Comments By Pat M.

Wow. I'm surprised that it isn't someone in the Pilot car controlling it... Or, someone riding it (I've seen it done before). Must be hard having to steer 2 things; One is hard enough!

You just have to take things slow. You really have to trust your pilot to let the m steer. I did trust him but these short beams it is just faster if I do it myself.

Now on longer beams with the 6 axle dolly I am more inclined to have the pilot steer because there is more that I have to watch and sometimes you can lose signal and t he dolly quits responding. Oh and those trailers liked to go random directions when certain traffic lights changed.

A few years ago we had a member here roll his truck within 30 miles of his pickup. He had just loaded rough cut lumber.

A week ago my second truck picked up a load of lumber. The driver calls me and tells mer he just left and casually mentioned that it was rough cut lumber.

I asked him how far out he was from the pickup. He said about 10 miles. I said pull over now and check the straps and explained why and we hung up.

He called me about 30 minutes later and told me he got 6 notches on every strap. That is in 10 miles folks. Stop more often when you pick up rough cut lumber.

Here is a video that my pilot took 2 summers ago of me making a right hand turn from 3 lanes onto a 2 lane. There is a car in the left turn lane.

I am using a 3 axle steerable dolly to move this 109 foot long beam. It only weighs about 55k. I am steering the dolly from the cab with a wireless remote.

https://youtu.be/8bauAyr5sdk

Thanks all. It has not been a bed of roses but I did know that going in. Some day I will have to write about it.

Its been a while since I have bern here. It has been a very busy few months. My truck is doing awesome, never drops below 30 mph going up the west side of Homestake pass at 88k gross.

I have 4 direct customers now that are going well. Every load has paid very well, even the broker loads. I have two trucks on the road now. Only took me two drivers to find a decent one. I have had no issues with a new MC like you hear about.

We now have 3 flatbed , one belly dump and we just acquired two extendable pole trailers. These have like log bunks front and rear and they extend to 70 feet long. Great for moving pipe, power poles and long steel or concrete beams.

Just about to convert an old dump truck we have to a tractor to put under the belly dump.

Lots and lots of paperwork. The telemarketing calls are out of control. Especially with the eld mandate.

Hope all is well with everyone. Have a happy thanks giving.

Well put sir....Two words I learned a long time ago...Yes ma’am

In my short life if there's anything I have learned over and over again is that the wife is always right.

Disregard everything we have said. Your wife is right, always has been, always will be.

You forgot... I'm sorry and You're right

She's purty. Did you give her a name yet? Every truck just has to have a proper name or it won't be happy. Those older Freightliners were great trucks, I know I loved building and working on them years ago. I'm also glad to see you're doing well.

Lol, I have done nearly all the work myself getting her ready so right now it woild be @#$%ing pos.

Pat, just out of curiosity, where do you mainly run? I swear I saw a truck with Elkhorn as its name just a week or so ago. Trying to remember where I exactly saw it. I remember the name; because it made me snicker. But I mainly run back and forth between the Midwest and southeast. I was thinking your gig was mainly up in the northwest.

Mainly Montana but will have one back east shortly.

Nice. Can we blow up your phone now? lol

Everyone else is. From irs scams to student loans to factoring companies.

Congratulations! I can't believe you didn't keep that cool paint job, though. It was very 80s.

Lol, that was the first thing that had to go. Along with the drums and shoes all the way around.

We channeled our inner jew and really beat him up on the price. Even with everything we have done to the truck, we are still under 10k for the truck and that includes the 4 new tires that still need to be put on.