Comments By Moe

I thought a deal had been cut with Yellow? To prevent this? I must be wrong then, thought I read that somewhere. This is an awful situation that affects over 33,000 people, glad you found a job so fast.

As Bobcat stated, many won’t be so lucky.

God is good man, God is good

Hi all,

I realize I have not posted on the forum for sometime. Despite the freight slow down nationwide, I have been blessed to work for Marten Transport whom has kept me busy with plenty to haul despite the current economic impacts/setbacks. For any of you new members my nickname and my call sign OTR is Moe. The resources online here at TT helped me many years ago while I was looking into trucking, dealing with the challenges of getting into the industry , my CDL training (and five times failing the test) as well as navigating my first employment within the business. I thought I would just pop back in now that I have a minute and check in again.

As the title of the subject says -I need to come off the road for a bit and have already returned my truck back to Marten. Reasons are threefold -

First and most important- I had to get mom placed into end of life care (hospice) while I was OTR in Laredo TX (was running freight to and from our transfer station vendors there) when I got the call that she had almost died due to contracting pneumonia from a sinus infection. She did pull through but the doctors informed us that she cannot live on her own anymore (too weak to manage daily living). So in addition to the hospice stuff , we now are sorting out getting her house ready to sell etc. God is good though, the VA will pay her end of life care expenses 100% (we got that news on Weds, this week!). It was a hard decision to make but being her PoA (power of attorney) it is/was my responsibility to make the hard call. Won't lie, I was in tears that night, hurt like hell (pardon me)

Second- I had already been planning to move into my brother's house in Florida as he and family desired me to be closer around. That said, I do have a life in Oregon that I am trying to wrap up and pack while dealing with mom's issues. I had planned to clean the truck off in mid August for a brief LoA to move, but mom's issues have accelerated and lengthened the timeline a bit.

Third - I have been running almost non stop for about three years straight and I also need to tend to myself for a while - running is great , but we need to know when its time to come to a season of rest. Trucking will always be there - no matter who is in office , world events or whatever, as long as I have my CDL -I can come back to it.

Good thing is I am working with Marten on this and they have told me we can and will work through it and come back when the time is right- so I still have my job waiting for me when I get things settled and resolved.

I just wanted to share what is going on and just ask for prayer and good wishes. I want to also share how grateful I am for some of the tuff love I got here in the beginning because listening did pay off. I have a great career with a great carrier and also the great paychecks enabled me to save up a substantial sum in order to cover my expenses fully while I am out (the moving, rent in OR and FL , airline tickets , bills etc). I am not stressed because I have 2 things - a God who is in control and a great career which enables me to handle business and not have me and my loved ones stressed out because I am unable to pay for things (been there and its horrible).

The last couple of weeks really did slam home to me what is important in life - family and loved ones. Trucking just allows us to provide better for them and to be there financially for them when it REALLY counts (such as the time I am going through now). Just remember that whomever reads this focus on what matters- we never know how much longer we or those around us have.

God bless y'all -stay safe.

Moe

I’ve used both Rand and Garmin. I had my rand for about three years before it started having hardware/battery issues and would shut down on me. I just got the Garmin dezl 710 at flying j the other day got a $50 off coupon and spent some of my points and po ied up for the rest. So far so good with Garmin. There are plusses and minuses to both.

In fact the only reason why I got the Garmin was the money I saved, had the same deal been for Rand, I would have picked up the overdrive 8 pro.

Any of the RM or Garmins should serve you well for trucking. Depends upon your budget, when I got into trucking my budget was around $300, I picked up the RM TND 550 for about that amount. I found the ability to PIN specific GPS corridnates on the map (IE:Truck entrances) very useful in order to avoid the wonky point to point nature of the GPS. (Hint Garmin will let you do the exact same thing!). IMHO if you have the option to pick one up and fiddle with it a bit to see what you like, I would do that then you can get an idea of what suites your style better.

IMHO - it’s RM or Garmin. Tom Tom seems cheaply made and I sure as cough cough ain’t trusting my cellphone for Truck routing even with Hammer or TP. I’m often in areas of no cellular signal, so having a pure dedicated GPS which can show me the route back to civilization is a must!

It is also important that you update your maps and operating system (and this is doubly so with the RM products) from a stable and strong wifi. I typically will take my GPS home and search for/install updates on the day before I am set to leave in order to ensure I have the latest update.

You can’t go wrong with a RM or a Garmin the money is worth it. As was stated before a gps doesn’t replace a proper trip plan, route and weather check and verifying directions to the receiver.

True - my main reason for posting was just to encourage others tonight

“No worries bud” how about Moe. I can’t stand people that use the term bud or buddy lol. Anyways like Bobcat said definitely look into ltl. Can’t go wrong. Companies like odfl really good pay along with good low cost benefits. Can’t beat that.

