Profile For Hilary S.

Hi - I've also posted as the writer looking for drivers who work with their pets, and I really appreciate the response you've given me on that subject. Now I'm looking for information about truck-driving in general. One question I have:

As i understand it, a trucking company's profit depends on expedient delivery. Does this put pressure on the driver to achieve his/her fastest delivery time possible? Or, are there only certain cases, where a tight driving schedule might be caused by, say, having to wait the maximum time for a load to come out, which then minimizes a trucker's window to deliver it to the next spot?

Thank you!

Hilary Smith

I also need to get the following answered. Thank you again for your time and effort!

1. as i understand it, a trucking company's profit depends on expedient delivery. does this put pressure on the driver to achieve his/her fastest delivery time possible? or, are there only certain cases, where a tight driving schedule might be caused by, say, having to wait the maximum time for a load to come out, which then minimizes a trucker's window to deliver it to the next spot?

2. am i understanding correctly that, while sleeping overnight in their trucks, drivers have the option of idling or not, and idling will keep the truck warm? i've read a little about heated bunks, but i've also heard about truckers waking up in a cold truck on a 27-degree, or colder, morning and feeling extremely - well - cold. also, are drivers responsible for the cost difference in gas incurred by an idling truck?

3. would you agree that many truckers choose the profession for what one driver's described to me as "being a paid tourist"? obviously, the stresses of the job temper that description, but from what i've read and been told, after the hazing period of learning the ropes, there is that aspect . . . among the continuing stresses.

Thank you again. I really appreciate your help!

Hilary

Hello -

Still working on my article. Can anyone guide me to a good source for answers to the following questions? I've already asked them of truck info.net, but spokesperson there was unable to help.

Ideally, I'd like to get a current (2012-2013) statistic on how many Class 8 trucks vs. how many passenger cars are out on the road at a given time in the United States.

Truck info.net states that 2 million tractor-trailers are operating in the U.S., but there's no date on this. Am I correct in assuming that this is a 2012-13 figure, or could I obtain a figure for these dates?

The site also states: "In 2006 the transportation industry logged 432.9 billion miles. Class 8 trucks accounted for 139.3 billion of those miles, up from 130.5 billion in 2005." Are there Class 8 stats for 2012-2013?

Are the following statistics for 2012-2013, or can I get updated dates? "The United States economy depends on trucks to deliver nearly 70 percent of all freight transported annually in the U.S., accounting for $671 billion worth of manufactured and retail goods transported by truck in the U.S. alone. Add $295 billion in truck trade with Canada and $195.6 billion in truck trade with Mexico."

Thank you so much to anyone who can help me with this!

Hilary

Hello - i'm looking for the name and tel. # of an off-leash truck stop with green patches for truckers' dogs. whether this is the same as the truck stop in amarillo, tx, that has fenced runs for dogs, i'm not sure. but if anyone has contact info for one or two of the better truck stops for truckers driving with dogs, that would be great. thank you so much! hilary smith

Meet Skipper. I had him on the truck for 3.5 years when I was a lease driver at another company. I am a company driver now and can't have him on the truck and I dearly miss him. Awesome companion. He was comic relief when I needed it. He was a friend that would listen when I was having a bad day. He liked my music without complaint. He always seemed to know when I was a bit stressed cause he would lay his head on my leg while I was driving and I would reach down and pet him and without realizing it the stress from that situation would be gone and I would be miles down the road before I knew it. In many ways he is my child. He is family. He stays at home now a days cause he has to guard the house while I am a way...or at least HE thinks he has to. Just about as pure of a relationship as one can have with another being.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have here on the forums or email me at guy_hodges@yahoo.com or hodges.guy@gmail.com or through this sites email. Either way I will try to answer any questions you may have.

thank you so much, guyjax! i'll be in touch! hilary

Oh I know there's a long-time member of ours - Guyjax - and he had a dog with him for a long time and really loved it. He'll be dropping in soon and I know he'll give you something. I never traveled with a pet but I did have some flies and bees come in the window from time to time but I'm almost certain that's not what you're asking

thanks, brett! i've also left word online for a guy who travels w/ his pet pig.

hello! i'm new to this site, not because i'm considering a trucking career - though it looks very interesting - but because i'm a writer writing about trucking w/ pets. so far, i've spoken with two wonderful women about working life with their small dogs aboard. in the effort to get a well-rounded view, i'd also like to hear from men as well as couples driving in the company of their pets, maybe a couple of whom are larger dogs, or cats.

thank you so much!

hilary smith