Comments By Joseph L.

When I was with CRST, the only full time 24/7 shop they had was the one at Riverside and after 6pm they normally don't accept new jobs. They have several other terminals where when 5 pm hits the maintenance crew simply vanish.

Wow. most of that is inexperience really, sorry.

First, i would have been calling that first shop every morning and afternoon for an update. After 24 hours, I probably would have told my company i wantee to drop.it at a Utility repair place and get a new trailer.

Were you in northern Cali in the cold? When i was new my locking jaw did the same. Okay I admit perhaps I should have been more aggressive in my approach of dealing with the repair shop and trailer issue. However often times coming off aggressive and blowing up people's phone can back fire. To answer your question Kearsey, no I wasn't in California in freezing conditions as far I remember the temperature was in the 80's and low 90's with some days in the high 70's. The first day I walked into the shop and spoke with the manager,:their six bay repair shop was filled. After I explained why I was there. He told that where 36 other walk in's before me, so there was no he would get to me that day. (That was Monday) I had arrived on the previous Thursday in the late afternoon. I had less than five hours on my 70 hour clock. So I was concerned about them taking the trailer getting the repairs done and I didn't have any availabile drive time. I did walk over and speak with someone Saturday, but they weren't accepting any new jobs and was told to come back Monday. I think I drop off the trailer on a Wednesday and was told to check by Friday for a status update and that is when the headache started. Another thing is the company didn't want me to leave the trailer there So I ended up sitting until I got permission to leave. I didn't think about power washing the 5th wheel? I can only think that something is jamming the locking jaw or something broke in area I can't see. There is also the release arm. God willing I will be back on the road by tomorrow

My Grandfather on my father's side of the family. Graduate from a college with a bachelor degree in structural engineering and design or something like that. While going to college in the day time at night he worked for Union Pacific rail road, I think as I recall he did labor work moving supplies, loading and unloading box cars. He graduated a little before or after the start of the second world war. He ended up volunteering to enlist in the Navy. I forget what he originally did, but in 1942 the Navy put together a group who then and now are known as Seabees (Naval combat engineers) in 1943 they came looking for Grandpa. Grandpa told me once long ago the first time he heard the name Seabees he thought people were actually talking about a bee that lived in, around the sea/ocean So Grandpa join and spent the next year bouncing around the south Pacific. War comes to an end and Grandpa goes home gets a job with Union Pacific doing maintenance, his job was to repair damage box cars , and then move them to various areas. He was also responsibile for something else in the yard I forget what. However he had been with them a year and had gotten to go on several rides, he got Assigned to some rail replacement section because Union Pacific had decided to change or add some route. The area they wanted to go through present several challenges. My grandfather and several others were assigned to solving the issues with laying down new track because they had all been in some military construction unit. then later it was decided it should connect with the original tracks he and the others had been sent to replace. He described it as as bleeping nightmare and Drew a picture of a bunch of circle running together trying to describe it. Unfortunately his career with Union Pacific was short lived. Another worker needed a Friday night off. My grandfather was off Friday and Saturday. So he took the shift over time, he had two kids and a wife to support. Around 9-10 pm he was controlling the switch moving box cars on to different tracks. He had did it a dozen times before. He said everything was going fine, he turned to signal another employee to open a track that would allow a car to roll to his position The employee open the track and the box rolled down to where Gramps was he connect it with another car and as he turned around, coming down the tracks was a second box car. Gramps wasn't near anything that he could use to break or stop the boxcar and the only available track would have had it collide with something else. So with only seconds to spare Gramps turned and leapt for a ladder on the back of the box car he had just connect. He started to pull him self up when his left leg slipped and it drop just as the run away box car smashed into the one he was clinging to. He said it happen so quick there was no pain, he said the one car bounce back and rolled back up the tracks and started down back towards him, he said several other people rush to him and pull him clear before the boxcar hit a second time. He said because of how he was dangling the box car would have crush him. He ended up losing his leg, a few years after the accident there was some type of settlement. Gramps said he had became a bitter alcoholic, his wife divorce him, she some how got more than half of the settlement in the divorce and moved to San Francisco and invested in real estate . That was in the 1950's by the 1970's she had tripple her money she got from the divorce and by the 1980's she was a multi millionaire with more than two dozen rental properties spread throughout the San Francisco area and in Oakland. While the divorce was nasty, after the divorce my grandma set up accounts so my grandfather wouldn't blow through his money . He eventually got sobber and later got an office job which he held for a decade before retiring and living a quiet and comfortable life for another 40 years before passing away in the early 2000's

