Profile For Brian

Yeah reefer can definitly be a pita. The reefer unit itself is usually bipolar so you have to become familiar with certain codes. Also need to know what temp the product needs to stay at or you could possibly lose the loaf. Have to keep an eye on the reefer fuel. I've picked a load that was almost bone dry because the weekend fuel guy missed it. So it can be pain but like mentioned its always consistent.

Well I'll tell you what, I'll be on 65 South to Rennselaer early Wednesday morning. If you take any breaks during that time I'll stop by. I actually had the chance to have breakfast with PJ at the Lake Station Flying J weeks back.

Huh... You got me there Bobcat none of or trucks are red or with design not sure who that would of been.

I also run a Cobra 29 LTD. Peaked and tuned with a Terminator antenna and an astatic 636l mic. Works great. The peak and tune was about 35 dollars worth ever penny.

And Bruce I also was alittle unsure of investing in a CB until I got one and now I will never go anywhere without. Like LDRSHIP said, another example would be going down the highway you're at milemarker say 27 and someone calls in that traffic is at a standstill at 31 right lane blocked entirely. Now you have miles to start to get on the brakes and move over into the next lane. It's a great tool to have.

Hey Bobcat, around 1230 I was on I 90 east heading towards 294 north bound if I remember right. What color was it?

Vice grips are handy. I also carry a husky brand mini sludge from the home depot. Heavy, but not so heavy you can't get a few good whacks single handed per pin. Works well.

Man some of these are timeless threads. This was a great idea.

My current truck has the 12.7L series 60 Detroit and a 10 spd Eaton Fuller. I have been in a cat 13 speed as well. I love the Detroit. Not as much pulling power as the Cummins, but still all you really need. And typically gets good mpg. A good engine for sure.

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Is he going to give you a blue truck? That could be a deal breaker, if you get a turd brown truck!

No clue what I will end up with. He sent pics of 2 trucks he was eyeing.

One is a 2011 Freightliner Coronado132 (Fitzgerald glider). It is canary yellow with red pinstriping. It has a 12.7L series 60 Detroit and a 10 spd Eaton Fuller.

The other is a 2010 Peterbilt 386. It is candy apple red. It has a Cummins engine and 13spd Eaton Fuller.

And you're fired. What's even more effed up is it appears he is hauling hazmat.

How about like this?!

Yeah according to Tyler's profile, it's Carolina Cargo but as Bobcat mentioned Cr England is another big one.

I'll be interested all of these especially the one on the postal service. Are any of these ebook Rainy? Or on kindle rather.

That was a heck of a journey Grumpy. Or should i say driver. Now for the real fun.

I keep a bottle of hand sanitizer taped to the bottom of the gear shifter. I swear i go through one ever 2 weeks.

That was a very interesting read Rainy. Thanks for sharing that.

Brett makes a great point on parts.

Most of Prime is FL and they have a wide selection of parts in stock. Petes,Volvo, and International need to go to the dealers more often because of it. Lease op friends all want a Volvo but say the parts costs more.

It also comes down to fuel economy. FL are lighter than Petes Volvo and International, so Prime puts most company drivers of full size in FL and the lease ops get the others. they figure the lease ops can pay more for fuel rather than the company. I have friends who leased several FL in the past and now have a Pete. He says he spends 10% more on fuel with the Pete and he is going back to the FL.

However, drivers want what they want when living OTR. I see men in the parking lots arguing over 1 brand new Pete when there are 40 other trucks there. They never drove a Pete and have no idea if they will like it, but almost all the new male drivers i meet want a Pete. Therefore companies wont order trucks that are uncomfortable or difficult to drive. I was told a year ago, Prime was getting away from the Internationals. But then the trans and engine changed, so now Prime is amping up the ordering with another 800 coming in the next couple of.months.

My friend owns a Volvo and she says it drives like a cloud. She never mastered a manual so when her hubby suggested the auto she jumped for it. She swears she will never drive anything but a Volvo again. But, it is heavier therefore she spends more in fuel. I took it out for a quick spin and it feels a lot like my International. However she does pay a lot more in fuel than my boyfriend does for his auto FL.

Weight is another issue. The FL are lighter, even the full size are lighter than the others. that means more freight weight in the trailer and possibly more money for the load. This is also why they get better fuel economy. It is another reason why they are "freight shakers" and so bouncey and rocked by wind. Some shippers get charged a flat rate for a load, whether 1000 pounds or 44k, so using heavier trucks for lightee loads may not cost that much.

So parts, fuel economy, weight, driver favorites, and dealership deals.

I have driven 2012, 2015, 2016 FLs, a 2015 Pete, and a 2017, 2020 International.

Because I dont have to pay for fuel etc, My favorite by far is the 2020 International. The FL seems so flimsy and weak in comparison. Ten mph wind will rock you and they creaked a lot when turning or in wind. The Pete and Internationals felt a lot more solid but can be dangerous in the wond because you dont feel it until its in the 30mph range.

I drove a Pete for a few weeks in training and it was difficult for me. The hood mirrors were so low I couldnt see them and I would pull myself up by the steering wheel to get a peak. The seats were higher too, and even on the lowest setting, i could hardly reach the pedals. Every time I hit a bump, the seat went up and down and my foot went on and off the pedals creating a stop go, stop go effect. The manual shifter was more boxy than the FL which made shifting for a newbie easier. It did have a "blindside" warning sensor which i liked if someone was on your right and you turned your blinker on.

At first when i saw the international i thought it had less cabinets and wasted open space. My under the bunk space is completely taken up by the ThermoKing APU. I am guessing that is a Rigmaster vs TK issue not a truck issue. It has features like power locks that activate when you put it in drive. There seems to be better lighting, and even the mattresses are better for the students. However, after driving it for a few months, I didnt want to turn in my 2017, despite the issue it had. So now i have a new one and Yay! luxury, power, and it actually drives!!! lol

i hope this helps

I'm still on paper (pre eld engine) but this was great info I also had no idea and will be a great reference for when i do end back up on elogs. I don't think all companies are on the page with this rule. The smaller ones at least. Great info Bill.

Haha gorilla tape, bungee cords, and zip ties not much that combo can't fix.

Duct tape. It fixes everything!

I would think as long as it's secure and not flapping in the wind about to tear off you should be okay.

I was thinking the same. Pulling for ya Packrat.

Thoughts are with you Packrat.

Couple questions for you Juicebox. What has been your average length of haul? How many stops are you doing per load or really all depends? Thus far what would you say is the hardest part for you? And I'm assuming most (if not all) of your loading/ unloading is being done during the day?