2014 Is Almost Here!

January 1st is the day that my truck is no longer legally allowed to travel in one of the 50 United States of America.

California.

We practically never go to California so it will have zero impact on our business, but it will be annoying.  The idea that I have been paying taxes to the government to go toward the highways in every state in the nation, and then not be permitted to drive on some of the nation's roads because of type of equipment I own, seems wrong to me.  I should be allowed to drive in California despite the dirty air that my engine emits.

I have been considering my options.  Here they are:

1. Stay out of California until my truck needs to be traded in or sold for a new one.  That should take another 2 or 3 years.

2. Buy a new truck.
    A. By trading in my truck for a complete new truck and sleeper.
    B. By buying a new day-cab truck and moving my sleeper and generator to the new truck, then selling my old day cab or converting it into a motor home.

3.  Add a DPF to my existing equipment which will ruin the Series 60 engine under the hood and result in many days of downtime for shop repairs.

4. Or the option that I have spent the most time looking into - selling the engine I have now and getting another engine from a newer, wrecked truck.

That last option I'm going to go into some detail on right now because it is of specific interest to me.

So here goes:

Trucks get wrecked for many reasons.  I don't want to be morbid, but this is the only time the faulty education in trucking works to my benefit.  I'm not saying all trucks are wrecked by students fresh out of school, but I know MANY are.  I also know trucking companies routinely place new students in brand new trucks.  I don't need to tell anyone what happens next.  So skipping ahead...there are new trucks, which have somehow or another ended up wrapped around a pylon or a bridge support, sitting around with new engines in them.  However it happened, the truck is junk, but in many cases the entire contents under the hood are up for grabs.  This includes all the new emissions equipment.

The next challenge is finding a good engine that wasn't involved in a fire, submerged in a lake, or has a cracked block.  So the search begins.  What's beautiful about this option is that all of the major truck manufacturers are making EPA compliant trucks, and as time goes by more and more of them are hitting the roads.  Literally.  And sometimes they hit pylons.  Literally.  So the longer you can wait, the cheaper and more plentiful these engines become.  Fortunately, I can wait a LONG time.  So if I can wait a long time, why do I care about the deadline coming up in January, right?  As a conscientious operator of a truck, I want to be compliant with the laws in all of the states.

Unfortunately, half of our job is trying to keep up with the various laws in each state.  The other half is keeping the truck in good condition, and then the other half is staying in good physical condition, and the other half is finding good loads, and the other half is etc. etc. etc.

When you have found an engine that will fit your needs, chances are the new engine needs new wiring and computers inside the dash.  This is where all the magic happens.  The biggest challenge is the wiring.  The engine will fit under the hood and bolt right up to the transmission you already have.  The DPF and DEF tank will bolt right onto your existing frame.  The mechanical aspect is easy.  Heavy!  But easy.  Once you have the heavy lifting done, you need to mimic the truck the engine came out of.  The trick here is maintenance in the future.  You don't want to be in a situation where the truck has impossible situations to diagnose.  Because you are doing the wiring, you are in control of how easy the wiring access points are.  The truck's dash is still limiting, but most of the gauges and dials in a 2013 truck are the same as in a 2007.  There are a few different additions such as DEF tank level indicator and DPF condition indicator, but for the most part, the HVAC, engine brake, lighting, and other basic dash switch functions are the same.

You're also at an advantage doing this operation because you can video your progress or just take pictures along the way.  Most of the dealerships and mechanics I have spoken with are very against this maneuver for various reasons.  The reputable shops don't want to do this type of engine conversion for warranty reasons, as they don't want to be liable for any repercussions down the line, and the dealerships want you to buy a new truck.  There is no money in this for an operator who can run one truck for 30 years.  There are also shops who are so scared of this type of conversion, they feel you are some kind of sick demented wacko (which I AM) wanting to do something like this, under the guise of "looking out for your best interests", they try to talk you out of what they believe is the most stupid idea they've ever heard of.

