Life on the Road - Trucking News Blog

TA in Jessup, MD

I’m done driving for the day and I go in to the Flying J for a decent looking buffet, sit down and I’m watching my hero, Lou Dobbs on CNN. I already have to listen to how Congress is going to fix the economy, (has the Government fixed anything?) About half way through truckers start making stupid comments about going on strike, the best way to do it, what happened in the 70’s, you know, the usual stupid trucker trash talking about what they know the least about.

The guy next to me, he’s turning his truck in on Monday and becoming a company driver. Which is sad, and I may be next. But the loudest idiot in the back says he paid off his brand new 2001 Pete in three years and couldn’t make any money. Uh??? He made enough to pay his truck and trailer off, but can’t make money with no truck or trailer payments because of the fuel prices? This is where I try to keep my mouth shut, even though I could have taken him, unless he fell on me.

I’m going to listen to someone that can’t make it with a paid off truck and trailer and now he’s a company driver, about how I need to support some stupid strike about fuel to support other idiots like himself? Usually, it’s the loudest idiots stirring up trouble that know the least. First of all, company drivers should just shut up about fuel prices and drive their trucks (no offense, but what are you complaining about? Complain about no freight all you want).

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Irizar Century. Typical of motor coaches used in Mexico with automatic fire suppresion systems and a myriad of safety options standard

Has anyone been paying attention to what’s happening on Capitol Hill? Remember the “Black Box” controversy where Joan Claybrook and Public Citizen was trying to get Electronic Onboard Recorders mandated for all commercial vehicles? Think it’s all been forgotten? Think again!

Remember back in August the Sherman Texas Bus Crash that made national headlines and exposed the fly by night operations of some Texas Tour bus operators?

This event of course, triggered the call by some lawmakers for tougher standards for bus operators.

Among these, was Senator Kay Baily Hutchinson of Texas, Senator John Cornyn of Texas and Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio. They had a bill languishing in committee since 11/07, referred to as (S2326) Motorcoach Enhanced Safety Act of 2007

Now, that bill is getting renewed sponsorship and is currently being considered by the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security.
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I remember standing on the PATH train from NJ to what was the World Trade Center. Passengers had just learned that the desert helicopter rescue of the hostages in Iran had failed. There was dead silence, with the exception of a few newspaper pages turning. Passengers had this blank look on their faces. The last time I saw this look was when JFK was assassinated. That is until tonight.

I’m at the Cheers! truck stop in Charleston, MO. On the tv on one side of the restaurant is Bill O’Reilly. Over on the other side is Lou  Dobbs on CNN speaking in the last five minutes of his show. Drivers, locals, RV’ers and others passing through are eating their dinner while listening to the news. Some looked up at the tv screens. Others didn’t care to. But for sure everyone had that look of shock, disappointment, disgust, anger, frustration and exhaustion. The same look as I saw back on that Path train.

A few of the folks actually shook their heads when Barney Frank and Sue Palosi talked about the “bailout” plan being negotiated. One man, after finishing his meal, stood up and didn’t move until a commercial came on. He almost looked like he had tears in his eyes. If not for the waitresses, who were quite upbeat, the atmosphere was quite depressing.

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The first time I had heard of this was actually tonight - so hopefully I can get this typed in time so you all have a heads up!

Operation Air Brake is running from September 21st - 27th.  This is another one of those nice little surprise inspections, oh wait it’s publicized so I guess it’s not REALLY a surprise, that is out there for the nice truckers to deal with. Not that there is nothing else to deal with already.

While perusing email today, I noticed we had received one from http://www.coopsareopen.com in which it informed of us this handy little inspection that is going on. This “spot” inspection is supposed to help identify truckers who do not take care of their brakes regularly (inspection) and will force them to have them fixed on the spot, no questions asked.

According to the website, here are some of the things that will happen:

The inspection procedure is as follows:
* Locate a safe inspection site.
* Assess safety issues.
* Inspect mechanical components of air brake system.
* Inspect mechanical components of steer axle air brake system.
* Inspect brake adjustment.
* Build air pressure to 90-100 lbs.
* Inspect air brake ABS (anti-lock braking system) if present.
* Check rate of air loss.
* Test low pressure warning device.
* Check TPS (tractor protection system).
* Complete paperwork and share results with driver (pass/fail- out of service).

So like with the other inspections that they decide to do from time to time, be sure everything is in order (as it should be anyway) before you hit the road this week because there is a chance you will be having your truck looked at!

