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.

Barbie’s health isn’t too good as you know so that limits my scope of work, somewhat, to local stuff, and right about now that picture doesn’t look to good either. The job market down here is the worst I’ve ever seen it, even the classifieds in the paper are just a few listings, mostly medical and tele-marketer stuff, neither of which I’m qualified to do…so…here I sit feelin’ like…like I don’t know what….this is a new one for me…to be jobless, truckless and maybe a little hopeless sometimes too…feels like slidin’ downhill trying to keep from gettin’ slammed by the avalanche thunderin’ close behind me….and not being able to do anything about it…

     What now? Don’t know truckstars, for the first time in my 53 years…I don’t know….Prayer, I guess….Grandma’s been in her room a lot lately with her Bible…me too…..

I’m no slacker, but honestly, I don’t know whether to go out the door and go left, right, straight ahead or turn around and go back in the damn house…..(and maybe, bang my head on the wall)…also a new one for me…maybe I’ll have to go to drivin’ a company rig, a day player gig, for someone and hope to God nothing happens to her while I’m on the road, if anyone’s hiring that is…meanwhile the wolves are already at the door….and they’re hungry…….

…..what the hell man…..

     I know I’m not alone in this, lots of folks around the country are in the same boat, some even worse off, some better, but many, worse. I’m not going to now, and will never ever give up hope, even still, I’m trying always to do the right thing…We’re going to get through this, if no other way than God’s grace and mercy…no matter how desperate things may seem Please remember truckstars  there will be a “tomorrow” and win or lose we’ll all get there together….a “bad’ day in America is STILL better than a good day anywhere else!……

     Stay tuned truckstars, as the battle rages on and the saga continues……..I’ll find somethin’, hopefully soon….

“Keep your chin up kid, it’s only rain”…..

     Don’t forget we have legislative issues we need to let our Rep’s and Senators know how we feel about…like HR-6630…

(One thing we don’t need right now is cheaper labor being allowed to grab what freight there is for tax paying American drivers!)

www.house.gov - to find your representative enter your zip code

www.senate.gov – (scroll to your home state)

You know what to do……

     And if you’re wonderin’ where all the “important to truckers legislation” is “at” just check with Dan Little from the OOU…

www.owneroperatorsunited.org  and www.oouinc.ning.com (the forum site)….I’m tellin’ ya, this guy’s the real deal!…

…..or keep it right here, and, at Truckstar Radio…driver driven talk radio…no b.s….

U.S. manufacturing is at a 60 year low(great…), the lowest since 1949, and ocean going freight is at a 30 year low, the rail industry…..forget the rail industry….fuel’s cheap but work is so slow….

The new President has his work cut out for him….yeah he does….

Don’t forget to grab the latest issue of “The Trucker” !

Cargo Security is a huge issue , it always has been but MUCH more so in the past year or two, so just use your head. Lock your truck, even at the fuel pumps and watch your back.

THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT-  Arterial plaque. What is it, where does it comes from and what do we do about it?

On any given day, how much thought do we give to what’s in the foods we eat and the liquids we drink?

Atherogenisis - the process of the artery walls being lined by depsosits, mostly cholesterol.

 What happens when we eat a diet too high in fats or other chemicals that aren’t natural? They leave residual plaque which lines the arteries and veins in our bodies, even the ones in the heart and brain. This plaque begins to close-off the artery(otherwise known as “high blood pressure”) or vein and sometimes pieces break off or clots form (because of the artery wall damage being done), and a heart attack or stroke occurs. Stroke and heart attacks are far to common in our society, which is the most educated, nutritionally, yet. Studies even indicate, that in the brain, deposits carried into sensitive brain tissue from the blood flow leave layering or sediment deposits which cuts off or chokes off oxygen from the blood eventually diminishing the activity and capacity of areas of the brain. This can be manifested, to one degree or another, as Alzheimers or Dementia( remember our Grandma June, this is what she had and died of last year).

When we eat a diet rich in “natural” nutrients we GREATLY reduce this kind of effects from food, it’s that simple truckstars…I don’t get enough exercise and I’m trying to do something about it…I eat fried chicken and pizza WAY too often and I am doing something about that too. I Do watch my butter, salad dressings and the fat content of everything I eat, all the time, the chemicals in my food too. Sometimes it isn’t possible, I know that, but let’s face it we’re talking about “damage control” here aren’t we?

     Listen to me…this is serious business we’re talking about and I want you to be as healthy as possible, and more importantly, disease free, but you have to do what you can! You control what goes into your body - don’t you? Start out with a basic look at what you normally eat and work it out from there, Okay?

Get a bottle of good “whole food organic” vitamins….

More on this next week, and also, what and how to buy at the grocery store, and, the “truth” about antacids….

