Comments By Rick S.

As far as the DIABETES GOES - depends on if you are on the NEEDLE.

If you are using insulin - your treating doctor (preferably an Endocrinologist) needs to fill out this FMCSA: Insulin Dependant Diabetes Mellitus Assessment Form, and if you ARE NOT TRACKING YOUR BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS IN DETAIL ALREADY - YOU NEED TO BE.

Used to be much more difficult to get a diabetes waiver - it's become somewhat easier in recent years. It used to take up to six months to get a waiver.

The concern is greater with those on insulin - as a "glucose crash", could result in a TRUCK CRASH. Type II (adult onset) diabetes, especially if not on the needle yet - can be well managed on oral meds, diet and exercise - the latter two being things that aren't always easy to manage on the road - but PLENTY OF DRIVERS ARE.

Part of the reason they made things easier - is that the incidence of the disease is SO PREVALENT in this country - and many otherwise qualified individuals were being kept off the road. And despite this - we are STILL ACTUALLY NUMBER THREE in the world.

and quite aways back from China & India (who also DWARF US in population - so when you factor that in, we're about even with them).

Best of luck - keep us posted on your progress...

Rick

And we don't really do "private comms" - because EVERYONE CAN BENEFIT from the information shared.

There's NOTHING we wouldn't way over the phone - that we wouldn't say here on the forum.

Aside from discouraging new drivers out of the gate (way to much to learn about being a safe/productive driver - without the additional stress/worry of handling the finance/logistics of a lease). If the intent is the "Dream of Owning Your Own Truck" - very few folks I've known walk with their company lease truck - and if they complete their lease obligation, and want to continue - they get themselves into a BRAND NEW TRUCK.

Residual values are still reasonably high on lease-end trucks, and if you having been eating Ramen Noodles for 2 years and banking every $$ - by the time you get enough $$ saved and the residual value of the truck is affordable - it usually has MORE MILES ON IT than you would want anyways (especially for what you have ALREADY PAID IN during the course of the lease).

Leasing a CAR is one thing (from a business standpoint) -leasing a TRACTOR is an entirely different animal...

Rick

And when OTR companies are looking for "experienced drivers" - they mean OTR (as OS mentioned) - but having some local experience handling a rig will put you that far ahead of the game then someone who never got behind the wheel at all.

Just follow the rules of the road - and don't pick up BAD HABITS - and the transition should be fairly painless (at least the DRIVING PART - the being out for weeks at a time, is another story).

Welcome to TT - please keep us posted on your progress...

Rick

Thank you Rake for bringing this topic up for discussion, much good feedback and things to ponder. 🤔🤔 I need to study the new HOS updates to expand my knowledge it appears, I'm not up to speed on the use of PC and it's requirements .. Safe Travels Sir 👍

Splits are probably the most confusing part of HOS (next to RECAPS).

Fairly decent explanation of the new rule. There's a video explanation on that link too.

It doesn't have to be a 7/3 - it can be a 7.5/2.5 - as long as the total = 10 hours. It's still a little confusing - but slightly less so than the previous one - and the addition of the 7/3 makes it a little more flexible. You can do the SHORTER PERIOD as plain old "Off Duty" - the LONGER ONE MUST BE IN SLEEPER BERTH.

I would think most companies should (that allow the split) "should" have their ELD's programmed for it...

Rick

Rob,

Thanks for the clarification. I still go by the old rules because i don't know if my ELD is updated with the new rules or not and i'm not going to spend hours on the phone calling Timmy from India trying to find out the info.

Be safe out there.

LOL.

I've read on a few industry blogs where sometimes the ELD doesn't reflect the correct 14, until you approach the limit. Changing the split rule gives some more flexibility - especially where you're spending a few hours at a consignee. It's trying to fix a known problem with wait times - by NOT FIXING THE ACTUAL PROBLEM - WAIT TIMES.

