Starting up

[Roadtoad]

After the latest round of BS from Peterbilt regarding my now wrecked transmission, (as well as the replacement of that one because someone couldn't be bothered to check the seals on the new tranny), I've talked to Peggy, and we've decided to look into going out on our own.

Right now, the debate centers on financing. I'm looking into what grants are available for starting a small trucking firm, (one rig to begin with, moving up to maybe 25 within a few years.) I'm starting to get my business plan together, and working towards maybe picking up property in WA for a terminal and lot.

At this time, I'm focusing my energy on getting a Kenworth T2000, (http://www.kenworth.com/2100_vir_t2000.asp) though I'll be uprating the gauges in the cab to something more accurate. I'll be adding an Auxiliary Power Unit, (APU), with main power from a 625 Caterpillar C15 Acert engine, mated to an Eaton Fuller 18 speed unit. (No decision yet on final drive for the differentials.) Once we get going with this, we'll be working towards picking up Kenworth W900Ls. It's probably more truck than we'll need, but it's reliable, easily maintained, comfortable, safe as bank vault, and few drivers turn down the opportunity to drive one. We'll equip it the same way as the 2000, with the goal being that once we get past a certain point, some will be equipped for heavy haul with the inclusion of a hydraulic system, a "wet kit."

We've already picked out a name for the outfit, Thunderheart Drayage, but right now, that's all we've got. Advice please?

[Roadtoad]

(Oh, and if someone is artistically inclined, we could use a logo. Helps it become a little more real. I was thinking of a heart with big thunderbolt across the front, holding lightning bolts in its hands, or something like that...)

[Esperdome]

Starting your own business is one of the quickest ways to wealth, also one of the quickest ways to bankruptcy. Back when I had a good business idea or two, I had no capital. Now that I have some capital, I can't come up with a good business plan to save me.

I deal with truckers and trucking companies frequently in my line of work. But this helps me understand trucking about as much as I understand mail delivery because I get my mail out of the mailbox six days of the week.

It seems to me like many businesses, you need connections and lots of them, especially lucrative, semi-exclusive ones to get a good toe-hold. Barring that, many independents around here are leased to a bigger firm, and operate under them. It sounds like a good idea, but these guys always seem to get squeezed hardest by changing conditions,(rising fuel costs, etc.).

Good luck to you, whatever you choose.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Three bits of advice:


Incorporate
Incorporate
Incorporate

[JWideman]

Have a qualified accountant doing your books.

As for a logo, how much are you willing to pay and what kind of quality do you expect?

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Have a qualified accountant doing your books.

If not your "books", at least your taxes.

And make sure they are a CPA, not a "bookkeeper".

[CFLarsen]

We've already picked out a name for the outfit, Thunderheart Drayage, but right now, that's all we've got. Advice please?

First, empty your pm box, you bum... :p

[Roadtoad]

Sorry. I forgot to clear out some messages. The Peterbilt was in need of a good cleaning.

For those who asked, I was thinking of a thunderbolt on the heart, looking like it had been tatooed there.

As to the rest, I'm trying to schedule time with a good business law attorney. We're going to discuss whether or not it should be a Nevada or Delaware Corp., as well as other legal matters, particularly regarding liability. Peggy will likely be doing the basic bookkeeping, but we've already agreed that we'll have a CPA for the other stuff. (At some point, I need to prepare for retirement, whatever the hell that is.)

A good friend who had done well in business years ago also had some recommendations, not the least of which was that the time to plan for expansion was before you even opened the doors for the first day's business. I guess that's an ongoing thing in any business. While I could go ahead and start with junk rigs, stuff that has a six month warranty and is held together with baling wire and duct tape, I don't want that kind of risk. I need whatever I buy to run and run well. That way, expansion is more likely.

I'd like to be able to broker my own loads, but there's so many other brokers out there, I might not want to or need to. Still, I could use a few ideas here. The ideal for now would be a simple run from Sac to Salt Lake and back, which I could do with my eyes closed, and could be done three times a week. It gets me established in the corridor, and I can do a bit more planning from there.

Right now, I like the idea of curtain vans, since they're what I'm running now, and CVs can take a broader variety of freight. It's one idea. If I'd realized just how weird this would get, I might have thought twice about this. I've not only got to guess how to get together the $10,000 for basic authority, but enough for the $250,000 for basic insurance. (No, I don't want to run HazMat. Been there, done that, can't afford the ulcers.)

[fuelair]

After the latest round of BS from Peterbilt regarding my now wrecked transmission, (as well as the replacement of that one because someone couldn't be bothered to check the seals on the new tranny), I've talked to Peggy, and we've decided to look into going out on our own.

Advice please?
No advice - just a "wish" for smooth roads and downhill all the way!!!

[Tressa]

Good luck!