 Stay tuned truckstars…..

TRUCKSTAR TECH-  I keep see-sawing over these netbooks, otherwise known as “mini-notebooks”. On the one hand they’re cheap, really cheap, and do a lot of stuff for the money, but on the other their limitations keep me from getting one. Basic functions like web searches and e-mail, or keeping a journal, okay fine, but when it comes to good graphics for some sites and movie watching, full screen with good resolution or heavy data functions, NOT okay fine. Yes, they come 3G capable which is good, but picture sizing and other issues, bad. Don’t, like me at first, try to compare them to a full size, full featured laptop notebook because you can’t, but, you can ask yourself what you need it to do as a tool, a media access, and a communication device…they’re affordable and they go high speed….cool…..

Me? I’ll probably end up with a business class Sony FW(with Blue-Ray), one of the new high performance multi media Samsung’s or one of the great new Gobi, 24 hour battery HP’s - biz class…..

The techies say the Acer Aspire 1 is the cool mini….

Digital cameras and web cams are coming out now with memory built in, no more sd cards or mini dvd’s! I like the new Samsung SC-MX20, in red.

“Smart-phone” winner? The new Sprint Instinct with the 99$ all in one plan which includes Sprint TV……   

 You can also get 8G flash memory SD cards for your “smartphone” from a co. called - www.kingston.com/flash

     The geniuses at MIT are trying to come up with new technologies so we can do away with the mouse and keyboard!

     Try www.fixya.com for device problems…and solutions.  

* My favorite mag - www.laptopmag.com for buying guides and product info !

NEXT WEEK -

Smartphone match-up - and - APU’s - I’m puttin together a full report on the growing nationwide ban on idling and the different APU’s available, costs, pros and cons of the different models and makers.

TRUCKSTAR RADIO -  here’s the banner links for the players so you can tune into the show and not leave this great site! :

        Windows Media Player:

      
Real Audio(RealPlayer):

I Tunes & Winamp( for Mac users): 

        (Also, don’t forget! If you have www.Skype.com search “the truckstar live”, add us as a contact and “Skype-in” whenever you want!)

I’m usually “on-the-air” nightly from 8:00pm to 11:00pm, sometimes later! Tune in and call-in!

954-603-7561

954-376-8452

 New shows coming soon with some of our favorite top trucking sites, like Truck.net, our favorite know-it-all and “seer of all things”, (okay well, most things)The Trucking Guru, interviews with cool and interesting people, a little music sometimes and whatever else we can think of!    And…of course - YOU!

 Don’t forget about abused kids…..they really need heroes….YOU?                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
PLEASE! Say a prayer for SOMEBODY today!

Pray for our nation, the world and the “lost”….                                                                      

    I was once lost but now am found because someone prayed for me…….

REMEMBER – No load and NO paycheck is worth dyin’ for…..                                          

   Don’t ever forget – I love ya…and I’m prayin’ for ya !

    Play nice, drive safe and pull it on home………

  Saddle up truckstars…..let’s ride……

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

All KLLM employees are given the opportunity to select a child from Stewpot for whom they may purchase gifts or donate money to the KLLM Benevolence Action team who will then purchase the needed gifts.

This year's KLLM Stewpot Team is led by:

-Santa: Redwood Franklin
-Rudolph: Willie Taylor
-Benevolence Action Team:
  Jackie Cooper
  Barbara Lambert
  Tammie McCue
  Kathy Stacy
  Steve Szabo

Headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, KLLM Transport Services, is one of the largest temperature controlled carriers in the United States with over 1600 employees.

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 Alexandria, Va. - December 3, 2008 - Safety, infrastructure, and the environment were three of the topics that Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) representatives discussed last week with President-elect Barack Obama's Transportation Transition Team and current Department of Transportation (DOT) employees.

The purpose of the Nov. 24, 2008, meeting was to highlight issues confronting the trucking industry and to garner TCA's insights into the challenges facing DOT. Three TCA representatives participated: Chris Burruss, President; MacKinnon Transport Executive Director Ray Haight, chairman; and Jet Express President Kevin Burch, first vice chairman.

"We are proud that the Obama transition team invited us to the table as one of the industry's primary stakeholder associations. We had the opportunity to present our views on the vital issues of the day as well as the future," said Ray Haight.

He continued: "Although we were in harmony with the vast majority of the other industry groups at the table, we also articulated some of our concerns about the industry's current direction on productivity gains and the recent release of the hours-of-service (HOS) ruling."

Burch said he pressed the issue of safety during the meeting, as well as emphasized the importance of rebuilding bridges and highways. He told the Dayton Daily News that an Obama plan to spur new jobs by rebuilding crumbling infrastructure is considered a "win-win" for the trucking industry, and would help trucking businesses during tough economic times. "We are the rolling inventory, if you will," he told the Dayton Daily News. "No one has the extra capacity to just have goods sit."

