Too Dumb to Retire

I’ve heard there are 1.3 million big rigs running around the US. I can’t verify that number but let’s go with it. Of that number how many have any voice about HOS rules, DOT concerns, rogue cops, unreasonable company demands and on and on? You know the answer. We’re the ones keeping the goods and materials moving and we have no say in the matter at all. The HOS rules are a joke. You’re paid by the mile. If you start your day at 7am, drive 4 hours for a pick up and have to wait 8 hours to get loaded or unloaded, how many more hours can you drive that day? 2 more hours and you’ve got to take 10 off. That’s 6 hours driving for the day at say 37 cents per mile. If you’re lucky you might do 375 real miles. $138 for the day, do that for 6 days before you have to recycle and take out all of the taxes and other deductions, and then figure your meals and what do you have left? About $325.00 take home pay.

Is it any wonder that more drivers are going to loose leaf log books? (In case we make a mistake and need to correct it of course). In reality, drivers are showing 10-11 hours per day driving on the log book, but spending more hours per day, to get the miles they need in order to make a decent pay check. And there are those “do-gooders” out there who want trucks off the road altogether, who don’t know the first thing about the industry who are getting the ear of the Feds. Like liberal advocacy groups around the country, they have all the answers but never ask any of the questions.

So who represents the truckers? Trucking Companies have their lobbyists and certainly make contributions to their favorite elected officials. OOIDA tries very hard to be heard.
Unions do their part, but what about the rest of us? The truth is, we’ll never have a voice.
Sure we gripe and complain about the way things are, but that’s about it. If things keep going the way they are, then we can forget about log books, it will all be done electronically, will that be better for us? No, it will result in more trucks needed, more drivers needed, more traffic on the highway and higher wages needed to compensate, higher cost for transportation. Who wins? No one. But there is a possible solution.

We all need to unionize. OK, I hear it now, but stop and think a moment. If the Teamsters would get off their duff and do something in the trucking industry like they used to instead of looking to unionize hotel workers, then there would be a solid voice in the trucking industry. I’m not saying we’d all be making 50 cents a mile, we wouldn’t. Each company negotiates a contract with their drives, but if this were to occur then there would be a solid voice that would have some clout and we would be heard.

I’d love to hear feedback on this one.

Enjoy the day

Geezer

Category: General

It’s been requested that I tell more on the road experiences. First, a hard fast rule. I will not preface any story with, “have you heard about..”. Any story I tell will be something that involved me.
About 25 years ago I was called into the operation managers office and informed that with my experience, safety record and time with the company I was being promoted to Driver Trainer. WOW! My ego was massaged. Then I was told that I would get all of the mileage pay whether I was driving or not, plus the full unload pay at each stop. DOUBLE WOW! Next I was informed I’d get the top run, the number one account, 5600 miles per week. I did the arithmetic in my head and at that time I would be top dog in earnings for sure. The truck driver gods were smiling on me. What I wasn’t told though was my trainee would be someone fresh out of school with no real time experience, but that was OK, I was somewhere above cloud 10, surely nothing could go wrong. Saturday Morning I met my first co-driver. He even called me ‘sir’. I spent some time with the entire route, directions, where our switch points would be, what hours who would be in the bunk and so on. I took the first leg out of the yard to I-95, South Carolina, exit 8, (the old Joker Joe’s before it blew up). We both went inside, grabbed some eats and waited for new driver to show up. I waited for a few minutes and then figured newbie had gone to the truck. When I went outside, there was the truck heading down the ramp onto I-95 North. I immediately went to the first truck asked to use the CB and hollered at co-driver to stop. The CB wasn’t on in my truck. Our next scheduled stop was in Charlotte, NC. I called dispatch and was told to head for Savannah airport and catch a plane for Charlotte. Evidently somewhere around Columbia my trainee discovered he was solo, called dispatch and was told to continue to the drop and wait for me. The next day was pretty quiet, we each did our turn driving and made our drops. Once at our final stop, it was dead head to our Northern Terminal, drop and hook for the straight shot back to Florida.
On the way home we stopped at the old 76 Truck Stop in Columbia SC and time for newbie to take the wheel. As I-77 wasn’t opened through Ft. Jackson yet, it was West on I-20, East on I-26 and then I-95 South. I made sure my driver understood it was a 270 degree turn onto I-26 to go East. I climbed in the bunk and started to doze when I felt a rather shallow turn to the right. OOPS, wrong way, I came out, got driver turned around and pointed East, then ahead of us was a split where 126 went into town. Sure enough he started to the left rather than to I-26. I got him stopped again, straightened out and reminded him to take I-95 South and I went asleep. Surely he wouldn’t screw up again.
Wrong. About 3 hours later I’m awakened and asked for directions. We had gone through Charleston SC and he was on Highway 17 North, almost to the North Carolina line.
I wasn’t too polite and told him to get in the bunk and I would take it home from there.

