I hope everybody will be able to enjoy some 4th of July festivities. I plan on getting the boat out so that I can take the nieces and nephews out waterskiing and tubing. After that it will probably get a bit drunk out!! We will be having a big cookout and plenty of drinks. Once it gets dark we will be shooting off a few hundred dollars worth of fireworks. The rest of the weekend will probably be spent nursing a hangover. Seems like the older we get the longer the hangovers last.
I just bought a Honda Goldwing last week and I'll be spending some of the weekend cruising around. It has been a long time since I had a bike and want to make up for lost time. I just about have my better half talked into getting her license and then getting her a bike. I think a few rides with me and she will want to be driving. That's all it took to get her behind the wheel of a big truck. A couple weeks out on the road and she was hooked. As soon as she got home she was at the local college signing up for the driving course.
6 "General" posts during 6/2006
Happy 4th
Category: General
Posted on Wed, Jun 28 2006 @ 6:24 PM [CST]
[Permalink] [Comments - 3] [Send Article] [Improper]Finally feels like summer
Sorry to say that summer has finally made it to Wisconsin. The temps made it into the 90's with high humidity for the first time this year. Needless to say I did a whole lot of nothing yesterday. The extent of my activity was going from my nice cool Tahoe to a nice cool building and didn't linger too long between the two! I don't mind the heat or humidity one bit if I don't have to spend any time in it!
Had the day off yesterday and just relaxed as much as I could. I'm sure that dispatch will make sure I pay for the time off! I probably won't have time to slack off much for the next couple of weeks. I'm sure they will have me leave out early on Sunday and not get in until real late Friday for the next couple of weekends.I don't mind doing that as long as I'm kept busy during the week.I'm like everyone else, when I'm out on the road I don't want to be sitting around. It would be different if I was payed by the hour. I'll do all the sitting around they can give me! But like most companies,if they do happen to pay the driver something for sitting it is such a small amount that it generally falls way below minimum wage! We are lucky to be able to do a fair amount of drop and hooks. The places that we do have to load or unload are generally pretty quick. Of course every company has loads that involve sitting around. I guess there's no getting away from that. As long as the trucking companies are afraid to charge customers a large amount for the truck and driver sitting, these places won't change.
My dispatcher knows which loads involve sitting and will avoid putting me on them. He knows I raise all kinds of hell when I get stuck at these places. I don't limit my hell raising to my dispatcher. I've been known to go into the custumer and give it to them as well. My company has recieved a number of phone calls from custumers about the tongue lashing they recieved from me. It really breaks my heart when I don't get sent back to these places. I never use any foul language or raise my voice too loud at the customer. But I let them know what I think of the loading or unloading of the trailer. I figure that if enough drivers raise a little hell with places, soon these trucking companies and shipper/recievers are going to have to change the way they do business. My parents always told me that if you want things changed in this world it has to start with that person that stares back at you in the mirror. Don't wait for the next guy to do it.
Had the day off yesterday and just relaxed as much as I could. I'm sure that dispatch will make sure I pay for the time off! I probably won't have time to slack off much for the next couple of weeks. I'm sure they will have me leave out early on Sunday and not get in until real late Friday for the next couple of weekends.I don't mind doing that as long as I'm kept busy during the week.I'm like everyone else, when I'm out on the road I don't want to be sitting around. It would be different if I was payed by the hour. I'll do all the sitting around they can give me! But like most companies,if they do happen to pay the driver something for sitting it is such a small amount that it generally falls way below minimum wage! We are lucky to be able to do a fair amount of drop and hooks. The places that we do have to load or unload are generally pretty quick. Of course every company has loads that involve sitting around. I guess there's no getting away from that. As long as the trucking companies are afraid to charge customers a large amount for the truck and driver sitting, these places won't change.
My dispatcher knows which loads involve sitting and will avoid putting me on them. He knows I raise all kinds of hell when I get stuck at these places. I don't limit my hell raising to my dispatcher. I've been known to go into the custumer and give it to them as well. My company has recieved a number of phone calls from custumers about the tongue lashing they recieved from me. It really breaks my heart when I don't get sent back to these places. I never use any foul language or raise my voice too loud at the customer. But I let them know what I think of the loading or unloading of the trailer. I figure that if enough drivers raise a little hell with places, soon these trucking companies and shipper/recievers are going to have to change the way they do business. My parents always told me that if you want things changed in this world it has to start with that person that stares back at you in the mirror. Don't wait for the next guy to do it.