[Wolfman]

Roadtoad,

Having just gone through the process of getting investment for my own company, I can offer a little advice...primarily that you need to focus on the kinds of issues/questions that investors will ask you. This not only helps them to feel more comfortable, but also will give you a clearer vision of what needs to be done, and how you will do it. I'll give some questions here...others could ask questions also...and then after you answer, we'll probably have more questions :-)

1) Exactly what channels are you going to use to get business? And how much previous experience do you have working with those channels?

2) There's lots of competition out there, much of it from people with larger operations and established reputations. How do you plan to compete with them?

3) What are the stats/figures in regards to this kind of work? Are there more trucks than demand? Or does demand outstrip the supply of trucks? By how much?

4) How much money would you need -- for your trucks, to pay salary, cover running expenses, maintenance, etc. -- to survive for six months, with no income?

5) How many other people have set up small, independent operations like this, and what is their success rate? Do most fail? Or succeed?

6) What do you view as the three greatest barriers to success in this venture (excluding initial costs like buying trucks), and what are your plans/strategies for overcoming those barriers?

Ok...let you get started with that...others can add questions if they want.

[balrog666]

After the latest round of BS from Peterbilt regarding my now wrecked transmission, (as well as the replacement of that one because someone couldn't be bothered to check the seals on the new tranny), I've talked to Peggy, and we've decided to look into going out on our own.

Right now, the debate centers on financing. I'm looking into what grants are available for starting a small trucking firm, (one rig to begin with, moving up to maybe 25 within a few years.) I'm starting to get my business plan together, and working towards maybe picking up property in WA for a terminal and lot.

At this time, I'm focusing my energy on getting a Kenworth T2000, (http://www.kenworth.com/2100_vir_t2000.asp) though I'll be uprating the gauges in the cab to something more accurate. I'll be adding an Auxiliary Power Unit, (APU), with main power from a 625 Caterpillar C15 Acert engine, mated to an Eaton Fuller 18 speed unit. (No decision yet on final drive for the differentials.) Once we get going with this, we'll be working towards picking up Kenworth W900Ls. It's probably more truck than we'll need, but it's reliable, easily maintained, comfortable, safe as bank vault, and few drivers turn down the opportunity to drive one. We'll equip it the same way as the 2000, with the goal being that once we get past a certain point, some will be equipped for heavy haul with the inclusion of a hydraulic system, a "wet kit."

We've already picked out a name for the outfit, Thunderheart Drayage, but right now, that's all we've got. Advice please?



On your logo, I suggest you run a contest - contact the local high schools, junior colleges, and art colleges and ofter a prize for the best logo. Specify up front on the items you want in the logo (such as your name and a truck design) and see what rolls in. It will be cheaper than any design firm, give you more potential selections, and encourage the local art departments. I've done this many times and never been disappointed yet. ;)

[tkingdoll]

I do NOT recommend you get an amateur to design your logo, for many, many reasons, including (but not limited to):

1) People can tell. They might not be able to pinpoint exactly what it is they don't trust/like about a company's brand, but there is a mile of difference between a pro logo and an amateur one and the differences show. Golden ratio, choice of fonts (a pro logo will never contain a Microsoft font, for example, let alone one of the 'wacky' ones like Comic Sans), colours and finishing are all the hallmarks of someone who has spent years training and years consulting. You can't pull a brand out of a high school if you want to compete with firms who have paid for a pro job. Hell, I've seen so many amateur logos that contain clipart, it's not even funny. And quite a few which use images for which the business doesn't have the rights. That's always an interesting situation. Or you get those which have been the victim of every Photoshop filter and blending tool in existence.

2) Amateurs don't do this for a job. That is, they don't produce logos for print and web in a variety of formats, and therefore don't know how to design for ALL of those formats in one logo. We've had many small businesses come to us for redesigns because they got a friend to do their logo and then discovered that it looked lousy in mono, or it was unreadable when reduced to a size small enough for stationery, etc. I see this all the time.

3) Longevity. An amateur will not be up to speed with the latest design and corporate trends and will therefore not be able to design something which will not date quickly. Again, I see this all the time. And the worst thing you can do is change your logo a lot, especially in the first few years when you're trying to establish your brand.

Experience is king. A logo needs to say everything about your company and brand values in an instant, and the people who have the skills and experience to interpret your brief into an effective logo are, funnily enough, the people who are working as professional designers.

There's nothing wrong with persuading a professional designer to do a freebie, but if I were you I wouldn't use a logo produced by an amateur.

[Roadtoad]

Roadtoad,

Having just gone through the process of getting investment for my own company, I can offer a little advice...primarily that you need to focus on the kinds of issues/questions that investors will ask you. This not only helps them to feel more comfortable, but also will give you a clearer vision of what needs to be done, and how you will do it. I'll give some questions here...others could ask questions also...and then after you answer, we'll probably have more questions :-)

1) Exactly what channels are you going to use to get business? And how much previous experience do you have working with those channels?

