Poor trucker, in N Florida - for a bit

[Sam1953]

Hi, Watcher.

There is somewhat of a structure to the trucking industry.  There is local, regional and over the road.  Each has its strengths, weaknesses and operators.  Truckers of all stripes are feeling the lack of demand.

Motor carriers are parking more and more trucks, every day.  Big carriers are keeping equipment idle.  Smaller carriers are folding the tent. 

I have a wide net, so to speak.  It is not working too well, for one reason or another.  Trucking is a highly regulated industry.  Most newcomers are amazed at the level of regulation.

Trucking is a leading economic indicator. 
When the economy starts collapsing, trucking feels it first.  After trucking feels the pinch, it is only a matter of time, before other industries feel it.  That is both on the down side, and the upside.

I like the idea of a farm situation.  I can operate most anything, even if I have to practice a little.  But, I'm no mechanic.

Got any links or references?
MountainMeg.
PA is a big coal state.  The new guy wants to kill the coal industry.
He is a bad man, with an agenda.  Never mind that he has no more of a clue than the lame duck, about what to do to restore this country to a path of greatness. 

It seems the experiment is over.

Atash,
there is a glut of equipment for sale, and prices are pitiful.
Truck makers are also cutting back on production, big time.

Rather than sell it, I would prefer to keep it, for a dry place to sleep, if nothing else.  Just gotta find a place to park it, where I can try to live off the land:  water for drinking, cooking, fishing, bathing.  Woods and fields for foraging for game and plants to eat.

This is a global problem.  It is a problem for every state in what is left of the union, and most countries around the world.  It is not going to be pleasant, for some time to come.

[Atash Hagmahani]

Sam, would you have any objections to me relaying your situation, anonymously as far as you're concerned (not that "Sam", which is all I know you as, would be a real clue as to your identity), to someone with more brains than I have?

He, or someone at his disposal, might have better answers than I do. I can barely keep myself out of trouble.

Would that be OK?

[Sam1953]

Sam, would you have any objections to me relaying your situation, anonymously as far as you're concerned (not that "Sam", which is all I know you as, would be a real clue as to your identity), to someone with more brains than I have?

He, or someone at his disposal, might have better answers than I do. I can barely keep myself out of trouble.

Would that be OK?

Yes, by all means.
I'm looking for answers, because I know we have a problem that is widespread.
I also know that very few people have even as much as a suspicion.

[MountainMeg]

PA is a big coal state.  The new guy wants to kill the coal industry.

I've noticed that.  Couldn't believe PA went for the new guy after that came out.  Looking at the voter maps, PA is pretty much a red state with blue cities in Pittsburg and Philadelphia throwing the balance.  (Same in CA with LA and San Francisco pretty much controlling the vote)  Then the second surprise was the reelection of Murtha after his "racist rednecks" remarks.

I'm looking forward to this year's tax season.  A hundred returns under the belt and I can get a really good feel for the economy in the area.

[opsec]

I hate to suggest this, but you might consider some guerilla financing. If you know you are going to go bankrupt anyways, then how about getting some more credit cards or increasing the credit limit on your existing cards? Then charge them up buying survival supplies, food, weapons, and the fuel you will need to bobtail to your friends/families place.

[Ryder]

Good luck living off the land. Most folks that are already set up someplace would consider someone taking game as the worst kind of predator. Around here cougars, wolves and anything else that doesn't produce edible meat is considered SSS. Shoot shovel and shut up. I'm not trying to be too much of a downer but I feel lots of people read this forum and they might learn from various questions and answers. I am including a photo I just shot out my front window. There seems to be lots of deer around here but they would be gone in a day if things got bad. Every other house has a hunting rifle and only a days worth of food so things could get real interesting. Our plan has been to live in a place we feel is safer and get to know our drainages and the people around us. And by the way the guy I saw walking carrying the cans would of got a ride from me if I had the time and he probably got offers from others . Montana in the winter is a fairly friendly place. People have to be flexible and willing to not have their ego the sole driving force for survival. If someone showed up at my cave looking for a place to survive I would ask why do you want to survive?

