Profile For Zen Joker

You are better off running the close yellow/red light. Hard braking has a harsher impact on scoring. Hard braking at an intersection adds more weight to the incident. A red light violation (light changes red as you are going thru the intersection) is an event the scoring impact will lessen as you successfully stop at red lights moving forward to month's end. Any close red light violations can be reviewed by safety department and can be neutralized.

But i know drivers who are slamming on brakes as soon as light turns yellow. This resulted in a car slamming into one from behind. There are plwnty of instances of this type of thing.

We dont want to make legal U turns cause of the camera... then can wind up in really difficult areas to manuever because the camera decided the controlled, green arrow, extra space given for trucks was unsafe.

You can't chase the score without maintaining a very good following distance at all times, like 4 seconds plus. No hard braking, no hard turns, no running red lights, no blowing stop signs. These are all behaviors that make a driver safer by default. Just food for thought. Again it depends on how its set up. Hope it gets rolled out and tweaked to make sense for the drivers at the major carriers.

That's just it though, Driver-I wants to "Gamify Safety." Safety isn't a game. I don't want a driver to be "driving to the score" and ignoring the reality of what is going on around them in real time. I don't want them making decisions or not based on what will or will not trigger the camera.

I want decisions to be made split second by the driver. The person actually in the conditions at hand.

My carrier has had Netradyne since I started 2.5 years ago. I too had initial concerns, but here is the deal. One reality we have to face is that carriers will continue to invest in things that protects them from the thousands of ambulance chaser attorneys out there (look at all the billboards we pass for truck accident attorneys).

As far as the company "spying" on you all the time, slow down for a moment and ask yourself this question....do they have the staff and capacity to watch all drivers all the time? If you can't stand the idea of being on camera, then you have much bigger problems in the ever developing police state the world is becoming. Also, you can't yell privacy rights when you are operating their equipment. In the next 10-15 years the cameras will probably be in all highway tractors anyways.

I hope for the drivers most concerned in this thread, that their safety dept.'s gets the cameras and the software tweaked properly to reflect the driver's actual habits as it impacts their bonuses. The software can have its bugs that's for sure. I find the Driver I game quite fun, but I am a very odd duck.

Hope Knight, Prime and anyone else gets it set up fairly for the drivers.

The Atlas is also critical for auditing your GPS route. You can reference low clearances (bridges) and restricted routes to avoid going there in the first place and avoiding ending up somewhere you don't belong. NEVER blindly follow your GPS there is a 100% (yes it is 100%) guaranty the GPS will lead you somewhere you don't belong such as restricted routes, entering a facility into the employee parking area where you can't maneuver, etc.

Best of success to you!

thanks for the info..I start KLLM driving academy May 12 in Jackson,MS...do u still use atlas as well?

Yes, I have a subscription to it. I find it invaluable for locating off the wall truck stops and parking. I use it as a secondary gps. My primary is a garmin dezl otr500. New places final and initial mile as well as location satellite and streetview I use google maps for.

Sandman J and I just had a conversation a few weeks back about issues like this. For some reason Love's/Speedco really sucks (except Bridgeport, MI). TA truck service seems to be a better option at TA or Petro.

Sorry you lost so much time man!

Hello Shane,

Congratulations on starting your journey! Roehl is a very good company and you were VERY wise to go straight to a reputable carrier for paid training vs. a CDL school. CDL schools are there to make money (though there are some good ones in the mix) and the company will train you how THEY want to to drive their truck safely.

This gig is 90% between your ears. Just take in the instruction and take your time. Remember the most important trait of a truck driver is PATIENCE. Patience with your trainers, patience with the multitude of crazy and reckless motorists, and most importantly patience with yourself. You are going to make mistakes as we all have. Don't beat yourself up if you make a mistake or if there are some things you aren't getting as quickly as the other students. Emotional truck drivers make bad truck drivers. Always strive to keep your emotions near the middle and level.

Your training will be broken down down into 3 major areas (pre-trip inspection, driving, and backing). You will notice that you will excel in 1-2 areas and be a little behind in the other 1 or 2. Find students that excel in where you are not as strong and practice with them and conversely help them with the area(s) you are strong in. It makes the learning process a lot more fun and collaborative.

Best of success to you and please come back here and update frequently and let us know if you have any questions.

Lastly, on backing practice "less is better" with the steering wheel and always Get Out And Look ;-)

Errol, I had a complete brainfart...thanks for bringing that up about the gusts in this thread.

I use the Highway Weather app, too. Once you set a route, the Summary tab has a graph showing forecasted wins and gusts, among other things, plus some available live road cams.

Good Morning James,

A good CB set up is subject to the old consumer virtue "You get what you pay for". Please bear in mind a good CB setup will let you hear what's happening miles ahead and will allow you to divert from major delays and also be safer by knowing what's coming around the next mountain curve.

There are many good CB brands. Cobra is a good brand many drivers use. I personally have a President McKinley. It has auto squelch and weather band.

I'd recommend finding a truck stop where you are commonly routed that has a reputable CB shop to provide and install the antenna and coax right there. Then they can hook it up to your CB and tune it right there. I can personally recommend the CB shop at the TA on Burr St, in Gary, Indiana.

All in you will pay $300-$400 if you take this route. Again, what results are you willing to pay for? My CB set up paid for itself in about a year with potential lost time and being able to avoid major delays.

Good luck in your search!

Hello Paul.

Highway Weather is a Godsend. You can enter point A to point B and even add DOT breaks to the schedule and it details the weather along the route when you are passing through in area and included traffic cams too. I'm not sure any app can predict wind gusts though. Listen to the weather channel on your truck's stereo (if equipped) it's a standard option on Freightliners. Also look for blowover warnings on overhead electric signs.

Best of success