Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category
An Apology
Folks…I want to apologize for the errors on this site. I am aware of them and have been for several weeks. Unfortunately I am technically incapable of correcting them, and my web designer is busy with a new and exciting business venture which is taking all of her time right now. I will resume writing [...]
In Houston tonight
I am in Houston tonight, for the third straight night. Sunday night, we got in two hours after sunset and had to wait until Monday morning to deliver our load. I picked up a load heading back near my home…supposed to leave today, but didn’t. Sooo, I got to stay two additional nights here. I [...]
On My Way to a Load
Tonight I am in Stratford, TX, en route to pick up a load in Siebert, CO. We’re going to Houston. Weather is rough to the west of us AND there is a Flash Flood Watch out. That could make life interesting tomorrow when we come back this way. There is a 50% chance of rain [...]
It Takes Money to MAKE Money In This Business!
There are those people who will tell you that the pilot car industry is an easy way to make money. Don’t believe it! Oh, there ARE people who slap on a Wal Mart winky light, handwrite a sign and duct tape it to the door, and use a $39 CB radio and POOF! they are [...]
Do You REALLY Want To Be a PILOT CAR OPERATOR?
Quite often, people considering our business post on the various groups, or call some of us, or email some of us, wanting to know about the pilot car business. Of course they have all sorts of questions: can you make money at it? How much does it cost to get into it? What do I [...]
Waiting for California State Police Escort
I’m in Gallup, NM, tonight. I figure it costs me less to stay here than to drive 400 miles home and then 700 miles to Green River, UT, for my next load. The Green River load has been sitting there for about two weeks, awaiting California permits and state police escort. I’ve been told that [...]
Paper Route Surveys Can Get You into Trouble
Today I was thinking about a colleague within the region. He called me a couple of times last week to “pick my brain” about some oversize routes through New Mexico. After the second call, I realized that this fellow was writng a paper (or “book”) survey. In my opinion, that in itself is foolish…but the [...]
Home Today
I got in late last night. Today, I worked in the yard. It seems that I am in danger of having a bumper crop of goatheads. For those of you who have never seen these weeds, they are a low leafy plant that produces a nasty sticker that is roughly triangular in shape, thus the [...]
On the Road-FINALLY (with challenges)
After waiting since Tuesday evening for our load to California to move, we finally got started this morning. But not without problems. To start off, the driver could not drop his third drive axle. The reason: a wire had corroded loose on the actuator for his air bag. After about an hour, we jury rigged [...]
Mechanical problems on a load
Today, I picked up a load out of Laredo to Illinois, courtesy of Linda Blowers with Emerald Equipment Escorts. We got on the road pretty quickly. However, about 20 miles down the line when we pulled off the road to check the load, I heard a loud rumbling in the back of the truck. I [...]