Profile For Auggie69

Well now it's official - I've been furloughed from Sysco. I had the option of going into the warehouse but it doesn't make any sense, so now I'm basically added to a list of "on-call"

The amount of work and routes is probably varying day by day, so if there's not enough drivers to cover the work, then we get called in from the top down. And when work resumes full-time, we come back first before laid off people by seniority.

Unemployment is $740 a week so I can just take a vacation.

Even if I work a 14 in one day, that's only $450 so I still will be taking the same amount of money every week even if I work one day or not.

Boy things are interesting now.

Take the unemployment. The bill that just passed congress gives you a $600 kicker on top of your state unemployment benefits for up to 4 months.

So if your state gives you $400 a week, the feds will tack on an extra $600 a week. A $1000 a week for sitting on your ass.

Ok guys thanks for the direction! Just to keep up to speed I have used the link that Old School recommended and also did some searches for refresher courses that Greg suggested.

From Old School I have activity on my Driver Pulse app from CRST and Wilson Logistics. Definitely not interested in CRST as I’m not trying to run team at all. I hated it when I was in training many years ago and the money isn’t that much better. Wilson I sent a message to see how things would work for me as I live in Melbourne, Florida.

From Greg I discovered FFE and Averitt have refresher programs and are fairly active in Florida and Southeast as well as much more of the country.

I’m the past I’ve done OTR 48 states, OTR Regional, local, and was hooked up with a lot of Fedex JIT loads in the past. Have also had the dreaded driver unloads on a 53 footer full of tires ugh! I like the long hauls with no stops in between and I also enjoyed southeast and being home weekly. Looks like I have some choices here. Swift is always an option to. They were good to me when I was there and I never sat...except waiting for unloads.

I will update as things happen! Just ready to get out of this house and do something meaningful. This virus isolation stuff isn’t for me!

Love the Space Coast. Lived in Palm Bay for awhile.

Don't know if either would work for you but there is

https://indianrivertransport.com/

And

https://www.cypresstruck.com/

Don't know anything about either just know they exist

Sounds like a trap or some type of DOT sting operation to me. There is no such thing as a "Free Lunch."

More likely a free sandwich while we perform a Level I, II, or III Inspection while you wait.

Sorry I have a conspiracy theory mindset.

It's a trap!!!

I have read along, but waited to chime in. As many here know I am honorably retired law enforcement. I am legally allowed to carry concealed under federal law

NJ doesnt care. They arrested an off duty Philly cop for admitting to having his weapon in his car. Whether he went to prison i dont know... but the head ache of even having to deal with it is not worth it.

And a trucker got 4 years in prison.

NJ laws are that unless they are actually trying to kill you.. not "beat you" then you commited a crime with your gun. Reginal Denny wasnt killed.

The previous "better to be judged" line makes me laugh... if you can't handle being OTR without a gun... how can you handle prison?

I will say this... NJ gun shops have lines out the doors.

A month ago I would have agreed with you. Now? Not so much.

Having lived in Florida for 20 years I've seen fuel tankers being escorted by law enforcement after the hurricane has passed.

Why do you think that is so?

Funny how people poo-poo the idea of CCW in a truck. Frankly, a few months ago I wouldn't even have considered it. The rules, you know?

But now? I have 15 years military and tons of firearm experience. I have no problems in breaking the rules now given the present situation.

Few, if any, trucking companies will put up with setting up training and certification for drivers desiring to carry weapons in THEIR equipment and for L/Os with THEIR NAME painted on the side.

They have enough going on already, dealing with "big truck" lawsuits and such, and aren't interested in the ramifications and liability of unmanaged firearms associated with their company.

Doesn't really matter does it? You now have governors closing down gun shops as "non-essential". So much for personal protection whether at home or in a truck.

That didn't take long, did it? I know when they reopen I will NOT be caught dead to rights again. I've had a nice collection in the past, some nice carry firearms, and I will do so again.

I will NOT count on the government to ALLOW me to exercise my 2d Amendment right during a time of "crises".

Frankly, let ME decide should I carry a firearm on my vehicle. What, will they fire me? Well, then that's on me.

Better to be judged by 12 than carried by six.

This would be a great time for trucking to ask trump to help get CCW Reciprocity for truck drivers across the lower 48 pushed. Truckers have always been at higher risk and now at times like this where items are in low supply, a truck may look like an extra juicy target, not to mention places like California are letting a majority of their criminals out onto the streets because of the risk of spreading the virus in jail/prison.

Now add in the fact that truckers are being forced to park in less safe areas due to many rest stops being closed down and even some truck stops closing up.

I think now would be a good time to ask for a trucker's right to CCW across all state lines.

