Comments By Bulwinkle J. Moose

The sign read "Absolutely no recruiting is allowed at any Missouri Department of Motor Vehicle Offices"

That's what I saw when I Got my Class C CDL Permit last week. I'm a lowly bus driver working my way up thru the ranks from a Class E ultimately to a Class A Permit. I still sit with the ordinary people at the truck stop. I'm not allowed in the Drivers area yet!

Yes it is true I know nothing about the trucking industry other than I worked for a company in the beef industry for six years who trucks their manufactured product across the lower 48 states. They are one of the top ten suppliers of ground beef in the country. If you ever ate a Wendys hamburger or some of the other fast food hamburgers they probably made it for them. They stood up to a big corporation like walmart and weren't afraid to tell them to take a hike when they offered them a bum deal to supply their stores with hamburger.

I did a lot of work bringing this transport company up to speed with new computer systems and technology thru the years. Does the word Qualcomm ring a bell? This company was one of the first in the industry to embrace this new technology before it became an industry standard. I helped them roll it out to their fleet of trucks. I spent a lot of time in the office and out in the repair facility. I got to know the people who worked there pretty well from the top to the bottom of the organization. I'm very good friends with the Vice President of the company. I've had great conversations with the office people, safety officer, dispatchers, mechanics and drivers. Yes I'm just a fly on the wall to Prime yet I do have a little bit of insight into how the trucking industry works.

No they are not a successful mega carrier like Prime. They are a small yet humble company in comparison. One thing I can honestly say though is that they do have a sense of integrity and fairness in how they treat people. This is what the owner ( a just and successful business man ) instilled in them from the beginning, to do what is right. They are crying for drivers like the rest of the industry. They aren't afraid of being sued because of discrimination and will tell you straight up before they hire you if you can actually work for them or not. They value your time and effort and treat you like a human being.

The opening line in this reply is akin to the fact that there is a serious shortage of qualified drivers in the trucking industry. I'm not here to demonize Prime in the least. They are doing what most other companies are trying to do, fill their needs anyway they can or be swallowed up by the competition. That doesn't justify their hiring practices or any other company for that matter and is not the way people deserve to be treated.

Where does this mind set of success at all costs for the company the heck with the guy on the bottom rung of the ladder ( the driver ) come from anyway?

I'm a speck on the wall to be sure. I'm not afraid to speak up for the working man though and I myself personally prefer to work for a company that has some respect for me as a person. A company where I'm not just a "Human Resource" like a piece of steel or other raw material. A place were I can stick around for awhile.

Roger, as appalling as it sounds, and it does sound appalling to me to, we have seen Prime knowingly bring people in even though they have disclosed they are taking medications the company will not allow. I haven't heard of any other companies doing this yet but others may indeed be doing it.

I did however put most of my belongings in storage and planned on going OTR and worry about a home in a couple of years..

My feeling about this whole experience is a mixed one. I'm sure Prime is a great company to work for as I heard a lot of good stories to that effect, but the companies respect for you doesn't start until you get out of orientation, I feel like I was treated like someone who had come back with dirty urine or something.

We talk about honoring our commitments to a company when we sign up for on the job training. Find a good company that fits your needs and stick with them for at least a year maybe longer.

The company is willing to take a chance on you to train you and hope you will make them money. After all your number one job description as an employee is to make the company money.

We talk about being honest and not putting up a big smoke screen in order to get the job. The word integrity comes to mind. Does Prime live by the same standard?

This man has made major life decisions in order to be hired by this company. This didn't occur until they gave him the green lite to come to orientation.

Words have been said that this company does this sort of thing in order not to lose the individual to another company.

Get them into orientation and wash them out if you have to so they don't lose them to another company. How can anyone justify this behavior? Is this the right way to treat people?

Its been said that all trucking companies do the same thing, they haul freight which is a commodity item.

The big question in my mind is why would I want to work for Prime when they treat people in this matter?

What sets Prime apart from any other company? After all hauling freight is a commodity item.

Every employee especially a recruiter is a representative of the company's culture.

What type of company culture does Prime promote? The recruiter needs to be setting the example to outsiders.

When you are selling something to a possible buyer ( in this case a possible candidate for employment) you really need to shine and make the case for your company. What sets them apart? Why are they the best?