[Publius]

Welcome Sam. I drove a truck for about 7 months back in 1988, until I got my position at DOE. I knew how to drive from the Army, so it was a shoe in. This was also before National CDL's when states issued DL's. I had a Class 5 in Georgia. Haven't drove one since Sept 88.

Anyhow, can you do get other contracts? What about trucking military equipment to their post? I know lots of it comes in on a train, but some come via flatbed.

[Sam1953]

I hate to suggest this, but you might consider some guerilla financing. If you know you are going to go bankrupt anyways, then how about getting some more credit cards or increasing the credit limit on your existing cards? Then charge them up buying survival supplies, food, weapons, and the fuel you will need to bobtail to your friends/families place.

Thanks for the idea, opsec.
I don't think there is much time.
Lenders can't borrow, and have been cutting back existing lines.
It could get worse, quick.  I heard of one fellow that had a 25,000 limit.
It was cut back to 500.

[Sam1953]

Good luck living off the land. Most folks that are already set up someplace would consider someone taking game as the worst kind of predator. Around here cougars, wolves and anything else that doesn't produce edible meat is considered SSS. Shoot shovel and shut up. I'm not trying to be too much of a downer but I feel lots of people read this forum and they might learn from various questions and answers. I am including a photo I just shot out my front window. There seems to be lots of deer around here but they would be gone in a day if things got bad. Every other house has a hunting rifle and only a days worth of food so things could get real interesting. Our plan has been to live in a place we feel is safer and get to know our drainages and the people around us. And by the way the guy I saw walking carrying the cans would of got a ride from me if I had the time and he probably got offers from others . Montana in the winter is a fairly friendly place. People have to be flexible and willing to not have their ego the sole driving force for survival. If someone showed up at my cave looking for a place to survive I would ask why do you want to survive?

Ryder, you just confirmed a suspicion about game, that I've had, for more than a year.   Also, about survival, though that question is all too recent...

[Sam1953]

Welcome Sam. I drove a truck for about 7 months back in 1988, until I got my position at DOE. I knew how to drive from the Army, so it was a shoe in. This was also before National CDL's when states issued DL's. I had a Class 5 in Georgia. Haven't drove one since Sept 88.

Anyhow, can you do get other contracts? What about trucking military equipment to their post? I know lots of it comes in on a train, but some come via flatbed.

Thanks, Publius.  That military freight has gotten dog gone cheap.  Practically to the point that cost is often higher than income.  Way too many drivers have no business sense and don't know what the cost really is.  They are out there pulling all kinds of stuff, when they should be negotiating or otherwise sitting still.

[Watcher]

Sam

How i got some farmwork for bed and board was through an organisation called 'wwoof'.  It's sort of orginally for backpackers and alternative lifestylers but has expanded to include all sorts.   I used the organisation in Australia to find work at normal cattle ranches and a few slightly odder places.  Basically, you can get a handbook from them and it lists all the farms in the country, by region that are looking for help.  Some places just want young backpackers, others are more flexible.  Some places just want some unpaid slave labour, others are perfectly decent.

I found that after i'd worked in a couple of places, i got to know other farmers and very quickly was able to find good places to stay and work as i travelled around, places that weren't in the 'wwoof', just by local contacts.

If you really are looking for a safe place in the country to park up and do some living off the land i'd recommend that you check out farms and ranches that are happy to offer bed and board for some work.  Even if the people you call up can't help you, i found that they often will put you in contact with someone who will,  once you're 'in' with some farmers you're basically going to be 'in' a complete sub culture.

You can check out directly with wwoof http://www.wwoof.org/americas.asp or there are other organisations like http://www.organicvolunteers.org/index.asp

They do tend to be a bit 'hippyish' and all that,  but it is a good way of finding a decent farm, in amongst all the 'alternative' lifestyle types and once you are in, you quickly make contacts.

[Publius]

Watcher, along that line I ran across these guys in the back of my Jan/Feb Backhome magazine. http://www.caretaker.org/main.php?smPID=DBS::WELCOME Same kind of concept as your wwoof. Many adds offer room and board for work done, even in other countries. Costs $25 or so for the online edition.

[Watcher]

Very interesting Publius.  It's that kind of idea and lateral thinking that can make the difference in a tight spot.