Profile For Hookemhawk

RV,

Here is a video on pre-trip inspection. Brake test starts at 49:15. Hope it helps and doesn't add to any confusion about how you are being taught. But I think the guy does a good job on explaining the brake test. He talks about some things Metalhead mentioned. Remember and understand SALE. Watch the video and you'll know what I mean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfW615ZnELE

Glad to hear the news was good. You won't have to be assimilated into the Borg!!

I heard Prime was a stickler for sleep apnea testing. There is a driver at Prime who already had his machine and was under his personal physicians care. Prime felt he had to do another study to get hired. Even worse, he had to pay for it!! Go figure??

I am not for the driver facing cameras. They are there to protect corporate, not the drivers. (I believe they can view individual cameras real time) The sad part is….they are here and more are coming to your company. Sooner or later. (I think everyone knows this now, but so many are in denial.)

I think the OP is feeling invasion not discrimination. She wanted a choices. Camera or no camera. Privacy –vs- no privacy. Giving up control of is difficult for anyone. Cameras took that control away.

Dilemma: Truck = Workplace and Your Home

While driving or on duty (basically AT MY WORKPLACE) I can accept that Big Brother will be monitoring me by camera. I understand that corporate is protecting themselves. However when I am AT HOME, Big Brother is not there potentially watching or listening. My home is my “private” fortress. I would think, at the very least, that the driver facing camera/mic should shut down when the driver is OFF DUTY or SLEEPER BERTH. Let the driver have some control of their personal space without concerns of monitoring!!! Note: let the outward camera do what it does to help the company.

Born in Jersey, raised in mid-west farm country, 30 years in SF Bay Area. Semi-retired in Vegas.

Thanks to those who responded. I didn't consider how the DMV might create an issue for me if I had let the card lapse.

Again, TT has offered excellent advice to someone seeking help.

Thanks

I have my CDL A, been driving Class B. I have been keeping my medical card updated as required but plan on taking a 1-2 month break starting in December. My card is due for re-cert on December 5, 2015.

I was thinking of letting the medical card lapse and recert after the break. Will the rules/laws affect me if I am pulled over for speeding in my personnel vehicle? Do I have to have a current medical card if I have a Class A license?

The money is there and so are the hours. My CDL school instructor did it. He had one of the physical jobs with 12-14 hour days, 10 days on/3 off. After 11/2 years he was tired of the routine and quit.

Here are some things I heard from some folks from a town near Minot ND.

The money is good. The work can be hard and boring. Even though the money is good, the cost of living is very high. A 2/1 apartment goes for around $1100 or more. There are very few places left to put your RV/5th wheel, etc..... if you find one, the space is going to cost you plenty.

Here is a sad social fact they told me. The oil companies came in and bought hotels, motels, apartment complexes etc.... unfortunately rates that were reasonable for senior citizens were raised to the amounts mentioned above, BY THE OIL COMPANIES, and these folks on fixed income were forced out with no where to go locally because of the OIL BOOM. A real economic boom for some but a social disaster for many.

Thaks for the reply Rick. Yeah. I looked at the Blue Parrot's at Pilot today. 250+ on sale for $100, the 250 for 80. They had an MT-7000 for $80 also. Motor Trend brand. Ever heard anything about that model?

I bought a Galaxy S5 and my old Bluetooth headset is not recognized by the new phone. I don't want to buy one, find out it isn't compatible, and then have to take it back. Those with the Galaxy S5......which noise cancelling headset are you using and what do you like about it?

Thanks. Now I can call a recruiter and have them expand on some of the information provided above.

Has anyone heard anything about the Western Express refresher course? Any idea what the terms and conditions are?

Here is a couple other suggestions. Cactus and Aloe plants.

Cactus and aloe absorb CO-2 and release oxygen at night. Might help you sleep better.

Also the aloe plant leaves will get spots when the air becomes too toxic with CO-2 and carbon monoxide. Also all the healing uses of aloe are a plus.

Have read about the increase in the need/requirement of CPAP machines. Is a CPAP machine you get at company X going to be an acceptable machine when you get a new job at company Z? Considering the high turn-over rate, shouldn't something like that be standardized?

Also, anyone with a machine out there, what make and what model are you using? Company required or Dr. prescribed?

The best to everyone.

Daniel,

Thanks for all the helpful information/insights this thread covered. Reading your experiences provided an idea of what drivers-to-be, like me, will deal with once on the road.

Glad you got home for Thanksgiving. Enjoy your holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

The easiest way to know if something is tax deductible is to ask if you were home would you still have the same expense as being on the road?

That sums it up. I don't n-e-e-e-d a smart phone at home. I guess the argument will be that I do need a smart phone on the road. It is more of a necessity than a convenience. Map tool, company paperwork tool, apps tool....you know the necessity more than I do.

Thanks.

Here is what my expectation of tech usage on the road would be. I checked out data usage calculations on AT&T and Verizon and figured mine to be around 6-8 Gig per month while on the road..... I am probably off by a mile.

My expectations:

Phone use: 1) Phone and text home to honey. 2) Calls/texts to dispatcher and other service or emergency needs.

Laptop: 1) Surfing the net....TT, other forums, YouTube 2) Playing DVD's

Tablet: 1) Google Maps GPS for those "moments of need" 2) Surfing the net....TT, other forums, YouTube 3) Facetime or Skype 4) Reading

You guys have the real life knowledge. How big of a data plan do you have? Has the data quantity met your needs?

One more question. I have to ask, is any amount of a wireless bill a taxable write-off for a company driver?

Anything else you can add, it is appreciated.

Thanks.

Thanks guys.

I checked out YouTube looking for apps like Old School uses and found out how many other apps are out there. My gut is telling me it won't be too long, after I start driving, that I will finally take the jump and get a smartphone.

Time to start researching phones.

I have a laptop, an Ipad, and my trusty Razor flip-phone. Do I need a smartphone? For a driver, what are the advantages/drawbacks for using these on the road?

Thanks.

My answer to "Situation/Question of the Day".

I'm with Eddie. Get the load delivered on time. (that one day run looks like a risk) Take the two days to do it, then manage your time to get you home.

Daniel, what average mph do you use when trip planning? How many minimum hours per day to you try to run?

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Enjoy your holidays.

Excellent questions Steven.

I don't believe a company would ever be able to get away with claiming that getting hit by a tornado was avoidable. I mean, have you ever tried to avoid a tornado??? I have. It's really, really hard to do!!!!

Now to contrast a tornado to other weather-related incidents - take a snowstorm for example. If you get caught in a snowstorm and wreck it is most certainly going to be an avoidable accident. Snowstorms don't spring up out of nowhere in a matter of minutes like tornadoes do and they don't hit so hard and furiously that you couldn't safely get parked. So your company would expect you to handle snowstorms and thunderstorms and other more predictable weather situations. But I would say things like tornadoes and lightning strikes are most often unavoidable.

I think Brett's point about having an accident during a snow being "avoidable" and count against you is another reason to get off the road during snow storms. An earlier post by Daniel evaluated the struggle and stress of poking along at 10 mph during a snow storm earning essentially $6/hour (give or take).

Once I start driving I won't even think twice about pulling over during a storm when these variables start becoming issues:

1) some one else's safety

2) my safety/health

3) vehicle safety (preventable accident)

4) earning power (drive for $6/hr ??? No!!)

Few pros, MANY CONS to get off the road during the snow storm.