This weeks events and musings from the road.

Oil Prices:

As I travel around the Northwest and western region, I am still amazed at fuel prices climbing ever so sharply for no apparent reason. It’s as if the oil companies knew about the major terrorist investigation the Saudi’s uncovered this week. If you didn’t hear, Saudi Arabia uncovered a plot and arrested 170 suspects planning to carry out attacks on middle east oil depots and refineries. Experts predict that if one oil depot were taken out in the middle east, oil prices could easily climb to over $160. dollars per barrel, or $10 per gallon at the pump in the US!! Does this spark your interest in Bio-Diesel? Does this make you think about idling your truck for no reason? Does this make you mad and want to contact your state or federal congressperson? I think it is time to take a stand as truck drivers and pound Bio-Diesel into the heads of our government leaders. We talk about global warming, but what if fuel prices climb to $10 a gallon this summer? What if they climb to $5 a gallon? Chevron, Exxon and the like are all posting record “BILLIONS” in earnings or profits this quarter! It should make every American po’ed at what the oil companies are doing to our future, our economy! If fuel prices do hit $5 per gallon this summer, I’ll be parking my big truck and I’ll be trading my pickup in for a Toyota Hybrid.

Truck Idling:

I guess there aren’t too many drivers paying for their own fuel in the Northwest. The temperature outside hasn’t been too terribly cold or warm and it is the time of season to give your truck and your companies wallet a rest. By turning off the engine of your truck, you save the company about a gallon of fuel, or $3.25, per hour! If you’re looking for a raise or a fuel bonus, this would be a good place to start.

Pilot Travel Center – Ellensburg, WA:

After all of the problems I have been having over the past year with Pilot, I thought I would say thank you to the staff of the Ellensburg, Wa Pilot, I-90 Exit 106. They have constantly been polite, helpful and professionals at what they do. It is refreshing to be able to get my fuel, get a cold drink and a sandwich and be on my way. They have the cheapest fuel in the area and are a good spot to fill up before hitting the Seattle area.

Driver Hall of Shame:

I was traveling east bound on I84 the other morning in eastern Oregon. I decided to take a break and MVI at the eastbound Farewell Bend scale since it is well lighted and the scales were closed at the time. When I awoke, I decided to take my four-legged companion out for a rest break of her own. Just as I got her to the patch of grass and weeds to do her duty, a Werner Enterprises driver, unknown truck number, pulled up, parked and got out of his truck. I assumed he was checking his tires or doing his MVI. He shouted out to me that my dog reminded him to do something. I didn’t pay much attention, but I did turn to acknowledge his presence and to my astonishment, he was taking a leak right on the pavement next to his truck! No modesty, no thought of whether or not there might be families passing by on the freeway, no thought of the health risk he was creating, and no thought to the scale house which was now open and the DOT officer only a few dozen feet away. I am only glad my dog was only going number 1, or I would hate to guess what she might have reminded that Werner driver to do instead of number 1! IDIOT!

I guess the point that gets me the most about the above incident is that there was a decent truck stop only a mile west of the scales at the previous exit. Plenty of parking for big trucks and even a c-store to get refreshments or coffee. It amazes me why so called “professional” drivers continue to use our rest areas, scales and other public areas as public urinals! Lets get it together drivers!

This weeks events and musings from the road.

Oil Prices:

As I travel around the Northwest and western region, I am still amazed at fuel prices climbing ever so sharply for no apparent reason. It’s as if the oil companies knew about the major terrorist investigation the Saudi’s uncovered this week. If you didn’t hear, Saudi Arabia uncovered a plot and arrested 170 suspects planning to carry out attacks on middle east oil depots and refineries. Experts predict that if one oil depot were taken out in the middle east, oil prices could easily climb to over $160. dollars per barrel, or $10 per gallon at the pump in the US!! Does this spark your interest in Bio-Diesel? Does this make you think about idling your truck for no reason? Does this make you mad and want to contact your state or federal congressperson? I think it is time to take a stand as truck drivers and pound Bio-Diesel into the heads of our government leaders. We talk about global warming, but what if fuel prices climb to $10 a gallon this summer? What if they climb to $5 a gallon? Chevron, Exxon and the like are all posting record “BILLIONS” in earnings or profits this quarter! It should make every American po’ed at what the oil companies are doing to our future, our economy! If fuel prices do hit $5 per gallon this summer, I’ll be parking my big truck and I’ll be trading my pickup in for a Toyota Hybrid.

