This week on the Oakley Podcast, guest host Megan Cummings chats with Chuck Adams, one of our Owner/Operators at Oakley Trucking. During the episode, Chuck shares his experiences of transporting loads to Canada. He highlights the simplicity of border crossings, the necessity of an international phone plan, and the convenience of parking at customer sites. Chuck also appreciates the financial rewards and the beauty of the Thousand Islands region while also discussing the misconceptions and advantages of Canadian routes. Don’t miss this peek into transporting loads into Canada!
Key topics in today’s conversation include:
- Chuck’s background in trucking (1:14)
- The transition to Oakley (2:01)
- Experience as a truck driver and reasons for staying in the industry (3:31)
- Transition to the pneumatic division (8:29)
- First load to Canada and experiences at the border (10:43)
- Running loads to Canada and preferences for crossing points (12:57)
- Logistics of running loads to Canada (17:04)
- The border crossing experience (21:27)
- The benefits of crossing the border with Oakley (24:00)
- Importance of communication (25:25)
- Technology and border crossing (29:14)
- Misconceptions about Canada trips (31:35)
- Benefits of Canada trips (36:36)
- Final thoughts and takeaways (39:03)
Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruce oakley.com.
Transcription
Chuck Adams 00:13
Why would you not have a legitimate reason other than the fact you just don’t want to go? It’s money, good money, easy money, the border crossings and nothing. The people in Canada are just as nice as they are here. They’re just people looking for good people. The only thing that I could figure out if you didn’t want to come to Canada is just to limit yourself from the East Coast part of the world. Outside of that, I don’t see why you wouldn’t go. If you’re gonna go to the east coast. Why not just go a little bit further.
Jeremy Kellett 00:47
Welcome to the Oakley podcast, trucking, business, and family. This show is brought to you by Oakley Trucking, headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The purpose of this podcast is to communicate with Oakley owner-operators and their families by giving them up-to-date information concerning Oakley Trucking and the trucking industry. From business advice to safety updates to success stories. Also to give an inside to outside truck drivers that might be interested in joining the Oakley family.
Megan Cummings 01:14
Hey everybody, welcome back to Oakley podcast. I am Jeremy Kellett and I’m your host for this episode. Just kidding. I’m the guest host. Jeremy is out of the office this week. And this week we have Mr. Chuck Adams, joining us international superstar longtime partner and friend, old pal bosom buddy. Chuck. Happy to have you here.
Chuck Adams 01:37
Thank you.
Megan Cummings 01:38
Well, it’s a podcast about Tom.
Chuck Adams 01:42
I’m a busy man.
Megan Cummings 01:43
Oh, I know we had to go through about three publicists before we got you in? Wow. Yeah. paid an insane amount of money so I don’t know how much of that you’re going to see. But I had to
Chuck Adams 01:52
close information anyway.
Megan Cummings 01:54
We’re happy to have you. Okay, so give us a lowdown on Mr. Adams, who I am and what I like. Absolutely. Let’s start from the get go. Back in 1930. I’m just kidding. I’m just kidding.
Chuck Adams 02:12
There was a depression in 1930 as I recall. My name’s Chuck Adams. I’m a married man of 39 years. I have just had an anniversary today and you just had an anniversary relationship. April the 20th. I have two grown sons, Cody and Jed one lives here in Little Rock one lives in Missouri. I have six grandbabies. Four of them are girls, so I am well entertained lately. And I have been an owner operator since 2018 2018. So
Megan Cummings 02:53
you’ve been here for you just celebrated your five year anniversary. Was Oakley the first time that you became an owner operator? No, I
Chuck Adams 03:03
my first place was landstar for eight months. And then I came here. Okay. So Mazal says my whole time has known Rob. Was with Oakley.
Megan Cummings 03:16
Okay, so you’ve been a driver for longer than that, though. Haven’t you
Chuck Adams 03:21
had a driver since I was 20?
Megan Cummings 03:26
How many years ago was that? I’m just kidding. A long time. Okay, so since you were 20 Did you do anything before that?
Chuck Adams 03:34
I’ve been in the military. Three years in the military, United States Army. Outside of that I’ve tried my hand and a few other things outside of trucking, but for the most part, it’s always been trucking. Yeah. Couldn’t get away for some reason.
Megan Cummings 03:48
You know, I think that’s pretty common with a lot of people. It is as far as we’ve got a lot of veterans that drive trucks. Do you think there’s any kind of a what do you think the mutual factor in that is solid to? Yeah, hard working, dedicated.