Category: General
Posted on Sat, Jun 17 2006 @ 2:10 AM [CST]
[Permalink] [Comments - 3] [Send Article] [Improper]home again
Just got home this morning and don't have to leave until Monday. The only problem is that it is so dang cold out. Temps were in the low 40's this morning and highs are only going to get into the 60's. BRRR!
Was fairly busy this week and didn't have much time to get online. Blogs have been quiet lately.Everyone else must be busy too. I'm glad I don't do the long haul any more. Went to regional and enjoying my weekends at home. I started out on long haul as a solo driver and then got my wife hooked on driving truck. We teamed for over 5 yrs and enjoyed seeing all the different parts of this great country. Now we each drive solo and stay in the midwest region. We both enjoy the home time. Gives us a chance to enjoy some fishing,boating,tubing and waterskiing during the spring,summer and fall. During the winter we go snowmobiling as much as possible and also go ice fishing. So as you can see, we do have a busy life outside the truck. We also have an old house that we are fixing up and plenty of yard work. Always something to do.
We were starting to make plans for a vacation this year but due to unforseen events so far this year we may have to alter them. We were going to take my parents up to either Rainey Lake or Lake of the Woods for a week of fishing and sightseeing. My dad worked for awhile in Internatioal Falls and they had really enjoyed themselves up there. That was over 25 yrs ago. My dad is now 71 and mom will be 70 this spring. We want to get them back up there to see the area again.
Was fairly busy this week and didn't have much time to get online. Blogs have been quiet lately.Everyone else must be busy too. I'm glad I don't do the long haul any more. Went to regional and enjoying my weekends at home. I started out on long haul as a solo driver and then got my wife hooked on driving truck. We teamed for over 5 yrs and enjoyed seeing all the different parts of this great country. Now we each drive solo and stay in the midwest region. We both enjoy the home time. Gives us a chance to enjoy some fishing,boating,tubing and waterskiing during the spring,summer and fall. During the winter we go snowmobiling as much as possible and also go ice fishing. So as you can see, we do have a busy life outside the truck. We also have an old house that we are fixing up and plenty of yard work. Always something to do.
We were starting to make plans for a vacation this year but due to unforseen events so far this year we may have to alter them. We were going to take my parents up to either Rainey Lake or Lake of the Woods for a week of fishing and sightseeing. My dad worked for awhile in Internatioal Falls and they had really enjoyed themselves up there. That was over 25 yrs ago. My dad is now 71 and mom will be 70 this spring. We want to get them back up there to see the area again.
Category: General
Posted on Sat, Jun 10 2006 @ 9:06 AM [CST]
[Permalink] [Comments - 0] [Send Article] [Improper]Back on the road
Another weekend has come and gone. As usual it wasn't long enough. We did manage to go visit a fellow driver that is recovering from surgery. He is looking good and has lost almost 100 lbs already.
Never did get the boat out to go fishing this weekend. Will just have to wait and see what happens next weekend. I'm really getting the itch to go fishing out on Green Bay. I have been out on Lake Michigan aboard my dads boat this year and had some luck with the salmon. Plan on doing alot more of that this year.
We start getting paid pratical miles this week. At least we will be alot closer to actual miles run. Being a company driver it will help put a little more money in my pocket. I think most companies will be going this way in order to keep what drivers they have and to get other drivers to work for them. When the company I drive for told us of the change in pay I was beginning to think about finding a company that was paying pratical miles. I was glad they did it because I didn't want to leave. I am happy here but happy doesn't pay the bills. Need to go where a person can be happy and make more money. Now I can just keep knocking off the miles and watch the extra money come in! I suppose Uncle Sam will be grinning ear to ear watching the extra tax money coming in too. A little more for me will probably mean alot more for him.
Time to get out of here and get some sleep. Need to get an early start tomorrow.