Right now, I can sign on with my current company and earn about $20,000 more per year than I make now. They will pay for all permits, insurance and fees, while all I will have to pay for is my Bobtail insurance and basic maintenance. However, the goal is to be out on my own with my own authority, which means I'll either have to hire a broker to get me loads, (tricky business, that), or hire a dispatcher, someone with lots of business contacts, (which will have to wait until I've got more than one truck). I've dealt with brokers before, and some can be great. Others are a real pain, and spend more time TALKING loads rather than DELIVERING them.

So, I'm already talking to brokers and trying to figure out who's going to work out best. I'll let you know how that goes.

2) There's lots of competition out there, much of it from people with larger operations and established reputations. How do you plan to compete with them?

Well, as I said, brokers can get me loads. About the only thing I have going for me at this point is that I've delivered for enough companies, and delivered well. I've gotten the loads in on time, consistently. I was going to ask for letters of recommendation, but if there's a better way to get in front of people to get them to see what I'm made of, I'm open to ideas.

3) What are the stats/figures in regards to this kind of work? Are there more trucks than demand? Or does demand outstrip the supply of trucks? By how much?

According to DOT, there's a shortage of trucks and drivers. Part of the problem, though, is fuel prices, which are driving a lot of independents out of business. Demand is outstripping the demand for trucks, even in this early stage of a recession, but at this point, anything could happen. I could wind up with this business being an alligator on my @$$. I'm still looking into this one.

4) How much money would you need -- for your trucks, to pay salary, cover running expenses, maintenance, etc. -- to survive for six months, with no income?

Still computing that one. Maintenance is supposed to be about a penny a mile for a truck, but that doesn't figure in such things as catastrophic failures, which older Kenworths and Petes are known for. (Volvos and Freightliners simply nickle and dime you to death.) I'm planning on setting aside double that for the maintenance side alone, given recent events, the rest I'm trying to figure out. I don't want to set too high a salary: I don't want to scare off any venture capital sources.

5) How many other people have set up small, independent operations like this, and what is their success rate? Do most fail? Or succeed?

That, unfortunately, I have too much familiarity with. Most fail, though that's mainly due to mismanagement and liability. I don't have an exact percentage, but I know it's in the 80% range according to some sources. Again, I've got to do more research.

The trucking outfits that succeed a.) incorporate, b.) have several regular, steady clients, c.) control any and all liability concerns, (i.e., they won't hire anyone who doesn't have a nearly immaculate driving record, and they constantly train, review and retrain.)

6) What do you view as the three greatest barriers to success in this venture (excluding initial costs like buying trucks), and what are your plans/strategies for overcoming those barriers?

Still studying this one. I'll let you know, but if I had to guess, the first would be getting those first few steady clients.

Ok...let you get started with that...others can add questions if they want.

Please. More questions. I've got to have facts for every angle of this, because it won't be the things I see coming at me that will kill this business, it's what I don't see.

[Wolfman]

Unfortunately, this is not an industry I'm at all familiar with, so can't give much in the way of specific advice. Just a few quick comments:

1) If you're looking for VC, I think investors will look at your proposal much more favorably if you set a very low salary (the absolute minimum you'll need to live), and then have a sliding pay scale that depends on your revenue (the more profits you get, the more pay you get). This has three benefits from their point of view:
* You are making an "investment" in sacrificing a higher, guaranteed salary; you're sharing their risk.
* It provides greater incentive for you to perform well
* It lowers the amount of initial capital needed for the investment.
2) Talk to those who've been successful in getting their businesses going. In an industry where demand for your services exceeds the supply, they're not going to see you as a serious threat to their own business, and at least some should be willing to talk to you and give you advice. Find out from them in particular what the biggest problems they faced were, and how they dealt with them. This will help phenomenally with your business plan.

When I was first putting together my business plan for my current biz, I thought I had a pretty darn solid plan -- and investors agreed. Then I showed it to a guy who has 20+ years experience in the industry, and after only five minutes looking at it, he pointed out a huge problem that I had never even considered, and which had a fundamental impact on the feasibility of my business plan. I had to re-write everything from scratch. But the result was that I managed to avoid a huge error that at the very least would have cost me significantly (and at worst could have put me out of business).

Its good that you're doing research on this, and getting info...keep doing that, and do it aggressively. You can never have too much information for something like this.

And one thing I've found to be very true for business in China (I assume the principle will be similar in the US)...in an industry where the majority of businesses tend to fail, you need to focus primarily on what made them fail, rather than on what can make your business successful. I see tons of people here who develop business plans that have really brilliant plans for how to build success, but who fail to compensate for and plan for problems.

Its like the football coach who focuses exclusively on his offensive strategy; he builds an awesome offensive side, one of the top in the league...but gets killed defensively in every game.

You've got an industry where there's high demand, yet the majority of people are still failing. Focus on that. Why do they fail? What strategies have the successful companies used to deal with those problems?

The upside to this is that, given this situation, if you are successful, you've got a very solid business with strong growth potential. And investors will like that. If they can feel reasonably reassured that you are able to get the business to that point.