Note to all the Moles at Prime reading the mail on Trucking Truth:

You will never know how many people you have lost to other companies because of the way you treat potential drivers like this man and the bad press it has created. Treat people as you would like to be treated and give them a good reason to work for you that sets you apart from other trucking companies and you won't have any problems finding people to hire and retain as experienced drivers. If you would have been up front and honest with this man in the first place he would probably be driving for you in the future. I doubt he'll be back.

Choose your company wisely and stick with them!

BJ Moose

Equals 24 loops around the college in 6 hours driving shuttle bus. Tons of hazards to avoid, lots of steering, braking and accelerating. Be alert! Don't let anyone get thrown under the bus, hahaha.

I passed the pre trip, backing and road test at the DMV without any issues on Tuesday as a Class C driver. I've been behind the wheel for 2 days now at the college without hitting anything or anyone, no small task.

I still have my Class A learners permit with combination and air brake endorsement so I'm setup to go to Class A training for the big rigs in February of 2017.

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement, constructive criticism and fellowship with hopes of seeing you out on the open road in 2017.

BJ Moose

Keep a stiff upper lip and don't stop swinging at the pitches that have been thrown at you. You need to get some work history under your belt to show prospective employers that you can cut the mustard.

There are tons of driving jobs out there. Although they won't count towards any type of job experience driving a Class A Semi Tractor Trailer they will show your future employers that you are at least making an effort to better your situation.

You are more that a burger flipper and have proven that by graduating school as a driver.

Possible driving jobs:

Auto parts runner

Pharmaceutical medical / specimen driver

Medical transport of disabled people

Bus Driver <-- This requires a CDL. If you have one then you're a better candidate as compared to somebody without one.

Document carrier

Pizza Driver

These jobs are a means to an end, only a starting point to where you want to go. At least you'll have a wheel in your hand instead of a spatula.

In short, Pull yourself up by the boot straps solider and hit the ground running. Get some wind in your sails and you'll be fine. Keep us posted on you're progress!

BJ Moose

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Both of you guys stand with the best of them :-)

Troubleshooting the inline SWR Meter Problem

If you're going to use an inline SWR Meter for testing set your radio controls as they would normally be set for regular operation. Don't set the radio in CAL Mode.

Is the inline SWR Meter designed for CB radio operation? 27Mhz or (11 Meter Amateur Radio Band ) is the frequency range of a CB. Somewhere in the SWR Meter instructions it should tell you what frequency it is for or it may just say hey this SWR Meter is designed for CBs

If you purchased a more sophisticated SWR Meter they have interchangeable "slugs" that will set it up to operate on different frequencies so you can use it on radios that operate out of a CB's frequency range. Check to make sure the SWR meter is setup to operate on Citizens Band.

If the SWR Meter was designed for amateur radio operation it could be setup to operate out of the CB radio frequency range and can cause you big headaches.

Also check the coax "jumper Cable " you're using between the radio and the meter to make sure it's the right impedance match for operation in the CB frequency range. You want to use coax rated at 50 ohm impedance. It should have writing on it that says something like "RG58/AU" and may even have the impedance written on it "50 ohm" Is this cable in good condition? Connectors attached firmly, hopefully soldered on not the twist on kind. If its a factory manufactured 50 ohm cable you should be in good shape

Was the SWR meter purchased new in a factory sealed box? It could be defective. Something is a miss when you have it plumbed into the feed line that's for sure.

Testing with the Radios Built in SWR Meter

Remove the inline SWR Meter and attach your antenna feed line directly to the radio.

When you use the built in SWR Meter inside the radio do you go thru a calibration process before you check your SWR?

With the built in SWR Meter in your radio properly calibrated what are you getting for an SWR reading?

If the SWR is 1.6 / 1 or lower 95% of your signal is getting to the antenna. Call it a day unless you're up for a project and want a learning experience in tuning an antenna. (Not a bad thing if you need something to do, hahaha)

A bit of Radio Theory

Keep in mind the SWR Meter does not tune your antenna. It only checks what is called Standing Wave Ratio. An SWR Reading of 1.6 /1 is saying that 95% of your RF ( Radio Frequency ) power is getting out onto the antenna and 5% of the power is being reflected back towards the radio. Think of SWR as the back pressure in an exhaust system.

