Are We Still Shutting Down On Monday The 5TH

I've heard that date, yes. As for me, I've been shut down for the past four days and have a delivery at 8:30 am tomorrow. My "protest" will be limited to driving 100% legal, no speeding at all. Not even the littlest tiniest bit.

 

Let's see, I shut down in Cheyenne Wyo for 32 hour till the snow and wind died down, And now at 8 pm eastern I shut down here in San Francisco till at least 7 am local time.... Yes I was that truck going 56 MPH acros Utah, Nevada etc...LOL 8.2 MPG beats 75 MPH every time!

I always drive at or under the speed limit, ALWAYS, I never exceed HOS rules NEVER etc... I guess that is my shut down ...LOL I started doing that years ago and my income never dropped at all.

One of my favorite statements to new prospective customers is " I promise you that you will NEVER be a co defendant in a court room where the driver was violating any of the trucking regs or state or federal laws..."

When the road was closed in Cheyenne, I called the gallery owner and told her I would arrive when ever the road was safe to travel.


It is my opinion that the customer would rather receive these oil paintings and statues when ever I can get there, rather than when ever we can get a wrecker to get them out of the ditch and get the truck repaired..

All of my customers seem to agree with that!

 

I've been shutdown since Thursday afternoon..... Oh that's right.... I always shutdown for the weekend.......

 

Yes I shutdown every week end too the truck that is.Then the wife puts me to work.

 

Hauling artwork, eh? Interesting gig. Is that your usual type of load? And if so, where can I sign up for it?

 

Museum displays and artifacts, Art, store displays, even stainless steel kitchens and restaurant booths LOL Trade shows, Musicians tours, concerts etc.

As to how to get started.... United Van Lines, North American Van Lines, Atlas Van Lines, Allied Van Lines, Beakins Van Lines, there are all sorts of places to GET STARTED... My truck once said "Culverhouse Inc" ( I sometimes wish it still did) on the side... Robert Culverhouse is no longer a Burnham Van Lines Agent.. ( no more Burnham) His 45 trucks are all leased to American West I believe. You have to start out in the "special commodities" business, and then when you have a reputation, you can get the high dollar insurance on your own and go off with an independent agent possibly the one I use. ( he has no turn over unless someone retires, but many of us are over 60)

When I signed up the agent I have now, I had 4 million plus miles with no accident, NO CLAIMS OF ANY KIND, and my wife ( who owns and operates her own truck and trailer with the same agent) had 2 million miles with no accidents, no claims.

As an independent I sometimes haul for each of the Van Lines mentioned above, ( More United than the others but each of them at least once last year,) and several "show" brokers and H Ford/Greenfield Village and a whole slew of "science and Industry" and "children's" museums. Getting started is not that hard, the importance of SAFETY and dedication to "doing it right" and the ability to take a truck where most drivers would never get to without running all over landscaping etc is valuable.

The interesting loads, people, or pick up and delivery locations, is it's own reward, but none of it is cheap freight, Those guys keep trying to get the business and keep failing due to the high cost of even the slightest mistake by the driver. If you want to haul one of the 3 existing flyable replicas of the "wright flier" for the H Ford for instance when they loan it to some S and I, be prepared to bind about 3 million in cargo and another 3 in liability before you pick it up!

When you arrive the night before and your customer calls you to ask if you would like an egg and cheese sandwich when they wake you in the morning,and how do you want your coffee, You realize trucking isn't all "turn on your C B to channel 23 driver we'll call you when we want you"...LOL ( sorry I couldn't resist.)

 

My trucks will be shut down on the 5th and probably the 6th because they have been out busting rump for the past 3 weeks and it's time for driver time off and truck maintenance. Last month was really good and expecting even greater things in the coming months.

 

Funny you should mention coincidences... Several drivers I know ( who did not support April 1 shut down) were in the shop etc on that day, and because they are leased to carriers experiencing a slow down in freight more than the other trucks in the same fleet, The company has never said anything to them, BUT is it coincidence? LOL