So I’ve been awaiting approval on WIAO funding to go to trucking school. Back on Labor Day I was pulled over for going 72 in a 55 on I35 in Dayton, OH. I’m just now realizing that this charge will screw me out of getting on with most companies. Here’s the kicker. I was offered to take a remedial course to make it like the ticket never happened but it costed more than the actual ticket so I declined, not realizing it’s be such a hindrance. Any advice or input on my situation would be appreciated. Any companies that’d hire me in the Dayton area with this charge?

I have to say when I read Susan D's response I couldn't help but think for a few seconds she came off a little harsh , but then not only did I find myself agreeing 100% with her response, I thought it was a little soft. However this forum is not about insulting people or ripping them apart over poor and sometimes really stupid choices. I have to admit that when I come off the road I am paranoid about driving. I had been in a truck that could do 67 mph max. I came home one time, was out driving keeping with the flow of traffic when I realized I was doing almost 60 in a 45 mph zone. I had been watching my speed keeping it between 45-50. I started to slow down and as I did this police vehicle came up on me, I my first thought good bye CDL However the police vehicle whipped around me and speed off, a few seconds later some spots car blew pass the police vehicle, the sports car went straight and the police car went left or right. The last time I went home for the first few days I would not drive and for probably a week after unless my wife was with me I wouldn't drive. David S, a lot of companies are going to flat out turn you down because of the ticket now before you get depressed thinking it's the end of the world good bye future truck driving job, I would focus on getting the ticket handle and maybe start with a local delivery job, something that doesn't involve a CDL I say for the next year forget about getting a CDL. Get a courier job, running supplies, heck do Uber or Lyft (if they will hire you) spend the next year improving your driving record. While as Susan D points out most companies want at a clean driving record going back at least three years, I think if you're able to go a year and avoid any more tickets, a few more companies and even CDL schools might be willing to take a second look at you. Best of luck

