Dreamer, the explanation that we are moving on has been posted since I stopped blogging there. And yes, Notanewbie, it costs money to keep that web site live.
I am taking the site down partly to save money but mostly because Diane and I are moving into a retail business in which well over 1,000 people and after that over 2,000 people of all persuasions will be our customers. The site contains several years of blogging in which I freely and frequently expressed my personal opinions. That's fine when you are a trucker and your dispatchers are in trucking too. It's not fine when people might take it upon themselves to learn more about their gym owners and I said something years ago that might offend them six months from now.
For example, I once posted a long, detailed and blistering criticism of Volvo Trucks when I learned that their D-12 engine EGR valve design was flawed and would cost us a lot of money over the years as we dealt with it. It's not the kind of thing I'd like a Volvo salesperson to stumble upon if he or she is also a potential customer of our business. (The D-12 engine has since been discontinued and the design flaw has been corrected in subsequent models.)
It might not matter at all, but why take the chance? It's easier, and better, I believe, to avoid the possibility altogether by taking the site down.
I spent an hour on the phone today with someone who wanted to know about Landstar. He knew of me through my online activities. I have had many such conversations over the years and they have been enjoyable and valuable. But in our new business, I won't have that kind of time to share with drivers and driver wannabees.
Even today, months after I stopped blogging, and months after I removed the "contact us" info from the site, people are still tracking me down in search of advice. When we make our change, our customers will be the focus. Trucking will soon be behind us and our new business will be the new game. My old blog site would only be a distraction so down it will come.
So that's it. The site is coming down because it will save money, better establish us as neutral entities with prospective customers and enable me to better manage my time.
That said, I'll also say that I dearly miss blogging every day. It has been great fun to share our day-to-day experiences, surprises and adventures with whoever took an interest, and it has been heartwarming to receive their feedback. Nevertheless, new adventures lie ahead and truck blogging will not be part of them.
