Trucker's Pride

When the Big Rigs Don't Roll CD Release

2010-08-25T07:52:00.000-05:00

When the Big Rigs Don't Roll CD Release

2010-08-23T19:03:00.000-05:00

Stolen semi-trucks recovered

2010-08-23T08:48:00.000-05:00

Stolen semi-trucks recovered

New House

2010-08-19T11:05:00.000-05:00

We have a new House in Guide Rock, Nebraska. It's a three bedroom house with large rooms all on one level no basement (yet). I believe my life is changing for the good ( finely), It has a big garage & big back & side yard.

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Flickr

2010-07-12T12:33:00.001-05:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Flooding in the area of Omaha

2010-06-15T12:31:00.001-05:00

We have had a lot of flooding around here. I live in a place were it don't flood but the town park is under water. People with cabins close to the River wasn't as lucky. I added photos in my photo album on WEBSHOTS Check it out. Other than that it sucks around here.

MAY 30, 2010

2010-05-30T06:16:00.004-05:00

I'm down in My home Town of Red Cloud Nebraska for the Rose's reunion. I spent the night parked at the park & woke to strong rains & wind it was around 4:15. Talk about a small town no one was on the streets, nothing was open & I could here the birds between the thunder. I'll add more later since it's only 6 now.

Veterans Memorial Bridge

2010-05-28T21:42:00.000-05:00

I went to the ribbon cutting of the Veterans Memorial Bridge Today & I enjoyed myself . I need to go to more things on my own if I have too. There were old cars & more old cars there, American legion Riders were the first ones too cross. I'm a veteran I served on the USS Kitty Hawk back in 1979 as I was in the Navy. Here's a few photos I took

Check out all of the ones I toke at Picasa

I will be at the Rose"s Reunion Sunday I'm leaving Saturday night after My wife gets home Going by myself it ought too be fun.

"Badge On Board" Begins

2010-05-26T09:59:00.000-05:00

John Potter

Channel 2 News

Semi trucks tip the scales at 80,000 pounds. At 65mph, they need more than a football field to stop. Cars zipping ahead and cutting truckers off is such a big problem here, that "smokey" himself got in the cab. Tuesday, drivers on I-80 didn't know trooper Stan Smith was right behind them, watching. Armed with a 2-way to call in one of the patrol cars along the highway about anyone cutting him off or making other illegal moves.

Bill McCarty sees it all the time. He's been behind the wheel of a semi for 15 years. His pet peeve? As he told us, "You try to leave yourself braking room, somebody slides in, wanting to make a lane change, or think they're going to get a little farther up the road...it takes your comfort zone out." He wants drivers who share the road with the big guys to remember his blind spots...the "no zones." He wants drivers to "look at the trucks...if they can see the driver in the mirrors, the driver can see them. If they can't see the driver, he can't see you."

This is a serious crackdown, addressing the deadly mix of semi-trucks, and car driver aggression and inattention. And there are the truck drivers themselves. This is a business where time is money, with drivers under constant pressure to meet deadlines. Some have sleep deprivation, all of it adding to an unusually high fatal rate involving semis.

Trooper Chuck Allen has been on patrol for 20 years now. He can recall many such tragedies, like "The large truck that rear-ended a Suburban on I-80 in Sparks about 4 years ago, and killing two people in that Suburban, because the driver of the truck wasn't paying attention that day."

Added new blog page

2010-05-24T18:39:00.000-05:00

I added a new page it will only be used as my video blog post check it out at Trucker's Pride Video Blog

May 24, 2010

2010-05-24T08:41:00.001-05:00

Sorry no video blog yesterday was going to go fishing but the van wouldn't start, so had to work on it & by the time I had it running it was too late to go. At lest I know how to fix it when it doesn't start next time.
Went out to Flying J at the Ashland exit it was a change, talk to a lot of drivers while there. It made me wanting to get back on the road even more. I;ll try to add a video blog later today, no promises.

P.S.
(If you didn't know? Flying J is a truck stop.)

