, there is no way I can drive 11 hours in the Northeast even in good weather with the longer days of sunlight, which is why I want the HOS changed. I logged 9.25 hours for 504 miles. No way – and the dark has a lot to do with it – I could have gone on really truly safely for another 1 3/4 hours. The consignee stops receiving at 11am. Don’t know why.

To keeps things interesting, I spent a few hours listening to the Dave Ramsey show on satellite. I don’t recall the channel. He’s the financial advice guy with a “Christian” edge to what he recommends. That doesn’t bother me. If Christ Jesus can help me out with the IRS and those pesky student loan folks, then His help is appreciated. I was truly amazed at the amount of people who call into the show and claim to be earning in the $80-90,000 range. One guy bought a home for $600K, now it’s worth $385K and it’s been on the market for over a year. Even on a $90,000 salary, he’s having problems surviving. He lives in the Pittsburgh area. I love how Ramsey refers to the IRS as the KGB. Way to go Dave. I see his books all the time, but maybe now I’ll order one from Amazon. I should make it a point to listen to him every day. It feels good to listen to other peoples problems and not focus so much on mine. And, Howard Stern isn’t cutting it for me anymore.

Hey, did you hear the story today about the Jet Blue flight attendant? Steven Slater, 38, of Queens, NY, has been charged with criminal mischief and reckless endangerment, according to a spokeswoman for the Port Authority of NY & NJ, which runs the NY area airports. The case is still being investigated but will be referred to the Queens District Attorney’s office. Slater allegedly fled “his” plane via emergency chute, two beers in hand, after getting into a fight with a passenger and then cursing out the entire cabin over a loudspeaker.

Read the rest of this entry »

First, an update from the idiots of the IRS. The GPS you use in your truck is NOT a business expense and you CANNOT deduct it. It is LUXURY ITEM. And, if you don’t have receipts for your steel toe boots and your work gloves, no matter what they cost – the IRS will NOT allow the deduction. When asked of the IRS functionary in Colorado, “What is the name of your supervisor?” – her response was “My supervisor.” My wife then said, “Fine, so when I mail the letter I’m going to write to your supervisor, I’ll address it to MY SUPERVISOR.

Moving forward, I’ve always said that short haul trips – anything under 500 miles – are always trouble. Today’s load from Bonner Springs KS to Tahlequah OK is no exception. It’s a 45K lbs. load of brick. I get there, they load it, I secure it. I get my bills and drive down the road. My cell rings – that’s the phone that the IRS is also not allowing as a business deduction – and it’s someone that sounds like my mother from the safety  department. It’s got to be a revolving door over there, because I don’t know who is who anymore. “How many straps do you have on the load?” I look behind me at the cargo and I count eight. “The shipper says you do not have enough securement on the load.” I respond by telling her that, fine, I’ll stop and “readjust” things.

So I stop and didn’t realize that I put two extra straps on the front and back pallets – for a total of 10 straps plus v-board edge protectors. That’s 50K lbs. of securement for the 45K load. When the loader looked at the trailer and then gave me the bills, he said, “Have a nice day.” I didn’t bother calling my mother back. But, then, a wee bit later comes the QUALCOM from Percy. “Thanks for doing what’s needed, even if it’s after the fact.” I’ve gotten other cute “messages” from him in the past. I said to myself, screw you Percy, you little so forth and so on. Later, when I sat down, for a chef salad at the Pilot/FJ, I looked out the window at the sky and the clouds and said to myself “I’m so over this.” I felt calmer and my BP stabilized.

Read the rest of this entry »

I said yesterday that I was listening to Willie’s Place on XM 13. Well, a man can only take so much. When Bill Mack aka The Midnight Cowboy – broke out his 78′s and started “spinning” The Mills Brothers – Blue Hawaii I had to draw the line somewhere. Mack said he “loves Hawaiian music.” OMG. Mack speaks of his upcoming “discussion” with Willie Nelson like a preacher looks forward the second coming. Hey Bill, I’m glad you’re still broadcasting – the old time drivers luv ya – but it’s all too much for this driver to handle. Back to my Sugarland CD. A 35ish redhead in a red tank and white short shorts just asked me if I wanted a “date.” Why do I leave my window open? She actually looked clean. She’s probably work’n her way over to the “J.” Thanks, but no thanks – I’m “spoken” for. Oh, here’s comes another one – older  – in a black camisole with jeans. She’s walk’n away from the “J” – the sheriff must be driving around the parking lot.

