Comments By Ryan B.

Hey guys, thanks a lot for the input. I feel better about this now due to your comments and advice.

I got 713 miles done today and only have 568 to do tomorrow, so I will be able to get there early when traffic is light. Tried to call the customer but so far I only get their machine. Also, this is the first stop of two stops on this assignment. What you guys think will happen makes sense because I only have 5 pallets out of 20 on the truck being offloaded at this customer. The wonderful part is that once again I was blessed to be able to travel on I70 through Indiana on that silky smooth road surface. (What an abomination.)

Getting the valuable responses I did makes me really appreciate the guys and gals on the forum even more. What a great resource for any driver wanting guidance from experienced and highly skilled professionals. When I complete this delivery I will post a report about my experience.

It wrecks my mind why Indiana seems incapable of having a decent road, while it's in great shape in Ohio. I-70 in that stretch on the Indiana side is on my list of top 5 worst for interstates.

Hi! I'm doing some research on truck drivers and how they handle documents. I was wondering, what company do you drive for and how do you handle paper documents like BOLs?

Do you just take a photo with a phone? Do they have a scanner in their app?

Thanks a lot!

My company uses Samsara. Basically, it's a logistics software that can be put on tablets. We have Android tablets that replaced the Qualcomm units. Unlike Qualcomm, we can take them off the charging mount to use for taking photos of documents and photos of the truck and trailer for pre-trips and post-trips. When taking photos of documents to submit with loads, there is software that optimizes the photo to remove glare, shadows, and the background. Personally, I don't like that this is the only way to submit our paperwork while on the road because the tablets are exclusively using data connections. There are dead spots all over the country, do this seems like a really stupid way to send vitally important paperwork. My company no longer has a Transflo account, so that's not even a backup option.

I have hometime coming up on the 21rst and 22nd in Dallas. The Mrs booked a it already. Going to see Simon n Garfunkel before they kick the bucket.

We've talked about the freight market being bad, knowing it is means it's more difficult it get routed to a certain point at a certain time.

The last series of loads left me in Portland. Where freight for us is even more scarce. I've sat for 3 days knowing all the while it's becoming a physical impossibility to get me routed to my hometime.

Now, a great many drivers would complain and utter the age old cliche about a company not getting you home on time. I've been out for 3 weeks, maybe 4.

Each day, I've politely asked for any loads that were available, said "I'll run anything, anywhere, anytime." I also politely asked if they could just get me somewhere with an airport and fly me in and out of Dallas, in exchange, I'll run whatever they need. There's always a solution, a deal to be made.

The load that they finally put me on is an expedited load that is critical to meet both the pickup and delivery times, where I can't be early nor late. The delivery time is 1 am on the 21rst...in Boise ID, a far cry away from Dallas. The load planner has no one else to cover it, especially as most simply will not run nights (which I prefer to).

Which brings me to another cliche where you hear drivers choosing not run certain loads or at certain times. In today's freight world, it's not a viable method. You will sit and you will starve for miles, guaranteed, if you do so. It's again, a lack of flexibility, your dispatch and planners will remember it.

They readily agreed to buy my flight and ground transportation to and from Dallas, and did so. Last minute flights are not cheap. They also have loads lined up for me when I get back. In addition, though I haven't asked for it. It's likely they will pay me an additional day or too of layover for the inconvenience.

The thing is, that flexibility is met with flexibility. Rigid is met with rigid. How you ask for things is as important as what you ask for. I'm pretty confident that had I angrily demanded they get me home on time or cover the flights that they would have treated me differently. The cliches we hear can be seen as true or they can be worked around.

I get it, probably one of the most frustrating things for a driver is to sit, basically on call, but there's always a deal to be made, an angle to be worked on it.

I fully on board with what you are talking about. I make myself as flexible as possible. Dispatch knows that I never turn down loads. I will caution if successfully completing a load is possible, but I will run it anyway, if told that's what they want.

For home time, I have found that it's easiest for me to request getting routed to any company terminal, then I figure out transportation from there.

Give that extra bit of effort and usually we can see that extra bit of effort given in return.

Sean, I don’t know much about being an O/O and finding loads because I’m a company driver and happy with that.

However, there is another way to do it from what I understand. There are O/O drivers who work exclusively or almost exclusively for an established company and that company gives them their loads. For instance, my company has over 300 company drivers and maybe a dozen independent contractors but the independents only do company loads. I’m not exactly sure what the arrangement is, but these drivers own their trucks and have the company name on them. And they have their own authority. They get loads much like us company drivers get but have much more control over their schedules as to when they work and when they don’t.

I assume this is a common arrangement in the industry, however I don’t know many details of how these arrangements work. Seems like an advantage for an independent owner in that they don’t have to search for loads.