Fortunately, California has a number of shops doing these conversions because the millions of people who live in California have to, well, LIVE there.  They don't get to pack up and leave their home or decide to just run a truck outside of the state for as long as they want to.  These shops are charging between $5,000 and $10,000 in labor to perform the conversion.  You just have to supply the parts.  There's even one outlet online that has engines from all over the country.

That website has volumes of information on it, and the people selling the engines will set you up with one of their mechanics and try to get the whole process streamlined into one call and one price.  I've found a few engines on there that range from $15,000 to $30,000.  On top of that price is the cost of shipping the engine to the shop doing the work, that can vary from $1,000 to $3,000.

These engine suppliers will try to supply everything you need to make your old truck into a new one from the dash forward, but  inevitably leave out a few electronic components - either because they were destroyed, or they just aren't there.  In this case, more parts must be found to complete the conversion.  Those parts usually run about $6,000.

So, once you buy an engine, ship it, remove your old engine, and install your new one, you're out somewhere between $25,000 to $40,000.  You'll still have an engine to sell to someone else, which should be worth at least $10,000.  That'll drop your out-of-pocket cost to somewhere between $15,000 to $30,000.  If this conversion means you'll get another 10 years out of your truck once it's done, you've made a wise decision.  There's still a chance that the engine has something wrong with it, though.  So let's say you do this conversion and the engine fails after 100,000 miles for whatever reason.  You can still repair it.  In that 100,000 miles, you should have recouped your investment and now are only doing repairs.  You've lowered your costs.

Even if you have to do an inframe on the engine, as long as the block isn't cracked, you have a good egg to work with.  An inframe will only cost about $10,000 and will buy you another 400K miles or better.  If you're lucky, another million miles.  After all, you're an owner operator and this is your truck.  You take care of it like no one else can, and you can make it last for decades.

This also should increase the resale value of the truck - assuming you have good records and can keep the electronics in such a way that another mechanic won't run screaming from the truck when a sensor fails and they have no electrical schematic for reference.

Regardless of which route you choose, you have to keep in mind the future of your business. Will you lease your truck onto a known carrier, or will you use it elsewhere under your own authority  Can you sell it later?  Will you put another driver in it?  There are many options to consider and you must make a decision.

I am deciding to wait until later this year and keep shopping around.  My current, most attractive option is to buy a new day-cab truck, put my current sleeper on the frame, and sell my old truck day-cab to someone who can use it.  I can do this at any time in the future, at a price I'm comfortable with.  Plus, the day-cab swap route offers more resale value and less mechanical headaches down the road.

Or I could just turn my old truck into this:

This is still legal in California without a DPF.  Oh yeah!

Off The Beaten Path

The turnover rate at the major trucking companies has been holding steady at +/- 100% and with new students making it through pathetic 2-week training schools and hitting the highway with little-to-no real real life experience, we have a lot of people out here doing the obvious when it comes to taking breaks.  And this new 30-minute break (not new to veterans, as we've always been taking 30-minutes, just not logging it!) is causing many people to flock to truck stops that they know and trust.

Flying J, Pilot, Travel Centers Of America, Petro, and Love's are the usual hangouts for most truckers.  And they're packed.  But there are many truck stops and parking lots that allow truckers to stay overnight and for several days if need be, you just have to know where they are.  Since they're not major chains, the new drivers don't know to go there, but these places are all over the country.  

It's interesting to see how an old fuel stop with no recognized brand name will be bought by one of the major truck stops and then fill with drivers working for one of the major trucking companies as if they sprung out of the ground brand new.  Every veteran driver knows of a stop off the beaten path with plenty of parking (or a few spots that are never used), good food, and easy access to major highways.

Perhaps the new guys don't know about the other options because they lack good training.  Perhaps the trainers didn't want to give up their secrets.  I know my own experience with numerous trainers turned out to be a huge disappointment.  I didn't really learn until I got out here on my own. 

