Well, it has been a few days and during that time for some reason I have been shuffled around it seems in an effort to make up for all the stupidity of this last month. So much time had been wasted from all the incompetence that my driver manager Brett had the nerve to tell me that I would have to stay out longer to get past the 11 thousand mile mark for the month. I used to get 13 thousand with Crete with 6 or 7 days off during the month and I have only had 3 days off in the last 8 weeks and he acts like I am the one not pulling my weight. I feel that it has gotten to the point where I am getting really tempted to get very rude with these people. There is, at least with Brett, a real lack of concern about the drivers well being. There are people working for this asshole that have wives and children and are struggling through these relationships because all Brett has on his mind is his bonus and his concerns and his image and how he measures up in the political scheme of things at Jim Palmer Trucking.
I have been ranting about this company long enough, I feel and I have decided that for starters, there really is no future with such an inconsiderate bunch of inbred morons. I am taking a week off as soon as this load delivers and I drive home 250 miles from that delivery point. This is a delivery that could have taken place on Saturday but Brett felt the need to send me all the way to western Colorado to do some of his shit work that he likes to do so much. Better clean your nose off old friend as you will have me around no longer. I have several companies to choose from. The priority will be ease of dealing with the company and home time. This staying out over 30 days is for the birds at least with this company. Shoot, if I had stayed out 30 days with Crete, I would have a small fortune to spend with my time off. Not at Jim Palmer. They are too dumb to take advantage of the time a driver is away. I had so much time wasted. What a mess.
I am talking to a guy that has a set lane or lanes that he likes to run and can set me up with a triangle shaped run that offers me through home time with time off every 2 weeks and at a higher rate than jimmy ripoffs will pay. More on that later. I suppose I will have to change my header and make some adjustments to my ranting. I can still rant about Jim Palmer and their own brand of stupidity as that never seems to end. I have a year of good material about them right now and it just seems that the stupidity is never ending. I love job security. Gotta go for now.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
West Memphis Armpit
Actually, I am at the Flying J, which is more like an armpit with some generic deodorant added. It is not quite like my experiences at the TA west Memph. I pulled in to the TA at about 9 am on a Sunday to grab a shower and roll on my merry way towards California. I had grabbed all my gear and headed out to the building to turn in my fuel stub for a shower and I noticed a black gentleman getting out of a car and walking sort of towards my direction. I nodded at him as I passed and kept walking. As I passed the car, I got a bad feeling because the guy in the car was staring at me really hard. I grew up in the Los Angeles area. When a complete stranger is giving you eye contact, that means that either he is looking for a handout or that something is about to happen. Either way, it is not necessarily for your benefit. I noted this and approached the fuel desk. I handed the fuel attendant my bag and said "guard this for me" and ran out the back entrance. I skirted the trucks on my row in the back and came up right between where my truck was parked. I already had 911 punched in my phone and hit send as I caught the guy breaking into my truck through the lower vis window on the passenger window. I chased the guy all the way back to his car and they took off and I read the licence number to the 911 operator with the description and the direction they headed. Keeping your eyes open towards the surroundings pays off. If I had been the typical person, I would have lost my belongings or my truck. I had to put duct tape over the partially popped open window for a bit but my truck and my stuff was safe. That was 1998 and I was with Crete back then. If anything, there are more cameras monitoring the lots but, the real question is; is there anyone watching? Chances are, the cameras might help when a crime has already happened and will do little else. Keep your eyes open and you will not have to rely on the facade of security that exists in the truck stops these days. The police did catch the guys in the car. The police really acted as though they could care less and since the window was not broken that there was not much to act on. The police really are of no help unless they perceive it that you will complain in their area and cause them some trouble. Chances are, you do not live there and will not be treated the same as a local taxpayer would.
I am delivering this tater load to Birmingham tomorrow at 0500. Birmingham is a place that is just as miserable as West Memphis. I was going to a grocery warehouse at the same period of time as the truck break in. I was at a traffic signal about 6 blocks from the warehouse when a guy approached my truck. It was common at the time for lumpers to try and drum up some business if they knew where you were going. He hops up on my drivers side step and lifts his shirt and there was a small caliber pistol and he was demanding my money. I reached down and grabbed my bowie knife with the 11 inch blade. He got agitated and started to reach for the gun so I struck him in the chest with the knife. He fell and I drove off through the red light. I called the police and told them what happened and the one cop replied that it looked like there really wasn't a victim as far as he was concerned. I left it at that content that I was fortunate not to have been shot.
I am delivering this tater load to Birmingham tomorrow at 0500. Birmingham is a place that is just as miserable as West Memphis. I was going to a grocery warehouse at the same period of time as the truck break in. I was at a traffic signal about 6 blocks from the warehouse when a guy approached my truck. It was common at the time for lumpers to try and drum up some business if they knew where you were going. He hops up on my drivers side step and lifts his shirt and there was a small caliber pistol and he was demanding my money. I reached down and grabbed my bowie knife with the 11 inch blade. He got agitated and started to reach for the gun so I struck him in the chest with the knife. He fell and I drove off through the red light. I called the police and told them what happened and the one cop replied that it looked like there really wasn't a victim as far as he was concerned. I left it at that content that I was fortunate not to have been shot.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Here I Sit Broken Hearted
I was in striking distance. I had the oil and washer fluid topped off. My log book was done and legal. Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. As I have said in the past, my truck was having some sort of battery trouble. Seems that the battery was fine. It was the starter, which stopped working for me at 0730 this morning. I called breakdown and they are sending a gentleman to help me out within the hour. I had been keeping the truck running because of the problem but she shut off on her own for me and wouldn't turn over. Broke down in Belgrade, MT. At least I am here in the Flying Jacko where I can play on the computer and go to the bathroom and the coffee is hot. I have been broke down on US 50 in Northern Nevada and that was a 6 hour debacle, waiting in the heat with no air conditioning wondering whether I would get rear ended or not. That is certainly no picnic. I would call myself fortunate at this point. I just can't bring myself to relax knowing that this load is really hot and time is something I don't have.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
The Girl In The Van In The Trees
Yesterday while driving on I 94 in Wisconsin near Tomah, Wisconsin, specifically. I was driving along in the rain and was making a mental note to slow down to myself. It was raining really hard and the water was puddling up pretty good on the lane ruts. Enough so that I was having to take an active role in keeping control of the truck. That of course mean't that I had to put down my bowel of cereal. I just hate when that happens.
Anyway, I was approaching the overpass at mile marker 48 and hit another good sized puddle and backed her down from 55 to about 50. I was thinking in my mind that I hope this heavy rain stuff doesn't get the idea to stick with me all the way to Washington. I was also getting peeved at the fact that these cars were flying by me with no lights on. They were all but disappearing in the rain wash that clouded up behind their speeding cars. I was, as I said just coming under the mm 48 overpass and I noticed a dark green Oldsmobile Silhouette moving fast coming onto the freeway to merge ahead of me. Just as quick as the van appeared, the van hit a large puddle under hard throttle and the rear kicked out to the left. The driver hit the brakes hard and steered hard and the van left the road sideways and flipped as soon as it hit the grass. I couldn't believe how high the van flew. Then the van hit a low branch hanging out from a large oak tree and wedged there, about eight feet up. I whipped the wheel and slowed down fast, got out and approached the van through the chest high grass. Just as I called out, there was a loud crack and the van landed on its passenger side with the front grille smiling at me sideways with the lights still on. I walked up and called out again. A red head popped out from the passenger side window. My first thought was, there is a 14 year old out for a joy ride. She really looked shaken up but appeared unhurt. She was rather short and needed help to get out of the van. I approached the roof and grabbed her by her armpits. She was light and was out in a second. Once her feet hit the ground she started shaking and crying and she hugged me saying thank you for stopping. Then she looked at the van. It was all sinking in for her at that moment. I told her that I was glad to see that she was all right and the van...well the van wasn't important. She told me that she was 17 years old and asked me go get her purse. I went to hop up on the van to reach in and realized that the van was very near to tipping over. I was just lifting her out and never noticed.