Chuck Adams 04:09
Not everybody knew this. They’re really pretty. Driving a truck is easy. Sure. is learning how to drive a truck easy, sure. But it’s to stay in power. The lifestyle is to be gone from your home being gone from your loved ones. Day in and day out for weeks on end. There’s where most people separate; they can’t do it. And with good reason. I mean, think about it. Who wants to be away from their loved ones weaker toe to toe sometime longer? Yeah, most people don’t.
Megan Cummings 04:42
You try to get home how often you say every two weeks every two weeks? And you do you get home often enough to go on lavish cruises with your lovely bride
Chuck Adams 04:53
only because Oakley treats me so well. Oh
Megan Cummings 04:56
my goodness. That’s such a chore to go on a cruise, isn’t it? You know
Chuck Adams 04:59
It’s either spend the money on cruises or spend it on taxes. Because I do so well here. Oakley. Yeah, I just spend it on cruises. It would
Megan Cummings 05:10
just be a crime not to go. But that’s kind of my thing. Yeah, absolutely. It’s
Chuck Adams 05:14
It is cruising or grandkid. That’s where I spend my money. Yeah, those are,
Megan Cummings 05:17
you gotta keep your priorities straight. First of all, Okay, so you said you were at landstar? Before? So were you recruited by another driver? Did you just get a call? Did you see a trailer on
Chuck Adams 05:30
the road? No, it’s just, you know, been in trucking. As long as I was just seeing landstar everywhere. And I knew landstar was for owner operators only. So I just kind of gravitated that away. On my own.
Megan Cummings 05:43
Yeah. How’d you come to Oakley, a
Chuck Adams 05:46
friend of mine that worked over at Walmart. Aaron Searcy. I’ll talk to him one day. And he said, I’ll tell him that. I’m not really sure about where I’m at. He said, Man, you need to go check out Oakley. And he gave me Ken’s name and number. And I thought all right. So I gave him a call. And it took about a month for them to, you know, get it to where I understood what he was trying to say. Because what he was saying wasn’t computing in my head as far as the numbers go. But once it was computed, I was here in one week. Really? Yeah. So you?
Megan Cummings 06:36
Do you find that everything that he said to you mostly rings true? Everything
Chuck Adams 06:40
really wasn’t one thing? Oh, really? Matter of fact. It was just a little better.
Megan Cummings 06:46
Really? Yep. We don’t like to give Ken too much credit on the podcast, because we don’t want him to get a big, big head.
Chuck Adams 06:53
He’s a man. Yeah. But that’s what we do. Well,
Megan Cummings 06:57
we’re very happy to have you. I’m glad that it always makes me happy when people you know, because it’s really easy to say, Oh, it’s so great over here. The money that you make is just insane. We’ve got a lot of good work. And whenever you’ve got people that come in and say, I’ve seen it firsthand, it’s even better than I was imagining, or I was described. You know, I think that says a lot about the company. And literally you work with,
Chuck Adams 07:22
Let me just elaborate on that just a little bit. I was one day in the shop over there. And I was there. I guess I was trying to schedule a pump for my blower motor to be serviced and the shop was full. And I said, Well, I was coming over here. So if I couldn’t get a service done on my blower, I said do it. Looks like y’all are covered up. There’s a lot of people coming over here to Oakleys she said yeah, I’d like to say that’s it. But mostly either. They’re leaving. And I looked at her and I thought about how in the world Bane. I’ve never made more money. Right here and it’s easy. Let me rephrase it. It’s not easy. It’s hard work. But it’s easy with these people. No words. There’s no push, push. There’s no stress to speak of. It’s easy money. Yeah, that’s what I mean. The work yeah, you’re gonna work. Alright, you’re going to earn it.
