CTD relief convoys to the Gulf?

[Crunch]

I have no idea how to organize it, but if TDR or others can do it my truck is available to haul trailers of relief supplies down as far as they will let us get. I could probably do two trips per week for the next month. Of course, this is all dependent on the people in charge of disaster relief needing pickups as well as big rig truck for the effort. In their eyes we might just be clogging up the road. If it's feasible, we could even get a competition going with the Ford boys over at the Diesel Flop to see who can transport the most supplies.

 

[PKozlowski]

This is a cool idea but lets not forget the Chevy guys to!

 

[DHayden]

I have a 34' enclosed trailer that can haul some stuff, I'm sure someone is willing to take on the responsability for organizing.

 

[Crunch]

I have a 34' enclosed trailer that can haul some stuff, I'm sure someone is willing to take on the responsability for organizing.

And for the people who live too far away to make the trip, they could relay trailers as far as they can, with someone else taking it the next leg, and then doing the same for the reverse trip. That way drivers wouldn't have to make a 20+ hour drive, missing work and getting fired. U-Haul, once they whined about the Class III hitch thing could even supply trailers, as I know a lot of people wouldn't want their trailers driving across country without them doing the pulling.

This is a cool idea but lets not forget the Chevy guys to!

Chevy makes a diesel??? :-laf



Bring `em on. I'd love to see a convoy of 100+ trucks moving across Texas.

 

[PKozlowski]

Oh that was good! Chevy makes a diesel. . hehehehe



I would like to join this but I will be in Alaska starting tomorrow the 3rd

until the 19th. I will check this thread as soon as I get back to see if

you guys left yet.



Pete

 

[sardoghauler]

Ferry

I'd be willing to run the first leg out of the NW. I could do from here to SF or Salt Lake. One thing to consider is the cost of transportation. It sounds great but would the resource be better used if we took what would be spent on fuel and travel and sent it to someone closer who counld buy bulk supplies and transport from a shorter distance? i don't know but I want to do something besides sending more money.



Craig



Could we transport old but usable campers and TT's for people to live in?

 

[Crunch]

It sounds great but would the resource be better used if we took what would be spent on fuel and travel and sent it to someone closer who counld buy bulk supplies and transport from a shorter distance?

Good idea, but to what extent would you trust others to spend the money wisely, or at least how you would want it spent?

i don't know but I want to do something besides sending more money.

I'm with you on this point. I'll give money through my church, but I don't trust the Red Cross and I would like to do something more "hands on". A few hundred Cajuns with guns patrolling the streets would be a good thing, in my opinion but the powers that be don't like armed people doing jobs that they believe should be left to the "professionals". If I could fly a chopper I'd be willing to do that, but again, I'm not sure they would want private citizens making them look bad.

Could we transport old but usable campers and TT's for people to live in?

Good idea. I'd be willing to haul anything up to my maximum weight limit, and would be willing to run trailers back and forth if a relay/water bucket system turns out to be the way to go.

 

[sardoghauler]

follow this thread - move to Katrina forum?

I really think Crunch is on to something here. the goal is to do the best to make sure the greatest percentage of resources we can muster ACTUALLY REACHES THE PEOPLE who need it most. People need to take the opposite approach of the federal agencies and think about EFFICIENCY.



Crunch, it there an agency near you that you trust and that we could work through? Right now I think $$ and basic survival suppies are probably most needed but I'm no expert. Fresh foods and water with appropriate distributiion. I really worry about the outlying communities getting overlooked. Everyone is going to focus on the big cities where there is news coverage. Could the TDR "adopt" a small town and focus our effort there?



1. Food and water now

2. Clean up crews and supplies when it's safe and basic needs are addressed

3. Longer term help of reconstrution assistance, building materials, and employment



Any thoughts,... . Lets try to develop a plan and focus our effort!!!!!!!!!

 

[Crunch]

Crunch, it there an agency near you that you trust and that we could work through? Right now I think $$ and basic survival suppies are probably most needed but I'm no expert. Fresh foods and water with appropriate distributiion. I really worry about the outlying communities getting overlooked. Everyone is going to focus on the big cities where there is news coverage. Could the TDR "adopt" a small town and focus our effort there?

