Comments By Joe S. (a.k.a. The Blue Angel)

Eating crow.

Eating humble pie

Putting your foot in your mouth.

Does any of this sound familiar to anyone out there?

Well let me tell you about my most recent bout of it.

I had just pulled into a Flying J for the night west of St. Louis. As I turned the corner I saw an open spot right in the front row. I hate trying to back into a parking spot in a truck stop. You always have "Supertrucker" around somewhere. And with my luck, he is always behind me.

Well anyway. I am in luck. Right on the front row. Straight line back. Yippie. Maybe you can tell. Backing is one of the things I have not mastered when it comes to truck driving.

Come to think of it. I don't know of anything I have mastered. LOL.

I get lined up and start backing. My day ended early due to how I run my hours, so it wasn't to busy anyway. One try and I split the uprights. You could have almost needed a ruler to see the difference in spacing on the two sides.

I go take a shower and get dinner. I get to bed and get some sleep. When I get up the next morning I look out my drivers window. A different truck is there. He is pulled in. And he is so close, I bang my door getting out.

Well I start fussing and saying a few choice words (under my breath luckly) about how inconsiderate the driver is. I am really upset. Till I look down as I step on the ground.

I am the inconsiderate driver. I was the one that wasn't parked straight. I was, maybe, 3 inches from the yellow line on the drivers side.

When I backed in, I watched the trucks on each side, not the marking lines. Which you should watch both.

It wasn't the first time I had to eat crow and it won't be the last.

Who else has a story of humble pie?

Keep it safe out here, the life you save might be your own. The Blue Angel.

This is something that causes many rookies to stumble. I never really worry about it. There will be times if you are savvy, that you will beat the system.

I've always looked at the paid miles as a contract between me and the employer. Every time they send me a load they tell me how many miles it pays. They are not telling you how many miles you will drive. One of the negotiating tactics in logistics companies is that they will negotiate the amount of miles they charge the customer rather than the rate. It may seem like splitting hairs to you, but it is one way for them to maintain a decent rate for their services. Some drivers feel they are being cheated, but I've always come real close to having everything average out pretty fairly when you look back over a month or two of work.

From talking to drivers from different companies and talking to recruiters themselves. It seems to me that there are three basic systems out here that companies use.

The smaller, more family orientated companies pay actual miles. They only have a few drivers. Each one is known by their first names as the saying goes. They pay what miles the truck is actually driven.

The next system both medium and large companies use. Practical miles. Those are the actual routing miles that the company routes you on. Address to address and any out of route miles.

Then there is the third system. Any company can use this. The shortest truck route possible from the edge of of one city to the edge of another city.

That is the one where the driver gets cheated. Yes cheated.

I don't get many trips where I have to make more than on stop on a single trip. But it happens once in a while. The reason I know I am not paid for miles driving in the same city. It has happened to me more than once.

For example, one load I had I dropped on one side of town. Went across town to swap trailers for another load, 27 miles. And I was not paid for those miles. That happens on a regular basis if we have a terminal in the same town our load drops.

Old School my friend. You said it is like a contract. I understand what you are saying, but in an actual contract, both sides have a say so in the wording and how the contract is written. And what is acceptable. Company drivers don't have that option.

I don't know how Western does it, but at Celadon, I, as a company driver have no say so what so ever. I am sent a load. Told I can't refuse it. And they pay the miles they say they are going to pay.

I have kept note pads with every load I have ever been assigned. Even the ones that I couldn't do and was unassigned from. There is an old saying. Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork. If you don't have the paperwork it didn't happen.

So I have everything since I started. I took a two month time period this past winter when it was slow. I don't see it averaging out. Sorry my friend.

When I was training, both my trainers told me. When I receive a load and start figuring miles. Take 10% off right off the top of the actual miles. Sometimes they short you 8% sometimes 12%. But on average, use 10%. That way you won't be disappointed when you see you paycheck differ from the actual miles you drive.

It seems to me that if they can figure how many miles it is from Post Office to Post Office, they could figure out to the address.

No company could pay actual miles. There would be enough drivers out here to cheat the company enough the company would be out of business.

