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Phil Madsen's BlogLearning Something New Every Day |
Truck drivers Phil and Diane Madsen live, work and play on the road; transporting expedited and critical-shipment freight in their custom-built truck. Phil's blog is a blend of travelogue, brain dump and commentary on road-inspired topics.
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Blog entries are made so as not to reveal customer specifics or the current location of our truck. Entries are updated to include location information after we leave the area.. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Monday, December 1, 2008. I learned today about a business that is downsizing and how that affects one of its employees. Learned by talking to the employee.
We picked up a load this morning in Cleburne, Texas, which is a short drive (by Texas standards) from Fort Worth. The load was 30 pieces of computer equipment going from an office that was closing to a computer recycling center near Chicago.
A young man there opened up to us and said he was going to be unemployed. He shared his reasoning as to why it made no sense for the company to be ending his job when it was buying another company at the same time. The opinion was not strongly held or offered. He was just trying to make sense of his soon-to-be unemployed status. It was clear he had never lost a job before. He had no idea what he was going to do next or even what to think about it.
The truck drivers that were there to pick up equipment had jobs. The computer technician that was in to disconnect and inventory the equipment had a job. The carpenter that was doing some minor work on the soon-to-be-vacated office had a job. The people in the businesses next door had jobs. But this young man soon would not have a job. He had little energy and seemed stunned as he went about the work of closing down his workplace.
He provided a somber reminder that there is more to the recession than just hearing about it on the news. This is more than one company taking over another and shedding jobs. Because the economy is in a negative growth mode, this man will not have an easy time finding his next job.
I held back a joke that came to mind. In a lighter moment I might have said, "You could always be a truck driver." But those words are not as true as they once were. Most of the trucking companies that have not gone out of business are shrinking their fleets. Truck driving jobs are not as easy to come by as they once were.
We drove off feeling bad for the man, and grateful to have the job we do and the ability to weather the economic storm that is now underway. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Tuesday, December 2, 2008. I learned today of a non-chain restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana that serves really, really good food. Learned by dining there.
Living on the road like we do, Diane and I have eaten at a bunch of restaurants. Every now and then we happen on one where the food is fantastic. This was one of those times.
Being in town, we went to the restaurant to meet a friend who happened to be in town on business. He had already eaten when we arrived so we just did appetizers, but that was enough to sell us on the restaurant. We will be back. This is a place you can plan to visit and actually look forward to the delicious meal you will enjoy when you arrive.
People go out to eat for all sorts of reasons. You go out to eat because you are hungry, or to meet people, or because it is easier than cooking at home, or just to do something different. But think about it. When was the last time you went to a restaurant and hours before you arrived, you were looking forward to the great meal that awaited? You can go to this restaurant because the food actually tastes good! What a concept!
We delivered a load this morning near Chicago, Illinois, and then headed three hours east to Fort Wayne. Our truck dealer is there as well as our tire dealer of choice. We have appointments with both tomorrow.
Oops! I almost forgot. The restaurant is the Guesthouse Grill. It is the hotel restaurant at Don Hall's Guest House in Fort Wayne, Indiana (I-69, Exit 111B). Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Wednesday, December 3, 2008. I learned today several manifestations of the recession in progress. Learned by talking to people in the town where we went for truck maintenance and tires.
As we got the truck worked on I talked to mechanics, sales people and managers, opening with the question, "How's business?" "Slow," "The pits," and "So-so" were typical responses. Then they followed with stories about people who had it worse than them.
The stories were about the full day shift of mechanics that was sent home from a truck dealer's shop because there was no work to do, the truck driver who has no steel beams to haul because his customer (the beam maker) has no orders, the employer who's mechanic is sitting in a chair reading magazines, and the top sales representative who was told to drive two hours to his home office only to find out he had been called in to be fired.
The people we were in town to do business with have their doors open and at least some work to do. These are some of our favored truck service providers. We trust them. It would be a bid disappointment if they had to close their doors too. We expect they will make it intact through the recession.
All of today was dedicated to truck maintenance. We left just under $2,000 with our truck dealer. It covered fluid changes, air conditioning repair, extra sets of winter wiper blades, replacement curtains for the inside of the cab and some custom wiring we had done. The next stop was the tire store where we bought eight new drive tires for the truck and had a wheel alignment done.
This stuff adds up. As we left the Volvo dealer, Diane looked at the bill and let out a big sigh. Yea, I know, I said, but would we want to do anything other than keep the truck in perfect working order? We both know that in the long run, that is the least expensive way to operate a truck.
We have driven past a lot of Volvo dealers and tire stores to get the work done here. We trust these vendors more than all others. They are competent and fair. Knowing the work will be done right makes it easier to pay the bills.
Back to the tires, I am very pleased with their performance. Our eight rear tires came with the truck. They have 330,000 miles on them and about 6/32" of tread depth remaining. The legal limit is 2/32" but with winter driving ahead we wanted to replace the tires now. We received a good credit for the old tires with 6/32" remaining. The dealer will be able to sell them as used tires to someone else.
Before leaving town, we made a special trip to the restaurant I wrote about yesterday. It was well worth the trip. Yum! Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Thursday, December 4, 2008. I learned today that it is cold in Huntsville, Alabama. Learned by receiving a phone call from a friend and fellow expediter who is there.
It has been a busy day on the phone. Four expediters called to visit about this and that and nothing out of the ordinary. I probably spent three hours chatting away. This is a fun job in that regard. You meet new people several times a week and create friendships with some of them.
The first line is almost always the same among truckers. "Where 'ya at?" It seems important to get that established in your mind before the conversation goes too far. One was in Minnesota waiting for freight. Another had just delivered in Alabama. Another was rolling eastbound in Ohio, on her way to Massachusetts. The fourth was in Indiana getting ready to haul a load to Chicago.
With the way truckers get to know the country and stay in touch, they could have just as easily been next door. There are a lot of miles between us, but truckers who choose to stay in touch are always close. We drive the same roads, cross the same scales, deliver to the same places, use the same truck stops, sleep in the same places, etc. When my friend said he was in Huntsville, the area came instantly to mind and it was very easy to imagine where he was and what he was doing.
