News, Interviews, and Happenings From The Trucking World
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Carriers muster to pick up Celadon drivers, employees 12/11/2019
Will Amazon's pay-per-day plan influence the industry? 11/27/2019
Freight volume and rates downturn turns into a 'bloodbath' 11/25/2019
Friday Short Haul - Independent contractors getting booted out of CA, winter weather resources, ransomware attack 11/22/2019
Knowing when to say goodbye to an unprofitable shipper 11/20/2019
Schneider donates trucks; Congress considers women-driver-friendly bill 11/18/2019
Friday Short Haul - CTA files lawsuit against California, Highway Hero nominations sought, video of "Move Over" crash 11/15/2019
Tesla announces new electric Semi model 11/13/2019
Not everyone happy with potential FMCSA clearinghouse delay 11/11/2019
Friday Short Haul - AI taking driving jobs, CRV scam, Truckers protest AB-5, ELDs quit working 11/8/2019
Investigators cracking down on truck accident fraudulent lawsuits 11/6/2019
So you want to start your own trucking company? 11/4/2019
Friday Short Haul - FMCSA emergency exemptions, snow plows, FedEx employee bribery charges 11/1/2019
Human smuggling via big rigs on the increase 10/30/2019
Carriers, drivers look at ways to deal with California's AB-5 10/28/2019
Friday Short Haul - Millennials and trucking, Truckers Christmas Group, Navistar settlement 10/25/2019
Too many drivers still don't know to "Move Over" 10/23/2019
Are trucker strikes a thing of the past? 10/21/2019
Friday Short Haul - Passenger car drivers, spotted lanternfly, women drivers 10/18/2019
OOIDA makes final push for better HOS rules 10/16/2019
Car-truck crash fatalities continue to increase 10/14/2019
Friday Short Haul - Amazon's fleet of day cabs, legislator's disclosure, WTA petition 10/11/2019
ATA chief takes on truck-accident lawyers 10/9/2019
Lonely on the road? Get a furry friend 10/7/2019
Friday Short Haul - Lab-grown meat, fraudulent freight brokering, FMCSA HOS committee, FMCSA Clearinghouse 10/4/2019
UPS takes giant leap in its drone delivery program 10/2/2019
Female drivers are safer bet for trucking companies 9/30/2019
Friday Short Haul - Embark gets financing, FMCSA announces safety grants, Covenant exits Mexico routes, and trucking statistics 9/27/2019
Emissions standards battle heats up between the EPA and California 9/25/2019
Smog checks in the future for California truck drivers 9/23/2019
Friday Short Haul - Volvo Dynamic Steering, Meals for 18 Wheels, speeding crackdown, OOIDA opposes legislation 9/20/2019
Telematics could be insurance-premium-saving boon for fleets 9/18/2019
54 percent of survey respondents still not impressed with telematics technology 9/16/2019
Friday Short Haul - Walmart video, it's churn, not shortage, California's independent contractor bill, hemp drivers plea 9/13/2019
TCA honors three Highway Angels 9/11/2019
Now they're talking about "smart" trailers 9/9/2019
Friday Short Haul - Detention-time comments, truck orders decline, diesel fuel shortage 9/6/2019
Berkeley study says reducing independent truckers can alleviate climate change 9/4/2019
Clearing up concerns about the drug and alcohol clearinghouse 9/2/2019
Friday Short Haul - Hurricane Dorian, Speed limiter bill, Thank a Driver campaign 8/30/2019
Georgia jury awards $280 million for truck-driver-caused multi-fatality 8/28/2019
Friday Short Haul - New eCascadias, Top cities for truck driver jobs, Push against driverless trucks 8/23/2019
Decision on California drivers' employee/contractor status coming down to the wire 8/21/2019
UPS jumps on autonomous bandwagon with TuSimple investment 8/19/2019
FMCSA publishes proposed HOS rule changes 8/16/2019
Fleets, drivers coming to like automated manual transmissions 8/14/2019
CVSA asks for new truck crash study 8/12/2019
Friday Short Haul - HOS revisions delayed, AEB mandate proposed, Koch sued for sex discrimination 8/9/2019
Kodiak Robotics takes lead in autonomous truck industry race 8/7/2019
New York City combats rash of cyclist/truck clashes 8/5/2019
Friday Short Haul - CRST wins lawsuit, OOIDA opposes insurance hike, UPSNav 8/2/2019
Mechanics shortage equals driver shortage in intensity 7/31/2019
DOT announces almost 1$ billion in grants to fix infrastructure 7/29/2019