Megan Cummings 08:28
And have you always been in pneumatics started
Chuck Adams 08:32
out over here calling hopper. It was fine. Everybody has a preference. It just wasn’t really what I was wanting to do. Nothing against it. But I thought you know what, I’m here. I want to get the biggest bang for my buck. So I can’t put my name in to go to the pneumatic division. And I was only five months in and I thought well, I’m gonna put my name in the hat. I still have a month because I know you have to be here for six months before you can transfer. I put my name in a hat. I forget what day it was but the very next day I get a phone call from the shop and ask them where I’m at. I’m on my way to Texas when you’re gonna be back because maybe tomorrow I said well we need to get you in here and get this pump on there. Well what amino acid I don’t even have my way call it on your traitor you’re where you got to pay money to your blower know what kit No it’s you know where you get to pay money escrow account. I’ll still like a little bit on my escrow account. How much more you like us. I told him it just about paid off. He said close enough. He said you got your down payment. Alright, I’ll get with the who’s who dispatcher. I told him. All right, I’ll have you in here. By the end of the week, not only did I have my pump on, but I was already training. I trained over the weekend, the following week. I’m out there doing it. Best best decision I ever made. Really? Yeah.
Megan Cummings 10:23
Love it. Well, since you, that’s kind of why we brought you in here. As a hopper, you don’t really get to run too many loads to Canada, but you are just an old pro at it. Now. After being in pneumatic. Do you remember the first load that you pulled into Canada?
Chuck Adams 10:42
Yes. A little nervous? Yes. What? Think about it, you’re going into another country, you don’t know what to expect. You don’t know if you got all the paperwork you need. And that’s, and of course, guess what I do, I show up. And I don’t have that paper that’s got the barcode barcode on it.
Megan Cummings 11:04
And I have, I would like the record to show this was before I started
Chuck Adams 11:08
to that fella at the booth. And my passport, like, I got this. And he said, We’re sure and he asked a question. Of course. I didn’t know what the answer was, he said. And there I started freaking out lovesick drivers. I need you to pull over their park and go inside the building. And all of a sudden, like Coach went, Oh, God, here we go.
Megan Cummings 11:37
Yeah, I was bad. knurling candy, make sure you got your bond, your bail money, right.
Chuck Adams 11:44
I was bad. And I’m gonna be on the news. But that was my first encounter. But it worked out well. Because two things number one, you guys got me my paperwork that I needed. And it didn’t take long at all. And while I was in there, I had my passport, my hand I had them actually stamp it. And it’s the only stamp I’ve got in that whole book. Yeah. Because right there at that moment. Really? That’s it?
Megan Cummings 12:11
Somebody was telling me that they don’t stamp when you cross over? I guess it’s just because you’re in a commercial vehicle.
Chuck Adams 12:16
I have no idea. They just don’t. They don’t stamp it when you go on a cruise. No, no, really? Oh, no, I, I never had them stamp it.
Megan Cummings 12:25
Oh, no one will think thank goodness for Oakley and for the pneumatic division. So you can have a stamp
Chuck Adams 12:29
in your passport. Yes, I got a stamp in my past. Absolutely. Just one.
Megan Cummings 12:33
So now you’re running? What do you think? How many loads to Canada? Would you say? Which I know all depends on your lovely dispatcher. But on average, what do you think you say, every year? Like upwards of once your class a mile? Yeah, I’d say at least depending on the loads that we have. Well, I would say
Chuck Adams 12:53
2024 a year. Yeah. And not only dogs over the West to the eastern part. Two Montreal. I go to the western side, too.
Megan Cummings 13:04
Yeah, there’s not too many of those that we do. But we do them occasionally. Is there a side that you prefer? The western side? Really? Yeah, I’ve heard it’s a little barren.
Chuck Adams 13:14
Which is perfect. speed limiter. Yeah. And it’s, of course, more miles. Everybody wants more miles. But it’s fewer people. Yeah.
Megan Cummings 13:24
More bear. What is? Okay, so speaking of the speed limit? Is it 65? Or on the eastern side? Is that what it is? Or 62? Some kind of weird number, isn’t it?
Chuck Adams 13:36
It’s 60. To our speed, right. But for them, it’s 100 kilometers on the eastern side. It’s one to 10 on the western side. Okay, which is about 67. Okay. a little wiggle room and your speedometer works great. Because the top numbers are, you know, for us, right. And the bottom was a metric. Yeah. So we know exactly. Well past you going Oh, absolutely.
Megan Cummings 14:04
I’ve got a lot of guys that haven’t that will have never gone. They get dispatched and they ask about governor’s on their trucks. Have you ever had a situation where you’ve been stopped in Canada and they’ve checked something like that
Chuck Adams 14:18
haven’t even been inspected in Canada at the border where they go through your whole truck? That was never even brought
Megan Cummings 14:25
up? Your fault? No, I have an answer to their question. Thanks.
Chuck Adams 14:29
Do you know the issues?
