IT LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So who's idea was it to get into this business? Oh wait, it was mine. Yes, I haven't posted on here since October. Yes, I'm still driving although I'm beginning to question why. The best reason I can come up with is that I'm too stubborn to give up.

I'm not going to go into all the gory details about what has gone on since October, so I'll just give a quick update.

Shoulder is fine, works like it used to. All the trucks are running with the exception of one Sprinter that is in the shop waiting for an engine swap. It had the torque convertor in the tranny replaced and only lasted for 2500 miles before the injection pump went out. In Sprinters when the pump goes, it takes the engine with it. Of course, it had to puke 700 miles from home. Had a spare engine waiting so it won't cost as much as a rebuild. It should be completed in a week or so, not that there's any freight for it to haul.

Freight wise, the first 4 months have been terrible. Wall Street and the banks did their job well screwing things up. Question: Does anyone know why those idiots on wall street stand up there clapping when that bell rings????? What's to clap about?? I think a well placed hand grenade would stop this insane practice.

Back to freight. Or, to be more precise, the lack of. I've compared April this year to April of last year and was sickened to see that we made more in one week last year than we did in the whole month this year. That's how slow it has been. The first 5 days of May have been better as all the trucks have loads today, but the revenue paid to the trucks on these loads is down by 35% when compared to similar loads from last year. I'm near Birmingham, AL and am going to western GA in the morning picking up a load going just across the line into SC. A whopping 161 paid miles. The only plus is that fuel prices dropped. If fuel was still above $4, this country would be at a standstill.

The expedite industry is changing and we have to change with it or get run over. The number of contractors that have gone under or just parked their trucks is staggering. The banks won't give out any money for operating expenses or equipment purchases either. They got our money from the government, so why should they care.

So, that's what's going on. If I sound bitter, I am. I don't mind busting my butt to get where I want to be, but I resent being painted into a corner because of someone else's greed. The one satisfaction I have is that I didn't waste my vote on obama. He has more than proven that he has no idea what he is doing, and no not capitalizing his name was not a mistake. It's my way of showing that I have no respect for him.

Rant over, carry on. Semper Fi.