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Chuckwagon said, "Part of my 'MO' is I have a set rate per mile I must have, I >don't care how far I have to drive to get it, as long as the >overall rate per mile hits my level - I will go get it." That method is used by many expediters, including Diane and me. it works. Financial...

>Phil also wants to know about the money we all earned back >in the 80's,90's and early 2000's and what we did with it. >Now why should I tell what I did with my profits. Why should >I divulge my lifestyle to someone whom I don't know. Rich, You have talked publicly here in the Open Forum...

>Yes, the pie is continually growing...But what is the cost >of that piece of pie? >Longer away from home? More miles to be driven then what the >"old timers did"? > >I realize you Phil have your home on your back (turtle) and >away time time is not a real factor. > >But hows about quality...

Jeff Jensen wrote a great piece detailing the year behind and the year ahead. See: http://www.expeditersonline.com/artman/publish/Expedite_Projections_for_2007.html A special Happy New Year goes to Jeff Jensen. He has put out good pieces in 2006 while dealing with Diabetes. It is great to see...

In my view, when a contractor or driver accepts a lousy load backed up by a good one, all risks associated with both loads are also accepted, as are all obligations. Loads sometimes change because shipper and consignee needs or availability also change. The further out a pickup is from the...

In the interests of full disclosure about our in-service and acceptance numbers, which I have sometimes shared in the Open Forum, our 2006 numbers are down from previously higher levels. That is due mostly to time out of service related to building and buying and building some more the new truck...

The original post contained one statement I'd like to question and another I'd like to question. The first is the often-made assertion that money back in the "good old days" was better than before. If that is so, where are the wealthy expediters? The business is barely old enough to carry...

It takes no experience whatsoever to read the owner's manual and follow the directions to protect the warranty on a new truck. Developing a good preventative maintenance schedule is something that can be done before the newest of the new even buys a truck. This is a case where the value of...

>A Team wow did I hit a nerve. You flatter yourself thinking >that my post to JohnO somehow involved you. There are many >Teams in this industry and John knows the story about the >pie in the sky scheme and believe me you did not come up on >the radar screen. The expediting world does not...

>Where is this shortage really at? If there is such a >shortage than why have rates not gone up, supply and demand >should be raising our rates and instead they are stagnet or >is just me? I believe the shortage is there and something has to give. What has given, is driver turnover. The...

We keep it simple and just have a "truck account." It serves as an emergency fund, source of funds for truck repairs, place from which the truck payments come, and place into which next-truck savings go. A portion of the truck account is kept as cash for immediate access. When the account...

I've heard from other drivers one time where dispatch asked them to let someone else, another FedEx driver, drive their truck. The request made sense from a customer service point of view, but the driver's view and liability issues trumped customer service in this case. They answered no and that...

Wow! I studied ancient Greek in college and seminary. You guys are leaving me in the dust. How quickly we forget. (Well, maybe not that quickly, it has been 30 years, but I'm embarassed to remember so little from those years of study.) It would likely come back to me with some study and review...

RE: Need recomendations for required cargo control Most medium-size and large cities host stores where freight handling and van body equipment can be purchased. You don't need to run out and buy everything at once. But, especially if you are hauling HAZMAT, you should be open to buying...

Do you know if the oil used was the new API CJ-4 oil? While I've not seen any announcements about it, I presume an oil price increase is coming with the new oil.

No, my generator does not warm engine coolant. It is an Onan 7,500 watt generator that produces electricity only. The truck is equipped with a headbolt heater and oil pan heater too. It also has a preheater to aid winter starting. With the generator running, I can flip a switch in the sleeper...

Good points. Thank you, Greg.

I am giving serious thought to extending my oil change intervals to 25,000 miles from 15,000 (Volvo, VE-12 engine, straight truck). What leads me to do so is the improved oil (API CJ-4) that is now coming to market in response to the new 2007 engines that are also coming to market. See oil...

Merry Christmas and happy New Year from Phil and Diane in Minnesota. May peace and prosperity be yours in 2007.

It is quite natural and quite common for people who first learn about expediting to immediatly start thinking of the kind of truck they want to drive; both for when they first start out and for later when they are in a position to spec the truck of their dreams. In the latest edition of...