An antenna is tuned by either making it physically longer or shorter. Antenna turners can also be used to accommodate an antenna that is not cut to the right length. They are impractical when operating in a very narrow range of frequencies. CBs operate between 26.965 MHz and 27.405 MHz which is a very narrow band. Ham Radio operators use a tuner so they can make 1 antenna work over a wide range of frequencies.

Guy's radio in stock configuration runs at 50 watts output and is not a standard radio you could buy off the shelf. Most stock radios run at 4 watts output. I'm sure he is also running with a good quality antenna system. He's getting extended range but is also paying the price with more expensive gear which is not a bad thing in the least. What type of antenna are you running with on the truck? You are getting excellent range!

Also keep in mind that unless atmospheric conditions are right to "skip" signals off the ionosphere that surrounds the earth radio communication is limited to line of sight. This is the brick wall that really determines your transmit range. In theory (not necessarily in practice) an antenna mounted on a 100 foot tower has a capability of transmitting about 15 miles. Because of the curvature of the earth you can see this far before the horizon drops off. Another term for this is called your "Radio Horizon" Add another 1000 watts of power and guess what you may be able to transmit a few more miles but not much farther. A radio operator from the military once took me "If conditions are right, give me 5 watts of output power and I'll talk around the world"

If you can transmit 5 miles from an average mobile CB radio you are doing great. If you need more range get the antenna higher off the ground which is impractical in mobile operation.

Antenna Theory in the frequency range that CBs operate in (27mhz) is not cutting edge science and has been around a long time. One of the best configurations for Large Semi Trucks with a trailer is the dual mount antenna system on the left and right mirrors. This is by no means the best or only configuration however this setup is ideal for communicating with other people in front of or in back of you. It also works pretty good to work other stations that may be on your sides because the truck is often blocking your signal and the other antenna may have a clearer path.

If you drive flat bed, tanker or some other configuration that will not block the signal of an antenna on top of the tractor a roof mounted antenna is a good setup. This type of antenna works equally well in all directions.

Well Boys and Girls that's radio theory class 101 for the day. Keep the questions and comments coming in!

BJ Moose

Connector Issue Digikey electronics might be a good source for a connector if you strike out at the Truck Stop or a Radio Shark Store. Here is a link to their connectors page on the internet:

http://www.digikey.com/en/resources/connectors/index

They might give you some help thru live chat on their home page

SWR Meter Question Are you placing the SWR meter inline with the radio and antenna or just connecting up the SWR meter alone to the radio? Connect the SWR Meter to the antenna output of the radio. The SWR meter should have a connector labeled " input" or "Radio" Connect the antenna to the "output" or "Antenna" connection of the SWR Meter The SWR Meter will effectively be between the radio and antenna.

Calibrating the SWR Meter

Set the CB to channel 20

The SWR meter should have a calibration control on it.

Set the meter to calibration mode

Key the Mic up on the radio and hold it on.

Turn the Calibration knob until the needle swings to the CAL Mark on the display, usually the needle swings the full path or 100% of the dial.

Turn off the cal function

Key up the mic again and hold the button down and read your SWR

Set the CB to channel 1 and go thru the same procedure. Set the CB to channel 40 and do it again.

Note the SWR readings for channel 20 channel 1 and channel 40

Was there a big difference in the readings on the different channels?

1.1 / 1 SWR is the holy grail that you'll probably never obtain 99.7% of your output power is getting to the antenna @ 1.6 /1 SWR about 95% of your transmit power is getting to the antenna @ 2 /1 SWR 89% is getting to the antenna. 2 / 1 SWR is the danger point don't go above it without tuning the antenna to your radio. If SWR is 1.6 / 1 or less on all 3 channels consider yourself blessed and hook the antenna back up to the radio and call it a day. Tuning an antenna for correct SWR is beyond the scope of this thread and varies depending upon its type and manufacture. I will help if your SWR is too high though.

As Tractor man said follow the instructions that came with the meter for interconnection methods and how they want you to calibrate the meter. If you don't have the instructions post the make and model of the meter and I may be able to help.

Correction "Good Luck" hahaha my editorial staff was asleep at the wheel

I guess the beauty of it all is that no matter what direction you decide to go you have some opportunities. Not to many occupations now a days are willing to buy your books send you to school and feed you lunch.