Megan Cummings 14:30
Is there any kind of extra incentive when you get dispatched to go into Canada? Sure. Next $150 That just for going in?
Chuck Adams 14:40
I think so. Yeah. Going in. Yeah, it’s harder for dollars. And of course they pay all the toes so you have a toll we had to pay coming out. You pay a toll going in and out but it’s usually off your pre pass so you don’t have to fool with that but 5050 that they’ll charge Do the 1425 for crossing back into America and some guys will charge you some guys won’t. I don’t understand how their mood depends on their mood. I think they just don’t want to fool with it, whatever. But I’ll use my credit card right there handy just in case you know you talk
Megan Cummings 15:19
about moody. I thought I was bad.
Chuck Adams 15:21
Oh no, these border guys are just my Oh absolutely. They’re really worse than truck drivers. I just stay man. Yeah, I mean,
Megan Cummings 15:28
I always tell people to just keep a positive attitude, you know? Polite Yes. Don’t
Chuck Adams 15:35
engage in conversation. They asked him a question. You give them the quickest, shortest possible answer, nothing like us. No, no southern people unfortunate don’t do the Megane Chuckster we don’t do that.
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Megan Cummings 16:38
Say your dispatcher sends you a load to valley well not Valleyfield will say you’re getting loaded in Georgia at BASF. And you’re delivering in Ontario. Okay, so step by step for guys that have never ran a load to Canada, maybe breezy, a new guy that’s thinking about getting his passport after my orientation presentation, of course,
Chuck Adams 17:03
super easy. And you do make it, you do make the job even that much easier. Because it’s on your phone. It’s an app, once you get loaded. Your paperwork is in your hand. You scan it all through the app. So you know right there from your truck. Once you scan it, what do I do? I wait for a few moments. And I will give you a call. Hey, do you get my paperwork? Yep. Looking at it right now. Although everybody looks good. Yep. All looks good. All right. And then you asked me, Where are you going? And I’ll tell you. Okay,
Megan Cummings 17:38
Here’s a question. Let me interject for a moment. So I always ask you guys, where you’re looking across, and I know that sometimes the miles play a part. Do you guys ever have any conversation between your dispatchers? This is where I want you to cross over at or this is what makes the most sense
Chuck Adams 17:55
every once in a while. Okay, two scenarios that I know. Number one, let’s say you are unloading in, let’s say Michigan, and he wants to send you to Valleyfield. Okay, there’s two ways you can do it. The shortest way, of course, is cut straight across, where you got about 400 miles once you cross into Canada, they’re just north of Detroit. You have about 400 miles of Canada to get over to where you’ve got to load and Valleyfield or you can run the bottom across 90 And come up on 81 2000 Island. But a few more miles but the difference is you’re running in America or you’re running in Canada and foreign miles in Canada is you know especially if you don’t tarp all night, you’re going to be stuck buying some of the Canada for you. Yeah, and it’s a little more expensive. I think it’s like I don’t reach dollar 25 A leader and of course it’s 3.8 something liters to excellent gallon, so it’s higher your fuel and candidate so that’s one thing you take into factor num number two factor well, you either got to bring your food with you, or you got to buy it in Canada. And of course you know what you can pay for it. There are two ways you can credit card of course, or you can pay cash, but then when you get your change, they give you back Canada money. Well, unless you’re gonna spin that in Canada once you get in America that money’s worthless. Yeah. Nothing against Canada, but our money’s different, right. So that plays into a factor. But a lot of it and you know, depending on what you want to do, there’s how quick you need to be in rally appeal. Right. And if you need to be there pretty quick. Well, guess what? You get to go to Toronto. Yeah. And that’s another factor: Toronto was a big city. The Big City has lots of people.
Megan Cummings 20:01
I hear lots of stuff about that. 401
Chuck Adams 20:05
Toronto is a man.
Megan Cummings 20:09
What would you compare it to? For those that have never been to Toronto? Yeah.
Chuck Adams 20:15
Probably like going from one side of Dallas, Texas, to the other side of Fort Worth. That whole thing. Wow. And go through the center and go until about 635. I’m gonna go to the center of Dallas and Fort Worth. That’s what it’s like north of Toronto.
Megan Cummings 20:37
You see a lot of trucks from the United States up there. Not
Chuck Adams 20:41
a lot, but they’re there.
Megan Cummings 20:43
I saw a trailer with plates from Ontario the other day here.