Truck Idling:

I guess there aren’t too many drivers paying for their own fuel in the Northwest. The temperature outside hasn’t been too terribly cold or warm and it is the time of season to give your truck and your companies wallet a rest. By turning off the engine of your truck, you save the company about a gallon of fuel, or $3.25, per hour! If you’re looking for a raise or a fuel bonus, this would be a good place to start.

Pilot Travel Center – Ellensburg, WA:

After all of the problems I have been having over the past year with Pilot, I thought I would say thank you to the staff of the Ellensburg, Wa Pilot, I-90 Exit 106. They have constantly been polite, helpful and professionals at what they do. It is refreshing to be able to get my fuel, get a cold drink and a sandwich and be on my way. They have the cheapest fuel in the area and are a good spot to fill up before hitting the Seattle area.

Driver Hall of Shame:

I was traveling east bound on I84 the other morning in eastern Oregon. I decided to take a break and MVI at the eastbound Farewell Bend scale since it is well lighted and the scales were closed at the time. When I awoke, I decided to take my four-legged companion out for a rest break of her own. Just as I got her to the patch of grass and weeds to do her duty, a Werner Enterprises driver, unknown truck number, pulled up, parked and got out of his truck. I assumed he was checking his tires or doing his MVI. He shouted out to me that my dog reminded him to do something. I didn’t pay much attention, but I did turn to acknowledge his presence and to my astonishment, he was taking a leak right on the pavement next to his truck! No modesty, no thought of whether or not there might be families passing by on the freeway, no thought of the health risk he was creating, and no thought to the scale house which was now open and the DOT officer only a few dozen feet away. I am only glad my dog was only going number 1, or I would hate to guess what she might have reminded that Werner driver to do instead of number 1! IDIOT!

I guess the point that gets me the most about the above incident is that there was a decent truck stop only a mile west of the scales at the previous exit. Plenty of parking for big trucks and even a c-store to get refreshments or coffee. It amazes me why so called “professional” drivers continue to use our rest areas, scales and other public areas as public urinals! Lets get it together drivers!

Beginning a New Day!

After 2 months off the road, developing many websites and trying to stay busy, I am finally going back to work on Monday. My boss called yesterday telling me that freight in the Northwest is moving like wildfire again and it’s time for me to drive again! Finally!

During the past few days, I have had time to reflect on several events that have been on my mind lately. I think the biggest event of the week was the tragedy at VT in Virginia. I can’t help but pray for the families and community of those who have been affected by this senseless crime. The only thing that we can do from the outside is pray for those who have had their lives changed forever because of these events. We have to remember that life is short and we have to live each and every day as if it were our last.

For those of you who are computer geeks or fanatics and a blog just isn’t enough anymore, I have put together a Trucking BB! Here we can get together online and share resources and post information about all things trucking. A blog such as this many times only offers one point of view and is directed at a reading audience. The Trucking BB is much different, it allows the community to interact with one another on a much personal level. We can ask questions, post information useful to other drivers and find information we might need. I have included an area to find a job, an area to post a “For Sale” listing and even a personals listing area for those of us who are single drivers. The site is free to use and I hope it becomes a regular destination for my readers.

Check out the Trucking BB by clinking on this link! Thanks!

Oil Companies and the Alternative Energy Field

Earlier in the week, I posted a blog about involvement of oil companies in the alternative energy field. One point I forgot to mention was the increasing demand for alternative fuels such as ethanol and the decreasing availability of the fuel in gas stations. NBC had a story recently about the inability of drivers to get fuel such as ethanol because big oil companies are resisting the placement of special pumps in their gas stations. I wonder what the delay is installing pumps and tanks that are designed to carry ethanol or other fuels such as bio-diesel.

Another part of the ethanol story was the cost of hog feed on the increase because of the lack of corn available! Is that why the US Government is paying millions of dollars each year to farmers to keep them from growing corn and wheat through their subsidies? Who gets the money and tax benefits? I think the answer might be the conglomerates who own the corn and wheat fields! Because there is a shortage of ethanol corn, because feed prices are soaring, doesn’t this also suggest that there might be a shortage of bacon or ham in the near future? What is the end cost to the consumer?

Doesn’t it make you feel better that the big oil companies are making record profits and we are paying upwards of $4.00 per gallon in places of the country because of concerns over oil prices?! So I might ask another question, because there is such a high demand for ethanol and the oil companies won’t place ethanol pumps in their stations, where are they storing the fuel!! Are we shipping it overseas?

Don’t even get me started! Oh, too late! In the state of Washington, drivers are paying an average of .42 cents per gallon for fuel tax! Where is this money going? The roads in the Northwest are already in a state of major disrepair, with pot holes, sink holes, worn out pavement and clogged roads, where does that tax go?