Our system is set up to control drivers and keep them under the thumb of a company, not to encourage, train, and help them succeed on their own.  Even the insurance companies require several years of experience before they will let a driver buy a truck and go out on their own.  In order to achieve this level of experience, there's basically one route to take:  go to a trucking school and then drive for a carrier who is self-insured for your first two or three years.  This is the only way to get the experience you need in order to obtain your own insurance.  

It's one way to beat the system.  The large, self-insured carriers like to have a steady flow of cheap new-hires flowing through their doors.  It keeps their turnover rate high so drivers can't plan on working at the carrier until retirement, and it ensures that a driver isn't trained well enough to become empowered to go out on their own.

There is a constant stream of misinformation about how large carriers will prevail and the owner-operators will all suffer and die out.  You hear it on the trucking radio shows, read it in the corporate sponsored trucking magazines, and see it on the fuel islands and docks. Despite this negative false rhetoric, owner-operators make up 80% of the trucking industry.  Company drivers, only 20%.  

And it's these 20% of drivers who clog the truck stops during break times and overnight stops.  If you're one of the mass groups of drivers who've eked their way through a 2-week trucking school to be called a "professional" truck driver, only to be stuck relying on your GPS which will guide you under low bridges and through non-trucking approved routes, and you can only park at the major truck stops because you weren't taught any better, then you owe it to yourself to become educated and stop listening anyone who will tell you that learning about trucking is a waste of time.

Sadly, I don't see this changing anytime soon.  Because it doesn't benefit the powers that be who are disseminating the information.  I don't agree with it, but everything's about money and if it doesn't make someone money, it just isn't worth doing.  Even if it means that lives are lost in the process.  What trucking needs is real training, and for the operators of these large trucks to be considered professionals who have a skill.  But you see, if this happens it will cost the people who rely on trucks billions of dollars.  The major carriers have figured all of this out.  And that's why they don't provide adequate training.

Until they do, truck stops will be full of trucks, accidents will continue to occur, and the HOS will be designed and crafted by the corporations and the government, instead of the drivers. 

It takes years of trial and error, common sense, and the ability to maneuver a 40-ton vehicle around this nation's dilapidated infrastructure and among the growing population of our nation, to successfully operate a semi truck.  

And training from a 2-week school trucking school just isn't enough to achieve it.

The Drive

When you are your own boss, you have to crack the whip on yourself.  This is a big difference from being an employee.  Since you have the freedom to work when you want to, you have to keep the wheels turning.  No one cares if you do or not because in the end it is you who will fail if you don’t stay at it.

Too many times I hear about drivers who can’t make it out here or who have lost everything and after being through some of the trials and tribulations that I have experienced in trucking, I only imagine that whatever they went through must have been worse than my problems.  What I imagine actually happens to most people in trucking is a point at which you are exhausted, dirty, lonely, poor, and then hit with a large repair bill backed up with no work and a family at home who isn’t happy that their breadwinner is gone all the time while the roof is leaking and the kids are in trouble in school.

The stress that the driver feels is enormous in these situations, but as a former mentor once told me, “the hard road is the right road”.  I know that the hard road is a huge pain in the ass, but as long as there is light at the end of the tunnel, you have to keep going down the tunnel.  Even if it stinks and is painful.  Too many times the load will require extra work that you weren’t told about or what the customer wants is unrealistic and will result in damage to your equipment costing you money and precious time.

You have to keep your eyes on the prize and proceed to your goal.  In previous posts I have mentioned that having realistic goals is important, they serve a purpose when the times get tough, because you have to keep heading towards the goal.  You might get knocked down.  You might get the crap kicked out of you, but you have to keep moving.  You can take a break and recuperate from time to time and you can use some of the money you have earned to treat your loved ones to a good time, but you are responsible for the business and only you will make it succeed. 

