Salute to the Tasmanian Devil of Third Party Logistics

A Celebration of Life service is being held today in Las Vegas for my old boss, Craig Schneider. He was just 74 years old and only recently retired. I am also now retired and had the very great fortune of spending 10 years working for him starting in 1993. I was working for Ryder Dedicated Logistics in Wisconsin and transferred out to Salt Lake City, UT. Craig was a senior logistics manager there at the time.

That division of Ryder Systems, Inc is a third party logistics provider employing more than 10,000 drivers serving the transportation needs of companies throughout the US. Our major customer in Salt Lake was/is one of the largest independent bottlers of Coca-Cola in the world.

It was a hell of a ride with Craig rapidly being promoted to Director in the company (Ryder). There are only a very few people in the lives of most of us that really make a difference. One of those for me was Craig. Long story, short, he was most responsible for my 25 years spent living and working in Utah. The man taught me so much, and reined me in hard when I needed it. I always appreciated his work ethic and what he taught me about business. A great man that made a huge difference in my life.

Craig was always thinking “outside the box” and throwing out ideas and concepts to customers, colleagues and employees constantly. I remember a customer's high level manager telling me that hearing some of Craig’s ideas would seem so off the wall, but ended up being brilliant. Hence the “Tasmanian devil” and “bull in a China shop” references to him. His leadership style produced amazing results directing a great team that enjoyed working for him throughout the inter-mountain west. Rest in peace Boss!

What follows are some of the online comments I received expressing how respected and appreciated he was from colleagues and former employees:

From BM:

Craig was a hell of a boss and mentor!!!! He stuck up for me when others were trying to take me down. I owe him so much with what I learn in life and management!!! Rest in Peace My Dear Friend!!! Thank you Dan for posting this!!!

From YS:

One hell of a boss for sure. Rest in peace boss man.

From DT:

God Bless him and his family

From MC:

Oh no, what a great loss. One of the greatest guys I ever knew and worked for! RIP Craig!! Thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family!!

From ML:

I am so sorry to hear, he was a great person and boss. RIP

From CW:

He was one of a kind! I learned so much from him in the 15 years I worked with him. He was the kind of boss who believed in his people and brought out the best in them. I was shaped by his leadership and he pushed me to be the best I could be. I will forever be grateful! This world lost a good one.

From NW:

With Dan's comment, Craig gave me opportunities that I never dreamed of. Will miss him

From DC:

Sorry to hear

From BK:

Good man, I have a picture of him and me together of him handing me the 1st place truck rodeo trophy. Condolences to his family.

From JD:

Lousy news. He was his own logistics engineer because he could keep the numbers in his head. More importantly he led his team with an all for one and one for all approach that for a long time produced some impressive results.

From DT:

A Good man

From YM:

That's Craig for ya. He used to make me laugh with his stories of different startups. RIP Craig

From JP:

Amen, brother. Only reason I became COO of *****, was Craig. I owe him for taking a chance on me. Speaking of *****, I retired. Will re-engage somewhere, and take some time for rest.

Bottom line (one of Craig’s frequent expressions), he had such an impact on so many lives, he deserves a tribute. I authored a book in 2020 that describes many of our adventures throughout the 1990s, into the early 2000s, My Truck Driving Life, if you’re interested. From us two haoles working a startup in Hawaii to Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, Seattle and throughout the intermountain west, it was a fascinating ride for me, a cheesehead from Wisconsin. I wish I could be there in Las Vegas today, not possible, but this man will live on in my frequent dreams as long as I’m still around. Craig Thomas Schneider, always will be, The Boss!

On this road called life, you have to take the good with the bad, smile with the sad, love what you got, and remember what you had. Always forgive, but never forget, learn from your mistakes, but never forget. People change. Things go wrong. But just remember, the ride goes on. Credit: simplereminders.com

Craig Thomas Schneider Obituary

Aunt Lorraine and her "Safety Sentinel" Speedo

My Aunt Lorraine was one of my favorite aunts, but she was a pretty scary driver.

Growing up in Milwaukee’s inner core, dad was the only driver in our house until after we moved to the northwest side in 1964. I didn’t even ride in a school bus before then so my exposure to riding with other drivers was very limited. Dad was a skillful driver, took pride in driving and he told me once that his long time dream was to drive race cars.

His older sister, Aunt Lorraine was a whole different matter. She was 4 years older than dad and basically raised all the younger siblings after my dad's mom died when he was only 14 years old.

In the early 1960's, I remember riding a few times in her big Oldsmobile. She scared the hell out of me, seeming not to be paying attention to where she was going. She could not hold the throttle steady, always either on the gas pedal or off of it, especially if she was talking, which was most of the time! She had what they called a Safety Sentinel on her dashboard speedometer. It had a little button to adjust the speed setting you wanted, say 65mph. As the indicator approached 65 the indicator bar would turn yellow and then red when you hit that speed and an irritatingly loud buzzer would sound off. So she would be on the gas until the alarm sounded and then off the gas coasting until she realized how slow she was going. Then hit the gas pedal and repeat the cycle again. It drove me nuts as it seemed she wasn't paying attention. I was always so happy to get out of her car.

