[GMAN]

Perhaps what he meant was that he gets $0.79/mile per head hauling illegals. :wink: Put 100 illegals in a trailer and that comes out to $79/mile. :shock:

[yoopr]

I doubt if he's driving somebody elses truck and making .79cpm and if he's a O/O making .79cpm he's not going to last long.

[Bigmon]

Here's what they told me. They are Indians and get special tax and fuel deals from the Government. They live in the boonies and do their own repairs. The guy said these were backhaul rates. They hauled 4k lb. for a friend of mine and the price was $150 for a 190 mile haul.

He said they make really good money going North so they like to go cheap on the way back and piss off the O/O's that haul for .85-.90. These are also partial loads in the 4-5k lb. range and they have a 3 day window to deliver this way they can do it when they feel like it.

Right or wrong, this is what they do.

[rank]

Yes, there may be a demographic out there that can make a living by using the rules to their advantage. We know that already. Steve's demographic is living proof of that. Whether it's a retiree cutting rates or a native north american makes no difference to me.

Vans are one thing, but NOBODY tarps a loads in sub zero temps for $1.60/mile for long (head haul rate by the way). Especially a 52 year old retired computer programmer. He'll be getting better rates soon enough.

Well, I'm off and running once again with yet another crane destined for CA. I'm stuck in some piece of junk Pilot off 84 in NY. It's got to be the smallest truckstop I've ever seen. I can't sleep and only had about 4 hours, not sure why. It's 12:00am and the CB is a buzz with ladies looking for company.

Not sure if anyone else is seeing this but as I type this message the spell checker or Firefox is flagging misspelled words. I upgraded my Firefox browser yesterday so I suspect it.

NY really blows I tell ya. It takes a whole day just to get out of this neck of the woods. I'm not going the Rt 80 but taking the southern route this time.

I wanted to take a break yesterday after leaving with my load and tried to get into 5 service plazas but no luck, everyone was full with trucks parked in the car parking area and all lanes at the fuel pumps blocked but nobody fueling up.

The truck is running well and I'm loaded kind of light. The papers say 20,000 but I think it's much less than that. My cruise control can hold any speed up the hills so far.

Speaking of hard heads floored, I need to get that hardhat. Once again I was in a place that required one. I keep trying to buy someone else's instead of getting a brand new one. I tried getting one at that job site in Boston but those hats are like religious to those guys.

I just looked out the window and I think it's going to be a little tough to get out of my spot. We are so packed in here I don't think there is enough room for me to pull out and make the 90 degree turn without backing up and forward a few times. Busy busy place even now.

There are people here talking on the CB about getting discount fuel???? I assume they are looking to pay someone with cash for there company credit card fuel like $50 bucks for 50 gallons???

And, by the way. The tarping I did today was inside a nice warm building with a very relaxed environment. Bagels and coffee to boot.

Time for more coffee. A Mr. Coffee in the truck is a must!!!!

[brian]

I dont see the problem with steve hauling for 1.60 a mile considering he just started out, hell when I first went out I was closer to a buck a mile and I did VERY well my first year.

[GMAN]

Steve, I have seen new hard hats for less than $10. If you can find a Northern Tool, they carry them. I don't know if WalMart carries them, but you could check. There is one on your route in Wytheville, VA. I am not sure the exit number, but it should be somewhere around exit 72. It is on the East side of the freeway. You may even find them at Sears. I don't recall if whether you have steel toe shoes, but some plants require them, as well. Long sleeves and long pants are also required by some plants, regardless of the weather. One other thing you may want to pick up is a pair of safety glasses. That is another thing required by some manufacturing facilities.

I already have the safety glasses and a safety vest. There are plenty of hard hats around. I just really wanted one that looks like it's been through the mill and those union guys had some pretty cool ones. I didn't realize it but it was sort of a status thing. I was told most of them were not approved safety ones and were worn by people long past away who worked on sky scrapers. They modified them with new inside plastic head retainers. Looks like I'll have to buy a new one and stick Power Ranger decals all over it or something.

[thejunkman]

Steve,

If I read it correctly(maybe I didnt) on your 1st run you were shifting on the hills. I would very heavily consider against that in any condition. If by chance you miss a gear, youll have no jake and chances are wont be able to get it back into a gear the faster you start moving. Hotter brakes=more youll have to press on them to slow=no brakes.

This is me personally, I have never switched the jake. When your loaded low or medium is about useless. When is icy/snowy I turn it off, empty and wet/icy/snowy I turn it off.

If you switch the jake in the wrong conditions, it can be enough to lock the rear wheels, and spell trouble.

Also, thats why you cant sleep Turn that trash filled CB off..LOL

Good luck Steve, The thrill of being able to do what you want when you want to do it, you cant compare it.

Good luck and have fun. Just remember about the shifting on a hill-its not a good idea. On a hill, or on train tracks.

[Maniac]

Also stay out of Pilots....all of them the same, one way in and one way out.

Pilot caters to the big fleets with large discounts on the fuel prices, the do NOTHING for the O/O, I don't go in them if I can help it.