Haight, Burch and Burruss believe that the topics they highlighted, both verbally and as one-page whitepapers prepared for the transition team's future reference, should be factored into the recommendations that will be made to the incoming Administration.

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SMRYNA, Ga., December 1, 2008 – When Pulseworks looked for a tour truck to carry the fight against atherosclerosis and heart disease across the country, the Kenworth T660 was its truck of choice.
 
Pulseworks, a 10-year company based in Smyrna, Ga., is a leader in mobile motion simulators, motion simulation technology and interactive, immersive educational entertainment. The company used its new Kenworth T660 to transport the tour’s Artery Explorer Morphis(TM) mobile motion simulator, which held up to 20 people at a time to experience the educational, 4-minute “Artery Explorer: The Movie.”
 
While watching the animated film inside the motion simulator, participants experienced a twisting, up and down motion, realistically simulating travel through arteries blocked and narrowed by atherosclerosis. Each year, atherosclerosis is linked to nearly 1 in 4 deaths in the United States alone, and yet most people may not know if they are at risk.
 
Raj Deshpande, Pulseworks CEO, said his company chose the Kenworth T660 for its image and sleek aerodynamics lines. “The Kenworth T660 is a great, attention-getting truck which has successfully enhanced the billboard value of Pulseworks’ simulator technology as the tour traveled throughout the United States,” said Deshpande.  During visits to more than 30 cities, nearly 20,000 people experienced the Artery Explorer as part of the US AGAINST ATHERO(TM) national tour sponsored by AstraZeneca, a major pharmaceutical company, to spread awareness about atherosclerosis.
 
Tour driver Scott Sargent of Williamston, S.C., has the choice assignment of piloting the light blue Kenworth T660 equipped with a 72-inch AeroCab(R) sleeper and Kenworth GPS Navigation System.  “The Kenworth T660 is a great truck to drive and it has received a lot of positive comments from the public,” said Sargent, who has driven the T660 more than 40,000 miles around the United States during his one year at the helm. “The T660 has a comfortable and smooth ride, and plenty of room in the cab and sleeper. I used the Kenworth GPS Navigation System extensively and it worked very well, and our fuel economy has been very good.”
 
Recent tour stops included Houston, Austin and Philadelphia. For more information about atherosclerosis, visit www.athero.com.
 
Pulseworks, LLC, operates attractions at such destinations as the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, Space Center Houston, California Science Center, Pacific Science Center, and the Audubon Zoo. More information on Pulseworks is available at www.pulseworks.com.
 
Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World’s Best(R) heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth is an industry leader in providing fuel-saving technology solutions that help increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. The company’s dedication to the green fleet includes aerodynamic trucks, medium duty diesel-electric hybrids, liquefied natural gas trucks, and the Kenworth Clean Power no-idle system. In addition, Kenworth is the recipient of the 2008 J.D. Power and Associates awards for Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Over the Road and Vocational Segment Class 8 trucks. Kenworth’s Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth.  A PACCAR Company.                

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The author, who has spent a quarter of a century photographing and writing about semi trucks, takes readers behind the scenes in a semi customizing shop. There she surveys eye-popping examples of themes for custom construction and gives readers a rare close-up look at how the custom semi goes from inspiration to road-ready masterpiece. As interesting for its technical insights as it is for its fantastic photographs, her book is a fitting tribute to this pinnacle of automotive art.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bette S. Garber has been writing about and photographing semi trucks for over 25 years. She lived in Thorndale, Pennsylvania.

ABOUT MOTORBOOKS AND QUAYSIDE PUBLISHING GROUP

Motorbooks, an imprint of Quayside Publishing Group, is the world's leading publisher of automotive, motorcycle and motorsport books for enthusiasts. For over 40 years, Motorbooks has published award-winning books by the world's most talented authors and photographers in the subject category.
 
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - November 26, 2008 - By partnering with a dozen champion athletes each year for its unique charity drive, Luczo Dragon Racing, an IndyCar Series race team, has established a sustainable engine of impact that delivers much needed resources and awareness to charitable organizations Worldwide. The team generated more than $500,000 in support during the 2008 season and has now delivered more than $1 million to the athlete charities in two years, it was announced today.

Each year, Luczo Dragon Racing joins forces with 12 iconic athletes to match their #12 Symantec car, and donates money raised during the racing season to the charities supported by the athletes. This year's team of champions were boxer Laila Ali (Women's Sports Foundation), swimmer Natalie Coughlin (Sports4Kids), Hall of Fame boxer Sugar Ray Leonard (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), five-time Pro Bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb (Donovan McNabb Foundation), four-time Indy 500 winner Rick Mears (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Indiana Chapter), World Champion skier Bode Miller (Turtle Ridge Foundation), four-time Super Bowl winner Joe Montana (Four Rings Montana Family Foundation), two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash (Steve Nash Foundation), NHL star Joe Thornton (The B'Leaf Team ALS Patient Care), four-time World Series champion Joe Torre (Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation) and tennis greats Serena Williams (Serena Williams Foundation) and Venus Williams (UNESCO).

