Comments By Chief

Actually, most chemical tankers are smooth bore (no baffles) as are food grade

Apparently this has changed quite a bit in recent years because back in the day most chemical tankers had baffles. The fuel trucks sometimes have baffles and sometimes have compartments so they can carry different grades of fuel.

But when I used to get my tank washed out the workers always preferred food grade not only because of the obvious safety factor but because we didn't have any baffling of any sort. But I never drove a chemical tanker so that's all I know about em.

None of our chemical tanks ( which is primarily what we haul) have baffles. I'm sure there are some out there though. Other chem tanker drivers I talk with say the same, mostly no baffles. We have some fuel trailers that are one compartment with baffles and some multi-compartmented trailers as you mentioned.

Washing chemical tanks is not a job I would want

Another thing to think about with tankers. The difference between chemical and food grade tankers is, generally the chemical tanks have baffles in them helping to reduce liquid surge. With food grade tanks, they don't have them. You would have to fight the truck while going down the road more than you would be fighting traffic. That's where the extra OTR experience that Brett mentioned comes into play, learning to fight the truck and win.

Actually, most chemical tankers are smooth bore (no baffles) as are food grade. It's the fuel haulers that typically have baffled tanks.

Organization.....a place for everything and everything in its place. You can waste a lot of time looking for something you need right now.

Six Days On The Road (and I'm gonna make it home tonight)

Guyjax is totally correct. You have to prove to your dispatcher's and managers you are a go getter and team player no matter what. I'm currently on a load taking me home but my central dispatcher called me half way there and asked if I could help out one of our terminals in LA that is short on drivers and do some regional dedicated runs for them for a couple of days. Of course I said sure because #1 it is work which equals money and #2 I will make sure to remind him of it when I find out about nice long, juicy back hauls in the future.

I am fortunate though that I drive for a medium sized company so all of the central dispatchers and many of the terminal dispatchers know who I am and they all know I will not refuse a load or diversion unless it's a family emergency.

But the same principal applies to all companies. Show them you are a safe, dependable, can be counted on driver and the good loads will come your way and you'll be treated fairly (probably even better).

Just so you know the definition Of distracted drving concerning cell phone.....if you have to touch the phone at all....that means ANY part of the phone regardless if you have bluetooth or not it's considered distracted driving and will cost up to $2750 fine and a $11000 fine for your compqny. Yes they give the drive AND the company the fines.

You may have known this Chief but this is mainly for those that did not know.

Touching the phone means any part. If you touch it to bring it out of sleep mode it's illegal. If you just look at a text even though it's still in the phone holder on the dash.....big fine. If an officer sees your hand go near it he will assume you touched it and he will get you.

Hopefully everyone in the industry by now knows there are severe restrictions on mobile phone use by commercial drivers. Not to come off as argumentative, but for the benefit of all others on this website, what you are stating Guyjax, is not technically correct. FMCSA's website lists the conditions under which a CMV driver may use a mobile phone: 1) it is located in such a way the driver can use it while properly restrained 2) the driver uses an earpiece or speaker function 3) the driver uses voice activated or one button touch features to initiate, answer, or terminate a call

As for texting, it is defined as MANUALLY entering alphanumeric text into or reading text from a phone.

So, touching a phone while driving is not forbidden, just severely restricted (one touch allowed). By using the setup I have I can actually do way more with my phone than is allowed by law. I choose not to. Truth be known, I dislike talking on the phone while driving and usually wait until I'm stopped somewhere to do my business.

Again, I didn't respond to this to be argumentative. I feel it's important for drivers (and potential to-be drivers) to truly understand exactly what the laws and regulations governing this industry are.

But I digress from all of that. Using a phone in any capacity, while driving ANY vehicle is extremely distracting and should be highly discouraged.

Chief I was not stating what the fmcsa says because what you posted was correct. I was referring to what the officer can and will do. Ya see he can't see exactly what you are doing except touching the phone. In his perception you are distracted therefore getting a ticket. You really won't be able to argue with with about it. Distracted driving is not just texting and driving it also includes looking else where into the cab of your truck instead off out the window where you should be looking and that is what he will get ya on. The words Distracted Driving is an umbrella term to cover everything.

So while the law is very specific on cell phone use while driving it in no ways controls the officers perspective and judgment call and that is what the judge will go by also.

I understand your perspective Guyjax and agree with most of your points. I wonder how many truck drivers have been given unwarranted tickets for distracted driving? I know there are those out there that deserve them, I have seen it as I know you have. I would think LEOs are pretty selective in issuing distracted driving citations in the gray area.

Just so you know the definition Of distracted drving concerning cell phone.....if you have to touch the phone at all....that means ANY part of the phone regardless if you have bluetooth or not it's considered distracted driving and will cost up to $2750 fine and a $11000 fine for your compqny. Yes they give the drive AND the company the fines.

You may have known this Chief but this is mainly for those that did not know.

Touching the phone means any part. If you touch it to bring it out of sleep mode it's illegal. If you just look at a text even though it's still in the phone holder on the dash.....big fine. If an officer sees your hand go near it he will assume you touched it and he will get you.

Hopefully everyone in the industry by now knows there are severe restrictions on mobile phone use by commercial drivers. Not to come off as argumentative, but for the benefit of all others on this website, what you are stating Guyjax, is not technically correct. FMCSA's website lists the conditions under which a CMV driver may use a mobile phone: 1) it is located in such a way the driver can use it while properly restrained 2) the driver uses an earpiece or speaker function 3) the driver uses voice activated or one button touch features to initiate, answer, or terminate a call

As for texting, it is defined as MANUALLY entering alphanumeric text into or reading text from a phone.

So, touching a phone while driving is not forbidden, just severely restricted (one touch allowed). By using the setup I have I can actually do way more with my phone than is allowed by law. I choose not to. Truth be known, I dislike talking on the phone while driving and usually wait until I'm stopped somewhere to do my business.

Again, I didn't respond to this to be argumentative. I feel it's important for drivers (and potential to-be drivers) to truly understand exactly what the laws and regulations governing this industry are.

But I digress from all of that. Using a phone in any capacity, while driving ANY vehicle is extremely distracting and should be highly discouraged.

Except texting while driving...no matter the reason why is a bad idea. And since you have to be stopped to text you might as well call. It's more personal.

Yea face time is great except for signal strength. The data signals are almost most places but there are more than a few really weak spots if you use at&t. Especially west of the Mississippi river.

Heartily agree on both points. Texting while driving is a very bad idea. I would never advocate it. I do however have software on my phone that actually lets me select, compose and send a text with one push of a button on my Bluetooth earpiece. Everything is voice activated and I never even have to look at the phone.

Signal strength is definitely a factor in mobile communications. I used to have Sprint and it really wasn't that good. Ever since I switched to Verizon I have had virtually zero signal problems.

It will make a whole lot more sense when you are actually standing in front of the truck, can see the different parts and have them explained to you and have the pretrip demonstrated. Any CDL school worth its salt will have you practicing pretrip daily.

The D.O.T. officer will give you the fax number of the nearest chicken coop and they will look it over and confer with him concerning it, but you will find that most of the time when a D.O.T. officer finds out that you are using e-logs that he will just not even take a look at your logs. They usually don't even want to bother with it. In ten months of driving I have been stopped or checked at weigh stations approximately 6 times, and only one out of those times did the officer go ahead and look at my logs once he found out that I was on e-logs.

Ditto. Once they see the Qualcomm and ask if you're on elogs they usually don't look at it. But paper is another story. Btw, for the person that asked, you'll never get a paper log to match an elog exactly (unless you're managing your elog like a paper log and good luck with that!).