The Last Word

May 1, 2000
Gone Hollywood Two long-time drivers for Joplin, Mo.-based CFI, Bennie and Donna Young, recently played the part of truckers in the TV show "18 Wheels of Justice." The show, which airs on TNN, features Kenworth's T2000 High Tech Truck piloted by the lead character, an undercover federal agent.Putting that connection to work, Kenworth invited the Springfield, Mo.-based couple to "cameo" on a recent

Gone Hollywood Two long-time drivers for Joplin, Mo.-based CFI, Bennie and Donna Young, recently played the part of truckers in the TV show "18 Wheels of Justice." The show, which airs on TNN, features Kenworth's T2000 High Tech Truck piloted by the lead character, an undercover federal agent.

Putting that connection to work, Kenworth invited the Springfield, Mo.-based couple to "cameo" on a recent episode in recognition of Bennie's 32 years with CFI - and his more than 3-million miles of accident-free driving.

Road trip! Major League Baseball, that grand purveyor of the National Pastime, is helping fans nationwide experience big-league ball through the Club MLB Road Show, a moveable feast of pro baseball co-sponsored by Jif peanut butter. It consists of two 53-footers that convert into a playground complete with batting and pitching cages. The show will tour ballparks and fairs throughout the 2000 season. Tractors leased from PacLease of Chicago power it.

Rant of the month Your article on pg. 16 in the April Fleet Owner [Driver's Lounge: "Island Solution"] is a joke. There is NO DRIVER SHORTAGE, there is a PAY SHORTAGE. I have been a union driver for twenty years, and I can tell you if companies like MS [MS Carriers] and all those other non-union companies would pay a living wage there would be no so-called driver shortage. - Terry Behm

Split the difference The carriers are maintaining the same profit margin on the loads pulled by the owner-operators as they were before the fuel price increases. There's no reason the carrier shouldn't split the increased costs with the o/o until the rates can be adjusted to compensate for the price increase. The o/o would then be able to continue making ends meet and the carrier would still make a good profit, though the margin would be a little less, temporarily. It would seem this would be good business for the carrier in the long run. Maybe I'm missing something, but the company I lease to is making adjustments over and above the 2-3 cents/mi. surcharge in order to keep my truck and myself running. - CesareDH (via e-mail)

"No one has the map to where the Internet is going. We're all making it up as we go along; those of us in the business, and the users." - Mark Walsh, president & CEO, VerticalNet Inc., addressing the Truckload Carriers Assn.

Sticky issue I truly enjoy reading Fleet Owner. I find a wealth of information between the covers, and greet each issue with a smile, knowing that when I finish reading it, I'll be a better informed fleet manager... BUT! When Paccar comes to you with those stick-ins [what publishers call "inserts"] like the one of the pretty yellow KW T2000 in this month's issue, could you please either put in a heavier page to glue it to, or use less glue? You don't use very much glue to start with, but I have yet to devise a method of removing the ad (I have several of that type as posters in my office) without almost destroying the page to which it's glued. Perhaps that page could come from a heavier stock?

I've tried to come up with something else to complain about, but you and your fine staff don't leave much else for me to key in on. Keep up the good work. - Phil Wiley, RCN Boston

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