The LDR community development program was designed by team co-owners Steve Luczo and Jay Penske to raise money, increase exposure to the sport of auto racing and encourage a philanthropic spirit that inspires others to make an impact in their communities.

"It is getting more and more difficult to have individuals write checks large enough to effectively impact the problems we are facing with respect to global hunger, at risk children and negative impacts on our environment," Luczo Dragon Racing co-owner Steve Luczo said. "We wanted to build an economic engine in sports that is sustainable, gets more people involved and can make a significant impact on our communities."

LDR formed its first team of champions for the 2007 Indianapolis 500, its only race of the year. The team included Marcus Allen, Jackson Browne, Brandi Chastain, Baron Davis, Tony Dungy, John Elway, Wayne Gretzky, Ronnie Lott, Jonny Moseley, Chris Mullin, Kerri Walsh and Kristi Yamaguchi.

"Steve and Jay have put together a great program that supports so many important causes," McNabb said. "Not only have they allowed me to join an amazing team of athletes doing phenomenal things on and off the field, but they have provided resources to my foundation to help our fight against diabetes, something I'm very passionate about. Luczo Dragon's support will go a long way in providing for kids and families battling the disease."

Combined, the 2007 and 2008 Luczo Dragon Racing team of champions have won 13 Super Bowls, 15 Olympic Gold Medals, 28 Grand Slam victories, 23 World Championships, 10 Wimbledon titles, five World Series titles, four Stanley Cups, four Indy 500 championships, six US Open crowns, 17 League MVPs, five Super Bowl MVPs, one Heisman Trophy, 12 Hall of Fame inductions and more than 100 All-Star team selections.

Contact:
Kirk Reynolds
kreynolds@sc-consult.net
408-592-4955

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            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.                                                                                     

          The other day Barbie brought home this little bag from the animal hospital she works at over in the next town, so I asked her what was in the bag and she says “Never mind, just grab a chair out on the porch and sit down”…so I did, and here she comes walkin’ out with this giant electric dog hair clipper in her hand, has it already plugged in, says she’s cuttin’ my hair, ( I’m thinkin’ “Okay save the twenty bucks…right?….the ol’ mop was getting’ a little bushy anyway…so..) ) then she wraps a big towel around my shoulders, barber style, and proceeds to givin’ me a haircut….uhh…what ? wait a minute… dog clippers ?……I’ve never had a “home” haircut before…didn’t know my darling wife of several decades had such a skill either(turns out she didn’t…so…at this point truckstars I need to be careful what I say because I know she’ll end up readin’ this….get me?), so there I am sittin’ in this chair , kinda cold out too, Barbie’s choppin’…I mean…cuttin’ away on me…the hair starts flyin’…keep in mind it was just her and I home at the time(I had no back-up and Grandma and Pup are almost always on her side anyway…so..). Truckstars, sadly, but honestly, I can’t remember the last time, years maybe, we had so much fun together…laughin’(and I’m still not sure what about…)and just plain havin’ fun(she even sat on my lap and kissed me…wohoo!)…. but both of us realized, without sayin’ anything, that we really needed that…her and I…and that we both still truly love each other….just for a few moments it seemed like God turned the clock back thirty years and there was this bitty little woman who loved me so much it scared me, standin’ here in front of me…still…tellin’ me not to move…..fussin’ over me with such a “one of a kind” love in her eyes…just for a little while the world and all it’s problems were gone….I’ll take a couple of shaved bald spots for an afternoon like that anytime….                                                           

           Truckstars, I know times are hard for a lot of us, but the other day taught me somethin’ about what really matters in this life we live, and however tough it gets, the things in this world that really matter - will still matter - and will always matter more than any trial or trouble we might be going through…I only hope I never forget that again…the things that are right  in this life mean so much more than the things that are wrong…..and, what you’re made of, today, is who you’re going to wake up being tomorrow. 

        Yeah, unless a bag of money falls out of the sky, I’m losin’ one of my trucks this week, I’ve got thousands of dollars worth of bills on my desk I can’t pay…don’t know when I’ll work again, Barbie’s health is takin’ a little turn for the worse, I think we have termites in the roof….the economy seems more like the “great depression” every day….These things too, shall pass….but..God’s grace and the look in my wife’s eyes…never will…and I count on them both….         (and Please - don’t anyone think I’m sittin’ here thinkin’ I’ve just passed on this great and profound piece of wisdom, the fact of the matter is that I’m really not the sharpest knife in the drawer but I am a lucky son of a bitch and sometimes I even get to realize that…)

        Oh right…the hair…Grandma says “It’ll grow back”….Tommy and JT just point…and laugh. I think I even heard Pup snickerin’ behind the couch…….damn dog….