When we got to the Florida terminal, he was still asleep in the bunk. I tried to wake him but he was snoring as loud as a jake brake on a straight pipe. I dropped the trailer, wrote out the report for the shop, stuck it in the window and got my things and left. Sleeping beauty was still doing his thing.

I guess I got the last laugh when the mechanic tilted the cab forward, we had a cab-over, and heard a loud noise inside the cab. Yep it was trainee rolling out of the bunk.
Forget the pay, forget the prestige, forget ego, that was my first and last experience as a driver trainer.

Category: General

As luck would have it I had to go around Minneapolis – St. Paul, Minnesota during afternoon “rush hour”. Note aside. Why do they call it rush hour when motorists are at a crawl or standstill? Some sort of oxymoron I guess. Anyway, I noticed that I had to move over to the left lane. I put on the left turn signal and cringed as I contemplated having to force a 4 wheeler into the median go get into the lane. I peeked into the mirror to see which SUV I’d have to force out of the lane, (SUV’s own the left lane in case you weren’t aware), but wait a minute, someone actually backed off and let me in. I checked again in my spot mirrors to make sure no one was beside me and took the lane change. WOW! That was a first. As we crept along I-694, a sign indicated I needed to get in the left lane again. Grit teeth and prepare for the next encounter was entering my mind.
Turn signal on and OH NO! Not again. Another 4 wheeler actually backed off, and blinked his lights to allow me in. Come on old man, are you dreaming or hallucinating?
Could this be true? Two motorists in a row, giving you the lane? I had to take another sip of coffee. I pinched myself just to make sure I was alive. In spite of this jolt to my consciousness I continued East. The next hazard was construction where I-35E meets 694 and another lane change. I know what I’m going to tell you next may seem as believable as Congressman William Jefferson, Democrat, Louisiana when he said. “How did that money end up in my freezer?” but what I am about to say is the absolute truth. I turned on the turn signal to change lanes and, yes, it’s absolutely true, another motorist slowed down and let me in.

People of the Twin Cities, you are going to drive 18 wheelers crazy. You’re going to see big rigs parked beside the road and drivers walking around with glazed eyes shaking their heads in disbelief. You’re going to cause wrecks. So stop this unusual behavior. Go to Chicago and take driving lessons from the sensible folks there. Go to New York and learn how to tell truckers you’re number one using the middle finger. Go to Florida and drive with the illegals who don’t have a drivers license and the blind old coots that shouldn’t have one. Believe me, the next time I have the rotten luck of going by your cities again, I’m going to do it in the wee hours of the morning when no one is around. I don’t think my nerves could tolerate that experience again.

Footnote: What a great relief and a calming of my nerves when I had the good fortune of driving I-94 through Chicago today. Peace, tranquility, drivers I could cope with. In only took me 1 hour and 47 minutes to go 22 miles through the center of town. Driving was fun again, Life is good.

Enjoy the day

Geezer

Category: General

I have never understood the reason different states have different speed limits for both cars and truck. I believe the National Highway Safety Administration has done tests to determine that mixed speed limits in unsafe. So why do some states think that trucks need to travel at a slower speed rather than abide by the tried and true, “the safest speed is the flow of traffic?” So trucks are heavier, need more stopping room, need to be going slower, and on and on. Can you imagine the FAA telling pilots of commercial jets that they need to fly slower than small planes because they are heavier and need more room to stop etc……? Ridiculous.

