Biodude

Maybe they can sponsor some of the BBS's instead, like ***, TGS, and FleetWashAcademy?

I personally am strongly against the BBS. The PWNA best serves its members with action. We have seen that the PWNA has started to do just that with a couple of good shows the past couple of years and the events coming this summer. In addition to the training classes, I feel that the PWNA should help its members in indentifying the challenges of building a successful business, training to meet the challenges of increasing regulations, and providing a strong and clear voice to those that set policies that govern our livelihood. I think we are starting to see just that starting to take place. I do feel however, that the website needs a freshening up and should be updated to give a more professional and more modern appearance.

As usual, Ron knows something. Probably KC or something. That's good. I can't stand people from Chicago. Right Ron? :-)

Bioclean will be in attendance and we are looking forward to meeting both new and old FIEND's as well. ;-) I'll even have a few cool handouts for everyone. Come by and see us!

Are you going this time, Ron?

Sounds like a plan! Let's wait until it gets colder out and then we can go down there and take care of business!!

I wasn't but I am now. This isn't the first time this has happened either. It makes me wonder if any of his photos are his own. Usually it is a sign of a non-creative mind taking shortcuts because they can't think of something on their own that sets their business or website apart. I can understand that verbage will probably be similar from site-to-site (how many ways can you say "We wash trucks!")as long as you can back up what you claim, but stealing someone elses photos makes me think that they can't do the job correctly so they'd rather not take pictures of their crappy job to place on their website. Thanks guys for the heads up! I might have to send one of our New York customers to SC to break his legs! ;-) After all, you don't mess with the family!!

Every two years to renew my health card, along with random drug and alchohol testing at a moments notice like "tuna" said...

Scott, One thing that helped you out in my opinion was your CDL, along with your knowledge of the 'regs'. I'm glad it wasn't more severe!

Mike and I know that people need to take this seriously. You don't need a sign on your vehicle or trailer to then be classified as a commercial vehicle. You still qualify if you meet the FED definition. I just spoke to the DOT officer again today and I mentioned this conversation to him. I said that people in our industry don't get as much attention because we do a lot of our work in the evenings and weekends. He said that the DOT is aware that certain businesses operate during those times and they are stepping up enforcment during those times to catch those that try to get around the law. Not to be forgotten is the fact that we carry HazMat around. Do you carry it in containers larger than 8 gallons? Is it properly labeled? If you carry it in concentrate and dilute it at the job site, is the diluted mixture properly labeled? Do you transport the diluted mixture? Is it still considered HazMat? Can you prove that it is not? DOT compliant testing usually costs $1000+ per chemical to confirm this. Do you carry fuel around? Is it in the proper container? I believe that it may have to be in a container of 6 gallons or less unless you carry a permit for more. There are a lot of things that most guys ignore because the feel that they can claim "they didn't know". That doesn't make the fines any less. Usually that increases them because then the DOT will say "Well, if he didn't know that, what else didn't he know..." and start to dig deeper. Not fun! And if you get fined and didn't fix it, I know for a fact that your equipment is taken out-of-service and you get hauled away in a paddywagon. REALLY not fun!!!

I've been trying to tell you guys this for a year and a half. The federal definition for a commercial vehicle doesn't just mean big trucks. The federal govenment is trying (successfully) to convince states to adopt the federal guidelines for commercial vehicles (vehicles used in commerce). They are nailing all of the pickup/trailer guys like much of yourselves who still think you're off the hook. It's 10,000# COMBINED vehicle weight. That includes nearly all of you that are serious about pressure washing. In Minnesota there has been a big push on this over the past 4 years. They pull over everyone from lawncare, roofers, general contractors, siders, painters, etc. Even guys who were going to sell their snowmobiles at the grassdrags on their snowmobile trailers because it is commerce. You are now subject to health cards, yearly vehicle and trailer inspections, active drivers records, hazmat registration, DOT #'s, possible log books, hours-of-service, etc. The DOT officer I talked to said that all but 2 states have now adopted the fed regulations, and they're soon to follow. It will take some time to train the local DOT officers to look for guys like yourselves, but state and federal government is hungry financially, so don't think it won't happen. At this point Scott, consider yourself lucky. It could have been much worse than $100...;-)

OK, I'm following you now. I agree, the average is a little low, but the low is way too low. Pricing depends on the area, time spent, customers expectations, etc. Basically everything that everyone else has already said.:lgbonk:

Wow, you're washing/cleaning a city tractor for less than $5, sleeper tractors for less than $8, and garbage trucks for less than $6?!?!?! Why bother at all? Let them clean them themselves. It costs me $10 to get my Denali washed at the fully automated drive-thru car wash, and I'm driving it there wasting my time! And people expect you haul water and chems, pay for labor, equipment, insurance, etc.,and still charge less than half of that to wash a greasy, road grime filled tractor while their driver is shopping at Walmart with his family? No thanks!

It was my first time going to the convention and the first time that I had met a number of people, but I have to say that I personally was very impressed how genuine and down-to-earth both Doc and Paul were. I hope they both stay active because those are the type of individuals that an organization needs to function and grow.

Hello Mike, It was nice meeting and talking with you last weekend. As far as we're concerned, the truck washing pricing is too low on the low end ($3-$5), and possibly too low ($2-$5) on the high end depending on circumstances. As you are also aware, all of the expenses associated with truck washing have gone up, some considerably. Just my .02...