       TRUCKSTAR RADIO: I’m tryin’ to ramp up my broadcast hours to 24/7 so I’m still lookin’ for mobile internet active drivers who have a laptop, headset and www.skype.com installed(it’s free) or a cell phone or landline they can call into the station on to host their own show!(I also recommend for you mobile cell phone users to get a “hands free blue tooth, or a regular corded headset) Truckstar O/Owners of some of our favorite trucking sites are on board but we need everyday men and women drivers too….I’m usually on the air from 8:00 – 11:00pm most nights.   

       If you’re interested here’s the call-in numbers and the player links to Truckstar Radio:

          954-603-7561 - or – 954-376-8452( cell or landline phone)

       Just click on the player, below, that you use in your computer to play music and Truckstar Radio will start playing, “click” us into your playlist, reduce the screen and you can stay on this great site while you’re listening in the background to “The Truckstar Live”

        Windows Media Player:

      
Real Audio(RealPlayer):

        I Tunes & Winamp( for Mac users): 

        (Also, don’t forget! If you have www.Skype.com search “the truckstar live”, add us as a contact and “Skype-in” whenever you want!)

      TRUCKSTAR TECH- My dream laptop? The new Sony VAIO Z Series Ultra-portable, or if I’m really in fantasyland the “AREA 51” by Alienware…Okay now with this class of laptop we’re talking serious money the Sony being way cheaper of the two….(shhh…don’t wake me I’m dreaming….) Most of us will end up with one of the mid-range models, maybe even a “mini”..I really do like the new VAIO Z Series(#1 on my wish list…hint hint…), but I’ll take an HP Business Class anytime too…or the “mini” MSI Wind NB. For us “sound junkies” the new ACER Aspire 8920G is “the beast”(6-speakers a subwoofer and Blue-Ray baby, Blue Ray…) and so is the VAIO FW Series(both are “big screen laptops). DO NOT forget to ask about service, parts/labor warranties!                                                                              

The Big 4 – AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile - all have high speed for both mobile internet “smart phones” and mobile broadband laptops, it’s just a matter of what you need and want to do with the mobile technology. I may end up with just a mini-laptop but it’ll be 3G speed and as high def. as I can get it. Blue Ray, hopefully….                                         

     Smart phones definitely “rock” but they’re not nearly as versatile as a laptop, even a “mini” and the monthly is more expensive when you’re talking about “unlimited” web use per month and using different applications available for each model and carrier. Keep in mind if you want to stream MP3 music, watch video or films over the web,(and most of the cool new applications can do it) you need the 3G speeds. Also a little tip - if you’re a GPS person, look for a notebook with GPS “built-in” then all you need is a software program like Garmin MobilePC, one of the highest rated, is only $59.99 ! Think power adapters too! You’ll need one so you can charge your battery. Don’t forget to ask or check to see if the laptop you want comes with one. I highly recommend making a list of features you need, and want, in a laptop and use it when you shop!                                                                

Shop both online and walking into an AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint or Verizon store to ask about prices and service, then compare, remember to ask about rebates and discounts for different computer models BEFORE you buy! Air card models work great and so do the new Gobi(built in modem) models. Need help? Contact me through this website or call into Truckstar Radio and I’ll be happy to talk it over with you! I’ll be doing a weekly “Truckstar Tech” show “on the air”, but I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have, anytime. Okay?

      THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT-  Winter time is also “germ” time….I always bring a container of “dis-infectant” wipes and a container of “moisturizing” wipes with me, I even use them here in my office to wipe down my keyboard every night when I shut er’ down, the dis-infectant ones that is, but particularly, when on the road I wipe down my door handles, shifter, steering wheel, toilet seats, pay phones, and lastly – my hands - before I touch my food or anything else, (like my phone), because winter time is also “cold and flu” season and it’s all the more important to do a little germ control. People who have colds and other issues are always touching themselves and then touching everything else in public places and some don’t wash their hands after using the restroom either….just keep that in mind this winter….and spring and summer and next fall too!                                                                            

Now let’s talk vitamins!…Most of us have a “health food” store near where we live or somewhere out on the road we see them occasionally, and next chance you get, if you haven’t already, stick your head in the door and ask about “whole food organic” vitamins, if they have em’, grab a bottle, but check the dosage per day and get the ones that say “1 tablet per day”, some of the brands have you taking 3 or more tablets, or capsules, per day, that’s too much for most of us to screw with, but, they’re also a good way, the best way, to keep the mental and physical “burn” going stronger, longer! THINK protein shakes and bars too!  So - it’s your call truckstar! You can also go online and order them, I do…try www.luckyvitamin.com  and www.bodybuilding.com (protein shakes and bars, these guys rock!) Keep your body’s immunities up with a good diet and “whole food organic” vitamins!                                                                

*Next week we’ll talk about the cardio-vascular system in the body, and the subject of arterial and vascular plaque! Problems.Causes and Cures.                                                           

Did you know that arterial plaque in the brain has been directly linked to stroke and Alzheimers?   

