California Construction Trucking Association (CCTA)

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.

As usual I am a day late and a dollar short when it is article submission time.  The fact that Hank, Rudy and Jody seem to meet the deadline does not bode well for me.  The good news is that I have just checked my pulse and my heart rate seems to be elevated once again, which I choose to believe offers the same benefit as vigorous exercise.

On April, 10 I testified at the Capitol on behalf of Senate Bill 1092, authored by Senator Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles).  I am proud to say that this passed unanimously on a bi-partisan vote.  More good news is that on May 4, SB-1092 passed on the Senate Floor 36 to 0.   Thanks Kevin de León!

Yes, I know, many of you are probably thinking, I have this old saying backwards, as it was originally a proverb or description about the volatile weather this time of the year – Spring – which sometimes brings extreme hot, cold, storms, tornadoes etc., however, with the CARB Reporting Deadline coming on March 30, and the fact that true to human nature, many once again put it off until the final week, the lion reared its ugly head with vengeance the last week of March.
Some who called were unable to find their Engine Control Labels (ECL) and when they called the dealerships or engine companies, learned that some were charging $200 for the label and upwards of $150 for installation, $350/truck, $9 more than your annual CCTA membership dues if you’re an Owner-Operator. I would say the old rule of “supply and demand” was working, or perhaps it could also be called more “Highway Robbery.” You can be the judge.

Because I remain technically challenged, it only took me three times to change my phone greeting to “Hello, this is Betty from CCTA.”  Yes, I am a creature of habit, and our new name change was not an easy transition for me. However, I believe that our expansion to include all types of construction transportation and vehicles now have a home. Hindsight is 20-20 because it is now clear that many types of construction trucks and equipment that was “left behind” and not represented in the past can now be a vital part of all the things we do.

I told you in last month’s article that my two New Year’s Resolutions were to exercise more and quit procrastinating, both of which I have failed at miserably. There was one more item that I failed to mention, and that is that I am being left behind by new technology, simply because I find it easier to say “I don't want to learn that” or “I can't understand all this new stuff.” 

Here I am, only about a week or two into the new year and already my resolutions are quickly falling by the wayside.

In last month’s article, I shared my perspective about “putting the fun back in funerals.” I certainly became more aware of my own mortality over all this green solutions to cremation for us baby boomers. But honestly, you can count me out on the body donation to science thing, since I discovered that after they are done cutting you to pieces, they still end up burning what’s left—with no real environmental benefits. I’ll pass!

Sticking with the theme of baby boomers and their effects on the environment, I read up on the importance of exercise programs for us. I discovered that walking seemed to be the best, at least for me—brisk walking, of course. You really need to get the higher heart rate up in order to lose the pounds and strengthen that heart muscle. The downside, of course, is the increased CO2 you will exhale when you exercise, the gas that’s blamed for killing our planet!