Misc Rants and Updates

Posted on 26-09-2005

This is a picture of where we are at today from Google Earth. I mainly wanted to see if I could save and post the images. Click on it for the big picture. For those that are playing along at home, here we are 37.653411 -112.404710. I also wanted to respond to a couple of comments.

Here is a picture of the GPS I use and a link to the program. I only wish they would update the map data once in a while.

This comment from Chad, I answered it there as well. Maybe I am nuts, but strike for lower fuel prices instead of raising freight rates because raising rates will hurt the consumer? That almost makes sense, I don’t think that has ever stopped anyone else from raising prices. I love America and the consumer (I are one too!), as much as Chad, but why should truckers be the sacrificial lambs for the consumer? And the part about the Saudi’s controlling the price of oil is true, but right now, it’s the refining that is being hurt and is causing the biggest jump at the pump and any price drop from strike would only be temporary at best. We need more refineries and we need to put them someplace besides the Gulf! How about Alaska? Drill the heck out of ANWR and the North Slope, refine it right there and ship to Valdez through the pipeline that’s already there. That way all the money we spend on energy will at stay in America and go to Americans (okay, Alaskans) and American companies.

We were picking up some store fixtures in New Jersey for delivery in Seattle and California. The trailer wasn’t even half full. I’m parked and on the phone with my office looking for something to fill the trailer and this other owner/operator (who happens to be Russian and has nothing to do with this.) walks up and asks about getting back to the interstate and about getting fuel etc… He asks what I’m doing and

I say, “I’m looking for a load”,
“didn’t you just get a load?”
“The trailer is half empty, I want more $$$!”
“I can drive faster when it’s light like this”.
You like to drive faster, I like to drive richer!

Even full, it was still pretty light. We turned a $7,000 trip into a $10,000 trip. You guys keep running faster.

All the news about fuel prices has my family and friends asking how that’s affecting us. It is and it’s not. It’s shocking to see a $500 fill up, but we are getting paid more too. Trucking will always be around, if fuel is $1 or $4. Fuel has always been a major complaint for truckers, but trucks are still on the road. Now if it gets to the point like Chad says, the rates are so high that people stop buying stuff, we may have a small bump in the economy, but it will be temporary just like all the other bumps before. People still have to eat and buy clothes and trucks will always carry the food and clothes for them.

I’ve also updated my resume and changed some of the blog listings on the side panel. Next week while we are in Vegas (home), We are going to install a new fridge, if you notice it says, “Fits most 770’s”, doesn’t mention a 780, that’s
the reason for the minor surgery on the truck, but we think it will be worth it. Cindy has already voiced her opinion of the built-in fridge over here, more on that fiasco later. And we are going to check out a used trailer and if it’s not what we want we will order a new one from the factory.