Let me know if any of you actually get stopped as when the other big inspections are always publicized, I hardly ever hear of many drivers getting pulled around for inspection. Maybe you all are just THAT good, right?

Drivers, first of all, have you noticed something different this weekend? Think hard now. Anything unusual? Doesn’t there seem to be a lot less traffic on the roads? The truck stops and rest areas, at least where I am, are 1/2 full. I’m certainly not complaining, it’s nice, but kind of strange. Are you under a load this weekend? Or are you sitting in a truck stop somewhere.  I’m at the Flying J in Perrysburg, OH. I just dead headed 480 miles from Beltsville, MD to pick a load (on Monday morning) going 778 miles to Pine Bluff AR.  So far this September I have averaged about 1250 miles a week. I have worked for this carrier for 4 1/2 years and have NEVER gone that far MT, nor have my miles been that low. In the flatbed sector, you have 4 carriers fighting to book 1 (regional) load.  I can also tell by the way we’re all driving, we’re angry about a lot of things. There’s a lot of truckers tailgating and cutting off other truckers. And as far as I can ascertain, based on the driver “chatter”,  that a lot of us are still very much undecided. What about you?

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Mexican Kenworth T660 on the free road between Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey is typical of Mexican line haul trucks in operation on Mexican highways today. Gone or the days of what could be perceived as

The days after the one year mark of the Mexican Cross Border Program, and exactly one year to the day that the first truck crossed the border to inaugerate the program, the House of Representatives, by a vote of 395-18 voted to end the controversial Mexican Cross Border Program.

For one year, these 100 trucks have operated safely with ZERO accidents and ZERO serious safety issues further reinforcing the statistics that show Mexican carriers have a lower OOS rate than their counterparts. The past year proved that Mexican carriers can operate under our laws and regulations, do so safely and with no impact on American trucking jobs or economics.

But this is not enough to satisfy those such as Jimmy Hoffa, President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Despite evidence to the contrary, he still cannot utter the words, “Mexican Trucks” without putting “dangerous”, “unsafe” or “illegal” as a preface.

So Hoffa and his protectionists allies in Congress have won a battle but the war still rages. There is a continuing groundswell of support from mainstream media outlets, and business groups such as National Association of Manufacturers who quit out of character for them, came out and told it like others are afraid to do. Treaties? Trade Agreements? We’ll Violate Them with Impunity Tough talk but brutally honest.

The US Chamber of Commerce issued a “key vote” letter to lawmakers urging them to reject the bill. A “key vote’ letter is indicative of the seriousness of the issue and shows intent to place the members votes on a voters scorecard.

Retaliation Expected
As I am writing this, the a statement was released by the Mexican Embassy in Washington.

“Mexico has fulfilled its NAFTA obligations and expects the U.S. do the same. Should the bill be enacted into law, the government of Mexico will consider taking all the appropriate actions, including remedies or countermeasures under the North American Free Trade Agreement,” the embassy statement said.

As well they should and they have every right to do so.

Sadly, this demonstrates not the “will of the people” of is suppose to be the reason Congress exists, but the “will of special interests”.

Over the past year, I’ve had conversations in truck stops, over the CB radio, will American truckers. Most could care less about the Mexican trucks. The overwhelming opinion is if they play by the rules, they don’t have a problem.

I’ve run with other truckers on the highway and passing one of these Pilot Program participants, asking my running buddies what they thought about that “dangerous Mexican truck” we had just passed. They could not tell the Mexican truck from any others.

The truth is, this program has not effected any one of us in this industry nor in this country. Nor can it. The numbers just don’t add up.

More of my thoughts on my website where I can be my usual lovable, logical self.

And after a long dry spell, I have returned!

We’ve mentioned in several posts and even devoted an entire podcast to the career choices open to truckers. There are only a few choices within a trucking company for a driver or o/o to get off the road. Of course there’s dispatcher or in larger companies maybe a fleet manager or in the safety department. If you just want to be home at night, there are local driver positions that are sometimes available.

Sometimes you have to think a little more outside the box. My neighbor retired as a driver and now goes around to trucking, limo and cab companies setting up safety programs. He does safety and company audits to prepare companies for DOT inspections and audits.

There are schools that advertise in the driver mags about becoming a freight broker and there are drivers that broker their own freight.

