Truck Driving Jobs

golfhobo · Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 7:13 pm Post subject:

Where do I start? We HAD this discussion a year ago!

The MAIN reason I/A is failing is stubbornness on the part of both the O/O and the companies.

Were they "ahead of the curve?" Probably. MOST geniuses ARE! MY business failed because I was one of the first in my state to remanufacture toner cartridges for laser printers and copiers. 10 years later.... it was not only "chic," it was being done by the OEM manufacturers to compete with US! :roll:

Are APU's a BETTER answer? Possibly. But, companies don't want to pay for them for trucks who RARELY idle for long periods of time. Hence, I/A would be a better choice for them WHEN it is needed.

I have CONTINUED to go to the same (and some other) truckstops BEFORE and AFTER I/A installation, and find a negligible problem finding a parking spot. Of course, I paid the mere $10 for a membership so that I can park in one of their spots if they were all that was available. I've NEVER been hassled for doing so!

Alot of the arguments put forward on this thread just don't matter. IF you go to a small fuel stop to park, it makes no difference to YOU, I/A... or ME! Help yourself, but you weren't a "player" in the first place! :roll:

I have 5 hours of credit on my card, but have never used it! But, I have parked in their spots many times! I have no problem backing out without hitting another truck, and those who CAN'T would probably hit you if they were parked on the other side of the lot! :lol:

Everything I have seen in their publications and by talking to them tells me that NO movie costs $10.... so that is just an exageration!

I am sorry to hear they are in bankruptcy! But, who ISN'T these days? I think their problem was too much expansion too early on! They had/have a great idea, but their CEO wasn't a good businessman! Capital expansion should be based on capital returns! NOT on speculation! They should NEVER have invested so much in rapid expansion and national coverage without national accounts backing them!

MANY here have "downed" the attributes of APU's.... yet THOSE companies also speculated on the current fuel crisis AND State's anti-idling laws! FACT is..... BOTH were RIGHT!

Are EITHER solutions the "cat's meow?" NOT YET! But both are ahead of the alternative of paying exhorbitant prices for fuel that is getting a truck NOWHERE!

We Americans.... and especially we truckers..... need to decide what side of the fence we are on! Can we find a way to live in harmony with the environment and the economy? Or will be "pighead" ourselves into extinction?

There are 3 times the trucks, airplanes and passenger vehicles on the roads today than a mere 30 years ago! At this rate, global warming isn't a joke..... it's a pending catastrophe! :shock:

And our dependence on the ARABS is increasing at a rate we MAY not be able to STOP! THEY don't care about global warming or polution.... do you know WHY? First.... because how much hotter can a DESERT get? And second.... because they are basicaly FLATLANDS over which the winds continue to blow ALL polution over and away from them! They have no Rocky Mtns, or Sierras, to TRAP pollution over their major cities! They see nothing but BLUE skies everyday! :roll:

WE, as a country, have set the standard for oil consumption throughout the World, and WE must be the FIRST to see the problems and correct them! Once again, we are called upon to be LEADERS! But, once again... I fear we are found LACKING!

At $1.85 per hour, IdleAire is a savings that no one can refute at the current cost of diesel! WHATEVER the imperfections, it should be supported as the most technologically advanced solution to the problem ( as relates to the trucking industry) to come down the pike in the last half century!

Their biggest problem is that they haven't been successful at formulating their IPO properly! Those who are currently "speculating" on oil prices would be FOOLS not to get in on this, if it were offered properly! UNLESS, of course, they expect to make MORE by gouging the public on gas prices for the SHORT TERM that those investments can last, before a total collapse of the economy!

It's just like Americans to REJECT ideas that make sense! And it is even MORE like the American Trucker to do so! :roll:

kc0iv · Joined: 03 Feb 2005 Posts: 1113 Location: Kansas City, MO

Let's see. We have a TEAM driver that says "But, companies don't want to pay for them for trucks who RARELY idle for long periods of time." Last time I checked (granted that was over three years ago) most SOLO drivers parked for 10 hours. And most of the year they idled their trucks. Why? Because it was either to hot or to cold to get a good nights sleep.