Everything I hear via the local media tells people to donate money to the Red Cross and not send "stuff". I understand that, but people who have made it out of the crisis area are scattered all around the upper Gulf states. We're already seeing a big influx of people into the Fort Worth/Dallas metroplex, including the smaller cities. I think the people that made it here have access to churches and local relief organizations, but those on the borders of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama or are still trying to flee are stuck in the middle. Also, remember from the 9/11 attack that the Red Cross collected huge sums of money and some of it was used to stock up for the next disaster instead of dealing with that crisis. Ultimately, it doesn't matter. If waiting around for big rig trucks to load up a full trailer takes longer than a bunch of heavy duty pickups to load up smaller trailers and get the stuff their than I think that's just as important, and I'm all for doing what I can to get it there.

 

[testraub]

I'm game to assist. Ball hitch only. 2500 HD ready to rock and roll. I'll take point with the amber lights turning and burning if this get set up. BTW if we get enought trucks we could pull New Orleans to higher ground





Let's all pull together to help these folks! 571-238-8056

 

[CharlesKennedy]

I live in San Antonio - perfect short trip... I would be in...

 

[diesel_driver]

I would be interested in lending a hand (truck & trailer). I'll watch this thread for a plan to develope.

 

[cyborg]

Pull a trailer for a day toward the south

we have people that haul travel trailers, maybe we could help move them across the country.

How far could you move one in a day? Kind of like a bucket brigade. Most can't take a week off, but could donate a day pulling.



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9176206/

 

[BStoecker]

Part of the plan FEMA is putting together for short term housing is the use of travel trailers. I am sure they will need to be hauled in from somewhere. I would be willing to assist if at all possible. I can line up a fifth wheel adapter for my B&W or pull a bumper pull...

 

[cyborg]

I'm sure the Ford and GM boards have thought of this.

If we can get someone on an RV board to generate some tow-fodder. The logistics of moving them will be easy, tracking and accounting for them will be hard!!

There is a lot of people to house!! I say the situation is going to get worse before it gets worse, not to mention temp housing for everyone going down to help.

This is only the middle of hurricane season.

 

[KB0OU]

Most of the FEMA trailers are made around Elkhart, INdiana.

I hauled a while back, hauled a lot of FEMA trailers to Houston when they had flooding and to North Carolina when they had flooding.

The trailers are 30 foot long , look like RVs but don't have RV types sewer sysems and refrigerators, more like a small appartment on wheels.

They have some of these in storage at some of the National Guard bases etc.

 

[SHobbs]

Count me in I am on vacation all this week.

 

[Crunch]

It looks like we will have to define drop points that form an arc around the Gulf area. That way drivers can haul within zones and keep their road time to a minimum. Because of people's time constraints, it also looks like the bucket brigade approach is the way to go. In doing that, people will have to get contact numbers and locations for the owners of the trailers, and contact numbers/locations to drop off and pickup trailers. We still have the problem of not knowing how close we can get, but I'm thinking that on the north and west sides of Lousiana we can use Shreveport, Houston and Little Rock (unless there is a city closer to the LA border). It may also be the case that we will be schlepping material to places where they will be load on to semi trucks for the trip into the disaster area. I confess that I have no contacts at FEMA or in the trucking industry, so I don't know how we can coordinate with them. This convoy thing may be a good idea, but 3 guys with a case of beer can come up with good ideas all night long and well into the morning. For it to work, we will need people who have the organizational infrastructure and contacts, or we will just be part of the traffic on the road converging on the edge of the disaster zone. I'm not sure how we can connect that part of the equation with the willing drivers. If anyone has any suggestions, please post them.

 

[sniper351]

I am in the Tennessee Army National Guard and my Military Police unit just went down south somewhere, I haven't been able to get ahold of anyone yet to find out what they know and where they are. If I can do this, I might be able to find out what all we could get in and how close we might be able to do it. I won't pick up my truck until next weekend, but I am willing to help from Middle TN area, I will check with some other local CTD guys as well to see about them. I will keep checking to see what else anyone else has found out and to keep y'all informed.

 

[EBottema]

Count me in as long as i can break some looter skulls.