All workers expect to get breaks for meals, and there is certainly no exception for truckers, who get hungry on the long haul.  But stopping for food can be particularly bothersome for the trucker who wants to keep putting miles behind him. And it’s no easy feat to get the 18-wheeler through the McDonald’s drive through.  

While there aren’t any drive-throughs for truckers yet, mobile food is on the rise, and there are a few interesting joints that are just as on the go as you are cooking up tasty fair around the country.  You can read about all of them by visiting USA Today’s city guides, but here are a few just to whet your appetite:  

1. San Francisco’s RoliRoti

No matter what you’re transporting, it’s probably not as good as this.  Swiss chef Thomas Odermatt serves rotisserie…anything!  From lamb, his specialty, to chicken, pork, and roast, Odermatt is the master of split roasting, and he’s not doing it in any restaurant.  Instead, he has a rotisserie truck stocked with good eats and an aroma you can smell for miles.  You can let your nose or local information centers point the way, as Odermatt takes his truck to several San Francisco locations.  So if you have some spare time in San Francisco, you can enjoy some of Odermatt’s mobile rotisserie or perhaps even apply to be the truck driver! 

2. New Orleans Que Crawl

If there’s one thing that New Orleans excels at, it’s good food with zest and a unique twist.  Its “restaurant,” a big purple truck, makes the Que Crawl even more unique.  Whether you’re looking for some barbecue of Cajun fare, Nathanial Zimet can give you a meal that’s sure to please.  Specialties include fried boudin balls, gumbo, and a good time.   

3. Marfa’s Food Shark

Everything’s bigger in Texas, and Marfa’s Food Shark isn’t an exception.  Big flavor can be tasked through the chefs’ Mediterranean street food, such as kebobs, hummus, and falafel.  But what’s even bigger is Adam Bork and Krista Steinhauer’s restaurant, a BIG truck!  Food is served out of a former Ford delivery vehicle.  So if you’re looking for big flavor and big fun, visit the pavilion across from the Marfa Book Store for a tasty treat.   

So whether you’re thinking of turning your truck into one of the next biggest attractions or you want to chase down some food while you’re on the road, these are just a few of the mobile food options available to you in major cities.  Just because you’re on the go a lot doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a great mean, and these restaurants think so too, so no matter where you eat—eat well.  
 

Week 55 - The Truckstar 

“On the Road with the original florida kid”

Hello again fellow truckstars! It’s week 55 and…

…..you’re on the road with the original florida kid!…. 

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, Tommy Boy, JT, Neil Ray and the whole gang here at the ranch want to send out a big cowboy howdy “HEY” to everyone! 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN’- Grandma’s on the warpath around here today, with her wooden spoon(she‘s like a ninja with that thing)….The horses like to hang out up by the house when it’s cold out, or maybe it’s because everyone likes to feed them from the porch, and, they leave little(okay okay BIG ones….) land mines everywhere so folks end up trackin’ stuff in the house….and she doesn‘t care if the world is comin‘ to an end, the kitchen floor STAY‘S CLEAN…the infamous “wooden spoon” strikes terror deep into the hearts of us mere mortals…yeah it does…. 

As usual there’s a lot to talk about this week, not all of it good…so grab a chair, a cup of Grandma’s famous cowboy coffee and, if ya have to, Grandpa’s bottle of Jack is under the kitchen sink….pass it here…. 

This last trip to MO. To pick up a very pricey go-fast boat wasn’t the best trip, mechanically, I’ve ever had…a lot of stuff started goin’ wrong with the truck I was using, but Thank God I was able to get the boat close enough to home base so Wheels could send Justin up to get me and the boat….high stress road burn…feelin’ it…..another day at the office…just doin’ my job keemosabbee…. 

     JT’s got a fence post up his keester over this business goin’ on in Virginia. I personally NEVER like to stop at rest areas because I like to one-stop shop when I have to take a break or whatever, but for the drivers who need to get off the road this “shakedown” seems way too far off the reservation, even for law enforcement. True it’s been an issue for awhile, like the idling thing, but lately it seems like drivers who need to pull over are doin’ somethin’ wrong! And, the damn ticket is REALLY expensive! Freight hauling is a fact of life in this country. Maybe the state of Virginia needs to remember that… I wonder if federal law or state law takes precedence..hmmmm..Do we break federal law for a petty state law?…..what’cha think truckstar?

( http://www.appomattoxnews.com/2009/dear-vdot-sincerely-truckerdesiree.html )

Thanks to Linda Goin from Appomattox News for this link and the story you’ll read there. Linda pretty much covers the bases with her article and you can find the link to throw in your 2 cents.

Me? I’m throwin in a bag of quarters…yeah you heard me….              …….stay tuned truckstars…

http://www.jhlrivenburg.com/ - Jason’s Law  - Many of you have heard by now this painfully tragic story of this young driver killed while parked at a gas station near his drop point…maybe you can help his wife, and his unborn twins…the ones he’ll never get to see…..this kind of thing makes a good case for changing the gun “carry” laws so we can legally do it….You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’ ? I don’t want to hear a word from you pacifist cream puffs out there either…I’m serious….

I know what God’s Word says….YOU show me where it says I have to stand there and watch someone kill my wife and kids, or me! Don’t try to twist  the“ turn the other cheek”  verse either, it doesn’t apply here and you know it…. 

Get involved - of course your voice matters!!!

www.washingtonwatch.com - latest info on all things gov. 

Okay truckstars don't forget about the legislation we have on the table!  Contact your Senators, Rep's, Governors and State Legislators :www.senate.gov   

www.writerep.house.gov 

www.usa.gov/Contact/Governors   

www.ncsl.org/public.leglinks 

HR6630(mexican pilot prog.), HR 139(the APU tax credit), HR 5934/5977(TRUCC fuel surcharge law), HR 6106(repeal diesel tax), HR 6458( 60/65 speed limits leg.) 

TRUCKSTAR TECH- Okay I finally did it…I got a laptop, the HP6735b, a custom model(Ihad a bunch of stuff added, including the fastest hard drive avail., and HD screen) kind of a little beast at 4g of ram, I’ll upgrade to 8 soon…with the new built in mobile web access - GOBI. I’ll write more on it later, since I haven’t tweaked it yet and deleted the bloatware in it, or downloaded the new software I need, either.

If you’re thinking “netbook”, uhhh, I would really really shop it….write down the list of what you need AND what you’ll be doing with it….you may just find yourself in the laptop class, not netbook.

Sony Vaio P Series is still one of the best netbooks in my opinion but they’re not cheap.

***My #1 netbook pick is the HP-2140***

Smartphones…well everyone and their brother is comin’ out with one, but the market is quickly declining because of the netbooks…so…my advice to you is to shop for an economy full size laptop. A 14” to 15” model is small enough. The tech gurus, like Warren Whitlock (author of “Twitter Revolution“) I keep in touch with are all switching from smartphones to netbooks, even for phone calls and texting. Warren tells me he got this model - (Acer Aspire One - AOD 150-1577 10.1 inch Netbook) I would take this as a strong endorsement if your looking for a good unit, long battery life.

Here's a link to free netbook app's - http://www.laptopmag.com/review/software/free-must-have-netbook-apps.aspx

With Skype you can’t lose….and don’t forget in the next few months to 2 years you’ll be using far more sophisticated apps and streaming internet radio too, and to me, the smartphones are too limiting.