But also, the companies could be a bit more fair. Pay from address to address. And if they send you out of route for fuel, or to avoid tolls, just pay the extra miles. Stop cheating the drivers.

And if you don't see it as cheating the drivers. When you worked an hourly paying job, did you ever work off the clock because your boss told you to?

And you can look at it how ever you want. You can say it is different till the cows come home. You are just fooling yourself. Getting paid to do a job, no matter how or in what form is still getting paid to do a job. The only difference in trucking, we are at the mercy of what the company "allows".

Even the FMCSA says that the system most companies use is unfair. They have pushed for hourly pay or some kind of a split system for years. While the system is unfair, it is not illegal. Yet.

Keep it safe out here. The life you save might be your own. Joe S.

I will put my 2 cents in here. Maybe to point something out before someone gets disappointed.

You don't get paid or credited for all the miles the truck rolls.

Celadon uses, what I call "Zip Code to Zip Code miles".

I am coming up on a year with them. I run solo. They send you a load and they tell you how many miles they have calculated it to be with what ever system they use.

I have been shorted as many as 60+ miles on a very long run and as little as 2 miles on a short run that they don't credit or pay for.

If they send you out of route for fuel, they don't pay you or give you credit for in for you contract.

I have been told that it all comes out in the end. I can't figure that. Every trip that I have done so far nothing agrees with their miles. My odometer nor GPS, nor Google maps agree with their miles.

Keep it safe out here. The life you save might be your own. Joe S

TY Old School. I also hope to run into you one day. I might even buy you a cup of coffee. LOL

You drive safe out there.

God Bless.

The Blue Angel.

Well me again. Got some time to relax for a bit. I am right now in ****inson, ND.

Had a run from Golden, CO to here. If anyone knows of Golden CO, they know what I have been hauling. Coors/Miller.

Yeah. HEAVY HEAVY load.

I think I am being punished or something. The last several loads I have had have been over 42,000. LOL

Don't get me wrong, I really don't mind the heavy loads. Actually, I prefer them. Truck runs better and a lot better ride. Yeah, the hills kinda kill you, but that is the trade off with a better ride.

I finally made it out west. After my second meeting with some of the bosses, I finally told, them. I can't live off the miles I am getting in the east (less than 2000 miles a week). If I can't be sent out west where I can get some good miles, then give me my walking papers. I will find a company that will.

Well I have been out here for three weeks now, well lets say 2 1/2 weeks. And for the 2 weeks, I have had over 3000 miles.

The middle week, the load planners brought me back east for three days. And in those three days, I got a trip of 240 miles, 186 miles, and a trip of 167 miles.

After my last trip, I told them I wanted routing to my home to unload my truck and then to Indy to drop it off. My next load was a 1200 miler to Denver. And I have been out here since.

I am heading for home time next week. I will see how that goes when I come back.

Things here at Celadon have not change that I can see. I have talked to two classmates this week that have made up there mind to move on. Out of a class of 32, I only know of about 6 that are still working for Celadon.

I am biding my time till my commitment is completed. I have already contacted three other companies. I am leaning toward one and I have been in touch with one of their recruiter's. And everything is looking good.

It has been said on here many times, that a trucking job is like a fit. Something like putting on a coat or a pair of pants. Each one fits differently. And you have to find one that fits you right.

Celadon is not my fit. I won't tell anyone not to try Celadon. They might just be perfect for another driver, but they are just not what I am looking for. I have had too many bad experiences with them in the short time I have been trucking.

They have left a bad taste in my mouth as the saying goes. Not for trucking. I still love what I do.

Who can wake up and see the sunrise like I saw the other morning, or driving thru the night and see the wonderful stars. Or the beautiful landscapes we see mile after mile and not fall in love with it. An office with the best view in the world. It changes every second.

Are their downsides. Sure, without a doubt. But the ups out weigh the downs by a long shot.

Something else I want to mention. It has been said on here many many times about how a drivers acts and how other people look at drivers.

I have posted a few examples of how I am treated at different shippers. I would like to related another one.

I was sent to a pickup in Louisville KY a few months back. I have to go to a drop yard and find an empty because at my drop they didn't unload me and they had no empties. Anyway, when I go there, there was another driver looking for an empty also. We got to talking and I found out that he had picked up loads several times where I was going.

