Profile For Errol V.

I-70 through Denver goes through the Rocky Mountains. Rockies + January = snow. Get your kicks on Route 66. That includes I-44 Okie City to St Looie.

I live in Memphis, but you can pass through Springfield and say Hi to all the Primates instead.

I just measured my 2019 KW T680 bottom bunk area, and the area between each side is 87", or 7' 3" in width.

PackRat, I'm assuming your 87" is straight across. You can stretch a few more inches if you go diagonally from the back corner towards the back of your cabinets on the other side. But in a company truck you know you'll have to jury rig the hanging points since you can't drill holes in the truck walls and such.

Awwww I am blushing. thank you!

Brett I just posted a video comparing the actual lease settlement with company pay...Errol thoight it was fantastic... so maybe u might enjoy it and post it somwhere, please?

I am ErrolV and I apporve this message.

Packrat recommends:

I recommend carrying your own hardhat on the truck.

Having your own Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) with you will save time & grief. And it's not all that expensive. A stop at Lowe's or Home Depot where it's all in one place or my favorite: Harbor Freight tools , and you're all set.

The vest can be used all the time when you're around big trucks. The safety glasses are used more than the once I was required to have a helmet, but I had a helmet with me.

First, your trainer's pre-trip schedule: if he only PTI's on Sunday, he's wrong six days a week. Just like the HOS rules, the PTI is a requirement at least at the start of your shift.

Tires: if he couldn't believe it would hold air, why was he willing to trust that tire on the road?? If you're shingle load was heavy, call your on-road service before you head out. With light loads, I have driven a bit but still called in. In that case I'd plan where would be a good place for a 30 minute break then call the on-road people and tell them I'll stop there for the repair.

Not while trucking, but in my previous life I did a job at a milk bone factory. Had to wear a hair net.

I said I’ve seen my dog eat his own crap, I’m pretty sure a hair wouldn’t phase him.

They weren’t amused

That's not funny. When I was about 4 years old, a neighbor who had a dog gave me a Milk Bone biscuit. I ate it.

... so you'll never know! And later I switched to Oreos

Yup, getting into a dock can be challenging. I like to look at it as a puzzle to solve. A few years ago I posted several backing/ docking situations for others to see.

Here's a matter list of links to Scott 20 interesting docking situations:

Best Practice™ Table of Contents

Enjoy!

You're no where near any product.

Along these lines, picking up a trailer drop and hook style at a paper mill. A nice warm summer day, I was wearing shorts, and missed the sign saying long pants were required.

A supervisor caught me in the trailer yard. All the loaded trailers were sealed, I was in a trailer yard of all places. I had to get into the sleeper and put on the long pants or I would have been kicked out & reported.

Oh, and the CPAP report is only for the last 30 days. Your instructor may have confused the time for the hair follicle drug test, 90 days on that.

I have a CPAP. The Dr for the physical probably is not interested in the machine. The compliance record comes from the place that administers the machine. Ask them to get a printout report. I've heard you can download a report yourself from the SD card inside the CPAP machine.

In my last DOT physical, I brought the official printout, but the exam doctor simply asked me if I used it in a regular basis. I answered "Yes". (Really I do use it! Honest!)

Normally for snow-covered roads, the furthet to the rear the tandems, the more weight on the drives, so more traction. It's also more stable when encountering higher winds.

Say, PackRat, I'm not questioning the tandems to the back idea, but in slick conditions, how do lighter tandems affect the possibility of jackknife? Or is this really a balancing act?

FWIW, in CDL school we are being taught using Driver's Daily Log by JJ Keller & Assoc. It's the "Official Deluxe Duplicate Copy" system.

Oh, yeah. We all still need to know how to use paper logs. So if modem technology ends for some reason, we can still keep track of our time for DOT.

Steve says:

Wow sorry I asked

Steve, you don't need to apologise. This is a legitimate question. And you can tell from Old School's post, you have sparked some interest. Thank you for bringing this up!

Mikey shares concerns:

What concerns me most is this, if lease or o/o is hard to make money how good can the money be when the owner is having to pay a driver on top of everything else.

To me, change this question into a statement and you'll answer your own question.

Competition among the Big Dogs is already razor thin. They have deep pockets and buying power and experts running various parts of the company.

And your classmate, who has about as much trucking experience so you want to jump into that pool with four (not new) trucks?

Just my 2¢>. Old School, who's been there/done that as far as running multiple trucks will have the definitive opinion.

I'll bet the dinosaurs would not have liked new technology, either. Look where that got them.

Nawwww, it when old "technology":

First off, your truck's dashboard radio probably has a weather band. Good to listen to when you're driving through sketchy weather. As for an app, I prefer NOAA Weather (Granite Apps) on Android. Written forecast, graphical (lines on a chart) forecast, and animated weather maps continue all the USA.

If you want to compare your own fiction stories, write a book. Here's are the exemptions on FMCSA's General Information about the ELD Rule Q&A page:

Q3. Who must comply with the electronic logging device (ELD) rule?

A3. The ELD applies to most motor carriers and drivers who are currently required to maintain records of duty status (RODS) per Part 395, 49 CFR 395.8(a). The rule applies to commercial buses as well as trucks, and to Canada- and Mexico-domiciled drivers.

The ELD rule allows limited exceptions to the ELD mandate, including:

• Drivers who operate under the short-haul exceptions may continue using timecards; they are not required to keep RODS and will not be required to use ELDs.
• Drivers who use paper RODS for not more than 8 days out of every 30-day period.
• Drivers who conduct drive-away-tow-away operations, in which the vehicle being driven is the commodity being delivered.
• Drivers of vehicles manufactured before 2000.

Easiest out: find a company that uses 20 year old trucks, or get a job with Truck Movers and deliver brand new trucks (This is a thing, I did it for 6 months. Truck Delivery Driveaway)

Read this: Becoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving

You're company really won't care where you take your home time. Depending on where freight is going, you simply give your DM a zip code a week ahead of time, and you'll probably get your wish: Myrtle Beach, Spokane or Bullhead City.

Gotcha, James. Make it work.

A thought about basing yourself in Florida: most freight travels through the "body" if the USA, and Florida has no "through" highways south of I-10. Some companies would find it hard to get you home for your home time (regardless of your promises to not ask for Florida for your time).

This is based on you're address of record. So, you might want to find a different address to get your mail at.

If you're wondering how 10 + 10 works in a 24 hour day, what the 10 on/10 off means, the "next" four hours is in your next driving shift. In team driving you drive 10, then you're in the sleeper for 10 hours. The truck itself doesn't stop, your partner is driving. Then, 10 hour break over, you and partner switch places. Yes, you could catch your Z's, eat, then study for a bit, but I'm betting the real world will get in the way, and your study time will be on the short end of the stick.

As for a four year degree, without other information I put you in the freshman class. If you've got the college credits, obviously you're closer to the sheepskin than I assumed. Also, a trucking job/career doesn't denigrate a degree. You'll find people from many walks of life rolling down this highway.