Working towards local myself , right now I am just using the OTR life as a traveling lifestyle with my family having moved away and mom being sick . Soon as I land somewhere close to them I plan to get out of OTR lol

So glad I have a set 2 days off a week and do not have to jump through hoops to get it.

I wanted to pop in briefly today and just share something that I thought was important - namely an issue with home time and how I resolved it professionally with my FM. We all know being OTR drivers how important our home time is. It is when we get much deserved rest, relaxation, resupply provisions , clean clothes , spend time with loved ones and catch up on important appointments (medical or otherwise). Needless to say when something happens (weather, a late load, break down etc) right around home time, it can throw our plans out of whack and cause conflict in our personal lives as well. I am due to go back out tommorrow for a 25 day run. I usually stay out that long or longer. I almost always put in for six days off and my FM rubber stamps it without thinking or asking about it due to the fact that I do stay out longer and that I am (in her words) one of her harder working drivers. She has told me time and time again that what she appreciates about me is that she never has to actually MANAGE me like she has had to do with some of her other drivers. I am not trying to extol myself or anything with that last comment, those are her words almost exact and that she has felt refreshed by the fact that she can give me a load and will know that I will run with it or communicate why I can't (weather, delays, breakdown whatever) and we work together to figure out a solution. That is the relationship that I have with my FM and it is awesome!

Today, I received a message from her stating that since I would be out for 25 days I could only take 5 days not 6. I pondered that for a moment, reflecting upon the last few runs I have had out with the company and after a moment or two to pause and think of my response, I stated - "Look, ma'am (not going to use her name on public forum) , I don't mean to sound flippant or argumentative about this, but I did want to know where this is coming from? Because 6 days is my usual time off and I am out about the same amount or longer each month. I do realize that February is a shorter month as well, so perhaps that is it?" She then replied that official policy is to be out for five days and get one day off in return, that if the additional day had been approved in the past that I should consider that a bonus , moving forward we would need to go with five days because the company was really starting to look closely at the home time off vs earned. (not her exact words but close enough).

Keep in mind that I had already planned dental, medical and a med card renewal appointment, plus a visit to a veterans home to spend time with one of our ailing church members etc not to mention a couple of other important items to attend to, not only that I had also made plans to visit my brother , his wife and the kids whom in FL whom I have not seen for a year and we already made the date for that. I had made the date around planning for my home time times. I at that point was feeling a bit stressed, I admit (though in the long run not a huge deal, I get it). But I thought through my response and I finally settled on saying to her - "Look, ma'am I understand the policy now as you explained and if that additional day was approved previously than I thank you. Being away from home 300 plus days a year can be a challenge to balance work/life. Here is where I am at , for the next couple of home times, I made plans that would be harder/stressful to adjust by staying out an additional five days to make up for it. Is there anyway that some consideration or grace could be given these next two times? I explained to her about my upcoming FL time off and the medical card renewal, dentist et al." I also ended with "If you are unable to accommodate for whatever reason please let me know ASAP so that I can work for change on my end". Almost immediately she replied back - "No worries bud, I can accommodate and do understand will submit an exception to OPS manager ASAP" she even put a :) on the end of it!

Often times I have heard in trucking how our FMs, Drive Managers, dispatchers , ops whatever you want to call them, seem not to care about drivers. My experience (not just with this but other issues) has been in COMMUNICATION. If you take the time to think through your response and concerns, and show interest in working towards solutions, you can often get what you need/want. It may not always work, it is a give and take. But I hope this inspires some one who reads this to consider how you can better work through issues with dispatch or company policy. Our dispatchers and ops support are humans too and if we will work to be humble and communicate honestly, we can get our needs met.

That was what I wanted to share today, hope yall are good! Be safe out there, rubber side down, shiny side up!

Moe

The title of the post says it all. There have been alot of pile up collisions this winter, most recently in WI and earlier in Jan near the KS/CO border on the 70. This winter has been brutal for truck accidents. I am not sure if it was covered here already or not but Marten did not come through this unscathed either. Earlier in Jan we had two serious accidents back to back over the 3 day MLK Jr day holiday weekend. The first involved a semi/trailer roll over where the 16 year old operator of the car was KIA on site when the trailer rolled over on top of his vehicle, his friends were also injured severly. The second was less than 24 hours after the fleet wide message went out alerting us of the tragedy and another driver apparently did not even try to stop at a red light and rear ended a minivan into oncoming intersection traffic causing serious harm and injury (no fatalities in the second accident from what I was told).

My fleet manager reached out to me personally via phone on MLK day (a Monday) to go over them with me and wanted to thank me for being a safe attentive driver and to answer any questions I may have had about the communications regarding the accidents. I didnt have any questions or concerns really, I felt sad and shaken up by the news of the tragic loss of life (16 year old boy) and the injuries. I also noticed a higher than usual amount of Semi wrecks and incidents on the roadways this month , particularly in WY, NB. I think in those states folks tend to get complacent because of how open and boring it is. But the weather can change on you in a heart beat out in those states. The cause of the accidents were deemed inattentive/distracted driving. I cant say for sure what was the distraction, I hope not a cell phone in a hand, but the cause dosent matter. What does matter is 9 people total were seriously hurt, 1 young man died before his life could even get started and now Marten has to deal with fall out from Insurance, FMCSA and state and local authorities. Undoubtdly law suits and potential criminal charges could be incoming.