So I am sitting in the truck and less than a minute later my phone rings, it's the DM I had just spoken with. Did you say your locking jaw is malfunctioning? Yes I replied I explained the situation and all I had done to fix or try to solve the problem. Hold on he tells me. I hear him typing on the key board. He comes back and tells me he had coded me as available for loads because of mechanical issues with the 5th wheel. I am told to Bob tail to a terminal to get the issue look at. So I do and by the time I arrive the maintenance crew has gone home. So I have dinner (a sandwich and chips) and I go to bed. Early the next morning around 9am I go to the mainland shop. They open at 7am but I have learned that between 7am-9am maintenance people (whom I have nothing but absolute respect for) seem to be dysfunctional and extremely confused. I chalk it up to trying to figure out where they are on various jobs, checking emails, scheduling for repairs and voice mail plus any other calls. So I go talk to the maintenance manager, I explained that I need to have my 5th wheel look at. While I am telling him this he doesn't even look at me. Are you hook up to a trailer?? I reply I can't hook up to a trailer because, but before I can finish another maintenance person walks up and they have a lengthy conversation. The manager goes back to typing and then glances at me and asked me if there is something I need? But before I can tell him for the second or third time what my issue is, another maintenance person walks about after another lengthy conversation, he goes back to his computer, he started typing. I figured it might be something the maintenance guy told him so i wait patiently After about two minutes, I go excuse me I was inquiring about getting my, the phone rings, he turns picks up the phone answers maintenance...and pauses I don't know maybe it was look on my face, or maybe it finally Dawn on him I was standing there. Whatever the reason, he told the caller to hold. He asked what the problem was, which I explained and he told take my truck over to the inspection bay. After about a twenty minute wait. The inspection person comes up to me and asked me what I was there for. I explained about the 5th wheel. As I am doing so he pointed at my windshield it two small chips on the passenger side, been there since I got the truck. He was silent for a moment and said something about a windshield delivery on Monday. He walked around the truck, marking stuff on a clip board, When is your next service due? I am not sure, I got the truck last month. Well when your last service before that? With another company He simply look at me before it click in So you only recently were issued the truck?? Yes sir I replied about five weeks ago. How many miles? I tell him 435, 867 You might be due for a level A or B service. Any chance I can be out of here later today sometime? His response He stops and goes probably tomorrow I can have you rolling Me: I started to ask something else when I noticed he had this grin on his face I stopped and looked at him "I can have you rolling around the yard by tomorrow" Okay I admit I actually started laughing so hard it hurt. So he continues his inspection, he comes to my drive tires looks at them, and tells me they look alright He looks again , said something about tires and Tuesday to himself Follow by replace drive tires. So I filled out the paperwork for the repairs wrote down a few other mechanical issues I was having , he tells me to go park and possibly later they can start with my truck. That was Friday. Friday came and went Saturday came and went. Sunday the maintenance shop was closed. Was going to to drive to a truck stop for a shower but I didn't want to start my 70 hour clock until I had a load Also another thing was my truck was in the maintenance Rowe so I got kind of worried about driving it to the truck stop, and I get in accidents or it decided to break down. I am calling for a DM (after hours on the weekend) plus maintenance/accident hot line explaining the situation and they are asking why I drove the truck out of the yard when records show it's supposed to be Park in the maintenance dragging area? So today (Monday) my truck went in for repairs at 9am At 6pm I found it park back in the staging area with an a red out of service tag on my door Well at least I have some place to sleep tonight