Chuck Adams 20:48
Sure nerve. Well, I
Megan Cummings 20:50
mean, somewhere in Arkansas, but that was pretty cool. Okay, so got your manifest ready. Got your bar code? Know where I’m cross? Yep. Gotcha paperwork writing. I know, there’s always anecdotal evidence where it might not take just an hour or two every time to get you cleared. But I’d say we do pretty good about keeping you guys moving. Yeah. Every once in a while there’s a couple situations with paperwork or,
Chuck Adams 21:21
or a guy working at the border that doesn’t know what he does. That’s happened. Yeah.
Megan Cummings 21:27
And there’s occasionally issues. And it’s aggravating because that’s the border is kind of the end all be all. You know, who am I just measly? Little old
Chuck Adams 21:38
Hopefully you don’t want to be stuck in order for no reason. Now, zero, but
Megan Cummings 21:42
I mean, sometimes it’s just you grin and cease? Oh, yeah.
Chuck Adams 21:49
Well, going into Canada has never, we only had that one issue where I got there. And the guy at the booth, brand new, really didn’t know what he was doing looking at the computer, and, like, told me to pull over and go inside and they’ll try to iron it out. And that’s when I called you. I was pretty recently. Yeah. And you were like, Man, I don’t know what’s going on. Everything is good. I’m just telling what they’re telling me. So we waited a little bit. You said no, go in there and just ask him for clarity. And so when they lay on the charm? Yeah, so I did. And I put the Burt Reynolds charm on him. I went in there. And I mean, I no longer asked. I no longer told them who I was. And they said, Yeah, you’re good. Yeah. And I walk right out. I mean, it was nothing. But other than that, the only time that we had any kind of issues is coming out sometimes. That should be loaded. Valleyfield there’s a little what they call an in route, rest area type deal. They call it in route. It’s about six, seven miles from the border. You just pull over to stop right there. I call you. Hey, are we clear yet? Not yet. So you can drink Soda or whatever. My
Megan Cummings 23:03
at least two favorite words to say? Right? Yeah, no, hold tight. Yeah.
Chuck Adams 23:08
Yeah, but within just a little while you give them a phone call. How you were cleared. Yeah. And there’s always a good
Megan Cummings 23:15
I prefer telling you guys that the full rules are on your way. Yeah,
Chuck Adams 23:19
I locked it out that way. Whenever we’re at Grace there. And you say, Hey, you’re cleared a good nonstop flight. I don’t have to stop at that wrist. I just keep on rolling.
Megan Cummings 23:32
It’s always a little victory. Whenever I talk, why don’t I even have my paperwork yet? Yeah, all right. Go on.
Chuck Adams 23:43
But it’s pretty seamless. To be honest with that. I know. In the past, I’m sure. I didn’t ever go to Canada back in the day, I guess. But now, it’s seamless. It’s really just in and out. I mean, it’s not even a big issue. Was
Megan Cummings 24:00
Oakley, the first company that you went into Canada with? Sure. Okay, so I hear a lot of stories from some of the drivers that have been doing it for years, near cross border loads that you take your paperwork into the broker? Yeah, do it all yourself. And that’s what I like, to kind of pride Oakley on is all you have to do. That’s what I say in orientation every week. Like all you have to do is scan in your paperwork, talk to me. And that’s it. I mean, pretty much after you transfer your bills in. That’s all it was just making it to the border, making sure we’ve talked to each other.
Chuck Adams 24:36
It’s like showing up at a cruise ship. Once you crow show up and you
Megan Cummings 24:40
go back to that analogy. Your job is done sooner or later
Chuck Adams 24:43
showed up. That’s all you got to do. That’s kind of like border stuff. Once you give it to Megan, your job is over.
Megan Cummings 24:50
Another big thing I like to stress which I normally try to tell people every week and people who haven’t been doing it for long, might not know especially if you didn’t get This field whenever you came in orientation is just giving me a call. If we haven’t had a powwow, if we haven’t talked to each other, and you’re getting kind of close, the biggest thing is just making sure that we’ve talked and I’ve let you know, you’re good to go, you’re good across. That’s whether you’re going into Canada or the states. I mean, it’s very important, because you’ve been there. Have you ever been there before without being cleared? No,
Chuck Adams 25:23
no, I’ve never showed up like I said because I stopped. Just never showed up at the scales, or at the border. Not knowing I was clear,
Megan Cummings 25:35
right. That’s a good habit to get into just to be safe. I mean, you can never guarantee that it’s going to be an absolutely seamless transition or without any duties at the border.