Never did get the boat out to go fishing this weekend. Will just have to wait and see what happens next weekend. I'm really getting the itch to go fishing out on Green Bay. I have been out on Lake Michigan aboard my dads boat this year and had some luck with the salmon. Plan on doing alot more of that this year.
We start getting paid pratical miles this week. At least we will be alot closer to actual miles run. Being a company driver it will help put a little more money in my pocket. I think most companies will be going this way in order to keep what drivers they have and to get other drivers to work for them. When the company I drive for told us of the change in pay I was beginning to think about finding a company that was paying pratical miles. I was glad they did it because I didn't want to leave. I am happy here but happy doesn't pay the bills. Need to go where a person can be happy and make more money. Now I can just keep knocking off the miles and watch the extra money come in! I suppose Uncle Sam will be grinning ear to ear watching the extra tax money coming in too. A little more for me will probably mean alot more for him.
Time to get out of here and get some sleep. Need to get an early start tomorrow.
Category: General
Posted on Mon, Jun 05 2006 @ 9:40 PM [CST]
[Permalink] [Comments - 0] [Send Article] [Improper]Relaxing
Just got home for the weekend and will actually be able to kick back and relax. The only thing planned is to visit a fellow driver and see how he is doing after his surgery. Word is he is having some complications. He had the surgery for weight loss and everyone I know has had troubles after they had it done. I'm hoping things will improve for him soon.
My wife and I are long time friends of him and his wife. We tried to talk him out of doing this procedure,but he was desperate to lose the weight and went through with it.
With any luck I will be taking the boat out and drown some bait. Haven't had much time for that this year. Either we were too busy or the weather was bad. That's the bad part of being over the road. So many things to do and so little time to do it. Now that the spring yard work is done around the house I hope to have more time to fish. Just have to make sure my dispatcher doesn't get any bright ideas and think I would have more time to spend out on the road!
My wife and I are long time friends of him and his wife. We tried to talk him out of doing this procedure,but he was desperate to lose the weight and went through with it.
With any luck I will be taking the boat out and drown some bait. Haven't had much time for that this year. Either we were too busy or the weather was bad. That's the bad part of being over the road. So many things to do and so little time to do it. Now that the spring yard work is done around the house I hope to have more time to fish. Just have to make sure my dispatcher doesn't get any bright ideas and think I would have more time to spend out on the road!
Category: General
Posted on Sat, Jun 03 2006 @ 8:44 AM [CST]
[Permalink] [Comments - 1] [Send Article] [Improper]Speak up
I am constantly hearing people complaining about the way we are treated out here but rarely hear or see many of these complainers trying to change anything. How many drivers out here are registered voters and actually vote at all elections regardless how major or minor the election is? How many drivers are members of a union or a group such as OOIDA? I have recently joined OOIDA and I am a registered voter and generally vote by way of an absentee ballot.
If you think your vote doesn't matter just remember how close the vote for president was in Florida. The politicians don't much care about the trucker because a very large majority of us don't vote and don't want to take the time to write and call these crooks on capital hill and tell them how you feel about the job they are doing. If you don't do any of the above,then you don't have a right to complain. I'm sure most drivers can afford to spend $45 a year to join OOIDA. If you mention the trucking bozo or some other member,the first year will only be $25. Then join them in writing campaigns and make calls to your congressperson and senators. Just remember that these special interest groups that have managed to get some of these changes made in our industry are not just a few nonvoting people,but are large numbers of registered voters. Thats why these groups are so successful.
If you think your vote doesn't matter just remember how close the vote for president was in Florida. The politicians don't much care about the trucker because a very large majority of us don't vote and don't want to take the time to write and call these crooks on capital hill and tell them how you feel about the job they are doing. If you don't do any of the above,then you don't have a right to complain. I'm sure most drivers can afford to spend $45 a year to join OOIDA. If you mention the trucking bozo or some other member,the first year will only be $25. Then join them in writing campaigns and make calls to your congressperson and senators. Just remember that these special interest groups that have managed to get some of these changes made in our industry are not just a few nonvoting people,but are large numbers of registered voters. Thats why these groups are so successful.
Category: General
Posted on Thu, Jun 01 2006 @ 6:11 PM [CST]
[Permalink] [Comments - 1] [Send Article] [Improper]
