Hello my fellow Cattlemen and Cattlewomen of our industry. Where have we been? Where are we at? Where are we going? Once you can answer these Questions then ask yourself these questions. What have you done, And had to do to get that acomplished? Was it just like you dreamed, And is the  people that Saddle up with you  still here? Have you always made the best with what the Lord gave you to work with that day? Would you be the one of the lucky ones that belongs to that Elite group of people that everday just worked out like it was written in the stars that u are to suceed in life  with no opsticals in your path ? If you are one of those Elite people than  you will not understand nor be able to truthfully answer or understand the Questions being ask or the coments that follow. I'm asking this just so maybe the people that read this will look at themseleves there business  close enough to remember when you started out how esay was it ? How many hard times did it take before people turned on you how many people did everthing like they said. When i think of these thoughts i remember this there was no such thing as a back haul you went where the Cattle was moving when you wanted to do business with someone you went and sat down with them discussed the pros and the cons of the business at hand came to terms and that was the way it was there was'nt a phone call later saying that someone was doing it for this and you need to drop your rate to keep the contract.  when you fell on hard times everybody worked with you to get though it. Beleve me i know about hard times grew up a Mississippi farm boy and been in trucking ever since 1994 i've hauled for the big boy in the businees and the nobodys i've been down on my luck with the wolves knocking at the door.Had a friend introduce me to a young man that a lot of people are down on right now all i know is i have been hauling for him direct for a while now and i say it that way because all the asphalt lawyers would say someyhing about it if i said it how it really started iu was broke and about to lose everything 6 months later i was caught up on all my notes. I came to him broke and now i got money in the bank. he does'nt pay before he gets payed anymore at least not right now, but i know he will bounce back for i have seen him when he did'nt have two Quarters to rub together for coca cola and the next day have ten thousand in the bank. he has always stood besde me in all weathers and i am still here standing beside him. It means alot to me to have that person on the phone to make the calls set up the loads and at 3:30 in the morning broke down in the middle of BFE to get on the phone and get you help on the way get you fixed up.I know we all wish everbody payed right away but they dont and there alot of shippers that get loads from other shippers cut 20 to 30 cents off the top then still charge 10% TO Dispatch you then 2 weeks later when they get your pay they hold on two it 3 more weeks and then send it out week in the mail  then 2 days in your bank finally it's your turn no i'm glad to have the guy that everyone is hating on right now just so i dont have to make all those calls and deal with all that hassel  of the soap oper world that livestock transportation has turned into  ( AND TO MY FRIEND AND DISPATCHER KEEP YOUR HEAD UP THIS IS'NT ANY PLACE WE HAVE'NT BEEN BEFORE AND WILL SEE AGAIN HARD TIMES COME AND GO. AND AS FAR AS I'M CONSERNED KEEP BOOKING THOSE LOADS SCOTT MY TWO TRUCKS THAT HAVE YOUR NAME ON THEM WILL KEEP RIDING WITH YOU SIR GOOD OR BAD TIMES YOU HAVE BEEN THERE FOR ME AND I THANK YOU.)

hey scott its shawn up in us hould still have my number give me a call when u get this thanx.

Count your blessings, cause all the cattlemen aren't like the one you described. Some just don't care about their truckers at all. Like I said count your blessings and stay there if he took care of you.

No SIR THANK YOU JD. YOU KNOW PEOPLE IN THE INDUTRY LIKE YOU ARE HOW GOOD THINGS STAY TOGETHER WHEN IT GETS TUFF YOU SURE RIGHT WE STAND TOGETHER,AND HAVE KEPT GOING THEY DONT MAKE THEM LIKE YOU VARY MUCH ANYMORE. I HAVE MET ONE MORE ALOT LIKE YOU AND I'M THANKFUL FOR HIM AS WELL,