[Hokulele]

I know next to nothing about the drayage industry, but I do know a bit about working with sub-contractors and employees. Since your goal is to have a fleet, and I would guess to not be the one driving them, I recommend you strongly emphasize the training/certification (if there is any such thing in your industry) for the drivers and maintenance crew (if any). While it may be a good idea to get letters of recommendation attesting to your driving skills when soliciting new business or financing, it will be indispensible to get letters of recommendation regarding your training skills, or to have a good training/update/certification plan as part of your business plan. If you can show that not only do you have the skills it takes to be a great driver, but you also have the ability to pass on those skills, it will help acquire and retain contracts as well as the kind of drivers you would like to have on your rigs.

And of course, the best of luck in this!

[rjh01]

2) There's lots of competition out there, much of it from people with larger operations and established reputations. How do you plan to compete with them?



Well, as I said, brokers can get me loads. About the only thing I have going for me at this point is that I've delivered for enough companies, and delivered well. I've gotten the loads in on time, consistently. I was going to ask for letters of recommendation, but if there's a better way to get in front of people to get them to see what I'm made of, I'm open to ideas.



When I read your OP my first thought was a variation on the above question. I do not see that you have answered it. Why should brokers (or anyone else) give you work? In other words what is the difference between you and your competition? Is this important to your competition? How do you know this?

If you pride yourself on delivering your loads on time will you give a discount if it is late? (this may be the answer to the previous question)

Training has also been mentioned. What training is required? How will you use that to improve your outcomes?

You have said many similar companies fail. Someone says 'Will you be around in five years time? I do not want the people I deal with going out of business, because that is bad for my business.'

[nw843x]

As a heavy duty parts person here are my thoughts on this.

1- establish and maintain a "holy crap" fund within your company that can cover the cost of a catastrophic failure on a major component(engine, transmission. rear end etc ...). You would not believe how many times we have had to put someone's unit in the lockup because they could not pay for a repair.

2- Spec your trucks right. Do we all want 700hp 18 speed trannys and 52 000lb rears? hell ya! Are they needed? Most likely not. If you are driving on mostly flat and paved highways you may be able to spec a smaller engine and free up some payload as well.

3- Have a proper maintenance plan. Are you going to do all of your own oil and filter changes? Do you have a facility do handle the inventory? If you are going to go with an outside supplier make sure you shop around. A good partsman does not need your business, he wants your business. Some of us get a bonus based on volume, so cutting the price to get a sale is one of our tactics.

4- Have a Purchase Order system set up. No PO no parts. Many times I have seen drivers come in a purchase personal items on company accounts, sometimes not even their own companies .....

[Roadtoad]

More news on this:

I wound up last week trying to deliver a load to Northern Washington on minimal hours. Even though dispatch knew I was short on hours and I wouldn't have enough to make it home, I was still sent out on this run. When I objected to this, one of the company's bigwigs ripped into me over the cell phone.

Then, once I got into the yard, he decided to do it again, but this time in front of the guys in the shop. Had to have that audience, don't you know.

For me, that's a huge no-go. Add to that his challenge that we could take it out behind the shop and settle things there, (as in he was daring me to kick his @$$), and that was about it. I haven't gotten into crap like that since I was in my teens as there was no point. In business, you negotiate.

From there, it's gone downhill. I found out this guy drinks on the job. A lot. And that we've lost a lot of drivers because of his "mercurial" nature.

I am sorry. I refuse to set myself up for another failure like this.

I found a KW W900L with a 72" sleeper and a 500 Cummins for $59,000. I'm still pricing out permits and the like, but given the amount of time I spend in the mountains, this looks like this rig could do the job. It's a former fleet truck, an '05, and well maintained, but with the economy going into the toilet, prices are falling.

As far as fuel goes, I'll be working on that one. Most outfits are running at least a 100% fuel surcharge, though some have gone to 110%. I only hope that if I do the latter, I can justify it. (Doubt I'll have much trouble on that.)

More to come on this.

[Rasmus]

All the best!

[shadron]

More news on this:

I wound up last week trying to deliver a load to Northern Washington on minimal hours. Even though dispatch knew I was short on hours and I wouldn't have enough to make it home, I was still sent out on this run. When I objected to this, one of the company's bigwigs ripped into me over the cell phone.

Then, once I got into the yard, he decided to do it again, but this time in front of the guys in the shop. Had to have that audience, don't you know.

[I just re-read this, and I have to point out to those who don't appreciate it that reaming a person in front of peers may have the effect of keeping the strays in line, but it will also earn a knife in the back at the very first opportunity. I think DR will back me up that it is execrable management practice.]

There are certainly good guys and bad guys out there. My wife works for Marten Trucking out of Mondovi, WI. The founder's son, Randy Marten, runs the company, and he is a stickler for safety. They have always had the policy that people who make a habit of exceeding their 70 are o-u-t out, which doesn't endear him to the leasing crowd; she has just heard that he is, personally, tracking down drivers that are doing that and firing them on the spot, and taking over their loads. I don't know whether he has such a crack management team in place that he can afford the time to do that, and perhaps its just an occasional demonstration, but he's serious about his drivers staying within the law. He's definitely in the minority, unfortunately.

