You heard it! Truckers have their own appreciation week. I stand fullheartedly for it. The wives and the families are the forgotten ones. They deserve appreciation too. They put countless hours worrying if they stay at home. The ones in the truck put countless hours into the daily grind. The parents, children, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, grandparents, wives, cousins, etc, need a week also. After all, we all know it isn't easy dealing with this industry day in and day out. Many relatives of drivers sit, waiting for that phone call, email, tweet, and facebook post daily; worried that it may not come.

Brenny Transportation, Inc., Brenny Specialized, Inc., and the crew here at Trucker's Voice are very proud to announce that the week of February 19th – 25th, 2012, will be recognized as the appreciation week for families of over the road truck drivers.

Families of over the road truck drivers make a sacrifice bigger than they get credit! We would like to make a special point and designate your very own week in February as the week we give thanks to the families who support the trucking industry.

We thank the spouse at home who pays the bills and takes care of the children. We are grateful for the family members who show appreciation to their OTR trucker for not only supporting his/her family, but also for your knowledge of the sacrifice they make for our country.

Thank you to the children of truckers who pray for mom or dad while they are away from home. We know you are proud of the occupation that your parent has chosen.

Above all, Brenny we want to say thank you to the families of over the road truck drivers. We want to personally say you count, you matter, and we appreciate your sacrifice! Keep smiling and keep on trucking! You are truly the behind the scenes truckers that our country needs to help the wheels keep rolling.

So, drivers and companies are all encouraged to ensure this is a growing event. Your families, and your wives all deserve the appreciation and consideration!
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Yesterday, Houston was hit with torrential storms. While waiting for the first surge to pass, there were seven reported funnel clouds spotted, some becoming full tornadoes. We were stuck in the middle, just hoping for the best. Lou says, "The clouds are rolling. They're rolling hard." I replied, "Please don't let it be like Billings." I'll get to the story shortly on Billings.

There is an epidemic of trucking "reality" shows. For those of you not out here with us, these people are cast, the situations are given for sensationalism and ratings. Sadly, they would not need that sensationalism in real life for the truckers' lives stay interesting, and there's never one day that is the same.

David Redmon has spoken out time and time again against Ice Road Truckers and the oversensationalism of this show. People are listening slowly but surely. We even watched the mini-series he posted speaking out on YouTube. (Part of research is getting to watch someone I've spoken to in private in social media.) While he faces major risks to tell the truth, others will talk in private, hush-hush emails and phone calls. One good way of displaying the extreme untruth is by one situation a few of them have told me about. A person hauling a mail wagon doesn't do a few seasons of flatbed and automatically get moved into a chance for heavy haul. There are many more ahead of this said person in this certain company with the experience in flatbed and oversized that would get the opportunity first. Heavy haul is something many spend years upon years to get to, not just 4 or 5 years. This is just one of many examples I can throw forward on one show.

The outrage toward IRT boiled over for many when the newest "Deadliest Roads" came about. In came a character that many of us can't stand. Many of us were just waiting for stupidity to seep forth. "Truck surfing" was the straw that broke the camel's back. It made everyone look like a clown. Pete Llarena screamed it from the rooftops.

Now, comes Shipping Wars from uShip. I've watched uShip for a while now. They are more worried about winning a bid than hauling for at least subpar prices. Real truckers aren't like that. They know they're doing a hard job, and many are upset that there hasn't been a pay increase in decades. We are waging war against cheap freight, while the people who own and use uShip are telling truckers that their worth is pennies on the mile. The rates are steadily falling right now, proving that some people think that uShip is real life. It isn't. We run a business. Businesses do not run off of pennies. So, here's this new "great" show. They are breaking the law in ways unseen in the real life. It's no secret that there are gray areas in trucking that can be pushed to the edge of their limit. All of real life has gray areas, trucking is real life. On occasion, necessity calls for the usage of these gray areas. The people on uShip, however, seem to think that they are above the law. When the first episode came on, we were still moving. Joyce Brenny came onto my facebook page, absolutely upset. I'm surprised something wasn't thrown at the television. She has started writing letters. She wants reality like this gone. Here is the letter:

To Whom It May Concern:                                                    January 11, 2012

The trucking industry has been humiliated, degraded, and disrespected by the new reality show, Shipper Wars.  Let it be known that this show is NOT an example of how the professionals who make their living in the trucking industry conduct business.

Those of us who maintain a safe and compliant trucking business want this show off the air immediately! To tolerate and display such illegal and unethical actions in relation to the trucking industry can not and will not be tolerated!