Running on "pure splits" (using the split every day) is going to end up even more confusing to some, than running pure recaps. At some point, a REAL 10 BREAK is going to be necessary to straighten ELD's AND body clocks back out. You take a 3 - then a 7 later. Is 7 REALLY ENOUGH to get decent rest AND take care of showers/etc.?

Rick

Hi, Oleg. I had a same problem but with Box truck Any ubdates about your case?

Holy ancient troll-thread-resurrection Batman!

Oleg is LONG GONE - probably flipping burgers for violating a dozen federal regs. I hear he's working for a natural gas company back in his homeland...

Rick

So like i said i made a very wide turn so i can end on the left side of the narrow road so i could make the right turn into the parking lot

Map View By GPS Coordinates

Like - everyone paste this into google maps - and go to satellite view.

You are like - in the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. How does someone hit you IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE?

Rick

Question?? If the trucks that spent the night at truck stop switched to off duty after arriving, while waiting for crane, wouldn’t their 14 hr clock stop during that time due to the split sleeper rule?

They had to move from the TS, to the job site - move a truck - start a clock. The 14 starts the second you do ANY WORK (including PRE-TRIP) and doesn't stop until you either take a split, or take a 10. You have 14 hours to DRIVE 11. So the guys that overnighted at the truck stop (instead of taking the 10 at the locked gate of the site) - had to start their clock and THEN WAIT THEIR TURN to be unloaded. They could have been OFF DUTY while waiting - but the 14 clock STAYS RUNNING REGARDLESS.

Rick

Sounds like the lady was looking to lie her way out of a citation. And the freakout was part of the cover.

If her car was towed - it is DOT REPORTABLE - which affects the company safety score - even if you were not at fault. Now, a company THAT BIG - probably not a huge it in and of itself.

I would NOT HAVE MOVED A THING, until the cop arrived. DID YOU GET PICTURES BEFORE YOU MOVED ANYTHING? FILL UP YOUR PHONE CAMERA ROLL FROM ALL ANGLES, if you get in a bender - helps down the road (like when the lady files in nuisance suit for injury). Company risk department may just do a "shut up and go away" payment (cheaper than getting lawyers involved). And since this lady had no insurance, you can pretty much bet she's going to run somewhere with her hand out, looking for a payoff. She may have even hit you INTENTIONALLY - to get a new car and some spending $$ (happens ALL THE TIME - since trucks are considered rolling cash registers for insurance scammers).

There will be a long-form accident report on this - cop should have given you a Case Number - GET A COPY FOR YOURSELF.

Most cops can see through BS - but if she hit you mid-trailer - the allegation from her could be "he made a sudden turn into me". But as PJ said - if she tried to GO AROUND YOU, IN THE TURN LANE - she was plainly at fault.

Typically - citations are issued ON THE SPOT - whether or not they fly IN COURT depends - as if the cop DID NOT WITNESS IT - HE CANNOT TESTIFY TO IT. Only suppositions based on past experience, and what his observations that went into the report revealed. State Troopers tend to have way more training and experience at accident investigations, than regular old patrol cops - and if an actual accident investigation unit responded they typically do even better at reconstructing circumstances. Another reason why you take pics and do not move your vehicle until someone arrives and TELLS YOU TO - even though most state laws require accident vehicles must be moved from lanes of travel if able to do so. But in the case of a "sketchy participant" in the accident, I wouldn't move AN INCH.

Keep us posted on how this thing progresses...

Rick

PackRat, nobody knows. Retina detachment is a fairly common thing, but most people don't have the problems I have had with it. My Retina is unusually thin, and it just sort of started tearing all to pieces once it detached. There is some evidence indicating that people will sometimes have a retina detachment after having cataract surgery. My retina detachment occurred almost one year after I had cataract surgery. Go figure!

Sometimes it is just a part of the aging process, but it just doesn't affect everyone.

Great - I need cataract surgery. Now I don't want it. Good thing I'm not driving - I can go Intrastate/Exempt when my med card expires - then I just need to figure out how to get past my renewal in Sept.

Still pulling for you there brother...

Rick