Friday Short Haul - DOL on sleeper pay, UPS drone delivery, Geowiz ELDs 7/26/2019
FMCSA takes a look at assault, harassment of female and minority drivers 7/24/2019
It's hot out there, what's a trucker to do? Can't idle. 7/22/2019
Friday Short Haul - Utah truck rollovers, aging truckers, lifetime CDL bans 7/19/2019
Truck-mounted LED billboards coming under fire 7/17/2019
Trucker 'drones on' with unique approach to teaching driving skills 7/15/2019
Friday Short Haul - Rhode Island tolls, human smuggling, contractor vs employee status 7/12/2019
ELD mandate deadline looming, many still not compliant 7/10/2019
New "boot" device being deployed to threaten Walmart overnighters 7/8/2019
Friday Short Haul - Prime Inc vs Amazon, mother fights HOS changes, truck drivers appreciation week 7/5/2019
Proper way to fly the American flag on your truck this Fourth of July 7/3/2019
Roundabouts are becoming popular; but are they best for trucks? 7/1/2019
Friday Short Haul - Skills test proposal, driver shortage, hemp sentencing, driverless trucks 6/28/2019
Experts warn of active wildland fire season 6/26/2019
More states signing on to enlist truckers against human trafficking 6/24/2019
Friday Short Haul - Shippers of Choice, insurance rates, wheel spikes, WIT award 6/21/2019
Freight numbers not holding up to 2018's highs 6/19/2019
Truck safety group urges purges of drug abuse drivers 6/17/2019
Friday Short Haul - Self-driving certificate, truck platooning, trade war stacking up cargo 6/14/2019
HOS waiver coming soon for fireworks haulers 6/12/2019
FMCSA takes a further look at detention time 6/10/2019
Friday Short Haul - Autonomous delivery, HOS rules changes, CDL retest 6/7/2019
Roadcheck 2019 in effect this week 6/5/2019
Hemp arrest prompts USDA memo 6/3/2019
Friday Short Haul - Waymo big rigs, Move over sting, Under-21 comments 5/31/2019
Severe weather prompts renewed emergency declaration 5/29/2019
Memorial Day holiday is prime time for cargo thefts 5/25/2019
Friday Short Haul - Hauling hemp, road rage fatality, new rules for autonomous vehicles 5/24/2019
Autonomous trucks on USPS test run 5/22/2019
Future era of cab-less trucks will be the end of HOS rules 5/20/2019
Friday Short Haul - FMCSA under-21 comments, Tesla autonomous car crash, 24,000 drivers sign contract with YRC 5/17/2019
Under-21 interstate drivers getting serious look by FMCSA 5/15/2019
Trucker Buddy program matches drivers with a classroom; everyone wins 5/13/2019
Friday Short Haul - Driver awarded $80 million, ODFL driver wins, loading dock black hole 5/10/2019
Storm breaks out from Rockies, slams into Midwest, South 5/8/2019
Capacity issues have shippers looking at private fleets 5/6/2019
Friday Short Haul - HOS rules, dark skies, Falcon drivers 5/3/2019
'Bug' permits now required for four eastern states 5/1/2019
Simulator use is catching on for schools, carriers 4/29/2019
Friday Short Haul - Thinking electric, Penske opens charging station, border crossing crisis, railroads taking trucking business 4/26/2019
ELDs might not be the panacea that was hoped for 4/24/2019
Truck drivers may soon see "phantoms" driving yard trucks 4/22/2019
Friday Short Haul - Nikola big rigs, WIT welcomes Peterbilt, Oregon crashes, Border crossings 4/19/2019
Carriers claim financial benefit of putting up drivers in hotels 4/17/2019
Uber's IPO application reveals interesting data about its freight brokerage business 4/15/2019
Friday Short Haul - CDL examiner arrested, tolls proposed for trucks, marijuana use on the rise 4/12/2019
Smart Load Board will get carriers the loads they need 4/10/2019
Huge lines and long wait times greet carriers at Mexico border 4/8/2019
Friday Short Haul - Marijuana, ATA campaign, personal conveyance rules 4/5/2019
Over-the-air downloads revolutionize parameter updates 4/3/2019
Don't get scammed by skimmers 4/1/2019
Friday Short Haul -- New Cascadias honored, motorist survey, U.S, Xpress awarded, rest stop parking 3/29/2019
Legislators address underride collisions, propose more underguards for trucks, trailers 3/27/2019
Motorists soon may encounter a different kind of truck convoy 3/25/2019
Friday Short Haul -- Women in Trucking, irate motorist, FMCSA eases HOS, Safe-Cap 3/22/2019
Recent survey shows cost of roadside repairs is rising 3/20/2019