Shipping Wars displays every action professional truckers despise! We will not under bid for mere enjoyment, we bid freight to take care of our families. Professional truckers will not risk their own lives or the lives of the general public by driving without proper rest. Professional truckers have the accredited insurance and proper credentials to haul shipments across the country, unlike the unprofessional haulers displayed in the not so real, reality show “Shipping Wars.”

As a leader in the trucking industry and a voice for professional truckers I demand the removal of this show from the air. A public apology should be offered to those whom have been offended by your failed attempt in displaying the world of trucking.

If you want to showcase a show about “real” professional truckers I would suggest you contact respected industry organizations such as OOIDA, TCA, ATA and WIT.

Regards,

Joyce Brenny

President, Brenny Transportation, Inc.

Chair Woman, Minnesota Trucking Association

I encourage others to follow Mrs. Brenny's lead. If you scream loud enough, people will listen. Just ask the Canadian truckers who stopped a commercial after less than 24 hours due to the depiction of truck drivers.

For those of you sitting at home, reality is more exciting than fakes trying to appease a producer.

Billings, MT: A nice, sunny day with a light breeze gets hectic fast. The sky turns black. Lou goes in for our bill lading while I finish paperwork in the truck. I look up, and there is a tremendous rolling in the clouds right above the truck. The first thing of hail, while I'm watching the funnel cloud form directly above my head, threw me off so bad, I let out a blood curling scream. Straight line winds come up, and lightning is everywhere. A bolt strikes the street light not even a block away from me.

Houston, TX: 2 miles of 45 aren't allowed for oversized loads to go down, so you have to take a frontage road, then hop back on. At 14' wide, we are taking up the entirety of the frontage road. There's a BMW parked cock-eyed in the right hand lane, pointing into a driveway, with the front foot in the driveway. We are forced to stop. Lou walks up to the car, and there's no one in it. Traffic is now building up behind us because they can't get around this load. Finally, the owner walks up and tells Lou, "BMW, everything shut off. Can't get it in neutral." Lou walked back to the car with the owner, and when he slides in to get it in neutral, is met with ankle deep water IN the car. A law enforcement officer is stuck behind us, and with his suit on, comes up, chews the car owner out, thanks Lou, and helps push the car.

Lou was working on his side box, and accidently discharged the fire extinguisher some time ago. I heard him gagging and coughing and cussing, so I left the bunk to see what's wrong. A white cloud of smoke sucked the oxygen out of me.

Reality may be slightly more boring than what they show you on television, but reality is real. Our reality every day out here changes. Some days are funny, some days are irritating, some days are somber, some days are all of the above and more. If you as a producer want reality, then get the real truckers and their real every day lives. Get Marty, the grandfather who lost their infant grandchild while across the country. Get David, who had his granddaughter brutally murdered while 1000 miles away. Get the driver who just saved someone's life while putting their lives in jeopardy. Get the jeopardy who pursues justice against people who hurt children while going cross country. Get the parent crying via Skype or cell when he first comes out here and is home sick for their children. Get the person cutting someone out of wreckage. Get the woman out here, actually doing heavy haul. Get the truckers who are driving tankers in Los Angeles, like Mike used to do. Get real people, real life, real situations, or call it the fiction that it is! Give me my real reality jerks!
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First of all, a huge thank you to the state of Mississippi, Teamsters, and OOIDA, among others, for standing with the majority of truckers as we fight the battle that is ensuing.

It amazes me when I mentioned I'd be doing a piece on this that many were clueless that the heavier weight proposal was still being battled out. It's scary how many things can slip under the rug when everyone is only worried about final rulings on hours of service and cell phones. The heavier weight limit proposal is a key issue in the economy of many, it is a key issue in highway safety for everyone on the road. We, today, together, will explain it all. Then, hopefully, you can walk away with an understanding of why it's so important to pick up your phone, especially with this year being an election year, call your congress person, and say DO NOT PASS THIS!!

President Eisenhower developed the grid for the highway system in 1956. Before then, the goat trails many oversized haulers love and hate currently are the ones that were traveled by all semis and cars. A goat trail for those of you not understanding the terminology, are rough, two lane roads, that can barely fit a semi, much less an oversized load. During this time frame, 35' and 45' trailers were used. The 45' trailers were used seldomly. The weight was equal to that of the trailer. Therefore, the interstate system was not built for even 80,000 pounds. Yet, now we have 53' trailers now (some have opted to stick to the 48' trailers, but these are becoming a dying breed, as corporate greed of shippers and receivers picks up). Now, we have 80,000 pounds, and the interstate system is starting to scream back. I've included three pictures to show the failures of the bridges based on weight. The first is from Washington state, the second is in Wisconsin, and the third is from the infamous Minnesota collapse. If we continue to up the ante weight wise, without ensuring the infrastructure of the highway system is rebuilt to able to retain and maintain all the weight that this proposal will put them under, there will assuredly be more collapses and fatalities to follow. For me, this is a completely unneeded risk to ensure corporate greed rules supreme.Infrastructure Report Card, CNN, U.S. PIRG, Popular Mechanics, and many more, have been reporting a bad report card. No offense, but before asking everyone for higher weights, maybe our dilapidated system should get an A+ first.