NOW would be a good time to get acquainted with your elected and newly elected officials (like em’ or not)Washington goes back to work in early January!                                                                                 

HR6630 – (this is the Mexican trucking pilot program bill) It looks like we’re in for a fight over this thing, (since the President in his infinite wisdom for some reason vetoed it) but the congress(and everyone else)is on our side, this is do-able, and every voice counts! It’s in committee right now getting ready to be voted on by the Senate! Get involved!

           www.house.gov – (to find your representative enter your zip code)

           www.senate.gov – (scroll to your home state)

       Don’t forget about abused kids…..they really need heroes….YOU?                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
PLEASE! Say a prayer for SOMEBODY today, pray for our nation, the world and the “lost”….                                                            

I was once lost but now am found because someone prayed for me…….

       REMEMBER – No load and NO paycheck is worth dyin’ for…..                    

Don’t ever forget – I love ya…and I’m prayin’ for ya !

            Play nice, drive safe and pull it on home………

           Saddle up truckstars…..let’s ride……

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

Alexandria, Va. - November 21, 2008 - David Heller, director of safety and policy for the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), has been named to the board of the NATSO Foundation.

The NATSO Foundation is the non-profit subsidiary of NATSO, Inc., representing America's truck stop and travel plaza industry. The foundation's mission is to benefit communities and promote the significance of the travel plaza industry. It administers a scholarship program, various community outreach efforts and produces research for the industry.

The NATSO Foundation board of directors is governed by 17 directors organized into various subcommittees. Heller was selected by the NATSO Foundation's nominating committee and voted by unanimous approval onto the board by NATSO Foundation directors this fall.

"The NATSO Foundation is grateful for the willingness of this hardworking individual to devote his time and resources in the interest of the NATSO Foundation. I welcome David to the board and look forward to working with him to further our important mission," said NATSO Foundation Executive Director, Sharon Corigliano.

Heller's trucking industry background includes responsibility for communicating and interpreting all industry related regulations (safety, legislative, etc.) for the Truckload Carriers Association. Previously, he spent six years in the trucking safety arena with the American Trucking Associations (ATA), focusing on programs such as the National Truck Driving Championships and the establishment of safe driving programs for motor carrier members.

While employed with ATA, Heller earned his certification from the North American Transportation Management Institute (NATMI) as a Director of Safety (CDS) and recently had his certification renewed for his continuous involvement in transportation safety related matters. He is an active member of the ATA Safety and Loss Prevention Management Council and is involved in several committees and working groups within the Council.

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Minneapolis, MN - November 19, 2008 - Frustrated with the pace of getting logs to mills by river, steam tractor, or even horse team, lumber baron T. A. Peterman experimented with adapting early automobile technology. In 1939, the remarkable logging trucks he'd refashioned out of surplus army trucks finally went on sale to the public and Peterbilt was launched. 

This illustrated history follows Peterbilt from its beginnings to its emergence as one of the worlds most successful semi truck manufacturers. Veteran trucking author James Beach highlights the models that have made Peterbilt such an outsize presence in the trucking industry, as well as those trucks that figure prominently in the Peterbilt story. From the classic "iron nose" and "narrow-nose" butterfly hood, to the tilt-cab cab-over-engine model; from the high cab model and first tilt hood to fiberglass and flat "pit style" fenders; from the rarest Peterbilt ever manufactured (a mere 10 of the 346) to the company's flagship truck (the 379, built from 1987 through 2007), these are the trucks and features, the innovations and marvels of engineering, detailed and richly illustrated in this book, that have made Peterbilt a name to be reckoned with in trucking worldwide.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James Beach has more than 20 years experience editing and reporting for newspapers and magazines. Since 1988, Beach has focused on the trucking industry, serving as editor for GO-West, P&D, Truckers News, and Truckstop Travel Plaza magazines. He has contributed articles to Heavy Duty Trucking, RoadStar, Transport Topics, Fleet Owner, Fleet Maintenance and other magazines serving the trucking industry.


