On the Road with Henry Albert

Hello everyone,

On Wednesday, I attended the Lancaster, PA Freightliner Dealership – “Grand Reopening Event” They experienced  a fire in the shop that temporarily closed the dealership for a few months.   They did a great job remodeling the dealership. Everything looked new again.  The turn out for the reopening was great. There was lots of food to go around. The BBQ included five  whole pigs, which fed those who attended the event. Representatives from Freightliner, Detroit Diesel, Eaton Transmissions, Autocar Trucks and Cummins Engines were available to answer questions about their products.  

I enjoyed the opportunity to meet  drivers and fleet owners. Many of whom stopped by to see the “Slice Of Trucker Life Cascadia”. It’s still fun watching the expression on drivers faces when they close the door of the Cascadia. Everyone is always amazed at how well this truck seals out noise. The Cascadia is a real game changer with all the creature comforts Freightliner designed into this truck. Most of the day was spent sharing my experiences driving the Cascadia for the last 119,000 miles. I met other fellow Cascadia drivers in attendance. One of them told me he was not happy with his employer for purchasing a Cascadia. He shared with me that since driving the Cascadia, he wouldn’t want to drive anything else!. Drivers had lots of questions regarding the Detroit Diesel DD-15 engine. I explained that the DD-15 doesn’t seem  powerful until you “out pull” other trucks. The DD15 engine is so quiet. Therefore, you don’t really notice it’s full  power until it competes with another truck.  On most engines, you hear the growl of the engine or the  whistle of the turbo that gives the allusion of power. The best way to describe how the DD-15 performs is ”It walks quietly and Carries a big stick”. The DD-15 is able to produce all this power and still sips fuel in an efficient manner. Detroit Diesel’s slogan of ”Demand It All” is more than just a slick slogan, it’s what you can expect from the DD-15 engine.

I would like to thank the staff at Lancaster, PA Freightliner, for inviting me to their reopening . It’s an honor to represent the Cascadia. Thanks to all for a great day! 

I am traveling to Wilmington, Ohio to make an appearance at the Expeditor’s Expo. I will be there on Friday and Saturday. I look forward to participating in the show.  Hope to see you there!

Henry

Hello to all! I enjoyed a nice weekend at home with my family.  On Saturday, my son competed in a Taekwondo tournament. He placed third in ”forms” and “sparring”. He has been taking taekwondo for seven years. Currently, he is a red belt and working toward getting his black belt. As with any martial art, it takes lots of dedication. I am very proud of his accomplishments. 

I just loaded in Charlotte, NC. and will deliver in Bridgeport, NJ. On Wednesday, I am scheduled to make an appearance at the Freightliner dealership in Lancaster, PA.  I hope to see some old friends and would welcome anyone interested to come  out for the event. Lancaster will be hosting their new re-opening. It’s a great opportunity to see the new Cascadia up close. Representatives will be available to answer questions and offer infromation regarding trucks and engines. 

Following my visit to Lancaster, PA, I will be traveling to Wilmington, OH for the annual Expeditor’s Expo. This event takes place on Friday and Saturday and hosts many vendors that cater to the “expedited business”.  I will be making an appearance with the Cascadia. I look forward to meeting some new people, as this is my first time at this show.  

Hope to see you at one of these upcoming events! Be safe…

Henry

I have the opportunity while out on the road, to speak with many different drivers. Too many good drivers have allowed themselves to become victims of our industry. I would like to express my thoughts on this issue. Many drivers want to blame their problems on large carriers, brokers and oil companies. I do not share these views. My experience has been that my biggest competition comes from other small carriers . I don’t try to compete with the large carriers on their playing field. My position is that I find customers whose products require special handling. I also seek out businesses that “care” about what driver takes the shipment. I consider myself a representative of my customer. Large carriers usually don’t go after these type of companies. Once at an economic meeting, I was asked “how do you compete with mega carriers”? I responded by saying, “the question should be,” how do they compete with me”? This comment peaked the audience to listen with interest. I explained how my expenses were much less than a mega carrier. They incur high costs such as, office space, terminals and employees.  Their trucks and equipment don’t last as long as mine. I get better fuel mileage than most. In general, I have less expenses. I am able to give personal service which allows for higher rates. My customers and I have a good working relationship. I then had to admit that large carriers often get discounts on tires, trucks and fuel. However, I said ” they need those discounts in order to compete with me”.