Even with all the facts crystal, the lawmakers are listening to corporate greed again.  They want to increase the weight limit to 97,000 pounds. Many people may think, "80,000, 97,000, tomato, tomotto." Now, to those people, read the failing infrastructure, read the bridges that have fallen already, and look at it from a different perspective. That extra 17,000 pounds is equal to 8.5 tons, or about 5 cars. That's five extra cars trying to stop at once with you right in front of them.

Basically, it comes down to basic lies and greed. Many containers come off of ships into ports. These containers are then unloaded and reloaded to be able to maintain the correct weight to be on the federal highway system. These port workers are paid well for their work, and they get the load where it can legally move. The shippers and receivers who utilize the port, and in many other places, want to cut the middle man out, and save money. This would increase our already sky high unemployment numbers, and help further cripple our economy by once again finding a way to outsource workers. Supporters claim this would save fuel, make the shipping costs go down, etc. It costs more money to run more freight due to the fact that a driver's fuel mileage goes down as the weight comes up. Also, who is going to haul heavier again (they've upped the weight before), without being paid more money to haul it? The drivers that are company drivers average between 19 cents per mile for team split to 40 cents a mile, or more. The median average of a truck driver's pay is 34-36 cents per mile. They should not be asked to haul more for free.

Many bridges and roads aren't set up to handle this weight increase. There are posted signs on many of these stating "No trucks over _______ tons or ______ pounds." The regular drivers do not normally touch this. On a rare occasion, they will actually send an oversized load over these bridges while permitted. The oversized drivers, upon noticing the bridge can not hold their weight, are to call and have their route re-routed. If this is not followed, a repeat of the Washington picture will occur. That is correct, general motoring public. We are permitted by the state and can't go on a lot of routes if over weight. Currently, there are stress fractures on the I-10 bridge in Lake Charles. These stress fractures are caused for many reasons. Some are due to age (read when the infrastructure was first made by Ike again), and the increased weights crossing these bridges throughout that amount of time. Also consider that these permitted routes will not be the only ones that others, depending on "reliable" truck GPS, will bring their heavier trucks will be traveling down. To make the easiest point, think of Minneapolis again.

The best and scariest argument in all of this is as follows; new drivers. Many take a little while to get comfortable with braking distance. You see, eighteen wheels do not actually mean eighteen brakes. There are ten brakes. This means 1,700 pounds on every brake would be added. The training practices by trucking schools and driver mills do not properly equip new drivers on what to expect at 80,000 pounds. These drivers would be less likely to be able to handle 97,000 pounds, which would create disastrous effects.

The basics are simple. Say no. Say no because the interstate can't handle it, the economy can't survive that, and all our lives are too precious to risk. Pick up your phone, call, and get them to understand NO!

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If you scroll through the slide show, you will see all sorts and sizes of oversized loads. Some of these were sent to me over the years by Robert Misitano, Justin Minor, and Mike Lofgren. (If i didn't name you, I'm sorry!)

One thing about oversized loads is the same; no matter how wide, heavy, long, or tall they are; no matter how pretty or ugly they are; no matter what commodity they are; they are bigger than the normal sized trailer.

We all know idiots abound around trucks, no matter what the wheel count is. You're cut off, tail gated, and dodging swerving cars. There are those people who feel the shoulders and ramps are the perfect places to park, of all wheel counts, and you're dodging them as well. There has been a rising concern industry wide that people need to learn how to drive around trucks. Industry wide, people seem to forget the need to learn how to drive around the oversized loads though, and inside the industry, the lack of respect for the load size is alarming, and increasingly getting dangerous. I will start this off with prime examples of issues that have been faced, and end with reminders of how to act around them. In my opinion, it should be in every trucking school and in every driver's education course. It is also believed, by many, that before they approve you for any license renewal, you would need a refresher course on how to drive around oversized loads.