I had plenty of time to talk. Today was another truck repair and maintenance day. The repairs are minor and the maintenance is planned. With this stop now completed, I don't know of anything on the truck that needs to be repaired, except a couple cosmetic blemishes. Our "Little Putt Putt" is in perfect running order.
I took a few minutes alone in the shop today to just look at and appreciate the truck. I scanned it from top to bottom and front to rear. I thought of the major components that have been performing as designed, the little modifications we have made, and the repairs we have done.
It's an amazing machine, our truck. And not just our truck, but any commercial vehicle that moves goods across the country. It carries tons of freight from one precise location to another. It cruises thousands of miles with little fuss. It is fun to drive.
Trucks provide an army of drivers with shelter on the road and the opportunity to earn a living. They carry everything from a tiny package to massive pieces of machinery.
You know those big fans you see on wind farms? Trucks carry those. Do you happen to work with dissected dogs? Trucks carry those too. The next TV show you watch ... the production equipment was carried by trucks, as was the camera footage from which the show was made. The actor trailers were pulled by trucks. Trucks brought the TV you use to watch the show.
It is just plain fun to drive a truck; even more so when you have come to know every square inch of the thing over 330,000 miles and 2.5 years, and you know it is in perfect running order.
Yep. We like our truck. And we are happy as clams being part of the army of truck drivers that keeps America moving. Business is slow right now but that does not change how we feel about this job. It is the best job we have ever had.
We were out of the shop by noon today and waited there for our next load offer. None came. The vendor is ARI, our sleeper manufacturer. They offer complimentary shore power which made it undesirable to go anywhere else. We spent the night there not having to run the generator to stay warm. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Friday, December 5, 2008. I learned today (again) that wonders never cease. Learned by talking to a friend who drove a tractor to get a tire fixed as he prepares to pick up a trailer and head out on the road.
That would be a routine event with most drivers on most days. Not so with this driver on this day. He is Glen Rice, a dear friend of ours who a while back was deemed by the Social Security Administration to be totally and permanently disabled.
Glen and his wife Jan were severely injured in a horrific car/truck accident in December, 2003. No one believed either one of them would ever drive a truck again. Today I can't believe it myself but Glen is giving it a go.
I wrote on Tuesday about meeting a friend at a restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana. That was Glen. He was there to attend his carrier's driver orientation class and get into a truck. Now he is in it and doing the things truckers do.
The Social Security rules allow people who are drawing disability benefits to try working for a while without loosing the benefits. If this does not work out, Glen can return home and still get by.
But that's the thing about Glen Rice. He does not know how to quit. He is not one to let something like a permanently and totally disabled designation stand between him and the effort to recover enough to get back on the road again. A lot of people would not even try to go back to work if they were so designated. Not Glen. He is a trucker that cannot not truck.
His doctor has cleared him to try. He has passed the DOT physical. His safety department knows about his accident, injuries and recovery. They all say it is OK for him to drive a big rig. I'm happy that he is happy to be back in a truck, but I worry too and he knows it.
There is no question that he is in better shape than he has been when we have seen him at other times since the accident. Maybe it's that I don't understand the guy. I've never met anyone with more drive than him. I'm happy for him. I'm worried about him. I am astounded by his recovery and new work. I see it happening but cannot believe he is back in a truck. When I pray for the man, I don't even know what to say.
We woke up this morning in Shipshewana, Indiana still waiting for a load offer. Receiving none and worried about getting skunked over the weekend, we decided to drive to Chicago where the freight prospects are better. That turned out to be a good choice. An hour after arriving, we accepted an offer that paid well enough to cover not just the load but the deadhead miles we drove on our own dime.
The load picks up on Monday. A Friday pickup would have been better, of course, but in these slow-freight times we are happy to take what we can get. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Saturday, December 6, 2008. I learned today how to find thousands of points of interest and download them into our GPS device. Learned by discovering the POI Factory.com web site and using it.
The Garmin Nuvi 750 GPS device we purchased and mounted on the truck dashboard a few months ago has been very useful and well worth the price. I spent some time today reading the manual and learning more about its features. Another driver shared online a link to the POI Factory which I explored today. What a great find!
Having been on the road for five years, we of course know how to find fuel stops and campgrounds and grocery stores. It's just that these points of interest files installed on our Garmin make it so much easier.
By the way, we call her Gertrude. The device calls out directions in a female voice. Another team we met on the road named their GPS Gertrude. The idea stuck and we named ours the same. At times, it is very much like having a third person in the truck. When planning a route, one of us might say to the other, "What does Gertrude say?" Or when she is telling me to make a turn I do not want to make, it's, "Yes dear. Be patient. I know what I am doing."
If you are a reader who is considering taking up life on the road, a GPS device is not a necessity but it is a big, big plus. If you can afford one it is wise to buy one. The technology and products are constantly changing. You will find this recent online discussion to be of special interest regarding GPS devices and their use in trucks.
Being dispatched to pick up a Monday load, we spent last night in a Chicago suburb. It snowed overnight so we decided to head toward the pickup early. That kept our truck safely out of the way of the snowplows that were arriving to clear the lot. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Sunday, December 7, 2008. I learned today what the temperatures are in certain corners of our sleeper when the outside temp is +8 degrees Fahrenheit. Learned by checking the temps with our infrared thermometer.
The infrared thermometer is a neat little tool that we use to check the outside temperature of temperature-controlled freight before loading it. We do that to protect against freight damage claims. A load may have a set point of +40F for transport. But when we arrive to pick it up, it may have been sitting at room temperature or even hot summer temps for several hours.
By shooting the temp, documenting it and having the shipper initial the note, any spoiled-product claim the consignee may make will settle not on us but on the shipper that failed to keep the freight in a temperature-controlled environment. This happens most often at airports where the freight comes off a plane and sits among hundreds of other shipments in large, chaotic warehouses.
In five-plus years of hauling freight, we are very proud to say that we have never had a freight damage claim made against us. The infrared thermometer is one of the reasons why. It's not that some claims have been made and judged as groundless. It's that no claim has ever been made. Our customers like the good work we do and we are proud to do it.