When you have developed a system that works for you and consistently has you making money and keeping it (and these jobs are out here by the thousands), you will find a way to lessen your exposure to pitfalls and start to regulate your work and down time.  The tough thing is walking away from a very relaxing time off with friends and family only to get behind the wheel and hit the road again.  It can help sometimes when you are fully caught up on your rest and relaxation and are ready to hit the road.  This is when you know that you are in the right place. 

As long as the wheels are turning and freight is on the deck for a decent rate, things are going well.  Most of us owners are driving, eating, sleeping, loading, unloading, fueling, cleaning, or doing maintenance.  Then add to that a wife, kids, mortgage, house maintenance, and health care, and you have yourself a full life with little time for yourself.  As long as you keep pressing on towards your goals, you are the most likely to succeed.  It isn’t a guarantee, but it is the right road to take.

CSA 2010

Compliance, Safety, and Accountability

It doesn't work.  End of post.

Seriously though, CSA is possible today because of the advent of the internet, computers, and modern technology.  This is why it is new, untested, and unproven.  CSA has hit us truckers square in the face and lately it has been shown to actually hurt the safest carriers in the industry by classifying them as unsafe.

It's the government's attempt to regulate driver's behavior.  In other words, it's like a computer telling you how to act more human.  Legally. 

The CSA was designed to:

1. Enable companies to hire safer drivers.
2. Enable drivers to work for safer carriers.
3. Enable law enforcement to target unsafe drivers and carriers more easily.
4. Create a higher demand for safe drivers.

The CSA program is for any carrier with a USDOT number.  That's pretty much everybody in any form of trucking.  I could write an entire website devoted to the CSA, but that has already been done.

The bottom line is that your equipment must be in good working order, logbook must be accurate, freight must be properly secured, and you must be fully capable of operating the vehicle both mentally and physically.

At first glance the DOT looks for:
A.  Truck and trailer
    1. License plates
    2. Inspection stickers
    3. Cleanliness of the vehicle (Dashboard free of clutter and truck recently washed)
    4. Overall condition of the vehicle such as missing mudflaps, damaged tires, and
        faulty lights (A nice paint job can really help you here)
B.  Condition of the load
    1.  How the load is situated on the trailer (positioned correctly and legally)
    2.  The condition of the securement devices (undamaged straps,chains, and binders)
    3.  The correct number and type of securement devices
    4.  The weight of the entire truck and trailer
    5.  The weight of each axle
C.    The condition of the driver
    1.  Driver's ability to answer all questions about your load, equipment, and operation accurately
    2.  Driver's environment (clean cab free of garbage)
    3.  Driver's appearance (clearly awake and alert, clean and decently dressed)

If the operator does all of this, drives a nice looking truck that's in compliance, and knows what the heck they're talking about in regards to the rules, regulations, and load information, then they'll do well during an inspection. 

Reading this from the perspective of someone who is not in the industry, or as a newcomer, you might be discouraged from embarking on a career in trucking as it would appear that the DOT is being a little too hard on truckers.  Worst case scenario, you should be prepared to lose everything at the whim of a DOT officer at a roadside checkpoint because they have the power to ban you from trucking with a series of failed inspections.

This is a boon for large trucking companies and the FMCSA as it legally removes all power from the trucker and puts it in the hands of the government.  No longer can a truck driver keep working in the business legally after they operate unsafely.  No one wants unsafe operators.  I know I don't want them.  Unfortunately though, with each law that's put in place, qualified operators are singled out and penalized unjustly.  This is the ultimate drawback of government oversight. 

The main problem in the industry is still not being addressed:  It's a general defunding of the working class.  In the trucking industry though, it means the roads are less safe, the drivers aren't as professional as they could be, the equipment is in worse shape, and the general environment is catering to the large trucking companies over the start-ups (destruction of the small business trucking companies).

An example of a large trucking company which owns no equipment, yet operates as a middleman between truckers and customers is CH Robinson.  CH Robinson nets billions of dollars as a middleman.  This is a company that takes money from the customer, decides how much money the trucker will do the load for, then sells it the trucker.  The customer and the trucker both lose money in this transaction.