Many that are not oversized haulers and heavy haulers do not understand why those who haul these special loads would want this. The answer is simple. When you see the people who could've killed themselves with your load, and see the kids in the back seat, you know something must be done.

Another issue in the oversized industry has arisen and reared it's ugly head. Big fleets who specialize in wind are turning inexperienced people into higher levels faster to try to keep the wind fleet going, instead of opting for only the most experienced. This is dangerous for everyone involved, for most of the time, proper training and experience is not met before they move onto super loads.

Law enforcement also doesn't understand the laws of oversized a lot of times, and most of the time, those acting precariously while under, and while driving around oversized loads, aren't cited. This inefficiency in enforcing the laws could also lead to fatalities on the roadways due to lack of knowledge of how to act.

So who is there to protect the loads? The drivers do what they can, but once you get to certain specifications, pilot cars/escorts are required by the law. Some drivers will get them even in the states they aren't required, for the permitting systems aren't the best (we will get to that next). The issue there is, just like the mega fleet oversized driver mills, there are also pilot car driver mills. The best pilot car you can get, in many's opinion, is someone that's had to haul big loads before. They know what you can and can't see, and how idiots will act around the load. There are the ones though that even I won't put on a load. Our first escort couldn't follow instructions, didn't know cardinal directions, didn't help stop traffic, wouldn't warn us around blind curves, and almost hit the load twice. When there is no room for a car on a bridge, and you are crossing the bridge, for the safety of the public, traffic should be stopped. She, however, couldn't get the point through her skull. There are those who do great, by all means, but there are those that shouldn't be on the roads as pilot cars. Another thing pilot cars forget is that if there are issues with a certain driver, call the police, and ensure that the aggressor is dealt with.

The state routing systems are faulty in some states at best. Nebraska has came up with, in my opinion, the hardest online routing system, on the face of the earth. It looks like a program from a 1983 Macintosh computer. This system "makes it easier." I still wonder who it makes it easier for. They permitted a 12' wide load (and we blanket 6") down a 10' path. We cleared at 11'6" with maybe 3" to spare. This could've been a horrible plan if we were actually 12'. Oklahoma has turned to the pros system that Texas also runs on. These systems are computer generated, and leave out connectors on some permits, permit 16' wides down a 14' lane on road construction, etc. The issue is that they don't update often enough, and, in many's opinion, computer generated will never be as good as human generated.

We were in West Virginia, sounded on the horn that we were moving around an oversized and to let us know if we need to wait. He sounded to come on around and we did. I'm looking in the rear view, and see Swift almost clip the load. Lou asked me if he really just saw that, and I said yes. "Swift, those loads need room." "I didn't see that he was oversized till I past him." "What did you miss? The yellow signs, red flags, or flashy light?" "He didn't have an escort." "Not all loads require escort." Fresh out of school, and clueless about loads that weren't in a box. Why? Well, since it isn't a federal requirement (yet), they don't teach it.

A while back, a FedEx truck in Wyoming chose to crowd a mobile home. As always with doubles, he wiggled when he should've waggled. The end result? A destroyed mobile home, a tractor and two pups destroyed, and two drivers in the hospital.

Escorts have been killed because of negligence on their parts and others' parts. There is no room for error when on these loads.

Many oversized drivers, once over 10' wide, will take up two parking spots so that no one will back into their load. People will still try to fit into the 1/4-1/2 parking spot left over. Please, stay away, and get a full parking spot instead. That driver has to move when he can. These loads are governed by a whole new set of rules, and you can pick up an oversized directory from the truck stop to learn more about the hours they can run. Also, truck stops, such as Pilot and Love's (these two are the most notorious for it) need to learn two things. 1. They can't get off route to park somewhere else, and they are drivers in trucks, hence why they park in a TRUCK stop!! 2. If they need to run to a shop real quick, they can't get off route. Let them drop the trailer and run to the shop.

So, how can you avoid losing your vehicle, and possibly you life? There are cardinal rules:
1. Do not crowd the load on the roadway. They are trying to give you room, do the same for them.
2. If you're going to pass, pass! Don't pull up along the load and then just sit there forever. If the driver has to move for vehicles on the shoulder, a narrow bridge, or anything, you will force a chain of events that you may not want to be a part of.
3. Stay off the shoulders and ramps. Many times, you being there puts you in direct jeopardy of being struck by a load.
4. If a pilot car is trying to stop you, it may upset you, but it's for your own good. Follow the directions, the load will pass, and everything will go on as usual. They are doing it for your own protection.
5. Don't practice road rage on oversized loads. This will never end good. There have been steers that have thrown the blades over to stop people because of their aggressiveness toward the pilot car, the load, and the driver. While this wasn't legal, and I don't condone it, when you are an aggressor to someone with so much on the line, many will turn the tables on you.
6. Use common sense. If an oversized hauler is moving over, it isn't because they want you to pass them on the right hand side. There's an obstacle they need to clear, and you will actually be in their way, and may come face to face with the load.
7. Just because there's nothing hanging over the trailer doesn't mean they aren't really oversized. Many are overweight, which means they take longer to stop. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, cut them off. If something happens, they can't slow down fast enough, and your car will look like a sardine can.
8. If you see 4ways and brake lights on an oversized load, it may be that there's an overhead obstacle that they are concerned about clearing. Give them their room, for if they hit, you don't want what they hit to land on you.