ABOUT MOTORBOOKS AND QUAYSIDE PUBLISHING GROUP

Motorbooks, an imprint of Quayside Publishing Group, is the world's leading publisher of automotive, motorcycle and motorsport books for enthusiasts. For over 40 years, Motorbooks has published award-winning books by the world's most talented authors and photographers in the subject category.

                                             
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MORE INFORMATION

Peterbilt
Long-Haul Legend
By James Beach 

Title:    Peterbilt: Long-Haul Legend
Author:   James Beach
ISBN-13:   978-0-7603-3269-6
Retail:    $30.00 US
Binding:   Hardcover
Dimensions:   9.25 x 10.875
Page count:   176
Illustrations:   150 Color Photos, 50 b/w Photos
Publication Date:  December 10, 2008
Imprint:   Motorbooks

OOIDA tells Washington to take action now 

GRAIN VALLEY, Mo., Nov. 19, 2008 – The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is asking U.S. policymakers to take action in response to new research predicting a dramatic drop in new truck and engine purchases which will ultimately lead to a break down in the trucking industry.

NERA Economic Consulting released a study detailing implications for the 2010 emission requirements for diesel engines indicating truckers and fleet managers will ultimately decide to not buy new engines and trucks because of financial reasons and user uncertainties. This will eventually mean huge job losses and a lack of choices for trucking equipment consumers of all sizes.

“With record-high diesel fuel prices earlier this year, trucking companies have already faced nearly insurmountable challenges trying to stay in business,” said Todd Spencer, Executive Vice President of OOIDA.  “It’s the worst possible time for the trucking industry to take on a high stakes gamble with no known level of reliability of the technologies or return on investment.”

The Association would like the Administration and Congress to push for a restructured timeline, phasing in the new emission standards to allow ample breathing room and build confidence within the trucking industry. This would provide time to prove the worthiness of new engines, give the economy an opportunity to recover and explore new fuel alternatives.

“With more time, the solutions will become much clearer and environmentally much cleaner,” added Spencer. “Otherwise, there will be a delay in the intended environmental benefit because there is a disincentive to purchasing the new technology.  Truckers and fleets are simply going to hold onto their equipment for a longer period of time, if they are able to hold onto it at all,” Spencer concluded.

The Association has been dedicated to a cleaner environment and is an affiliate in the SmartWay Transport Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency.

However, the Association has reviewed recent news reports showing that sales and production of diesel engines and trucks have begun to slow dramatically.  Manufacturers are laying off workers and closing production lines in anticipation of lower sales.  Fleets, both small and large, are signaling that they will hold on to existing, older equipment, instead of making purchases of newer technology.

“While Congress and the Administration continue to address our economic crisis by focusing their attention on the Big 3 automakers after bailing out Wall Street ventures gone bad, the engine that drives the trucking industry is headed for a cliff looming just ahead,” added Spencer.

The NERA report is an update to a previous study done in January of 2005 in anticipation of a similar emission requirement in 2007.  In 2010, truck engines will be required to comply with more stringent emission standards for nitrogen oxide (NOx).  Various technologies are being developed and tested by engine and truck manufacturers to meet these standards.

This is a link to the full report or a summary of the report.

Among other things, the study concluded:

1.)    Trucks that meet the new standard will have substantially higher purchase prices.

2.)    Trucks that meet the standard will entail technological uncertainties from the perspective of the customer, including uncertain increases in operating and maintenance costs.

3.)    The net result of these customer reactions (pre-buy and low-buy) to the 2010 standards would be reduced environmental benefits and less cost-effective standards.

Maintenance and operational costs will be substantially higher than current model engines.  According to the NERA report, costs of trucks coming off the assembly line, in complying with 2010 emission standards, will run between $7,000 and $10,000 more per vehicle.  This is nearly $21,000 more per truck higher than in 2004.  Furthermore, there will be an additional weight of between 300 and 500 lbs. for some models utilizing new technology.

An analysis of the trucking industry released by Avondale Partners recently revealed a grim picture supporting the Association’s concerns.

The report, “Trucking: Still Driving Into the Ditch – Record Number of Trucks Exit Highways in 2008,”  estimated that more than 39,000 trucks, making up 2.0 percent of the nation’s over the road heavy duty truck capacity, was idled during the third quarter of 2008.  The total number of failures for 2008 is more than 127,000 trucks or 6.5 percent of the nation’s capacity.  In terms of trucking company failures, during the third quarter of the year, 785 trucking companies closed shop.  This is in addition to the 935 failures in the first quarter, followed by 970 failures in the second quarter, for a total of more than 2,690 trucking company failures so far in 2008.

This data only accounts for trucking companies with fleets of five or more trucks.  Thousands of owner-operators and smaller fleet carriers who also failed in that same time period are not directly tracked by government or private sector analysts. The report concluded, “Never have more trucks been pulled off the road in a shorter period of time than in the first three quarters of this year.”