*Don’t forget to look up the watts needed to power your new laptop and get a GOOD converter plugin for the power port!

More on this next week! 

THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT-

All I have to say this week truckstars is this - www.roadcookin.com

You need to take a look at what Don Jacobson and his nutritionist wife Pam Whitfield have to say about eating on the road.

GET THIS BOOK and keep it in the truck with you! 

You can catch Don on my radio show from time to time when he calls in to say Hi, and just maybe we can get him to do a show soon!

Don’t forget to take Muscle Milk or Labrada, or MetRx protein shakes and a bottle of whole food organic vitamins with you too! Okay?

You have a vegetable juicer at home and your regularly juicing aren’t you?    

I want to give a big cowboy howdy SHOUTOUT to the gang from Twitter, Trucker Desiree, Don from DieselBoss, Phineas, Greeblie, Kathy from Zion Xpress, Arctic Trucks( http://arctictrucks.com ) and the usual suspects who listen in to Truckstar Radio every night!

   Love Ya! 

TRUCKSTAR RADIO  8-11PM (eastern) EVERY NIGHT

"It's definitely not the kind of talk radio grandpa listens to" 

http://thetruckstar.com/listen

(once it pops up click back on the "listen" page and keep web surfing)

Call-in number:    954-376-8452                                                          

Don't just sit there - SAY SOMETHING !

Contact me if you want to do your own show. Sponsors and drivers, tech experts, health experts, folks from lots of different walks of life are signing on! Think it over and let me know! 

A big THANKS to everyone, including my fellow trucking podcasters, who came on the show last night from my ustream.tv page and my Skype page, I can be found on both at "thetruckstarlive"                 

Check out my cool new flash player:  http://thetruckstar.com/listen   (once it pops up click back on the "listen" page and keep web surfing)  

www.dreaminmywayhome.com - take a rescued pet to his new home and family (mileage and tax credit paid) 

Don't forget about single Moms and abused kids in your community!                           

Until next week truckstars - I love ya and I'm prayin' for ya! 

Saddle up……..let’s ride!

….you’re on the road with the original florida kid….we gown……

Hello again fellow truckstars!
It's Week 53 and...you're on the road with the original florida kid...

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, Tommy Boy, JT, Neil Ray and the whole gang here at the ranch want to give a big cowboy howdy "HEY" to all our friends!

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'-   Ahhhh yes! The life of a writer. My name is Daniel, I've become a Twitter addict. Seriously though it's a fun social site and I've met a lot of cool people there, like Trucker Desiree, a_smart_union, TS_Elliot and many others(you know who you are...). You'll find people you have a lot in common with, and, it's hard to describe the experience so just go there, you'll see.

I have to laugh(or not...) at myself. I'm a writer but the one thing it seems I have the least amount of time to do - is - write. There's maintaining my 2 blogsites(soon, a third), my web radio station, my work life( I still haul race boats and sport yachts), and my social networking, then there's networking my social networking and networking the results of that....uhhh...I think I got that straight...and I have security issues to stay on top of too, always, and I try to answer several hundred e-mails a day and the e-mail answers from those answers too...then make dinner...I think I got some sleep last week, I'm not sure...just call me Zombie Boy....

I don't mean to sound like I'm complaining or whining, I'm not, it's all good!

    Before I go any further I want to take a moment to THANK everyone who asked about Barbie's health. The cancer on her arm is still there, her insurance at her work changed recently so she's jumping hoops to find a new doctor to go to for it(and get her lengthy records), since her old doctors don't take her new and NOT improved health insurance. When someone has a life threatening condition - you would think the medical community would be able to act and react quicker! Her body is wearing down, and so, the migraines are back....but it's ALL in God's hands...prayin' for a miracle....

Question: Why truckstars, do we complain about American companies going offshore or over borders to manufacture, co's firing or laying off(firing) thousands of people, usually for profit margin reasons, THEN we continue to buy products from these same companies??? On my street here in the Ft. Lauderdale area there are several of us who have little or no work. I hear every day of family or extended family members who are facing serious financial issues. Yet, the cars, clothes, AND food(that's right I said food...peaches from Peru anyone?) and electronics we buy everyday are being made somewhere else by companies that used to manufacture here in the U.S., and still, like blind lemmings we buy and buy and buy....meanwhile, standing on the sidelines has been a series of impotent political "administrations"(whatever that means...) that have, in fact, aided and abetted the economic destruction of this country!(that's us, truckstars...)  Now, is it REALLY an issue of survival, or just greed and profitability for companies that move manufacturing elsewhere? The business experts(the ones who aren't bought and paid for with lobbyist money, that is...) claim it's purely profit motives, that companies could survive in the eco climate here in this country IF the American people weren't always looking for the cheapest price on everything. We have to understand that we're investing in ourselves, our families, our neighbors....OUR FUTURES.... remember that next time you buy something that says "Made in China", or where-ever, on the bottom of the package(and hopefully the fruits, vegetables and toys won't poison yor kids)...and your neighbor loses his car and house....

Me? I look for 2 things on a package. 1.) ingredients  2.) where it's made. No I'm not an idiot, I don't just look to pay more for stuff, but what I'm getting at here is the idea that ,things made or produced here will probably cost more, sometimes a lot or a little, but just keep in mind this - Look around at the situation in the country right now, do a little history homework. What you'll find is that the undermining of this economy began a long time ago, not 3 or 4 years ago, but, a long time ago. Do we really want to support a company that turns it's back on it's own customers here in the U.S. while exploiting already oppressed working people in other countries? (It's "just business" the business types say...is it really? That's what the sign hanging on the gates of hell says too) People, that the watchdog groups say, that STILL CAN'T FEED THEIR KIDS EITHER...when I put my hand over my heart and I recite the pledge of allegience - I cry now....Are we a nation under God? IN-divisible?  WITH -liberty and justice for all? No, not when greed, corruption, gambling and pornagraphy seem to be ruling the day, and the true American ideal has faded into history and become a corporate sales pitch slogan....We should be asking for, hell, DEMANDING American made products! Let's put ourselves back to work, the governments not going to....What'cha think truckstar?

THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT-  Please Please read the labels on the foods you buy! Try to learn which of the products you typically buy in the store have the least and lowest amount of chemicals with 0 trans fats. I know, I know it's next to impossible but really soon you'll know which ones to grab when you run in while your parked at the gas pumps, or with the family at the grocery store. We're in "damage control" mode here people!                                3 things to watch for 1.) sodium 2.)trans fats 3.)food coloring. Lots of restaurants are now using 0 trans fats cooking and frying oils, even the fast food evil empires like McDonald's......and get a bottle of "whole food organic" vitamins....

TRUCKSTAR TECH-  I know I promised a review of APU's and smartphones, but a new wave of technology hit this past week in both areas so, this week's is going to be general in nature. I'll have to break up the reviews week by week too. The Blackberry is still King of the hill in the smartphone dept., or so the tech mags say, however several other models, depending on your carrier, are making a good showing. The iPhone, the Google Android, and the new LG and Microsoft smartphones are players in the game. Really, it's your network speed that matters, not so much the phone itself, they all have the same app's and functions and we all do pretty much the same things with em' so....I'm tellin' ya, watch for Sprint to make a huge comeback, I really believe in the new CEO Dan Hesse at Sprint and my new Sony Vaio P series laptop will prob. have a SPrint connection, using the built in Gobi.