Anyway, your biggest problem in the industry right now is fuel costs, and I'm sure you know that. Leasees are turning in their trucks like mad, unable to make any money on them. The bigs haven't yet passed the costs on to the customers in a realistic way, so the people in the middle are getting frightfully squeezed. I would say that negotiating a fuel cost as far into the future as you can is a real must-do, to keep your credit. Of course, al-Quaida could convert to Catholicism tomorrow, and the cost might come down, but I wouldn't bank on it. On the other hand, the costs will be reimbursed by the customer eventually; this country simply will not be able to exist without trucking, but that may not be enough, soon enough, to help your business.

I do software for the trucking industry, and, as I say, my wife is in it, so I do know something about what's going on, but not enough inside to really help you start a business, I'm afraid. One thing I can encourage you to do, though, is to automate yourself to the greatest extent you can. (Perhaps that's a bit self-serving, but anyone who doesn't understand computing is his field, any field, today will be roadkill soon). There are cheap routing and business solutions out there, there are solutions for getting on the Internet at any stop (and even on the fly), tracking, communications, etc, and prices are continually coming down. I'm glad you're opting for an APU; running the engine at night in hot or cold weather is being increasingly frowned upon by locals and the law, and it will save you a road call if your batteries poop out on you for whatever reason. It also will allow you to sleep better, and that's important.

PM me if I can do anything for you.

[Soapy Sam]

And Roadtoad- That business plan better be based on $2.50 a litre for diesel. Trust me.

[Almo]

Teek's right about your logo. A good logo designer will charge what seems an exhorbitant fee, but it's worth it.

Good luck with your venture!

[Roadtoad]

Things may be moving faster than anticipated.

A couple of weeks ago, I made a turn into a customer's location, but came in too tight, nearly hitting a light pole. I widened out, but bumped a crash post. In the end, I wound up with a damaged fender, a bent bumper, and a broken turn signal light.

I documented everything, took photos, and turned it all in. Long story short, the company said that since it was my fault, I was to pay for it. About $1,500 damage.

Brace yourself: I said, it was my fault, I have no excuse, and yes, I'd pay for it.

I took it to Peterbilt for an estimate. I told the guy what was going on. Big mistake.

I'm now on the hook for $5,100 dollars.

The boss has been on my case about this and other things, mainly because I call in and get the okay to take a particular route to a customer's location, rather than enduring his abusive rants. I also have been chewed out because I call in my overweights before proceeding, simply as a courtesy to let them know. I've never gotten a ticket with these guys, but that doesn't seem to matter.

I'm tired of being chewed out for relatively minor matters. Other companies would have welcomed this sort of thing, and would have honored my honesty with them. This outfit, for all I've been told they respect honesty, do all they can to punish it.

I'm looking at a KW 900, still. Also a T2000. I will never buy a Pete. Ever. They have shafted me at every turn, while my dealings with KW have always been positive. (They're both owned by PACCAR, and yet Pete will shaft you at any turn. Go fig.)

I'm on my way north in a few minutes. If you need a number to reach me, call the house. Peggy can give it to you. JJ has my number, as does Doubting Stephen and Terry. I've finished emptying out the rig of all but the most essential gear. I'm expecting to be fired by the time I hit Sumner, WA. From there, I'm likely to get a bus ticket home, and after that, unemployment for a few weeks. I've already got my resume out, but the goal is my own business. I'll be damned if I'm going to continue to work for other people, taking their crap. I want my own business.

I want to call my own shots.

As far as working for others goes, **** this dump.

Please mask profanity completely in the public sections.

[Roadtoad]

The A/C is out in the truck. It won't be fixed until next week.

This is getting worse and worse. I could use some solid advice.

[rjh01]

To cool down use a wet towel. And drink plenty of water.

[Damien Evans]

Good luck Roadtoad, and don't forget us when you become a millionaire!

Here's hoping you get out of this crappy situation as soon as possible.

[Roadtoad]

I'm done.

I'm turning in the keys on Monday. I quit.

I don't have a job waiting, which is my normal way of handling things, and I don't have any guarantees that I'll find another gig once I leave.

At the same time, I can't handle crazy anymore.

I came in to the office the other day, and the boss asked, "How you doin'?"

I said, "Well, I'm awake. I'd say that's half the battle."

At that point, the boss went postal. "I didn't f***ing ask you if you were f***ing awake. I asked how the f*** you were doing."

I've been threatened with physical violence by this man, with job loss, with a whole host of rather dire consequences. I already know once I leave, regardless of how I leave, my DAC report will be trashed. I've called Washington Labor and Industry, and they've said they won't do anything, even though this outfit is in violation of at least three labor laws that I know of. I'm not sure how to proceed, but I'm getting out, and finding another way of running OTR.

[webfusion]

http://home.comcast.net/~advent99/thunderheart.jpg

[balrog666]

Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.

I wish you best of luck!