FMCSA announces drug and alcohol clearinghouse website 3/18/2019
Friday Short Haul - Swift settlement, driver shortage myth, TCA Best Fleet award 3/15/2019
The hidden danger of looking but not seeing 3/13/2019
Accident scammers target trucks for financial payout 3/11/2019
Friday Short Haul - Snow on the roof, bypassing toll road, Waze under fire 3/8/2019
Retailers blame driver shortage for price increases 3/6/2019
Drivers' smartphones may be clue to road roughness 3/4/2019
Friday Short Haul -- Freight rates, HOS changes, tonnage reports 3/1/2019
New tax changes hit drivers hard 2/27/2019
FMCSA to implement under-21 interstate driver program for former military 2/25/2019
Friday Short Haul -- Connecticut tolls proposed, hydrogen fuel-cell trucks, cell phone use 2/22/2019
Congress committee looks at state of America's highways 2/20/2019
Number of cargo thefts is down; but dollar value about the same 2/18/2019
Friday Short Haul -- Crossing the border, CA sues FMCSA, Lobbying against larger trucks 2/15/2019
Detention - A problem still in search of a solution 2/13/2019
February Highway Angels honorees named 2/11/2019
Friday Short Haul -- C.R. England announces pay raises, eCommerce impact on trucking, TCA announces best fleets 2/8/2019
Is a guaranteed minimum pay the solution to the driver shortage? 2/6/2019
Long CDL testing wait times cost economy billions of dollars; not helping driver shortage 2/4/2019
Friday Short Haul -- Walmart hiring, Uber Freight App, Speed-limiter Law, America's Road Team 2/1/2019
Cranking -- The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly 1/30/2019
California survives challenge to its low-carbon fuel standards 1/28/2019
Friday Short Haul - Highway robbery ... autonomous trucks ... new trailers 1/25/2019
LithiumHub enters jump-starter market with Jumpbooster JP30 1/23/2019
2019 Looks Good For The Transportation Industry 1/21/2019
Raymond Burt named TMC Trainer of the Month for February 2018 3/28/2018
TMC Transportation Announces Recipient of Prestigious Wheel Master Award 3/7/2018
TMC Transportation Named The Home Depot’s Flatbed Carrier of the Year For Fourth Straight Year 2/28/2018
Pay Raises & New Peterbilts for PAM Drivers 2/26/2018
New DOT Drug Testing Rules Effective Jan 1, 2018 1/11/2018
Amtrak Derailment: Trucks Haul 270,000 Pound Locomotive Engine During Cleanup 12/21/2017
Pepsi Places Largest Order Yet For Tesla Electric Trucks 12/12/2017
Kavin Hallett named Trainer of the Month for October 2017 12/8/2017
Over 100,000 Truck Drivers Likely Have Undiagnosed Sleep Apnea And More Testing Is On The Way 8/10/2017
Drivers Share Their Best Tips, Tricks, And Secrets For Life On The Road 7/18/2017
Drivers Are Losing Money By Taking The Wrong Approach 7/13/2017
Truckers and Guns: What Is and Is Not Legal 7/6/2017
Preparing To Go Solo For The First Time? Experienced Drivers Share Their Best Advice 6/29/2017
The Truck Stop Survival Guide: Advice From Experienced Drivers 6/15/2017
The Worst Cities For Traffic In The U.S. For 2017 6/8/2017
We Ask Drivers How They Would Make The Logbook Rules Better 5/30/2017
Self Driving Trucks Are Not Coming Anytime Soon 5/25/2017
11/30/-0001
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Trucking News
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Drivers Share Their Best Tips, Tricks, And Secrets For Life On The Road
Drivers Share Their Best Tips, Tricks, And Secrets For Life On The Road
When you've been out on the road for a while you learn some tips, tricks, and techniques that make life so much easier. You think to yourself, "Man, if only I had known that all this time! Why didn't someone tell me??"
Well now we're telling you! Here are a bunch of great tips from our experienced drivers that are definitely going to help you out. These came from a forum conversation we're having, and we'd love for you to stop by and add your own tips, tricks, and techniques to the mix for our next article. Here's the link:
When you do a really tight U-turn (technically, your tractor has to be less than 90 degrees to the trailer on the side you're turning toward) , at one point your trailer actually starts to go backward. If you're not careful, you can end up hitting something behind you or swiping something with your trailer overhang.