The start-up cost for IdleAire was just to high. Even with the government grants they were able to receive. Then add to these high cost they didn't have enough customer base to make this profitable.

For those who have driven for a few years will recall when many truckstops were wired for cable tv and phone service. That service was also folded because the cost was higher that customers will willing to pay.

Global warming is a joke. As much as Al Gore would like to claim global warming has and is happening the data doesn't support the claim. Does the weather cycle? Sure but that doesn't equated some catastrophe event. Global warming is happening on Mars and it sure doesn't have humans that is causing this warming.

I agree all drivers should practice fuel conservation and one of the best ways to reduce speed.

kc0iv

Double L · Joined: 26 Sep 2007 Posts: 1417 Location: Illinois

kc0iv wrote:

Global warming is a joke. As much as Al Gore would like to claim global warming has and is happening the data doesn't support the claim. Does the weather cycle? Sure but that doesn't equated some catastrophe event. Global warming is happening on Mars and it sure doesn't have humans that is causing this warming.

kc0iv[/color]

I agree global warming is a joke. I remember reading back in the 70's it was global cooling right? Correct me if I'm wrong on now! I don't believe in it cause we didn't cause the last ice age and when volcanoes erupt thousands and tons of carbon monoxide go up into the atmosphere. Global Warming is a bunch of bull :dung: I got an email from a friend of mine that read Al Gore is trying to get some carbon tax passed that will line his pockets even more. I don't remember what it all said but also I hear that Al Gore is having a lawsuit filed against him saying his global warming accusations are false! :?

Orangetxguy · Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Posts: 1926

Global Warming = High for May 17, 2008, Seattle Wa....84

High for Beaumont Tx....69

Yeah...lopsided global warming!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Drew10 · Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 8:54 pm Post subject:

Orangetxguy wrote: Global Warming = High for May 17, 2008, Seattle Wa....84

High for Beaumont Tx....69

Yeah...lopsided global warming!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

...And didnt Seattle just get a :dung: load of snow, just a few weeks ago. Global warming is a hoax, a hypothesis without fact is still a hypothesis. Many Climatologists, Meteorologists, Scientist are saying there is no fact to back it up.
Oops...derailing the post...OK, Back to bashing IdleAire.

Orangetxguy · Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Posts: 1926

Drew10 wrote: Orangetxguy wrote: Global Warming = High for May 17, 2008, Seattle Wa....84

High for Beaumont Tx....69

Yeah...lopsided global warming!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Yeah and didnt Seattle just get a :dung: load of snow, just a few weeks ago. Global warming is a hoax, a hypothesis without fact is still a hypothesis. Many Climatologists, Meteorologists, Scientist are saying there is no fact to back it up.
Oops...derailing the post...OK, Back to bashing IdleAire.

My brother tells me the the Puyallup and Cedar rivers are out of the banks today

BIG JEEP on 44's · Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 10:21 pm Post subject:

golfhobo wrote:

We Americans.... and especially we truckers..... need to decide what side of the fence we are on! Can we find a way to live in harmony with the environment and the economy? Or will be "pighead" ourselves into extinction?

:

Humans will become extinc weather you bike to work , don't idle your truck , and save the rain forest ...Fact is life on this planet is a temporary thing species come and go ...we get fossil fuel from oil that is the result of the remains of extinct life on this planet ...this extinct life did not drive cars or produce chemical waste ...but they're gone . funny how todays green peace activists seem to neglect the fact that life on planet earth has a natural history of extinction ...and who knows when the humans will get their calling ,but i'd bet it's long before the debateable threat of global warming does us in .

gmh · Joined: 08 Dec 2007 Posts: 391 Location: Southern Maryland

Ahh, truckers' comments on climatology. What, all the spots in Truck Driver Law School were taken, so you guys chose to become scientists instead?

