Comments By The Persian Conversion

Most DOT officers are not idiots. They know the restrictions we all operate under, they know how limiting those restrictions can be to our income, and they know we're all out here trying to make a living.

It follows, then, that they know most of us are trying to maximize the time we can squeeze out of our logs. They would have to be pretty naive to think that drivers don't "tweak" a little bit here and there.

As long as your logs are legal and reasonable, and you are neat and professional (both in your attitude and in how you maintain your equipment), I don't think any of them will give you a hard time about it.

It's like speeding. Technically, officers could probably spend every single minute of every day, 24/7/365 issuing speeding tickets to everyone going 1mph over or more, but realistically they're just not going to have the time, resources or desire to do that. They let slide the ones who are still acting reasonably, and they catch the ones who just push it too far.

Yeah it's the same with me. I will always let them know when I plan on being available for my next load (and in over a year I have virtually never been wrong), but they still always say, "OK just give us a call when you're empty."

I know they usually have something ready for me, but I think it's like Old School says, they are trying to balance multiple options (and potentially other drivers in the same vicinity), so it's just a matter of them waiting to see how things play out. Anything can happen: breakdowns, weather, unloading taking longer than expected, etc. They just want to keep their options open. You can't take it personally.

Usually, the only way I can get preplanned for my next load is if I'll be unloading at a time when they won't be available to give me my next assignment, such as a 7am unload on the east coast (our dispatchers don't come in until 8am mountain time), or a trailer swap on a Sunday or something.

I started with a flatbed company as soon as I got my CDL. I wasn't planning on it, that's just the way it worked out. And I have to say I couldn't be happier with my decision.

It can definitely be done, as long as you are willing to work hard in the elements and enjoy problem solving. The securement isn't really that difficult intellectually, there are just a few basic principles that everything kind of builds off of. When in doubt, I just add more securement until I feel satisfied.

All I can say is do what you feel called to do.

...newly-developed tires with lower rolling resistance...

Uh, so are they saying there is less friction between the road and the tires? I can't imagine that being very safe...

Kurt, you made this post to ask if you were being paranoid. The consensus is clearly yes. But you keep trying to explain why you're not.

So it seems less like you were asking for advice, and more like you were just hoping to have your fears validated.

Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Let it go. As everyone else has said, you are going down a dangerous path with this way of thinking, and you seriously need to change course.

Here's what you should have done after you were told about the 2 loads and only saw one:

JUST GET THE FIRST LOAD DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

If, after that is accomplished, you still do not have your promised long load, then you at least have a bargaining chip. You can say something like, "Hey I knocked out that short load like you asked, just wondering what happened to the long one?" Then he will owe you a favor.

But I can almost guarantee that if you just go along with the plan, they'll do their best to keep you happy and moving.

Show a little good faith, and it will be returned to you, I promise.

So you're saying Old School is into leather belts and discipline from Russians? Kinky!

After being on this site for more years than I can remember, I had thought I've seen it all. Boy was I wrong.

The only thing I recommend is an old school-style, Russian discipline session with a leather belt. It works wonders.

I forgot to update this when I left.

No less than TEN DAYS after initially breaking down, I was finally back on the road.

Grand total for the repairs? About $7500 plus like $500 for the tow. Ten days of revenue lost, $8000 paid out of pocket, and another $1100 for the hotel. All because of one little hose that burst.

Just kidding, that didn't come out of my pocket. I'm not an owner/op, but can you imagine if I was??? That could be devastating!!!

Instead, I got paid $100 per day to sit in a hotel room with all the premium channels and my own private bathroom (a surprisingly welcome luxury when you're constantly on the road) while the company covered all my expenses except for food.

Not that I'm happy about it, I mean it really stinks that my company took such a hit. I'm merely pointing out the advantage in this scenario of being a company driver...

The end.

Honestly, my guess is that any future employer would easily be able to find a record of this, given that it was a government employer that tested you.

This is such a unique and frustrating situation, I honestly don't know what to say. I'm wondering if maybe you could get your stepdaughter to sign some sort of affidavit, then maybe get a lawyer to try and have the test expunged? That's just a wild guess, I don't even know who you could petition for that, or if they would even consider it. Plus it doesn't sound like your stepdaughter would be willing to own up to it anyway.

She really needs to understand that she did something incredibly damaging, with incredibly serious, potentially lifelong ramifications. That is just unbelievably shameful behavior, and she deserves some serious consequences. How old is she anyway?

That is a crazy story about your stepdaughter!

Honestly I don't know how easy it will be to get into the industry if you have a positive test result on your record, regardless of the reason for it. Others will chime in on this I'm sure. Can you elaborate a little further? Who was the test for, was it reported to anyone, did you challenge it and if so what was the result, etc.