I've really taken it to heart though by whats been said by the more experienced drivers especially Brett the founder of the site is that no matter who you start out with you should stick with them for at least a year hopefully longer. Given this fact I've really tried to pin down who I want to drive for right out of the gate and what I want to haul. For me it's going to be flatbed freight.

TMC for instance will send you to their school or offer up to $6000 in tuition reimbursement from another school if you stick with them. Not sure but I think its 6 months that you need to drive with them but I could stand corrected. I talked to a recruiter at Hogan. Their payback period on tuition reimbursement is 6 months but they aren't a flatbed company so they are off my list although they look like pretty good people to work for.

Then you have Millis Transport that has a very good program at very low cost. I thinks its $2000 for their school with a direct hire after graduation and obtaining your CDL. 18 months employment to get payed back the 2 grand for their school.

Not to burn any bridges or screw over a company but also understanding that employment is "at will" from the employer and employee side taking Millis as an example if they didn't work out for you after going to their school and forking out the 2000 bucks you could leave with a CDL and awesome training in hand at a very economical cost. Community college driver training for me is going to be $4000. Due the math that's half price!

Maybe some other people could chime in on the cost of other company paid training programs and the cost of breaking out of a contract. I'm betting some companies put the cost of their training much higher but again I'm not in the know on this and the site is called trucking truth so we need to know the facts not what I say they are. So if this was true and you broke the contract you could have some big dollars to pay back. That's one reason I like paying for your own schooling and having some flexibility.

I don't think Ive answered your questions at all because I'm in the same boat as far as what I'm going to do. Be it company training or footing the bill on my own. At least we have choices and are both on the same page "web" that is to get some good advice on the decisions we need to make. Gook Luck!

BJ Moose

You may want to do some testing in a city that has a large population so you can interact with more operators. Set the controls of your rig ( radio ) as follows:

Initial Setup RF Gain 100% Squelch completely open ( so all you hear is static ) delta tune in the middle

Receive /Transmit Test Start tuning thru the different frequencies until you hear another station. Request a break and tell them you need a radio check. Ask them how you sound.

Fine Tuning the Controls Adjust the squelch only to the point were it cuts out the static don't go any higher. Start lowering the RF gain until you lose their signal then crank it up a little more until they sound good. Open up the squelch up again then start closing it only to the point were it starts cutting out the static. Let them know you want to adjust the dyna mic. Set in higher or lower. Ask them when they hear the best signal your radio produces.

Troubleshooting your Radio Try to get an approximate position of the station so you can determine your transmit and receive range and direction relative to your position. Ask if they are a base station or mobile like you. Try interacting with different stations closer or farther away mobile and base and in different directions.

Working the Bugs Out After you've made a few successful contacts and have some feedback from other operators on how things are working start asking some questions, What is maximum distance I can transmit and receive? Can only base stations pick me up? Can I work mobile stations? Does it appear that I can only work another station in a particular direction ( transmit and receive ) or do all stations I have contact with appear to have the same signal quality regardless of their direction? What do other stations think about my signal quality when I transmit? Does it appear that I can transmit further in a particular direction or does everybody regardless of direction relative to my position think I have a good transmit signal? Can I receive in a particular direction better than I can transmit? Or is the opposite true?

Thoughts on Radio Operation Its 2 way communication, transmit and receive are separate operations. If you can't heard the other station you can't work it so you are effectively just a one way AM Broadcast Station. Maybe the opposite is true. You may only be a receiver because of a problem. Problems can occur with both transmit and receive operations possibly one or the other. Its a give and take situation. Both sides of the equation need to be fully operational for it to happen.

Radio Setup The antenna(s) is your best friend. Don't have your radio setup like a good stereo system with a cheap pair of speakers. It's quality and where its placed on your truck has a lot to do with maximum transmit receive range and the directions it works the best. The feedline between your radio and antenna(s) needs to be flawless and of good quality. No loose connections or corrosion no nicks or cuts no sharp bends where it leads thru the trucks chassis so it could be breaking the conductors inside of it. Feedline issues are a major problem area in radio communication. They can create huge signal loss.

Questions for you What type of radio is it? Brand and model? What type of antenna(s) do you have Brand, model and mounting location on the truck? What are some of your observations about how the radio is working after making some contacts with other stations?