Comments By Jon R.

I'm 6'5 and having problems finding my correct comfort zone in the seats. When Let all the air out of the seat and sit low it hurts my butt but supports my back. When I raise it high it doesn't hurt my butt but it makes my back sore when done. Not sure if any of you are tall but do you have any suggestions for my seat?

suggestion ...get a belly brace ,,,like a brace you use to lift weights elastic /velcro ( you can get one at wagreens etc ) ...that has metal rods for support in lumbar area in back ,,, I've had 3 back surgeries in lumbar ,,and now on disability ( and I have an inoperable tumor in spine found in 2008 @ T8-9 level it will paralyse me but I can drive till it does ) so Dr lets me drive casual 2-3 days a month till then ..been driving for 34 yrs ...I still use the back brace to keep my back straight ...alternate the lumbar device on seat ,,to empty & half full & stop every 2-3 hrs ,,walk around ,,law says were supposed to stop every 3 hrs any way ,,,,and use ibuprofen ....

I understand about back pain .....give it a try ...hope it helps ...

In my better days ,,I ran a flat bed ,,10 yrs. worth ...tarping / strapping /binding ..there's a workout every 4-6 days sometimes evey day to 2-3 times a day depending in the carrier / contracts ....

then I did line haul 10 yrs. worth hostling around dolies ..(converter dollies ) in & out of the truck ..to hook sets ..break sets down ...dock trailers ...all part of the job ...CONWAY / YELLOW / UPS / FEDEX .... all line haul jobs ..home daily & you bust your tail ..

then I worked for a guy contracted to a power co. north west ( hauled poles for a power co. ) truck had a knuckle boom .., I loaded poled . strapped them drove truck ...unloaded ....climbed up & down tower to self loader knuckle boom ...for road jobs ( in 1998 meridian Idaho widening meridian rd . ) 300 poles " finally got a lineman to drive truck & I unloaded poles at 200ft increments ..linemen have to have" Class A c CDL's too " .....that was a work out .....ALL CDL related ...so there is more that just OTR jobs that a person can do in the CDL field ... then I worked for the power co. crane operator / "A" CDL required " ....then became a CDL instructor in 2006 and now just drive casually since ...

just making these notations that there are variations to types of jobs within the CDL"A" field to stay in shape .. not just OTR ....but I did hard core OTR from 1980 to 1988 before DE regulation hit the trucking industry ...48 states & 4 provinces of canada ..and loved every second of it ...since then I've been regional / but company driver ,equip oper. instructor for 34+ yrs now .. one thing hasn't changed ,,,""it's gotten worse " the HURRY UP & WAIT GAME IN WHSE.'S AND THE WAY WERE TREATED ..! ...... patience !!!!! it's more difficult for me after 34 yrs doing this ......then I have remind my self I'm just casual and only do this for 3-4 day's a month ...

be safe guys !!!!

I've been enrolled at the local community college's CDL class A program for 6 weeks. Next week is the last week and the week after that I'm scheduled for testing at the MVA. Tuesday my instructor called me into his office and told me that he was going to cancel my appointment with the MVA because he didn't think I would pass. He told me that he thought I would be better at driving a straight truck or bus. I agree with him. I never got over my fear of the truck and I am too dangerous in traffic. I've read posts from experienced drivers before I started school that trucking isn't for everyone and now I know what that means. Does anyone know of a site that like this one for class B or bus drivers? I really appreciate the help and advise everyone has given. Thanks.

Hi coleen ,,as an Instructor at a Sage school in caldwell Id. for 5 yrs 2006-2011 / and another CDL school in idaho for 1 yr ""AS A MANAGING INSTRUCTOR ""..we NEVER told our students they COULDN'T PASS THE COMBINATION BACKING OR STREET TEST ...we took the extra time and taught the student the tricks in backing ""AND THERE ARE TRICKS ""

after 34 yrs driving OTR / regional ..line haul "doubles,, 'tripples /quads in nevada in the 80's ,, (for a power co. & crane trucks ) power poles ..I've done it all ,,,now on disability & still drive casually in northwest ...

