Comments By Keith G.

I would highly suggest taking some time to read up on weight distribution. But a simple and easy to use app for your phone is Trucker's Slide Calc. Shows legal weight per axle with boxes to input your scaled weight. Comes up with a simple hole solution for tandems.

I also suggest Weigh my truck for use with all CAT scales. You input your payment and truck info into the app and every time you stop on a scale just tell the app to weigh you out. It will automatically find your scale, weigh you, and send your request for a print out into the office. It will show your weight on the app + email you a copy.

This way you can weigh, adjust, and confirm without needing to wonder across the lot to get a print out twice.

Last App I suggest is Drivewyze. This app acts as a transponder and will work with any site that uses in-cab notifications (some states don't use, so be mindful) App will tell you in advance if you gotta pull in, bypass, or if you need to follow local signs. Yes, it's legit and legal.

Strayed off topic a bit, but based on context I figured you might want some other helpful tools to make your trucking life easier!

Tbh that's unwatchable. The audio is extremely loud and obnoxious.

Suggestions

1: Mute audio 2: Cut to good parts. Give 3-5 seconds of before footage and a couple seconds after.

Appreciate someone sharing their experiences, but with some free software you can edit that and maybe make a few bucks off ad revenue.

Knight is definitely moving toward a full Auto Shift fleet. There are still a few older trucks around with manual transmissions, but they wiil eventually all be gone.

I've noticed they will switch some of their trucks over into their lease fleet at approximately 500,000 miles. Therefore many of the lease operators are still driving ten speed Eaton manuals.

I'm still driving the 2014 Volvo that was issued to me three and a half years ago. It has the Volvo I-shift auto in it and it's been nothing but dependable. It handles going down a mountain better than I ever could in a manual shift. It's a solid design that works great.

My 16 Volvo has been great too! No issues so far, not a bad truck.

My life in the Army taught me a valuable life lesson. Work smarter, not harder. Like I mentioned before, I own and carry an Atlas; however, my GPS has yet to lead me to any major failures. Some odd routes yes, but nothing a bit of common sense and situational awareness could not compensate for. Now granted, some GPS's and software are better than others. I'll keep using mine, I've saved likely 20-30 hours sitting in traffic thanks to the timely traffic notifications and alt routes provided. Something that would have been rather hard to do if I needed to pull over and consult the stone tablet..I mean Road Atlas for another route.

So it would be nice to know what the GPS users are using as a go to GPS.

My primary GPS is a Garmin Fleet 760. So far I've had no issues in my companies primary lanes. We focus mostly in FL, GA, SC, NC, VA, TN, KY, TX, AL, MS, LA, AR, and OK. I'm not sure if we use anything special besides what's built into the unit, but it's kept me on legal roads and clearly indicates when I'm approaching non-truck authorized roads with fairly consistent accuracy.

Got ya.

I guess I'm terrible at explaining. Next time I drop and hook I'll try and take some pictures to better illustrate what I was referencing to. Likely won't be till next week though, I've been pushing pretty tight schedules this week though I expect after my next delivery I'll be heading upto one of our regular drop sites with a load.

I had 6 points on my license when I got my CDL for a couple minor tickets. Failure to obey a traffic device and speeding under 10. Neither effected my ability to get a CDL in Florida or reduced my job offers. I was upfront and honest during my discussions with the recruiters before I settled with my company.

If you can take a traffic school to get the points removed great, otherwise just be honest and up front.

That's just my personal experience. I honestly can't say with any certainty how you situation can play out.

My life in the Army taught me a valuable life lesson. Work smarter, not harder. Like I mentioned before, I own and carry an Atlas; however, my GPS has yet to lead me to any major failures. Some odd routes yes, but nothing a bit of common sense and situational awareness could not compensate for. Now granted, some GPS's and software are better than others. I'll keep using mine, I've saved likely 20-30 hours sitting in traffic thanks to the timely traffic notifications and alt routes provided. Something that would have been rather hard to do if I needed to pull over and consult the stone tablet..I mean Road Atlas for another route.

So yeah, I do not dump the air from the suspension when droppIng a trailer. Haven't for many years now.

It's not really necessary 99% of the time. This is especially true on a slippery surface of ice and snow. Dumping the air will reduce the downward force on the tractor drives and minimize the traction necessary to get out from under a trailer on a snow packed surface. Locking the differential and overriding traction control also improves your chances of not getting stuck in a snowpack when dropping an empty trailer.

Dumping the air also tends to leave the fifth wheel in a less-than optimal position to get under your next trailer; too "flat", with the primary surface almost level. The two wings of the fifth wheel should be resting on the snubbers enabling it to more easily "wedge" under the next trailer. This is part of what it's designed to do.

The only time I would dump the air when dropping is if on a rather soft surface. It will cushion the landing so-to-speak. Most of the time I am dropping on a concrete pad, asphalt or packed gravel so at least for me, dumping the air is an unnecssary step.

One other thing to keep in mind. I vary how much I lower the landing gear; empty about an inch from the ground, loaded make contact with the ground plus an additional turn.

The only times I will dump the air from the suspension is to get under a trailer that's set a bit too low, or to slightly raise the rear of the trailer deck to better align with an older/high dock and as part of the process to move the fifth wheel.

Question about the 5th wheel being to flat. Is that a older type or a fair new one? The 2016 Volvo I drive the 5th wheel gets into that proper position you mentioned as soon as I pop out from under the trailer. Making the next hook easy. This is using the air dump method.

Also, what type of drive tires are you running? We've got some pretty meaty hexagon (ish) cut drive tires. They've gripped pretty good even after a 6+ inch snowstorm.

Honestly curious about what others are rolling. Appreciate your detailed explanation on how you do it.

Thanks G-town will do that next time, also I keep seeing lowering the airbags. How does one do that, I drive a 16 freightshaker cascadia evo

Should be a switch that has a truck without a trailer with a Up and down arrow at the rear.

I think most major carriers have GPS's already (Brett, Old School, Rainy?) I know my small company has some fairly standard trucking Garmin GPS/Log units installed.

Honestly, most modern GPS's will spot traffic hundreds of miles down your route and can offer time saving options. Granted I still have my road Atlas in the truck as a backup. I read enough maps in the military, I'm happy to let the fancy tech do the heavy lifting.