I am disgusted with the politicians who bombard be with their “ideas” on the local and national news every night! How about following through with those ideas. I wish we could elect Governor Schwarzenegger of California to set us on a path of real results. Maybe he could give us real insight about the problems of global warming and our dependence on oil. We have the technology, the money and the power to do better in the alternative energy arena. I would be glad to pay $5.00 per gallon of gas if it meant I was actually helping the environment and getting 100 M.P.G. in my car, or better yet, getting better than 7 M.P.G. in my big truck!

Oil Companies and Alternative Fuels

Earlier in the week, I posted a blog about involvement of oil companies in the alternative energy field. One point I forgot to mention was the increasing demand for alternative fuels such as ethanol and the decreasing availability of the fuel in gas stations. NBC had a story recently about the inability of drivers to get fuel such as ethanol because big oil companies are resisting the placement of special pumps in their gas stations. I wonder what the delay is installing pumps and tanks that are designed to carry ethanol or other fuels such as bio-diesel.

Another part of the ethanol story was the cost of hog feed on the increase because of the lack of corn available! Is that why the US Government is paying millions of dollars each year to farmers to keep them from growing corn and wheat through their subsidies? Who gets the money and tax benefits? I think the answer might be the conglomerates who own the corn and wheat fields! Because there is a shortage of ethanol corn, because feed prices are soaring, doesn’t this also suggest that there might be a shortage of bacon or ham in the near future? What is the end cost to the consumer?

Doesn’t it make you feel better that the big oil companies are making record profits and we are paying upwards of $4.00 per gallon in places of the country because of concerns over oil prices?! So I might ask another question, because there is such a high demand for ethanol and the oil companies won’t place ethanol pumps in their stations, where are they storing the fuel!! Are we shipping it overseas?

Don’t even get me started! Oh, too late! In the state of Washington, drivers are paying an average of .42 cents per gallon for fuel tax! Where is this money going? The roads in the Northwest are already in a state of major disrepair, with pot holes, sink holes, worn out pavement and clogged roads, where does that tax go?

I am disgusted with the politicians who bombard be with their “ideas” on the local and national news every night! How about following through with those ideas. I wish we could elect Governor Schwarzenegger of California to set us on a path of real results. Maybe he could give us real insight about the problems of global warming and our dependence on oil. We have the technology, the money and the power to do better in the alternative energy arena. I would be glad to pay $5.00 per gallon of gas if it meant I was actually helping the environment and getting 100 M.P.G. in my car, or better yet, getting better than 7 M.P.G. in my big truck!

What does the DOT Scale Officer see?

SAFERSYS.ORG

During my career as an OTR Truck Driver, I have visited the DOT Scale House on more than one occasion. The DOT Enforcement officer usually takes your information, including CDL, medical card, truck and trailer registration, insurance cards and any number of other official documents to make sure you are legal for the road you are traveling. Through all of the inspections, paperwork checks and other official DOT functions, I’ve often wondered what type of information is entered into the DOT computer and why that information is important to future visits to the DOT Inspection Facility.

I asked this question to a DOT Officer recently and he told me that certain states, DOT offices are linked to the FMCSA computer and a score is given to each trucking company based on several factors such as number of vehicle and driver inspections, number of vehicle and driver inspections failed, number of hazmat inspections, number of hazmat inspections failed, number of accidents, number of fatalities, number of traffic violations, number of vehicles towed and number of drivers in the fleet. Certainly these aren’t the only factors used in the computation of the safety score, it is a very complicated process, but they are the most common factors. DOT even has a formula to estimate the probability that a truck or driver will not pass a safety inspection, hence the probability of your truck being pulled into an inspection facility. This seems all well and good for the safety of our highways, but what if you are on a dedicated route that brings you past the same inspection facility? Too bad, the system will only “see” the DOT number entered by the DOT Officer into his or her computer and flag you to be stopped. My personal record is being pulled in to an inspection facility is 5 times in a 4 week period. Some drivers will tell you that you can only be pulled in once every 30 days, this isn’t true! If your company has a poor safety record, your truck can be pulled in to an inspection facility on a daily basis.

If you have a computer and internet access, check out the “SaferSys.org” website and check out the safety score of your company. You can enter the MC#, ICC# or company name to search for your company. Be sure to find the city and state your company is based in to get accurate results. You would be amazed at the number of companies that are named the same across the US. This search will also provide results of the inner workings of a company and their safety records. This information is “Public Knowledge” and anyone can look up a company using this site. More and more trucking companies are using consumer credit reports to get information about prospective drivers, so why shouldn’t you get information about your own company or a company you plan to work for. It may save you a lot of agony and money in the long run! Be Safe!