Y'all are going to have to build some factories in Florida

There's a lot of freight going into Florida but not a whole lot coming out, at least for the type of freight I haul. That means that there are a lot of trucks here competing for what little freight there is. That means that I'm likely going to have to run empty to Atlanta to get a load. I'm just outside of Orlando right now. x(

Y'all do make some nice weather down here, though. I'll give you that.

Lots of election grief here at DU today. We got killed in Ohio. I wish I lived in a solidly blue state, but instead I live in a solidly "We don't know what the fuck we're doing" state. And to top it off, we can't even get the weather right.

I can see how you might go through life down here thinking Republicans ain't so bad. You can't see truth unless you have experienced the wide spectrum of human emotions. You all are just too damn happy, but I don't blame you. You can't develop a good pessimism streak unless you live in a place where it gets cold and snows. That's my theory about Florida.

From where I'm sitting, California is a "we don't know what the fuck we're doing" state.

we didn't do any major "what the fuck were we thinking!?" kind of moves. And after Prop H8, there's not much I would put past our electorate...

We've had a bad couple of seasons where pretty much all 49 other states have gotten to laugh at us, but not this time! :)

The ol' man wouldn't go deeper than Jacksonsville... and he hated that.

I lived in Ft. Lauderdale a spell and was pissed that he only arranged loads once every 2-3 years :)

:hug:

The only reason I came this time is because I got paid really good to do it, so I can absorb the deadhead back up to Atlanta where we have a terminal. Our contract rate to come down here is #1.15 a mile plus a fuel surcharge that bumps it up to $1.45 right now. The terminal manager that co-ordinates most of my freight upped it to $2.15 mile because he couldn't get anyone to come down here. I couldn't resist even knowing what I was getting into.

South Florida, especially the Homestead area, is rich in many varieties of great produce. Not sure how it's transported though. Could be by train. But there's plenty of it for sure. And citrus too, but not for a few more months.

It would be cool if you could haul a load of newly elected republicans out of here though.

I-10 goes right through Tallahassee.

(Our weather gets a little chilly in about 3 days)

I've hauled some onions in a dry van before, but I had to get the trailer slightly modified to do it. A dry van is just a big box on wheels. I have no way to keep the produce from spoiling. You are right in that drivers who haul that kind of freight have better luck in Florida, though.

Lots of mines that produce Phosphates, but large quantities of that product are moved by rail. Lots of Cane Sugar also, but ditto on the rail freight. There used to be a few paper mills in North Central Fl (they may still be, I haven't hauled that sort of thing since the late 1980's), so rolls of newsprint and other paper products might be found, but the rest is produce and OJ. Lots of food grade tanker loads leave Florida, but that doesn't help you much either.

Want to know what is coming into the state right now by the bucket load?

Cars.

Lots and lots of Snowbird cars. And then they leave again in the spring. Hauling "P.O.V.'s (Privately Owned Vehicles) is big business in this state. Of course, it ain't too easy to convert your dry van into a parking lot! And of course, you need an outbound load, not an inbound one.

Best of luck finding a northbound load, if you haven't already.

truck. The hubby just got back from Homestead and who knows how many other places in your used to be fine under Gov. Graham state. He was told a couple weeks ago that it busy season for Flalala now.
He got to drive through miles and miles of sugar cane last week. Called and ask why did we bother to import sugar with the miles and miles of cane down there. I'm waiting until he gets to smell the orange juice plants at full speed. Always smelled like orange cake to me.

And 75 as well.

:hi: