California Construction Trucking Association (CCTA)

I once read that "Nothing ever becomes real 'til it is experienced – especially by you."

The reality of the CARB Truck and Bus Rule is finally hitting home to many and I'm now witnessing anger and frustration over the regulations that I haven't seen, in all areas of the state, ever. Apparently many "deniers" are finally admitting that the CARB regulations are here to stay (assuming our lawsuits are unsuccessful). I continue to hear comments like, "I didn't want to believe it was true" and "How can they take my property?" and many other ones that I can say here.

I know the feeling folks; we have lived it for seven years now.

While many of you look forward to the end of March as the beginning of Spring, for me it is all about the excitement and anticipation that comes from this year’s release of the Healthy County Rankings.
I hope my eagerness doesn’t appear to suggest that I don’t lead a very exciting life, at this point in life I take excitement wherever I can find it, realizing I have only ten years left to live until I will not be considered a possible “premature death.”

Let me start with the positive news first, which would be our February 9, Winter Board Meeting in Ontario. It was wonderful to see our meeting room filled to capacity with so many new faces.

Perhaps the greatest thing for me was seeing the young people who are now stepping up to be the future leaders of this organization. Decision time is here for so many who are close to retirement age and many have decided they are neither willing nor financially able to purchase a newer truck or even an $18,000 DPF.
We were told by CARB that truckers would all be able to afford new trucks if we would just “raise your rates and pass the costs onto the public.”

Wow, what a brilliant concept.

I’m relieved to see February arrive. All my broken and unfulfilled personal “New Year’s Resolutions” can be safely tucked away until next year, or maybe the year after that.

The treadmill is now doing what it was originally designed for, extra closet space, the proverbial in-room hanger system. Lastly, the low-fat/non-fat foods have all expired and gone into the nearest garbage can. Ah…time to relax again!

Yes, another year is here, a time for reflection and, of course, to make resolutions that will probably never be kept.

First on my list of resolutions is to quit procrastinating and become organized!

Another election has come and gone, thankfully. If I was somewhat down after the 2010 election, it did not compare to what I am feeling lately. With the dawn of each new day I repeat to myself “Time heals all wounds” or “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Neither seems to be working for me yet, but I’m optimistic. 

Thankfully, this will be the last article I must write before the November 6 election. As I have said several times recently, never in my life have I seen the vitriol and hatred between associates, friends, political parties and even some family members that I’m witnessing daily. Win or lose, I’ll be glad it is over.

Several months ago a trucker visited the CCTA Facebook page and made the comment, "All you people do is talk about CARB and EPA." May I add he was a non-member, and yes, I agree, we have spent a lot of time and resources on this topic since it happens to be arguably the single MOST important issue our industry has ever faced. 

Each month I search for diverse subject matter other than the job killing topics to write about, but I seemingly can never come close to finding themes that even comes near to the absurdity that the eco-zealots spew out each week – they never let me down.

Leakage – Really?

For the next two months we will all be bombarded with phone calls, mail advertisements and door-to-door precinct walkers, all with one thing in mind, “vote for my candidate or my proposition.” 

Frankly, I have never seen our country so divided with the lines in the sand firmly drawn in place, Liberal vs. Conservative.  Even a political junkie such as me must sometimes try to escape this bombardment and I find my only relief coming from turning the channel from 24-hour news to a good crime documentary.  There is nothing like a murder to get your mind off current events and it is much more pleasant.

There is nothing like another birthday to give me time to pause and reflect on where I am and where I may be going. It seems like only yesterday that I was sure I would die before I could get my driver license, how innocent were those days. Now like so many baby-boomers I worry about retirement; will I have enough to live on? Will I have to move in with my children? When my mind really wanders to the negatives I picture myself in a tent on a river bank, fishing for my dinner.

It is with deep regret that I announce the death of my “Smart Phone” due to an unfortunate event involving my washing machine.

Despite my complaints, I actually learned to send a text message and access my email.  It took me two days to gather my courage to report this tragic news to my supervisor, who kindly informed me that Siri and the phone were insured. 

I will remove the phone from my bag of rice (Sprint told me sometimes this works) and proceed to the Apple Store for a replacement.  Strangely, I miss the convenience of a phone that I originally despised. 

First, I would like to apologize to any of you who may have left a phone message to me which was not returned.  As I wrote several months ago, management felt it was time for me to upgrade my old phone, I believe something was mentioned about me becoming “more efficient” with access to emails at all times.  Wanting to appear that I can still accomplish a tough assignment, I reluctantly agreed and several days later my “Smart Phone” arrived.