When driving on hot summer days, the thermometer has another good use. I use it to check the temps of each truck tire and wheel. If one was hotter than the rest it would signal a problem. Knowing your tire temps reduces the concern about having a blowout when driving in 112 degree desert heat.
This morning it was just 8 degrees outside. As I woke up, it came to mind to use the thermometer to check temps in the sleeper. Our ARI sleeper is a great, great product. Unlike many truck sleepers, our ARI sleeper keeps us cool in the summer and warm in the winter. But on a cold winter night, what about the water in the pipes and tanks in storage compartments with outside walls?
When I saw the thermometer readings I was surprised to see compartment temps to be just as warm as the inside of the sleeper. That is fantastic! This ARI sleeper just gets better and better. The more we use it, the better we like it.
We are laid over south of Chicago this weekend, waiting to pick up freight on Monday. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Monday, December 8, 2008. I learned today that the police station in Harvey, Illinois was raided by the FBI. Learned by reading about it in the news.
The story caught our eye because today's pickup was in Harvey. Stories like this trouble us. Traveling from place to place as we do, we rely on local police, fire and medical people to keep us safe and back us up. When the police department is corrupt and focused on legal problems of its own making, it makes 911 less of a resource to be counted on.
We picked up several boxes of industrial chemicals and drove overnight to Kansas City to deliver them. The weather made it an interesting drive.
A large winter storm was affecting much of country. Our route took us to Des Moines, Iowa and then south to Kansas City. It was raining with temperatures at 34F. A two-degree drop would put us on a skating rink.
Using the internet, we checked temperatures as we drove west on I-80. Just north of Des Moines it was below freezing. As the evening progressed, temperatures could be expected to drop. We so wanted to get to Des Moines where we could turn south and into warmer temperatures.
An hour later, the temperature dropped to 33F. An hour after that we were turning south on I-35 and breathing a sigh of relief. We dodged the bullet and avoided the freezing rain. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Tuesday, December 9, 2008. I learned today what the inside of a shop looks like where train engines are maintained. Learned by delivering a load to one.
After that early morning delivery, we went to the TA truck stop in Oak Grove, Missouri for fuel and the Petro truck stop across the freeway to wait for freight. Oak Grove is about 30 miles east of Kansas City. Fuel is less expensive at the TA. The facilities are nicer at the Petro.
When we woke up from our morning nap the predicted wind and snow had begun. It was nothing serious, just a couple inches, but enough to keep us hoping for a run to Florida. The day passed with no offers. Then, just as rush hour was starting, a short run came in that we accepted. It would send us first to the south end of the city and then to the north end ... in rush hour, in the snow.
The first leg went worse than expected, and we did not expect much. Traffic ground to a halt immediately. Cars were slip-sliding everywhere. At times we were driving on glare ice. It was a mess.
There was no way we could make the pickup on time and that worried the customer. He had hot freight that needed to get on a plane by 8:30 p.m. so it could get to his customer in Oregon by morning. By the time we arrived, the shipper had resolved himself to getting the freight on the next flight out. That was not good news for him or his customer, but given the weather, there was nothing anyone could do about it.
It took us over three hours to get across town. Except for a frozen padlock on the back of the truck, the pickup went fine and we were in and out quickly. (If you have a frozen lock on your truck, heat water in the microwave to thaw it out.)
Heading to the airport, we were thrilled to see all traffic and roads cleared. We drove at the speed limit and got the freight there in time to catch the plane. We delivered to a FedEx facility. Even though we arrived after 8:30, people were waiting there to move the freight. The plane had not left. A forklift driver grabbed the freight and sped across the large warehouse to get it on the plane.
It is a Purple Promise thing. The FedEx Purple Promise is "I will make every customer experience outstanding." A bunch of FedEx folks came through for our customer with this load and the customer was thrilled. They include the dispatchers in Ohio, the supervisor at the airport, the fork lift driver and everyone else involved in getting regulated freight (paperwork issues) quickly off a truck and onto a plane.
After completing the delivery, we went to a nearby Wal-Mart to pick up some items, park and sleep. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Wednesday, December 10, 2008. I learned today what the greatest loading dock I have ever seen looks like. Learned by seeing it.
After delivering last night's load to the Kansas City airport, we went to a nearby Wal-Mart to shop, park and sleep. Dispatch woke us up early in the morning with a load that we accepted and immediately headed out to pick up. The pickup was in a small town in Western Kansas. The loading dock at this otherwise unremarkable plant was spectacular.
Loading docks come in all shapes and sizes. Some are indoor, some are out. Some are in good working order, some are not. Some are well lit, some are dark. Some are safe, some are dangerous. The loading dock we used today was the best I have ever seen.
A pleasantly-high door opened to admit the truck. That is a good start. A lot of indoor docks have doors beat up by tall trucks hitting the top of them. (Listen up, architects! Trucks are tall. Doors for trucks should be taller.)
In daylight, it is usually difficult to see into an indoor dock as the inside lighting is darker than sunlight. Not so at this, the best loading dock I have ever seen. The lighting was as brilliant inside as it was out. And beyond that, bright yellow lights on the dock indicated the location of the dock bumpers.
The door was wider than some we have backed through but not spacious. That was not a problem. Freshly painted yellow lines began well outside the door and flowed uninterrupted to the dock bumpers. The lines and lots of space outside made it easy to line the truck up well before backing through the door.
Missing from this door was gashes made by trucks backing into the walls. (Listen up architects! Trucks are wide and difficult to maneuver. Doors for trucks should be wider and have maneuver space ahead of them.)
Other features of this great dock included clean floors, friendly people, safe steps, room to move safely between other trucks also at the dock, heated room, clean driver rest rooms, water fountain, and more.
Forgive me for getting all wound up about a loading dock. It is just nice to see one done right for a change. A manifestation of loading dock excellence it was!
After loading, we headed out on an overnight run to Chicago. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Thursday, December 11, 2008. I learned today about a company that makes butt cushions. Learned from the butt cushion company employees.
