Mish mash of stuff

[OntarioVanMan]

This weeks observances ...

1. Boy these R & R construction sites feel like every 50 miles or so....wish I had stock in the construction safety cone business.

2. On construction...Ohio State troopers found another source of income lately since trucks now go 65mph and lessening their chances of getting pulled over....Speeding thru construction well at least they are also grabbing cars as well....I slow down to 60 in a 55 and they are up my butt....glad to see enforcement on the jerks!!

3. Still on construction.....should be almost NO laid-off truck drivers every kind of dump truck is working hard with all this R & R stuff going on.....still a shortage of dump trucks they say...I've seen some real old work horses brought out of retirement.

4. An Averritt, Holland, Fedex Freight, and an R&L all say their trucks are being filled up on their daily pick-ups....Averritt says they are asking them to work OT on Saturdays again! August transport tonnage should be an uptick

5. Actually had the thrill of following a truck that had Airtabs on...Almost no rock an roll...it was great!

R & R = Recovery and Re-Investment Act

 

[wellarmed]

I noticed that the day cabs were down to one pup for a while but recently I've seen them pulling two and even three where the law allows, hope this is a good sign for the near future of all.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

There has been a definite uptick this month and some of July...whether it is sustainable only the resident critics will know the truth....

 

[chefdennis]

I have seen the R&R signs on EVERY project all over the country....i had no idea that the Fed and State hyway depts were totally broke, out of funds before the R&R funds came in to fund these temporary jobs.........

 

[oncedrove]

Friends of mine has checked with companies in the Toledo & Ann Arbor area doing R & R = Recovery and Re-Investment Act, the answer comes back, "we are not hiring, we use our regular crew" . So what good is wasting this money doing, NONE. Locally, they used $200,000 to take down 2 building to make a PARKING LOT. Used city employees and pocked the money.

 

[greg334]

Friends of mine has checked with companies in the Toledo & Ann Arbor area doing R & R = Recovery and Re-Investment Act, the answer comes back, "we are not hiring, we use our regular crew" . So what good is wasting this money doing, NONE. Locally, they used $200,000 to take down 2 building to make a PARKING LOT. Used city employees and pocked the money.

Well I could of told you that, construction jobs are not created through money handed out to the states for projects that need to be done. Construction jobs are only created through consistent growth and nothing else.

These are ies from the state, like Granholm talking about jobs being created and only in cases where minority companies can't manage multiple projects like the bigger companies can will hire through state agencies and only state agencies.

The other thing is why was the state projects the first to get money?

I would rather of had the $20k that I owe handed to me so I can start a new business and hire people later on. Isn't it great I owe money I can't use?

 

[Jack_Berry]

R&R must be working. the 401 is being fixed. last nite sat in 5k of 3 into 1 traffic.

ovm i know what you mean about rear bumper riders. try slowing to 80k on the 401. maybe the opp could enforce the speed limits and avoid more speed limiters. got blown into the weeds at 70 mph by a canadian hhg hauler in the hammer lane. i have never seen an opp ticketing on this road. are they all at timmys?

 

[piper1]

I waved at you Jack, I was on the other side with the 3 open lanes, getting blown away by others as well. World goes by fast enough for me at 57.

 

[RLENT]

I have seen the R&R signs on EVERY project all over the country

Makes ya wonder exactly how much of our money got spent just for the signs

Of course ..... they were critical to the completion of said projects ..... couldn't have done it without 'em I'm sure ......

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Friends of mine has checked with companies in the Toledo & Ann Arbor area doing R & R = Recovery and Re-Investment Act, the answer comes back, "we are not hiring, we use our regular crew" . So what good is wasting this money doing, NONE. Locally, they used $200,000 to take down 2 building to make a PARKING LOT. Used city employees and pocked the money.

The good down the road is..the site had to be shovel ready..the states had 120 days to get going....these are sites the states were going to do anyways and some were bumped up in the schedule....other state jobs will be ready next year ahead of schedule....dribble down effect....
some projects ARE shorthanded...and most did hire anyways....some projects were not going to be done because of lack off money...so in essence yes the money did help...