I later found out that her driving caught the attention of the police as well, being frequently pulled over. She almost always got a break however, talking her way out of a ticket with just a warning to be more careful.

Later in the mid 60's she bought a brand new Checker Marathon car that was specially built by the Checker Cab company. I think it was built in Michigan and they were for sale to the general public. It had a Chevrolet motor and had enormous back seat leg room due to the special configuration. Throughout the years, it seemed she always had a new dent or scratches on her vehicles and she had a couple crashes I remember hearing about as I got older. 

She was fun to be around and always had good stories to tell, but after the first few rides, I always tried to avoid having to go anywhere with her driving. After we moved to the suburb in 1964, mom grew increasingly frustrated being without transportation. She always had a driver license but never drove and dad was against it. In a brilliant move, mom decided to try and get Aunt Lorraine involved to help out. She expressed her frustration and dad’s resistance to his sister and one day she came over to the house. Mom got in Aunt Lorraine’s car and they went out shopping. I came home from school to find a 1962 Plymouth Valiant in the driveway that she bought for $300. Aunt Lorraine stayed until after dad came home from working second shift that night, knowing there was going to be a confrontation.

She kind of raised dad into adulthood and he reluctantly backed down against the both of them. It all worked out though as he found out a second driver in the house relieved him of a lot of running around. It also forced him to finally get car insurance as he always figured he didn’t need it. That would have quickly become an issue for me because I was nearing 16 years old and dreaming of getting a driver license and driving a car! So, very grateful to dear Aunt Lorraine for her help!

Link to My Book - My Truck Driving Life

Truck Drivers: Beware the 1099! - Words of Caution

What follows is a social media conversation I had recently with a truck driver. He was seeking advice about signing up with a trucking company claiming they pay company drivers $100,000 per year (as 1099 income). It sounds great? 100k a year! You can live really well on that, right? But there's a little catch. 1099 statements mean you're being paid as an independent contractor, not an employee. Technically, there's a huge legal distinction between the two and not to be taken lightly.

I lost my patience knowing the guy had already made his mind up. I have not named him for obvious reasons.

HIM: I found a $100,000+ a year job as a company driver., but you are responsible for your own taxes you will be filing a 1099. Inbox me your information.

ME: Probably illegal. Find a reputable company if you're going to be an employee. This one, you'll get screwed.

HIM: how can you get screwed if they 1099 you I never heard of this before explain

ME: OK, John, I'll try. Any good road driver can make over 100k per year with a decent company these days. You said you can make 100k on a 1099. That means you will pay the full Social Security tax, both employer and employee portion,15% total. So you will pay 15k off that 100k knocking you down to 85k just to start. Then, say you want 2 weeks off for vacation. That cuts your gross income another 4k down to 81k. Now, you will need some health care insurance, oh that ain't looking good, figure on another 12k minimum. That knocks you back to 69k. What about some disability insurance in case something bad happens? Another 2k, down to 67k. And you haven't paid a dime yet in federal or state income tax. Now, what about road expenses, like meals, hotels, showers? I could think of more, but, please believe me, you will get screwed. I spent my life in trucking and I've seen so many get taken for a ride. Good luck. 

HIM: but this is standard and get an extra $600-$1000 a week should help with benefit. Correct me if I’m wrong plz

HIM: it’s call good business no one forcing anyone it’s a contract you have a right to hire a lawyer if you don’t understand the contract or you can sign the contract and get a lawyer to try to sue that company. This been around for a long time so I will say good luck with that.

ME: Yep, it's your life, go for it! I was just trying to warn you. And you were asking for advice. I knew I was wasting my time, but I tried. Carry on. Oh, and a couple things, since you'll be self-employed, don't forget to budget for a tax accountant/bookkeeper, minimum, a couple grand for a good one (That was quite a few years back, they're probably a lot more now). And you should put a lawyer on retainer, and those guys ain't cheap. And with that independent contractor status, you may now have some legal liability in case you get in a wreck. Better set up an LLC for that (more ongoing costs). Get a separate business checking account to make it easier as you will have to file business tax returns as well as personal. More fees. DO NOT fall behind in your estimated income tax payments, as the IRS will come crashing down hard on you, I've seen what they can do. BTW, I was a driver for 38 years and also had a sideline income tax prep and bookkeeping service for many years, specializing in trucker service. You will quickly find a big fish (the government) and all sorts of little fish circling and taking chunks out of that 100K. Save this post and let me know how it's going in a couple years. Good luck.

I admit, I was short tempered with this guy, but I've seen it so many times. These trucking companies taking advantage of drivers that have no business experience, and most of them are not legal if a company assigns you equipment, tells you where to go. It is illegal to misclassify an employee as a 1099 independent contractor to avoid paying payroll taxes and benefits. 

If any of the following apply, you are an employee, not an independent Contractor.

