Posted: 1 year, 5 months ago
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I've had 2 deer strikes in the last 4 years. First one, the deer hit me. Was on a 4 lane road and the dear ran out of the woods and did a header into the side of my trailer and went up under the trailer tandems making a huge mess. Second was leaving the terminal gate going up our driveway and a dear ran out in front of me. Barely hit it and knocked his rear legs out from under him. It got up and gave me a dirty look before trotting off.
Posted: 1 year, 5 months ago
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I feel like my driving school punk'd me
Brett is right on the mark. The test is always a high stress event and they want to see how you handle it.
I have a friend who is a CDL instructor at a local technical college. He says that one of the biggest reasons why students fail the road test is they demonstrate poor situational awareness. They don't maintain their lane, don't check the mirrors enough, and they ignore road signs. They get so nervous and the focus on just what is in front of them and forget about every thing else. Keep your calm and you will do fine.
Posted: 1 year, 5 months ago
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Getting a job with multiple felonies
Look at city services companies that drive Class B trucks. I had a person in my truck driving class at the local technical college that had a manslaughter conviction and did time in prison. He was able to find a job driving a garbage truck. That was back in 2016. He's been with the same company and is one of their top performing drivers.
Posted: 1 year, 6 months ago
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Insurance is one of the highest expenses in the trucking industry. And its also one that companies can try to lower by making sure they have highly skilled and very professional drivers. Hence, why it is so hard to get started in trucking with speeding tickets and other bad judgement incidents, DUI/DWI, and illicit drug habits. Everyone here at TT wants new and perspective drivers to be aware how much your driving history effects your career. Best wishes and hopefully you learn allot here.
Posted: 1 year, 7 months ago
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Saftey first on those hiways and biways
He was off the air for a few months back earlier in the year. Apparently he locked down channel 9 with his dribble and the feds when after him hitting him with a fine and seized his equipment. The problem with permanently shutting him down is that it has to go thru the local courts and they don't want to deal with it a second time. So as long as he stays off channel 9 the government won't do anything about it. The FDC has thousands of complaints on the guy and they don't have the balls to go after him for good.
Posted: 1 year, 8 months ago
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My favorite is Electrolux Distribution Hub in Fairburn GA. SW corner of Atlanta GA off I-85. Easy access in and out. Roll up to guard shack and say hello to the hardworking ladies. They sign my bols and I drop the trailer on the fence line then go to the other side to get an empty. Just txt the guards which trailer I have and gone in 20 minutes. I'm a regular driver and have been going there several times a week over the last 4 years.
Posted: 1 year, 8 months ago
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Fifth wheel locking jaws having hard top locking.
Take it to the shop. Do not mess around with it not fully locking onto the kingpin.The mechanism does wear over time and may be in need of a solid cleaning and lubrication, adjustment, or even a rebuild kit installed. They won't know for sure until they use a test sled on it. It might even need to be removed and turned upside down to examine the internals. Again don't sit on it, dropping a trailer has serious repercussions.
Posted: 1 year, 9 months ago
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Knight: Driver-Facing Cameras?
My present and previous employers have driver facing and forward looking cameras installed. Both have a do not touch policy when it comes to cell phones and drivers have been terminated for messing with their phones while holding them. They where warned several times including verbal and written warnings before termination. My current employer has even more cameras mounted on externally on truck and trailer, including inside the trailers. We also have an app that links to our in-cab eld tablets and the app will not work if the truck is in motion. As long as you are doing what you should be doing you are ok. We are allowed to cover the camera when we are in an off duty status.
Posted: 1 year, 10 months ago
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It all depends on how the company ordered the trucks from the manufacturer. My current company has Freightliner trucks and they common key them by year made. Newer trucks use 1 key but the older use a different key. Previous company had trucks in a batch common keyed. One thing everyone needs to be aware of, the locks will only keep an honest person out. Need to be vigilant on where you park and how you secure your doors when inside the truck sleeping.
Posted: 1 year, 4 months ago
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Experienced local driver considering CRE OTR Dollar Tree position
Doing construction jobs is not anywhere near the same as maneuvering a 53ft van trailer in those tight dollar store parking lots. Do you have any experience with a dry van or refer trailer? If the answer is no, I highly recommend you not take this position until you have at least 1 year experience with a 53ft van/refer. These types of accounts are career killers.