Most of all, think of it like this. The load is a square peg. You, and the obstacles you represent to the driver are a round hole. Square pegs don't fit in round holes. That's something you learned when a toddler. The same lesson applies now. Take care and be safe.
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Trucking Companies such as Central Oregon, Kennesaw Transportation, etc............
Group such as school classes, girl scouts, 4-H, cub scouts, etc..........
Truckers....................

These groups vary WIDELY, but all have one thing in common. A lot of those in the ranks have hearts, and a lot try to give to others for Christmas.

There is a broken system in America. This broken system affects hundreds of families. People with brand new Jaguars, even those with houses over a million dollars, receive help from the government and 501c3's. Yet, many with 10 year old cars, working and slaving every day to take care of their families, receive NOTHING.

I started a program called Trucking Santas last year as a way for truckers with hearts to give from their heart. Where I thought I had created a one time deal, the volunteers from one year always want another.

This year has been hard. Donations have been down across the board, with every non-profit and for every program that isn't a non-profit. As the economy looks bleaker, donations always seem to flatline. This year, we took on a total of 22 families and 65 cerebral palsy patients. This totalled out to 148 people total. When you consider that the median number of items each person received (based on many were children) was 12, we had a huge haul ahead of us. We had over 1776 gifts to get, including necessities like bedding, dishes, towels, etc. Not every item has been purchased as of now. We only have 65 items left. With how hard this year has been, I will be happy to close out at 65 missing items and call it a success.

A few things have happened this year, and a few things will change next year, so I will go over the changes with everyone so they will know what to be looking for.

We were attacked by a non-profit group due to the fact we weren't 501c3. I took it up for vote in between all the Santas, and they only want one thing. "Keep it simple stupid." To go non-profit would be to rearrange the entire structure of how we do it. The other Santas do not wish to see this done. So, since they're the ones spending their money for these families, they are the ones that make the financial decision.

We had a non-profit group reach out, wanting to sponsor us, but then turned tail and ran away. (I love screen shots.) We do not want sponsorship from any non-profit group. We will not pursue sponsorship from any non-profit group. We have a partnership for next year, but that is all. We work with non-profits to get families that they can't cover for Christmas, and I want to keep the working relationship just as it is.

So, as far as change goes, there will be no change as to how the program operates. It will still be me losing my mind in March to find the right families via churches, charities, and shelters. I will still make direct contact with the families, find out their exact needs, and the children's wants. I will still make separate wish lists, for the most part, where you can ship directly to the family, and know where your money is going. You can still hand deliver the items, as Thomas Heatherman, Tiffany Parker, Trucker Rich, and Vern Lampman will be doing this year. The pictures will still come in, and will still be posted on facebook, Twitter, and the Trucking Santas website. That part stays the same.

What will change is one way of doing things. There are basics every year that the families need, and the sizes, etc, are easy to know. We have several businesses willing to act as "clearing houses." They would hold the items until December, then wrap and send. Three groups have been nominated by the Santas to continue into next year. These are the cerebral palsy facility in Frederick, MD; the Mansinis in Lanexa, VA; and the Marreros in Coaldale, PA. I will be putting all three of these in a blanket list for the next year so everyone can buy throughout the year. I will also have a "hodgepodge" list to be ahead of the game for the rest of the families.

Stockings are up in there. We lost an entire stocking crew, and left it down to three others. This stressed out the other three, almost hospitalizing one. I would love to say stockings are for sure, but I can't at this current time. Cards and cookies are one of the things a lot of people love to do, and we will continue with this aspect also. (As we remind everyone, no nuts please, for I don't know all food allergies.) 

I would like to say one thing to everyone who participated in this year's event. Thank you. Thank you for making these families have a Christmas they never thought would be possible. It's amazing to see a Ravens sheet set cheat death for a cerebral palsy patient, to hear a mother cry over a bedding set she's wanted for her son for years, to hear kids excited over a Christmas card.