Truck Driving for Your Retirement

2010-05-16T10:48:00.000-05:00

Truck Driving for Your Retirement

in Trucks

Truck driving is a career that a lot of people do not know a lot about. There are a lot of people that do not think much of the career because of the typical stereotypes.

Most people assume that the only people that are a part of truck driving are the uneducated or the lazy. Instead of actually learning about the career and the real pros and cons of the career, people will just look past truck driving.

There are a lot of educated people that choose to drive trucks after they retire. Couples will retire and drive trucks together.

Truck driving is not easy. Many of the companies have strict deadlines and specifications that can make driving a stressful event.

When truckers are making long trips they have to take the time to map out their route very specifically. There are a lot of routes that truckers cannot take.

For example, a lot of people do not even give a second glance to the underpasses that they drive through when they are driving on the freeway. When you are driving a very tall truck you have a whole different set of concerns than when you are driving a car.

You have to make sure that your truck will fit under all of the underpasses that you will pass through on your route. This takes some strategic planning and sometimes it takes a lot of time for people to plan their routes out.

The truckers also have to think about the weather. A lot of the time the truck driving companies will only pay the driver the full amount if they make it to the end of their route in a specified amount of time.

If a driver runs into bad weather this may seriously inhibit their ability to make it to their destination in the time that they have been allotted. Often times truck drivers will rush through the bad weather just to make it to their destination.

When a driver rushes through bad weather it puts the driver, any passenger and the cargo at risk. A driver is much better off avoiding the bad weather completely.

Some drivers feel that they can make it through bad weather and even though they are being cautious they get into an accident. The accidents that semi-trucks can get into are usually much more severe than regular cars.

These accidents are usually much more severe because they trucks are so big. The extra mass that the trucks carry makes the impact much stronger.

If you are looking into driving a truck there are a few personality traits you will want to make sure you possess or you can attain. These traits will make your life as a truck driver much easier.

First, you want to make sure that you are patient. When you are driving a truck you can only drive so fast.

You do not want to put yourself in the position of getting ticketed by the police. A lot of companies will have no problem letting you go if they feel that you are a risk to their company.

You do not want to get impatient with the speed that you have to drive. You also do not want to be impatient with the traffic that you are going to run into.

Some truck drivers choose to drive at night time so that they will not run into as much traffic, but there are situations when traffic is inevitable. There is nothing you can do about the traffic around you so you should not let it upset you.

If you are not patient your truck driving experiences will be very frustrating. The trips will become very stressful instead of relaxing.

There are also laws in place that require a truck driver to stop driving for a certain amount of hours every twenty four hours. Being patient enough to pull over and stop when you are tired is something that is very important.

If you continue to drive when you are drowsy you will put yourself and all of those people around you that are driving at the same time you are. Putting yourself and the other drivers around you is not fair.

Truck driving can be very relaxing. Many people choose to make some extra money by truck driving after they have retired.

If you are interested in truck driving you should attend a truck driving school. They will teach you the safest and most efficient way to drive your truck.

Jack R. Landry has been a truck driver for 19 years driving box trucks, dump trucks, and semi trucks. Before starting his career he graduated from a Utah truck driving school.

Contact Info:
Jack R. Landry
JackRLandry@gmail.com
http://www.mlatc.edu

Trucking: Gourmet cooking in the truck

2010-05-15T19:09:00.000-05:00

04/22/2010

2010-04-22T11:48:00.001-05:00

Went fishing last Tuesday out at the lake just west of SAPP Bro in Omaha Ne. Did not catch a thing just a cold. After fishing stopped at the truck stop on the way home & had steak & eggs it was a good meal as always. You can't beat truck stop food take it from a trucker.

what happen week of 03/21/2010 thru 03/26/2010

2010-03-26T23:42:00.000-05:00

Hello again I should post more on here more often.

Had some things happen last week but not to me (thank God)

Wal-mart had a fire in the store which closed the store for about half the day .

It started in a pallet in the back of the building it was to close to the heater, a pallet of toys which smoked the whole store.

I seen this fire on the freeway as I was out & about. it took them about half an hour to put the fire out.