Known as leasing on with a company. They get access to the company repair shop, but the money comes out of what is like an escrow account. They get access to fuel discounts. Might work differently depending on the individual company, but those are a couple of the basic benefits of leasing on with a company as an O/O.

I am curious why this person decided to resurrect an 8+ year old thread to make this comment.

If money is the issue, I’ll contribute to the spray paint purchase

I'll take said money to the store to buy said spray paint

I'm starting to think you two characters are huffing on that spray paint😅

Bringing back memories of my childhood in 80s and 90s.

Your experience is interesting BK. I thought all or most companies don't want an application until it's within 30 days of when you can start.

Maybe applying now though will show JT who is willing to take him on, for when the time gets close, then resubmit.

All companies are required by US DOT to have an application on file that is no more than 30 days old for any driver being hired. You can submit applications now to see which companies are willing and able to hire you. Resubmitting an application to have one no older than 30 days on file is not a big deal at all. Trucking companies do it often.

Only one way to find out.

Get that can of spray paint?

If money is the issue, I’ll contribute to the spray paint purchase.

I'll take said money to the store to buy said spray paint.

I've been driving for 3 years now, and just recently looked at my DAC report. I have 4 violations, none of them were out of service violations, and I didn't get a ticket for any of them, just a warning and the violations on my record. The first two I got when I was still in training back in March 2021, I missed the exit for a weight station, luckily I was empty at the time. It was a Level 2 Inspection:

392.2 Failure to obey traffic control device

393.95(a) No/discharged/unsecured fire extinguisher

The next two I got were on September 2022, I was overweight by around 270 pounds over 80K and my trailer axles were over 34K. It was a Level 3 Inspection:

392.2 State/Local Laws - Excessive Weight - 1-2500 lbs over on an axle/axle groups

392.2 Excessive Weight Violation

I left a company I used to work for a few months ago for a local gig, but I wasn't making much money so I tried going back. This is the company I was working at when I got the last two violation on the Level 3 inspection. They told me I was not eligible for rehire at this time, I was confused as to why since I worked with them with no problems for a year after I got the violations, gave more that a 2 week notice that I was leaving, and left my truck clean at their terminal on my last day. My DM even said that I was always welcome back. So now I'm wondering how long they stay on your record and how bad these violations I have look to recruiters when I'm applying to companies.

Driving for a company with violations is different than being hired by a company with the same violations. Once you leave, being rehired requires a thorough vetting process. Companies do yearly checks on current drivers, but they don't use the same level of scrutiny as with someone being hired (or rehired).

Hello TT!

Short time lurker, first time poster. Hoping yall can help steer me straight.

I am very interested in going to CDL school this summer but my driving record is worrying me. I don't want to go through all the time/expense/research etc. and have it be all for naught if my driving record is a deal breaker for employers even if I obtain a CDL. I will attempt to keep it concise, please forgive me when I fail :/

Long Story as Short as Possible: Through a series of unfortunate events over the last 7 years that I don't yet fully understand my license was invalidated (not suspended, not sure of the difference between the two) in August 2022 without my knowledge for failure to maintain insurance (the ticket for failure to maintain was from December 2017, I have records showing that I have maintained continuous coverage since that time up through the present). As I had no knowledge that it was invalidated in August 2022 I continued to drive and was pulled over for a burned out light in January 2023 and ticketed for driving with an invalid license. Couldn't drive for 30 days (records say it is called an "SR Suspension"). After the 30 days I was able to continue driving with a valid license. When I paid off the ticket on my court date on April 3rd 2023 I was told by the judge that everything was settled and I was free and clear to continue driving and that my license was valid and not suspended. Despite what the judge and her clerks said, the records show that my license was in fact suspended the the same day I payed off my ticket, but it did not go into effect until May 6th (not sure why). This resulted in me being unable to drive from May 6th 2023 to September 13th 2023. Since September 13th my license has been valid and I have had no more issues (hard to type with my fingers crossed lol).

As of today (Feb 28) everything is up to snuff according to my Certified Abstract Record. I can provide the C.A.R. if it would help yall in helping me.

Aside from the FUBAR situation above, I have a decent driving record. No DUI/DWIs, no crashes, no moving violations since 2009 (speeding when I was 16). Record shows something happened in 2010 (I forget what) and I had to take a driver safety course.

So what do yall think? Am I damaged goods to a future employer based on my driving record? Does this jeopardize my ability to get a CDL in the first place?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts/advice/opinions/guidance etc!

PS: I promise to endeavor to never type this much in one post again lol, my apologies!

If you maintained insurance and had proof that you maintained insurance, why did you willingly pay a ticket that wasn't legit? Something happened here that isn't being told. Not accusing you of anything, but there is something here that is missing. Maybe you don't know, but there is something that happened to cause your license to be invalidated.