So far March has been March...both lambish and lionish. (See the last edition of the e-Report about our ish words)
Reminds us of the old Mark Twain saying that everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.
In that respect, the weather is kind of like trucking, where the conversation continues in this edition's
Mail Call
From: CK
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2007 6:59 AM
To: jobs@truckdriver.com
Subject: EB
I recently read the story from EB in your truck driver news letter. They were very disappointed in trucking ready to give it up. I hope they can find a better company than they are with to give it another chance. They all have their flaws, but hopefully they will try again with someone else first.
I worked for USA truck a few years back and went to hauling heavy haul. I really feel like they were a pretty good place to work. It was mostly drop and hook. TMC is also a pretty good place to work but they do require flatbed experience. Let them know if I can help, I will. I have worked for many, companies and know what to expect. Thanks.
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From: LR
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2007 9:40 AM
To: jobs@truckdriver.com
Subject: part time pay
I have been driving trucks of all kinds for over thirty years and the pay just hasn't changed. When you get right down to the nitty-gritty, the insurance cost more and it cost more to live out there. If the wheels don't turn you don't get paid . Yes, the companies pay .32 to .45 cents per mile while the truck is moving, but what happens when your stuck in traffic or waiting to get loaded or unloaded? What happens when you have a break down? This is your time, you can't just get out and walk away, but you don't get paid for it, and it counts as time on duty. And, there had better be enough time to make the delivery or pickup. The truck works for no money more times than not and the company profits from it.
Thanks you,
The Old Trucker
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From: C
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2007 10:01 PM
To: jobs@truckdriver.com
Cc: Cevetts3@wmconnect.com
Subject: More Money
I am currently driving for a flooring distributor making $13.50 an hour which comes out to about $32,000 a year with benefits such as a 401k and all the insurance any other company would have to offer. All this and I'm home nights and weekends.
I thought that I would try for more money. After carefully thinking this through and talking with some of the recruiters from various trucking companies promising $1000.00 a week, I don't believe that I could make much more money and enjoy the lifestyle I lead.
To end the story, I think there all full of it and will tell you anything to get you to drive for them at no expense to themselves!!
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From: CP
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2007 3:07 PM
To: jobs@truckdriver.com
Subject: old truck drivers never die they just buy a new peterbilt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi, have been trucking for 50 years, and its the same old same old BS. It will never change for the better cause the better is behind us. Back in the seventies, I was making three times what I am making now. Until we get up and act to reverse
this trend we are at the mercy of the law makers. Think about it, we are in a dead end.
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From: CD
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 12:59 PM
To: jobs@truckdriver.com
Subject: Driver Shortage
Howdy folks ! Hope the winter hasn't frazzled ya much.
My comments are directed towards the issue of driver shortage . While I agree there is a shortage of skilled professional drivers in our industry, there is, unfortunately, no shortage of naive young people who are looking for something better, or a way out of where they're at. And, they suck right into the line of bull the recruiters are pumping out there looking to fill seats as fast as possible.
Until this easily impressionable pool of bodies dries up, we will never get a pay scale that we deserve, not to mention earn. They seem to have forgotten that while we are on the road we also have to support the mechanics, electricians, carpenters, plumbers, etc. hat take care of our family while we're occupied humping their freight. They don't work for free - and neither should we.
Bills don't stop coming either, and since you're in that truck 24/7 there's no going to get a second part time job to make ends meet. It has to happen from that seat. Momma shouldn't need to stand on the corner, so to speak.
I've heard that grand a week net average line from nearly every company I've driven for over the last 8 years. I keep going round and round , company to company , hoping to find a good home since I can't give up the road, waiting for the day the people that run this industry figure out that we are something special and deserve to be treated that way.
Ya'll take care, and keep it between the lines. See ya on down the road.
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From: W8011
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 8:30 PM
To: jobs@truckdriver.com
Subject: Re: stopped, looked, and smelled the roses
I just wanted to say hello to all the pro truck drivers that are out there busting their ass to make a living. I am a pro driver as well and I have nothing against the government or the federal regulations trying to make it safe for the trucking industry.