Sorry It's been awhile

2010-01-08T14:06:00.000-06:00

Sorry it's been a while since my last blog I have no reason for it. Well here it is a week after the new year the temperature is way below freezing, Tonight it's getting down too -24 degrees. Its going to be a cold one & I have to be out in it.
Other than the weather 2010 isn't starting out to bad, Ash is still a bitch & I will be glad when I get away from here. My oldest brother is moving back to Nebraska from Nevada I don't know why he would leave a warm state for here, I do I guess it is still home.
This is the year I do what I want to do I will get back on the road. I will enjoy life again like I use too. If the Lord is welling I will be triumph.

The day after Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T14:05:00.001-06:00

Today is the day after Thanksgiving the day nebraska plays against Colorado. Yesterday was the smallest thanksgiving dinner we have had. None of my family stoped by Christy's oldest was gone all day with her boy friend, but thats nothing new. It makes me wonder what happen to the good old days when Thanksgiving was a day all your relitives got togather for a feast & give thanks for the year that has just past.

I'm thankful for my kids even though they don't stop by enough. If I get hired on to drive truck next year I will be thankful for that. If they ask if I want to be out during Thanksgiving I will say yes the two holidays I'd take off would be Christmas & the forth of July. My wish is that all the drivers that were out on the road this year had a good Thanksgiving dinner at lest at one of the many truck stops that served Turkey dinners.

A Mexican wanting to be a U.S. citizen

2009-10-19T16:14:00.001-05:00

I start out saying I have a different prospective on this subject than I use to do. This a short version of what they have to go threw.

First off even if they can afford a coyote these man or women only takes them so far. They have to cross the dessert its hot & they have very little water to drink, snakes that will bite you & were would you get any help for the bite. then after the dessert you have the mountains were you could freeze to death plus by the time you get there you are very hungry because you haven't had any thing to eat for a few days. So your up in the mountains no coat or blankets when you go to sleep you never know if your going to wake up when the sun comes up. when the sun do come up they have to press on all along avoiding towns so you are not found out & sent back across the border.

Now when they arrive at their distention they have to get there green card so they have to raise about 5,000 dollars to get that. Which they have to live on what they make & save to pay that. It is in this time their classified as illegal immigrants but how else are they going to pay for their green cards. Like do you have 5,000 dollars laying around. That is just to get there green card that's not for them to be a United States Citizen. To get that they have to take tests & still pay out more money. That's about all I know about this, So next time you say "do the deserve the right to work in the U.S." I myself say YES

I have to say my Son-In-Law has come a long way. He has a house, cars, a very good job, kids & a wife which he is lucky to have because she could have any one she wants & she stays with him. So to end this I take my hat off to him & wish them Luck.

New movie "Trucker"

2009-10-14T08:12:00.002-05:00

First snow of the season Saturday 10/10/09

2009-10-10T11:55:00.000-05:00

Omaha area got there first snow last night. The weather man said we would not get any accumulation on the ground. Yah sure see the photo's & that tells the story, I'd say we got a couple of inch's on the ground at lest it didn't stick on the road.It's almost noon & we still have light snow & 28 degree's out side.

On another note Nebraska won there game Thursday against Missouri 27-12. Almost went to bed at half time because it was 9 to 0 with Missouri ahead. But Nebraska came back in the 4th queter with Nebraska scoreing 27 unanswerd points. The main thing is we WON.

Here's another stupid law

2009-10-09T08:48:00.000-05:00

Here's another stupid law. In Canada but just wait the law will try this in the U.S. just wait!

Smoke-Free Ontario: Should a truck be classified a workplace?

October 8, 2009 1:17 PM | Comments15 Recommend2
By Your Voice

A truck driver from London, Ont., has been fined $305 for smoking in the cabin of a tractor-trailer because it is considered a workplace.

Essex County Ontario Provincial Police pulled over a truck on Highway 401 near Windsor, Ont., at about noon on Wednesday after the driver, 48, was seen smoking.