I have driven a lot of miles and have witnessed quite a few accidents. I have had a pickup with 4 guys in back with beers drive by me and the guys waved at me at 5:45 on a Sunday morning only to see those same 4 guys with blankets soaked in blood covering their bodies after a roll over an hour later. I have driven by a mother and her 3 children in Clines Corner, NM after their Ford Explorer crossed the median on I-40 and hit a Mayflower truck head on. I came upon the scene mere minutes after the accident happened and the police weren't there yet. I could see the bodies burning inside the truck completely engulfed in flame. Evidently, she had been late for a dental appointment when a tire blew out at 75 mph. Both of those things did bother me and I am not trying to gross you out with my war stories. I am just saying.
I guess my point is, I was really bothered by this accident even though no one got hurt. Sometimes, when a car cuts me off, it is easy to lose the idea that there is a living, breathing, human being in that car. There are children, elderly folks, people that do not feel good, Someone that is having trouble in their life...you just never know. Try to think about the fact that there are people that matter to someone in that car ahead or behind you. It might just change the way you drive. Dedication.
Anyway, I was approaching the overpass at mile marker 48 and hit another good sized puddle and backed her down from 55 to about 50. I was thinking in my mind that I hope this heavy rain stuff doesn't get the idea to stick with me all the way to Washington. I was also getting peeved at the fact that these cars were flying by me with no lights on. They were all but disappearing in the rain wash that clouded up behind their speeding cars. I was, as I said just coming under the mm 48 overpass and I noticed a dark green Oldsmobile Silhouette moving fast coming onto the freeway to merge ahead of me. Just as quick as the van appeared, the van hit a large puddle under hard throttle and the rear kicked out to the left. The driver hit the brakes hard and steered hard and the van left the road sideways and flipped as soon as it hit the grass. I couldn't believe how high the van flew. Then the van hit a low branch hanging out from a large oak tree and wedged there, about eight feet up. I whipped the wheel and slowed down fast, got out and approached the van through the chest high grass. Just as I called out, there was a loud crack and the van landed on its passenger side with the front grille smiling at me sideways with the lights still on. I walked up and called out again. A red head popped out from the passenger side window. My first thought was, there is a 14 year old out for a joy ride. She really looked shaken up but appeared unhurt. She was rather short and needed help to get out of the van. I approached the roof and grabbed her by her armpits. She was light and was out in a second. Once her feet hit the ground she started shaking and crying and she hugged me saying thank you for stopping. Then she looked at the van. It was all sinking in for her at that moment. I told her that I was glad to see that she was all right and the van...well the van wasn't important. She told me that she was 17 years old and asked me go get her purse. I went to hop up on the van to reach in and realized that the van was very near to tipping over. I was just lifting her out and never noticed.
I have driven a lot of miles and have witnessed quite a few accidents. I have had a pickup with 4 guys in back with beers drive by me and the guys waved at me at 5:45 on a Sunday morning only to see those same 4 guys with blankets soaked in blood covering their bodies after a roll over an hour later. I have driven by a mother and her 3 children in Clines Corner, NM after their Ford Explorer crossed the median on I-40 and hit a Mayflower truck head on. I came upon the scene mere minutes after the accident happened and the police weren't there yet. I could see the bodies burning inside the truck completely engulfed in flame. Evidently, she had been late for a dental appointment when a tire blew out at 75 mph. Both of those things did bother me and I am not trying to gross you out with my war stories. I am just saying.
I guess my point is, I was really bothered by this accident even though no one got hurt. Sometimes, when a car cuts me off, it is easy to lose the idea that there is a living, breathing, human being in that car. There are children, elderly folks, people that do not feel good, Someone that is having trouble in their life...you just never know. Try to think about the fact that there are people that matter to someone in that car ahead or behind you. It might just change the way you drive. Dedication.
Spend Ten Bucks To Save A Nickel
I have been running rather hard lately. Freight has been quite good and there has been little time to stop and actually take a breath. Right now I am losing sleep in order to at least get some words into this pile of expression. I had a fun load that went from Virginia to Indiana. There was where I last found the time to type. I delivered that load to Indy and was sent to Manteno, IL and had to pick up off the drop lot, a load that some prima donna that didn't want to go into Melrose Park left for someone else.
