Posted: 7 years, 9 months ago
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Violated my Hours of Service yesterday
Your answer to your last question is, If you get caught while in violation of HOS yes. If you get stopped, and are currently ok on your daily HOS including your weekly total NO. Officers won't write you a citation for a past violation. It is an infraction not committed in their presence. You have to be in violation somehow at that moment for you to receive a citation. It's similar to be speeding in California one day, and receiving a citation the next day for that episode. That's California Highway Patrol Policy anyway. Not sure of any other State, but i'm going to assume the scales of justice work the same elsewhere.
Goodluck
LA rush hour traffic. Told my dispatch I wouldn't be able to make the delivery and be able to shut down before my 14 ran out and would probably have to relay at our terminal. Message I got back basically said "don't care, make the delivery." Went an hour and a half over on my 11 and 14 just getting to our terminal to shut down - nowhere else to park driving through LA.
Already talked to safety and got my slap on the wrist, they also told me to get in touch with them if dispatch ever puts me in that situation again so now I know what to do for the future. However, I was doing some research online and read that you can be pulled in for inspections much more frequently with violations, and that fines can run up to 11,000 dollars. I've gone over by 5, 10, 20 minutes every once in a while but an hour and a half is a big deal. Anyone know what I can expect going forward? Will I get a massive ticket at the first weight station I pass?
Posted: 7 years, 9 months ago
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Had my first (and hopefully only) accident
LOL .......Crazy girl...you'll be fine
Eight five six. Two eight three eighty eight hundred
What does that mean?
Posted: 7 years, 9 months ago
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Well said Brett. Trucking is no walk in the park. If one is to succeed in this business, you have to want to do it, and put up with the questionable runs too. Anyway, I don't want to echo everything you just wrote, because it was spot on brother. Well put!
Mt T you're right on. I wrote about that exact thing in my book and we've talked about that on here many times. If you give the complainers and cry babies enough time to talk they'll eventually describe to you how they're the ones causing their own problems, not the company.
In fact, I was just saying yesterday that you can tell a top tier driver by the way they communicate. You don't hear all of the company bashing and the crying and complaining about regular everyday things. You don't hear about them changing companies every three months or how they can't get any miles. You don't see them pointing fingers at everyone around them for causing all of their problems.
Top tier drivers face all of the same difficulties and hardships as everyone else but they do their best to take it all in stride, keep a great attitude, and focus on getting the job done. They also understand that they will be rewarded for the favors they do for dispatch and the patience they show when things don't go smoothly in the offices. Maybe they need someone to take some unwanted short runs or bring a damaged trailer in for service. Maybe they double booked a load and sent the driver on a wild goose chase for a load that doesn't exist. You know what? That's trucking. A top tier driver knows this, takes it in stride, and realizes that dispatch will make it up to them - and they always do.
The entire reason I named this site TruckingTruth is because there is so much misinformation out there about this industry and specifically about a lot of the major companies. 98% of it is pure garbage that should have never seen the light of day but there is no shortage of websites let people spread this filth like it's solid gold career advice. I just couldn't sit back and let people be mislead by the poor performers out there who don't have what it takes to thrive in this industry. I wanted to teach people what it takes to be happy and successful in trucking and thankfully over the years a bunch of great drivers have joined the cause and have been coming here to give great advice every chance they get.
The key to getting great miles, getting home on time, and getting special favors from time to time is to pay it forward to dispatch. Take the tough runs that no one wants and you'll be rewarded with the great runs that very few people get. Get the job done safely and on time, every time. Be a top performer, keep a great attitude, and do your part to keep the company running smoothly. There is always plenty of freight and good runs for the top tier drivers at any major company but you have to earn those miles and gravy runs by doing the dirty work sometimes. Once you've proven yourself to be a top tier driver you'll be treated that way.
That's the error that so many people make. They know that drivers are in high demand so they think they can stroll into any company and just start bossing people around and cherry picking the good runs. The truth of the matter is that top tier drivers are in huge demand, not just any lousy driver. These companies will take just any driver because there are always some scraps lying around to feed them. But only the top performers get those special favors and consistently high miles that seem to elude most drivers.
Posted: 7 years, 10 months ago
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Some drivers have no patience!