The truth of the matter is plain and simple. REVENUE. OK, if it’s not for the money then why are there 55 mph speed limits for trucks in California, Oregon, Michigan, Illinois and my favorite Ohio. Most drivers will say that California, Illinois and Michigan will let you drift into the 60’s before anyone gets too concerned, except for those few who wear their badge a little too tight and love to score brownie points with their Captains. But this leaves two who really watch the numbers pretty close. Oregon? Well that’s a liberal state run by pointy headed politicians who don’t know the first thing about trucking and are guided by all of the do gooders who probably don’t know that trucks deliver everything except babies. Many companies depend on, on time deliveries and anything or anyone that interferes with this system is creating a problem. Diesel fuel prices are higher in Oregon than many other states, and of course that’s caused by higher fuel taxes. Then of course more revenue comes from extra permits to run in the state. I guess no one there understands about IFTA.

I personally know a retired Ohio Highway Patrolman who told me a few things about their system. Yes, those fine folks with the blue lights do have a quota to fill. Most will deny this of course, but the proof is this. If you look at any town, city or county operating budget there is a line in their revenue side of the sheet called fines. Where do these fines come from? Among other places, your pocket book. If the income stream is getting a bit thin a call is made from the revenue collector to the various law enforcement agencies to step up the pace a little, the cash isn’t coming in fast enough. Bingo, blue lights all over the place and guess who is parked in front of a patrol car? Yep, an 18 wheeler. Several years ago on I-71 between Columbus and Cincinnati there were 9 Highway Patrol cars, each one has a customer and would you like to guess out of the 9 how many were trucks? Right again, all 9. I don’t think there is a commercial driver in this country who doesn’t have at least one fast driving award from Ohio, unless you’ve never been in the State.

There is a solution, and it is fool proof and it won’t cost anyone a cent or be an inconvenience. Stay tuned, I’ll save that for another time.

Enjoy the day

Geezer

Category: General

This is an honest to goodness survey about some of the things you like, dislike, recommendations, (drivers are never short of these) about the Truck Driving Industry.
The link is: http://carterbrainpower.com. Click on the Driver Survey and you’ll find 3 links. Take the time and answer them all. Who knows, your input could help this industry, and goodness knows help is needed.

Enjoy the day

Geezer

Category: General

When I first started this blog I vowed I wouldn’t tell any truck driving stories, but I have to get one out of my system. Before I start I have a question. What’s the difference between a fairy tale and a truck driving story? If you don’t know the answer you’ll have to scroll to the bottom to find out. OK, I swear to you, this is a true story and I’ve kept the tickets to prove it.

In the late 80’s and 90’s I worked for a company that delivered new Volvo Trucks from the plant in Dublin Va, to dealers and fleets all over North America. It was good duty until the driveaway company was sold and everything went downhill from there. By the way, I retired the first time shortly after the acquisition. My delivery was going to a dealer outside Toronto and I was on the New York State Thruway, (I-90) between Erie Pa and Buffalo NY. Most of the trucks were governed at 69mph at the factory. Speed limit on the road was 65. No worry, set the cruise control and enjoy the ride. By the way have you ever noticed that even number interstates go from low to high numbers going West to East? Not New York State. On with the tale. One of New York State’s finest decided I was going too fast, and turned on his red lights and pulled me over. (Red flashing lights are for fire trucks and ambulances, but I guess no one has informed this group of grey suited wonders yet). I put both hands on the steering wheel, so they could be seen by this fine gentleman and after being asked for the usual documents, informed me that I was traveling 77mph. My plea that the truck was governed at 69 was of no avail of course and after a few minutes the officer returned with not one but two tickets, my lucky day.
He told me that as I had a clean record he wasn’t going to give me a fast driving award and then asked me if I had a radar detector? I said no, and then he informed me that I did now and here was a ticket for running a bird dog and the second one was for littering. He wished me a good day and was off. And I thought all the ‘honorable’ highway patrol officers were in Ohio.

Before I give you the answer to my quiz here’s how to have fun when you’re bored in a truck stop. Turn on your CB and in between the conversations of the radio rambos and other similar intellects, break it and ask if anyone knows why they have no parking zones in truck stops. When someone asks why, say the following. No parking zones are for those large Petercar drivers with all the chrome and lights and the big over modulated radios with so much echo no one can understand them, that don’t know how to back up have a place to park. If you want to stay around for the fun that’s up to you, but I usually shut the radio off and go to bed.