I don't love driving Chicagoland. I do however drive a truck and as a truck driver, I feel that the least I could do is drive the stupid truck where the truck needs to go to make money. The world is quite full of sissies that are always whining and crying to get out of having to do their job, but, I am getting away from the main thrust here.
I then was informed that I had a load but customer service would want me to pull a couple shags first. I was not very happy because generally, customer service people are inbred stupid morons that throw a wrench into the routine of a driver. This was no exception. I arrived late in the afternoon on the 17th to find out that my load of 2204 short HHG miles must have the first drop on the 21st at 0500 in the morning. I call and state that there really isn't too much time on this load considering that my truck does not do 85 mph and that any spare time that this load had will be eaten up by his stupid favor to customer service. I just love it when you present a moron with the facts and they act as if you said absolutely nothing at all. So, I decided that I was in the mood to make some money and decided to pull the shags and drive like hell towards Missoula, MT. Jim Palmer Trucking terminal in all its glory. Today I sent in a message stating that I had a maintenance issue (batteries, Starter) and that the load was tight and any time spent in the Peterbuilt dealership will be time that I literally will end up late. He replied that I should get with my driver manager, Brett in the am. And that he would note it on my screen. I just love it when people do as little as they can to get a paycheck. I figure that I could make it but it would be so close. Washington is no state to mess with when it comes to log falsification or any other monkey business. I have had a good relationship with the WA DOT and I want to keep it that way.
Where do you ask is the spend 10 bucks to save a nickel? That would be where I notified them 4 days ago that there was a bad battery problem and needed to get the truck in the shop before I ended up stranded. They would rather run me (and yes I would rather run) than set the truck to be repaired. This diversion tomorrow to Missoula will not make anyone at JPT happy. It is to be sure for their own good. Sometimes, you gotta hit someone with a 2x4 to get them to do the right thing.
I don't love driving Chicagoland. I do however drive a truck and as a truck driver, I feel that the least I could do is drive the stupid truck where the truck needs to go to make money. The world is quite full of sissies that are always whining and crying to get out of having to do their job, but, I am getting away from the main thrust here.
I then was informed that I had a load but customer service would want me to pull a couple shags first. I was not very happy because generally, customer service people are inbred stupid morons that throw a wrench into the routine of a driver. This was no exception. I arrived late in the afternoon on the 17th to find out that my load of 2204 short HHG miles must have the first drop on the 21st at 0500 in the morning. I call and state that there really isn't too much time on this load considering that my truck does not do 85 mph and that any spare time that this load had will be eaten up by his stupid favor to customer service. I just love it when you present a moron with the facts and they act as if you said absolutely nothing at all. So, I decided that I was in the mood to make some money and decided to pull the shags and drive like hell towards Missoula, MT. Jim Palmer Trucking terminal in all its glory. Today I sent in a message stating that I had a maintenance issue (batteries, Starter) and that the load was tight and any time spent in the Peterbuilt dealership will be time that I literally will end up late. He replied that I should get with my driver manager, Brett in the am. And that he would note it on my screen. I just love it when people do as little as they can to get a paycheck. I figure that I could make it but it would be so close. Washington is no state to mess with when it comes to log falsification or any other monkey business. I have had a good relationship with the WA DOT and I want to keep it that way.
Where do you ask is the spend 10 bucks to save a nickel? That would be where I notified them 4 days ago that there was a bad battery problem and needed to get the truck in the shop before I ended up stranded. They would rather run me (and yes I would rather run) than set the truck to be repaired. This diversion tomorrow to Missoula will not make anyone at JPT happy. It is to be sure for their own good. Sometimes, you gotta hit someone with a 2x4 to get them to do the right thing.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Siricomm Sucks
I ran out of hours in Staunton at the Pilot and managed to get a parking spot without managing to kill anyone and somehow through the night, I managed to keep all the parts on my truck intact with all the lousy parking jobs by the other drivers. Not to put anyone down but the lot is kind of tight and represents a keen challenge to those who have not got the whole parking thing down.