I asked him what it was like. He said the dock is on a side street. A little narrow, but if you are careful you can make it. Then he added, but the people that work there. They are a real pain. No matter if you are there first, if they have one of their trucks coming, they make you wait. And they are really rude.

Well, I put that in the back of my mind, but I still made up my mind, that I was going to be pleasant and friendly no matter what happened.

Well I got there and walked into the shipping department. No one was there. I signed in and rang a buzzer. A guy showed up and yeah he was gruff, but I was friendly and told him good morning, I was with Celadon and I was there for a pickup.

And I was smiling. In a few seconds he started smiling. He asked if I was backed into a dock yet. I told him no. He said, well you have three to choose from, just take your pick and we will load you where ever you end up.

The dock foreman came out and took my paperwork and we talked for several minutes. I was early and all his workers had not shown up yet. We had a good time chatting. He loaded me and I was on my way in less than an hour. He even went as far as getting copies made for me. I didn't have to go back into the office.

I found nothing like I was told I would find.

Perfect example of you get what you give.

Keep it safe out here, the life you save might be your own. Joe S (The Blue Angel)

So why are they some of them so ****ed off?

That is the million dollar question. For every driver that is po'ed there would be a different answer.

His company. The last shipper he had to deal with. His dispatcher. The 4 wheeler that just cut him off.

The biggest problem, when most of them get ****ed off they forget they are adults and act like spoiled brats.

All you have to do is watch at a busy truck stop. A rookie driver having a rough time backing. Somewhere a "super trucker" will start yelling and cussing on the radio.

I have gotten ****ed off from time to time. But I also have noticed that it usually happens when I have pushed myself too much. Not stopping and taking a lunch break. Pushing a 14 hr day when I had only planned on a 12 hr day. Etc.

But when I get ****ed off, I don't let my inner child take over. Or at least I haven't yet.

Guyjax, bravo. You said a mouth full.

Keep it safe out here. The life you save might be your own. Joe S

The law says that if the bridge is not marked it has to be at least 15 feet clearance.

One very, very important point here. Don't always believe what you read. It the sign says 14' 6" and it is a rusty, worn out sign, but the road surface looks new. You can just about bet money that that sign could be wrong.

Yes, they could have taken up the old pavement and put down new. But I would be extra careful anyway.

If your GPS is an actual trucking GPS, you set the dementions of your truck yourself. And your GPS should route you on the correct path.

Keep it safe out here. The life you save might be your own. Joe S

They pay for all testing. You take the Indiana test first. After you pass that then you start on your CDL testing.

You can take them in any order you want.

You can take it as many times as you need too. However....

You have to pass them all in a certain time frame. I don't remember the time frame. Three weeks maybe. At the end of the three weeks, if you haven't passed them all, they give you a bus ticket back home.

If I remember right. The time frame is an Indiana rule. Not Celadon's.

Keep it safe out here. The life you save might be your own.

Joe S.

I want to wish everyone every where a happy 4th.

And to all my fellow vets. Thank you for all your service and all you did for our country.

And my best wishes and prayers go out to those that are not home on this special day. And to their families.

And to those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. I salute you. Thank you.

Driver's, if you are on the road today, please take extra care and be safe. You know as well as I do, the traffic that you will have out there this weekend.

Keep it safe out here, the life you will save is someone that someone loves. Joe S.

There are 2012, 13, and 14 where I work and I have talked to at least a dozen drivers that have this issue.

And reading the posts here, I guess it is not just limited to International ProStars.

My first trainer ran out of fuel twice during my training due to the fuel gauge not reading properly. That and him running only on fuel enough for each load. But that is a story in itself. LOL

On my truck, it can vary at times up to 1/4 of a tank or a little more at any one given time. And that turns into several hundred miles.

My first trainer's truck was under warranty. They replaced the sensors and gauge twice to no avail. He still had the issue when he got rid of the truck. So I guess it is something in the reading system.

I just make sure when I give my fuel readings for fueling stops, I give the next lowest on the gauge. It is an expensive road call for fuel.

Keep it safe out here, the life you save might be your own. Joe S.