So I have been stuck in California now for three weeks, because of mechanical issues. First there where issues with my trailer, one of the windskirts got damage, originally I thought I had damage it at a consignee but was told the damage I had thought I cause was another driver, so I took it to some repair shop for repairs. I actually ended up sitting for several days before they finally had me bring the trailer over. The repair shop supervisor told me he would call in a few days. So after two days of waiting, I went back, ready to grab my trailer and hit the road After a minute it became clear I wasn't going anywhere, he had no idea what I was talking about. Apparently somewhere along the way my work order got lost and being they were extremely busy to start with, well stuff happens. I think it was either Thursday or Friday, I was told come back Monday. I called my DM who told me to sit and wait for the trailer to be repaired. Monday I go back and talk with the same gentleman, who tells me they aren't going to be able to look at it till Wednesday So I go back to the truck, actually I think I went shopping. Wednesday comes, sorry we are waiting for supplies, sorry what company are you with again?? Check in with me on Friday So Friday comes. I go walk over and Lord behold my trailer is in the repair bay Oh Happy days! I figured since it's Friday at best I will hear back from them Monday. Monday comes and apparently the guy who handles trailer repairs took the day off. I go back Tuesday. Trailer is still in the repair bay. Finally I go back Wednesday and my trailer is out of the bay, parked with other trailers I bend down to inspect the trailer and both windskirts are missing Apparently a bracket or something supporting the second one was lose or cracked, according to the maintenance supervisor it was from wear and tear . so I asked for an estimate time till the repairs where done, I am told next week possibly. So I called my DM couldn't reach him, spoke to another DM I am told someone will get back to me. After a few hours of waiting, I call back, after being on hold for almost 30 minutes, I give up. I call the next day and get a hold of my DM. I explained the situation and he tells forget about the trailer he's going to get me back on the road. I get a dispatch for a relay into Las Vegas NV and then back to northern California. Altogether the trip will be 800-900 miles. It seems like from I was told being unloaded at the consignee in California might be delay by a day or two, I am told there was some dirt lot nearby I could park at, restaurants and a gas station where nearby No truck stops were close by. So I get to where I am supposed to get the relay. I find the trailer ( it was around 10-11 am) originally the trailer wasn't supposed to be there till between 1 and 6pm. I am thinking awesome I am going to be ahead of schedule. However as I get closer I noticed a red tag on the front, out of service. Turns out there is a electrical issue with the trailer turn signals. Luckily a trailer repair person was on site doing repairs. So around 12 pm I am giving the green light. I already done my inspection of the trailer, it had new tires it looked like the locking pins on the tadems where new and it looked like someone had recently taking it through a truck wash. So I get set up and back under the trailer. I feel the trailer slide into the 5th wheel but I don't hear the locking jaw of the 5th wheel closing around the king pin d I do my tug test and I roll from underneath the trailer. I get out make sure the trailer is not to high or low, I tried a second time, again the locking jaw doesn't close around the king pin. I get out and inspect the 5th wheel, I looked all over it, climb on the cat walk, crawled under it, check for obstructions, can't find anything So I back under a third time again the locking jaw won't close around the king pin. I crawl under the trailer and check , I tripple check. I try releasing the release handle as I did the previous two times. The release handle feels loose. I try one more time and I get the same results. For the record after the second failure to get the trailer and tractor to couple I had decided I wasn't going to be taking anything anywhere until someone could look at the 5th wheel, I tried the other two times hoping for a miracle. So I called spoke with a DM (not my usual DM) and they tell me okay we are going to pull you from that load, I am showing an empty go ahead and hook up to that one, click end of phone call To be continued

I think when speak with a recruiter for a potential company, be up front and honest with the accident. Give them all the details, don't make excuses, take responsibility as you seem to have done. A lot of companies flat out are going to turn you down at the mere mentioned of the word accident. However the more time passes I think more and more companies might be willing to give you a second chance. I think you might have to start again at a second or last chance company working for peanuts and begin from there Best of luck

Okay I will take a shot at answering this question, for the record I have no doubt there are people way more experience and knowledgeable to better answer it. Okay the first and biggest hurdle is getting enough people on board with a strike to have any serious impact.

I am sorry but there is no way 1.8 million drivers will ever be on the same page. Second. As one articles pointed out, union membership involving truck drivers has seriously declined. For a lot of professional drivers both owner operator and company drivers, they simply can't afford to strike because of the cost and untold potential hardships it would cost their families. 3) okay I am going on my second year as a driver and I am with my second company, which brings me to my third argument.

I think a strike could actually do a lot of harm to smaller companies. I believe that there are a lot of companies that really have the best interest of their drivers in mind and actually try to pay them a decent wage. I think loyalty to these companies would also impact any strike. 4) public support this one is really a two-edge sword. Generally speaking the general public doesn't a very high opinion of truck drivers. so getting public support is going to be a major hurdle.

Okay let's say by an act of God we could rally public support for a trucker strike. It will be short lived. Once produce and other items people use in their day to day lives begin to disappear from the shelves, public support will evaporate in the blink of an eye. When riots, looting and price gauging result because of supplies shortages, truck drivers will become public enemy #1 That is my two cents, well 1 and half cents, I'm poor the government taxes me on the 0ther half

At the White's travel center in Raphine West Virginia (the largest truck stop on the east coast) you can shop for everything there from produce to underwear, after shopping, go get a haircut and then go see a movie all in the same travel center.

White's Petro is in VIRGINIA, not West Virginia.

I stand corrected! Sorry I had been bouncing around Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee for a month eventually everything blurred into one giant state