I’m in North Kansas City MO. There is a FJ – Flying J -off exit 57 – I 435 – Walker St. I rarely park there. There is no “sit down” food service at this location – no Denny’s or Subway or anything. The FJ “deli” inside has nothing but unhealthy junk. A 3000 calorie 12 inch schlong-like “sausage” colored with red die in a greasy pig’s blanket “roll” is NOT food! FJ wouldn’t know what a “deli” is if one hit them over the head. So here’s what I do – go down a few lights, drive into the corporate park on the right, make a legal u-turn and go back out and down Walker St. about 500 yards. Then I make a right just before I-435, then another right and there is truck parking behind Subway, Wendy’s and McDonald’s – all three of which are right next to each other. Convenient and far less stressful than the FJ. Not a lot of truck parking here, but if you get there early enough there is space for about 8 semi’s and a few tractors bobtailing.

Read the rest of this entry »

It’s positively brutal out here. Right now I’m in Grand Bay MS and it’s 105 degrees. I had to tarp a load of 13′ 6″ high insulation yesterday down in Deland FL – it was 115 degrees in the sun. I’m pumping in the Gatorade big time and trying to spend more time inside the truck stops – travel centers – taking advantage of their air conditioning vs. staying in the truck.

Rackets – that’s our world right now. Everything is a racket. I went into Verizon the other day to attempt to upgrade my Droid Eris to either an Incredible or the newer Motorola Droid X. They had little or no stock on these “smart” phones. To simply upgrade, the customer is required to sign a two-year contract extension. If you want to cancel the service, because you want to switch over to AT&T, which right now exclusively offers the iPhone, Verizon will hit you with a $350 cancellation free. If you extend your contract and the phone is in stock, a $20 monthly “tether” fee applies to connect the unit to your laptop. There is an additional $30 fee per month for internet. And, if you’re not on a “family” type plan, which provides for unlimited texting, you will pay through the nose for messaging. I have a nationwide plan so I can text, e-mail and make calls from just about everywhere, and as you know, that “privilege” isn’t cheap.

The reason this racket exists is because Verizon and AT&T are essentially paying off our “supposed” representatives in Congress to turn the other way when it comes to this rip-off of consumers. Congress, is, of course, the biggest racket going. The providers of cell “service” should NOT be selling phones. And visa versa. This nonsense, where if you choose not to sign a contract with AT&T or Verizon, or anyone of the few other cell service providers, the cost of the phone goes from $199 to $599, is equally absurd. But, when “our” Congress is bought and paid for by the phone, oil, power, health and finance industries, there is little, if any, impedance for the “people” to be protected by these shysters. Trucking, unfortunately, can’t seem to muster up enough dough to pay off the Congress, because they’re out-spent by the shippers and receivers of the Fortune 1000. OOIDA, with half or more of its membership dead or broke will never be able to change that.

Read the rest of this entry »

Huddle House. Franklin VA. I haven’t eaten all day. So much for a health regiment. I arrived at my receiver this morning and, what else, waited until the rocket scientists there could figure out how to get it off my trailer. There was no pre-trip sent. At about 2:30 pm, I sent a message. Since I have nothing in my truck and there is absolutely nothing around as far as services (no Subway or anything) where I am, I said I’m moving to the nearest truck stop. Well, the closest one I could find was one off US58 in Franklin about 45 minutes west. It’s a BP station that is not being boycotted with a Huddle House on the property. Across the street is a Wal-Mart that I refuse to shop in. I don’t care if there are trucks parked over there. Here, there is space for about five trucks. Hourly  is allowed. Yeah right, I’m here for the night.

