OOIDA’s food fight

Major players in the food supply chain often get together to share knowledge and information about ways to protect the nation’s food supply. But for years, they’ve left out the people who have a huge role in food safety and security – the small-business truckers who haul the majority of the nation’s fresh food and produce.But that’s changing, thanks to the persistence of OOIDA.Recent positive

Trucking goes to the dogs

“Scratch a dog and you’ll find a permanent job.” – Franklin P. JonesIf I’ve learned anything working for OOIDA and Land Line, it’s that trucking is hard work, probably 10 times harder than it looks. It’s like the world is against you – four-wheelers zipping around your truck; anti-idling laws keeping you hot in the summer and freezing in the winter; mountains of paperwork for your truck, your CDL

What’s that toll increase for anyway?

I could use some help on a basic math problem.If a turnpike authority takes in $56.6 million in 2008 and pays out $30 million for maintenance, salaries and services … how much would tolls need to increase to make up for the shortfall?Yeah, their math confuses me too, but that’s precisely what’s going on in West Virginia.In fiscal year 2008, the West Virginia Turnpike took in $26.6 million more

From Steve in Iraq

Our member Steve Gallavan calls California his home, but for now he’s trucking in Iraq. In the June issue of Land Line, I wrote a bit about him and slipped a photo into “Chicken dinner news.” Steve keeps in touch with Holly in our membership department, and she just got a new letter from him.OK, Sunday is the first day of summer here. Wonder how hot it is in Iraq? You can’t read Steve’s latest

Looking beyond linkedin.com

The next prospective head of the Federal Highway Administration isn’t a stranger to trucking.Victor Mendez, appointed to be FHWA Administrator, is expected to soon be in charge of the agency responsible for maintaining and building our interstate highway system.A few quick Web searches don’t turn up a lot of information on Mendez. He worked at the Arizona DOT for more than 20 years, working his

The scoop on Cap-italism and Trade

We’re hearing more and more about cap and trade as the newest, latest greatest way to clean up the environment.Few can argue that the environment doesn’t need love and attention. Our kids can’t swim in the same creeks we did growing up. Landfills are overflowing. We’re spewing pollutants into the air.Cleaning up our collective act is a good idea.But, cap and trade? What is it really all about?For

No rose-colored glasses in trucking

There seems to be a disconnect among a number of fortunate folks regarding the state of the economy, one that probably most truckers and trucking executives don’t share.The disconnect is phrased like this: “We see planes full, lots of people at restaurants, parking lot at Wal-Mart full … and tons of trucks on the road.”Sadly, these perceptions are like a David Copperfield illusion – you think you

Toga! Toga!

It’s always bothered me, watching weary wheel warriors trudge from their rigs into truck stops, hauling their duffel bags to the showers. Besides your shower gear, you have to carry a towel and a change of clothes.This summer, though, you might consider investing in one of these to reduce that load. From the looks of it, the Wearable Towel solves two problems at once, and maybe three.First, it’s