Profile For Steve L.

One of the requirements to drive a truck is to have a working knowledge of English, so all those non-English speaking immigrants are unlikely to start flooding the trucking job market.

I was in a truck stop where a non-English speaking driver was using a translation app on his phone to try and communicate with the cashier.

Sorry, but I have experienced non-English speaking drivers. But I doubt they’ll run the rest of us off.

you're not at the only company with chaos on the loads going on

Is it possible we, in the trucking industry are about to see the disaster that results from decades of voter apathy?

7%+ inflation has to eventually cause a slowdown in consumer buying, which will cause a slowdown in manufacturing.

Is it also possible that many trucking companies (not speaking of the mega carriers) have ridden the gravy train of too-much-freight, they’ve never had to handle the famine side of feast-or-famine?

Just some observations. While I find a way to get by, at my current company, average miles have dropped over the past two years, many of our established customers aren’t using us as much, or at all. I’ve seen different plants shut down, move operations to another plant or scale back to skeleton crews. None of that being talked about on the nightly news. 🤔

Hang in there drivers!

We get these requests for advice frequently about some sort of problem that either prevents a prospective driver from getting hired or jeopardizes the career of a current driver. And often they have come to the forum after they have exhausted all other avenues and expect us to give them the silver bullet that will resolve the “problem.” When we can’t solve their problem with some sort of silver bullet, they quickly become argumentative and/or abusive.

I generally don’t respond, other than when I think my comment might help others reading the thread. Because if I did respond directly to the OP, the only response I could muster in all good conscious would be as follows:

“The way you have phrased your question obviously reveals that you have a distorted world view with little basis in reality, Quite frankly, I don’t think delusional people like you should drive commercial vehicles and endanger the lives of the traveling public. Thus, regardless of the substantive answer to your question, as far as I’m concerned the fact that the [stated problem] has derailed your driving career benefits society as a whole.”

Am I too harsh or off base with my perspective?

Sir, I am with you 100%!

would going back to school help at all with job prospects?

Just my opinion, but I wouldn't waste the money on a school unless a company puts in writing that it'll guarantee you a job. I graduated from a private driving school and I doubt there's anything taught there that would make you more attentive or better equipped to avoid the same situation in the future.

I hope this helps.

I sure don't wanna jinx it for myself, but I'm starting off the year on-track. I'm dry van, no hazmat, southeast regional and the company is smallish (approximately 200 trucks).

Here are a couple of things, I think, work in my favor;

1. There's a good mix of OTR and dedicated loads. I have been (for about the past six months) taking an OTR load out of the house Mondays, get into a dedicated area, where they use me thru Thursday or Friday, and then an OTR load to our main location where I pickup a load that gets me home.

2. Our company has a good mix of manufacturing freight and consumer goods. Our largest customer is Lowe's, so we deliver to many of their stores and many of their suppliers provide us backhauls that get us to the Lowe's distribution centers.

3. I try to stay flexible. I could be pushing to make more $, but the dedicated loads pay a flat rate and this schedule has allowed me to make the monetary equivalent of running 2,400+ miles per week, without much of the stress. Yes, I know I could be making more money. Maybe, maybe not.

Stay safe Drivers! We're counting on you to provide what we want, need and desire.

I am now down 45 pounds

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

glasses are hell for me as i lose them regularly, I like to swim and can lose them easily.

How did so many of us survive?

I’ve been wearing glasses since third grade (I’m 60+ years old). Twelve years in the military, ten in the Navy and a majority of that time on ships, which rock and roll in rough seas. Glasses are a pain for me too. BUT I WANNA SEE!

Rule #1: DO THE RIGHT THING.

You made the call and the heck with anyone who doesn't like it.

I always find it interesting that some companies want drivers to make get-by fixes or continue on, just so they can either avoid extra work or save a few bucks...AND THEN they never offer to pay the driver a little extra $$ after the driver saved them hundreds of dollars on roadside assistance. Hmm.

For me, some of my decision making depends on where I’m going. While I’d like a little more on the drives, if I’m going through small towns and tight turns on a route I’ve traveled before, I’d probably leave ‘em where you started. If I’m traveling I-20 or I-10 across Louisiana, I might stretch the tandems farther back in hopes of smoothing the ride.

😎

The OP joined the Trucking Truth 8 years ago! Maybe should have been reading some of the posts since 2015 would have prevented this self-made problem?