• Company drivers: Drivers who use company-provided equipment, follow company-set schedules and routes, and are subject to the company's direction and control.
• Lack of investment: Drivers who do not have substantial capital investment in their own equipment and tools.
• Exclusivity: Drivers who are exclusively tied to one carrier with no ability to perform services for others.
• No control: Drivers who cannot decline loads and must adhere to specific instructions on how to do their job.

I've talked until blue in the face to some drivers that decided to try this, one in particular. He had a wife and young kids and was always near the top in earnings for us as he would do anything, take extra runs, work 6 days a week to make money. He didn't have an earning problem, he had a spending problem, if he had cash, he had a need to spend it. After a while, a small trucking company owner got in his ear, preaching that he could make $2 per mile working for him. "Just buy a used tractor and come to work for me". I couldn't talk him out of it, all he heard was $2 per mile and he was going. He eventually asked me to do his books and tax returns for him. He was in deep, so deep, it ruined his life. He ran hard for this guy, was never home. I talked to him once while he was on the road. He was running in 95 degree heat, his A/C had quit and he couldn't afford to fix it. He had trouble just paying for basic repairs to keep the truck on the road, let alone fixing the A/C. Finally, he went to the trucking company owner telling him he didn't know how much longer he could hold out. The owner told him, he could solve all his problems with a new tractor that got better fuel mileage! It didn't end well, it ended horribly.

There is not one driver, that I know personally, who successfully switched to be an independent contractor. Every one of them eventually went back to work as an employee, with most deeply in debt and paying off their previous obligations. That's not to say it can't be done, there are exceptions, but "why take the risk"? Many years ago my wife (the one I had at the time) asked me why I didn't buy a truck. That was my answer. Truck drivers have a difficult enough life, why add a whole bunch of stress to it, while working for less than a reputable company would pay?

One driver told me he could write off meal expenses as an independent contractor, while employees couldn't. That is true, the income tax reduction reform in the first Trump term did away with the employee business expense deduction. While away from home overnight employee truckers could deduct $65 per day for meal expenses as an itemized deduction. It is important to consider that this was not a tax credit, but a deduction. And only those expenses that exceeded the first 2% of your adjusted gross income were deductible. And, you also had to itemize deductions to claim it. If you compare this as an employee to your company paying half your social security payment (7.5%) as well as matching contributions that most make into your 401k of several thousands of dollars, paid time off, company contributions to your health care, disability and life insurance plans, it's not even remotely close to meal deduction savings.

Link to My Book - My Truck Driving Life

A Canadian Trucker's Point of View

Karl Krebs is a Canadian trucker who "legally" trucks frequently in the USA:

Karl writes in referance to the link to the article below: "The author discusses the recent decline in the number of Canadians traveling to the United States through the Pembina ND crossing, suggesting that this decrease has been is a form of protest among Canadians. They express frustration over discussions about the potential annexation of Canada, stating could be further from the truth. This liberal-minded media outlet is guilty of falsely spreading fear. I refer ti them as "the false press" or rather than the "fear press."

Anyone who travels to the U.S. as frequently as I do understands the sense of freedom and exhilaration that comes with crossing the 49th parallel. It simply feels better—and is better—to be in the United States whenever possible. Donald Trump is not the issue; rather, we are facing a crisis of leadership in Canada that is prompting many Canadians to seek opportunities elsewhere. It may not be the U.S. right now, especially with the current state of our Canadian dollar, but as someone who spends a significant amount of time in the United States, I can assure you that it remains the best country, bar none. It saddens me to admit that this includes my own experience of living in Canada.

We were once a proud nation, but now we find ourselves feeling defeated. We are under a government that seems indifferent to our ability to thrive and proper in our own country. Currently, Pierre Poilievre is a prominent figure who aspires to be the Prime Minister , but he struggles to figure out how to win an election. This leaves us in a difficult position. I am reminded of the movie "Desperately Seeking Susan"; we are desperately seeking someone to lead this country toward a brighter future. However, I cannot clearly identify who that leader might be, as he has yet to emerge, and the party he would represent does not even exist.

This is just one man's opinion. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below."

The Road Not Taken

"No Name" CDL, Are you kidding me?

Imagine getting a Commercial Driver License from a state Department of Motor Vehicles and not giving your name? No Name. That's right, you can get a CDL in some states without a name on it! 25% of over 500 drivers in a Oklahoma check station 3 day blitz were illegal. No Name CDLs!!! My jaw dropped when I read this. State Patrol and DOT did a 3 day blitz at a check station just east of the Texas border. I never heard the term No Name CDL before. Are you kidding me? I told myself "this is fake bullshit." Then I checked it out, it's all over the Oklahoma news but so far ignored by major news media. This has to end! Get these illiterate steering wheel holders off the road and shut down the damn illegitimate trucking companies now! During my professional driving career, I lived in two states, Wisconsin and Utah. Having to be issued CDLs from each, I wonder what they would have said if I refused to give them my name? As the famous Vince Lombardi once asked "What the hell is going on out there?

Read it here, credit Americanwire News and Viveck Saxena:

Oklahoma partners with ICE, nabs 120 illegals with blank licenses from sanctuary states