QUOTE: Originally posted by nslakediv the average longhaul driver sits in the dock 40 hours a week, usually giving up the first 2 hours for free twice a day, then probably is paid $10/hr, then has to be 700 miles by morning or the rest of the week is screwed and he is deemed an incompetent driver. I drove OTR for 5 years, dealt with a lot of BS, felt like quitting at least once a week. Any way, new DOT reg will be aimed at the foreign drivers, stating any driver that can not clearly speak, understand or read the english language will be deemed a hazard and can be put out of service. I manage a large whse for the same company I drove OTR for and we deal with 30 to 50 trucks a day and a good majority of the drivers do not understand a word your speaking to them. Where is the next bulk of drivers gonna come from? only the shadow knows.
QUOTE: Originally posted by Valleyline During the Conrail buyout period, NS expressed the view that they could have a major impact on I-81 truck traffic with some help in the form of public investment. I know that the stateof Virginia originally expressed interest in this idea, but I haven't heard anything about it lately.
QUOTE: Originally posted by HighIron2003ar Railroads have in the last 30 years: Abandoned Rights of way Abandoned full crews. They now seek permission to operate just one man crews Abandoned industries that produce just 1-10 cars a day Signed contracts for unit trains and focus on intermodal. Acquired each other until BIGRAIL USA is the only company remaining in the USA. Lost the ability to get into little towns to glean several loads a day to make up trains that will cross the country. Fed Ex, UPS, ABF, Roadway continues to chip away at the small package delivery. In my town I counted about 8 sidings that are pernamently disconnected from the railroad. It will take a great deal of work and money to reactivate the industries. And for what? 10 cars a day? It will actually cost money and time to send a local out to get these cars. Trucking can take these 10 cars and have them 3 states away by the time the local crew gets to my town with that train.
If there are no dogs in heaven,then I want to go where they go.
QUOTE: Originally posted by DTomajko As far as the railroads ignoring new business or expansion, I can only site a couple of local cases. ...They (NS) also created train 24K to serve the Pittsburgh ramp Mon thru Fri evenings and pickup any eastbound cars. This traffic formerly rode on 24M every evening, which still works Pitt on Sat & Sun, and the eastbounds went with 22W every morning. These trains were becoming extremely large and difficult to handle. For example, 22W on a Sunday in Nov 2004 came into Pitt at 10,500 feet long, with 4700 feet to set off, and was blocking the WING interlocking to the west, keeping 21Q from going west and possibly outlawing. These may be small things, but I think it shows NS is trying to keep and increase it business share.
QUOTE: Originally posted by daveklepper Both FEC and NS (as I have said a dozen times) are well-managed freight railroads. I am hoping that UP can take lessons from NS, and the Triple Crown service to the Twins is a beginning.
QUOTE: Originally posted by Sterling1 QUOTE: Originally posted by daveklepper Both FEC and NS (as I have said a dozen times) are well-managed freight railroads. I am hoping that UP can take lessons from NS, and the Triple Crown service to the Twins is a beginning. I'm not a trucker but I remember from looking at the pictures from the 60's , 70's , 80's of this UP slogan "We can handle it" I guess that they can't handle it any more . . . arrogance or ignorance . . . At least UP is using an icepick to clean itself out instead of waiting . . .
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