YUUUPPP!

We now live in the age of “I shouldn’t have to suffer the consequences of my actions!” The offspring of the “entitlement community.” 🤔

Even when I was younger and could only afford less reliable used cars I'd walk 10 miles back to my house before I'd hassle some stranger with a sob story or a guilt trip. I can't remember ever hassling a stranger for some kind of a handout. Even if the problem was something I couldn't resolve alone I've got at least a dozen phone numbers I could call if I needed help. You know who can't call for help? Drug addicts who have already burnt all their bridges. But, but, "They can't help it", "It's a disease". FREE (to them, NOT the taxpayers) treatment is available in Oregon and Washington - all they have to do is ask IF they want to quit. Bottom line - why work when there's a steady stream of suckers willing to hand you cash all day long?

100% AGREE!

Just say; "no."

I have seen 2 of these in the Walmart parking lot in Ocala, Fl. on Hwy 40. Seems the neighborhood surrounding the store isn't the best.

We've had a similar one in the parking lot of our Walmart, for at least a couple of years. While I wouldn't say the neighborhood around the store is the best, they don't put Walmarts (at least where I live) in the middle of gated communities. It just seems crime is getting worse in many areas, for a number of reasons. I don't want to hijack this into a political discussion.

I doubt that thing is manned at all, probably equipped with additional cameras inside those tinted windows, allowing for 360 degree scanning of the lot. It may also be that the store can pay less for this, than physical police patrols and/or rent-a-cops.

For years I've said; I can't wait for the day I can afford to not shop at Walmart.

Had they not hit the back of your trailer, it's possible they could have hit another vehicle, smaller vehicle and could have injured or killed others.

This was exactly my first thought. Thank God your trailer prevented them from killing others.

"You must not be very good at your job."

And if you were a really good police officer, you’d be somewhere other than “airport police.” 🤣

That looks good!

Did you bring enough for the rest of the class?

Well, yeah. But it was a small class. You asked; “how was your Christmas?” So…

But seriously, I hope you’re better tomorrow so you can enjoy a couple of days off.

Sorry to hear it. Hope you recover quickly! Here’s a prime rib from Christmas. 😎

I’ve been using the app for years. But, when their system is down…well, ya know. Like all things tech, I love the convenience EXCEPT when it isn’t working.

Love’s app is also convenient and, since downloading the CAT Scale app, I can’t remember the last time I went inside for a scale ticket.

When I hired on I was pretty much guaranteed to make $100K a year. Well, that didn’t happen. I drove about 136,000 miles this year and will gross about $75,000 as a company driver.

Define “guaranteed.”

Your post says you’re experienced. If that’s your one year, I’d be pretty damned happy. 🤣

What, about the current economy, makes you think leasing, will bring more $$?

Merry Christmas!!!

I used to be a construction worker, when I lost my DL back in 07' it cost me my job. At that time no one would hire me with out the DL. I've had to work some real remedial under paid jobs to get by for the last 15 years to scrape up enough cash to shovel to an attorney, fines, fees and courts to get to this point. Thankfully I got the CDL school under a grant to pay for it but no one told me that I should wait or that this was gonna set me back, even the DMV said "yea, why wait, your clear now to get a CDL". I'm not upset tho, because I still went thru and got it, its just gonna be a challenge to break into this industry now I see.

Also thank you for the help, I guess I will wait till I get a full year of driving in and try again this coming February, I hope that works. I am very eager to start. I completed my 160 hours ELDT and got my CDL in October this year, the only company that told me they had to be with in 60 or 90 days of graduation was CFI other wise I would have to have a "refresher" and be forced to a 6 month contract. Don't remember for how much I would be in debt to them but after the 20 or so companies I talked with they have no contract/refresher needed, some even said 6 months to a year from graduation. Hope that stays true, I've already heard the stories of what recruiters say then when you get there you find out it was lie. I'm just gonna keep my head up, not expect what they tell me and get the experience I need to drive and find greener fields when the time comes.

Please don’t give up on your dreams. Pause maybe or take a different path to achieve the same end but…I wasted lots of $$ hiring an idiot to build a crappy fence. When it fell in less than a year, I hired the best fence builder in the area. Here’s the kicker, this guy had just been released after 10 years in prison for DUI (his girlfriend was killed in the accident and her parents pressed charges).

This is what quality looks like, from a guy most wouldn’t hire.