He was fined under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, a 2006 law that prohibits smoking in enclosed workplaces and public areas such as bars and restaurants.

An enclosed workplace can also be any vehicle that is covered by a roof and that employees work in or frequent while working, regardless of whether "they are acting in the course of their employment at the time," according to the legislation.

Police spokeswoman Shawna Coulter told the Windsor Star it was the first time Essex County provincial police had enforced the legislation.

Neil MacKenzie, the manager of tobacco programs for the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, said his group has laid 10 charges for vehicle-related offences since the law went into effect, to taxi drivers and construction workers, among others.

Should trucks be classified as a workplace, and truck-drivers subject to fines under Ontario's anti-smoking legislation?

Thursday 9/08/09

2009-10-08T20:47:00.000-05:00

Not much here today. Rained off & on all day here in Nebraska. Were suppose to have snow this week end I'll go out & take some photos of it. Of course I'll post it on here & on my web page so check it out.

Law makers have to much time on their hands

2009-10-06T14:01:00.000-05:00

This proves that law makers have to much time on there hands. To do this would put the driver in danger of hurting themselves climbing on a slick truck to clear snow & ice. This law would be causing more trouble than it's worth.

MA road safety bills cover snow-free trucks, headlight use and road rage
While most legislatures around the country have closed for the year, a handful of statehouses, including Massachusetts, continue to meet.
Several bills of interest are drawing consideration in Massachusetts’ Joint Committee on Transportation. Among them are bills that would require snow and ice removal from trucks before taking to roadways, as well as use of headlights in bad weather. Another bill addresses road rage.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is opposed to one bill that would get tough with truck drivers who fail to clear snow and ice off their vehicles. Sponsored by Rep. Cleon Turner, D-Dennis, the bill – H3350 – specifies that the wintry precipitation be removed when accumulation amounts to one quarter of an inch thick or more.
“It shall be the responsibility of the owner, as well as the operator of such vehicle to ensure the removal of accumulated snow and ice” before departure, Turner wrote.
Violators would face fines of at least $100. If injury or property damage occurs, fines would increase to $500.
A similar effort is on the governor’s desk in New Jersey. There, despite opposition from OOIDA and countless truck drivers who have long opposed what they say is legislation that sets truckers up to fail, lawmakers overwhelmingly endorsed the legislation.
The New Jersey bill would make drivers responsible for making “all reasonable efforts to remove accumulated ice or snow” from the hood, trunk and roof of the motor vehicle, truck cab, trailer or intermodal freight container.
Violators would face fines between $25 and $75. No points would be assessed against the driver’s license.
OOIDA says the snow and ice rule would be nearly impossible to comply with. They also cite concerns about requiring people to climb atop large vehicles to remove snow or ice.
Joe Rajkovacz, OOIDA’s regulatory affairs specialist, said the Massachusetts bill, like the measure in New Jersey, sets drivers up to fail.
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions. This is nothing more than a feel good measure that is a practical impossibility for truckers to comply with,” Rajkovacz told Land Line.
Rajkovacz said for efforts like these to be practical they must hold responsible more people than simply the truck’s driver or owner.
“These laws, if they are to even begin to make sense and be meaningful, have to hold accountable shippers and receivers for putting the infrastructure in place. Or the states themselves will have to have infrastructure in place for drivers to clear the rooftops,” he said.
Rajkovacz said these scenarios likely don’t cover unique loads, such as tarped machinery, when they accumulate snow or ice.
“How is a guy going to sweep the snow off that load? It’s impossible.”
While one Massachusetts bill addresses removal of snow and ice from trucks, another bill is intended to keep all vehicles back from snow and ice removal equipment. Sponsored by Rep. Harold Naughton Jr, D-Clinton, the bill – H3277 – would have all vehicles stay back 500 feet when the equipment is clearing snow and ice from roadways.
Six efforts intended to make roadways safer would require travelers to flip on their headlights when the windshield wipers are in use.
Naughton is the sponsor of another bill – H3279 – that addresses road rage. Law enforcement officers would be allowed to arrest drivers without warrants for actions that include following too closely, “purposely braking to endanger or annoy” the driver of a following vehicle, threatening another driver, making obscene gestures and unnecessary honking.
Violators would face the possibility of fines up to $1,000 and/or two and one-half years in prison. In addition to anger management classes, drivers would have their license revoked for between one year and five years. For commercial drivers, revocation would last between two years and five years.
To view other legislative activities of interest for Massachusetts in 2009, click here.
– By Keith Goble, state legislative editor
Editor’s Note: Please share your thoughts with us about the legislation included in this story. Comments may be sent to statelegislativedesk@ooida.com.