I like the package HP, AT&T and Gobi have put together for you current and future laptop users, and for me, a laptop I can make calls on while doing everything else to is the way to go if I have to choose between a phone and a laptop. I use my SKYPE phone number every day through my computer, for $2.95 a month I get unlimited to Canada and the U.S. , for $9.95 a month you could have unlimited global...so...check the link above, here on my blogsite.  I have just about switched over from my cell phone, I never use it anymore....2 media bills? I don't think so....

Okay truckstars don't forget about the legislation we have on the table! :   Contact your Senators, Rep's, Governors and State Legislators : www.senate.gov    www.writerep.house.gov  www.usa.gov/Contact/Governors    www.ncsl.org/public.leglinks

  HR6630(mexican pilot prog.), HR 139(the APU tax credit), HR 5934/5977(TRUCC fuel surcharge law), HR 6106(repeal diesel tax), HR 6458( 60/65 speed limits leg.)

There are more but this should keep you busy!

I also want to give a big SHOUTOUT to Dan Little from the OOU- the hardest workin' man in trucking, Trucker Jim from truckertotrucker.com, Brian from truck.net, Mike and Shelly from chicken trucker.com, "wise one" from thetruckersreport.com and the crew, admin1 and jwp over at mytruckingspace.com  Love you guys! Let's do a show!!

A big THANKS to everyone, including my fellow trucking podcasters, who came on the show last night from my ustream.tv page, my Skype page at "thetruckstarlive" and over the radio:   http://thetruckstar.com/listen

Don't forget about abused kids in your community!

Until next week - I love ya and I'm prayin' for ya!

Saddle up....let's ride!
.."you're on the road with the original florida kid"....we gown.......

 

"On the Road with the original florida kid"

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 52 and....

...you're on the road with the original florida kid.... 

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, JT, Neil Ray and Tommy Boy are all here.....they want to give a big cowboy howdy "HEY"  to one and all.....

..especially and the folks over at www.anysoldier.com 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'-  Well truckstars, I guess it's no secret winter's here! This time of year (the middle of summer too) brings home the point of "idling" regulation a little bit more. As time goes on I think this will become a bigger and bigger issue for all of us. I hear California is really givin' out the tickets for violations, Pennsylvania too....Navistar says they're workin' on a diesel model APU, Cummins(http://www.cumminsonan.com/apu/ ) is my personal favorite since I've had several Cummins powered vehicles and can safely say I think Cummins is top dog is the APU arena too, but a lot of drivers like the ProHeat Gen4 also. I hope the folks over at Idle Buster get back in the saddle....Ya' might look into the Willis APU(www.willisapu.com) they seem to have a handle on the technical stuff a lot better than I do....

“On the Road with the original florida kid” Week 51

Hello again fellow truckstars! It’s week 51 and…

…you’re on the road with the original florida kid………

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, Tommy Boy, JT, Neil Ray and the whole gang here at the ranch want to give a big cowboy howdy “HEY!”

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN’- So what are ya waitin’ for? Come on in, check your boots first (Grandma’s on the war-path today, I came in earlier with you-know-what on my boots…) the infamous wooden spoon is on the loose…..

First up I want to ask all you truckstars out there to send up a prayer for Dave Sweetman this week.

Dave is one of trucking’s top writers and a successful O/O in his own right. He writes for Landline magazine, the literary extension of the OOIDA. His column is called - “Dashboard Confidential”. Sometimes funny, as the name would imply, but it’s always informative, insightful, upbeat and professional.

Sadly, I received an e-mail last week from a colleague of his saying that, Dave’s wife of many years had passed away suddenly and tragically from an embolism, this past Sunday. Dave wanted to send a message out to his readers through her. In it he said to make sure you tell your loved ones that you love them because, well, you never know. He wanted to make sure that his readers listened and understood how fleeting life can be and how suddenly someone can just be….gone…..to tell them that you love them and to make the moments you have with them….count.

"On the Road with the original florida kid" Week 50

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 50 and....

....you're on the road with the original florida kid....

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, Tommy Boy, JT, Neil Ray and the whole gang here at the ranch want to give a big cowboy howdy "HEY " and wish one and all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'-  Come on in! Hang up your coat - and close the damn door! Looks like winter is here in a big way! This time of year we kind of hold our breath around here when we think about all you drivers out there on the road...all of us here want you to know you're in our prayers...day and night.  

     Grandma's been a bakin' fool all week, she gets in the mood every year...she's doin' her best to keep her spirit's and  her chin up...Barbie and me too!  How 'bout you?

I was thinkin'....about everything goin' on in our country, the economy, work and all that, and something dawned on me that I want to tell you about.

It was somethin' Grandma said the other day...she was talkin' about how things were when she was a little girl in the days after the "great depression", and how the headlines seem the same in a lot of ways, now, like they did then. Lots of folks were out of work, businesses shuttin' down, that kind of stuff. Hard times.

I was sitting in my chair totally bummed out about my bad knees(the UPS thing didn't work out, I blew out both my knees on day 7, they crunch when I try to walk..), wonderin' what I'm going to do NOW......Barbie's workin' 2 jobs killin' herself...things are tight...real tight...

She sat down next to me, runnin' her fingers through my hair like she used to do when I was little, knowin' I was upset about somethin'...

    "Even in those days, people were still people. We had the same hopes and dreams and we wanted the same kinds of things. It was so easy to get caught up in the struggles of life tryin' to keep our land under our feet, clothes on our backs and food on the table. For your Grandpa and me it wasn't about cars, credit cards and  keepin' up with the Jones's, we had no choice but to try and learn to be Thankful for what we had. Each other. When the smoke clears at the end of the day, the things that really matter...God willin'.....will still be there." 

She told me the story of her and Grandpa's first Christmas together, as man and wife, and how Grandpa had to hike out to the road in the snow to catch a ride with Tommy Boy's Grandad to the mill over in the next county every morning, and how they were havin' a bad winter that year. She would take care of the animals on the ranch, keep the house clean(which she's still doin'...almost 70 years later...) and make sure supper was on the table when he got home.

     "Well, Christmas was right around the corner and times bein' what they were I knew it would be, well, kind of a 'poor folks' Christmas. So, on Christmas Eve, I cut an extra load of firewood, got supper ready and while Grandpa was eatin' and I went into the bedroom, lit a few candles, dolled myself up, got buck naked, tied a red satin ribbon around my waist and waited for him. Wonderin' where I had got off to, and why I wasn't answerin' him, he eventually made his way through the house lookin' for me. He gets to the bedroom door and stops cold in his tracks when he sees me layin' there."           

    Laughin' like a school girl she said, "You would have needed a shovel and a block 'n' tackle to get his jaw up from off the floor! Grandpa couldn't get his clothes off fast enough and of course fell right on his face with his pants down around his ankles, tryin' to get his boots off. I thought he knocked himself out cold, he just lay there! So, I jump out of bed to help him, and playin' possum the whole time, he reaches up and grabs me, and, well, we spent the night, Christmas Eve, on the floor in front of the fireplace."

(She was lookin' at Grandpa's picture over the fireplace while she's tellin' me this.)

"I'll never forget that Christmas! Love, the greatest gift of all...was all we had to give each other, and so we did.

Love gives birth to faith and faith gives birth to hope....and nine months later I  gave birth to your Daddy!"

We were laughin and cryin', both of us, by now, and truckstars, I wish you were here to see the light in Grandma's eyes while she's tellin' me this story...pure love...and nothin' else... 

