Comments By Jonathan Bailey

Not another 2nd amendment thread!!

I didn't know there was more than one 2nd A thread.

My main concern here is not being killed or hurt by bad people with ill intentions.

Trucks may have cargo that attracts evil men.

Hate is such a strong word! As a left leaning gun owner I have never been in a situation the warranted use of a gun while working. Just like everyday life I avoid areas and people that may be dangerous.

Having a gun for protection is one thing, having a gun to protect you from fear of the unknown is something entirely different. I am certainly more fearful of a drunk driver that had no intentions of killing me than some random person wanting me dead or bodily injured.

I believe as a law-abiding American citizen I should be able have a gun just because the American Constitution says I can. I can't stand all these cowardly companies' anti-gun policies and the anti-gun laws of some states and the fed. govt. I voted for President Donald Trump and the GOP in Congress hoping more pro-gun legislation would be enacted. The truck driver faces the most (no, I should say ALL the) serious dangers on the road. Not these anti-gun buffoons in a leather executive chair.

The fact is truck drivers are subject to being victims of violent crime or the the threat of violent crime much more than a private motorist's in a car traveling across the nation.

Perhaps more so with certain types of loads. There is no unknown mystery about that, sir.

I don't carry much cash on my person any more. It is mostly plastic.

Hate is such a strong word! As a left leaning gun owner I have never been in a situation the warranted use of a gun while working. Just like everyday life I avoid areas and people that may be dangerous.

Having a gun for protection is one thing, having a gun to protect you from fear of the unknown is something entirely different. I am certainly more fearful of a drunk driver that had no intentions of killing me than some random person wanting me dead or bodily injured.

I believe as a law-abiding American citizen I should be able have a gun just because the American Constitution says I can. I can't stand all these cowardly companies' anti-gun policies and the anti-gun laws of some states and the fed. govt. I voted for President Donald Trump and the GOP in Congress hoping more pro-gun legislation would be enacted. The truck driver faces the most (no, I should say ALL the) serious dangers on the road. Not these anti-gun buffoons in a leather executive chair.

I thoroughly believe common sense is your best defense. I do not park in random strange areas.

Good point. I think parking in an area with good lighting might also be prudent. Parking at a rest area might not be so secure as parking at a large, busy truck stop. I hope the sleeper doors can be locked very securely from the inside. Electronic security systems with alarms on rigs might be nice. I think a concealed gun might also make a nice last resort countermeasure. Certain types of high value cargo might be more prone to crime than others. I have heard trucks loaded with pharm products are high risk for robbery. Trucks loaded with just farmed products, like beets and corn, however, might be less attractive to robbers.

Here is an interesting link I found...

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/truthabouttrucking/2010/03/04/crime-against-truckers

I would like some input here too, please.

I am a firm American believer in the 2nd A and gun rights. I hate the gun-grabbing left.

I don't know if this is standard equipment or if the driver has to supply his own.

There may be times when a truck has to be left running while the driver sleeps so climate controls can operate. Hopefully, there is working cold a/c in hot regions.

One of my concerns is the possibility of CO (carbon monoxide) poisoning should diesel fumes leak into the sleeper somehow. I figure the sleepers need to be well ventilated. Of course, vehicle fires are also possible.

What do truckers use to wake them up in the morning while bedding down in a sleeper? A wind-up alarm clock? A clock radio if there is a place to plug it in?

I have an APU so no need to idle the truck for air or heat. I also have an inverter so.I could plug in a clock if I wanted but I just use my phone ;)

But smoke/CO detectors are not commonly installed by the company?

I have a phone too, but don't know if it is loud enough to wake a heavy sleeper as me. I may have to get an inverter to plug my Sony Dream Machine into. I was never aware until now that trucks did not have 115 VAC outlets. What do heavy commercial trucks use for electrical systems, 24 VDC as do military vehicles with multiple batteries, series or series/parallel connected?

I don't know if this is standard equipment or if the driver has to supply his own.

There may be times when a truck has to be left running while the driver sleeps so climate controls can operate. Hopefully, there is working cold a/c in hot regions.

One of my concerns is the possibility of CO (carbon monoxide) poisoning should diesel fumes leak into the sleeper somehow. I figure the sleepers need to be well ventilated. Of course, vehicle fires are also possible.

What do truckers use to wake them up in the morning while bedding down in a sleeper? A wind-up alarm clock? A clock radio if there is a place to plug it in?

I have an APU so no need to idle the truck for air or heat. I also have an inverter so.I could plug in a clock if I wanted but I just use my phone ;)

But smoke/CO detectors are not commonly installed by the company?

I don't know if this is standard equipment or if the driver has to supply his own.

There may be times when a truck has to be left running while the driver sleeps so climate controls can operate. Hopefully, there is working cold a/c in hot regions.

One of my concerns is the possibility of CO (carbon monoxide) poisoning should diesel fumes leak into the sleeper somehow. I figure the sleepers need to be well ventilated. Of course, vehicle fires are also possible.

What do truckers use to wake them up in the morning while bedding down in a sleeper? A wind-up alarm clock? A clock radio if there is a place to plug it in?

1. No one is going to train you on cb operation. Basically you gotta figure it out on your own. As far as handles go you basically pick your own. You can pick up a cb that has Bluetooth connection but realistically it's just not worth it. You won't be using it enough to warrant the extra expense.

2. Local drivers will usually get a hand jack some places will load the truck with a forklift but normally it'll just be picking up a couple pallets with a hand jack n putting them in the trailer.

JakeBreak, I won't worry about "talkers" (CB radios) for now.

By "hand jack" you mean the "pallet dolly" I was referring to? I think they are sometimes called pallet trucks. I have used those while working at a newspaper mail room as well as driving forklifts there. I see pallet trucks in supermarkets all the time. I am not up to 'heavy lifting' with my back bone all the time.

Jonathan there is no CB training issued by trucking companies. While you are learning this job, I'd suggest limiting talk time to only inquiries on road conditions ahead. You'll hear a lot of chatter, but every once in a while an important message will crackle with a traffic warning. In anticipation of your next question: it's up to the driver to provide, install and maintain the CB equipment.

Most of the freight hauled OTR in dry vans and reefers is no touch. On occasion you might be required to hire local labor to unload called Lumpers. Your employer will provide a mechanism to pay them. Unless you have a job doing local deliveries of food and beverage, you'll never need a pallet jack.

So, G-Town, you have made things a little clearer. CBs are not "standard equipment" in the industry nor are they required. I have watched too many truck movies and have heard too many cowboy truck songs over the years.

I gather that GPS is commonplace in trucks nowadays. How about other hi-tech technologies that give drivers upcoming road conditions and weather advisories?

Do truckers still largely navigate by road map or is in-cab electronics the norm?

Does the company usually pay for the lumper out of THEIR pocket?