I managed to fire up my computer and check for wireless networks and all that showed up with a signal was Siricomm. I figured that I would try out the wireless and paid $6.99 for one days use of the service. Well, let me tell you that I could have ran a phone line all the way to the building and set up dial up and had that be much faster. It was prone to drop frequently and really, was not worth the cost. Flying J has their wifi for $4.99 per day and a recurring charge acct is $19.95 per month and the added benefit is that you can get the Flying J network in other truck stops as well. A much better deal. I am at the TA in West Lancaster, Ohio and was pleasantly surprised to see Flying J network pop up. Convenience at a good price and it is fast.
Gotta wait until midnight to get some needed hours to get this load delivered to Meijer's warehouse in Middlebury, IN. 240 miles, 4 hrs 40 mins so says the computer. It is now raining and hopefully that stuff will do its best to peter out by the time I set to rolling. It is hot and I am running the truck facing the Idle Aire stalls. I was talking to a gentleman about the prices of the program. It works out with the Gold membership to be $1.85 per hour of use. That is not bad compared to the 3 bucks an hour for idling use. I personally cannot afford that and Jim Palmer has made no decision on the subject. Curtiss at orientation told me that drivers get to the point where they do not want to leave when they hook up to Idle Aire. Idle Aire is like crack to these guys I guess. Really, I think that JPT wants nothing to do with paying for anything for the driver even if it will save some money and wear and tear on the equipment. I suppose when I buy my own trucking company I will be posed with the same decision and come up with some baloney excuse for not setting something up.
Remember, no matter what you do, there is no happy. Sure there is happy at times but a life with all happy would be boring. That is why we marry. Dedication
I managed to fire up my computer and check for wireless networks and all that showed up with a signal was Siricomm. I figured that I would try out the wireless and paid $6.99 for one days use of the service. Well, let me tell you that I could have ran a phone line all the way to the building and set up dial up and had that be much faster. It was prone to drop frequently and really, was not worth the cost. Flying J has their wifi for $4.99 per day and a recurring charge acct is $19.95 per month and the added benefit is that you can get the Flying J network in other truck stops as well. A much better deal. I am at the TA in West Lancaster, Ohio and was pleasantly surprised to see Flying J network pop up. Convenience at a good price and it is fast.
Gotta wait until midnight to get some needed hours to get this load delivered to Meijer's warehouse in Middlebury, IN. 240 miles, 4 hrs 40 mins so says the computer. It is now raining and hopefully that stuff will do its best to peter out by the time I set to rolling. It is hot and I am running the truck facing the Idle Aire stalls. I was talking to a gentleman about the prices of the program. It works out with the Gold membership to be $1.85 per hour of use. That is not bad compared to the 3 bucks an hour for idling use. I personally cannot afford that and Jim Palmer has made no decision on the subject. Curtiss at orientation told me that drivers get to the point where they do not want to leave when they hook up to Idle Aire. Idle Aire is like crack to these guys I guess. Really, I think that JPT wants nothing to do with paying for anything for the driver even if it will save some money and wear and tear on the equipment. I suppose when I buy my own trucking company I will be posed with the same decision and come up with some baloney excuse for not setting something up.
Remember, no matter what you do, there is no happy. Sure there is happy at times but a life with all happy would be boring. That is why we marry. Dedication
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Virginia Is For Idiots
I have to say first of all, that I really do not have anything against Virginia. And when I come up with these titles I really want to emphasize that you or anyone else should take what I write in this thing with a sense of humor. I mean, I really don't want to offend anyone. I don't want anyone to end up in some therapy session with a cave man in the waiting room because I said Virginia is for idiots. I really don't want that to happen. But I am right, it is true. Let us visit the facts shall we?
In Virginia, on every on ramp to the freeway there is a sign that really sums up the intelligence level of the Virginia driving public. I am saying that this sign really shows the two-toed sloth, knuckle-dragging, somer teeth , one brain cell in good health holding up 2 million crippled half drunk brain cells sort of thinking that goes on in the head of the average Virginian. The sign I am referring to is a no left turn sign. That is, would you or any other average driver even think about turning straight left as you are merging on the freeway. I sure hope not. All this from the state that will give a trucker a ticket for using his flashers to warn drivers that he is going very slow going up a hill on the freeway. The State Patrol just loves it when stupid Virginia drivers with their heads up their butts smash into the rear ends of trucks because it must mean an abundance of overtime. But really, like most states of the caliber of Virginia, they just don't get it. And neither do the drivers here and that is why there are the stupid signs...
