Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

That’s for sure. I’m about to show you a picture that I took which represents a sampling of the garbage that I throw out in a week. Actually, in terms of just plastic that I purchase, use and then throw away, what I actually discard is five times what you see in the photo. There are no separate “recycling” bins, cans or whatever to throw this stuff in on the road. I don’t know if it eventually gets burnt, compacted, shipped on a barge and dumped elsewhere or bulldozed into a smelly bird-filled landfill somewhere else. There is sure a lot of it – garbage – on the interstates everywhere – where it will probably remain for the next thousand years.

I do ask myself constantly – how as a OTR trucker, can “I” be more “green?” My available “living” quarters are obviously that of Apollo space capsule proportions – so I’m not about to “store” things in (more) “plastic” bags until I get home to take “them” to a recycling center. I can’t prove it, but based on my 1 week intense experience as a city garbage truck driver, everything eventually gets dumped in the same place anyway. The only stuff I’ve ever seen truly recycled are aluminum cans and newspapers.

So, let’s take a look at this photo I took. It is obvious that the manufacturers of these products aren’t doing much to “save” our environment. And truck stops love everything plastic. The two bottle caps – the blue and green ones in front – are very thick and heavy duty. Despite that, when you unscrew them there is yet another “cover” with a little tab that you have to pull off and throw away before you can take a sip. These suckers are going to be around for a long time. So will the 64 oz. Pilot soda cups, the lids that I never use – they come packaged with the paper cups I use for my morning coffee – and in the background the yellow plastic wipes boxes that I don’t know what to do with when they’re empty. That’s a plastic Dasani water bottle next to the Simply Orange OJ.

I used to save the wipes containers for screws, nails and things, but I just collected too many and said the hell with it and threw them out. The refills are next to impossible to find in the scent I need, so I have to purchase the plastic dispensers over and over again. Unless somehow they can be melted down – they’ll be around forever, again, in some landfill. On top of the wipes are a pair of work gloves. I just bought them last week. Already they’re full of holes, the lining is coming out and they’re filthy. They don’t make gloves like they used to – thank you China. These gloves cannot be washed or repaired. They cost $3.25. It’s just easier to replace them. As truckers, we see discarded work gloves – usually just one and not a pair – in parking lots everywhere. They just don’t seem to make into the trash can. Who knows how long they’ll be around.

For now, I don’t have many available options to be “green.” Everything I consume is just going to have to be thrown away in the “traditional” fashion – using a trash can. I do reuse my  Wal-Mart and Publix bags for garbage. But I’ll have to leave it up to the experts to figure out how to dispose and possibly recycle all this stuff more efficiently. My “public works” taxes are three times what they used to be – I imagine someone is working on a solution. And to the greedy selfish corporate manufacturers of consumer goods – who use all this unnecessary packaging, well, I’m just going to have to write more e-mails to try to get them to smarten up. Wish me luck.

Photo credits: www.flickr.com/photos/fernando/36759033/, http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/images/landfill1.jpg,

Pay attention Virginia.

You say you have a budget crisis?  You say that closing rest stops on the interstates will free up much needed cash to help with the budget crisis?

What have you been smoking?  What ever it is stop California from smoking the same stuff, or Michigan, or.other states.

I swear.  A two year old with a bag of marbles and a handful of gumdrops knows more about finance than some states. It appears so anyway.

Listen up.  I have a suggestion that will provide an increase in state revenue AND improve safety on the highways, for the general public and truckers.

The only problem is that it’s going to seriously annoy some lobbyists.  SERIOUSLY annoy.  I don’t know for a fact but I assume there’s an association of truck stops which lobbies congress to support their best interests.  Doesn’t any business now days have such an organization?  These people are going to hate my suggestion.

The suggestion?  Open Interstate Rest Areas to Commercialization.  Furthermore.  Auction off the rights to the highest bidder. Read the rest of this entry »

What? Yeah, toothpicks. A very important tool for the active professional trucker trying to stay healthy. Healthy you say? Yup. Every time there is a toothpick in my mouth, I’m not eating – and – my gums are getting a needed workout. And since I can’t afford the $30 it now costs to buy my favorite cigars – Flor De Ybor City is the brand – hand rolled with leaves grown deep in the jungles of the Dominican Republic – I have to settle for “chewing” a toothpick to keep me in “check.”  By the way, I don’t light up the cigars. It’s a lollipop kinda thing.