Answer….difference between a fairy tale and a truck driving story. A fairy tale starts off with….Once upon a time…..a truck driver story starts off with…..you ain’t going to believe this sh**..

Enjoy the day

Geezer

Category: General

I think the biggest problems we have with 4 wheelers is they just don’t understand how to interact with an 18 wheeler.

Let me draw an analogy. I am a licensed pilot. I just fly the little ones, but my point is I can safely fly in the same air space with Capt. Big Iron. Why? I’ve been trained to understand what my capabilities are and what theirs are too. I’ve been in the same landing pattern as a big jet at a major airport and we both knew what each was doing.

So here’s my point. How many driver ed students are ever given instructions on how to share the highways with 80,000 pounds of moving mass? Wouldn’t it be great if new drivers, and a lot of older ones too, knew how to tell if a truck is loaded or empty and how to adjust your passing accordingly? How many realize how dangerous it is to pass on the right side? I’ll bet very few people know that the “on ramp” to an interstate is really an acceleration ramp. This is where you get up to speed and blend in with the traffic. I don’t know how many times I’ve been frustrated when I’m doing my best to get on the road when I see some 4 wheeler almost come to a stop, look around, and if the driving lane is free for a mile down the road, timidly enter the freeway. This is especially terrifying when you’re doing a 270 degree turn to get on the interstate.

Probably the most dangerous of all is, when in heavy traffic, you try to leave a space between you and the vehicle in front in order to stop safely, then a 4 wheeler will dive into that space and slam on the brakes. I wonder if they would do the same in front of a freight train at a crossing? I’m sure the train would win and possibly there would be one less idiot in the gene pool. The problem with jumping in front of an 18 wheeler and a collision results because the truck can’t stop in time, is that the trucker is going to be charged for following too close. It’s a lose lose situation.

If I’m on a trip in my car I look for an empty 18 wheeler that is staying near the speed limit and pace the trucker at a reasonable distance. He has better eyes on the road ahead than I do and if he slows down I know there is a reason for it and adjust accordingly and frankly I feel much safer than I do around impatient drivers, the $50,000 pick up trucks and SUV’s who think they own the passing lane and those on their cel phones.

Enjoy the day

Geezer

Category: General

I’ve often wondered why drivers choose certain truck stops? See if any of these apply.
1. I’ve always stopped there.
2. It has the cheapest price for fuel
3. The waitress(s) are better looking
4. The company says I must stop there
5. I like the food

And I’m sure there are other reasons too.

I have a favorite, Flying J as I find them more consistent than others, but lately I find some of their stores are in need of repair and attention needs to be given to numerous parking lots. Another reason is I like their menu selections and usually their buffets are fresh and varied. And as a bonus at the end of the year I usually have about $400 in coupons that are used for Christmas presents.

I don’t usually go to TA as I believe they are foreign owned by a socialist country that’s not on friendly terms with us. The same goes for Citgo Gas Stations. Petro’s are aging and I don’t think the menu has been changed for several years.

If I must I will stop in at a Pilot, but many are run down, and the showers not well cared for, the parking is limited plus most only offer fast food. Some years ago Pilot took over some Williams that were very clean and well run, but many have been starting to show signs of neglect. The Bozleman family truck stops to me were the class of the field, but I hope their tie with Pilot doesn’t lower their standards. One of the most unique truck stops was the Giant on I-40 just east of Gallup NM. That is now a Pilot and I was sadly disappointed on a recent visit to see the parking area deteriorating and the condition inside a far cry from what it used to be.

To me, the up and comer is Love’s. Many are new and more are on the way. I like the way they are laid out on the inside and the merchandise isn’t the same as ever other truck stop. They are on the Pilot mold of smaller parking lots and fast food and time will tell if they will show wear and tear with little attention given to upkeep. If their appearance remains as it is today, then I think they will be the winner.

I’d love to hear what you think.

Enjoy the day

Geezer

Category: General

Do truck drivers have attitudes? Does McDonald’s have hamburgers?
You bet! It may seem that every truck driver you meet has some gripe about something.
Which brings me to the question, “How can you tell if a truck driver is happy?” Answer, “If he’s complaining about something”. I think I’ve heard gripes about shippers to receivers to brokers to dispatchers to payroll and of course let’s not forget the cops and DOT that are out to get you, highway construction and I guess the number one gripe is 4 wheelers.