Chuck Adams 25:50
But you know, every once in a while you’ll see guys parked on the side of the road, right before you get to the booth. And you know what they’re doing, they’re not cleared yet. Yeah. And most of them Canada trucks, but they’re sitting there and you know, there’s just on the shoulder and I hate it for him and he had a rest her back to sober
Megan Cummings 26:11
it’s a big deal people you don’t realize that and I know that it’s very easy to I know you guys have a lot of stuff to do. And the last thing that you think about is paperwork, but when you’re taking these loads across I mean they can threaten you with fines and you have to get your any kind of hiccup in that process just results in delaying the delivery. I mean, you’re held up at the border and an extra excuse for them to be mean to you which really breaks my heart that I know nobody’s mean to the people that I work with. Not on my watch. Always threatened to drive my although I have to roll out to the border to defend you guys but I haven’t had to yet so your
Chuck Adams 26:52
little lip up all I gotta do is point this sign on the side of my truck. What does the sign say? Check it says oh, you need to tighten yourself up.
Megan Cummings 27:04
But just avoiding any kind of delays at the border you know results in a smoother trip for everybody. You can get fined for that stuff. I mean, Oakley can get ticketed for it. You know it can result in a ding against I think adding against our CSA.
Chuck Adams 27:24
We don’t want that. No, we don’t have any problem with our CSA CSA. Yeah. Very important to hear Oakley yes. To the drivers especially because it’s money in your pocket. Absolutely. So I’m a believer in a CSA checking all
Megan Cummings 27:38
your boxes. Yeah, just making sure you’re fully prepared.
Jeremy Kellett 27:43
Oakley Trucking is a 100% Owner Operator company. We specialize in Hopper, bottom and dump and pneumatic drivers. We provide the trailer free of charge and you provide the truck. We have a large customer base that reaches the whole United States as well as parts of Canada. Our owner operators live anywhere from Texas to North Carolina to Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and everywhere in between and we get them home weekends. We take it seriously when you join Oakley trucking because we need you to be successful. Oakley offers great benefits and competitive mileage pay so you know that when your wheels are turning, you’re generating money no matter if you’re loaded or empty. We understand that you want to make a good living and that you make our living. We only take on independent contractors and to be honest with you we are very particular on who we lease on. You must have a good driving record, good work history, and a clean, dependable truck. So if you’re interested in Oakley trucking or just want some more information, you can go to Oakley trucking.com Listen to our weekly podcast the Oakley podcast and subscribe to our YouTube channel
Megan Cummings 28:43
I know that you love going to Canada obviously you’re just a natural at it I don’t know why you haven’t been doing this your whole life
Chuck Adams 28:51
you know that’s a question I ask myself all
Megan Cummings 28:55
There are many things that you just maybe not despise, but you don’t look forward to as much other than Okay, so we’ve covered the fuel, the food, the exchange rate stuff like that. Just anything at all? Not really.
Chuck Adams 29:15
I mean there for a while until I figured it out my phone you know when we was was on a different system we didn’t have our phones is hard, you know or when our logbooks night we had omnitrax Yeah, but there was times we’re not going to Canada my phone would work because different country got you know, and I got was at&t after a while and found out that I could have an international plan for a little bit of nothing. My phone works fine now over there. And the reason why that was so important to me is because I didn’t know where their truckstops ran. I didn’t know where their places and stuff where he had some money. I was like running in the blind. But whenever I discovered I could use my phone from a truckers path and all that stuff, all my apps would work. That’s no different than being in America. For me,
Megan Cummings 30:13
That’s a big thing. You know, because we’ve got drivers that crossover that will go up there and they won’t have any service. And they’re like, well, and I know that it obviously depends on where you’re going. And other western sides are a little different than the eastern side. But the key is just making sure you’ve got International, which I know it saves money on, it’s gonna save money on your bill.
Chuck Adams 30:38
And it’s not much at all, I can’t remember exactly what extra $10 a month is, it’s not enough to worry about, right? And you know, when you can use your apps that you need. And you know, when you’re sitting in your downtime, you can watch the Stock Show or, you know, Netflix, whatever. To me, there’s no difference between running in Canada and America. Core speed limit, of course, is a little slower than we are. But because I don’t run fast anyway, 62 miles an hour on the East Coast is really not that big of an issue for me. Right. So
Megan Cummings 31:22
what about misconceptions about going to, you know, for the naysayers in Canada is not for me, just, I’ve got a passport, but I don’t want to do that.
