Have you noticed?

Well it looks like winter driving season is soon going to be over. We really didn't a long one this year. ONly a few good snow storms to remind the general driving public about how fragile our lives really are and how we should be careful on the roads.

I just have to wonder if it would be worth it to even buy snow tires this summer for the winter season?

Ups and Downs

Its tough being a trucker AKA professional driver at the best of times. Nasty hours, and terrible working conditions. So when the freight is less than the number of trucks on the road, there is a serious problem.

Right now its hard to find freight is an understatement. My boss is freaking out and trying to save the company. Part of the problem is that shippers are trying to get the most for their buck in shipping. So they are having a price war with the truckers. The shipper is offering to pay less than what it cost most companies to carry the freight. The trucker had two options. 1. take the freight and do the business at a loss with the possibility of more freight in the future, or 2 refuse the freight with the possibility of not being offered the freight from this shipper again.

Example: shipper offers the freight @ $0.95 a kilometer to ship to x. But it costs the trucker $1.10 to do the work? How long could you operate a business losing $0.15 /k??? Would you at least not want to get 1.10 to just operate and cover you cost? The problem is that now instead of $.95 a kilometer, shippers are asking for rates like $0.85 and with fuel going and going higher its costing the trucker 1.56 or more to run the same load.

So the easy yet painful solution is that there needs to be less truckers on the road to haul the correct amount of freight. Then the hope is that with less truckers the price of freight will increase and then balance out the supply and demand of freight. One part of the solution is that you the consumer needs to make good choices on what you are buying and when.

EVERYTHING gets to you by truck.

four wheeling it for a change.

So its not often that I drive my car along the 403/QEW through Hamilton, to onto the 427 to 401 EB and then home in my personal car. But we were away for the weekend and after taking advantage of a great deal in Niagara Falls we were coming back. My wife was tired and we switched seats. So I got to drive back along the route. I was just amazed at how open the right most lane was the entire trip. Sure, I had to pass a few on the left, but mostly just zipped along in the right-hand lane... while the left lanes were crowed with slower moving traffic than the post 100kph limit on this wonderfully clear and problem free drive.

Is not the left lanes for passing? Are you not supposed to pass and then move over to the right until you can pass again? I must be wrong. You drive in the left lane and leave the right for passing?

wow... how stupid, lazy and unthinking !!

Canada's Worst Driver?

So I finished watching the latest season closer. Thankfully two of the 3 finalist were showed that they should not be driving at all. So they gave up their licences. Even though the worst was a emotional wreck, she had enough common scene to give it up.

Ever think is just not the right time for something?

Recently I have been trying to obtain a professional licence. I did the courses, took the pre-qualification test and thought that I was ready for the big provincial test. Well after 3 tries. I didn't pass. Close but not enough. I am pissed off and really just don't understand. All the work and all the time spent... seems wasted.

So now might not be the time for me to change my life. Maybe I should just keep on doing what I have been. But that the pissed off and deeply disappointed me speaking. What i should be doing is taking the 6 month break and then starting from scratch. Redoing the entire process again. This time not taking a two month break between passing the pre-qualification course and taking the provincial test. Maybe it will be the right time then.

till then... I will not spend 1 second studying or even looking at the test material.

Dealing with the cell phone ban is easy...

So recently the new ban has actually been a mixed blessing. With no blue-tooth I don't have to answer the phone while driving... I can even mute the phone and only check it when I am waiting at a loading dock etc. Also its nice not to have the expectation that I must answer the phone ASAP... and while I even got a new phone which can have blue tooth, I am not going to buy one. I like that I can't answer the phone while behind the wheel.

Are you a supporter of the Afghan's

True story:
A cross-border Canadian driver approached the border crossing @ Lewiston USA. He was wearing a red poppy (the kind that the Royal Legion sells every year) on his sweater. When his turn came to speak with the USA customs officer the much younger(age) officer asked him if he was supporting the Afghan's. The driver politely asked what the officer was talking about.

The office became very insistent on having an answer from the driver. "You are wearing a poppy. Are you not? Poppies are a major drug export of that nation and you are wearing one." replied the officer. Now the driver was is a retired Canadian Armed forces member and took great offence to the line of questions and the tone of the officer.

The driver expressed that he was deeply offended by the officers remarks and question. The Driver through the use of  some choice words towards the younger officer expressed his rage at the officers disrespect towards all those whose memory the driver and both our nations were were trying to protect and remember each time this year. The driver was not afraid of the officer and his gun. He was enraged by the younger officers disrespect for the poppy and what it means when worn.

What the driver and customs' officer did not know, was the the customs supervisor was listening to the entire conversation from the office and came out to address the problem. It did not help that the conversation was being over head across the parking lot at this point.

Finally the driver decided that enough was enough and was just about to ask to speak with the supervisor, when he appeared. The supervisor interrupted the heated argument and thanked the driver for taking the time to explain why he wore the poppy and wished him a good day. The supervisor then turned to the young officer and began to berate the young officer very loudly.

The driver left the station and would not easily forget the encounter.

So how do you remember?? Are you ready to defend yourself?