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Agent calls with a load involving nine stops, unwrap the freight, and an inside delivery. Are you interested? First question is "How much does the load pay?" Load pays very well which means there is going to be some work involved. Next "What is the weight?" answer less than 1000 pounds. Next...

Calls from people wanting to sell us something is enough is irritating to say the least. Sitting here today, I was enjoying a nice calm afternoon when my phone rang. My first thought was, who would be calling me at this time, maybe an agent with a load, awesome. Alas, it was an automated...

You have to stop and smell the flowers, the coffee, the ocean, the mountain breeze, or the hot throwed rolls. This past week has been National Truck Driver Appreciation week. Many companies have had sponsored family events such as cookouts for their drivers. Others have given bonuses, gift...

There are times when we cannot get out of the truck to walk and we have our in cab solution. While at the Great America Truck Show we added The Fit System Stepper. The Fit System all ready has a home in our Cascadia and this addition is really going to help us get more exercise. We are often on...

This week has been National Truck Driver Appreciation week. Many companies have had sponsored family events such as cookouts for their drivers. Others have given bonuses, gift cards, even vacations to their employees. There have been quite a few companies who have sponsored giveaways online all...

The first response is usually, "Duh 3:00 o'clock" and then someone feels foolish after they learn some lessons from the Disney culture. Have you heard of the Disney Institute? If not it is something worth researching and reading the blogs for a different mindset. This is a little history on why...

How much is your time worth? If on a flat rate plan does that cover your time sitting at docks or if on a percentage time does that cover time sitting at docks? After a good day at the Great American Trucking Show, we went over to Fair Park where Randall - Reilly, the owner of the show, had...

Every generation has at least one, a day when time stands still. For my parents it was the day president John F. Kennedy was shot. As a child they would tell me about that day with such minute detail, as if it had happened only moments before. I was baffled how they could still experience...

For those of you who don't know me, I am Sierra Sugar, and that is the extent of your forewarning. But seriously, and sometimes not so seriously, here you will find stories of a different nature. Have you ever been rock climbing? Seen the whites of a doe's eye staring at you over the hood of...

While we are away from home for months at a time we depend on Truck Stops for many things: safe places to park, laundry, showers, and now we will have even more options. While at Carl's Corner Petro, Texas we learned of a new TA being built where I-35E and I 35W come back together south of...

Current Regulatory and Legislative Updates having some effect on truck drivers. This post of Looking Both Ways will attempt to keep you updated with pending legislation that will have some effect on all truck drivers. Some issues affect you the driver directly, some affect the motor carrier you...

A recent thread on EO reminded me that there could be misconceptions out there regarding brokering. Specifically, is an Owner Operator hauling for a "Multi" brokering the load? The short answer should be "No"...the long answer.... FMCSA requires that anyone Brokering freight to have a...

Do you know the gear ratio of your truck? Is the ratio right for your trucking operation? Lets talk about rear end ratios. Most people get confused about what the numbers mean when you talk about gear ratios and how they affect the drivability and perceived performance of their vehicle. I...

A friend says a pre-trip inspection is like Bigfoot, everyone has heard of it but no one has ever seen one. Ha Ha, that tells you how often one actually sees another driver doing a pre-trip or a post trip inspection. The thing is, most drivers drive the same vehicle every day and know when there...

We tried out some new ideas on our current truck and changed up the sleeper some. The results have been exceptional. Our truck has been on the road almost a year and there is not much we would change and has 113,826 miles on it. We have two fuel tanks with only one 120-gallon tank feeding the...

Trucking Solutions Group In 2008 a group of owner operators joined together to better each other’s businesses and share ideas. This was a diverse group of business owners from expediters to one with their own authority. We have tried for over a year to get a mobile mammogram unit to a truck...

Agent calls with easy load good money (this should have been a clue) Albuquerque, NM to Gallop, NM first thing in morning delivery. First clue is we pick up a freight forwarding terminal and our times are mixed up one says pickup after 5 pm then we get a phone call pickup before 5 pm. To be on...

August is the Kick Off for the annual TA/Petro Band Together to raise fund for St. Christopher Fund. During the month of August TA/Petro will be selling St. Christopher Fund (SCF) wristbands for $1.00 or Keychains for $5.00 with 100% of monies collected going to SCF. Employees of TA/Petro also...

Odd happening last time we were out in California and due to poor timing I kept having to drive during rush hours. Los Angeles and rush hour is almost continuous and I was merging during the times when the traffic speed was 20 to 60 mph in short distances. As I was routing I had to change...

My thanks to everyone for the generous outpouring of prizes for CIS Casino Night 2015! My thanks to everyone for the generous outpouring of prizes for CIS Casino Night 2015! Over $7,500 was given to all of you by your Motor Carriers, Truck Companies, Vendors, Owner Ops and E.O. The increased...