According to them, "If you can sit on it, we can cushion it." It occurred to me that these jovial people probably know more about human butts than most people alive, but I kept that thought to myself. It was late and I was not in the mood for an enthusiastically delivered education on the human down under.
Today's load picked up in a small town southwest of Chicago and delivered near Saint Louis, Missouri. What are you sitting on right now? If it is cushioned, it may have come from Saint Louis. A few months from now, if it is cushioned, it may have come from Saint Louis and be held together with adhesives we delivered to the butt cushion factory.
You can thank a truck driver for your toilet paper too. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Friday, December 12, 2008. I learned today that I may never become a successful stock index options trader. Learned by reviewing my practice trading results to date.
We delivered a load last night and waited most of the day for freight. That gave me time to work more on my day trading techniques. As regular readers know, I have been focused on this for some time.
The idea now is to use the system I developed to produce ten winning trades before trading with real money. Making ten winning trades will tell me how many losing trades will happen along the way.
It is OK to have more losers than winners, as long as you cut your losses quickly on the losers and let your profits run on the winners. That is about as profound as saying, "Buy low, sell high." Obvious? Yes. Easy to do? No.
The good news is I am not getting wiped out. Over a number of practice trades I end up a little ahead one day, a little behind the next, and a little ahead or behind on subsequent days. The bad news is, this is a heck-of-a-lot of effort to put into something that does no better than breakeven. I may never figure it out but am not ready to give up just yet.
It is an accomplishment of sorts to not get wiped out. The next step is to find the edge that will produce a substantial net gain over a number of trades, and do it again over still more trades. Ninety percent of the people who trade options lose money. While it is good to figure out how to avoid falling into that group, it remains for me to figure out how to make options trading lucrative enough to be worth the time.
Late in the day we received and accepted a load that picks up and delivers on Monday. That gives us another weekend off when we would rather be hauling freight. Oh well. It gives me more time to study options trading. There is year-end business paperwork to be done too, and laundry, and a generator oil change, and a light repair on the truck, and woodwork in the sleeper to oil, wiper blades to be changed, winter dirt to be cleaned off the floor in the back, etc.
Oh yea, there is some Expedite NOW writing to do too. The weekend will go fast. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Saturday, December 13, 2008. I learned today about the book, Attract, Engage & Retain Top Talent: 50 Plus One Strategies Used by the Best. Learned by previewing it online.
The book was co-authored by Donna de St. Aubin and Brian Carlsen. Brian is a college classmate of mine. A few weeks ago he found my blog and reached out to reconnect. I am so very glad he did. Our days at Augsburg College in Minneapolis were among the best of our lives. It was just great to connect with an old friend and classmate. It is a big step to publish one's first book. I hope it does well.
My day was not so lofty. I spent all of it at a truck stop and some of it under the truck. The weather was mild for winter; about 40F, cloudy, moderate winds. Laid over in Southern Illinois for the weekend and with showers nearby, it was a good time to do maintenance work on the truck. The hot cup of cocoa Diane had waiting for me when I got back in the truck was the best part of the day. Sometimes the little things say everything. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Sunday, December 14, 2008. I learned today about a woman who recently forgave God. Learned from the woman who spoke about it in church today.
Her son committed suicide fifteen years ago (though she retains doubts about it really being suicide) and she had been angry with God for that long. Today she stood up in the church we visited and said she had forgiven God.
I don't know anything about her beyond what she shared, but I believe her to be one of the most authentic human beings I have ever heard speak. She was angry with God and knew it. To admit that in front of a group of believers is a courageous act.
Many would deem it inappropriate for someone to be angry at God and would try to help God by helping her not be angry any more ... as if God was not God enough to suffer a human's rage. Or they may try to help themselves by trying to move her into their personal comfort zone by changing her mind about how she feels and what she believes.
If you happen to be angry with God, I believe the thing to do is not to keep it to yourself, or pretend it does not exist, or believe there is something wrong with you because you are angry at God. The thing to do is to tell God you are angry and keep telling him until you are angry no more. God is God. He is big enough to handle any anger you send his way. Being angry with God is OK. Being dishonest with God or yourself about how you feel is not.
This was quite the church we visited today; West Salem Trinity United Methodist Church in Mount Vernon, Illinois. It was one of the most friendly, vibrant and open congregations we have seen in a while. These people were clearly grounded in their faith and enjoyed each other's fellowship.
As usual, we tried to visit the church unnoticed. There was no chance of that here. We blew it by arriving 45 minutes early for worship. I had the time wrong. Being the only people then in the hallway, a member spotted us and invited us to join the adult Sunday school class then in progress.
We said that would be fine if she could sneak us inconspicuously into some back seats. It turned out that the class was in a room behind a closed door. When she opened the door and ushered us in, all eyes were on us and there was no way to avoid being introduced and welcomed.
As visitors, we were busted. After class, and before and after the service one person after another approached to greet and welcome us. The pastor sealed the deal by introducing us to the entire congregation early in the service.
It's not a terrible thing to be welcomed but it seems like a lot of bother for people to go to when it is almost certain that we will never visit the church again. We don't make it to church every Sunday, but after five years on the road, our travels are such that we have yet to visit the same church twice. That is not because we do not want to come back. It is simply because the freight goes where it goes. Being the ones hauling the stuff, we go where it goes.
After church, we dodged traffic and trotted across a busy five-lane street to get back to the truck. It was parked near the church in a grocery store lot. With sleet forecast and some driving to do, we headed out to beat the bad weather. Another winter storm is shaping up and we may find ourselves in the middle of it when we pick up freight tomorrow morning. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Monday, December 15, 2008. I learned today about a small town in Indiana. Learned by spending yesterday and part of today there before picking up freight.
The town has a nice laundromat, some historic buildings, a DQ, friendly people and a host of features common to most small Indiana towns. We spent last night in one of three truck parking places at a small convenience store in that town.
It was an ordinary day. Diane did laundry in the laundromat. I successfully resisted the DQ three times (that is not ordinary). Before bed, I got a big laugh watching a cat in a dumpster.
When we researched this industry as a career choice, it never came to mind and no one ever told us that if we became truck drivers, we would see more dumpsters than ever before. Cars park in front. Trucks park where the dumpsters are. Customers use the front doors. Employees use employee entrances. Truckers use driver entrances, near the dumpsters.
