Comments By Steve_HBG

Hello Rainy!

I understand your position about not wanting to sleep for the fear of possibly missing the QC and/or the phone call with an assignment. I was that way, too; for about six months.

I continue to get a bit anxious when I don't have a pre-plan. However, I no longer lose valuable sleep over it, because I know my Fleet Manager can see my logs and, if I'm in the bunk, I don't get those message. If I do happen to miss the message, I can read it when I awaken.

Do you happen to know if your Fleet Manager has the ability to see your logs? If so, you might be able to stop fretting :-)

Having driven both, I am a fan of an automatic transmission, if anything, for safety reasons. Your attention is freed from shifting to being on the road.

I do agree with the safety they bring when it comes to being attentive I have driven then both as well. My only pet peave with the autos is when I'm backing into a tight spot and I barely tap the gas and it takes off and I slam in the breaks like a mad man lol this has happened in mostly Cascadias but they ride very smooth! I prefer a manual, lthe manual in my opinion is just awesome ... Unless your in traffic lol. Thanks for the input guys!

That kept happening to me until I learned to put an egg between my foot and the accelerator, became a bit more patient, quit relying on the idle to push me back, and I read the Operator's Manual... In short, I hit docks the way they are not suppose to be hit until I learned how to drive the automatic in reverse.

Congrats, Paul!!!

Hauling beer can be extremely rewarding, but it can also be extremely challenging.

The challenges occur when the beer isn't loaded correctly in the trailer, and either the drive axles, the tandems, or both, wind up with a variance that sends the driver back to the loading dock. That happens quite frequently at Bud in Columbus, Ohio... I spent an entire 10 hour break there trying to get my total weight under 80,0001, and my axles at 34, 000. In the end, I wound up with 12,000, 34,000, and 34,000! As a sidenote, the robots in use there unload and load trailers faster than I ever thought possible.

When you see as much stupidity out there as we do every day, even one year is remarkable. What these guys have done goes way beyond that.

And then there's the unexpected... One case in point happened a few months ago on U.S. 35 northwest of Chilocothe, Ohio. I was following another driver on an arrow-straight portion of the four lane when, for no reason whatsoever and completely unexpected, the driver made a casual right turn, directly into the unplanted corn field to our right.

After ensuring no one was injured, I had to ask the driver what he was thinking... The driver's response: "Didn't you see the exit sign for the rest area?" Um, no...

How does one drive and not pay attention to what is ahead?

I've heard texting while driving is one possibility. Talking on the phone while driving is another.

I was told not to use the 8/2 split but I don't get penelized if I do use it. I have used it a few times and I'll actually be using it tomorrow. I only use it for a day or 2 because I find it more tiring than a regular 10 hr break. But it does work pretty good for making up for sitting at a dock.

I use the 8/2 frequently, because it is quite beneficial. However, I have found that taking the 2 hour break before the 8 hour sleeper berth period works best for me.

Also, I agree with everything Brett wrote about the break periods we took before the "Pencil Pushers" decided we needed to turn into robots and work 14 hours per day after taking a "continuous" 10 hours off. I liked the old system.

I agree unconditionally with Mountaingirl!!!

There are times during the day that I know I will benefit from a three or four hour nap. But, that "nap time" will basically end my 14 hours. So, I take a cat nap and wake up feeling worse than when I stopped. So, I become completely unproductive.

On the flip side of the HOS Requirements, I have tried modifying my "split sleeper berth" times, and I have found that, sometimes, working four, five, or six hours and sleeping three or four hours afterwards actually leaves me feeling refreshed.

We are all adults out here, and I must say that I support the move toward modifying the HOS rules.

The Professional Noted:

He said one big problem he had when driving was arriving at a shipper and then having to wait forever to get unloaded. After having to wait so long, this person said his driving time for the day was up but the shipper still told him he had to leave.

Whether I am driving to a Shipper's facility to get loaded or a Consignee's facility to get unloaded, I try to schedule my arrival so that either the pre-scheduled loading or unloading appointment time for the trailer begins as close as possible to the start of my 14 hour clock; that way, I am able to sit for nearly 14 hours...

If there is no activity in the trailer two hours after the scheduled appointment, I would inquire about it with either the shipper or the receiver and, then, notify my Driver Manager. Doing this seems to help prevent those days when it would otherwise be possible to burn through an entire 14 hour day.

I hope my contribution made sense...

Something to note though - HazMat's have to be renewed every 4 years - most license 6-8 years. The BG clearance should be good for the 4 years the HM is.

I recently earned my Hazmat by studying the High Road like crazy and supplementing that study with a review of Pennsylvania's CDL Manual. When I finally passed the test, as well as the background investigation, I learned that my Hazmat would be good for the duration of my driver's license - two years! Then, when I renew my license in 2018, everything will be in Synch: My driver's license, background investigation, and Hazmat endorsement will be good for four years.

In States where licenses are good for longer periods, being in synch will happen every time the anniversary date of the license renewal falls on the renewal date for the Hazmat.

But, Karen, don't let that be a deterrent for obtaining your Hazmat! Go for it!

PS - I love the bulldog mascot. I want a Mack just for that reason alone.

Start looking for driving jobs in the construction industry, then: That's where you'll find those beasts of burdens! I drove one of those trucks when U.S. Steel was thriving during the 1970's in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After that, I moved into one of their "finer" machines hauling steel for Aero Trucking out of Murrysville, Pennsylvania. I can't say my experience was fond with a Mack, but I did have a love-hate relationship with it; simply because it was so darned dependable :-) Today's Macks are generations ahead of the former ones, but they still retain that same durability quality.

Just don't ask why some drivers turn the dog around and have its face looking at them instead of the road in front of the driver.

I hope to see you driving a Mack someday, Miss Myoshi.