Comments By Maestro

More Truck Driver Appreciation Month:

https://www.redeyeradioshow.com/2023/08/01/we-salute-the-american-trucker-2023/

Trucker Appreciation Week!

https://www.overdriveonline.com/life/article/15546419/deals-recognition-for-national-truck-driver-appreciation-week

This is something I have been thinking about but haven’t implemented. For several reasons, I need to carry a bicycle with me on my truck. I have looked at folding bikes but they won’t work for me to store one inside the tractor. Plus they are expensive as heck. I need one that I can secure to the back of the cab. And I can’t get a shorty. I need one that is medium size at a minimum.

Does anyone carry a bike with them? What recommendations would you have about trucks + bikes?

How about a scooter instead?

I saw one of the company drivers bust out a scooter from his truck and one footed back to his home near the docking area while they were loading.

From BK:

This is the screen shot of my last load sent to me using the CAT Weigh My Truck app

If you don’t have the app, you will need to pull onto the scale and use your service brake pedal to stop, stabilize and then release the pedal. Make sure you are stopped dead and not rolling. As mentioned, do not set the tractor or trailer brakes as the scales are supposed to be dead level and you should not roll forward or back. If you don’t have the app, press the call button on the scale post from your driver’s window. The weigh master will probably ask you over the speaker for your truck number and then wait until you are told that your scale ticket will be available inside. Park somewhere out of the way and go pay $14 and get your ticket.

From Rob T.

The biggest things to remember with scales is DO NOT slide your tandems on the scale, and you MUST go park elsewhere to run inside for your ticket. Do not leave your truck on the scale or just ahead like you do while fueling. The places I scale at usually have an open pump so I'll pull ahead of the pump and run in or park off to the side if parking is limited and i can do so safely. If a pump is out of order parking ahead of it is a safe bet but I do not recommend parking behind it as you may get blocked in. I try to be courteous and stay out of the way of others that need fuel or a legal parking spot as I'm going to hit the restroom and grab my ticket and be gone within 5 minutes.

From Rob T.

Catscale

I found this video to be very useful when scaling a load my first time. If you need help understanding sliding your tandems please make it into a separate thread to make it easier for other new drivers to find.

This is the screen shot of my last load sent to me using the CAT Weigh My Truck app

If you don’t have the app, you will need to pull onto the scale and use your service brake pedal to stop, stabilize and then release the pedal. Make sure you are stopped dead and not rolling. As mentioned, do not set the tractor or trailer brakes as the scales are supposed to be dead level and you should not roll forward or back. If you don’t have the app, press the call button on the scale post from your driver’s window. The weigh master will probably ask you over the speaker for your truck number and then wait until you are told that your scale ticket will be available inside. Park somewhere out of the way and go pay $14 and get your ticket.

From Mr. Curmudgeon

Depends on which scale is nearby. Actual scale use is pretty easy if using CAT scales. Pull slowly onto the scale plated, position your steers on the forward plate, the drive axle tandems on the second plate, and the trailer tandems on the long rear plate. Those "full draft" scales will print out each of the three weights. Easy peasy. Always pull onto a scale centered left to right, and slowly (5mph or idle roll) to prevent locking or binding the plates or damaging the mech. Releasing brakes allows for natural settling of the scale and accurate weigh (see notes below on sloped approached to shorter scales).

If it is an unattended single draft or double draft (long enoug to weigh a three axle dumper in one shot, but not a full 18 wheeler) scale common with many ag locations you need a notebook Crayolas and a calculator. Pull forward slowly so JUST the steer axle is on, release brakes (or if slope approach ramp use trailer brakes to hold your spot) and let the scale settle, write down the weight displayed. Move up slowly until the steers are off and the drives only are on write down that weight. Do the same for the trailer tandems. That gives you three weights, add them together for your gross weight.

I used to pick up soy for export on a single plate full draft, had to do multiple calcs. First weigh steers (write it down) , then weigh steers and drives (write it down). Subtract the steers from the steers & drive tandems to get just the drive weight. Then pull fully forward so just the entire unit is on the single plate, write down your gross. Then pull forward to clear your drive tandems, leaving just trailer tandems on the plate, and write that down. I always tool photos of the numbers to show anyone that thought I was over. And I always confirmed at a multilateral full draft (commercial certified or CAT) scale asap.

I used the CAT scale app, made everything easy to accomplish when using a cat scale. No waiting in line inside to get tickets, they send the scale ticket to your phone.

Hope this helps.

Hey there,

I posted this question below in the Just Talking Thread and the suggestion was given to place this as a separate thread to help the Truckerhood especially us new rookie drivers.

Enjoy!

Hey Trucking Friends,

I hope everyone is well.

This is for the experienced truckers here...May I enlist your help?

Next week, I will start a new route to Rushville, Indiana and I am getting the hint that I need to go to the scales to weigh the load.

I have never done this before and have no clue.

Explain to me like I'm five on how to do this or if you have any video links to share, please do.

Any help is appreciated.

Hey Trucking Friends,

I hope everyone is well.

This is for the experienced truckers here...May I enlist your help?

Next week, I will start a new route to Rushville, Indiana and I am getting the hint that I need to go to the scales to weigh the load.

I have never done this before and have no clue.

Explain to me like I'm five on how to do this or if you have any video links to share, please do.

Any help is appreciated.