I'm kind of thick headed when it comes to learnin' "life" lessons....but.. Thank God I've got enough sense to look around myself and see thetrue blessings I have. And no matter what's goin' on in this crazy ass world, when the smoke clears at the end of the day, the things thatreally matter...God willin'.....will still be there....

....and I'll be Thankful for them!

So truckstars........from our house to yours..from our hearts to yours....... 

           Don't forget the reason for the season!     

               MERRY CHRISTMAS ! 

 

"On the Road with the original florida kid" Week49

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's week 49 and....

..."you're on the road with the original florida kid "... 

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, JT, Tommy Boy and Neil Ray all give a big cowboy howdy "HEY !" 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Alright come on in, you know the drill....grab a cup of grandma's famous cowboy coffee and a chair....let's get her rollin'...

     I'm kinda tired and my knees really hurt...Why? Well, I started with UPS last monday and ran 200+ packages a day for 5 days straight, jumping in and out of the truck, up stairs, across parking lots, across streets and intersections. I had no idea these guys work as hard as they do....I like the job, it keeps me close to home where I need to be, for now, and the guy I'm helping, Wayne, is a long time driver of 22 years who really knows what he's doing,....I'm not going to get into a theological debate with anyone about unions right now either....I can tell you one thing, I know a lot of drivers of all kinds and these UPS guys are among the few that can actually pay their bills, and trust me truckstars...they earn their money...

 

"On the Road with the original florida kid"

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 48 and...

       ..you're on the road with the original florida kid.. 

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, Tommy Boy, JT and the whole gang here at the ranch want to say a big cowboy howdy "HEY ! " 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Come on in, grab a chair, a cup

of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee and let's get this party rollin'...

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We sure did....

    

     Before I go any further I have to tell ya, I'm kind of bummed out and a little "pissed" at the moment....I had to give up both trucks this past week, that's why I didn't write to you until today, I was busy tryin' to find a way to save my trucks, but I couldn't, and since then I've been applying to every place in the area to find a job...of any kind.

"On the Road with the original florida kid" Week47

            Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 47 and                                                                        …..you're on the road with the original florida kid….   

      Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, Tommy, JT and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "HEY! "

      KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Well come on in, check your boots, hang up your coats and grab a chair! Grandma has a fresh pot of her famous cowboy coffee goin'...a second pot..maybe I can get her to bake us up a batch of them extra large chocolate chip muffins of hers...come on boys back me up here...

         Ain't it funny how hard times make some of the little things in life seem so big...and maybe even special?                                           I don't know about you truckstars, but I'm one of those who tends to get caught up in the day to day bump and grind of life...Barbie says, sometimes, that I take things too seriously and I know she's right...I do.                                                                   Hard times, I'm finding out, also have a way of showin' ya what you're made of...in more ways than one......tellin' ya..                                                   Hard times bring out the worst in people...but, they can also bring out the best....too.      

"On the Road with the original florida kid"Week 46

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 46 and....

...you're on the road with the original florida kid... 

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "HEY!" 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Alright, alright, come on in, hang your coats up on the peg there by the door, grab a chair and a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee...she put some extra ashtrays out this week...take a load off...let's get this party started(or is it more like a funeral kind of thing?.....don't know yet....)..whatever it is...we have a lot to talk about....

 

"On the Road with the original florida kid" Week 45 

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 45 and....you're on the road with the original florida kid..... 

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "HEY"... 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- yeah buddy....it's gettin' cold outside...so hang your coats on the peg by the door, come on in and grab a cup of Grandma's famous, and hot, cowboy coffee. Good thing I cut a bunch of firewood this past summer. We had to clear back quite a few trees that grew in over the gravel road goin' up the hill to 2 of the pastures up there because the shade was keepin' it too wet and slippery....even the horses were doin' the slip and slide, we have to walk them up that part of the dirt road...so...at least we got firewood out of the deal...dry too now…..looks like we'll need it.

 

"On the Road with the original florida kid" Week 44

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 44 and....

....you're on the road with the original florida kid!.... 

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog and the whole gang here at the ranch give a big cowboy howdy                                  ........"HEY!" … 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Well come on in! PLEASE Check your boots....(Grandma's on the loose with her famous wooden spoon......she will crack ya one….tellin'ya…..she doesn't care if the world's comin' to an end..that kitchen floor stays clean…)...grab a chair and a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee and have a seat….yeah dammit….I feel like reachin' under the sink and grabbin' grandpa's bottle of JD….but….I'd best not, I'd probably end up on the six o'clock news and then I'd have to face Barbie …yeah I would….UhOhhh…Hep me Lawd !.......(the boys are all laughin' readin' this…they too know her…and fear her…..)

 

"On the Road with the original florida kid" Week 43

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 43 and.......

              …you're on the road with the original florida kid...  

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "HEY!"... 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'-  Okay, so grab a chair, an ashtray and a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee and let's get this party started......

Grandma went to the doctor last week, she's been having serious back and leg problems. She needs to have surgery, as we expected, but she says she won't go, not now, with things the way they are, she says....Barbie is trying to talk her into it and it's easy to tell where Barbie got her stubborness from....I'm tellin' ya...

     I have to tell you truckstars that this week I'm more than a little upset to hear of, yet more O/O's losing their rigs, and hell, I could be next...I finally got a boat haul from Maine to Ft. Lauderdale but I had to dead head up there to get the boat, a big boat, and bring it back down here to Key Largo. The money wasn't that great but anything right now will help...I think......

 

"On the Road with the original florida kid"

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 42 and...

....you're on the road with the original florida kid.... 

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the wonder dog and the whole gang here at the ranch want to say a big cowboy howdy "HEY!" 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Alright, you know the drill...grab an ashtray, a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee and pull up a chair, there's more on the front porch by the door. Seems every week more and more people come over to sit around the table and talk about stuff goin' on, but that's okay that's what we're here for..

   Well, I've been sittin' here on my butt for 4 weeks now waitin' on boat freight to pick up, but....and it's not just the price of fuel going up and down like it's on a pogo stick either...(yeah and that's another thing...)..

"On the Road with the original florida kid" Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 41 and..... ........................you're on the road with the original florida kid ! Grandma, Barbie, Pup the wonder dog, and the whole gang here at the ranch give a shout out and a big cowboy howdy "Hey!"......... KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Alright grab a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee, an ashtray and strap your ass in, this week's edition is going to get bumpy.... In scanning over the mostly boring trucking news headlines I ran across some news articles, blogs and posts both "for" and "against" the mexican trucking fiasco..."Thank God" the House voted down by a huge landslide, the furtherance of it, (meaning, issuing full U.S. access to mexican trucks via operating authority) citing not just understaffed inspection personel, inspection equipment at the border locations, and the changes made to the original standards that should be imposed(meaning, in a secrective new program the mexicans are being allowed to apply and run with little scrutiny from the DOT), pay de-valuation and future job losses of American drivers.

"On the Road with the original florida kid " Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 40 and.......you're on the road with the original florida kid........ Grandma, Barbie, Pup the wonder dog, Larry the pig and the whole gang here at the ranch want to give ya'll a big cowboy howdy "HEY"..... KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Alright, alright, grab a chair and an ashtray. Grandma's got a pot of her legendary cowboy coffee goin', it'll be a minute. Before I go any further I want to apologize to you all for being gone for 5 weeks, actually I was on the road for 3 and a half weeks and while I was gone my yard or house, we're still not sure which, was struck by lightning and it fried a few appliances……including my computer system…..so I had to buy a new system, then start over with the radio station, from scratch…anyway that's why I haven't put up an edition of On the Road for a few weeks. I've gotten hundreds of e-mails from concerned truckstars out there who were wondering and worried what happened to me….I'm okay, it's just, the worst part wasn't the money or losing my system and 2 years of stuff on the computer….. …….it was being out of touch with YOU……….

