Federal DOT Safety Audit -- PASSED!!!!

They tell you when you get your Federal Motor Carrier Authority (permission to conduct interstate commerce) that you will have a safety audit within the first 18 months. When I got a phone call THREE WEEKS after my authority was granted, I wasn't sure it was for real. I get 3-4 calls a week from all sorts of people trying to sell me something. But it was.

I had mixed emotions about the audit. On one hand I was anxious to get it out of the way. I felt; the sooner the better. I knew there would be things I needed to fix and I thought by finding out ASAP they would be more forgiving and I would have less to fix. But DOT officials are not known for their kind, generous attitudes. A great many of them are humorless, authority-wielding power-trippers more interested in sticking it to you than anything else.

Fortunately, Chuck was not one of those. He showed up at the house fifteen minutes early and spent the next two and a half hours going thru my stuff -- in great detail. Chuck was sincerely interested in HELPING me make sure I was in compliance, as opposed to stringing me up and looking for a way to fail me. I did have some things wrong but none of them were enough to prevent a positive end to his visit.

When he was ready to leave, I asked when he'd be back. I was expecting a follow-up visit. He said the next time he came back it would probably be a very bad thing because I was in trouble - accidents, multiple safety violations from drivers on the road, fatality (GOD forbid!). Basically, I was done. WOO-HOO! As long as my safety score remained low (that's a good thing. It goes UP as you have violations) he would be leaving me alone.

That all happen last Tuesday. I had run an ad on CraigsList the day before for Owner/Operators to lease on with me. Within a few hours, I had more than 8 people respond. I narrowed that down to three and met with two of them on Wednesday. I offered a deal to both. I am being EXTREMELY picky who I sign on. I am only interested in the best. I do not intend to be the largest trucking company and I have a lot of good paying work. So I can afford to take on the guys I think are going to be safe and have a brain that they use for more than just figuring out where the next truck stop is.

Of the two drivers I met with Wednesday, one of them has a 3-car, wedge-style trailer. I need flatbeds but do have a source of vehicles needing to move that I have been using for back-hauls - a way to get home. I told him I felt I could keep him busy with cars and trucks both ways but he said he would trade his car-hauler in on a flatbed gooseneck trailer. He called me over the weekend and not only did he find a trailer, but the guy he's getting it from is also interested in talking to me about work. SWEET!

The other driver I met with Wednesday is getting back with me this week. It's conceivable that I could have FOUR drivers going in the next couple of days! Mind boggling. In fact my head spins when I consider the near-term future. I don't know that I have ever been this excited about the path my life was on. And to think, it only took me 58 years to figure out what I want to do when I grow up (if I grow up).

My first 'other' driver - Mike - has been using my old trailer for the past 6 weeks and it really is marginal. I put it back into the shop early last week for major repairs. Mike is now pulling my newest trailer. I may be so busy dispatching 4 drivers that I don't have time to drive. Then, last Friday, I get a call from one of my steel pipe vendors he has a load requiring 10' of deck and weighing 2800 lbs that HAS to load Saturday morning for delivery Monday morning in New Orleans. And that is where I am this morning. Since Mike took another load up near Omaha and has a reload coming back to STL later today, I ended up throwing this steel into my truck and coming down here Sunday.

Now I am headed back to STL and get my newest guy set-up so he can go to work. With the possibility of two more after him later this week. spin-spin-spin-spin-spin