Whiny Butts In Trucking

There is nothing you can do for the whiny butt trucker... PERIOD!

Yet no one is trying to make a positive impact, at least from the rank and file side of things. I asked a coworker at another job if he any hope of anything getting better and he said no. In 30+ years of driving professionally all he could say is no.  Where does that leave us?  

Maybe he has a point.  Regulations are tighter, loads are more and more urgent, there's more unruly traffic than ever before and employers don't care if you live or die out here.  Even the Teamsters at YRC Freight are losing touch with any hope that might be out there.  

People who say, however, that the company they work for is a joke haven't yet realized that the joke is on them.  You've had time to figure this out and get out while the getting was good.  For those of us who choose to stay we are going to make the most of it.  I start out by knowing what my first objective is.  That is to get from Point A to Point B in the safest, most efficient and timely manner possible.  It's not impossible to focus on the job.  But seriously that's where people have lost focus and that doing a good job, regardless of the level in the company you are, is the first priority you should have.

Complaining only exacerbates the problems you already have,  You have two choices really.  Either stay where you are or leave outright.  There is no in between.  I want to be able to encourage drivers to do the best they can but i all you can do is complain I am going to leave drivers to wallow in their own misery.  It's not personal; I don't want to mess with my mental hygiene. 

Your Support Is Appreciated... But Not Needed...

There are articles both for and against the trucking industry, but no matter how you slice it everything you touch had a truck involved in the process somewhere.  If you like trucks then you understand how vital the trucking sector is to you.  If you've ever been in manufacturing then you know that raw materials have to be shipped in and finished goods have to be shipped out.  It would be nice if we could cycle them out on the same truck but it doesn't always work out that way.

If you hate the trucking business then you can go screw yourselves because I dare you to find a better way to do things.  This especially applies to rail advocates (to whom I personally have no beef with) who have every reason to advocate reducing truck tonnage because it is supposedly safer to ship by rail. (See this video if you really think it's safer.)  Truth is that no matter how you slice it, whether it be trucking or rail, a disaster is always something of epic proportions. Those who shout a tirade against trucking are short on answers when it comes to what to do about it.

As much as I hate the haters' anti-truck rhetoric, the pro-driver support is just as annoying to me. Honestly, I can't tell if you really support us or if some of you are just trying to sound good to yourselves. Pardon my cynicism but it's gettin real old real fast.  I know I put  lot of trucker related stuff on my Facebook page but it's old news.  I've been hearing the comments on both sides since I was little.

If you really want to support the industry be safe and give us room to do what we're paid to do.

For the rail advocates... Check out this video...

7 Reasons to Be Your Own Boss

In 1997 I was travelling in the Memphis area and I sat down at a Chili's in Cordova, TN to have a drink or two.  Sitting at the bar, three sheets to the wind, was a young man about my age (I was 21 at the time) drinking the same top-shelf margaritas I was drinking.  The bartender told me what he did for a living and I inquired as to how he did it.

He got tired of the same old grind and decided it was time to do his own thing.  He talked to people he knew and got referrals and the next thing you know, he's got 2 full-time landscaping crews working the Memphis area.  I was impressed.

Then he told me something that still lingers in my mind to this day. "Just go out and do it," he said with a rising emphasis on the word "do."

So as I was thinking today while driving, it occurred to me that the young landscaper was still correct and I should go out and do it.

I have compiled my top ten reasons to be my own boss.

1.) You call the shots not someone else.

As I get older I have trouble taking orders from someone, especially someone who thinks they know what they are doing.  More often than not I hear stories of incompetent managers who are more concerned with being in charge instead of leading those in their employ.

2.) The money you make is making you richer and not someone else.

The people at the very top of their businesses have their hopes, goals, and dreams lined up in front of them and they WILL leverage their people to achieve them.

3.) Serious tax advantages.

Always consult a professional but there are a lot of things that can save you money on your taxes.

4.) You get to choose the people you work with.

Getting along with your people is a very important part of your work so why not surround yourself with people who support you and that you have chemistry with.

5.) You can follow your passion.

As an expert doing your own thing, you can share your passion and inspire others.  If you're doing what you love then it won't feel like work.

6.) You get to be a real leader and connect with people.

Everybody is going to look to you for guidance and you get to lead them. Not only that you can use your position to inspire people to become better.

7.) You get things done - FASTER.

Entrepreneurs do not like red tape as a whole and you can as a business owner bypass a lot of the red tape that many other businesses use to increase your output and get a desired result faster.

If you're reading this there is one more thing I have to tell you.  Just go out and do it.