Comments By Dave D. (Armyman)

It sometimes takes a while to update GPS maps on the GPS. Have you ever driven down a highway, and your GPS tells you to take a U-turn or turn left, right, or whatever in order to get you back on the highway that you are currently on?

How about a GPS telling you to turn right onto a dirt road?

Dave

I doubt you'll be put out of service, but you might have to PROVE that it doesn't work. Also, they might consider it a failure of a Level I, II, or III inspection even if your paper logs are straight. You have to turn in ALL failures of any DOT inspections.

Now, if they think your paper logs are NOT legit, then yes, they'll probably shut you down.

Dave

The Jessup, Maryland TA? They charge for parking. It's been awhile since I've been out east.

Dave

Yes they do. I got stuck staying there t last week. It's $15 for 24 hours, but free if you girl at least 50 gallons or spend $20 inside. It's also few if you park less than 2 hours.

They actually have a "motel," if you can call it that, on the premises as well. I hear that truck stop has a bad reputation.

Dave

Screw elogs if I end up with one i can assure you it will be broken down all the time.

Then I guess you won't be driving much. And oh by the way, companies that have elogs can access the device to see if it truly is on the fritz.......So keep that in mind......

Ernie

That's what a driver of another told me about an hour or two ago. He's on paper logs, but the company has an electronic device for communication purposes.

They'll know if you are trying to game the system.

Dave

Another driver (in a different truck) and I drove from Dunkirk, New York to Walcott, Iowa, in about 10 hours and 45 minutes.

Dave

Guess what? Companies can amend your logs. Most companies have a COMPLIANCE OFFICER, which can go in and amend your e-log. I wonder how requiring e-logs will work, if small companies will just get someone certified as a compliance officer, who can change your log at will.

What if your e-log "is on the blink" and you are on paper logs.

When I was with Navajo, every time I was assigned a different truck, when I would log in on the Qualcomm for the first time, for that truck, the Qualcomm would say that there was something like 60 hours of unaccounted time, do I want to be credited with that time.

Naturally I would say NO! There are companies that are on e-logs ONLY, and some drivers are using paper logs, with the excuse that the "Qualcomm is on the blink."

There is always a way around this.

BTW, I never even thought about doing that when I was with Navajo.

Dave

The Jessup, Maryland TA? They charge for parking. It's been awhile since I've been out east.

Dave

National Vintage Truck Museum off I-80 in Walcott, Iowa.

It's next to the World's Largest Truck Stop.

Dave

This is nonsense. Aside from anything that may make you lose consciousness nothing else should matter. I have never seen another industry constantly getting hammered by the feds like trucking. Doctors will be flunking people that come in with a cold because they will be scared.

Has any relative no matter how distant have an incurable disease?

My dad died of MS. They need to flunk me. Why take a chance?

Dave

Do the new forms/certs invalidate current physicals, or are they good til they expire even if on the old forms?

That's been my thought... I just got my DOT physical, I would imagine it's good till expires, but not sure.

I'm sure your old physical is still valid until it expires.

Dave

I've seen a few "new" cab overs on the road. I think some companies are testing them out, because they can get a longer trailer behind them.

Seriously, I don't see much of an advantage, but I've never driven one.

Dave

It's like this. Some weeks you might get to shower everyday. Most weeks however, you'll get to shower every 2nd or third day. You also might want to think about showering during your 30 minute break, during the middle of the day.

Dave

Questions like - have you ever had a broken bone?

Yes

Have you ever spent a night in a hospital?

Yes

Anxiety, depression, nervousness, other mental health problems?

Describe "anxiety," "depression," "nervousness," or "'other' mental health problems."

Have you ever used or do you now use tobacco?

Yes.

So I guess that means I'm screwed.

Dave

There is always the rain. Pull off an interstate exit out in the middle of nowhere or an abandoned truck stop and soap and the rain provides the water.

Dave

Depending on how I run (being I use "paper logs," and the "math" involved when using paper logs) I might be too tired to use a shower, even if I am at a truck stop.

However, I try to shower whenever I can, and I go no more than three days without a shower.

Dave

I was not cited and the truck did not have to be towed. Anybody know how Prime handles these things? I have been sitting ar a truck stop all day with zero word from my Fleet Manager.

Did you try calling directly to safety? If you haven't heard from your Fleet Manager by tomorrow morning, that is what I would do.

Since it was just you involved, pretty good chance it might be a un-avoidable instead of preventable accident. Keep your fingers crossed.

Ernie

I called my FM immediately once I got the seat cushion out of my backside. He transferred me to Safety. Spoke with Road Assist also. Am told that they informed dispatch to get me a load through the Salt Lake City terminal. Just no idea when that might materialize.

That could be good or bad. You might get fired, or they might look at the damage and fix what's broke, or both.

I always hated being routed through a terminal. I'm kind of negative on my outlook on life.

Dave

So I'm driving on US-26, near Mitchell, Nebraska, when a sign says Weigh Station, and the word OPEN, is visible.

This isn't a "scale house," as much as it is a "road side check."

Basically, these places aren't open all that much. He didn't even weigh me, but he took his sweet @ss time checking my permits and driver's license. I almost missed my pick up.

Dave

So, what you are saying is, the trailer hit the back of the cab of the truck?

I've never driven for Prime, so I don't know how they are going to react.

Any damage to the trailer? Is it a reefer? If so, any damage to the refrigeration unit?

If you hit ice, what is Prime's policy on driving on ice?

They might count it as an "accident," they might not. It might be "at fault," or it might be "not at fault."

Dave

Mom and Pop companies are also good advice. I was in a much worse situation, and I ended up, after about three months, working for a mom and pop.

Also, PRAY.

Dave

Corporate greed will ultimately kill this industry, just look at Arrow.

It wasn't just corporate greed that killed it. The son assumed that money would just keep rolling in, or thought that the money in the bank account, which was probably from YEARS of hard work from the father, was something that occurred on an annual basis.

Dave