We will be home for Christmas soon. One of the treats will be to drive a borrowed car to a store, park in front, and enter the building through the front door ... just like real people!
So, anyway, we are parked near a convenience store dumpster, after dark, on a cold, drizzly night. The store would close soon and the lot was quiet. An alley ran behind the store with the store wall on one side and a tall board fence on the other.
Do you ever just sit and look out the window? President Eisenhower is known to have spent time looking out the window of the Oval Office. He used to stand in front of the window and think. I know of truckers that have spent entire weekends at a truck stop looking out the window. If you walk around New York City in the summer and look up, you will often see people seated in front of open apartment windows, looking out.
At college, my dorm room was on the 8th floor. I spent many hours looking out my room window and the lounge window at the city below. As young boys, my brother and I visited one of our aunts and uncles one week each summer. They lived in a city apartment. We spent hours looking out their windows at the people and traffic below. Diane and I have made special trips to tall towers to get to the top and look out the windows. Some hotels have stayed at have memorable windows.
So, anyway, we are parked near a convenience store dumpster, after dark, on a cold, drizzly night. Feeling relaxed, content and not needing to do anything else, I was seated in the driver's seat, looking out the window.
A white cat with a black tail popped through a hole in the fence and into the alley. It was making its clearly-familiar rounds. The cat trotted to the store dumpster and leapt up into it without breaking stride. With people in town getting ready for bed, the night shift was starting for the cats. I wondered how many more would be along.
A moment later the store manager came out the front door carrying a large white garbage bag. I smiled as I could see what was about to happen. Walking briskly to get quickly out of the drizzle, the man started his windup as he approached the dumpster. When he got close, he pitched the bag through the open door intending to keep moving and get back inside.
The bag startled the cat as much as the cat startled the man. When the bag hit the inside of the dumpster, the cat screamed and bounded out the door. Both of the man's feet left the ground as the cat startled him. He headed rapidly back to the store, looking back three times for the cat. Being easily amused, I laughed for fifteen minutes at the sight.
Some truckers spend thousands of dollars to put big-screen entertainment systems in their custom-built sleepers. I have my window.
Stay tuned for Dumpster Action, Part Two. Coming soon to a blog near you!
Actually, there are a number of dumpster stories I could tell. When you spend many of your nights nights where the dumpsters are, the story collection grows and grows. We got into this business partly to see the country. Seeing the country's dumpsters is an added bonus. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Tuesday, December 16, 2008. I learned today that a newbie expediter we met in orientation over a year ago is still in the business and happy as a clam. Learned by meeting him at a shipper today.
The man is like many of the folks we meet in our travels; someone we happen to meet and greet, and that's about it. This man was in a class with us a while back. When he saw us at a shipper in Louisville, Kentucky, he approached to say hello. He has been with the company over a year and was proud to share that he had worked his way up to the kind of freight we were there to pick up.
I have been focused on the recession and the fact that our revenue this year will be less than last year. Then along comes this guy who is tickled pink and proud as a peacock to be doing the work that seems routine to us.
It made me sad. If someone asked, I would identify myself as a happy person and positive thinker. But seeing this guy made me realize I have been grumpy as can be in recent weeks. I have more blessings than I can count and have focused instead on this year's results compared to last.
In this month of slow freight, gray days and long nights, it may be wise to make a proactive effort to brighten my views. Maybe I should stop listening to business podcasts when I drive and enjoy some music instead. Instead of reading about stock index option trading all the time, I should read something fun and inspirational.
I believe that you feel how you choose to feel. Today's chance meeting of a happy colleague drove that point home. It irritated me that he was so happy and nice, and saddened me that I was not.
While we were waiting for a dock to open a the Qualcomm unit beeped with a load offer. Diane picked it up to read the message aloud, as is our custom.
"Offer." she said. "Pickup in _______, West Virginia, ... Oooooo! We're taking this one!" she said without reading further. The load will deliver close to home, one week before Christmas and pays well too!
The joy of that load faded fast as we turned our attention to the current load. This load picked up at 6:00 p.m. We would be driving overnight to Maryland in bad weather. Between us and our Christmas load stood the Appalachian Mountains and a long night of rain, sleet and snow. If the roads turn to ice we may lose the next load because we cannot deliver this load and get to the next pickup in time. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Wednesday, December 17, 2008. I learned today that one type of HAZMAT freight is not compatible with another. Learned when both types were loaded onto our truck and then offloaded when the error was discovered.
At today's pickup we backed up to an outdoor dock. Using a forklift, the shipper brought out four pieces, one at a time, from a building about 50 yards away. Altogether, the load was two skids (pallets) and two 25 lbs. cardboard boxes. It was an easy load. Once the pieces were in the truck and secured, the next step was the paperwork.
I would have noticed it when looking at the paperwork and checking it against the labels on the freight but a woman on the dock spotted it first. We had two kinds of HAZMAT (hazardous material) freight on the truck. Some types of HAZMAT are not compatible with others and this needed to be checked. Sure enough, the freight was incompatible, meaning it is not legal to transport both kinds of freight in the same truck.
At that point I got seriously worried that this load was going to cancel and we were going to lose the freight that will take us home under load. I looked the materials up in the HAZMAT books we carry in the truck. The materials were incompatible. I called dispatch to discuss the compatibility issue. Maybe there was an exception in the rules I did not know about. The dispatcher said the items were incompatible.
I asked to have the question bumped up to someone who trains dispatchers and drivers on HAZMAT. The instructor confirmed the items were incompatible. The shipper had HAZMAT experts she could call. She did and they also confirmed the items were incompatible.
Shit.
There was nothing more to do but unload the truck, which I did with the shipper's help. We have had our share of disappointments lately. I was not looking forward to emotionally processing another one.
One way or another we would get home for Christmas. With this load gone we still had time to receive other offers. Hopefully a load would come that would get us closer to home before we drove the rest of the way at our own expense. This load was hard to beat, delivering just 70 miles from home, but it was vanishing before my eyes.
