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I remember the chat, CaptainCarl, and it was nice to meet you, as it was so many others. Readers of my blog know I have spent a fair amount of time in the last several months studying and practicing trading. Open Forum readers will notice that I have not mentioned my trading activities here. I...

YRC Cash Down to Three Months, Analysts Say

Fast forward a few months or a year; however long you believe it will be for the recession to be over. What exactly does that mean to you as an expediter? How do you expect things to be different? What, if anything, will you do different?

I was listening to a radio program the other day where the problem of distracted drivers was being discussed. Some callers claimed, as many people do, that they are perfectly capable of driving and talking on the cell phone at the same time with no risk to safety. They fiercely defended their...

"According to an analysis by Virginia Tech's Transportation Institute, texting truckers are 23 times as likely as their non-texting counterparts to be involved in a crash or a near miss." Full story

We have courts to examine all the evidence and properly and fairly hear from all sides. It is the man's absolute right to contest a traffic ticket and it is not our place to conclude ahead of time whether or not he has committed a chargable offense. I once served as the forman of a jury that...

If you do that, it would be a courtesy to all participants to have pre-announced and scheduled breaks between the hours. Maybe 10 minutes at 1:50-2:00 and 2:50-3:00 for example. That gives people a chance to use the rest room and exit gracefully if they wish. I also suggest that if you are...

I recently attended a one-day class sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists in which these issues were discussed. I learned that it does not matter if your words are packaged as a rumor or opinion. If a statement is untrue and defamatory to a business or person's reputation, you...

We thought about it when we designed a sleeper with ARI and then realized that we don't spend much time standing up in the cab. With 132" of sleeper behind us, if there is standing to do, we can do it there. We are shorter and thinner than many drivers. We have to duck a little to enter or exit...

I agree with Linda. This was an awesome Expo. It was also my second Expo. Having attended one before, I knew how to prepare and use my time for the next. I think that made a difference in how the Expo experience seemed from one year to the next. Both were pretty much the same. What was different...

Rumor has it that many companies may be a victim or becoming a victim of financial hardships. Such rumors are worthless. It is a disservice to readers and unwise to say such things unless you have factual information to back it up and that you can publicly share.

Not to pick on AA or any other sleeper manufacturer, but to highlight the point about comparing warranties BEFORE you pick a manufacturer to build your sleeper, warranty duration is part of the picture. Also consider exactly what the warranty covers. Are you covered for leaks? Are you covered...

It just occured to me that "change it at any time" may mean only that we can call in and get a new computer-generated password at any time. Wouldn't that be wonderful? Instead of having a password we can remember, we now get to write down something like "sZmOL5Ya" and look it up every time we...

The instructions posted on the Extranet say we can change our password any time after we first obtain and log in with the computer-generated password. I obtained and used the computer-generated password as instructed (one of the most user unfriendly passwords I have ever seen), and am now...

Another thing to consider is the financial stability of the sleeper manufacturer in question. I know ARI to be financially sound by virtue of the parent company that owns it. Deep pockets there. Do not assume a sleeper manufacturer is financially sound simply because it has a name and has...

If you are in the market for a new sleeper, be sure to check the written warranties offered by the various manufacturers. I believe you will find that ARI has one of the strongest, if not the strongest, warranties in the business. Also take time to tour the various manufacturers. Most are...

We chose to not install automatic tire chains on our truck simply because the need is rare. In six years of driving straight trucks nationwide and year-'round, we have never had to chain up. I know there are a number of expediters out there that swear by them but I simply cannot justify the...

I'm glad you asked about Optima batteries. Diane and I recently purchased four of the yellow top batteries for our truck and I have been meaning to sing their praises. The immediate difference showed up with the generator. The battery power was enough to keep the generator from running when it...

Like many others, I read stories like this and form opinions about the economy and the conditions that affect expediters. When doing so, I find it best to monitor my own wishful thinking and to keep my desire to be right in check. Both can get in the way of clear thinking. They can be kept in...

Thinking about this a little more, there is a danger in pushing the forum member thing too far. We want all attendees to feel welcome. We want to honor equally all reasons for attending the show. Making too big of a deal of the forum member thing runs the risk of making non-forum members feel...