""there is a 45 degree angle for your off set angle ..and in the parallel park ..."once you can see the middle of the landing gear on the trailer from the "WEST COAST MIRROR " you are @ you're 45 degree angle you immediately bring it back around to the other side's 45 degree angle ( same principle ) and you the straighten the unit out...then pull the unit up ... "2 free pullups " all states " or 1 point after that ) ..then pull back straight back ...it easier than you think !!....your only required to drive 9 miles ...over RxR tracks ..5 left turns 5 right turns .. 2 compormising traffic situations ,, fwy on ramp & 2 miles on fwy & off ramp ,,, I've done this w/ student's ...we did pre test w/ students ... you can use single /double clutch ..or float ...most times they dont care ....they know the co. you go to will give you alot more training ....and you ONLY ENTRY LEVEL ANYWAY ...

there are YOUTUBE examples for this ...look them up ..I used them for students ......

same principle for you're parallel park ..YOU HAVE A ****TY INSTRUCTOR !""" that's doesn't know what their doing !!!""

in the street there supposed to build you up ,,,and help you ....NOT be little you ....I helped students that other instructors gave up on ,,there driving class A trucks now for central Refrigerated in SLC ut . this was back in 2007 ...

I detest community colleges ! almost went to work for CWI in idaho ..I wont drop my standards to their level

your next best BET ..it go to a trucking Company ...(COMMIT TO A YEAR DRIVING AND TAKE THEIR COURSE "IF YOU REALLY WANT YOUR ""A CDL "

YOU CAN DO IT !!...CR ENGLAND ,,SWIFT ...ETC ..

I TRULY HOPE THIS HELPS !!

Thank you so It pretty much depends

Yeah, there are so many factors that it is very difficult to put solid time down. For me, being loaded/unloaded (live) in 45 min is awesome. My company allows 2 hrs before detention pay kicks in, so, I guess that is their average. The reality is you can have a drop and hook which is quick, or run across a shipper that just does not give a s**t about you and you sit for hours.

Thank you for responding. That sucks when the shipper doesn't give a darn & let's you sit for hours? That must be hard

It is, but, that is when the mental toughness kicks in and you realize you can use the time creatively. Pay some bills, plan your next trip, talk to the family, or my favorite, take a nap. I have noticed though that some of these shippers/receivers will react kindly to a good professional attitude and miraculously find a way to get you rolling sooner than others.

I agree it's about how you treat each other. What's your favorite place to deliver to?

and the worst part about it that unless you at the end of you day ,,you eating on your 14 hr clock . even if you put you self on off duty status ,, I used to go off duty then If i was detained 6- 8 hrs the I'd take the additional 2 hrs ( weither it was before the change to 10 hrs or before ) and that would give me 10 or 11 for my next days run ..

back in the 80's we'd have to wait 30 hrs in produce houses for a load"the product wouldn't be in from fields " ..or 4 hrs for frozen meat ,going east from west coast ..( before the 14 hr clock rules ) yeah ,I started driving in 1980 ...totally different world then ...now you must shut down @ 14 hrs now ..

I'm looking into starting school, and to be honest I need it to happen...last week. Money is tight and I've been thinking about this for years and its... Just time. The problem is that I've been on low dose pain medication for years now. I applied at CR England and was told that I'd have to be off of the medication for a minimum of 3 months before they'd even consider starting me in school. Quitting the meds isn't an issue, if it's a requirement then so be it. It's done. It's the 3 month waiting period that has me super worried. Are all training companies the same? Or just them specifically? I'm on borrowed time financially. Waiting that long is really going to be a problem. Like a "living in an alley" kinda problem. Does anyone know? Help please!!!

Ok lets get a few things straight here friend ,,,

1st ,, on the 5 pannel DOT Urine drug pannel will "NOT "show "SYNTHETIC " drugs such as NORCO / Oxycontin / fentanly / hydrocodone ..tramadol they will show up on a HAIR FOLICLE " up to 30 days " ..

if you have a legitimate medical necessity , cronic pain fybromyalgia etc ,,you can have your Dr. put you on Neurontin / or Fentanly patch & still drive .it doesnt show up on a 5 pannel DOT urine screen ,,

I have an inoperable tumor in my spine inside a syrinx ( causes me cronic pain "some weakness / numbness ") and will cause paralysis from chest down eventually. this was found after I was rearended in 2008 ,,,the pain never subsided ,,,5 specialists ,,and wa La ..a TUMOR ...but I want to drive ( I'm on disability too ) and can work under the ticket to work program & in idaho I can earn 1,000$ a mo. & collect SSDI ..Win /WIN ,

but after 34 yrs driving I have found several co.'s that allow me to drive 3-4 days a month ,,and I'm on fentanly patch I change it every 2 days & take tramadol as well . and have passed DOT urine tests at 2 of them so far ,,it doesnt ding me out !!!

now if you Don't need to take the pain meds "DONT" ,,if you medically NEED them ,,,then dont tell the Co's ...if you can drive w/ the meds in you the that up to you ....

