Hauling Air Freight
Charles and I have been hauling (truck lingo for pulling a trailer that is filled with - in this case - air freight) for almost four years. In air freight, you pick up freight from one airport and then, running your butt off, to deliver it to another airport. We don’t actually go into the terminals (well, actually, once we did), we go to the terminals conveniently located near the airports. Apparently, with all the changes to our airline industry lately it is much quicker than moving freight in a plane all the way. It must also be cheaper too. Although I must mention here that while we don’t get paid the big bucks, the customer is certainly charged the big bucks!

Hurry up and wait is exactly what hauling air freight is all about. You pick up your load at one terminal and are given a running time to get it to the next terminal. At our company, that running time averages out to around 55 mph. On the shorter runs the running time is even tighter, averaging out to around 57 to 58 mph. That doesn't leave you a lot of time to take care of your more humanly needs. We are lucky in that we have a truck with a sleeper that has a shower, bathroom, sink and refrigerator. We can get regular showers and, even though most of the time we do it while we are driving, we can also eat healthier. We purchased the kind of truck known as a "big house" for that very reason.

When we arrive at our destination, we may have another load waiting for us. We have run as much as 8,600 miles in one week. We have also run as little as 1,500 in a week. That is very bad for a team who can average out at 5,500 per week. Remember, for us revenue is based on how many miles we run. Our loads usually deliver early in the morning and don’t leave until either very late that same night or very early the next morning. As professionals we make sure that we have had the proper rest in order to get the job done. Sometimes that means trying to fall asleep in the middle of the day so that you don’t fall asleep in the middle of the night. That can really wreck havoc on your circadian rhythm. Charles and I try to work it so that he mostly works nights and I mostly work days. But, still, some days I start at 10 or 11 a.m. and some days I start as early as 1 or 2 a.m. and for him vice versa.

Sometimes I get upset at all the negativity that is directed to the truck drivers of America. After all, we haul the kind of things that Americans cannot live without. We haul everything from what you find at your local grocer to what you find at your local mall. We haul medical supplies. The list goes on and on. There is one saying that I am especially proud of: If you bought, it a truck brought it. I am very proud to be a truck driver. I am also very proud to be a business owner. My business cards say it all: Working for America – Coast to Coast.

While we as truck drivers need to do our part to help improve our image, there are also some things some of our carriers can do (but many choose not to) to help us as well. You can read about that in an article I wrote for Inside Trucking at: http://www.insidetruckingonline.com/IT/index.cfm. Also, go to http://driverhealth.org/DH/Archives.cfm and click on the July issue to see what a few of my friends and I are doing to bring about a positive and healthy change to our industry. As a flegling writer, I am proud to say that article was my very first opportunity to flex my pen. Thanks Driver Health!

I’ll keep you all posted on our adventures, so make sure to visit from time to time. In the mean time, take care and drive safely.