[Roadtoad]

http://home.comcast.net/~advent99/thunderheart.jpg

That may not have been what I was thinking of...

But, DAMN! That looks GOOD!!!

[Rasmus]

I'm done.

I'm turning in the keys on Monday. I quit.

I don't have a job waiting, which is my normal way of handling things, and I don't have any guarantees that I'll find another gig once I leave.

At the same time, I can't handle crazy anymore.

Not an easy decision to make and certainly not a pleasant one. But sometimes, work places are just too toxic to stay on.

I wish you all the best and hope you'll find a better place soon enough.

[Chaos]

*snip*
I've called Washington Labor and Industry, and they've said they won't do anything, even though this outfit is in violation of at least three labor laws that I know of. I'm not sure how to proceed, but I'm getting out, and finding another way of running OTR.

Is there someone else who has a legitimate interest in knowing about these violations - I don´t know, maybe the cops or so, or some other government agency? Or maybe some government watchdog group who consider it their job to expose such inactivity on part of the authorities?

The last resort, I guess, would be the media. There has got to be a respectable newspaper or TV program that would run such a story. I know which one I would call if this was Germany, but that is not really helpful here ;).

[Roadtoad]

One could wish, Chaos.

In the meantime, I spent part of yesterday putting out applications online. I've done some more today, so things are moving, more or less. I got several e-mails from companies that say they want to hire me. We'll see. As things stand, I can't get out to interviews while I work for this current outfit: they won't give you the time off to do that.

I could use some serious help.

[Rasmus]

One could wish, Chaos.

In the meantime, I spent part of yesterday putting out applications online. I've done some more today, so things are moving, more or less. I got several e-mails from companies that say they want to hire me. We'll see. As things stand, I can't get out to interviews while I work for this current outfit: they won't give you the time off to do that.

I could use some serious help.


What can they do? Fire you?

[Roadtoad]

What can they do? Fire you?

:D

[rjh01]

Of course what they do to you they can do to any other driver. Just make sure that every driver knows what they are doing to you, warts and all. Then they know what sort of boss they have. That is, if they do not know already.

[Rasmus]

Have fun today walking out of there!

It's no fun working with people like that, and even though it might pay the rent, it's not doing you any good in the long term. And in a job like yours it might just get you killed!

[Roadtoad]

I need to explain a few things to you guys:

Today, I'm sitting at home, waiting for three potential employers to get final confirmation from my last employer about my work history. The request was faxed (with my signed release) on Monday, and now it's Friday, and while I should have been somewhere in the end cycle of orientation, I'm sitting here, hoping I can be working on Monday. If I'm not working by then, or at least in orientation, I could lose it all.

I didn't waste time when I got home. I got to the house and took a short nap, then started putting my application out. To date, I've applied to over 40 companies. Applications were re-sent earlier this week, and out of this, I've found five companies I seriously considered working for.

The first, Hendrickson, is based here in Sacramento. However, Hendrickson is pulling out of the Pacific Northwest, and has a serious reputation for leaving drivers sitting idle for days at a time. While they do pay detention pay, it's only about $75 a day. Compare that to what you earn while in motion, and you realize that this is a pittance. You actually lose money working for these guys. Add to this the general attitude of contempt I got from their recruiter, and the fact that he chewed out another driver for talking to me and telling me what his experience was like, (and the fact that he was the only guy left out of his orientation class), and I kept seeing red flags.

The second, DSCO, is a national carrier. Their recruiter, Marianne, is an absolute gem of a person. I could actually joke with her, and enjoyed talking with her. They actually set aside an 11 Western run for me, which would have me out for two to three weeks at a stretch. Right now, with all the headache and heartache at home, with us trying to figure out if we could still keep our home, it wasn't a good fit. If at all possible, I'd like to get on with them, ideally with my own rig, and running the Lower 48. Everything she offered was in writing, and they had the drivers to back it up. It's a good outfit, just not good right now.

Third, we have Interstate Distributors. I've often talked with their drivers, and their turnover is low. They're honest with me about what they can offer, including explaining their 401K plan, as well as telling me up front that they do not offer a Lease/Purchase. If I want to drive as an O&O for them, I have to have my own authority, provide my own insurance, and pay for my own rig out of my own pocket. I wound up losing $.02 per mile because a former employer screwed me over, (saying I was strictly a local driver, when, in fact, with a little digging, I can document I drove both CA and NV), but explaining that the $.34 per mile includes $.04 for per diem. I'd come out ahead, but with a $.30 base, it doesn't look good when you're going for another gig if this one doesn't work out. I'd be out 10 to 14 days, running the I-5 corridor, which is somewhat easier to deal with.

Fourth is Heartland Express. Outstanding company, they pay well, (up to $.50 a mile with appropriate experience), and the bennies are great. Offered is a four state run with regular trips out to Texas. I'd be home weekly, which works out well for us. If I can get on there, they do offer L/P and other opportunities. Peggy and I are looking into the possibility of the purchase of a rig, and then heading out for the Lower 48.