This matters to CSA why?

Simply put, the time has come for customers and truckers to communicate directly with each other and completely cut out all brokers/middlemen.  Sorry brokers, it's nothing personal.  The technology that's available now eradicates their business model.   Every truck today has a laptop in it and every driver has access to load boards.  Given the reality that customers and truckers will become more tech savvy, trucking companies and brokers are worried that the small business trucker will gain the upper hand.  This is a direct threat to the major trucking companies. 

CSA 2010 was created to help EOBR's become a reality.  EOBR's will allow every single truck to be tracked by Qualcomm, Peoplenet, Skybitz, and ultimately the government, which acts in concert with the major corporations who fund the lobbyists to push their agenda.  At its core, it's the oldest game in the book:  Wipe out the competition.

Even more insidious is the way in which this is being justified.  The people who are pushing these laws are using images and stories of people killed in truck accidents to mandate their policies, yet there are no studies to date which show that CSA 2010 or EOBR's do anything to promote safety.  In fact, so far the evidence is to the contrary.  There is a rush to get this done, but rest assured it has nothing to do with safety.  It's all about stopping the small businesses from taking complete control of this industry. 

The mega-carriers and giant corporations have a war chest full of cash to throw at this, thanks to the hard working men and women out here who perform work for them.  I don't see this changing anytime soon, so all that can be done is to stay on top of the changes and understand who the major players are.

Owner Operator 101

You want to know how I keep busy, find loads, operate equipment frugally, and stay out of trouble? I may be able to help you with that. Step by meticulous step.

Before and after every one of these steps you should keep in mind the only organization that helps us drivers maintain a corruption free industry is OOIDA - the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. I am not paid by them and I don't intend to be, but they fight for our rights and they are the only ones who do. Before you want to start driving, join OOIDA. It's $45.00 per year if you join online or over the phone (800.444.5791), and $25.00 a year if you find them at a truck show to join there. By joining, you will also receive their monthly magazine Land Line, which has a lot of great information about the industry, and provides drivers with new government and regulatory information. Believe me, it's money well spent!

Now let's get to the steps.

Step 1. Get your CDL.

The days of chauffeur's licenses are over. You must go to some sort of school to get your CDL. There are many different types of schools out there, so how do you pick one? First, you need to do some research. Many large carriers - Swift, Schneider, CR England and others - have their own schools and will place you in a truck type according to your training. Or, you can go to a school of your choosing, and then choose the company you want to work for after you're done.

In either scenario, you'll need to answer a few questions to help you decide what kind of carrier you want to go with - van, tanker, flatbed, long-haul, regional, etc. - these will help to narrow that down a bit, and help you decide which carriers and schools you should be focusing on.

How long do you want to be away from home? Are you free as a bird and can stay away for months at a time, or are you needing to be home weekly or daily?
Free Birds can go long-haul. Being home weekly, such as on the weekends or every three days can go regional or even local. Being home daily means you're going to be local only.

Do you like working outside, or would you rather never have to be in the elements?
If you don't mind the elements, then just about all types of trailers are for you; tankers, all platform trailers (flatbed, step-deck, double-drop, etc), van trailers, log trucks, and container trailers.

Do you mind heavy lifting, or would you rather not lift anything at all?
Don't mind lifting a few things? This gets interesting because you may find that all types of trucking involves occasional lifting. Van trailers can actually have the most physical labor depending on what it is you're hauling and for whom. Platform operators will have to lift tarps, chains, and straps; they will have to climb on the loads and be able to pull on the bungees and tighten down straps. Tanker drivers have to clean the tankers by climbing on top of the tank, opening the hatch and flushing the inside of the tank out, although most tanker trucks involve very little physical labor. Van trailers may involve unloading tires, pallets, boxes, insulation, and any variation of freight.