We were that close. This is not like a load that cancels before we arrive to pick it up. This freight was actually on our truck and it had been put there by people who wanted it shipped. But now it sat on the dock, leaving me to wonder how we were going to get home for Christmas.
Then the woman pointed to one of the small boxes and said, "They need this one more than the others. I'll go back to the office and redo the paperwork and return in a few minutes."
"Thank God!" I said to myself and breathed a sigh of relief. The load was going after all. Instead of four pieces weighing 3,300 lbs. it would be one piece weighing 25 lbs. I loaded and secured the box, the woman returned with the paperwork and we were happily on our way. We will deliver 70 miles from home tomorrow afternoon and be home for Christmas!
Back to the HAZMAT thing. I already knew that some kinds of HAZMAT are incompatible with others. I even knew this particular type of HAZMAT was incompatible with the other type that was on our truck. We learn such things in the HAZMAT courses we are required to attend. But when working with HAZMAT, it is best to pretend you don't know what you think you know and look it up instead.
HAZMAT is a complex topic. The consequences of being wrong can be severe, not only because you might blow yourself up or kill yourself and innocent people with toxic gas, but because if law enforcement finds you with the wrong materials or paperwork on the truck you are in deep, deep trouble.
Did I really learn something new today when I already knew it before? Because it is HAZMAT, the answer is yes. With HAZMAT, even if I think I know the answer, I always need to learn something new. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Thursday, December 18, 2008. I learned today that the company we delivered to is shutting down for two weeks to reduce expenses. Learned from the unhappy dock worker who told us.
We drove overnight from West Virginia and delivered a load this afternoon just 70 miles from home in Minnesota. This is great! A week before Christmas we get a load that takes us home. In expediting we seldom know where we will go next and even less seldom get loads that take us home. To get a load that takes us home when we also have plans to be there is wonderful.
The news the dock worker shared about his company illustrates how the recession is striking closer and closer to home. We have hauled outgoing loads for this company before. The company will be shut down when we go back in service next week. That is one less source of freight in this area when we will be looking for freight to haul.
Chrysler is closing all of its plants for 30 days in January. General Motors has also announced significant temporary plant shutdowns. Thousands of other shippers are making similar cuts or have gone out of business altogether. When freight declines, the number of loads instantly goes down while the number of trucks remains the same.
We will be ready to roll next week. That does not mean we will be rolling. If a load pops up in our area, drivers may be willing to haul it for less money or drive further to get it than would otherwise be the case.
We do not haul freight at breakeven rates or a loss. As shippers choose low prices and put their freight on money-losing trucks, it could easily turn out that we end up spending more time at home than we wish. That is OK. At home or on the road, we are content to sit instead of hauling money-losing freight. Truck owners cannot haul money-losing freight forever. As they fail, the ratio of available freight to available trucks will rebalance.
Because we are debt free and have financial reserves, we don't have to chase money-losing freight to get the immediate cash needed to make last month's truck payment, or fill our fuel tanks above half, or pay down the credit card enough to cover the tire that blew at an inconvenient time, or send in the estimated tax payment that is already two months overdue. We have the luxury of waiting for the profitable freight to find its way onto our truck. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Friday, December 19, 2008. I learned today that stock index options trading is not easy. It is hard. Learned by reading that statement in a book and from everything I have learned so far about trading.
We are home now and will stay here through Christmas Day. We will be back in service and available to haul freight on Friday morning, December 26.
Two books that I ordered on trading were waiting for me at home. I got to them first thing after breakfast. On November 3, I talked about reading more books about trading. At the time I thought I would be further along than I am now but that is not the case. I had hoped to be trading with real money by now and making profits. It ain't happening and won't be anytime soon.
When researching something new, there comes a point when it does not matter what book you pick up, article you read or person you talk to. The subject addressed will be something you have at least heard about before. I thought I would be at that point by now but am not.
This is a difficult topic, more difficult than anything I studied in college. It is less like a college course and more like a college major. The stakes are higher and more immediate. In college you complete a course, get your grade and move on. With trading, there is no "done." There is always more to learn. The only grade you get is the gain or loss in your trading account balance. And if a failing grade is given, there is no professor to argue with or course material to criticize. You have only yourself to blame.
I don't like it, but am surrendering to the fact that learning how to trade may require more like 20 books to read instead of five and months of practice trading instead of weeks. When I say learning how to trade, I do not mean becoming a professional trader. I mean gaining the ability to use entry-level strategies to enter the markets with real money and exit with more money over a meaningful period of time with a meaningful number of trades. I mean getting started without getting wiped out and profiting enough to make trading worth the time.
The books are uniformly clear on one thing. Most people (90% or more) who try trading lose more money than they make. This is a dangerous, dangerous game.
I have put a lot of time into this and have no financial benefits to show. I learned some valuable lessons from my early, real-money losses and have not repeated those mistakes. The lure of making money by trading is as strong as ever so I continue studying and practicing.
I am not in this to lose or break even. I am in to win. If 90% of the people who try trading lose, 10% win. I believe I can become one of them and continue to study their ways.
Our week off for Christmas will not be a week off from work. We will use our home time to do some truck maintenance, catch up on the mail, complete our year-end paperwork and get as much income tax work done as we can.
We track every penny we earn and spend, which leads to a fair amount of bookkeeping. Many businesspeople would laugh at the bookkeeping simplicity of a one-truck business. The simplest store has many customers and thousands of transactions a month. We have one customer (our carrier) and less than 2,000 transactions a year. Still, we feel our paperwork burden is high and it requires time off the road to complete it.
We could reduce the burden by paying service providers to do the paperwork, but we like to know where every penny comes from and goes. Doing the paperwork ourselves keeps us close to our transaction information, which helps us make better business decisions.
After a meal at the table last night and a shower this morning, I am already looking forward to getting back on the road. Life at home is OK. Life on the road is better. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Saturday, December 20, 2008. We are home for Christmas now. Blogging will resume when we get back on the road.
Happy holidays to my blog readers. Your interest and feedback has made our life more pleasant and interesting on the road. May your holiday season and new year be one of peace, prosperity and good health. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Saturday, December 27, 2008. I am feeling very sad this evening. A good friend of ours died the day before Christmas and it is just now beginning to settle in that he won't be around any more.