Still, we are not getting the respect nor the pay we deserve. As an example, in 1988 I was pulling flatbed and getting paid .15 per mil, today it's .33 per mile.
It's time to make a change and I'm not talking about some major shut down . We couldn't get 600,00 plus drivers to do that. But, since the government is doing a lot toward the trucking industry, we can ban together and voice our opinions and make the government hear our pleas to step on the trucking companies to pay us better wages and benefits.
It's time for a change, you owe it to yourself and your families. Please take the time and contact this agency. Write. Call. Email every chance you get.
Keep writing and keep calling everyone.
Here is the info:
U. S. Department of Transportation
400 7th Street SW
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
email: dot.comment@dot.gov
PS. I hope this gets published in everything
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From: Venus
Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2007 10:57 AM
To: jobs@truckdriver.com
Subject: Truckers Lifestyle
I have read many publications, Truckers News, ITJ, Driver Connections, etc., and most of the other monthly magazines and find the general basic complaints.
I have been in Transportation since I joined the Armed Forces in 1975. No, very little has changed. But I do say that since I knew this, I prepared myself before becoming an OTR Driver. I got rid of my debts, have no Bill Collectors looking for me, manage my money well, don't eat all the unhealthy food that's sold, exercise, and put my waiting to (live) load/unload time to good use.
Perhaps some Drivers and their Families aren't working together, therefore, they find fault with trucking. It's what a person makes of it.
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From: JM
Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2007 11:34 AM
To: jobs@truckdriver.com
Subject: Article Suggestion
You asked for a suggestion. Here is one for you: Why not feature a Truck Stop in each publication?
I am talking about the "out of the way" Truck Stops.
Where I live there are no Truck Stops for about 100 mile radius. Drivers are always on the CB asking for locations. I can only imagine that the same goes on in different parts of this huge country.
That's my suggestion.
Editor: A great suggestion! In kicking it around with the editorial staff we wondered how we could get that done without the help of you drivers. If you know of a great little truckstop that deserves some recognition, shoot us an email and we'll go from there.
*****
Editor: We want to thank everyone who has taken the time to write to us - keep those emails coming!
Seems like this is the perfect place to remind you about the TruckDriver.com Truck Driver Turnover Survey. Please participate and let us know what you think about turnover in the trucking industry. The results will be posted in April.
Trucker Buddy of the Month
Thomas 'Hotdog' Barstow, Sr.
Through his volunteer efforts as a Trucker Buddy, Thomas Hotdog Barstow, Sr., provides elementary students educational experiences they will remember for a lifetime. His efforts to go far above and beyond the basic guidelines of the Trucker Buddy landed him as the ACS MultiMedia Trucker Buddy Driver of the Month for February 2007.
"It is seldom that partnerships between the business world and schools are as successful as has been that of Hotdog and Del Prado Elementary School" said teacher Lenae Breger-Herman. "Tom Barstow is indeed the very model of what a Trucker Buddy should be. His contagious enthusiasm was directly responsible for my class becoming deeply engrossed in the experience."
Barstow was matched with Breger-Hermans kindergarten and 5th grade classes at Del Prado Elementary School in Boca Raton, Fla., during the 2005-06 school year. While this was his first year in the Trucker Buddy program, he took on two classes because they couldn't find a Trucker Buddy of their own. Barstow is matched with Breger-Hermans kindergarten class for the current school year.
In addition to sending educational materials and up to five postcards each week to his classes, Barstow also created a national weather web site station. The station www.moyockweather.com provides extensive
weather information and serves as a valuable learning tool for students.
In addition to up-to-date weather forecasting, the site also provides learning pages. The Web Weather for Kids page on moyockweather.com helps the students Learn what makes weather wet and wild, do cool activities, and become hot at forecasting the weather, through games, stories, activities and safety tips.
"His site became part of the daily Panther in-house news channel viewed by the entire student body", Breger-Herman said. "We hope this project will serve as a prototype for schools throughout Palm Beach County."