No, I’m not kidding. Don’t snicker! I discovered that as long as there is something in my mouth (no jokes please) when I’m driving, loading or unloading or dealing with the idiots I have to deal with – like a toothpick – since I don’t have any fresh carrots or celery in my cooler – I’m a calmer trucker and a more valued asset to my company. No BS, it’s the truth! As I said, I can’t afford the cigars – I refuse to smoke cheap ones (like other folks I know) and there is little or NO food on the road available to “us” drivers that doesn’t go right to our hips and bellies. Take that toothpick out of my mouth and it’s Doritos and Coke time. The nacho cheese or new “cool” ranch – oooo – WHERE’S MY TOOTHPICK!

OK, OK, I’m alright now. That was a close call. See what I mean? But there’s more to this story. This afternoon I picked a load of slinkies – that’s coiled wire for you civilians – in Perth Amboy NJ. The 48K lbs. load is headed for Memphis TN. It’s the longest run I’ve had in about a month. The plant where I picked up is shutting down in 2 1/2 weeks, after 30+ years of operation. Their nearby plant in Sayreville NJ is also closing. They were bought out by a Canadian firm that is “transferring” the entire operation to – no not Mexico, but CHINA.

Maine used to be the leading producer of toothpicks for the US – Brazil for the rest of the world. What another lame excuse for destroying the Brazilian rain forest. But guess who now leads the world in toothpick manufacturing? Ah-ha CHINA. “We have stable natural resources and abundant experience” say the Chinese. “We make toothpick is clean for mouth and safe”, they add. “We have many package to pack toothpick.” Sorry I just can’t help myself.

Read the rest of this entry »

During conversation and when writing I often say “Back before the Democrats wrecked the Economy”.  That is a true statement.  It is, however, not the WHOLE truth.  To explain everything would take a vast amount of time, even if I did understand it which I don’t pretend that I do.

What I do understand, or think I do, is this.

Some while ago, back before the Democrats wrecked the economy, the democrats were WORKING on wrecking the economy.  With the best of intentions of course.  They were doing many things at once. One thing they were doing was called the Community Reinvestment Act.  This goes a long way back, maybe before Clinton , perhaps even to Carter.  What it did was to force the banks to lend money to people who were a HUGE credit risk.  The  stated purpose was to buy homes. Incidentally a lot of “officials” became wealthy..purely coincidental I’m sure.

Very upstanding and all.  People should have homes.  Should it matter that they can’t afford them?  It didn’t seem so.

While this was going on serious “stuff” happened overseas.  The Soviet Union collapsed for one.  Less publicized was China.  To make a long story short China became more capitalist and finally got it’s economy going.  Similarly so did India. We’re talking several Billion people here.

The emerging economies of China, India, Indonesia and to some extent Russia caused a demand for energy.  Over time this demand grew. It grew dramatically.

Now skip back to the United States.  Recall the term “SubPrime Lending”.  This was a carry over from the Community Investment Act.  It get’s really complicated (perhaps purposely so) and government agencies such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mack and various Politicians figure prominently.  The upshot of it is that there was all this money,in the form of mortgages,  just sitting there. Read the rest of this entry »

So I’m sitting at the house drinking a beer while checking the news on my computer.  I bring up Drudge and Hummer sold to China just about jumps off the screen.  Amazing.  I like Drudge but as Ronald Regan said many a time “Trust but Authenticate”….or maybe that’s not what he said exactly but you get the idea.  So I run a Google search “Hummer Sold to China” Sure enough.

I’m not really sure what I think about that.

Hummers are big, don’t get very good fuel economy and they’re ugly.  I don’t mean ugly I mean UGLY!!!  Like, beaten with an ugly stick ugly.

And I like em.