So, my day starts at 0500 with a short hour long drive into Detroit to deliver some gear for a car show. I arrived at 0630 (no problem, my appt was for 0700). Anyone who has been there knows the parking availability, which is maybe enough room for 3 trucks. There were at least 5 when I arrived, so I had to do laps around blocks at the Cobo Center to find a place to park then walk up to the guard to check in. Still no problem, it is what it is. I check in and the guard tells me to back up to dock 8. I walk back to my truck, pull up to the ramp and get a call on my CB to hold up. (I am now blocking a lane, there is no backing up. The only option is to do the laps again as other trucks are arriving). I am then told, at 0815, to back to dock 21, so I did. Well, They (union) started unloading me at ab 0900, got me a little over halfway empty then went on break for 30 min. Came back and I finally rolled out at 1030.

I`m not bashing the union, just sayin`.

I go to my next pick up in Troy, OH and while there, notice pink fluid under the tractor. Yep, coolant leak. It wasn`t much and I have to stop at our yard in Erlanger, KY for fuel anyway, so I roll. With this on my mind and while I was rolling into Cincinnati, it started sleeting. Okay, a bit tense because traffic was getting pretty heavy, but, still fine and I was able to keep a good buffer around my rig... So I thought. I am in the middle lane, hammer lane was clear , granny lane had a big truck to my front and a couple 4 wheelers beside me. I notice way ahead that the brake lights are coming on so I ease out of it with plenty of room, until, the DA supertrucker in the granny shoots over into my lane and immediately hard brakes. The idiot had no choice because the traffic was slowing, he wasn`t, and he closed the gap. Okay, instant reaction time. I hard break, I feel the trailer trying to push the tractor around so I let off and "drove" it into the hammer lane and regained control. I knew the hammer lane was clear and that there were 4 wheelers to my right. The idiot killed my buffer but not my out. No one was hit and I kept rolling. I was extremely pi**d though and if that fool had a radio on, he/she got an ear full.

Now, I make it to the yard, fill up and run into the shop to let them know about my coolant leak. They wouldn`t even be able to look at it until around 10pm. No can do, I am on a hot load that delivers tomorrow morning near Atlanta. I call my FM and she says fill that sumb**ch up and roll on. That is exactly what I did. The motor got hot a couple times (had to sit in traffic for about an hour due to a wreck) and even cut out on me while climbing a hill on I75 near the KY/TN line. After that happened, I figured that is enough for one day.

The silver lining? I pulled into the truck stop here about 9PM and there was actually parking! (Don`t do the math on the HOS, it will not look good).

The real silver lining is I have a brand new 2015 Freighshak... I mean, Freightliner waiting for me in St. Louis that I will be picking up later this week.

What a day.

if you had qualcom w/ e logs you were screw'd ,,,,yeah arent driver managers great ? Been there done that for 25 yrs ..

now drive casually northwest (out of boise id. ) still same B/S with dispatchers / shippers /recievers as was 30 yrs ago ...

I was forced to drive a elog truck after using paper log for 30 yrs , a few months ago ,,and I got a violation 1 st trip out ..I wont run an elog now ..I only drove 9.5 hrs took 6 hrs off ( in off duty ) & drove 1 hr after that and the said I violated my 14 hr rule ,,I couldnt see that ..I was forced to take 10 hrs off at the receiver , and missed my 2nd drop ,,there was a huge debate about it ,,

I quit when I got back to yard ,,,the co I was hired to was leased to other co w/ the Elog (qualcom) ,,asked me back ,,I now wont run Elog ... ..because the other co wont allow leasers to run that way on Elog ..then I'm just casual ..3-4 days a month ..

I've seen several questions here and other places expressing confusion about the DOT Physicals. You may or may not be able to use your personal physician due to them not being in the National Registry.

Here's a link to the the registry to find physicians in your area: https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/NRPublicUI/home.seam

Here's the blurb about why you need to use the registry. The National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (National Registry) is a new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) program. All commercial drivers whose current medical certificate expires on or after May 21, 2014, at expiration of that certificate must be examined by a medical professional listed on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. Only medical examiners that have completed training and successfully passed a test on FMCSA's physical qualification standards will be listed on the National Registry.

Here in Central Florida there are quite a few Minute clinics, pharmacy express clinics, etc. that have physicians or nurse practitioners currently on the registry.

As alway, YMMV!

that isn't quite valid ,, the medical provider DOESN'T have to be on the national register , I go to primary health for mt DOT physical ..and I send it Via scan to the Idaho DOT registry ,, and NO problems ... just saying ....

and the company can require you to go through their doctor for a company PROVIDED physical ,, the company pays for this ,,even if you have had a VALID DOT physical done in past 2 yrs or what ever your special medical requirements mandate ( 3 mos / 1/ yr etc )

I 've been driving for 34 yrs ,,and am disabled but can drive casually ( under the ticket to work program ) and qualify for a DOT medical card ..is how I know about these inclusions .. and Instructed CDL for 5 yrs @ sage schools in caldwell, Id. / and success in caldwell, id. for 1 yr ...