"On the Road with the Original Florida Kid"

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's week 39 and.....you're on the road with the original florida kid...

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the wonder dog and the whole gang here at the ranch(including Larry the pig) all want to give ya a big cowboy howdy "Hey!" shout out.... 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'-   Alright, grab a chair and a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee, Tommy Boy got the ashtrays.......Okay - so I did it, I went and bought Barbie another car, or truck rather, if you consider the 2008 Ford Expedition a truck, I think it is one.......anyway I got her a really nice black one and as I expected she pitched a fit, mostly because(I guess...) it was a surprise....her 2004 Explorer had a lot of miles on it and her, Grandma, and our youngest, Leah, are now on their way to Michigan(I think she did manage to get the kitchen sink in there, since it's gone....) to settle Grandma June's affairs, following her death in a nursing home here in Florida a few months back. They are headed to southwest Michigan and should arrive there friday night. She sure was upset about the new truck, since the payment is a bit higher, she's the worrier in the family(sometimes I think too much, but....) I knew if I asked her she would say NO, and still I felt it was what I needed to do....the Explorer had always had problems,the factory kind....so .....anyway, I feel really bad she was so upset but also her and Grandma have been on the edge of their nerves for a very long time over all this and the on-going legal business which seems never ever ending and expensive......I really believe Grandma Junes death put them in a kind of state of shock, one they are still in and also truly and genuinely broke their hearts.....It was an all girl family between Grandma June(Grandma's Mom), Grandma and Barbie, even Barbie's 2 sisters were alone for a long time by circumstance and as many of you truckstars, especially you Lady Truckstars, know there are a lot of women in this world who single handedly run families, work and raise kids too, for whatever reason(usually not good ones....), and I can tell you that Grandma June, Grandma and Barbie were as close as family can get. I have always been awestruck by women left alone to work and raise kids on their own....I was raised by one myself, so I know. My Dad's Mom, or "Ma" to anyone who knew her was my Mom most of my life, from when I was 18 months old, and even though she passed over 20 years ago I still think sometimes I hear her voice and can see her face in my dreams....some things, I guess, us mere mortals never really get over, or leastways I can't seem to.....that's okay if the treasured memory of a loved one has to come with a little pain.....I can live with that..........How 'bout you truckstar?...........

"On the Road" with the original florida kid......

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's week 38 and....you're on the road with the original florida kid..... 

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder dog and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "hey"! 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN"- Alright, alright grab a chair and a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee(now I told ya last week about checkin' your boots before you step in the kitchen, Grandma's got her old wooden spoon out and she WILL crack ya one.....) the rest of us already have ashtrays and Tommy Boy took a pull or two off Grandpa's bottle of JD under the sink.....it's okay he's an adult....) Tommy's trucking co. he's worked for for a long time is goin' belly up due to high fuel costs, low freight rates and a slow-down in freight loads....he needs a couple of shots, he's got kids......(don't worry Grandma will keep an eye on him.....)....and we'll be eatin' some bbq soon too so.....

" On the Road" with the original florida kid......

Hello again fellow truckstars ! It's week 37 and....you're on the road with the original florida kid..... 

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the wonder dog and the whole gang here at the ranch give a big cowboy howdy "HEY"...... 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN"- Well come on in(don't forget to wipe your feet or Grandma'll crack ya one...we have horses...sooo...check your boots....), take a load off, grab a chair and a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee(it'll straighten your hair...) and let's get down to it....First off I want to apologize for being MIA for a couple of weeks I've been out on the road doin' mostly northeast runnin', from Montauk Point(yes, all the way out...) to Cape Cod and Staten Island, all three beautiful places in their right but I still have absolutely NO desire to live there......I'm just not a big city person, never have been...so anyway there it is, I've gotten a LOT of e-mails and calls from folks wonderin' where I was or if I just quit and when the new blogsite and radio station are coming online and all I can tell you is this: the new blogsite with lots of stuff on it is coming soon, it's a money thing....and I soon will have a mobile web laptop with a Skype program and a few other things so I can blog and post from the road but I want a special kind of laptop and it ain't cheap(www.alienware.com) so.....that's where it's at. I appreciate all the cool trucker groups inviting me into their clubs, after all, I am one and it's for my fellow drivers that I do this, NOT for the trucking co. owners or anyone else....don't forget I'm a driver trying to get home in one piece, pay bills too, and all the while hoping Barbie doesn't forget what I look like.....and, Oh yeah, did I mention that I'm tired......I don't have to tell you truckstars out there how it is when you only have a day or two between runs and by the time you get your little roadshow back together and un-scramble your brains, well it's time to go............and so we go.....sometimes with a heavy heart, an eye on the weather and thoughts of where we'll be at, jobwise, in a few months or a year.

"On the Road" with the original florida kid...

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 36 and..you're on the road with the original florida kid.....

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the wonder dog and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "HEY!" 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Grab an ashtray, a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee and pull up a chair. Grandma's got a batch of her out of this world "sticky buns"(and they are) in the oven so we're in for a treat here in a few minutes but in the meantime let's get this party started......Okay so it's not that great of a party what with O/O's going under left and right, the ever skyrocketing cost of fuel(and every other damn thing.....), payscales bein' what they are, AND, our legislators turning their backs on the voting public in general....yeah man , having some fun now! I'm starting to feel like I live in a third world country, watching people I've never seen struggle before, well they're struggling now......and, truckstars, I'll be the first to admit it, I'm no genius but it really feels like something's wrong here.....really really really wrong....I don't know....do you really think the election coming up is going to change things? I hope so......riiiiiight......

"On the Road " with the original florida kid.....

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's week 35 and........

            ......................you're on the road with the original florida kid..... 

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "Hey!"

I want to give a big cowboy howdy shout out to bigjackknife and all the boys in Kentucky - "Yo!!"

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'-  Okay, so everyone grab a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee,(there's a bottle of JD under the sink in the cabinet if you're in the mood...but remember...little sips...and no, it's not mine, it was Grandpa's....) pull up a chair, get us all an ashtray(aw hell just grab a beer can out of the trash....) and let's sit down, we have a lot to talk about this week too...

"On the Road" with the original florida kid

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 34 and......

    ......you're on the road with the original florida kid..... 

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the wonder dog and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "HEY!" 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'-  Alright, alright grab a cup of grandma's famous cowboy coffee, an ashtray and pull up a chair, we have a lot to talk about this week - so let's get'er goin'........

..................Dan Little from the www.uscattlehaulers.com site has set up a non-profit truckers group - check it out at:   http://owneroperatorsunited.org/     

     As I've said before I've talked to Dan Little a few times over the phone and I'm convinced he's got the rights of truckers in his heart when he decides to do anything, he's the one spearheading the surcharge lawsuit and he's working on a bunch of other stuff too , right now as we speak. It isn't just about a "shutdown" because of fuel prices, we all know that, a lot of things working against truckers has come to a head - some politicians are on our side, some are clearly not - but if the laws are changed and held up then we will have something, even the mexican thing has been held back to a large degree, and that's a good thing. I'm joining up with the OOU today and I hope you can put the $20 together and do it too, in fact I'll say this, if you're going to join any group, or just one, this is the one.....