Not only will I also block traffic, i'll go spot them on the blind side. I hate to watch a guy struggling, or worse me, and everyone just sits and watches. Can't drivers be helpful or are they all too cool for that. Professionalism is helping out, and understanding the other drivers problem, whether in traffic, or backing in. In traffic if your passing, and the other drivers closing in on traffic and needs to move over, let him in geez! Why does he have to slam on his brakes and wait for you to pass (Especially if its on flat ground) . If you caught up to him/her, you'll pass them again. Be courteous and professional out there. Merging traffic too, let four wheeler come on, move over. It takes less effort to move over, than to have the vehicle hit your truck, now your stuck for hours with that fiasco. Don't be impatient, it always comes back to bite you. And move over for vehicles on the side of the road, you never know what they'll do.
Oh nice response to blocking traffic....LOL.....That is courteous of you.
(Sorry for the rant) I currently drive, but i'm an ex CHP Officer, so i've seen a lot of crap on the road, from different perspectives).
It's just a pet peeve. Just like people who want to speed up right as I'm passing them. Or 4-wheelers zooming through the truck parking area.
If I see someone trying to back in at a truck stop and they are obviously struggling I will block traffic and put my four ways on to keep people from trying to speed around them. I'd want someone to do the same for me.
Posted: 7 years, 10 months ago
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Axle Weights and Tandem Limits
CHP scale Facilities as policy will give you 200 lbs off your weight, due to possible scale error. But, they are certified every year just so you know. Most Officers don't write citations for weights under 500 lbs. But, I said "Most". Goodluck out there.
Posted: 7 years, 10 months ago
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I ran my small cable under the passenger seat, notched out the sill plate front and back, running the cable through there. I then ran it up along the inside of my door seal. It tucks effortlessly in that location. I ran it to the top and between the door and window pillar. It doesn't contact metal anywhere or pinch. The antenna rests on the visor on top near where it curves. works perfectly
Posted: 7 years, 11 months ago
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Need help with figuring out what tools to buy
Get him an assortment of screw drivers. Flat head (long and short), Phillips head (Star type), Needle nose vice grips too. Regular pliers, expandable type grip pliers, wire strippers, black electrical tape, a few sizes of Crescent adjustable wrenches. Over time he can pick up some plastic zip ties, and a small roll of baling wire and duct tape (You laugh but it comes on handy on a dark road). (Craftsmen is very good for what he'll need them for). You don't even need to go that expensive, he's not a full time mechanic. Assorted Hand wrenches YES....go Craftsmen at least. Hopefully he's not gonna spend to many hours on the side of the road fixing his equipment up. Good luck
My fiance is new to trucking. He has completed training, and now drives on his own. His birthday is coming up, and I would like to buy him some tools, but am completely lost. I want to buy a durable brand. He mentioned socket wrenches before. So, I go to amazon.com and look through socket wrenches and there are so many different brands and sizes of tool sets. I was hoping someone could point me into the right direction.
Information that would be much appreciated:
Durable brands of tools (stanley, craftman, etc?) Are socket wrenches pretty standard, or are there special ones for Semi Trucks? Other tools that truckers need?
Thank you!!
Posted: 7 years, 11 months ago
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He's not wonderful, read my post below. I posted on wrong one.
Here goes I need support and advice. I met a wonderful man online and he is a OTR driver. We get along great and seems like I've known him forever. I had my doubts at first and he stated in beginning he was willing to give his all in this if I could deal with his job. I must admit I have my doubts at times. I trust him and he did pick up a stop in my state which he doesn't usually do but came to see me. It was perfect when we went out and even in person it was as if we had known one another forever. Thing is the last week he has gotten a bit distant and we haven't spoken as much as we had been. I understand his hours can be crazy but I just like to hear his voice daily it doesn't have to be an hour conversation not even 10 minutes just to hear his voice. Well he got upset with me and basically told me if I was gonna be that way he'd rather be alone so I did respond if he felt that way it was on him and that I care a lot about him and want him in my life but he needs to want the same and show it left it at that so he texts to say hi middle of the night which i do not care what time he calls or texts as I know sometimes it may be the only time he has. So then and next day he was full of texts and nice words but never called just texted. So we finally spoke and he was a bit grouchy and he tends to get this way sometimes. Being apart and not being able to spend time with him is hard and I'm trying to be supportive but I just want to make sure signs I can tell he wants this. I am not that girl that needs 24 hour tabs on where he is as sometimes I have no idea where he is at even when we talk I trust him completely and want this to work. Any tips on how to handle his ways? Am u wrong to want that one minute of hearing his voice?
Thanks
Posted: 7 years, 2 months ago
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Low tire pressure in cold weather?
DOT is not going to check for tire pressure, not in California anyway. If it is low, they will document it, but they don't go around check tire pressures. Flat tire yes, low tires in comparison to the others yes, check pressure no way jose. Bank it.