If I were in the market for a new car I’d buy a Hummer.  I don’t CARE if it get’s poor gas mileage.  I look at it as “prepaid life insurance”  If I get hit by some moron I want to be the one that lives thru it.  Not being too arrogant (hey….I’m a Trucker AND a Texan…some arrogance is built in)  but I DO know how to drive safely.  I’ve got over a million miles accident/ticket free.

That being the case I don’t trust the other folks on the highway.  Like I said if one of them get’s a sudden case of the stupids and hits me I want to be driving something BIG.  Size counts.  I’ll pay the extra money for poor fuel economy to carry the protective steel coating around me.  The armor.  Besides, at just about six foot tall and waaaaay beyond two hundred and fifty pounds I’m not a little feller.  I need room.  Today’s econoboxes and the mandated new death traps by our Lords and Masters aren’t for me.  I doubt I could even get into one of them much less drive one for any length of time.

Plus another major selling point.  Greenies HATE Hummers.  They about get apoplexy when they see one.  This is a good thing.  I’ve been bombarded with green propaganda for so long and it’s been so wrong that I’m revolting.  Greens aren’t just wrong, they’re stupid.  I’m tired of it. Anything I can do to annoy a green is on my “to do” list.

So.  I’ve always wanted a Hummer but I never thought I’d be able to afford one. Read the rest of this entry »

On their new web site http://www.gmreinvention.com and on some new commercials released nationally, G.M. (Gubberment Motors) will try to explain and convince us of all the new changes that will take place under the “watch” of their new Lord and Master, Obama.

They present a most convincing argument, unless of course, you have been paying attention.

I was paying attention.

I currently own, with the bank, a Ford. Had Ford taken “bailout” money, the dealership would have found my new car in their driveway the next morning. (Credit be damned) I also own a Dodge Dakota, I paid cash for this one a few years back, its MINE.

I will not consider, under any conditions, ANY new GM product and I would have to almost steal a pre-owned one. But then, I would not want to advertise for GM in any way.

Because they took taxpayer money, the same goes for Chrysler.

The jury is still out on Ford.

Read the rest of this entry »

I remember, back before the Democrats destroyed the economy, and I was a high school student, I went on my first date.  Well maybe not the FIRST date but one of the first.  As it happens I later married the gal.  At any rate, my finances were, shall we say, limited.  We went “dutch”. I paid for the fuel (about a dollar, we were on a motorcycle) and she paid for the food (less than a dollar, we went to a burger joint). Yes,in the sixties, when the dollar was still worth something, two people could eat well for a dollar. (hamburgers and fries $.35, cokes $.05.  free refills)

Compare  that to what Obama did the other day.  Depending on who you want to believe he and she went thru a million dollars. On a date. The foreign news  are paying much closer attention than is our own news media organizations.  Why is that?

I realize that comparing what a hardworking, teenage, middle american couple of the sixties did to what a …..er…..to what .. ….ummmm.

…..to the current occupant of the whitehouse is NOT a valid comparison.  But stilll,  A million dollars on a DATE?

That’s GOT to raise a few flags.  Doesn’t it?

Me and the wife are staring bankruptcy in the face and it’s not a pretty sight, as are countless other families.  Millions of workers in America have lost their jobs, their homes, their automobiles.  Increasingly millions more are going hungry. The nation is threatened by foreign nations acquiring  atomic weapons, (Iran and North Korea).  The world health organization says that the  world is on the brink of a devastating pandemic.  Al Gore and Jim Hansen are almost panicy with terror regarding climate change and global warming. Muslims are shooting down american service men….in Little Rock Arkansas. General Motors went Bankrupt, Chrysler went Bankrupt.   And on and on and on.

BAD things are happening.   Really, really bad. (if you believe the Main Stream News Media)

So the President takes his wife on a date and in the process spends a million dollars.

In one night.

A. Million. Dollars.

What does this say about him?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Way back when, before the Democrats destroyed the economy, I was sitting in a truck stop in Joplin Missouri. I noticed that there were an inordinate number of drivers walking around selling stuff.  Chains, binders, flags, oversize signs, stuff like that.  This was unusual for truckstops.  What was unusual was not that  drivers  or “drivers” were selling stuff but WHAT was being sold and the number of drivers doing it.