I realize I do not post much on the forum, truth be told I haven't had or made time to do so, when I am running out there at the end of the day my focus is on self care (good meal, rest and relaxing to prepare for 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night) in order to minimize my being invovled in something like this. I have also taken a closer look at better trip planning (knowing where I will stop at night exactly) and minimizing distractions while on the road (looking at or adjusting controls on the gps , etc) . That can be just as distracting too.

I wanted to lastly wish you all safety on the road, please think of your own safety and the motoring public's first and foremost. If there is ice, black ice, a severe blizzard , OR you are fatigued and having a hard time staying awake ; what ever - then I would like you to please JUST PARK and remain parked until the bad weather passes or you fell better to driver.. YES your dispatch may be upset at times, YES the appointment will or may have to be rescheduled which means you may have to do a split or something, but frankly the risk of a couple hundred dollar late fee is miniscule compared to the very real consequences of what can happen in bad weather or fatigue. I know that no one on this forum would do it, but I have seen many drivers from all sorts of carriers (even my own) driving with cell phone in hand. I try not to be a cop or nothing but if I can safely get there attention I do and and make the appropriate hand gestures telling them to put it down. Often times it works, sometimes they get mad and wave me off.

The calls and texts can wait and if need be so can the freight.

Be safe out there everyone and I hope that 2023 is starting off the best it can for each of you personally.

Happy (belated) New Year!

Moe

Thank you Chris, prayers and well wishes are always welcomed. Its very sobering watching those we grew up around get older, face health challenges and subsequently move on to the next stage of life. I hope your trucking journey has been going well and prosperous! :)

sorry about your mother wish her well and your mother will be in my prayers

If this I’m response to what I said to BK (Bruce?? His name?? I’m trying to keep track of names correctly) about his incident in checking on a fellow driver who was in some sort of distress, I’ll apologize for how I came off, I’ve been dealing with a very ill family memeber (mother) and yesterday we went to her palliative/hospice/ end of life care doctor for a sobering appointment and I was not in the best of moods, going forward I’ll limit my responses to times when I’m not consumed by family life, I came off more blunt than I intended.

Ryan - this is an excellent forum, the information I’ve been given and the challenges have helped me to realize almost $65 grand this year and we haven’t hit 12/31 yet. Please man take it in stride, Brett, Packrat, Gtown et al really just want people to excel in all they do in life (not just trucking).

Take care man

Bruce expressed frustration as to some of the rhetoric on this forum. I didn't post anything in response because it would have only inflamed the issue without providing anything of value to the forum. Nonetheless, I have similar feelings.

This forum is just becoming too draining, for me. Every time I post something, I have to anticipate what I am posting being taken to an extreme. I am tired of posting comments, someone responding and coming at me because of something that I have written, and then my legitimate response gets denied by moderators. I don't mind legitimate discussion, to include being challenged. I have a serious problem with being challenged and then my honest response being foiled. It's not a matter of false information because I have had comments not pass moderation where I am stating thoughts that are similar to those posted by moderators. The final straw for me is someone calling Bruce's integrity into question and that being a perfectly acceptable post while me pointing out that posting frustration with signage doesn't mean that I am not doing my job with trip planning.

As to why people go out this way instead of just disappearing from public forums, it's to prevent people from wondering or speculating what happened to so and so. You have it straight from my virtual keyboard as to what happened to me.

The handful of people who have recently started training and those who have made decisions to start soon, I wish you the best. Trust your trainers and let them be your first source of information sought. The safety officer at your company/terminal is also a source of valuable information. Ask safety about any questions you have. This safety officer will never lie to you about anything pertaining to the legalities of safely operating your truck, so when you are not sure about something being legal, talk to your safety department. This forum has an immense amount of quality information and there are many drivers here who have already faced any difficult situation that you may encounter.

Might I be back, at some point? It's certainly possible. For the time being, I am going to focus on my family, my career, and myself. Take care all. Be safe out there drivers.

All a man needs is his truck and a good dog lol. 🐕. You can tell where the inspiration for Optimus Prime came from

Bj McKay and his best friend Bear!!

Remember how the movie traumatized some so bad that their parents complained to Hasbro? That was what got Optimus revived in the 3rd generation cartoon lol…..first world problems sheesh lol

That brings back a lot of memories right there. I was “made in the 80’s” myself and loved the transformers as a kid. LEGO just actually came out with an Optimus Prime set that actually transforms. It’s in my to build pile but will probably be one of the next ones I build. Thanks for sharing!