His name is Tim. Back when we were driving fleet-owner trucks, we drove one of his for a while. We stayed in touch after moving on, talking every now and then by phone and breaking bread when we were near Columbus, Ohio, where he lived. Tim leaves a number of family members behind, including his wife who we never met, his school-age children who we did meet, and some siblings. We got to know Pat, one of Tim's brothers. Pat runs a number of trucks and helped get Tim into the fleet-owner business. The two were very close.
We had planned to go back in service and onto the road from home. We will instead drive the truck to Columbus to attend the funeral on Tuesday. Tim was our friend. We want to be there when his family and friends pray, remember, celebrate, grieve and say goodbye. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Monday, December 29, 2008. I learned today how to troubleshoot a truck that will not start. Learned by doing it.
We were all packed and ready go to the funeral I mentioned above. When it came time to start the truck, it cranked but would not start. That is a first. We have owned the truck since June, 2006 and put over 334,000 miles on it. It has always started. I wrote on December 3 about the truck being in perfect running order. That did not last long, did it?
The truck had been sitting for several days and in sub-zero weather some of the time. Two days ago, I went out and ran it for 30 minutes just to make sure everything was fine and would stay that way. The truck started like it always does and ran like a top.
After college and before seminary, I completed an auto mechanics course at Dunwoody Industrial Institute in Minneapolis and later worked part time and full time as a mechanic. I am not without mechanical skills but have no experience with trucks beyond basic maintenance and the occasional roadside or shade-tree repair.
By reading trucking magazines month after month and listening to drivers talk, I have gained a sense of some things. Freshly showered and ready to roll, The absolute last thing I wanted to do was crawl around under a truck as the sun set and time pressed us to leave, but I had no choice.
To make a long story short, I called friends and my truck dealer for advice — to be sure I did not miss a step — and tried everything they suggested. That included removing a fuel filter which is a messy job. The freshly laundered work jacket I wore did not last a half-day before getting dirty and smelling of fuel. Truckers know the story; dark, cold, hard ground, fuel on bare hands, frustration that you have to do it, hope and near certainty that the step you are doing now is the step that will get the truck running, rehearsing the war story in your mind to share with drivers the next time war stories are told.
Sadly, nothing I did got the truck started again. We learned a lot about what was the problem was not, but nothing about what the problem was.
The point came where too much time had passed and there was no way we would make it to the funeral on time with the truck. I gave up on the truck and went in the house to check flight schedules. It was late in the day. There were no flights leaving that could get us there on time.
This was not a fun way to end the day. Having decided to attend the funeral we were committed and eager to be there. Yesterday, we let Tim's brother, Pat, know we would be there with the truck. Just after I learned that we could not fly to Columbus, Pat called, very excited to assure us there was ample truck parking at the church and that we could drive the truck in the procession to the cemetery if we wished. My heart sank as I told him we would not be there.
He said the viewing was packed elbow-to-elbow and that at least 200 people were there. Other drivers would be attending the funeral, and we would not. We were out of time, out of options and there was nothing left to do but feel bad about missing an event we wanted to attend.
We had earlier sent flowers. Pat confirmed that the flowers made it to the viewing. That is the most we could salvage from the day. We went to bed with a broken commitment, broken hearts and a broke-down truck. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Tuesday, December 30, 2008. I learned today more about troubleshooting a broke down truck. Learned by doing it. I also learned about several truck-towing companies in the area. Learned by getting their phone numbers and talking to them.
We woke up at home today with the truck broke down in the driveway (see yesterday's blog entry). Volvo Action Service will provide tech support over the telephone in some cases. The technician on the phone was very helpful but we still could not get the truck running. Based on diagnostic codes the truck displayed, he believes a communications problem exists between truck components.
Great. Our truck cannot talk to itself so we are marooned at home. Is there such a thing as truck therapy? What about NTA ... Non-communicating Trucks Anonymous where trucks can gather and cheer themselves up?
It is ironic. Many truckers would rather be home than out on the road. We want to be out on the road and are stuck at home. If your truck is going to break down, having it break down in your driveway is probably a good thing. But in this case, it turned out to be very, very bad.
The closest Volvo dealer is in Roseville, about 60 miles away. The next-closest one is in Albert Lea, about 80 miles away. Roseville could send a road service guy out with a computer (needed to work on trucks) but not until after the New Year's four-day weekend. Albert Lea does not have computers they send out on road service calls but could look at the truck tomorrow morning if we got it in. There was nothing left to do but tow the truck to a dealer.
I bit the bullet and called for a tow. The cost would be just under $500.
New people often look at the trucking opportunity and are impressed with the revenue potential. Note that the loss potential is there too. $500 to fill the fuel tanks, insurance costs whether the truck is moving or not, etc. The costs do not just add up, they soar up. In 2008, we spent $51,000 for fuel alone. One truck ... $51,000!
We built a concrete pad for truck parking at home. The gravel driveway that leads to the old farm buildings is close to 2/10ths of a mile long. Every time we have been home before, we parked with the truck facing the road. This time I parked it the other way. That was because I washed out the back of the truck a few days ago. The water would better drain if the back of the truck was facing slightly downhill.
The outside temperature was well below freezing but above zero. Thinking myself to be quite clever, I used the reefer to keep the back of the truck warm as I washed it. It would have been just fine if the truck ran. But with the truck now dead on the pad and a building immediately in front of it, the truck was faced the wrong direction for an easy hook-up to a tow truck.
It would take some skilled driving by the tow truck operator to get the truck turned around, hooked up and on its way to the dealer. I was not worried. Skilled tow truck drivers are easy to come by. These guys run into bizarre recovery operations and become very good at what they do. The tow company came highly recommended by my brother-in-law who is a mechanic and knows who is who in the area.
Light snow fell last night and seemed to be just finishing this morning. But just after I placed the call, heavy snow began and the wind picked up. It was just one more thing do deal with.