Normally, usually at less reputable truck stops, a  driver  on occasion will  sell a CB.  “Drivers”  will sell merchandise, after dark, with a weather eye out for security.   Watches, gold  “Mr.T” chains, electronics …..and not so much anymore, drugs.   I’ve seen it all at one time or another.  Not to mention lot lizards selling themselves.

This was unusual though.  It turned out that TRISM (a rate cutting  heavy haul outfit)  had gone belly up.  Trism dispatch was routing their trucks into the home terminal in Joplin and canning the drivers immediately upon arrival.  Drivers were left afoot with no money.  Word got out and the smarter drivers were going to truckstops first  and selling company equipment in order to get money for bus fare.

Over this last weekend I saw it happen again.  I was sitting in my truck in a parking lot and noticed the driver in front of me cleaning out his truck.  I mean REALLY cleaning it out, everything.  He then laid it all out in a neat row beside the truck.  Then he began selling it. Cheap, really, cheap.

It seems he was an owner operator and did something that “safety” didn’t like.  They routed him into the home terminal and had a “review” during which they “de-leased” him and repossessed his truck.  He was buying his truck from the company he drove for. He had hundreds  of dollars of equipment (half-inch chains, half-inch ratchet binders, strobe lights, flags, signs, as well as some personnel effects, (microwave, tv, radio(s) etc. which he had no way to transport.

So he sold it all.  Right there in the parking lot.

I was reminded of TRISM.

I wonder if it’s a sign of the times?

Be careful out there.

Right.

Bankruptcies are rampart.  People are looseing everything that they’ve worked lifetimes to accumulate.

I’m sitting “in the yard” at “the company that I’m leased to”.  There are a LOT of other trucks sitting here also.  Waiting for loads.  Some have been here for many days. At surrounding truckstops there are a great deal more.

Sitting.  Waiting.

“Things will get better”.  they say.  “They have to”.

At which point I ask, “What makes you say that?  Any evidence or merely wishing”.

At which point “they” admit that they’re merely wishing.

No, it doesn’t HAVE to. It’s not.  Santa Clause is a broke and the Tooth Fairy is  retired. Read the rest of this entry »

Trucking is suffering everywhere. Even the Ice Road Truckers crew is seeing less freight this year. According to a report in Today’s Trucking, one mine has closed and others are shipping less. The NWT Motor Transport Association says this is simply a factor of the economic slowdown and they expect tonnage to rebound once the economy picks up. You’ll be able to continue to get your weekly fix of Alex, Drew, Hugh and the gang, they’ve got freight and they’re truckin!

I’ve never quite seen what the attraction is to this show. I know all kinds of people that are addicted to it. My son and husband watch it religiously even in reruns. To me, it’s another bad northern run in February. I know there’s a whole lot more to it than that, but that’s the feeling I get whenever it’s on.  I get that queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. And the crew is just exaggerated caricatures of all the truckers I’ve ever known, you could swear you’ve met them somewhere before. All in all, it probably gives a better public image of trucking than the Smokey and The Bandit, though.

Speaking of Trucking News Good and Bad:

Another little tidbit I picked up out of Today’s Trucking is the Schneider Logistics annual State of the Industry review. We all have our own opinions on what the industry looks like, and it’s usually heavily colored by our own personal experience. It’s never a bad idea to know what premise the competition is operating under; Schneider Logistics looks at capacity, freight and pricing scenarios not only in the United States but Canada, Mexico, China and Europe in the recent past and what they see coming up in the future. The report not only covers all types of truck freight, including TTL, LTL and Expedite but rail and ocean shipping prospects too.

There have been times when I’ve felt these big players make their own history, they have very clear ideas of where they want the industry to go and often have the power and connections to make it happen. In order for the independent owner operator to succeed and even thrive in this environment, he’s going to have to plan in advance to position himself to take advantage of what the big players do and don’t do. So, here’s the pdf file of their report, 38 pages of recent history, facts and likely scenarios. And quotes like these:

“It’s going to be a big nasty.” Thom Albrecht, analyst, Stevens and “Customers are drooling over new chances to beat up on carriers.” John Q. Anderson, Fenway Partners

Anyway, here’s your homework. And remember; keep the dirty side down and all the ink black!