Touch a Truck

2009-10-02T16:51:00.001-05:00

Touch a Truck

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35th Class Reunion

2009-09-27T00:55:00.003-05:00

Saturday Night was my 35th class Reunion, It was great to see all the old class mates, I had a blast. Took my Wife I was afraid she would be bored being their with me spending time with the class mates but she said she had fun so it was a perfect night. Left around 11 pm Christy took to of the flower center peace home Marsha said she could. I hope we have a 40th Reunion, Maybe some of my old friends that didn't come will come then.Here's a video of some of the Reunion

Papillion La Vista Homecoming

2009-09-26T14:29:00.003-05:00

Went to the game last night for the homecoming. It rained off & on while I was there. The class of "74" had a reserved seating for the game. The game was a good one I haven't been to one for many years. Papillion won over My Wife's daughters teem Omaha Bryan High 34 to 14.

After the game I went down to the 370 Grill in Papillion were some of the class was meeting for a drink. I meet a lot of my old class mates. I had a greet time there, I haven't had so much fun since well I can't rember when. Tonight the class have their dinner at Tara Hills Golf Course Cubhouse in Papillion, takeing the wife tonight so wont be as much fun. I'll fill you all in tomorrow, need to get ready.

Fridat 9/25/09

2009-09-25T15:43:00.001-05:00

Well today was another boring Friday wife was home her day off. I slept all day, tonight is the Papillion Homecoming football game against my wife's daughters school, I'm debating if I should go can't really afford too.

Tomorrow is our class reunion I can't wait to go, It will be nice to get with all the old school class mates. I probably won't remember many since I was what you'd call a nerd back then.

Made a new friend on Tagged last night.

Monday 09/21/09 Rascal Flatts

2009-09-21T09:44:00.001-05:00

Monday morning I took Christy to work & after I dropped her off I went back by were the trucker's park overnight & seen this Rascal Flatts tour truck. Of course I didn't have my camera with me, It seems when i want to take a picture I'm always leaving it at home. Well any how I took one with my phones camera & ran home & got my camera & hopping the truck was still there when I got back down there. To my relieve when I pulled into the parking lot I seen it was still there so I took a few picture's. To the RIGHT you can see some of the pictures I took.

Yesterday when I was down at Wal-Mart I talked to a swift driver & found out there hiring drivers, he gave me there phone #, So today I'm giving them a call & I hope they hire me. I'm getting tired of not getting hired.

Nebraska Lost

2009-09-19T18:53:00.001-05:00

Nebraska lost in the last 31 secounds of the game But in my book they won

Saturday 9/19/09

2009-09-19T13:52:00.001-05:00

Nothing much happened over the last week, No job yet! I'm starting to get a little tired of no one hiring me. But I can't give up I will find a company that will hire me one way or the other.

Today the Cornhuskers play on tv so I will be glued to my set in front of the tv starting at 2:30 till nebraska wins. We play against Virginia Tech which is ranked #13 in the polls. Were ranked #19. But I have faith in the Huskers.

Sunday 09/13/09

2009-09-14T02:18:00.001-05:00

Not much to report will fill in more on monday

Tuesday 09/08/09

2009-09-08T22:42:00.005-05:00

Not much to report today.

Went & paid my money for our class 35th reunion this month.

Stopped by Chuck's( My younger brother) house & talked with him for over 3 hours.

