I ate at my favorite truck stop last evening.

[Chase]

You never know, it might be one you stop at every chance you get. Food's great and the service ain't half bad. Sometimes one of the waitresses is worth gawking at.

I looked around the restaurant to get a feel for what other drivers were feeling. Has anybody noticed traffic on the roads is less this year than it was last year? How are the owner/operators doing these days? I don't think there were any of those there last night. Who can afford the luxury of warm food and friendly smiles when our pockets are being emptied out at the pumps?

I'm warmed up and ready to open a microphone and talk about these things but TruckZMod says for me to wait just a little longer. I know somebody's doing something here because now they have an arcade and a casino that they didn't have before. Nice! Now what about that Internet radio podcast stuff? How much longer!?

[Riley]

for a lot of different reasons. First, I'm glad you are going to get this podcast going. Times are tough all around and if things weren't so bad for me, I'd be doing the Internet radio thing. But, I am back at work for a good carrier and making decent money. My heart goes out to the owner/operators because some of my best friends are hurting really bad.

You brought up some interesting stuff. I drive up and down California's Central Valley from as far north as Shasta down to Bakersfield. I prefer Redding to Stockton, but I don't get much of a choice on what routes I can run. I get less of a choice now than I used to on when I can go out too. I have to be ready to roll when I get the call. It is harder to love my job now.

I have noticed traffic on the roads is lighter during the off-traffic hours, and it runs in spurts. Sometimes it's like gas doesn't cost anymore today than it did two or three years ago, others it looks like paying almost $5.00 a gallon is putting a major hurt on everybody. Driving through Stockton neighborhoods is bad and getting worse. It's like running through "Bankruptcy Central" or "Foreclosure Alley". Things just aren't the same anymore, folks.

It's strange seeing what you said in your post and understanding what wasn't said. I've eaten at a couple of stops (I usually grab fast food) and notice what you see. There aren't many of my trucking brothers at the counter eating off the menu. Plenty of four wheel drivers and passengers chowing down, but not the same number of truckers eating in the restaurants as there used to be.

Things ain't good, and they don't seem to be getting better. Guess I'll shutup and just keep on driving as long as they keep paying me for doing it.