Comments By Mr. Curmudgeon

Hi, Justin. Welcome to TT. Another consideration for you to explore as the holder of the authorities or management of the company would be going to court and defend the driver. The law enforcement agency will have to get lab tests done on the suspected cannabis to confirm presence of the to convict on possession of cannabis, if a local or state charge. IF they do not have crime lab testing done to confirm, that may result in acquittal, allowing you to contest the SAFER hit that was generated. Don't enter into a plea deal until your corporate hired defense (yes, criminal law, not contract law) attorney has seen discovery on the lab results and case report.

IF it is cbd without the active thc component, as so many cbd advocates claim, the pot charge SHOULD go away.

(Not sure if FMCSA prohibits cbd directly, doubt it but haven't dived that deeply into the statutory rabbit hole. I spent 28 years reading, interpreting and applying statutes in my first career, kinda gave up on the deep diving)

Your individual CSA score (if you are a driver and not simply a manager) will not be impacted ‐ individual choices have individual CSA score applications. The company might have issues, but your individual score will stay clean. If you leave the company your score will still be a safe and happy 0.

This probably should be its own thread, as I look at that lengthy response.

Typos? Ya, at least one: multilateral should read "multiple plate"

As far as adjusting the load to get it legal, that's a whole other can of worms. The Clinton, IA nestle plant was quite adept at loading a 40' intermodal box super heavy in the front, but legal gross weight. I once had ~37 - 38k on my drives, and they wouldn't accept my assertions that it was over. I had to haul it to the cat at the KwikTrip for a certified weigh before they rebalanced.

Depends on which scale is nearby. Actual scale use is pretty easy if using CAT scales. Pull slowly onto the scale plated, position your steers on the forward plate, the drive axle tandems on the second plate, and the trailer tandems on the long rear plate. Those "full draft" scales will print out each of the three weights. Easy peasy. Always pull onto a scale centered left to right, and slowly (5mph or idle roll) to prevent locking or binding the plates or damaging the mech. Releasing brakes allows for natural settling of the scale and accurate weigh (see notes below on sloped approached to shorter scales).

If it is an unattended single draft or double draft (long enoug to weigh a three axle dumper in one shot, but not a full 18 wheeler) scale common with many ag locations you need a notebook Crayolas and a calculator. Pull forward slowly so JUST the steer axle is on, release brakes (or if slope approach ramp use trailer brakes to hold your spot) and let the scale settle, write down the weight displayed. Move up slowly until the steers are off and the drives only are on write down that weight. Do the same for the trailer tandems. That gives you three weights, add them together for your gross weight.

I used to pick up soy for export on a single plate full draft, had to do multiple calcs. First weigh steers (write it down) , then weigh steers and drives (write it down). Subtract the steers from the steers & drive tandems to get just the drive weight. Then pull fully forward so just the entire unit is on the single plate, write down your gross. Then pull forward to clear your drive tandems, leaving just trailer tandems on the plate, and write that down. I always tool photos of the numbers to show anyone that thought I was over. And I always confirmed at a multilateral full draft (commercial certified or CAT) scale asap.

I used the CAT scale app, made everything easy to accomplish when using a cat scale. No waiting in line inside to get tickets, they send the scale ticket to your phone.

Hope this helps.

Wishing you a complete and rapid recovery, BK. The Beloved is working her way to having one, possibly both done. Steve, thanks for the pain med guidance, will keep that in mind when the time comes.

The latest: carrier apu a/c stops blowing cold air. I can idle the T680.to keep.cold, but have 14 hours before the drop, so took the $48 CDL special at railroad pass here in Henerson, NV. Clean room, dated property, but better than the alternative. AND i got a shower. And slept in a bed that wasnt vibrating. They give 20% off meals to CDL holders in the restaurant as well.

This will finish day four of the cycle, picking up in LV and heading back thru the Joshua Trees to phoenix area.

So far, impressions positive. The spine has not fired up, nor has the inflammatory arthritis. Blessings there.

The outfit is focused on ontime metrics, and if you stay focused it works out.

Maybe I am the lone voice here. Prolly am, goes with the hamdle I guess. Seems figuring out how long after and what steps someone should go to to pass a drug screen for weed is a new direction, but information I'd never bad to share. 1) Errol, yep, we'll all be forgiven, but quite possibly NOT by the earthly hiring authorities. 2)The Curmudgeon says the same thing to prospective drivers as he did to aspiring cop candidates (met a lot). Quit smoking weed at LEAST a year before you want to get your cdl, two is better (shows a seriousness about the stressful career your undertaking). Don't drink to blackout for at least four years (ever is better). Don't try coke, meth (unless it has otrexate on the end), heroin, pcp, etc etc etc. I know this sounds old-timerish Yep. But follow those suggestions and the road thru the background won't present as many potholes.

YAMMD and likely does.

Winter of 2014, e/b on 180 near Quad Cities Airport, bebopping along at night. All of a sudden a big hunk of white stuff, oval.shaped and looked about 2' long comes hurtling into my lights and smacks my windshield. Driving a split screen old fashioned FLD, thank God. Impact was on that steel piece, indented th driver side glass about 1/2", passenger side about 1/4". At just above eye level. I shudder still at what might have happened had it been a continuous screen, without that reinforcing. Was able to piece it together later, high tension lines cross over the highway there, and the chunk must have been ice collected on the lines.

Maestro: the topic of pre-trip inspections is one that doesn't get enough play. It's drilled into the heads to get the CDL, but how many of you see drivers actually getting down and looking at stuff? How many times have you gotten to pick up a load and the trailer hasn't had a federal inspection in 15 months? Tires hanging slack on the wheel, or completely missing?

Things that I found to be a challenge for many of the drivers I trained / coached / mentored were: 90 degree angles on brake slack adjusters, looking for leaks in hub seals inside the brake drum, examining the ribs or underside of trailer floors for integrity, tire pressure and tread depth checks. I have a sh**-ton of images that I put into a document that I used for day one kind of stuff. I found that many of the drivers that may have attended high school but not gotten an education there have no idea what a 90 degree angle is. Used the 'finger gun' too demonstrate - that was a lightbulb moment for at least three drivers from Chicago - they knew what to say to the CDL license road test examiner, but didn't know what to look for.

So many other ideas that fit into this, but I would say "Pre-trip Inspections. If you aren't getting down under, you're making a blunder. Who is YOUR blunder going to kill today?".

Ya, I actually made that into a meme...

Makes me wonder how the self driving units will do it...

Thanks, BK.

All no touch freight, the bulk are drop and hook with some live loads. Horror stories of three to four hour waits when loads aren't ready. The consolation is that all of us are hourly, even the regional folks, OT after 40 hours worked in a week. They run the 60hr clock. So far, seems a good gig.

And just gladly driving again. And the pay is WAY better than slinging pizza.