Do you feel more comfortable being able to see your freight, or do you feel safe with a load that you may never be able to see?
If you feel safer being able to see your freight, then log trucks and platforms are more your style. If you don't mind the freight staying hidden from you during transit, then tankers and vans will work for you.

Do you like being micro-managed, or would you rather take the reigns?
If you want to be guided through the process by a driver manager, working for a trucking company is for you, but if you want to be in more control, then finding a small carrier that will let you run your own ship is the way to go. The trick here is insurance. The barrier that stands between you and buying your own truck is the insurance companies. You see, you can only get insurance if you have experience and you can only get experience if you work for a carrier who has insurance. Most large carriers are self-insured so they can hire you right out school. Some smaller carriers also are self-insured. You will have to check around, but don't settle for the large carrier just because they have the best sales pitch. There is one way to get around this. If you happen to have a million dollars to be self-insured. Is that you? No? Yes? I'm guessing it's probably a "no".

Do you want the newest equipment, or will some good old stand-bys work for you?
For the newest equipment the large carrier is the way to go. Smaller carriers will have newer equipment, but it is usually reserved for the drivers with the most seniority.

Do you have enough cash to pay for the school, or do you need someone to help you?
If you have the cash, then you are able to stay out of bondage to the carrier which means you can leave anytime you want. This is obviously a benefit. If you can't pony up the money, then take the working loan and go to the school the carrier provides.

Do you mind working off your school expense over time (usually a minimum of a year), or do you want to be able to say goodbye whenever you choose?
This also relates to the previous question. If you don't mind waiting for your debt to be repaid, then you can go the trucking company's school route. Otherwise, if you pay, you are in charge of your job.

Once you've gone through these questions and answers, you can start to narrow your search as to which route you will take. I can't list all of the carriers who have their own schools, but there aren't many. You can pick up recruiting magazines at any truck stop which will have advertisements for most of them. It's a good place to start your research. There are also many community colleges who offer programs which you pay for. They often will offer financing options, but sometimes there are grants to go to these schools depending on which programs the federal government or local governments are offering.

This should be enough to get you thinking, but make sure you come back because I have more information coming.

To be continued..............

Trucking 2009

Well this is a new year and it has presented new problems for everyone. The economy is driving this industry as well as many others and it is taking its toll. Many industries are concerned about their futures and they are all making cut-backs. The full scope of this economy is too broad to dive into here, but in short confidence is waning.

That being said, you can still make a living in a truck. You have to be near perfect though. There is no room for mistakes. Accidents, tickets, missed delivery times, freight damage. It is sink or swim right now. With all of the freight rates falling on average in relation to the price of fuel, you have to make every dollar count.

There are many trucking companies who have made decisions which they are paying for right now. I know of one company which had purchased new trucks and trailers because the economy was so good, and now they are facing bankruptcy.

A single owner operator is in a completely different boat than an even small sized fleet. One driver can have no truck payment and low overhead as well has having no employees to pay. I solo driver/owner-operator can make a living today. If you have your own shop and can do your own repairs or even better, have an ASE certification allowing you to repair your truck at a state scale if you are put out of service, you can control almost every aspect of the maintenance side of your trucking operation. Of course, you should have some experience repairing trucks first.

THE GREATNESS OF TRUCKING

I travel the country with my girlfriend who has a CDL also. We drive to every state in the US each year and up into Canada all the way to Alaska. Since I own my own truck and keep a very spotless record, I have more freedom than many of the other drivers out there. Being leased to a major carrier who has thousands of trucks, I can maintain worry free operations as far as the customers are concerned because if I am available to haul a load there are thousands of other drivers out there to help out.

This is drastically different from an owner operator who goes it alone as they must constantly cater to every one of their customers in that they only have one or two trucks and don't have access to an entire fleet. This is where being leased to a major carrier is a plus over having your own authority and going it alone. The benefit to being an owner operator over a company driver is access to load rates and access to the total line haul as well as control over your equipment and control over your complete operation.