Chuck Adams 31:35
The other thing that I could see is a lot of people wouldn’t want to go with number one, it’s just a different country. They it’s the unknown. And of course, cold weather. Yeah, nobody likes cold weather. So
Megan Cummings 31:49
cold up there. Right. It’s,
Chuck Adams 31:51
It’s pleasant. During the day at nighttime it is a little nippy. I mean,
Megan Cummings 31:59
I try not to mention how the weather is here until after I hear from you guys. Yeah. And then if it’s really nice outside, I’ll fib a little bit and say it’s been rainy and cold.
Chuck Adams 32:08
But one of the good things speaking of that, and these drivers will really want to know about this. Like the place we go in Valley field or graze, I got truck parking. So when you get there, you know you’re gonna have a parking spot. And it’s not a truckstop. So it’s not a lot of noise. It’s just you, and maybe a couple of more Oakley years, but it’s nice and quiet. It’s in a good area safe. So when you get there, you know, you’re gonna have places to lay down. And no matter how long it takes to process getting in there, getting loaded. And when you’re waiting for your paperwork, you got a place to sleep that evening, let’s say you get there at three o’clock in the afternoon, they load you, or what time they load you. You’re not gonna get your paperwork till next morning. But let’s not ever sweat, you know, because you got a great place to camp out. That means a whole lot to the drivers that are listening to this. And we saw you going down to Curtis Bay, they’re in Baltimore. You know the word Baltimore is going to put a lot of guys in a tizzy because Oh, northeast, nobody likes northeast and which is you know, goes without saying. But even as that is at Grace industry, where we unload, go into Curtis Bay. Even there, they have ample parking. So if you get there late at night, it’s not a problem. Or you get there, you know, in the mornings, and you need to place a chill out for a limit. You got a place to park. It’s a great place to go. Scott
Megan Cummings 33:57
to be helpful because we do not Yeah, there’s loads for
Chuck Adams 34:02
him. And here’s why it’s so important because in the northeast, there’s a lot of people and a lot of truck traffic. So parking, especially out east, is a huge issue. So when you talk about parking at the customers that gets a driver’s attention, well wait a minute, that makes life a little easier. It does. It helps you as a driver out on the road. That some stress you don’t have to worry about right? Because you know when you go to these places, you’re good
Megan Cummings 34:31
place to park, place to sleep, places to watch movie, and
Chuck Adams 34:36
even in Okay, some people say Oh, yep, that’s Baltimore or dangerous as that may be or not be I don’t know. But I do know this at Gray’s where we go to the customers that Oakley sent me two good places safe. You don’t have to worry about any of the riffraff right, which is wonderful.
Megan Cummings 34:59
You trying to gain I don’t know if you’ve met or while I’m sure you’ve met the guy that has paperwork and valley field but you know a familiar face. You know, they know you. Do you find that the when you’re a regular they take care of you or they see the Oakley truck and they Oh, well, you know,
Chuck Adams 35:17
I’ve been to, to, to value fields. Enough time now the guy’s car checks where you can call it where you check him. Hey, how are you doing? iPhone, Chuck, how are you doing? Oh,
Megan Cummings 35:31
you got to work on your French. We mean they’ve had bathrooms that way.
Chuck Adams 35:40
Every day, I do my best to try to not mess up English, much less even try to tackle another. You know, because I’ve tried to learn Spanish. Oh, yeah. Totally screw that up. Well, you’ve
Megan Cummings 35:58
made it this long in Canada without knowing French. So I think you’re probably good to go. Alright, my last question for you is for these new drivers that lease on, like I was saying earlier, and they just swear up and down that they’ll never cross the border. They don’t want to go to Canada. say they’ve got a passport, all the hard work is done. And they’re in them for a tank. So they’re in a fleet where they have every right or not every right to have every chance to get dispatched into Canada. They just absolutely refuse to say what you would say to them?
Chuck Adams 36:36
Why would you not have a legitimate reason other than the fact you just don’t want to go? It’s money, good money, easy money. The border crossings and nothing. The people in Canada are just as nice as they are here. Yeah, they’re just people like we are good people. I don’t think the only thing that I can figure out if you don’t want to go to Calgary Canada is just to limit yourself from the East Coast. Part of the world. Outside of that, I don’t see why you wouldn’t go. If you’re gonna go leech COEs, why not just
Megan Cummings 37:16
go a little bit further. Right? Can you get that incentive pay?