Click and ticket! Your next ticket might come from the 'puter posse. More cities and states are turning to surveillance cameras to nab speeders and red light-runners. Called "photo-enforcement technology," the strategically placed cameras catch you red-handed, taking a picture of your license plate as you speed through the intersection or down the highway. The ticket arrives some weeks later in the mail, long after you've already forgotten that little infraction you thought you got away with.

"On the Road" with the original florida kid

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 33 and......

    ......you're on the road with the original florida kid..... 

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the wonder dog and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "HEY!" 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'-  Alright, so, I'm not sure where we're at with the nationwide shut down, I haven't heard much lately, it's kind of gettin' skimmed over in the headlines but there are still pockets of activity across the country. I wonder where our radio heroes have been in all this.........probably afraid of repercussions from their employers and sponsors and waiting to see which way the wind blows so they can jump on the big gravy train and act like they were there all along.....hmmmmm....someone(that means us) needs to keep this in the headlines and try to get some organization rolling. Truckers started it and truckers need to(as usual....) lead the way, and believe me when I tell you the Public is WITH US ON THIS ONE - GOT IT???? I know the public,(and by public I mean yours and mine next door neighbors, including the little old lady down the street whose husband died and can barely afford to feed herself and now can't afford to go anywhere either.....) in general, has even started their own little protests, I've seen it in the news and heard it on the radio, they're definitely on our side. The longshoremen in California are planning to shut down the ports(awesome!!....) and the localized driver protests are continuing...... Sooooooo what's it going to be?? (you've noticed fuel prices rising day by day I'm sure......)

"On the Road" with the original florida kid

  Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 32 and.....

                             .........you're on the road with the original florida kid......

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the wonder dog and the whole gang here at the ranch

say a big cowboy howdy "HEY" 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'-  Well don't just stand there - grab a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee, a chair and an ashtray and have a seat around the table.....we have a lot to talk about this week!

"On the Road" with the original florida kid

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's week 31........

                                       ....and you're on the road with the original florida kid.....

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the wonder dog and the whole gang here at the ranch say "HEY".......

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN"-

  Alright let's grab a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee, an ashtray and pull up a chair, we have a lot to talk about this week!

"On the Road" with the original florida kid

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 30 and.....

                                       .....you're on the road with the original florida kid.... 

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the wonder dog and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big howdy "Hey"! 

"KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN"-  Alright grab a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee, an ashtray, pull up a chair and let's get to it!

"On the Road" with the original florida kid

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 29 and........

                              ....you're on the road with the original florida kid....

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the wonder dog and all the gang here at the ranch

                                                 say a big howdy "hey"! 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN"- Well let's grab an ashtray, a cup of Grandma's famous coffee and get to it.........

"On the Road" with the original florida kid

Hello again fellow truckstars!! It's Week 28 and.......

                                                             ...you're on the road with the original florida kid......

    Grandma, Barbie and all the gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "hey!" 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'-

Grandma has a fresh pot of her famous coffee ready - so pull up a chair, grab a cup, an ashtray and let's get to it!

"On the Road" with the original florida kid

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's week 27 and......

           you're on the road with the original florida kid..............

Grandma, Barbie and everyone here at the ranch, including Pup the wonder dog... say a big howdy "hey!"

Well let's get to it..wha'dya' say? 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'-

Truckstars - let me ask you something....here today, do you really want to talk about the price of fuel, Qualcom's latest improvements, how bad freight is down, the mexican thing..the price of Goodyears' latest model drive tire.......do ya?  Good - I don't either.........     

"On the Road" with the original florida kid

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 26 and....

                                   ....you're on the road with the original florida kid....

Grandma, Barbie and all the gang here at the ranch (and even Pup the wonder dog....) say "Hey!"      

Alright, alright grab a chair and an ashtray...Grandmas got a pot of coffee goin'...this is the second edition of this weeks blog, I had most of it done a few minutes ago when we had one of those world famous "little" south florida power glitches...again...and I lost everything before I could save it...

"On the Road" with the original florida kid
Hello again fellow truckstars! It's week 25.........
.......and you're on the road with the original florida kid...
Grandma, Barbie and the gang here at the ranch say "hey"........

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN' -

Well, first up - it looks like roadStar magazine will no longer be published...I was sure sorry to read that since I'm a big fan of Dave Sweetman's, for those of you not familiar with Mr. Sweetman, he's a longtime veteran driver and has been writing a great column which has appeared on the pages of roadStar. I'd sure like to ask him if he'd be interested in doing a show on Truckstar Radio........

..............and that brings me, truckstars and internet fans, to a subject I've been talking a lot about for a long time, and that is web access on the road. It would appear that the laptop makers have seen the writing on the wall and are almost in "standard issue" mode when it comes to including mobile web capability in the newer laptops. No - it's not a new idea, but until recently it was less of a demand and feature expectation, much less, than it is now. I will be going with AT&T myself, since I have a cell phone, internet at the ranch, and the landline at home with them and I can't complain about the service. Also, when I travel(which hasn't been much lately.....freight and boat hauls are still down....) I have very few "dead zones", and most of you know this, usually when going through hilly or mountainous country. I reckon it'll be the same with the web access. There is a company(http://www.groundcontrol.com) that I've found can hook you up with broadband(much faster) sat web access, but BE SURE to check out the "in motion" systems, the antenna is a roof mounted, flat disc looking thing, which to me is much better than the "dish" anyway...also, for those of us still wary of "wifi" it allows you to turn the wifi reception off so no one can jump your sat hook-up.....(you know how those 8 year old hackers can be......) and you can get a cheap item that will enable tv, along with skype phone service - it should be good. I'll find out more about the tv offerings sometime this week. Also check www.skycasters.com  -and- http://www.ussatellite.com  -and- http://www.highspeedsat.com/inetvu.htm

This is not as inflammatory as it sounds initially, but New Jersey State Revenue Agents did hold a truck and its boat cargo in transport to Massachusetts until the boat company paid back revenue taxes that the state said it was owed.

This all happened in July last year and the boat manufacturer ended up paying a whopping $46,000 to the State of New Jersey to get the shipment released. At issue was from New Jersey's point of view the fact that the Stingray Boat Company based in South Carolina had a dealer in New Jersey and so owed corporate taxes.

"Stingray Controller Barry Godwin disagreed, since the dealer was an independent business that already paid taxes to New Jersey. But he wired the state the money anyway, because that was the only way he could free his boats.

"I didn't have a choice," Godwin told the House Small Business Committee at a Feb. 14 hearing. "It was show me the money and I'll let you go, or you're stuck."

New Jersey is just one of the several states that claim that out of state business owe them back corporate income tax even if they don't have a branch there and simply do business in their state. The impact for truckers is huge, especially owner operators. Do you now need to "vet" firms for whom you will transport products for to make sure that they have paid up - so you and your rig won't go into a "hostage situation" while Revenue Officers wrangle with your freight owner?

Anyway you look at the situation, truck owner operators should beware. Many simply can't afford the downtime that a situation like this would cause.

"On the Road" with the original florida kid...

Should trucks be kept off of rural two lane roads? Is this a good thing for truckers? Should it be mandated by law?