Fifth, Gordon Transportation. Gordon is an arch rival for where I used to work, and there's a lot of very ugly history between the companies. I'm shooting for I-5, but know they'll have me on an 11 Western run. They're a great outfit, but because I have only two verifiable years OTR, (thanks again to that former employer!), I'll be starting at $.36 a mile.

All of these employers have one thing in common: I will be terminated for cheating on my log, and I'll be required to operate within the limits of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

You need to know: This is a rarity.

Every company I have listed here has made it clear they will not operate outside the law, while nearly every outfit I worked for before has pressed me to the exact opposite. Both Gordon and Heartland have made it clear that violations are not acceptable. Interstate is upgrading their trucks to keep better track of what's happening on the road, and a cheat will be dropped faster than a hot winch bar on an August afternoon.

There are reasons our logbooks are called "joke books," and failure to make a certain number of miles per day is considered grounds for reducing your miles, or even termination. This is a production environment, whether you like it or not.

I left my last employer because I couldn't stand the abuse from one superior any longer. I had the great opportunity to work with some of the best people I have ever had the privalege to know. Our safety director is one of the sweetest women I've ever worked with, and a stickler for doing things right. But, even she got the ugly side of a company officer who belittled and insulted everyone around him. We lost one dispatcher because she couldn't handle the abuse any longer, and other drivers are leaving for the same reason. At the same time, complaints about his behavior are ignored by the company's owner. My suspicion is that several of these companies I dealt with over the past couple of weeks are aware of this guy's reputation.

I did try to file a complaint about my former employer's "quixotic" behavior with out paychecks, their odd way of giving us a small check at the first of the month, and a massive one at the end, the verbal and threatened physical abuse. Washington State's Department of Labor and Industry refused to hear word one. They made it clear they wouldn't take this on. I'm working now with California's Labor Board, and hoping this will work out.

Allow me to point this out as well: Everything you have is brought to you by truck. Everything. Over 80% of all freight in this country is moved OTR, by truck, simply because rail went through a huge decline over the years, and Congress killed this merchant marine in this nation.

As a result, you need to keep in mind there's a huge lack of drivers in this nation, partly because wages have failed to keep pace with inflation, partly because my former employer is more the norm than anyone wants to admit, and partly because there are other opportunities for drivers. A good O&O is a very good businessman, and can fill a whole host of positions in other professions. Add to this computer savvy of some of these people, and it doesn't take much in the way of brains to realize that when there's better money to be made elsewhere, easier, you're not going to keep a driver if you're an abusive jerk.

I'm not an O&O. I want to be one, running a small fleet of around 25-75 trucks, simply because this is something I enjoy, I can do better than my former employer, and I really don't have the skills to do anything else. I don't want to be 65 years old, wondering what the hell happened to my opportunities. It will take investors, planning, and a hell of a lot of luck.

But I don't want to be one of those who's out there running drivers who are tired, scared, trying to finagle their logs to make it legal, telling them to "make it work," or telling them to run trucks that should have been sent to the shop to "drive it until it sounds expensive." (Brake failure is VERY expensive. And it happens far more often than you want to think about it.)

When you are on the highway, you are sharing the road with a lot of drivers who are very professional, who want to operate safely, and a smaller, yet significant number, who are driving fatigued, angry, and broken, driving trucks that need maintenance, and in some cases should have been retired. (At one former employer, the trucks were so old, they didn't even have brakes on the steer axle, something that was required years ago.) And the frightening part is, you don't know which is which.

Drivers know. Drivers are leaving, tired of the abuse, the low pay, the lack of respect, (and don't tell me how much you respect me, when you tell me you'd love to see me, then back out at the last minute, or when you call me a friend, but refuse to introduce me to your friends. Come on, I'm not that stupid.) This is part of the reason behind the push to allow Mexican drivers to haul loads, even though their trucks are in even worse shape, and their drivers have even less training, and in some cases, couldn't pass a basic Class C test. In some cases, when the Border Patrol has been allowed to do their job, they've found an appalling number of drivers who were under age, including some who were 17 years old.

But, there are those in Congress and in the Industry, that think Mexican trucks and drivers ought to be allowed to haul American freight, and that we ought to allow 18 year olds to drive commercial vehicles on interstate loads, and that convicted felons ought to be allowed to haul freight. We should lower our standards, they say.

I refuse.

I refuse because I respect you. I don't know when, where, or if I'll encounter you, but that shouldn't matter. I want the times when we meet to be over a cold beer on a Saturday night, shooting pool. I want the times we meet to be around a hot grill, enjoying incinerated bovine parts, laughing over the latest bad joke from Shemp. I don't want that time to be with us exchanging insurance information, or me watching as EMS is prying your car open because I planted 80,000 lbs. of tractor, trailer, and freight into your rear bumper.

I am a professional truck driver. I want to work for a professional company. I am not interested in working for someone who abuses their drivers, who cheats them, then whines because they cannot find good drivers. And in the end, I want to be the proud owner of a professional company. I want to do so because I respect you, regardless of how you feel about me.