I go in the Huddle House. My “old self” used to love this place – big juicy cheeseburgers, salty sweet potato fries and sugary key lime pie. Top it all off with a large strawberry shake with whipped cream and a cherry on top. But I don’t eat that anymore. I looked at the shiny plastic menu. The only thing I could order would be a small side salad or a club sandwich. The three folks, a older gentlemen and two teenagers were on duty. The ‘”short yellow bus” must have dropped them off just before their shift started after lunch. I could instantly tell there was not much brain power going on here. One of them was “doing” the garbage wearing plastic gloves, but didn’t change them when going to back to handling the food. The “chef” at least seemed to have clean hands. I used the rest room to wash my hands and there was a notice asking if anyone had any information about who “trashed” the men’s room two weeks ago, they should contact the “unit” manager. No reward, yet.

So I order the club sandwich. The “waiter” asks me “Crispy or grilled?” Crispy or grilled? A club sandwich? A new “country” thing perhaps? Who knows. I say I want a club sandwich. The kid says, “Yes, sir”, and points to the chicken club sandwich photo on the menu. Thank goodness the Huddle House menu uses photos or their employees would never know what you wanted. I say that’s a chicken sandwich. “Isn’t what you want?” No, I want a club sandwich. It is on the menu on page three. The problem is, there is no photo of it. “Oh”, he says and amazingly writes something down on his pad and takes it up to the old chef guy. He studies it. The other person working there as part of this trio – a girl with a hanging belly – she’s not pregnant – comes over to assist in the effort. Confusion and anxiety ensue.

Read the rest of this entry »

“No driver, I don’t think so. You are a moron and you don’t belong behind the wheel of a big rig. You need to find a job where you can use that vast brainpower you seem to believe you have. I suggest an assembly job, in, MEXICO! Now move that truck out of my way or I’ll surely do it for you.”

“Take I264 go thru tunnel, cross drawbridge, rd will bear rt around curve, do not go straight, bear rt as rd straightens out, go 1/4 mile to XT10 right to Tidewater Drive, merge, go to Cromwell Rd, go left and follow and turns into Ingleside, stay left get in left hand lane on lhs brown bldg.”

“The load is ready at 3pm.”

I’ve now been back in trucking, hum, let’s see, about three whole days – 36 hours. I left the house on the bus – the Greyhound bus – Sunday. I survived the trip, barely, with no sleep. Spent all day at the terminal on Monday listening to whiny drivers moan, groan and complain about everything. Got the new truck. Company, meanwhile, was confused on whether the DOT physical I spend $80 on was good “enough” for them to let me drive. I did a piss test at some really creepy clinic in downtown Birmingham. APU on new truck breaks down – spent two hours getting loose wires repaired at Thermo King dealer. Tuesday, they’re still confused about my driving. I could have stayed home. They finally ask me to go pick up and shuttle some MT trailers. No problem. Good opportunity to test drive the new truck with a different transmission than I ‘m used to. New high tech talking QUALCOM has no instruction manual. It talks to you, and I can’t shut off the annoying female voice.

Read the rest of this entry »

Yes, I know you drink it. I’ve seen you buy it at truck stops. I know it’s in your truck. It shouldn’t be, but it is. We know alcohol and driving don’t mix. But, it is part of trucking. Truck drivers drink beer. There are many truckers with huge beer bellies. Many look like they’re just about to give birth to a baby gorilla. Drinking beer is one of those “unspoken” things about trucking like jock itch, depression, marijuana, sex and selling stuff that “falls” off your truck.

I’ve never understood why “travel centers” sell beer. But then I don’t understand why they sell cigarettes or boat loads of candy and two day old hot dogs. I see truckers parked in a truck stop – travel center – walking to and from the “store” with a twelve pack of Bud and a carton of Merits. That driver and his rig are gone the next morning. Where did all that alcohol go? Am I being naive?

I can’t drink anything because of all the meds I take. When I did drink, and I wasn’t a big beer drinker, it just didn’t agree with me. Before I finished a glass of wine, I perspired so much I need to change my shirt. I looked like I was having a heart attack. After sharing a pitcher of sangria, I would get angry and want to fight anyone and everyone. I was OK with mixed drinks, but could never consume more than two a day, actually two a week. Beer would just bloat me up big time. I couldn’t drink beer without wearing pants with an elastic waist. Straight liquor was out. I could never develop a taste for vodka, scotch or Jim Beam whiskey. I once had moon shine and thought parts of my face were falling off.

Read the rest of this entry »