Carriers should also not restrict legal CCW of a driver under their employment for fear of liability, Those that restrict drivers from CCW tend to do so because of insurance reasons, I am sure the government can help with legislation to free up a carrier from any liability for a legal CCW driver.

Silly person. You obviously don't know the 2d Amendment reads " ... to keep and BEAR arms shall not be infringed, unless you have a CDL".

It seems that the Pennsylvania DOT has closed all the rest stops on I81 between the New York state line and Scranton. Also the rest stop on I 80 east bound just after you merge from I380. I'm not sure what the logic is in that. Pennsylvania just created a parking shortage for allot of drivers in the future. I'm also assuming that Pennsylvania has also closed the service areas on the Turnpike as well.

That's just ridiculous. Shut down rest areas so truckers WHO ARE STILL WORKING have no where to rest.

All the pa turnpike service plazas shut down the restaurants inside for 2 weeks. anyone coming through needs to stop in Carlisle or something if they want a decent meal.

They also shut down all the cash booths! If you dont have EZPass, A picture will be taken of your license plate and you will receive a mailed bill for the toll. Dont lose your tickets or you pay Pitt to Scranton toll

This is really getting ridiculous.

It's not the size of the weapon - it's how it is used :)

Nice try. But if you want to put up your rifles and pistols against missiles being dropped from aircraft... well, be my guest!

Don't have to. You're assuming that those who fly those aircraft and dropping missiles will do as ordered. My argument is that they will not.

Anyone who says stuff like this has most likely never been in the military.

If ANY order was given to invade or attack Americans IN AMERICA, the military would fragment.

Totally agree with you Auggie69. But that doesn't negate my argument that the weapons of "we the people" are going to protect us from the fire power of any well funded national army, including our own.

Yes, they will. Washington took on the largest military in the world and won.

It's not the size of the weapon - it's how it is used :)

Our military would take you guys out in seconds. They wouldn't even have to come for you. They can monitor you in any number of high-tech ways and hit you from great distances if they wanted to. This isn't the 1800's.....they're not going to send men on horseback

This is what is so absurd about us thinking there is value in a "well armed militia."

I am a big time sportsman with a firearms collection that rivals most. I have a considerable investment in firearms, mostly high value Italian and German shotguns. I've competed at the national levels in shotgun sports. But... the idea that we citizens can still be considered a well armed militia is ludicrous. The only way you are "well armed" is to have bigger and badder weapons than your perceived threat. We look like we're brandishing toothpicks for weapons when you compare the citizen's arsenal to our government's.

Anyone who says stuff like this has most likely never been in the military.

If ANY order was given to invade or attack Americans IN AMERICA, the military would fragment. You'd have those that would follow orders and those that would break away and attack anybody who would attack Americans. And there would be SUBSTANTIAL numbers that would resist illegal orders to attack Americans.

Ours dont ( at least around me) if theres no run you get a day off.

OD seems to like drivers driving and dock workers dock working. It could be different in other regions however.

The problem is when freight is light a day off could become a week off.

I'd rather have the opportunity to work the dock if no runs are available.

Just to put some perspective on this - did you get hired into Linehaul?

Yes, OD hires for linehaul and for P&D each one is done separately.

They rotate the days off if it is slow, so you shouldn't have more than one or two at the most off. We really didn't slow down too much this winter I was only called off twice.

We dont work the dock unless you have a run to a certain terminal that offers it of which in my region there is only 2. Also if you are hired has a linehaul driver and not as a combo driver they can't make you work the dock from what I am told. Even if your bid run offers it.

Our Road drivers don't work the dock either unless it's part of their bid. Our Extra Board works the dock if there are no runs.

Are you old enough to remember all the hype and the money spent on the looming Y2K disaster? I am, and many more false national panic attacks. As a trucker, living this unique lifestyle, I do move about an awful lot, yet I have very little human interaction or contact. The isolation of this job is one of the many difficulties of it that people can't handle.

We have been under our own unique type of quarantine for generations.

I worked for a huge software company in 1999. I was working from home New Years Eve 1999 waiting for armageddon.

It never happened.

All the USN ships that were seaworthy were out to sea at least three days before Y2K, just incase anything happened.

I remember reading about that.

What's weird is I'm now working with "kids" that were BORN during that timeframe. (argh)

My run right now is technically a 2 part run, I'm supposed to leave my yard by 1:45 am go meet another driver from my yard in Remington IN come back to my yard then go to Indy. All total that takes about 13 hours but is over 600 miles of driving and a bunch of drop and hooks.

Unfortunately my meet guy left for the new terminal so I haven't done that for a month now, instead I go straight to Indy and then where ever they send me usually either straight back to my terminal or to Chicago. Usually I get to the yard around 1 am and done by 11 am on those day.