Ever since my dad passed, I didn't celebrate the holiday season. Now, I look forward to it yearly!
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This has been a melting point for as long as I know. "We want to be seen different. We want to be seen for the good hearted, loving, family people that we are." Others are angered over needless legislation being a never-ending fiasco.

How do we fix it? How do we make people take us seriously and realize we aren't womanizing, alcoholic, drug riddled, one-night stand, loving people?

In order to affect change, we must first change how others view us. You can't create change without reversing imagery.

Last year, I took the first steps in making the outside public look at truckers different. I made a program that reaches out to people, and has truckers put in a good light. In the words of Yvonne Mansini:

It has impacted my grandchildren in a very positive way, not just financially but building their confidence up that people do care. Truck drivers care, and now every time we are going down the interstate, they look at the truck drivers and say, I wonder if he is one. We pray for the truckers now and we pray for their loads and safety and families. Yes, it has made us much more aware of the truckers and the dangers in their line of work. Thank you so much!!!

This is a lady who never even realized some restrictions in her area. She called me one day and informed me how unfair she thought they were, and that her grandchildren agreed with this sentiment. Why did she all of a sudden realize and care? Her grandchildren, whom her and her ailing husband are now raising, received school uniforms from truckers, food from truckers, and will have Christmas due to truckers. There's many more like them.

Last year, an organization was born from one text message. That text message read, "Can you adopt my son so he can have Christmas?" In six weeks, 17 families had Christmas due to truckers and trucking supporters. This year, we have taken in 21 families, and a Cerebral palsy facility. With time running out, I'm reaching out to everyone.

WE NEED HELP!!!

Although we aren't a non-profit yet (that is in the works), we have been sponsored by Patriot Outreach and Bring Them Home.

It doesn't matter if you're a trucker or a trucking supporter. Letting these families down further hurts our image. We don't just deal with the basic wants, we also deal with the needs. We try to ensure that every family member receives four outfits, one pair of shoes, and a thing of bedding. If needed, the family receives dishes, pots & pans, towels, etc. The children get five or six toys a piece also. I update wish lists often due to the fact that items run out of stock or are bought, and I clear them out in order to make it easier to order. All wish lists are embedded with an address. If you have issues placing your order, you can always email me, and I will send you the address also. We never ask for a person to get more than they can afford, and an item or two bought is an item or two we didn't have for them before hand. At the end of the year, those that I know contributed to wish lists will be listed as a Santa, unless they wish to remain anonymous.

Here's how to help:
1. Click here and go directly to our paypal button to give the easiest route. (It is, at this time frame, too late to mail things to the address listed this year. However, you can start mailing stuff to there as early as Dec. 26th for next year's families.)
2. Grab a wish list of a family. Every family has a story. For their stories, and more information on the program, please click here.

HERE ARE THE FAMILIES' WISH LISTS:

(Please note! All cerebral palsy patients are just that..............patients. I'm not privy to their last names, so I used Amy Brechbiel, one of the director's, last names.)

Henry family in Thayer, Missouri

Miller family in Cadillac, Michigan

Mansini family in Lanexa, Virginia

Martin family in Thayer, Missouri

Simmons family in Liberty Hill, TX

Mammenga family in Osceola, WI

Moulton family in Powell, WY

DiBartolo family in Alabama

Mason family in Bradford, Arkansas. They also need an old used 53' van or reefer or decent sized shed/storage building for storage. Do you have one to spare?

Cerebral palsy patients Betty, Mickey, Michael, Christina, Tad, Daniel, James, Debbie, Darryl, Tony, Gail, Steven, Joe, John, Barbara, Paul, Stephanie, Steven, Tony, Joe, Jeannie, Jimmy, Shameka, Harold, Amanda, William, Stephanie, and Joyce.

Also, the cerebral palsy facility in Frederick, Maryland will be having a Christmas party. All Santas are invited. If you can make it on December 21, 2011, please RSVP here.

If a child from a Trucking Santa family can rob their piggy bank of $5 to help another family, everyone can give $5. Please, take a few minutes, and help!
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This country has officially went to hell in a handbag. The "me" generation is actually worse than they predicted the "x" generation would be. The me generation actually believes, as the old cricket in the cartoon I loved growing up would sing, "Oh........the world owes me a living." Does anyone remember what happened to that cricket? (I've included old Jiminy if you don't remember.)

