Profile For Bush Country

I see that you are in Texas. There’s an extra chapter (14) in the Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Handbook that you will be tested on. If I remember correctly it is the first section of 20 questions on the test. You must pass this section in order to proceed with the rest of the exam. Download a copy to study here Texas CMV Handbook

In the Permian Basin, for the past two days during the DOT blitz we have had a major slowdown in sand and CNG deliveries. On a normal day we might have <30 minutes of non-pumping time (NPT) for frac operations. We’ve had over 6 hours/day the past two days waiting on these deliveries. I don’t know what they’ve been dinging drivers/trucks for, but it’s had an impact.

I didn’t know when the requirement for English stopped being enforced or that a federal memorandum caused it. Here in the Permian Basin I’d say that about 80% of the frac sand haulers and vacuum truck drivers speak no English. I had put that down to our proximity to the border. It’s frustrating but I’ve slightly improved my limited Spanish and become very proficient with google translate.

If the drivers were safe and efficient at their jobs it would bother me less, but they seem to delight in taking out fences and cattle guards.

I saw this on a car last week. My thoughts exactly.

Me too. We have even been labeled - we're "Double Haters"

KLLM - Knocking ’em dead since 1963!

Don’t tread on me!

I have actually been interviewed, back about '99, by WorkBoat magazine. The company I worked for launched a new frac boat that was a step up from those working at that time, and I was a supervisor on the boat.

One part of the Texas CDL Manual that is not covered in the High Road program is on Section 14. Be sure to familiarize yourself with that and you shouldn't have a problem getting your CLP. It will be the first section on the test, and if you flunk that you cannot go on to the other sections.

There is an amazing book called Rich Dad Poor Dad which everyone who is not rich must read. You will be completely shocked at how backward so many of your views about money are.

• Stay out of debt
• Live within your means
• Do it yourself to save money
• Save your way to prosperity
• Skimp on yourself to save for retirement
• Get a job with good benefits
• Go to college

I could go on all day. Almost everything they taught us about managing our financial lives is wrong.

If you're not rich and you haven't read "Rich Dad Poor Dad" then do yourself a favor and get it. I promise you'll be shocked at how backward your thinking is about managing your money.

Oh please.

One would be hard pressed to find worse financial advice than that provided by Robert Kiyosaki. He is currently in debt to the tune of $1.2 billion. He has declared bankruptcy on more than one of his endeavors including Rich Global LLC. I read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and my BS meter was pegged for most of the book. It is mostly a work of fiction.

Personally, my wife and I have grown wealthy in the financial sense by:

• Staying out of debt
• Living within our means
• Doing it ourselves to save money on many, but not all things
• Saving (and investing, primarily in the the stock market) our way to prosperity
• Not exactly skimping ourselves, but being frugal, to save for retirement
• Having jobs with good benefits
• And....going to college (me: BS, BS, MS; her: BS, MBA)

Full disclosure about those last two items -

Books I would recommend:

Your Money or Your Life by Dominguez and Robin

Security Analysis by Graham and Dodd (who taught Warren Buffett how to invest)

The Intelligent Investor by Graham

The Millionaire Next Door by Stanley and Danko

A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Malkiel

Buffettology by Mary Buffett (former daughter in law of Warren Buffett)

However if I'm flown out to another terminal I won't be able to carry all of my stuff that I need with me for my truck.

Everything you need to take in your trainer's truck should fit in a carry-on, or, at most a small carry-on and small checked bag. Here's a picture of the bag I took in my Knight trainer's truck (12" ruler for scale):