But what a shock when I saw painted on the back of a cab in big bold lettering at the Flying J in Jackson MS. ‘SUCCESS IS THE UNTIMATE REVENGE’ I had to meet this driver, who by the way is a young Owner Operator leased to a flat bed carrier. He told me that he had worked for a starter company for 5 years until he saved enough to dive into the business for himself. I have no doubt he’ll do well. By the way a starter company is one who will put anyone with wet ink still on his graduation certificate and a brand new CDL behind the wheel and turn them lose on the highway. You know the companies I’m talking about.

My first impression when I spotted the proclamation was here was someone who was told he couldn’t make it, or wouldn’t get anywhere, and isn’t it sad that there are those who believe this put down and continue to live it for the rest of their lives. You might ask if becoming an O/O is being a success? To some, maybe not, but I remember Tommy Hopkins, a very popular and effective sales trainer telling a class I was in that “Success is the continuous pursuit of worthwhile goals”. You see, success isn’t the top rung on the ladder. There is no top rung. Success is a constant climb to do better, to be better, success is a never ending quest. Isn’t it funny that the truly successful people are always looking for a new ladder, a new challenge and are always looking up, always being positive, never looking down at their shoe laces, never saying, “It can’t be done”. What do the Marines say, “If the job is difficult we’ll do it right away, it it’s impossible it may take a little longer”.

Personally I think I’m a very positive person. I love driving a truck, I love the challenge of meeting appointments and looking after my equipment. I like to think I take pride in what I do, how I appear and how I treat the people I come in contact with. After all, I am the company I work for. I am a certified geezer, and have only been in trucking 30 years. Before that I was in other professions and have owned a business outside of trucking. Retirement is not in my dictionary. My youngest daughter says I’ll retire when they pry my cold stiff fingers off the steering wheal. Am I a success story? To some I’m just a truck driver, one of “those people”. But you see, I’m where I want to be, I’m doing what I want to do at this time. Who knows what other challenge might excite me, I’m only 72 and thank God he’s given me another day to live and be productive.

Enjoy the day

Geezer

Category: General

But you can’t tell him nothin’. OK, that’s a double negative and my old English teacher Miss Noble would roll over in her grave if she EVER heard someone use that in a sentence. Come to think of it you hear a lot of double negatives in today’s language. I don’t want none comes to mind and there are others. Have you ever noticed that a truck driver is the most knowledgeable person in the room when it comes to politics and women and how much better off the world would be if they were only listened to?
But what I want to stick my 3 cents worth in (inflation) is observing the attitudes and habits of today’s “professional drivers”.

Have you noticed that drivers are as much into the latest fads and fashions as are women? I kid you not. Example. Steel caps on boots, everyone had to have them. Dinner Plate size belt buckles, yes there are still a few around. Then came the straw 10 gallon hats with more feathers than a peacock. Next came the long pony tails, the ear studs were really cute and now the tattoo parlors can’t keep up with the demand for drivers in cut-offs to display their perceived machoism. And there are those with more money than brains and room temperature IQ’s who think a $400 over modulated CB with a gazillion watt amp and of course echo turned up so high no one can understand them is the way to go.

Have you ever wondered why truck drivers have a bad image? Well folks, we’ve done it to ourselves. There was a time when a lot of 4 wheelers carried CB’s to pick up on road conditions and hazards and could hold friendly conversations with truckers. Anymore you seldom see an antenna on any passenger car. If you’re one of the unfortunates who listens to CH 19 then you know why. Then there are the idiots with the teeth on the grill that delight in getting so close to the 4 wheeler in front of him you’d think he was drafting at Talladega. I make no apology at calling the trucking company that employs this dummy and reporting him. Who knows if it does any good or not but if it does result in one less idiot on the road the better. So I’m a fink, think what you want, but I’ve driven over 3 million miles with no chargables and I’m content to keep it that way. Yes I’ve been awarded a couple of speeding tickets, but if anyone has to drive through Ohio you have one or two yourself.

Enjoy the day

Geezer

Category: General