I am known as Roadtoad for a reason. I started out driving for our local rendering company, and over the course of nearly one half a million miles, I earned a rep for driving safely. I have made mistakes, but in the end, I have tried to be honest and fair with people. I hauled a lot of dead animals learning the barest basics of this profession, and have continued to learn over the years. You can call me by my given name, but in the end, it's an act of disrespect. Only Peggy and a handful of very close friends can call me by my given name.

Call me Roadtoad or 'Toad if you call me anything at all. I earned that name. It is something I wear with honor. If you respect my profession, if you respect me, then you can't help but understand that this is who I am. It is indicative of the devotion to a profession that quite literally has saved my life.

My name is Roadtoad.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

My name is Roadtoad....errr...Spartacus!!

Interesting. When I got to the part about lack of drivers, I thought to myself that the market will sort this out in one of two ways - they'll eventually get so shorthanded that they'll have no choice but to increase pay, or, they'll get Mexicans to do it (legal or not).

Looks like I got my answer.

[Roadtoad]

Big problem.

I had to go in for a physical to get on with Heartland. I flunked. My blood sugar is way too high. 293. I need to get it down to 180 or lower, ASAP. I have a three month extension on my license, and after that, it may well be over.

Now, I'm not only without a job, but I may be without my license. I need to go local for a bit, so I can work with a doctor to get it down.

[shadron]

RoadToad,

Get yourself an electronic blood monitoring kit from your local drugstore (get your doctor to prescribe it, if you have any insurance) and use it daily to track your sugar. 293 is way high, even just after eating a starchy meal. See what it is the first thing in the morning, every morning. Then work on a plan with the doctor to get it down. If this is your first warning of sugar balance problems, it *may* not be too hard to get it back under control, cutting down on the sugar and starches might be enough. Weight loss is always a plus (with a sugar count like that you probably could have been loosing weight anyway through diabetic ketoacidsis (http://diabetes.about.com/od/glossaryofterms/g/ketoacidosis.htm), but ketosis is not an approved weight loss regimen for very long). My wife and I do daily testing to keep ourselves within limits (we like to keep under 130).

I fully agree with your analysis of he trucking industry. Everything we have is, at some point, brought to you by a truck, except maybe natural gas and electricity. Rails want to make a comeback, but if you have to have a multi-ton load delivered 2000 miles away in four days (or 50 miles away tomorrow), there is only one answer. Anything that makes the time longer or decreases the number of drivers on he road will not be long in getting to everyone's pocketbook.

I'm apalled by the way the company treated you. I've worked (through my wife and her brother) with perhaps four companies from a company driver perspective, and all four make the company you worked for look like dirt. The company my wife drives for right now, Martin Trucking from Mondovi, WI, regularly lets driver go for log fudging. When my wife says she has to stop for a 34 hour break, it is honored without demur. Refusals to take loads which would cause an HOS problem are handled without rancor, as long as she keeps her dispatcher in the loop. Payroll is handled professionally by weekly bank deposit; never lost, always on time. I'm surprised such a company as you had can stay afloat.

Business would certainly like to see Mexican drivers available, but let's face it - the cost of the driver is small peanuts in the shipper cost equation beside the fuel and the amortized truck/insurance itself; cutting it in half wouldn't save shippers very much money. So far, Bush has been stymied in trying to get them accepted outside their border region, with combined driver and small trucking company uproar.

[Bob Blaylock]

Big problem.

I had to go in for a physical to get on with Heartland. I flunked. My blood sugar is way too high. 293. I need to get it down to 180 or lower, ASAP. I have a three month extension on my license, and after that, it may well be over.

Now, I'm not only without a job, but I may be without my license. I need to go local for a bit, so I can work with a doctor to get it down.


It is probably not as bad as you think. I'm a type 2 myself, and the very first time my blood sugar was tested, it was over 300. Cut way back on carbohydrates, and make sure you get plenty of exercise, and you may very well do just fine. My guess is that you're probably no worse off than I was when I was diagnosed about six years ago, at the age of 40.

See a doctor, of course. But I've been keeping my diabetes well under control for the past six years with just diet and exercise, and I bet you can as well.

It may even be a blessing rather than a curse. My diabetes compels me to take better care of myself than I otherwise would, with the likely result that I may live longer and healthier.

And some advice concerning blood sugar meters. ReliOn, sold only at Wal*Mart. $8.88 for the meter itself, last I looked, and and the strips for it cost about half what they do for most other brands. No crazy games, either, with rebates, trade-ins, and whatever, to make you think you're getting a much better deal than you really are. The blood glucose meter industry is weird. Most brands have retail prices in the $70 range or higher, and then they have all these crazy games that they play with you so that you essentially get the meter for free. They want you to have their meter, because then you have to buy their strips, and that's where they make their money. ReliOn doesn't play these games. The meter costs what it does, and what all the others would cost of they didn't play these games, and the strips are cheaper.