I delivered the happy little load I had in the greater Richmond area early this morning and promptly received a load picking up to the west 100 or so miles going to Indiana. I got there in a rush and was pleasantly surprised that he load was a drop and hook. I love them for the most part. That is unless your drop and hook is taking place near Laredo, TX. Seems like anything left in that area for more than 10 minutes ends up with missing parts. And to think these idiots in our government want to bring that whole element into our country through cheap, Mexican drivers. Most of the people that work in government if they do not live in Washington, D.C., live in Virginia. You see, all stupidity comes right back to Virginia.
My friend was rather miffed today that one of our drivers, who was at a rest area in Wyoming, parked for the night only to find himself blocked in when he wanted go head out. So he knocked on the doors of a couple trucks and asked them if they would oblige him by moving this way or that. He knocked on the door of a New Century Transportation truck and the inbred retard got mad at the fact that his parents are of the same sex and followed that up with being mad at the fact he was being woke up and assaulted the Jim Palmer driver injuring him badly. From what I understand he broke some bones and the driver might lose an eye as a result. You see one of these trucks...give them the finger for me. I mean it. Also, lets say a prayer for the driver as that could have been any one of us that could have happened to. I hope he recovers as good as new and finds himself the biggest asshole, shark, wrongful injury lawyer and sues the daylights out of anyone associated with the driver of that New Century Transportation truck.
Another friend was irritated today when he went in to a North Carolina truck stop. He has a brand new Peterbuilt with a brand new engine that consumes only the most ultra of ultra low sulfur diesel fuel. To sum it up: he had to run to the auto pumps with a Jerry can to get some needed fuel to his truck to give him hope of running to the next available stop. If the EPA is going to mandate these things in the trucking industry for the greater good of the environment, the least they can do is follow through and treat this new standard in a forthright manner and make that fuel available on a larger scale.
My final subject today is the continuing saga involving heartless American Corporations and the stupidity of doing business with a scumbag run country like China. China has over and over again fell way short on attention to detail when it comes to the public trust and the health of the American consumer.
-First there was the harmful chemicals in the dog and cat food that killed our pets.
-Then there was harmful chemicals in toothpaste...chemicals that are common to antifreeze.
-Then there was an essential adhesive band left out of the construction on truck tires. I just loved that one. The wholesaler responsible with eroding American jobs had the nerve to say that they could not afford to financially handle the recall.
-Then there was more harmful chemicals in toothpaste that was distributed through expensive hotel chains. Let me get this straight, you charge $250 plus a night for your hoity toity rooms and you can't afford an American supplier for small tubes of toothpaste? I think I will read the labels on my own tube of toothpaste and hit a Motel 6.
-Then there were reports that the seafood from China is mostly tainted and chemicals and growth hormones are being exposed to the seafood that is bad for the health of any who consume it. I get my fish from the end of my fishing pole and I proudly consume those nitrates knowing that the pollution is American.
-Then there is Fisher-Price and their Chinese made lead poisoning of children.
-Now there is Mattel and the fact that the same Chinese idiots managed to forget that children don't do well being poisoned by lead either.
I know I am probably missing a few of the recent news releases about the hazards of trusting a country that does not have our best interests at heart producing our products. There are reasons that the United States has regulations and laws that protect the consumer. The simple fact is that these companies have been allowed to place their reputations in the hands of a bunch of people that lose nothing when someone gets hurt by their lack of attention. It takes a very long time to start a business and gain a reputation as being good at it. It takes a lot of work to become a household name. It takes a very short time to lose all that you have worked for because of apathy, poor management, and taking the public trust for granted. What a shame.
I make my vote count when I make the cash register ring. Make sure that what you buy is made here in America. At least that way, if something goes wrong, you have someone to sue.