There is a group called Occupy Wall Street that has branched out nationwide. These people want more government interference, blame Wall Street for everything, and are more or less leaning to a socialist government. They call themselves the 99%, basically believing everyone who's not a millionaire has to feel the same way. Research has indicated that this group was started by a few groups, none of which is quite clear. I've heard people calling in to defend themselves, saying they work for immigrants who aren't happy with the benefits they receive. There are college students who don't want to have to pay their loans. But, like our little grasshopper, winter hasn't hit yet.

By the way, 99% is a fraud. There are 312,631,000 in the United States. Even with 100,000 occupying, look at the real percentage.

Now, there is a group trying to occupy trucking. I'm sorry, but I will be frank. Truckers don't want more government regulations. In a socialist republic, deregulation would also be gone, and the trucking industry as we know it, would cease. Many would lose their jobs or quit because the lifestyle they love would be robbed from them. Truckers don't live off the government. Truckers don't ask for their debts to be written off, for they work hard to accomplish everything.

If you feel you are part of this supposed 99%, you need to quit your job and join the cess pools, for honestly, you won't be missed.

I am asking all truckers to follow the military's lead. Let the world know you are not part of the 99%. It's time to take a stand together against ignorance. This is the home of the free and the brave. Socialism would make it the home of the oppressed and angry.

I stand for my country. I stand for my military. I stand for my freedoms. 
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You heard it here first!

Big Truck TV and AT&T are very pleased to announce the launch of the Big Truck TV AT&T CSA Challenge.

This is a great opportunity for those on the front lines of this industry to show off and demonstrate their knowledge and skills in effectively managing and using CSA.

The CSA Challenge will comprise of six challengers being chosen to compete over a 2 month period.  Each challenger will receive an iPad2 and on a bimonthly basis they will get an e-mail asking them a question about CSA from a noted industry expert. Each Challenger is then expected to respond to the question via video. They can be as creative as they wish and they can use the iPad or digital video camera to shoot video and stills, etc. It is up to the individual. Each video will then be posted to a common CSA Challenge video page that will include profiles of each challenger. The industry will then be invited to vote on the best submissions. Each challenger and/or company they represent can lobby as much as they want to get votes. At the end, the challenger with the greatest number of votes wins the challenge and is crowned the CSA Challenge Champion and he/she receives a $5,000.00 cash prize.

Check out the video and sign up page here.

Picture taken from Driving Ambition.

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Today is the perfect day to write this. Now, like all groups, not all brokers are bad. There are those, however, that want you to run illegal (sorry, we do not), want to berate you, switch & bait, and much more. As o/o's, I can give you stories of all of these. We will start in the order of which I've listed them.

There's a broker we're currently dealing with right now. We picked up the load in Miami, FL. It's going to Hot Springs, AR. This is, at shortest route, 1200 miles. With permits due to the fact that we are overwidth, it's 1400 miles. Like most brokers, she doesn't know about this nifty little app called TotalRecall (get it if you don't have it, it will CYA). Everything is recorded. So, she tries to pull away from email when she doesn't like what's being said, and wants to try to force things. Here's how I envision what really is going on (this is not the actual conversation):
J: It shows that you have exactly 900 from point to point. Yes, I know that this says you'd have to drive through the Gulf of Mexico, but you will be fine.
Me: We have traveling restrictions and permitted routes.
J: That means you will be there when I say you will.
Me: That would be possible if you didn't hold us up for 6.5 hours yesterday by making us wait, making us go to another town to pick up our load's customs paperwork (that's right, we had to get it) from DHL, making us wait on the Tarmac for 90 minutes before we could be escorted out, and waiting 30 more minutes for the state of Florida's permit system to get fixed from their crash so I could finally get my permit, 24 hours after it was approved, leaving only two hours of daylight available.
J: Well, I told the customer you'd be there by tomorrow, so you have to be there when I say, and that's all.
Me: We have three curfews, one lasting nine hours due to road construction in Arkansas. This didn't say JIT, it's not paying JIT, so more or less, deal with it and get over yourself.
J: I will now try to attempt to brainwash you into agreeing to be there when you know there's no chance you can legally be. Therefore, if there's a backcharge, it falls on you.
Me: Ha! You're a comedian.

Tomorrow, me and Jillian's manager will have a small heart to heart. I will not tolerate having a broker call me, screaming, because she doesn't understand oversized freight and restrictions of these loads. We will be on all back roads starting tomorrow. I explained to her that these roads are 45-55, with plenty of red lights, stop signs, school zones, speed zones, work zones, etc. That doesn't include bathroom and drink breaks. We will average 35 mph, under perfect circumstances. She's still trying to dispatch us at 60 mph. She doesn't understand concepts, and has no right booking oversized freight.

