That line came to mind on reading the note that came in with the following image from Charlie’s A-Z, LLC, captioning the bit of photoshop fun below (see the box outline around the design-box frame still around the “Used Truck Parts” type on the hood, for instance):
“The DOT usually pull me over at state lines, so I thought I would give them something to read when they are waiting for my paperwork.”Depending on the officers inspecting, that well might go one of two ways …
In other news, what might be happening for those of you hauling leased with chemical-tank lines? Hazmat hauler and singer-songwriter Bill Weaver called today with a different tip but noted he’d been having some particularly good weeks as of late when it comes to income, with an ELD — weeks that, if lined up straight over the course of an entire year, could easily put an owner-operator over $150K net. Paid a percentage of the load, I suspect Weaver’s benefiting for growth in demand, and rates, in recent times.
What does he really think?
He remains against mandating ELDs, and sees plenty to dislike about his own, plenty to like about the carrier-chosen unit as well (at about a 25%/75% ratio, he says). And: Recent weeks have delivered some of the best money he’s seen in his entire career trucking, after making a shift in somewhat recent times from a company driver tank-haul position to running as an owner-op leased to Oak Brook, Ill.-based Heniff Transportation and its liquid-bulk hazmat operation. Taking the opportunity to put back plenty in the bank for the next cyclical downturn (it will always come — more on potentially when tomorrow on the podcast), “I’ll be spending what we’ve got set back when the truck craps out on me, of course,” he says, “as trucks tend to do.”
Weaver, ever good for straight talk.
For those of you running tank, business treating you right of late, ELD or not?
Catch plenty of Weaver’s music in the “Music to Truck By” playlist below. More, sooner than later, too, on a record he’s working on… Keep those ears clean.