Pianoman
If one of the tandem pins won't release, try turning the steering wheel and rocking the tractor. This happened once to us, where one pin wouldn't release. My husband tried and tried to no avail and we didn't have anything to hammer it with. I took a really close look at that pin and it seemed to me that it was rubbing tight at the front of the little square hole. I got in the driver's seat, turned the wheels to the left and started rocking the truck in drive ( I'd have used reverse if rubbing at the back of the hole). Maybe it was coincidence, but it worked, and pretty quickly.
Phoenix
Whenever you're going to park for the night or drop a trailer in below freezing temperatures, drag the trailer brakes lightly as you go through the parking lot for a few moments to heat them up enough to evaporate any water that might be sitting on them. That will help prevent the brake shoes from freezing to the drums overnight.
Brett Aquila
- Pour windex over the tires to melt the ice to get better traction
- Lowering the visors will help keep the heat near the windshield in the winter to defrost n defog
- There's a power switch on the floor by drivers seat that shuts off all power to the truck. When my friend got assigned his truck he thought the battery was dead. When mine didn't start I looked for a switch ... eureka!!
- always scale with the brakes released
- I knew a driver who was REALLY nervous going through the toll booth up north that are kinda narrow and don't have the express pass. Take the far right toll booth made for "wide loads". It will be less stressful in the beginning.
Rainy
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If moving the tandems "precisely" is required, I determine the distance from where the are currently set to the hole where I need them to be by walking-off the gap. If it's two lengths of my foot, I mark by placing a coin on the ground, that same distance from the front edge of the cab step under the door, either ahead of or behind it. I'll move the truck either forward or back until the front edge of the step is even with the coin. It always works, the first time. A time saver.
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When dropping an empty in the packed snow/ice; use the differential lock-out (only engage this when fully stopped) so both drives are applying tractive force and override traction control so the wheels will spin. I have "never" gotten stuck using this technique. I know...never say "never".
G-Town
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If you are getting loaded, don't push the chock up against the wheel, leave about half an inch gap. As the trailer gets heavier, the tires squat, and that will pinch the chock in. The only way out is to back up the trailer a bit (but it's already backed up to the dock!!) and kick it out.
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To check any leaf spring for cracks, tap it with a hammer (not a tire thump, but a tap!). A good spring will ring, a broken one will buzz or go "thunk".
Errol
When backing into a dock that is angled downward. Don't hit the brakes hard. I did this once on a steep dock. Shifted 26 pallets of milk, thankfully my load bars held strong so I didn't have 5,000 gallons of milk busted on the trailer floor.
Joseph D
Winter time tip. When you are dealing with light snow don't use your defrosters. Put the heat straight to the floor and crack a window open. Then when you use your wipers the snow doesn't stick to them and they do a better job of helping you see. If it's a really wet or heavy snow it doesn't work tho
Jakebrake
I made a "flag" from a paper clip and some reflective tape. I hang it above the steering wheel so that I can't drive while it's there. I do this when I'm docked and they make me do something that has to be changed before I can roll. Chock the wheels, disconnect the air lines, lower the landing gear, etc. When I see the flag I know there is something that I have to do before I even turn the key.
Rob F
If you do nothing else for a post trip, check your tires. I was spent the night on a flat that could have been ready to roll in the morning. Instead, I was tired and just crawled in the bunk. Saw it in the morning and had to wait a couple hours on the repair.
Rob S
When you are given a king pin lock to put on, don't remove the bag it's in, if it's handed to you in a [plastic] bag; the grease will keep the bag adhered to the lock. That way the person who removes the lock will keep their hands reasonably clean, and it can be returned in the same bag that it came in.
Pete B
Tandem sliding tips: If you can see how far back freight is loaded to, put the center of your tandems at the end of the freight.
Big Scott
Play around with your Jake brakes when you can safely do so. By knowing exactly how much stopping power the Jakes have, you can effectively save your brake lining by using your jakes to slow you down instead of the service brake. Just be careful when going down a steep grade and NEVER use the Jakes in slick conditions.
UnholyChaos
We know you experienced drivers have a ton of these to share so don't be shy! Come to our conversation and adds your in there and we'll publish them in the next article:
Tagged Under:
Advice For New Truck Drivers
First Solo Months On The Road
Hard Lessons Learned
Safe Driving Tips