And I hear it at least once a day, every day, whether it's from some loudmouth schnook at the counter in a restaurant like the guy at the TA in Santa Nella last night (oh god how I wish I coulda found his off switch), or some loudmouth schnook on the CB, or a pair of schnooks walking across a parking lot together. Every day, without fail, for the past 3 years, I've heard the same phrase over and over and over...

"If'n you don't own yer own truck, you ain't no real truck driver."

Sorry Brett, even though you drove for 15 years, you didn't own your own equipment, so you wasn't no real truck driver.

Sorry Guy, even though you've been across the country and back again a bajillion times, that truck is in someone else's name, so you ain't no real truck driver neither.

Apparently the desire to be able to both pay your bills and eat more than once a week disqualifies you from "real" truckerhood to these clowns. *smdh*

So, show of hands, how many other "fake" truck drivers we got in the audience?

been driving for 34 yrs ,,(instructing for 6 of that ,,of that I've never owned one) ,"almost owne'd one " ( worked for this guy for 7 yrs he sold co. I almost bought truck & trailer I drove for one for 7 yrs of that , Qualified w/ bank etc ,,,just DIDN'T ) ,,,but been a company driver since 1980 ,,,,too many head aches ,,My cousin owned one for a few years had a heart attack ,,my nephue owned one & leased to Central refrig . out of Salt lake Ut. .got screw'd,!

if thats any consolation ,there ya have it ...!

i'd rather be able to walk away , and have NO headaches ....leases /maint . etc .....

Hey all,

It's been 2 or 3 months since I've chimed in, but know that I've been logging in and reading many of your blogs which has helped me to no end. Along with that, I've been studying the High Road Training Program and it's definitely built up my confidence as well. It's obvious from the studies that there's a hell of a lot more to know than any non-trucker might guess, and not stuff to take lightly either!

That being said I've finally got my start date at SAGE for December 15th in Colorado and I'll keep you guys posted in the CDL Training Diaries for any of you out there looking to choose a private trucking school that accepts the G.I. Bill. All the best to you guys out there!

Hi St elsewhere ,,I worked for Sage schools in Caldwell Idaho for 5 yrs 2006-2011( under Wayne rogers & Jellena Oller ) .. it's a great school (then for success training academy in Caldwell Id. for 1 yr ). they "Sage "do 1 on 1 in truck which in my opinion as a certified instructor is the ONLY way to train a student ,, after 93 hrs in the class and they will cover all fascets of CDL law ( and endorcements ) just be concerned with passing your permit tests (air brake / general knowledge / combination / ) get your permit ..then when you get your license you can,,, "IF YOU CHOOSE " you can take knowledge tests for endorsements ( the GI bill will pay for these & YOUR HAZ MAT . ) and get your finger prints & back ground TSA done ......you'll do fine ... the Haz mat is good but many Co.'s dont use & do require ....

other schools do multiple students in truck w/ one instructor ,,"NOT THE WAY TO TRAIN BTW for students ...!! In My OPINION

I went back to driving casual driving and am on disability ...

So I was talking with a girlfriend about trucking and she tells me I'll probably not like it because it takes a lot of lifting, operating pallet jacks, lift gates, etc. I just left a farm where I handled 50 lb. feed sacks - right at the edge of my strength. I don't mind physical work but if it's too much for me, she might be right that I'd be unhappy. Could you guys & ladies who are already driving please tell me what's the reality? Would I be getting in over my head?

I've been so excited about trucking but want to go in with eyes open. I was set up to start school two weeks ago but postponed so I could take time to be sure this is the right way to go. Thanks.

99% of trucking co. hire "lumpers " to unload trailers ,, unless you do flat bed / dropdeck /low boy etc .. the info you got was 80% INcorrect after 34 yrs out here , and many work comp claims , the trkng co.'s now would RATHER hire a lumper than to have you hurt .. many wharehouses shippers & receivers "wont allow you on the dock " ... I guarantee that !!!!

but if ya want to work you're but off go RUN FLAT BED. "TARPING /STRAPPING /CHAINING , BINDING ...i did that for 10 yrs ...or doubles & tripples hook A set "break A set down , push pull dollies around " that's a work out ...line haul " but in normal day in Day ,OTR " 53 ft . refer / dry box ...NOPE !!!

"""Unless you consider chaining for snow & ice a work out ,,then you'll get one ...YEP !!""""