With the several high profile and tragic crashes between trucks and cars on rural roads; two that recently killed children and high school cheerleaders in the Rochester, New York area, states and feds are talking about getting truckers off of rural roads.

In the above mentioned accidents both truckers were operating legally on the road and were not sited for traffic violations. On top of that the routes were state roads and not privately owned. So now comes the question that many in that region are asking "do truckers belong on two lane rural roads?"

Actually, in my personal opinion,  truckers are some of the safest drivers out on the roads. Sometimes a rural road is the best route to bypass traffic, construction, or to reconnect with another highway. When traveling on a rural road truckers should however take extra care to monitor speed and to drive defensively. Certainly it is better to drive on the four lane highways, but sometimes there is just no way around it and a two lane road detour is needed.

So, do I advocate truckers being kept off of the rural two lane roads? No, it is legal to be there. But to truckers I recommend caution, slowing down, and knowing that on these smaller roads less experienced drivers may pop out or slow you down. So when possible it is best to stick to the four lane highways when you can. Not only will you get where you want to faster, but you may save a life or prevent an injury in the process by trying to stay off the rural routes when you have a four lane option.

Just this morning February 20th the Indy News reported on a new "Trucker Hero".  It happened in Michigan City, Indiana...

"Indiana State Police say a truck driver rescued a Gary man from his submerged car after a crash left it upside down in a water-filled ditch."

This trucker who has not been named as of yet is a hero and a real one at that.  We've all heard and read many stories of truckers looking out for others on the road; helping with accidents, fixing flat tires for stranded motorists, and in this case even saving a life!

Quick thinking truckers have helped many a stranded motorist and other Trucker Buddies. As in this case, it shows that truckers are keeping us safe on the road and actually looking for ways to help when it appears that no other help is around.

I'm sure that this man and his family are thanking their "lucky stars" that a "trucker-angel" just happened to see the accident and decided to stop and help instead of thinking that someone else may have seen the accident and was better suited to help.

Thanks anonymous trucker, you are our "Trucker Hero" for today!

This just in from CBS4 News in Denver - "CBS4 Finds Truckers Falsifying Logbooks"  You can read the full article and interviews here. It includes quotes from anonymous truckers and police.

You may agree or you may disagree with the article, but any way you look at it, log books are a fact of life for truckers and driving time is tied to the money you can make to stay in business or support your family. But log books are also about safety and protecting others on the road, including truckers themselves, from tired drivers that can cause accidents. 

In Colorado, the rules are:

Fourteen hours maximum on duty in a day, but they can only drive 11 of those hours and 70 hours in an 8 day week.

Violate the rules and get a fine, but typically the fines are low. One trucker in the article got a $50 fine and was removed from service until he was back under the limit. But the truth is that until log books go digital, and are tied to the time that you are actually behind the wheel, cheating will happen.

Cheating hurts everyone and endangers others on the road, so keep your log book up-to-date and make sure to take the mandatory rest breaks. The rules are there for the safety of all. If you don't agree, leave your two cents below.

In Utah on February 13th, a trucker was killed in a freak accident from ice flying off of a trucker and crashing through his windshield. In this case, the trucks were heading in two different directions on a highway and one trucker was killed in the accident. The other trucker did not even know that he had caused an accident until later in the day when he heard it reported on the news. He then called in to the Police to say that he may have caused the accident.

Just how can you prevent accidents like this from happening? It is the responsibility of every professional trucker to make a reasonable effort to remove ice and snow from their vehicle especially in their field of vision, but to climb 13 feet up to the top of the trailer and shovel snow off the top of the trailer may be going to far. Or even for that matter, to stop every 50 miles or so and check for snow and ice buildup may simply be asking too much.

It is a terrible tragedy for both families of truckers, but just one more reason why when you stop for a break to check out your own rig, keep it clean, carry a snow brush, and shovel, and where you can use a truck wash to remove debris and snow, without making more ice use it.

If you have a tip on how you personally keep your trailer and rig snow and ice free in the winter, take a moment and share it with us. We certainly don't want more accidents of this nature and want to keep family and friends of all truckers and all drivers safe for that matter.

The feds are tightening the noose on truckers with the new focus on what judges may do with trucker traffic violations. In essence the Feds are letting the state's know that when a Judge allows a trucker to pay a fine and not have a violation appear on their driving record, that they don't like it and want it to stop.

Why are the Feds getting involved in state business this way? Doesn't that strip a Judge of their ability to make a decision when the case is brought before them? I don't think that Judges are getting soft on truckers but rather that the Fed is sticking their nose where it simply doesn't belong.

Yes, I do believe that truckers with poor driving records should be pulled from the road for the safety of everyone, but when the Fed tries to micromanage what State Judges have decided to do in a case by case basis, it just rankles me. You can read the full article here and then click comment below and leave your two cents on this issue that is sure to bring out some interesting comments and experiences.

I feel that the Federal transportation officials should leave Judges alone when it comes to deciding what a fine or violation is deserved in each situation.

Hello again fellow truckstars! It's week 22.........

If you haven't applied for a passport yet, you better get on it. It won't be long before you'll need a passport to drive across the U.S. borders into Mexico or Canada and, most importantly, come home. (It's already required if you fly.) In a precursor to coming changes, border crossings got a little tougher yesterday when new regulations went into effect at both our northern and southern borders. Drivers (trucks and cars) are now required to produce proof of citizenship when entering the U.S.

He's still hammering down at age 90 and wants to keep driving "as long as I can." A grizzled highway veteran, Joe Rocha of Oakdale, California first climbed behind the wheel of a truck in 1938. He remembers when truckers used flashlights to communicate and engines were hand-cranked. When Rocha first started driving, it took 29 hours (at 30 mph!) to drive from San Jose to El Centro, east of San Diego. Today, you can make the trip in less than a third of that time, about 9 hours.

"On the Road" with the original florida kid.

Hello again fellow truckstars! Week 21 is in the log books.....or not.....

and you're on the road with the original florida kid.....

Grandma and everyone here at the ranch say "Hey!"

Kitchen Table Talkin' -

We all know freight is still a bit slow still here going into the second half of January 08'. It's hard to believe it's the year 2008.....I was on the west coast a couple of weeks ago, we all know California doesn't miss too many opportunities to pat itself on the back, but I gotta tell you - the roads were just terrible(except for way north into the Cascades). I'm not sure I understand the politics and why some states have such bad roads but, seriously, they seems to be really enterprising and aggressive when it comes to taking in revenue, I having a hard time wondering why the roads are so bad and it takes them so long........

"On the Road" with the original florida kid

Hello again fellow truckstars! You're on the road with the original florida kid........

Week 20 is in the log books.........or not.....

Grandma, Barbie, Pup and everyone here at the ranch say
"Happy Holidays" and "Hey!"

"Kitchen Table Talkin" -

Well I got one last run in just before Christmas, I picked up a boat from the Pensacola, Fl area and took it to the port in Brunswick, Ga. just after a Kentucky to Palm Beach run. It was only a 1200 and a 1400 mile run and both went well.

I'm off for a few days and it feels good but I'm already gettin' that urge to get back on the road!

Know what I mean truckstar? Yeah you do...........

I don’t need to tell you how important it is to stay in shape, especially if you’re a long haul driver.  But like any other working person, how do you find the time and, more importantly when you are on the road, where do you find a place to work out?
 
As the dangers of out-of-shape Americans and spiraling health care costs is more and more in the news and as more and more employers are providing gyms or discounted memberships to employees to stay fit, what is our industry or the people serving our industry doing to help us stay fit and healthy?  Looking around, I gotta say, not one heck of a lot.