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is the national trade association representing the interests of small-business trucking professionals and professional truck drivers. OOIDA was established in 1973 and is headquartered in the greater Kansas City, Mo. area. The Association currently has more than 160,000 members from all 50 states and Canada.

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As we strive to improve the show each and every year, we develop new ways to promote our event and to assist our Exhibitors in doing the same. Here are a few methods that we have developed for 2009:
 
New Product Showcase: On-line Edition

In order to give Attendees pre-show access to many of the new and exciting products and services that will be showcased at MATS, we have developed an on-line component of the New Product Showcase. Your entry in the New Product Showcase will place your promotion in front of more than 60,000 on-line visitors each month and more than 75,000 show attendees. We allow up to 1,000 characters, 2 product images, and your logo. All this for just $300 (or free with the purchase of a half page ad or larger). Click here for more information.
VIP Invitation

To facilitate VIP registration and to make this process a bit less cumbersome, we now offer the ability to invite VIPs via email and to have them register themselves on behalf of the Exhibitor. Essentially all an Exhibitor has to do is upload our template with the first names and email addresses of those individuals that you would like to give VIP credentials. The individuals are then sent an email inviting them to register as a VIP. Once the individuals complete the registration process, they have established their VIP credentials. Their badges will then be sent directly to the Exhibitor for subsequent mailing.
Exhibitor Service Kit: On-Line Only

In an effort to reduce waste and do our part to help the environment, we will be moving towards on-line Exhibitor Service Kits ONLY. We have calculated that every 40 Exhibitor Service Kits that we do not produce will save an entire tree. This change will also help the environment by reducing the consumption of ink/toner, plastic, and steel as all of these materials are used to produce the kits. We hope you will join us as we strive to reduce our environmental impact by adopting environmentally preferable practices. A CD version of the Exhibitor Service Kit will be made available as necessary.

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Huntington Beach, California - November 19, 2008 - Freightgate today announced that Tariff-Trek!, its contract rate and tariff management system, now supports multi-level surcharge structures that are emerging in the Steamship industry.  Most notable is Maersk's October announcement of a newly calculated CAF (currency adjustment factor) that will apply not only to the ocean freight, but to other transportation related surcharges as well.

According to Maersk's published information, the new CAF will apply to any and all of the following that may be part of an ocean move:
 > Basic Ocean Freight
 > Transport (or feeder) Additional
 > Congestion
 > War Risk
 > Dangerous Cargo
 > Special Equipment
 > Peak Season Charge
 > Winter Surcharge

In order to keep pace on behalf of its customers, Freightgate has built into Tariff-Trek! the flexibility to designate to which surcharges adjustment factors such as CAF should apply.  This is important because it will affect everything from rating and routing decisions the ability to properly audit incoming freight bills.

Martin Hubert, President and CEO of Freightgate, points to this quick response to a fundamental market shift as further evidence of Freightgate's customer commitment.  "With Maersk's position as a Steamship market leader, we feel it is only a matter of time before other lines follow suit with their own versions of multi-level surcharges.  We want our customers to be fully prepared when that happens," said Hubert.

For more specifics on the Maersk CAF formula and how it will be applied: http://www.maerskline.com/globalfile/?path=/pdf/our_services/CAF_presentation

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Alexandria, Va. - November 19, 2008 - In a notice published in today's Federal Register, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is retaining the 11-hour daily drive limit and 34-hour restart provisions of its Dec. 17, 2007, interim final rule (IFR) on hours of service (HOS) as its final rule. 

Effective Jan. 19, 2009, this HOS final rule will maintain the status quo, allowing drivers to drive for 11 hours within a 14-hour time frame and restart their weekly accumulations of hours after spending at least 34 consecutive hours off-duty.  This HOS final rule reflects the same regulations put forward in both the December 2007 IFR and the 2005 HOS final rule; there are no changes to the HOS regulations currently in place.

This final rule is the result of a July 2007 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit that vacated the 11-hour daily drive limit and the 34-hour restart provisions of the 2005 HOS final rule.  These provisions were vacated on largely administrative grounds, which FMCSA believes it has remedied through the publication and subsequent comment period of the December IFR.

The final rule is available at http://www.federalregister.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2008-27437_PI.pdf. For additional information, contact TCA at (703) 838-1950.

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 TCA is the only national trade association whose collective sole focus is the truckload segment of the motor carrier industry.  The association represents dry van, refrigerated, flatbed, and intermodal container carriers operating in the 48 contiguous states, as well as in Alaska, Mexico, and Canada. Representing operators of more than 200,000 trucks, which collectively produce annual revenue of more than $20 billion, TCA is an organization tailored to specific truckload carrier needs.