Bud are typically once a year last year was a bit unusual as we had 3 or 4 due to people quitting or getting fired as well as one of our teams splitting up and them dropping our triples run. In fact we just started our bid for this year this week I should be picking either tomorrow or next week. I'll probably be keeping my current run since I like the 1 am start or if its available I might take the 10 am again.

I've had 6 different runs since I've started with gate times ranging from 10pm to 10 am.

Just to put some perspective on this - did you get hired into Linehaul?

I know FXF hires into Linehaul but not much. One is more likely to get hired into the driver program, work the dock and then apply to either City or Linehaul depending on the needs. And if you're new to the company and go to the Road, you will be low man on the totem pole working the Extra Board.

And our Extra Board this Winter has been awful. Senior guys above you will get the runs while you may sit at home with no income.

If it happens a few weeks in a row the company will give you the opportunity to work the dock in order to get some income.

Not sure how OD does it but it's pretty standard in the LTL industry that if there is no freight you may not work.

On the financial front, trucking stocks are getting crushed along with everyone else. Down an average of 25%. Heartland, KnightSwift, Schnider, Werner, etc. The Dow Jones was down 2300 just today. Hope everyone has moved their 401k's into govt bonds. Only makes about .5% a month but that's better than the alternative. Financially, Covid-19 is a stone cold killer.

I hope you are all right and this turns out to be. . . uneventful. Science, economics . . . they are telling a different story.

Stay frosty, my friends. It might be a bumpy ride. Or not. Maybe this will all go away. Please God . . . make it go away. People are suffering a lot in real life. I'd love to see this end. I hope it doesn't effect anyone here.

Buy on the dips. Look at crashes as an opportunity. If you sell on the way down - you lose.

Long term is the key.

Are you old enough to remember all the hype and the money spent on the looming Y2K disaster? I am, and many more false national panic attacks. As a trucker, living this unique lifestyle, I do move about an awful lot, yet I have very little human interaction or contact. The isolation of this job is one of the many difficulties of it that people can't handle.

We have been under our own unique type of quarantine for generations.

I worked for a huge software company in 1999. I was working from home New Years Eve 1999 waiting for armageddon.

It never happened.

Hey, all-

I currently have no CDL and no experience hauling freight, and I want to go from zero to own-authority hot shot trucker this year. I need some help determing whether I'm being smart or stupid about this. My motivation is that I need a career change, I like to drive, and I like to make money. So here's the plan:

1) Get a CDL. I understand you can hotshot without one, but that most of the money is in >26,001# GVWR hauling. Guess I'm going to trucking school just to drive a dually 2) Get a rig. Right now I'm thinking an F450 with a 40' gooseneck. Take CDL exam and pass 3) Get authority. Sounds like it's just paperwork. I've already got a corporation (I own an RV park) based in CA. Bring on the fees. 4) Get insurance. I'm expecting to pay around $2k per month as a new driver (41 y.o., clean record) 5) Find a broker or dispatch service that will give me work. This sounds like maybe the biggest challenge I'll face starting out. 6) Hit the road. With my insurance being super high, I'll need to do a lot of miles to pay the bills. $2k per week gross income sounds achievable based on what I've read and that's the goal. 7) Adjust. Once I get some stick time, I expect more loads will be available and insurance rates will drop. Tweak the business accordingly.

My timeline for this is 4 months, zero to hero.

So, what am I missing? There's always something. Got any other advice?

I appreciate your time.

As an aside, anecdotal evidence says that everytime DOT runs their hit operations they ALWAYS target the pickups with the goosenecks.

We received a text earlier about this, our stores are running in overdrive trying to keep the shelves stocked. On a typical sunday we have 30 routes going out on the AM side. Tomorrow we have 54! They're begging drivers to work extra and PDI/Hyvee is throwing an additional $100 at us per extra route until things calm down.

It says that we are exempt from HOS rules if we're transporting relief supplies. Does that mean that if I'm empty headed back to the DC to grab another load that I then must be legal? In other words if I've driven 11 hours upon delivering my last store am I required to then take a 10 hour break before moving as I'd be empty? I'll be seeking further clarification from my safety team when I get back to the DC.

My take is that you only have to take your 10 once you are done delivering "relief supplies". Personally, I would take that to mean anything related to food/sanitizers regardless if going from or to a store or DC.

If it were me, I'd take the ticket and let my company fight it out with the state afterwards.

Anyone ever had to face this battle? How did you navigate and work through it? i am remiss to try chantix - knew a guy who had insane nightmares taking that stuff....i have tried patch before , didn't really help with my cravings. I find I really crave them at certain times. After meals, over morning coffee and before bed or when I am anxious about something.

I smoked three packs a day until I had enough.

Bought enough nicotine gum to last me a weekend. After three days I quit cold turkey.

That was 15 years ago.