General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThinking of our D.U. Neighbors the owner operators like Marine combat engineer. The price of fuel and freight rates.
Dyslexic bad punctuation ramble warning.
Yesterday at a stop i was talking to an owner operator. She pulled in and they gave her a dock door next to me. She asked me if i could spot for her on the backing. As the dock door they gave her was a blind side back and she was in a 379 Pete dragging a 53 foot wagon.
And this customers warehouse was built probably a hundred years ago so it is tight even for single screw tractors with a 53 foot trailer.
I said yep and Ill do you one more Ill drop my trailer and pull the day cab Im in out.
So she slid her tandems forward and after her stuffing five pound of crap in a two pound bag into the dock door.
Sarcasm on the length wheel base of her unit she and i started talking.
She told me she just paid $1092 for i think 180 gallons of fuel.
And that the load she was getting she mentioned the freight rates and where she was headed on delivery.
It came out to $2.50 a mile hopefully she can break into the black on profit.
She runs cruise around 60 MPH to try and save dollars. Yet her 379 is a 2001 all mechanical as in Pre emission no DEF she is still able to run paper logs no electronic log devices.
Only tech she has in her power is forward facing camera she asked if we have driver facing cameras. I said no the union will not allow that and as you we only have forward facing cameras.
She asked if i was ever an owner operator i told her no. And yet twice Ive driven for small fleet owners during the Dubya Bush depression.
Yet as soon as i got my call back i went back to union freight and the folks i drove for were good people.
I told her trucking is slavery and i found working on an organized plantation was much better.
Then i showed her this video on AFFTRA. And she as i am close to the door in age of getting out of trucking . Im hoping another four years I told her then take my pension as my boy twenty one is now back in college.
He wants to get his masters he tried college then dropped out.
He joined union carpenter apprenticeship loved it yet the economy / construction is in the pits i explained to this driver i was talking with.
Have or try and have a good day D.U. Neighbors I'm off to the gym.
Update Im still waiting to leave for the gym WHY! Because my golden chonk is searching for the exact spot to leave a morning dump.
Endless sniffing in his search 😂 in the back yard.
Keep on keepin on, Dunc.
TexLaProgressive
(12,739 posts)It makes what the trucking industry is up against with $6.07 per gallon fuel. If my math is right it cost her in fuel just under $1.00 per mille.
oasis
(53,704 posts)mgardener
(2,362 posts)Lots of carpooling to save on gas
SheltieLover
(80,641 posts)Now, I don't know anything about modern fuel manufacturing, but years ago my dad worked for an oil plantation refinery & he always said diesel fuel is literally the scrap refiners couldn't dump into other types of fuel, basically the sludge that got scraped out of the tanks.
So, other than pure greed, wtf is diesel so expensive compared to automotive fuel?
Dunc, I hope your best boy golden floof found the perfect blade of grass worthy of his golden 💩.
Be safe out there!
mountain grammy
(29,051 posts)Last edited Sat Apr 4, 2026, 10:06 AM - Edit history (1)
Be safe out there.
Just watched the video love that guy..
Imagine if Jimmy Hoffa had the internet!