I’ll admit, I’m a sappy sucker for acts of kindness, and can tear up fairly easy. So of course, I enjoy hearing, seeing or reading stories about the really good side of the human race. I’ve run across several good ones recently and thought I’d condense them down so you can read a few in one place and take a little of that goodness away with you. The Highway Angel, perfectly named, printed in The Trucker is a story of being
With a shortage of drivers at 20,000 which could rise to a whopping 111,000 by 2014, more companies are seeking out women drivers to fill the void. Evidence indicates that women are more careful and take better care of their equipment, and many companies are eager to hire them. Women make up only 5 percent of truck drivers at present, but the number is steadily rising. Women turn to trucking for many different reasons. The biggest draw is the money. According
“Think about an America where more cars and trucks are running on domestic natural gas than on foreign oil. Think about an America where our companies are leading the world in developing natural gas technology and creating a generation of new energy jobs; where our natural gas resources are helping make our manufacturers more competitive for decades. We can do this.” I’m one-hundred percent behind the president on this one. We are way too dependent on foreign oil with the
As a small commercial trucking company owner, you have many important responsibilities, not only to your own company, but to public safety concerns as well. When hiring drivers, you must make sure that you select those who are qualified for the job demands and whose backgrounds do not offer any reason why they should not be employed by you. Beyond this, you must ensure that your trucks are properly maintained and that your vehicles and their uses are in compliance
Everywhere I look I read that there is a shortage of truck drivers, even as joblessness surpasses 9 percent. The latest numbers show a deficiency of 20,000, and if this trend continues, which studies predict will be the case; we will need to hire a total of 114,000 new drivers by the year 2014. The large gap between driver supply and cargo demand adds to evidence that the freight industry is recovering and many are optimistic that there will be continued
Let’s start the New Year on a positive note. Tonnage rose 6% in November for the 24th consecutive month showing signs of growth, not a recession. This is good news for the economy and great news for truckers. What has fueled this spark of growth is the demand for manufacturing and retailers have lean inventories which need to be replenished. I ran into this late in October when I was trying to purchase mulch for my garden. Wal-Mart didn’t stock it
It’s time to say good-bye to 2011 and usher in 2012 with open arms! Talk to most anyone and they’ll say 2011 was a bad year. I too had a rough one. Unemployed for four months, I am extremely grateful to be working again. It’s your choice whether to be optimistic or pessimistic when the calendar rolls forward into the New Year. A pessimist has many reasons to doubt that 2012 will be a better year. With Europe slipping into a recession,
The purpose of Jason’s Law is to amend the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users to improve truck parking facilities. What happens when we lack safe truck parking? 1) It forces drivers to continue to drive while in a fatigued state searching for parking 2) It forces drivers to drive in excess of HOS ( Hours of Service) breaking Federal Law 3) It forces drivers to park in isolated and dangerous areas (as was the case of Jason Rivenburg
My blog this week is about a cause that I care deeply about. What is so sad is that it’s happening every single day and right under our noses. I’m talking about Human Trafficking, the 21st Century form of Slavery. Conservative estimates state that 17,000 to 17,500 people are trafficked into this county every year. These are staggering numbers and the greater majority is women and children. The United States Department of Justice approximates that between 100,000 to 300,000 American kids
This blog is dedicated to those hard-working truckers out there still on the road when Christmas Eve and Christmas morning rolls around. And I’m not talking about the drivers, accompanied by family, on a road trip that seems to take forever, eagerly looking forward to seeing family and friends on the other side, who upon arrival will find a warm embrace, a hot meal, laughter, and maybe even a present or two. I’m talking about the truckers who are out there
Our next quarter is shaping up nicely and we have some cash in the bank thanks to Pay4Freight who got us through this summer slump.Jack Hilman, Ocean Trucking Co, TX
With 4 drivers and rising fueld costs it's good to know I can make payroll when we land our loads.Thomas Dohtery, TDH Trucking, MI