Get Out of the Box

Or think completely out of the transportation box and change careers entirely, which may require some of us to go back to school. My wife went back to school to finish her degree for a new position and I’m just beginning my road to higher education and we’re both 50. Now that people are living longer, a lot of older adults are going back to school or changing careers late in life. There are a lot of people that quit or get layed off from office positions that are starting trucking careers that are in their late 40’s or 50’s.

Community Colleges

For those drivers and owners that aren’t falling for the recruiter’s hype and are wondering how to change careers when trucking is all they’ve known for years, there are alternatives out there. Personally, I checked out my local community college and was shocked to see a lot of their classes are completely online. If you haven’t decided exactly what to do, a community college is a good place to start. Several not only have academic classes, but vocational classes as well. A local choice is great if you plan on continuing college you’re credits will be easily transferable.

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Times are tough they say. Truckers must haul any available load, no matter what the rate, just to stay in business they say.

Bull.

Now with higher prices and higher operating expenses it’s even more important to “Just say no to cheap freight”. What’s more it’s not immediately apparent which load is the cheap one.

To illustrate my point I’ll go over the mistake I made last week.

Dispatch offered me a load out of Morris Illinois going to Jacksonville Florida. I was in LaSalle Illinois so there was minimal deadhead. I was notified Thursday evening so I could easily load Friday and deliver Monday. It was to pay the truck about twenty-five hundred dollars for an easy. weekend. The load was a sure thing so I said I’d think about it overnight.

Friday morning bright and early Dispatch came up with an even “better load”. Three hundred mile deadhead to Cuba Missouri and pick up a similar (weights, dimensions and like that) load going to Miami Florida for over twice as much. Fifty Five hundred to the truck.

Which is the better deal?

Yeah. I guessed wrong too. I should have taken the first one. Easy load at the CatHouse in Morris Illinois, Easy run that I’ve run a dozen times, easy unload at the best port on the Atlantic. Possibly reload right there the same day or the next day.

I went for the big bux. Three hundred miles to Cuba, load and roll and be in Miami by Monday if I made all the connections. If I missed them (curfews, hours of operation, weekend restrictions) I’d still be there about Tuesday.

Bad move.

As it happened a LOT went wrong.  I was several days longer getting the load delivered AND I had to deadhead a loooooooooong way for the next load.

Pick your freight.

Mom doesn’t like to fly alone so I went with her to Ft Worth last weekend to visit my sister. As GATS was going on, and I cant handle the walking around an event like that requires right now, I sent my brother-in-law out to wrangle me a ticket to the “Drive and Deliver” premier. He and I went down to see the movie.

I have to say, its pretty hard to impress a couple of old company drivers with a truck, but this documentary is well-put together and accurately reflects the long-haul lifestyle in several realistic yet sensitive vignettes. People may call this “branded entertainment”, but International has done a really good job with this documentary. The camera work is excellent and the road scenery makes every driver start looking for familiar landmarks (we all know you cant watch a movie with a highway in it that doesnt make you automatically try to identify your location). The editing is a credit to a talented director. No special effects needed, plenty of scenery and excellent selection of strategic shots.

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I see today’s Transport Topics Briefings leads with an editorial regarding the celebration of Driver Appreciation Week. Begun in 1998 as an official “pat on the back” by the ATA, this week is supposed to be one in which carriers, shippers and the general public thank us for our service with free food, words of appreciation and just general recognition for a job well done and much appreciated.

I think somebody forgot to tell the carriers. For sure, the shippers and the public don’t know about this. Neither do most truck drivers. As a morale-builder, Driver Appreciation Week falls flat on it’s duff in most companies. In eighteen years, I was surprised-shocked actually-once, by a shipper that provided free donuts and a big smile with the words, “Thank you for being our truck driver!”

Nearly a score of years ago, well before the ATA made their proclamation of Driver Appreciation Week, my employer made a big deal of showing his drivers how much they were appreciated. Certainly, he was making good profits, and he knew his drivers got major hassle over those orange cab-overs going 55 mph. So, he went all-out to keep his drivers happy and one way he did that was not only to pay well, but to do a huge Appreciation Event every summer. There would be chicken Bar-B-Qs, steak, a full spread of food, free trinkets and drawings. And the drawings were really something! One year, it was five brand new pick up trucks along with assorted tvs and other great prizes. The entire terminal staff at all eight terminals-took their turn washing windows, fueling trucks and generally showing drivers how much they were appreciated.
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