Unless you carry weights to workout with in your rig and have some way to cook and prepare your own food, eating right and staying in shape is pretty tough.  You are pretty much at the mercy of whatever you find at truck stops along your route. 

I read an interesting blog the other day about some guy who wants to open a chain of fitness centers at truck stops across the country.  Seems he’s tried to get financing for his dream of providing places where truckers, or any other travelers for that matter, could work out while on the road.  He was laughed out of the banks he approached for financing.

I, for one, think this is a great idea and my friends agree!  If you’re a banker and can go to the gym everyday to work out, why shouldn’t the people who are the backbone of our great nation’s transportation industry have that same chance?

I just hope that guy hangs onto his dream and is able to find a way to make it happen.  I, for one, would look forward to working out in the gym to de-stress, get in shape, and stay healthy when I am on the road.  A lot of my buddies feel the same way too!

"On the Road" with the original florida kid

  WEEK 19 

    Hello again fellow truckstars!       Week 19 is in the log books...........or not...........

Grandma and everyone here at the ranch say - "Hey!"

 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN' -

I've been on the road for a few weeks, that's why you haven't heard from me. I just got back at 4:00am yesterday from an almost 20,000 mile trip hauling boats, haul - backhaul - that kind of thing. I was on a roll and I rode it till the end since I'll probably be off for a couple of weeks because of the holiday. That's okay.... Needless to say I'm tired but I have so much "home" stuff to do I can't lay around and stare at the tv. I still can't get over how much I feel like a stranger here at home after a long trip....how 'bout you truckstar?

Google maps are coming to a gas pump near you. Starting next month, you'll be able to get driving directions to local landmarks, restaurants, hotels, hospitals, etc. when you fill up. Just scroll through a selection of categories and print out directions to the destination of your choice right at the pump.

"On the Road" with the original florida kid
     Hello again fellow truckstars! Week 18 is in the log books........or not........
                                        and you're on the road with the original florida kid......
Grandma and the gang at the ranch all say "hey"................

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN" -

We're all sittin' around the dinner table yakkin about stuff, so pull up a chair grab a cup of coffee and piece of Grandmas famous apple pie(American apples....) and let's see what's on everyones' mind.......

Sounds like an ongoing point of contention here - shipping and receiving operations are not efficiently set up to ship and/or receive. Can the contract between the receiver and shipper be made any clearer?
Truckers are not responsible for loading or unloading. The recipient or shipper is. That is, or should be, spelled out in each and every contract, and highlighted. Companies need to get the word out to their dockhands. It is not the trucker’s responsibility to unload, or to suffer the results of the recipient’s or shipper’s personnel problems.

Why should a driver be forced to spend his or her time and energy doing the work that shipping department employees should be doing? Being delayed by mismanaged or under-managed shipping departments costs drivers in time and rest, and ultimately money. The stress of dealing with uncooperative or unprepared shipping departments is down right unproductive. Recipients or shippers need to be aware that results of their inadequate management will only result in higher shipping costs. Imposing fines or adding surcharges might be one way to deal with this.

In light of the planned decrease in driving hours and increased rest times, drivers are being increasingly stressed. There is no good reason for drivers to be delayed for hours because the receiving preparations are not adequate. Simply, it doesn’t make sense to waste hours, energy and money doing someone else’s job.

December 27, 2007 is the deadline for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to decide changes for the hours-of service regulations.

Earlier this month Federal Court dismissed the increased driving time changes (11 hrs reduced to 10) and the 34 hour restart provision, citing death and injury statistics. OOIDA and the ATA were unsuccessful in their requests for a new hearing on hours-of-service. Also, the OOIDA and ATA requests for implementing new rules in 8 or 12 months, rather than in December 2007 were denied.

FMCSA has less than 90 days to decide on options for further action.

And now, in light of the well publicized and awful disaster, the 15 rig pileup in the Newhall Pass Tunnel between Santa Clarita and Los Angeles, California  tunnel disaster it would be surprising if the OODIA and ATA would ever get much agreement or cooperation from federal regulators concerning any increase of driving hours. This one disaster will have repercussions for years to come on many levels. The trucking industry, of course will be affected, but so will traffic control, road construction, fire fighting techniques, etc. Experts will be rethinking things for a long time. Hopefully something good will come of it.

Meanwhile, our hearts go out to the loved ones and friends of any truckers who were involved. A disaster of this magnitude will be long remembered.

"On the Road" with the original florida kid

Hello again fellow truckstars!
You're on the road with the original florida kid - Week 17 is in the log books..........or not...

Grandma and the gang here at the ranch say "hey"

     This weeks edition may end up bein' shorter and sweeter than usual because I'm going to Virginia to grab a load of boats to bring back down to Miami for the Boat Show, waitin' for my load time call so I know when to go.

  Tis' the season down here in the land of sun and fun..... it's work, and the guy I'm haulin' for is a long time road dog who knows what he's doin', and.............it's a paycheck. Hope the weather up 75, 85, and 95 holds good enough for me to squeak through with no major problemos. I'm bringin' my own spare tie downs.....can't have too many tie downs.....right, flatbedders?? With boats the forward slip action is my biggest fear, in a short stop situation...that, and gettin' jacked....(come and meet my leetle friend....)

"On the Road" with the original florida kid

Hello again fellow truckstars!
Week 16 is in the log books.....or not........

     KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN' -
Grandma and the gang at the ranch say - "HEY"

I never realized how much horses eat............we're going to plant the pastures with a seed mix from the ag co-op. Have you bought a bale of hay lately? Grandma's been tellin' me to do it for a long time......guess she knows a thing or two. Grandpa's been gone for almost twenty years, if he were still here it would have already been done.

Do you ever, sometimes, get bummed out or maybe a little depressed, for no good reason? I don't know about you, truckstar, but there I am, I'm driving along lookin' out the window, and for no apparent reason I get really bummed out.....I see people whizzin' along yakking on their cell phones, other truckers singin' along with the radio, or talkin' to someone lookin' like every thing is going great, and then - wham - I don't know what it is.....

"On the Road" with the original florida kid. 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN' -

  Okay fellow truckstars - week 14 is in the log books...........or not........

Grandma's got a roast in the oven and she's pouring fresh hot coffee, grab a cup, pull up a chair.......elbows on the table are okay....

If you're following the headlines then, no doubt you've seen the latest news about the HOS battle going on. I don't know which side of this you're on but behind it all, I believe, is the idea that laws had to be put into place as a guideline for how long we can drive. They say accidents are down, and, point to safer - more rested drivers - to prove their point. Trucking companies have followed by developing booking patterns based on miles, time and costs. I believe it to be true when you look at the longest running and most accomplished drivers out there, guys and gals with millions of logged, safe miles, they ALL say that good rest is vital to their success and longevity.

Hello again fellow truckstars! Week 13 is in the log books......or not...

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN' -

Alright, alright everyone calm down and pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee, an ashtray and let's talk about this..........

Well, it looks like the Senate is trying to yank the rug on funding for the so-called pilot program of border crossing trucks. I'm sure the President has a plan B, and that's why we ALL need to keep up the political pressure on our elected officials. Write down the following web addresses, bookmark em' and make it a regular part of your web surfing; To find your Representative - www.house.gov  ( just enter your zip) To find your Senators - www.senate.gov  - scroll to your home state.