I would like to say to those who feel they are victims that with proper business planning you can be successful.  We live in a great country which still offers freedom to succeed or fail. It’s really a choice. You must plan, work hard and believe in yourself. 

In the trucking business, there are many venues in which to gain knowledge. We have radio, computers, DVD’s, magazines, seminars and even your local library can be of assistance. All of these can help to make your business more profitable.  Spending time reading and learning will go a long way… 

Victory or Victim… the choice is yours. Until next time. Be safe,

Henry

Hello everyone,

I am back to “solo” driving this week. I am heading for Laredo, TX. I was just starting to get used to running as a “team” with my other driver. However, I prefer operating on my own.

Last week was very different in the fact that I shared my truck with a fellow driver. It made me realize how much I take for granted running on my own. I get to listen to whatever radio stations I choose. I can stop whenever or wherever, without waking up a co-driver. I sleep when the truck is not in motion. All of this changes when you consider the needs of someone else. The co-driver who ran with me made everything smooth. We get along well which made for an easy transition for the week. My co-driver currently drives a 2001 Freightliner Century Class. He sure enjoyed the “new” comforts the Cascadia offers. There was plenty of space to accommodate the two of us for the week. Take Care and be safe.

Henry

Hello to all,

This week, I am operating  the Cascadia as a “team” with my other driver. We will be making two trips from Charlotte, NC to Laredo, TX. Our mileage should be approximately 5,900 miles. We are currently in the third day of the journey and I am finally finding it easier to sleep while someone else is driving. It’s still quite new for me to try and sleep while rolling down the road. Fortunately, I am lucky to have an employed driver with whom I have complete trust in his driving abilities.  Sleeping has not been an issue due to the quietness of the Cascadia and the DD15 engine.  

To date, I’m at 42,000 miles since my last oil change. The oil level has dropped only a shade more than a quart. The truck is due for service in 8,000 more miles. It appears as though the DD15 engine will complete the 50,000 mile service interval without any make up oil. I feel this is incredible and am well pleased with these results. Thanks and be safe until next time.

Henry

Hello to all… I have returned home from the Virgin Islands. My family and I enjoyed some fun, rest and relaxation together. It sure was nice to get away. We stayed on the island of St. Thomas and visited the island of St. John. The Caribbean is a beautiful place with its green, lush islands and sea/green – aqua blue waters. We took the opportunity to sail and snorkel at some of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. 

I took a break from driving for the week. We traveled around by ferry boat and taxi. I didn’t feel comfortable driving on the left side of the road.  The roads on the islands are narrow, steep and full of sharp curves. Also, I noticed that nearly every vehicle had damage of some kind, especially on the passanger side. I aksed a boat captain “why does everyone still drive on the left”? He told me that originally years ago in the 50’s, the oxen traveled the roads on the left side. He mentioned that no changes have been made in order to maintain their thriving taxi business. I then learned that there are approximately 30,000 taxi drivers on this small 39 mile island.

I observed the trucks which seemed to always be stuck in traffic. I doubt that these trucks ever get above 45 mph at any given time. The blowing of horns was constant. Most trucks were shipping containers or water. I noticed a truck that said 80,000lb. GVW. on a four axle straight truck. For myself, I would be more comfortable driving in the bronx of NY than the island of St. Thomas. Therefore, we spent lots of money on taxi service and ferrys… which is just the way they intend us tourists to do.

We had a wonderful time and I enjoyed some time off work. Now, it’s back to reality. Today, I will leave Charlotte for Laredo, TX.  I will be running “team” with my other driver this week. I’ll catch up with everyone again soon. Take care and be safe…

Henry