Sunday 0/08/06

2009-09-06T14:45:00.001-05:00

Today is the day after Nebraska's big win over Florida Atlantic. That was a good game 49 to 3. I wish I could of watched it on cable but the radio was good. I hope this was a sign of that this year will be a winning session. Would love to have the Cornhusker's as the national champs this year.

Well tomorrow is Labor Day, Just wondering do you have to have a job to celabrate it LOL. I"m still trying to get a job at driveing truck . I wish the company's would relize that I can do my job better than the young one's they hire.

Friday 9/04/09

2009-09-04T17:07:00.001-05:00

Good day all. Now to get you all caught up from over the week. I didn't do much thats why I didn't write any thing all week.

OK Wednesday got new shoe's at Wal-mart. Thursday I picked up a dinning room table for one of Christy's fellow Wal-mart associate Pam. She took us both out to KFC for a buffet, I could only eat 2 chicken breast (you know I love breasts) 2 serving of mash potato & gravy, 2 servings of Cole slaw & a biscuit. I made 10 dollars on top of that.

Thursday I started to tear up the stained & stinking rug in the dinning room.. The rug was in bad shape after we got it tore up you could smell the difference in the apt. I still have the carpet under the things next to the east & west walls. That should get me caught up to Friday.

Monday 09/01/09

2009-09-01T18:30:00.000-05:00

Got up at 6:30 got Semone up, Ash was all ready up got them too school at 7:00 am. got back home & woke Christy got her too work at 8:00 got back home & picked up the trash that GG (our dog) drugged out of the trash. Did some surfing on the net & went laid down not felling to good today I have a fever & sore throat.

Started looking for the clarinet of the girls so we can sell it to Kyra for Sammy to play in school.Haven't found it yet.

Ash had to go with me to pick up her Mom because she said she was going to buy some jewelery with her own money what a lair she had her Mom buy it. Then while we were there she acted like a 2 year old throwing her fit. I swear I'm not taken her any where again. She wanted to hurry up & get back home so I toke my time getting back (ain't I an asshole.LOL).

Its bad Christy let ash to walk the dog. It's hard to walk the dog from someone's else apartment because that's were she went then she expects to get paid for walking her. sorry you have to read this but no one else here well listen to me & I'm not going to leave it bottled up inside me I don't think I deserve that.

Saturday 8/29/09

2009-08-29T23:00:00.003-05:00

Christy & I went over two Kyra's & Jose's house tonight & enjoyed our self's I Love spending time at my daughter's place they make me feel at home. We had a shrimp salad that was good (note to self need to ask Kyra what the recipe is}. The grand kids looks like the have fun together & that's good. well more tomorrow.

Here is a video of my son- in law Dancing

Saturday 8/29/09

2009-08-29T15:48:00.004-05:00

Today is a lazy Saturday I didn't do anything I've planed to do. Was going to tear up rug in dining room. Well last night Ash sold her pup Willy I'll miss him . He was a pup & she treated him bad he might have gotten into things but he is just a pup if I had the 50 dollers she wanted for him I would of bought him. as you can see in the photo he was a sweet dog. Every time she came into the room he would hide under my feet just to get away from him. I guess at lest he won't need to hide from her any more. She thinks she's going too get anouther dog but not in my house not till she grows up, she's 16 but acts like a two year old.

Today 8/26/09

2009-08-26T18:40:00.009-05:00

Well today was just another day. Got up a little late to take the girls to school only had to take Semone since Ashley's friend took her this morning. Got back home & then took Christy to work, Wish she would get her license, she knows how to drive. Well any how I did some job search's on the net & laid down for a while since I'm up till 4 a night can't sleep.

Picked Semone up at 2:45 from school don't have to pick Christy up tonight since her Mom will she 's helping her Mom clean her apt.

It's 1130 now have to go pick Christy up at her moms. going to bed it's midnight now.

storm on 03/23/09

2009-03-24T19:32:00.000-05:00

Omaha area had their first tornado for this session. It hit Eagle Grove Ne. where it demolished a house A video is at http://www.ketv.com/video/19005161/ all that's left is the basement. Here in Bellevue all we had was high winds.