Comments By Joseph L.

I did two loads today. First load was a short run, under a hundred miles, went well, no problem. Second load was at a shippers maybe 7 miles away. So I finish with the first load and get to the second shipper. Check in with security, fill out some paperwork, get my dock assignment, easy straight back into the dock. I go to the shipping and receiving office I am told that I need to move to another dock, no problem. I go back to my truck pull out of the dock move down to the new assign dock. I am line up to back in My cellphone rings It's the shipper, I put the truck in neutral and set the breaks. I am told I am going to door 12. I get out and look (G.O.A.L) I don't see dock 12. I am told where it's at. I walk down to check the area out, it's a bit but I think I can do it. So I head back to the truck. I have to wait for another truck to move. So I moved to a parking area. I was supposed to loaded at 12 pm it's now 12:45pm ( hey that's life) 12:50-1:00p phone rings it's the shipper again, don't go to dock 12 Click I am like So I am waiting. Finally around 1;15 I am told to go to dock.13 I go ask security where dock 13. They point it out and say good luck I look and see I am going to be pulling into a parking lot with cars. So after a shower detour I make it to the dock area. After a strange 90 degree blind back follow by a pull up, another blind side back, and a bunch of back and forth I get in the hole. Managed to avoid hitting cars. So by the time I get loaded it's going on 2:30. I am was supposed to deliver at 4m this morning. But traffic, a delay at D.O.T and weigh station, has a throwing a monkey wrench in that plan. So my day ended with me having to choose keep going and get closer to the consignee and keep my fingers crossed I can find parking. I checked with the consignee no overnight parking and no available parking in the surrounding areas. I know if I keep rolling (I had three hours left) by the time I shut down it's going to be close to 9 or 10. A ten hour rest break will allow me to drive again around 7 or 8 am. Which means I am looking at being 3-4 hours late. I also consider the grid lock rush hour traffic. So I ended up grabbing a parking spot at a rest area. Spoke with the DM inform him of the situation. Now I am going back to sleep.

Oh my God We can't support that! you are taking away the job of some poor Lego person But seriously that is beyond bleeping cool!

When I was doing my over the road training with CRST. We got a load going from Kansas to California. I was driving, beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky , the temperature was in the low 80's. Almost no traffic around, pretty much perfect driving conditions and then Kaboom! This gust of wind hit the passenger side of the truck and trailer and pushed over into the left lane and partially into the medium Praise God no one was beside me. It was a nerve wracking experience. I thought for certain we were going to roll.

@king Oil Wow! Two speeding tickets for being +15 over the speed limit and within 4 months of each other To me it seems that you have Acknowledge the issue (the tickets) but haven't taken responsibility for your actions. I am not taking about handling the cost or court related issues, I am taking about applying the breaks looking at the situation and saying "I really messed up" Unfortunately even when you turn 25 a lot of companies are still not going to give you a chance. They are going to see you a liability issue However as times goes on a few companies might be willing to to give you a chance. I am not trying to rain on your parade. You got the tickets when what you were 22? Your going through what my wife calls the idiot stage of life (20-30) I wish you the best of luck

Holly cow that is an impressive room!

I am getting ready to roll out shortly.. I am currently boiling water for oatmeal. When I started my new job, I decided to invest in equipment that would allow me to cook on the truck,( plenty of trucker friendly appliances out there) and help save me some money from not eating so much fast food. I also invested in various appliance's for cooking, boiling water and making coffee because you never know , where you might have to shut down or get stuck at because of the weather

When I drove for CRST, I went to every state, but Maine, Delaware, Rhode island and Florida. Never got any loads going to Maine, Rhode island and Delaware, as for Florida, CRST had this unwritten rule about not doing loads to Florida, getting loads there was no problem, the issue was getting loads out of Florida. My DM told me it wasn't uncommon for a team to get stuck in Florida for several days

With the holidays coming up hopefully things will start to pick up

I was speaking with a driver and was told that when you reach the 500,000 in miles marker , your truck is considered to be at the end of life, he said some trucks have been kept running till the 600,000 area, but generally some where in the 500,000 range you get reassigned to a different truck.

I just read the article "what you need to know before CDL school" I unfortunately have meet two people who lost their CDL license for irresponsible choices. The first person was talking on their cellphone holding up it up their , when they rolled into some weight station. I can't remember where it was at, but the person told me they came to stop and still talking and someone said "it's okay I can wait till you finish your call" the driver said they turned and there a state D.O.T inspector looking at them. The driver got a ticket for the cell phone and got pulled in for inspection. While they was dealing with the inspection, their phone rings it's the company. "Hey Driver take your load to this location and leave the truck and trailer there. We are going to have another driver take the load and a second driver to get the truck, By the way you need to remove all personal belongings, good luck with your future endeavors" This person said it took them a year and a half to get a new driving job, they felt the ticket and being terminated where a bit extreme for simply using a cellphone while driving. I ask the person how long they had been driving and they said five years. I told them they should have been fired , after five years you know what the consequences are or least you should.

The second person was this guy in Washington , young kid 21-23, guy had just gotten his CDL. Had been driving for a year for UPS. Gets off work and decided to go have a cold one with his buddies. He his rule was one beer and one beer only. However one beer turn into two and two into five, plus shots. The next morning he wakes up in a holding cell. Apparently after leaving the bar he decided it would be a good idea to demonstrate how to do donuts in a parking lot where several police vehicles and officers where. He had no memory of it. Needless to say he missed two days of work, he called a cousin whom he asked the person to contact several people including UPS. Two days after his release he has a meeting with HR whom informed him he was longer with the company. Not only did he lose his job and CDL, he lost the right to drive a regular car, the system came after him. The difference between him and the phone person, he owned up to his mistake, he had gone to several classes on drinking and driving, was trying to make amends. He also confess that he knew getting a second chance at driving was going to be a long shot