Drew10 · Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 10:31 pm Post subject:

gmh wrote: Ahh, truckers' comments on climatology. What, all the spots in Truck Driver Law School were taken, so you guys chose to become scientists instead?
Now you know we all had careers before Trucking. Lawyers/Climatology/Meteorologists and some of us were even Scientists. Once we found out how financially lucrative trucking is, we left those loser careers and became Truckers :lol:

ronjon619 · Joined: 24 Mar 2006 Posts: 423 Location: San Diego, CA

kc0iv wrote:

Global warming is a joke. As much as Al Gore would like to claim global warming has and is happening the data doesn't support the claim. Does the weather cycle? Sure but that doesn't equated some catastrophe event. Global warming is happening on Mars and it sure doesn't have humans that is causing this warming.

kc0iv

John Coleman is a local weather guy in San Diego. He was also one of the founders of the weather channel. He has called Al Gore's bluff on this issue.
http://www.kusi.com/weather/colemanscorner/12661711.html

Ridge Runner · Joined: 18 Oct 2004 Posts: 2577 Location: North Ga.

You guys are way behind. The NEW term is " climate change " . It seems that the temps and data wouldn't support golbal WARMING so now they have changed the term. :roll:

golfhobo · Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 2:59 am Post subject:

KC said:

Quote: Let's see. We have a TEAM driver that says "[/color]But, companies don't want to pay for them for trucks who RARELY idle for long periods of time.[color=green]" Last time I checked (granted that was over three years ago) most SOLO drivers parked for 10 hours. And most of the year they idled their trucks. Why? Because it was either to hot or to cold to get a good nights sleep.

Well, there are many more TEAM trucks out there than you would like to believe, and we don't idle for 10 hours every night. But, when we DO get "laid over" we often idle for 24 hours or more. Also, there are MANY SOLO trucks who don't idle for 10 hours, as they cheat their logs and get on the road in less than 8 hours of "shutdown." But, I was making an "assumption" about why companies don't want to pay foir APU's. Perhaps, YOU can tell me another reason why they won't pay the cost for an APU on every truck they run?

If they are such a GOOD deal, I see no reason why all trucks aren't equipped with them.... yet.... most of them aren't! Why? Because in many cases, the company is given a fuel surcharge for each run, so it's no skin off their teeth to let the drivers idle. That is CHEAPER for them than equipping all thier trucks with APU's.

Quote: The start-up cost for IdleAire was just to high. Even with the government grants they were able to receive. Then add to these high cost they didn't have enough customer base to make this profitable.

I believe this is just about exactly what I said. Startup costs for a NATIONAL installation campaign outstripped their "uncommitted" customer base.

Quote: For those who have driven for a few years will recall when many truckstops were wired for cable tv and phone service. That service was also folded because the cost was higher that customers will willing to pay.

Yes, it failed because it, too, was poorly "marketed," AND it offered less services than I/A. MANY companies in America have failed for similar reasons. If I"m not mistaken, that earlier service didn't even OFFER any kind of cab AIR conditioning, did it? Just phone and TV or something? Internet access wasn't even a reality at that time, and IDLING was STILL a necessity! :roll:

Quote: Global warming is a joke. As much as Al Gore would like to claim global warming has and is happening the data doesn't support the claim. Does the weather cycle? Sure but that doesn't equated some catastrophe event. Global warming is happening on Mars and it sure doesn't have humans that is causing this warming.

If I"m not mistaken, there are MORE scientists who support the claim of Global warning than there are "paid scientific consultants" who dispell it. Furthermore, yes.... there is no doubt that the Earth (and all planets) experience a cycle of "ice age" and "warming," but within that framework, and even based on our own planetary cycles.... we are well ahead of the cycle since the Industrial Revolution and the burning of fossil fuels for heat and motorization on this planet. There is no debate here. I lived in the L.A. basin 30 years ago, when the term "smog" was first "coined." I have been back there recently, and you would not BELIEVE the increase and impact!

Quote: I agree all drivers should practice fuel conservation and one of the best ways to reduce speed.

WHY?? If you don't believe in Global warming, and you believe there is an infinite supply of fossil fuel on the planet.... what would be the reason?

If reducing SPEED is the key, then what is wrong with IDLING? Zero mph equals zero emmissions and zero costs, right?

Yes, KC.... I am a TEAM driver. But, I try REAL HARD to consider the problems facing the industry from the viewpoint of the "real trucker" .... the SOLO driver, who PRODUCES less per day than he sleeps (in most cases) and B!tches TWICE as much! :lol:

I will say ONE MORE TIME for those who don't see the writing on the wall, the BEST solution to the problems faced by the trucking industry, (fuel expense, parking spaces, driver turnover rates, pollution, clogged highways, etc..) is to make ALL "freight relocation" other than local deliveries, TEAM OPERATIONS!!!

