Under $2/mile loads with $6/gal diesel.

I know you think you were being funny, but that dude isn't sitting on his butt expecting a handout. He's doing something. I appreciate effort. I have been at the bottom and I have failed and had to start over. The people that matter to me are the ones willing to offer a hand up.

I have actually helped work on some trucks while being unloaded. I carry almost all the tools one needs on a truck and I #### sure help my fellow man when I can.

I also discuss rates with other drivers at stops and ironically, from my experience, guys with shiny trucks don't know how to calculate rates either.

 

You can't be serious Joe?



I was raised by both my parents that if you own something nice, you take care of it. That's for anything... Cars, home, motorcycle, you name it. Maybe lot's of people didn't have parents that would drill a thought like that into their head as a youngster... Glad I did.

Let me ask you something?


If you owned some sort of manufacturing company, would you feel more comfortable putting your prized goods that feed your family on a truck that appears to be clean and well cared for, by a driver that actually looks like he cares?

Or

Put it on the hunk of junk thats all duct taped together looking like soon as it hits the interstate, it's gonna be broke down on the shoulder and the driver could really careless?

C'mon, we both know that answer!!!

Year, make, and model doesn't matter. Many owner operator, including lots on these threads have trucks that may not be new but are well cared for and specifically for flatbed, have pride in what they do.

The picture I posted yesterday has none. The trucks a mess as is the securement of the load. The whole thing spells lazy and rate cutter to me. Maybe I'm wrong?

If that guy isn't putting any money back into his business ( his truck ), do you really think he is pushing to get high dollar rates on his hauls? Or can he run for a much lower rate because nothing is being spent on properly caring for that truck? And when he hauls for a much lower rates what does that help do to the big rate picture for everyone out here? Another easy answer... It's not rocket science. It's drives them down... you know like a race to the bottom...


And just so you know, this red Peterbilt I have is no show truck, I'm not in that type of business, it's a work horse that makes me money hauling flatbed freight. I take care of it, therefore it takes care of me. Since purchasing it brand new, with the exception of fenders I haven't spent a dime on any chrome or anything extra... Don't plan on it. It gets washed weekly as part of my overall maintenance routine and that's it. Gonna keep my investment in tip top condition. Only a fool wouldn't.

 

All true.

A person who doesn't care about their truck, home, personal vehicle, their own appearance, isn't going to care about the shippers load, company image, or much else for that matter.
I have 2 people, whose only job is cleaning trucks and trailers. The one works monday to friday, the other is still in school and works weekends. When they can't keep up, my daughter, manager, wife, drivers, myself, we pitch in and help.

 

Don't ask what IROC from the 80's Camaro line means

 

Not to sound ungrateful, but let me put something in perspective for you...

You get hurt doing these wonderful things for humanity, how many of them are going to make up for your lost wages?

Jus sayin...

 

It's going to take forever to right all this stuff down.

 

What kinda parking lot repairs are you imagining that fella is doing that he could become incapacitated by?

Must be I was raised wrong- I heard if you CAN help someone, you DO help someone.
Ain’t been crippled by it yet.

 

I just have no more words today. Y’all are unreal.

 

How much does it take to get hurt around a truck? I slipped on the ice when I was going to close my doors once at a loading dock. Heres PART of the result: Couldnt walk for almost 2 weeks. My shoulder is STILL screwed up almost a year later...

So glad its impossible for YOU to get hurt around a truck... But I guess you walk on water huh?

(Yeah, ONE of us is unreal, thats for certain).

Ive seen guys fall off trucks and break bones. Ive seen a bungie cord snap and take out a guys eye. Ive seen #### you wouldnt believe...

 

the trick is you have to cuss when you are working on the rig. then it wont hurt when that wrench slips off and your knuckles go straight into the side of something.. you will be to busy cussing the engineers to feel any pain at all