I called on a load in Cali one time, going to Virginia, LTL. The height was 9'. I explained to the broker that 9' tall, meant 14' tall on the trailer, and that wouldn't even be legal. "Well, that's not my problem. If it don't work for you, it just doesn't ****** work. I can get flatbedders to haul it." Gotta love the attitudes ladies and gentlemen.

On the flip side, we had an awesome broker, Chris, out of Ontario. We were lightweight, high winds, and a winter storm. I called him after the trailer let us know it was too dangerous to continue, and was informed we should take our time, and then told to have a good day.

Let's go to berating. the best one of these I can recall was a broker out of North Carolina. He double brokered a load from Schneider. Read here for the illegality, as written by a lawyer, concerning double brokering. The shipper was not aware that a non-Schneider truck would be showing up, and after loading, asked why Schneider had not contacted them concerning our arrival. I asked the broker, a Landstar agent, why the double brokering was not told to us and the customer beforehand. Apparently, the customer turned him in for it (Landstar has a strict double brokering policy), and he turned on us. The company we are leased to was told that we "held the load hostage." We never threatened to not make delivery, and we never asked for more money. So, how did we hold the load hostage? He also claimed we were the ones who marked Landstar off the customer's BOL, when it clearly was the customer's handwriting. End result? He threatened to have Landstar pull us, Lou threatened to quit, the company refused to contact Landstar until this point. Needless to say, we still haul Landstar, and he no longer books for them.

Switch and bait. The practice of offering a load, having the confirmation wrote different, and hoping no one will notice. This is a catch 22. If you notice and then cancel the load, you get a bad mark against you with this agency. If you don't cancel the load, it can cost you hundreds, if not thousands. Had my first switch and bait in the first month. A trusted source sent me to a Greatwide agent in Missoula, MT. She quoted an awesome rate of $3.50 a mile, but the confirmation, and actual payment was $2.90 a mile. We didn't catch it until we were paid. These happens all the time. KEEP A VIGILANT EYE ON YOUR CONFIRMATIONS!!

End of discussion. If they do the work to get the load secured, they deserve money. If they're working, they should be paid, but should never be paid more than the actual hauler. Read: if they do the work. If they aren't doing the work (i.e. double brokering), they deserve to lose their job. If they are berating and trying to force you to run illegal, they, once again, deserve to lose their job. Stand your ground, call them out, and go to corporate!
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Dear Fellow Human,

You think we're horrible people because we drive big trucks and there are accidents on occasion. What you didn't read is who was at fault when the car cut me off and then slammed on their brakes, not realizing I can't stop in one foot. What you didn't see is the drunk driver turning head on into me, and me trying to ditch it (that is, slam the truck into the ditch) before he hit me. You didn't see the person spin out on an icy road right in front of me while I had nowhere to go. I got out though, and I cut him out of his seat belt, and pulled him to safety right before his car caught fire. I stayed there with him until the ambulance came and took them to the hospital.

You hear 18 wheels, you think 18 brakes. I hear 80,000 pounds, I think a couple football fields are needed to brake.

You think I'm a womanizer due to certain movies. You didn't see me call my wife and spend the whole night between when I stopped my truck to when I went to sleep talking to her. You didn't see me stop and ask my fiance and co-pilot to get out because a beaten woman was standing in the middle of a highway at 0100 to get away from her abuser and get help. My fiance handled the situation, and got me to help when it got deep. She's a former beaten woman. When I took her on she was bruised from head to toe, and it still makes me sick to remember how she looked like when we met. You missed me getting in between the gun of a jilted lover and his ex, having help from another driver to keep his car at bay so she would be safe.

You think we don't care about others. You missed Wishes on Wheels, where we make money for Make-A-Wish to grant wishes for children. You missed where I gave money to Trucking Santas, making sure needy children get toys. You missed where I hopped on my motorcycle and did another toy run on top of that. You didn't see me peering through Truckers Against Pedophiles to ensure I knew the faces of fugitive pedophiles, or when I watched the educational video for Truckers Against Trafficking, to help save human trafficking victims.

You say I'm a drug addict. That I'm an alcoholic. You didn't see when I let the cops use my truck for drug stings, knowing that the issues need to be cleaned up. You didn't get a chance to see me call 911 when a 4 door sedan's driver was drunk and swerving all over the road.

You don't see the real me, yet you think you know the real me. I'm not saying there aren't bad people out here, I'm just saying that a vast majority of us are really good people.

Sincerely,
A Truck Driver
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