In Virginia, on every on ramp to the freeway there is a sign that really sums up the intelligence level of the Virginia driving public. I am saying that this sign really shows the two-toed sloth, knuckle-dragging, somer teeth , one brain cell in good health holding up 2 million crippled half drunk brain cells sort of thinking that goes on in the head of the average Virginian. The sign I am referring to is a no left turn sign. That is, would you or any other average driver even think about turning straight left as you are merging on the freeway. I sure hope not. All this from the state that will give a trucker a ticket for using his flashers to warn drivers that he is going very slow going up a hill on the freeway. The State Patrol just loves it when stupid Virginia drivers with their heads up their butts smash into the rear ends of trucks because it must mean an abundance of overtime. But really, like most states of the caliber of Virginia, they just don't get it. And neither do the drivers here and that is why there are the stupid signs...
I delivered the happy little load I had in the greater Richmond area early this morning and promptly received a load picking up to the west 100 or so miles going to Indiana. I got there in a rush and was pleasantly surprised that he load was a drop and hook. I love them for the most part. That is unless your drop and hook is taking place near Laredo, TX. Seems like anything left in that area for more than 10 minutes ends up with missing parts. And to think these idiots in our government want to bring that whole element into our country through cheap, Mexican drivers. Most of the people that work in government if they do not live in Washington, D.C., live in Virginia. You see, all stupidity comes right back to Virginia.
My friend was rather miffed today that one of our drivers, who was at a rest area in Wyoming, parked for the night only to find himself blocked in when he wanted go head out. So he knocked on the doors of a couple trucks and asked them if they would oblige him by moving this way or that. He knocked on the door of a New Century Transportation truck and the inbred retard got mad at the fact that his parents are of the same sex and followed that up with being mad at the fact he was being woke up and assaulted the Jim Palmer driver injuring him badly. From what I understand he broke some bones and the driver might lose an eye as a result. You see one of these trucks...give them the finger for me. I mean it. Also, lets say a prayer for the driver as that could have been any one of us that could have happened to. I hope he recovers as good as new and finds himself the biggest asshole, shark, wrongful injury lawyer and sues the daylights out of anyone associated with the driver of that New Century Transportation truck.
Another friend was irritated today when he went in to a North Carolina truck stop. He has a brand new Peterbuilt with a brand new engine that consumes only the most ultra of ultra low sulfur diesel fuel. To sum it up: he had to run to the auto pumps with a Jerry can to get some needed fuel to his truck to give him hope of running to the next available stop. If the EPA is going to mandate these things in the trucking industry for the greater good of the environment, the least they can do is follow through and treat this new standard in a forthright manner and make that fuel available on a larger scale.
My final subject today is the continuing saga involving heartless American Corporations and the stupidity of doing business with a scumbag run country like China. China has over and over again fell way short on attention to detail when it comes to the public trust and the health of the American consumer.
-First there was the harmful chemicals in the dog and cat food that killed our pets.
-Then there was harmful chemicals in toothpaste...chemicals that are common to antifreeze.
-Then there was an essential adhesive band left out of the construction on truck tires. I just loved that one. The wholesaler responsible with eroding American jobs had the nerve to say that they could not afford to financially handle the recall.
-Then there was more harmful chemicals in toothpaste that was distributed through expensive hotel chains. Let me get this straight, you charge $250 plus a night for your hoity toity rooms and you can't afford an American supplier for small tubes of toothpaste? I think I will read the labels on my own tube of toothpaste and hit a Motel 6.
-Then there were reports that the seafood from China is mostly tainted and chemicals and growth hormones are being exposed to the seafood that is bad for the health of any who consume it. I get my fish from the end of my fishing pole and I proudly consume those nitrates knowing that the pollution is American.
-Then there is Fisher-Price and their Chinese made lead poisoning of children.
-Now there is Mattel and the fact that the same Chinese idiots managed to forget that children don't do well being poisoned by lead either.
I know I am probably missing a few of the recent news releases about the hazards of trusting a country that does not have our best interests at heart producing our products. There are reasons that the United States has regulations and laws that protect the consumer. The simple fact is that these companies have been allowed to place their reputations in the hands of a bunch of people that lose nothing when someone gets hurt by their lack of attention. It takes a very long time to start a business and gain a reputation as being good at it. It takes a lot of work to become a household name. It takes a very short time to lose all that you have worked for because of apathy, poor management, and taking the public trust for granted. What a shame.
I make my vote count when I make the cash register ring. Make sure that what you buy is made here in America. At least that way, if something goes wrong, you have someone to sue.
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