TRAINS change conductors and keep moving! Why must thousands of trucks sit still at night (usually idling) to do the same job of moving freight? The fuel savings would be astronomical..... and hometime would be a WEEKLY occurrance! Families would be strengthened, and turnover reduced.

But, that makes TOO much sense! It will NEVER happen because there are too many BBR'ers out there who base their self-worth on the "looks" of their truck, and their individual rights to B!tch about how hard their LIFE is! :roll:

The World is changing, KC! And there is NO REASON to believe that the trucking industry is IMMUNE to those changes! I like running "solo" as much as the rest of you, but I STILL get to drive a truck, I still get to see the country, I get MORE hometime, and I WASTE LESS FUEL! :roll:

This is NOT your grandfather's trucking industry! Those days are gone in one way or another. I'm ALL for going BACK.... but, I don't see it happening. Regulation.... Taxation..... Stagnation..... fuel costs, Insurance costs, MADD, SADD, and the lawsuit du jouir!

Idling is, as someone said, just the tip of the iceberg! And, yes.... it affects us "teamers" too!

GMAN · Joined: 13 Feb 2005 Posts: 9864 Location: Tennessee

I have always felt that IdleAire was too expensive. Their capital investment was very substantial. In order to recover their costs they would need to charge more than they are currently and most drivers and companies are not willing to pay more to hook up to IdleAire than they could idle their trucks. If I were going to use IdleAire often I would buy an APU and put it on my truck.

kc0iv · Joined: 03 Feb 2005 Posts: 1113 Location: Kansas City, MO

Your assumption that TEAM operation is the answer doesn't take into account the length of the average distance of the pickup to delivery mileage. While coast to coast distance does make TEAM operation an advantage the majority of deliveries are no where near those distance. Now if you could get every delivery to be drop and hook with limited distance between delivery and pickup then TEAM operation could be justified. But I don't see that happening.

A much better approach, and one the industry is slowly go to, is train operation. More and more freight is being transferred by containers which leads itself to train operations with short travel distances to the final customer. Most freight is not time sensitivity and could be moved by trains at a much cheaper overall cost.

Quoting from the article: http://www.americanpolicy.org/un/thereisnoglobal.htm Quote: What he doesn't tell you is that almost 500 scientists from around the world signed the Heidleburg Appeal in 1992 just prior to the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, expressing their doubts and begging the delegates not to bind the world to any dire treaties based on global warming. Today that figure has grown to over 4000.

He also doesn't tell you that recently a Gallup Poll of eminent North American climatologists showed that 83 percent of them debunked the global warming theory.

And the deceit knows no bounds. The United Nations released a report at the end of 1996 saying Global Warming was a fact, yet before releasing the report two key paragraphs were deleted from the final draft.

Those two paragraphs, written by the scientists who did the actual scientific analysis said:

1. "none of the studies cited above has shown clear evidence that we can attribute the observed climate changes to increases in greenhouse gases."

2. "no study to date has positively attributed all or part of the climate change to ...man-made causes."

kc0iv

bigtimba · Joined: 10 Sep 2006 Posts: 216

OOOPS . . I was wrong about IA in Fargo . . I was routed back through a few days after my original post and everything/one was up and running . . perhaps they all had the day off for my previous stop.

On the other hand, tonight I'm in Lost Hills, CA (Loves) and IA has been removed, lock, stock and barrel . . I wonder who picked up that tab . .
The only thing left behind is the anchors in the pavement and the extra wide parking holes!

As usual, GMan is right . . just plain too much loot. I met the GM of the Flying J in Corning, CA during their grand opening . . awhile ago . . and ran into her again, today. She said with the soaring price of fuel, sales are off in every department. Shoplifting is going through the roof . . Drive offs from the fuel islands are rare because their system is so good. There has been an increase in siphon reports out in the parking lot and all three truck stops have requested a stronger police presence.

Sounds like there isn't any money leftover to pay for frills like IA.

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