Comments By Auggie69

Now I’m doing training for running doubles into Washington DC. Pretty interesting. Not as hard as I thought it would be. The hardest part for me is getting used to working nights.

Can you give us a rundown on how that works?

Do you drop a trailer before going into DC and then deliver the front first then go back and get the second?

Looking at the WM at 820 1st St you can't get doubles in there so I'm assuming you just get close and then break your set?

Funny story:

Went to deliver to an Army post. Go into the guard shack for the background check. A couple drivers already in there with one being an owner operator.

Takes a few minutes so the three of us were sitting and chatting in a room just off the check-in window.

Shortly a few MPs walked in and called the name of the owner operator. He stood up and they asked him to step outside for a minute ... where they turned him around, put his hands behind his back and cuffed him!

The other driver and myself just stared at each other wide-eyed then the other driver said, "Geez, maybe I should leave now!"

…it’s probably the DOT fees. Geez I hope UPS gives him some training…

You would think 😀

UPS offered to pay for my doubles endorsement because they want me carrying doubles. Does anyone on here carry doubles? If so do you like it? How much different is it then 53ft trailers? Does anyone know if it is a good idea to get the free training and carry doubles?

Where are you taking training for doubles that costs money? Doubles is only an endorsement. You study the commercial drivers manual you take the test and get the endorsement. Does UPS have its own driving school?

The only fee I can think of is actually re-printing your license but that is determined by what state you’re in.

The pups are limited to 28,700 on a single axle

Haven't seen that number before.

I double-checked and the PUPS are GVWR at 40K pounds. Federal law limits trailers to 20K pounds on any single axle.

But I have been wrong before :)

We can usually load upto 24k on a pup and are supposed to scale any trailer over 20k. I didn't know they could be that far over on a trailer.

I believe our PUPS are rated up to 40K but are limited to 20K on the drives of a day cab/single axle.

I've had 24K before and sweated every minute driving through VA but when pulled in I scaled just fine!

I was just going to post this as a continuing topic, one of many companies to come I'll bet.

These guys sent out a "Happy 4th" message to everyone, then closed shop the next day. Talk about a poor relationship! They're in trouble with the FEDS now, too. Didn't give an advanced warning with more than 50 employees as required by law.

I don't remember who Andrey was with. He disappeared around tax time back in April.

Yup. The company that owned them should get hit with a big fine. Hopefully some of that will find its way back to the employees.

Isn't this the company Andre works or worked for?

Private-equity-owned trucking company had 135 drivers and 148 power units

A note on "fault". If fault means, "who initially screwed things up" then Bruce is correct that the shipper is at fault for loading the trailer in such an irresponsible way. I appreciate Bruce's statement as a show of support for a fellow driver.

If fault means, "who is ultimately responsible" then Bird-one is correct...I'm at fault.

Thanks to G-Town for supplying the word, "responsible" (and his kind words) to help make things clearer. And to Bird-one for further clarifying what he meant. Semantics is a pain in the butt sometimes.

Auggie, the fine was $184. The officer at the weigh station said that the fine was not mine. It is the company's, and they are the ones responsible for paying it. However, I may have signed something during orientation that said I'd liable for any fines I receive while operating a company vehicle. Not 100% sure about that. Haven't been told I'm responsible for it yet. I'll find out soon enough.

$184 for 1,000? Ouch. Hopefully you won't have to pickup the tab.

So yes, I just started with a new company this very week. I always think it's a good idea to make a great first impression.

Instead, here I sit at a weigh station in Virginia with a preloaded 36,000 lb load with the tandems slid back as far as the law allows (41ft), and I'm at more than 35,000lbs on the tandems and 22,000lbs on my drives.

What can we learn from this?

Waiting for company to figure out what they want me to do. I was unaware of this fact: Virginia will allow you to carry your load within its borders for 24hrs after an overweight citation. Unfortunately I need to go into North Carolina where another violation can be assessed if I get pulled into a weigh station in that state.

So what's the fine and do you have to pay for it if it comes to that?