Chuck Adams 37:19
Yeah. 80 bucks. 150 bucks is
Megan Cummings 37:23
to me. Yes. I mean, it’s a no brainer
Chuck Adams 37:27
to your portfolio of people that surround you that absolutely
Megan Cummings 37:31
I’m sure there’s a lot of intellectual people in Canada. You know, as many as there are in Arkansas, to
Chuck Adams 37:39
Be said, when you’re talking to other Oakley drivers, Yeah, I was talking to Megan, the other day you don’t want to work as an officer handling pork? I don’t guess I know her. Shame on you. You don’t
Megan Cummings 37:51
hear people say that, do you? Well, I do hope that people will listen to this and reconsider. I think that Oakley does a good job of like you said making the experience seamless. We try to make it if we want your trips to Canada to be where you just after you scan in the paperwork, you just drive the biggest thing on your list. Your only objective is getting across the border safely. Getting to your destination and unloading just like you would in the States. If you were in
Chuck Adams 38:27
Arizona, nothing not only does it make you better, you make good money going to Canada that’s seamless. But the further you go up, the less people there are. So when you think about the East Coast and all the people that live on the East Coast. The further you go up close to that border, the fewer people there are, and the parking is even better and better. Really. Yes.
Megan Cummings 38:54
Well think about all the things that you get to see on your way up there. And of course,
Chuck Adams 38:58
crossing the border there in 1000 Islands. I have been from one end of this country of America to the other end. And that is probably the best, some of the best scenery right there when you cross to know that there is really it’s gorgeous. You know why they call it 1000 Islands?
Megan Cummings 39:19
I figured it was because of the dressing.
Chuck Adams 39:24
Because there are miniature islands everywhere. And they might be just big enough for a house to be on it really. And ain’t just a shack. It’s a house. Beautiful home. Oh, and they got their boat docks right there built in integrated into their house. And it’s just a little island and that’s all its own. There’s no room for a yard. neighbors know that your own little and they’re everywhere. Sounds like a dream. Oh my god, are you just people and wow. Big money down No, no, it’s big money. But yeah, it is beautiful.
Megan Cummings 40:02
I’ll have to, I’ll have to go. I mean, I feel like I could do my job much better.
Chuck Adams 40:07
I would like to take a picture as I’m going over the bridge, but it is totally against the law to have your phone in your hand while you’re driving. So I can’t do that. Yeah, all I can do is take pictures with my eyes and try and describe it. Yeah, I’m trying to do it.
Megan Cummings 40:24
It’s just difficult for you because you’re a man of few words. Yes.
Chuck Adams 40:28
So exactly.
Megan Cummings 40:32
Well, thank you so much for joining us today. I hope you’ve, you’ve changed some minds.
Chuck Adams 40:37
Oh, well,
Megan Cummings 40:38
I’m gonna give you a little insight on how to do it. You’ve done it long enough to where you don’t ever. I’m not just saying this because we’re sitting next to each other. But I remember having any issues out of you. I think you’re very pleasant to work with, you know what you’re doing. Wherever you go up there, you make it very easy on me. That’s one of the things that you guys do too if you do my job.
Chuck Adams 40:57
The reason you don’t have any problem with that is because if you were to go to the Webster Indic dictionary, and look up the word squared away, my picture would be there. All right.
Megan Cummings 41:11
I think that’s about all the time we took up. Chuck, you’ve had a pleasure. You always are. Thank you so much for joining me. It’s
Chuck Adams 41:20
great to be here.
Megan Cummings 41:21
It was nice to have you guys a part of the podcast. Make sure to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel, check out our TikTok and do a great job with our social media, our Facebook page. If you have any questions for the podcast, let us know. Maybe we can get you on. We can answer some questions for you. And we hope you’ll be back next week. Thanks for reading.
Jeremy Kellett 41:42
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Oakley podcast: trucking, business, and family. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to rate or review the show on the podcast platform of your choice and share it with a friend. We love hearing from our audience, so if you’ve got a question, comment, or just want to say hello, head over to our website, theoakleypodcast.com, and click the “leave a comment” button. We’ll get you a response soon and may even share some of the best ones here on the show. We’ll be back with a fresh episode very soon. Thanks for listening.