Barstow, an owner operator leased to Transport America, Eagan, MN, has been driving for more than 15 years since leaving a 22 -year career in the military.
"I think Trucker Buddy is a great program", said Barstow, who lives in Moyock, N.C., and teams with his son Thomas Barstow, Jr., also a Trucker Buddy. "Transport America has been very supportive of my participation they support all of their drivers who volunteer with Trucker Buddy."
Transport America currently has 18 drivers matched with classrooms through the Trucker Buddy pen-pal program.
"Barstow was so excited to be a part of a learning partnership", Breger-Herman said. "He feels strongly about the need for children to know all about this great country of ours and about his role in the process."
Barstow is among some 3,500 other professional drivers who share their time with elementary classes throughout the world. The only criteria to be a Trucker Buddy is to be a professional truck driver with a CDL who is willing to send a postcard each week to a class in grades two through eight. Drivers and teachers can find out more about the program by visiting www.truckerbuddy.org or calling 1-800-MY-BUDDY.
Trucker Buddy is dependent on corporate sponsors such as ACS MultiMedia Advertising and TruckDriver.com to fund the program.
The 4th Annual Tennessee Truck Show will be held in Nashville , TN at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds on May 11th & 12th, 2007 I-65, Exit 81.
Free Admission
Free Parking
Free Food for CDL Holders
Breakfast is sponsored by Forward Air and Dave Nemo Entertainment while Lunch is sponsored by Idlebuster.
Lots of Wonderful Prizes! Joining this year's Free Concerts is Joey Holiday, the Legendary Red Simpson, and newcomer Jeff Harrison.
Two Show Truck Categories
Wash & Park
The Best of The Best
Comes check out all the Fabulous Trucks on Display !
The Nascar Simulator and other Semi Tractor Trailer Touring Units will be on display for your convenience, along with several vendors waiting to answer any and all of your questions.
So, Come Join the Fun and Bring a Friend to the 4th Annual Tennessee Truck Show !!!
www.tennesseetruckshow.com
TruckDriver.com
Carrier of the Month
USF GLEN MOORE
USF Glen Moore Inc. is one of the nation's fastest growing truckload providers. Through steady internal and acquisition-based growth the company is quickly becoming an industry leader.
USF Glen Moore Inc., based in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was first incorporated in May of 1986 as Glen Moore Transport. Twelve years later, in August of 1998, USF CORP. acquired Glen Moore Transport and the company name officially changed from Glen Moore Transport to USF Glen Moore Inc. in January of 2000.
USF Glen Moore has made a solid commitment to their COMPANY DRIVERS and OWNER OPERATORS to provide the best pay program, benefits, and work environment possible. They understand that "Excellence in Service" can only be achieved by having the best and most dedicated drivers the industry can offer.
Due to the diversity of their freight they can offer many different types of fleet operations to drivers and are focused on establishing themselves as a leader in FAMILY FRIENDLY TRUCKING.
Their full range of Fleet Services include:
| Company Drivers |
Owner Operators |
| Dedicated Solos
Dedicated Teams
Atlantic Coast Division
Northeast Regional Division
Southeast Regional Division
|
Dedicated Solos
Dedicated Teams
Atlantic Coast Division
Northeast Regional Division
Southeast
Regional Division
|
USF Glen Moore's driver managers are seasoned professionals specifically trained to assist drivers. If you want to join a financially sound 2.2 billion-dollar organization where values drive their business, contact USF Glen Moore at drivers@usfc.com or call 1-888-468-3748 for more information.
Looks like it's a fairly even split on the satellite radio merger with just under 40% of you saying the merger is a good thing. And, just over 36% of you saying it's a bad thing.
The rest of you don't really give a hoot.
The next Quick Poll has to do with truck shows. Answer honestly as inquiring minds want to know.
Until next time, keep on truckin' and please drive safely.
Your Comments Are Always Welcome
We do like to hear from you and invite you to let us know how we can improve the e-Report. Please send your ideas and suggestions to: jobs@truckdriver.com