The tow truck driver called about two hours later. He was nearby and wanted specific directions. I put on my jacket, stocking cap, gloves and boots, and walked down the driveway to wave him in. He stopped on the road. I climbed into the cab and passenger seat. Unable to see all the way up the tree-lined drive, he asked, "Is there was room to turn around up there?" I assured him there was.
He proceeded but did not get far. Not knowing the driveway well, he took the right turn too tight and put his right-rear wheels off the edge of the driveway and deep into the snow-filled ditch. "I hate winter." he said. I nodded in agreement.
For non-truckers reading this, understand that this is not the kind of truck that tows a car. This is a massive piece of equipment designed to tow big trucks. Next time you see one on the road, look close. Some of them cost $400,000. They are amazing machines, and big.
I was not worried when he put his wheels in the ditch. Neither was he. As I expected, he flipped his interlock switch (think four-wheel drive, sort of) and started to drive out.
No joy.
Previous snow, thaws, rain and freezes had turned the gravel driveway into a skating rink. Not having driven anywhere since the driveway iced up, I did not realize how bad it was. Cars and light trucks were fine as long as they go slow. Not so for big trucks. Fresh snow on top of the ice made things worse. It did not matter how many wheels had torque, they all spun on the ice and the truck did not move.
The driver got out a shovel and went to work. I called Diane on the cell phone and asked her bundle up, boot up and bring down a bag of poultry grit. She arrived a few minutes later with a snow-covered face and red cheeks. The heavy snow was driven by wind that blew straight up the driveway. I worried about frostbite but she assured me she was OK.
The three of us worked for an hour and got the tow truck out. Diane walked back. I hopped back in the cab to direct the driver. Conditions got worse as we worked to free the truck. At this point, it was all the tow truck diver could do to move his truck in the driveway. He continually lost traction. There was no way to safely hook up and move two trucks around in those conditions.
Putting tire chains on the tow truck was not an option. The truck had custom fenders that left little space between them and the tires. There was no room for tire chains. When I later told that to a friend, he said, "They sent a show truck, not a tow truck." He was right, but even if tire chains were an option, I am not sure they would have worked.
Having just been stuck at the end of the driveway, the driver worried about getting out of the driveway with a truck in tow. The driveway slopes up to the road. With his 35' truck pulling our 40' truck, making the turn would be tight. Doing it on glare ice would be near impossible. He did not want to spend time turning our truck around and hooking up only to put it in the ditch at the end of the driveway and blocking highway traffic too.
I agreed. The risks were too high. The truck was broke down but trying to do more would only make a bad situation worse. He apologized and I thanked him for his efforts. I told him to have his company call me for payment. He said he would talk to his boss about going easy on the price. I joked that I was not the one that got the truck stuck and there would be no charge for our labor in getting the tow truck out of the ditch.
This is nuts. The truck breaks down for the first time ever but it does so at home. Yet because it broke down at home, it is worse than if it had broken down on the road where a tow truck could get at it. When the tow truck comes, Diane and I spend an hour getting it out of the ditch and sending it away.
We went back in the house, warmed up and reviewed our options. We need to need to get the dead truck turned around so a tow truck can hook up. We need to get the truck out of the driveway so a tow truck can get it to a dealer. Or we need to get the truck running where it sits.
We considered calling a friend from church who has a massive farm tractor. With it, we could turn the truck around and pull it onto the road where a tow truck could get at it. Built for off-road work, the farm tractor has plenty of power, better traction and a shorter wheelbase than the tow truck. The driveway enters the road is at the bottom of a steep hill. We would probably need to get police help with traffic as we made a slow turn out of the driveway. Cars and trucks coming over the hill at highway speeds would endanger themselves and us.
Another option is to wait for the January thaw that is common this time of year and call a tow truck back in. A long-range weather check showed no thaw in sight.
We could call in a salt-shaker (trucker slang, dump trucks that plow and salt the highways) to treat the driveway, but have not researched the cost. It will take a truckload of salt and some good plow work to break up the thick ice and expose the gravel.
Decision: Accept the fact that we are iced in at home. Wait out the long weekend and have the Roseville Volvo dealer send a technician with a computer to the truck on Monday. There is no guarantee he will get the truck going. We will keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best. If it does not work, we will review our options again. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Wednesday, December 31, 2008. I learned today, along with the rest of the world, that the stock market (Dow Jones Industrial Average) closed down 34% for the year; the steepest yearly decline since the Great Depression (1931, -53%). Learned from news reports.
We have heard the "since the ... " phrase a lot this year as history was made on several fronts. The American people elected the first black president since the country began. Home prices fell the most since the Great Depression. An investment bank that had been open since 1850 went under, as did several others. The U.S. government nationalized more businesses than anytime since ... whenever. The list goes on.
Yet through all that, Diane and I not only held a job but held a job we like. Our 2008 gross revenue is down 18% from 2007, but the year was profitable. Some (not all) expenses decline when fewer miles are driven. Paying off the truck eliminated interest expense on the loan. Through a new program offered by our carrier, fuel price discounts were available this year that were not available last year.
We did not decide several years ago to become mostly property free and entirely debt free because we saw the financial crises coming, but it turned out to be the right move. It would have been the right move in boom times too. We love the freedom and financial strength this lifestyle provides.
At the moment, we are marooned at home with a broke down truck (see yesterday's blog entry.) Beyond that, we are looking forward to another profitable year. Freight will be slow as the recession continues. We expect more carriers and truckers to get squeezed out of the industry. That will create a more favorable freight-to-truck ratio and help us make it through.
Our strategy is simple; stay in business one week longer than the next guy and haul the freight he would have hauled. Then, when business picks up, profit handsomely from the truck and driver shortage, and the rising freight rates that will then exist. In the meantime, use our spare time for productive purposes. Our long-term goals remain achievable and unchanged.
I close this New Year's Eve wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2009. Your interest and feedback motivates me to keep writing this blog. Years from now, Diane and I will use it to help us remember our days on the road. In that sense, your interest and feedback is a gift, giving us something we would not otherwise have. For that we thank you and wish you well. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page
Blog entries are made so as not to reveal customer specifics or the current location of our truck. Entries are updated to include location information after we leave the area. Blog author Top of page Bottom of page