Comments By Steven E.

I understand traffic was at a complete standstill on I-80 WB today in Illinois. I was not caught in it, but some people I know told me they sat in their vehicle for 4 hours before finally getting to an exit and taking surface streets the rest of the way they had to go. Does anyone know anything about what may have happened?

Yes I changed my self-certification. I discovered my license was only good for intrastate driving so I had it changed to interstate. I did that in February of 2019.

One of my questions is, I have never been asked to submit an MEC before, even though I have been a CDL driver for several years prior to this. Why this now?

I need some help. I am in Illinois (Chicagoland area). On Saturday I received a letter from the Secretary of State's office informing me that my an order had gone in for my license to be canceled on the 19th of this month because, quoting from the letter, I had "failed to submit an acceptable Medical Examiner's Certificate..." I renewed my MEC January 1st of this year and it is good until January 1, 2023. I have had a CDL for several years now and this is the first time I have ever encountered this. I don't know why I received a letter like this on this occasion. Can someone based in Illinois or familiar with Illinois law help me to know what to do? I have emailed and faxed my MEC along with a cover letter and a copy of the letter they sent me to the email addresses and fax numbers provided for the Illinois SOS office. What do I do from here?

I am curious about something. I know that in the past trucks used multi (2 or 4) speed rear axles to achieve multiple speeds forward. But I read now that multi-speed differentials have pretty much disappeared. So, how do modern-day trucks implement 9, 10, 13, 15 or 18-speed transmissions if not with a multi-speed differential, and what, exactly, does the Range Selector on such trucks (with manual transmissions) do?

In the state of Illinois, the new trucks are all being ordered with automatic transmissions. I wondered why until I was finally told the reason by a Peterbilt truck and leasing company. The law was changed in this state at some point such that, whatever vehicle you take you driving test in when applying for your license is the vehicle you can drive - if you take your test in a truck having an automatic transmission, that's all you can drive, which was not the case previously. Does anyone know if other states enacted similar statutes? (I took my test with a manual transmission.)

For what it may be worth, I used to have problems with backing in the past, and I figured out the primary thing I was doing wrong was, not pulling far enough forward. Believe it or not, I actually learned a lot by practicing backing with my Econoline van, as I drive only periodically. I have never counted the number of truck lengths, but as someone said earlier, go further rather than shorter and use your mirrors. Get out and look if you have to.

You know I've had plenty of arguments with the wife, just like everyone else, but the moment it escalates into having the potential for cops to be called is when you need to be a gentleman and find a way to diffuse the situation. Apologize, whatever. I have learned the hard way that women are usually right so I'm going to side with her and tell you to mess with someone your own size and don't hit women - especially your wife!

Actually, according to police statistics, in cases of domestic disputes woman-on-man assaults are just as common as the other way around - and in cases of the more violent altercations, two-thirds of the time it's the women involved who start it, by their own admission.

That said, every effort should be made to avoid a dispute escalating into a physical confrontation - although if she starts to try to hit you or throw things at you, you need to deal with it. Some women are crazy.

For myself, I'm willing to apologize - but only if I believe I'm in the wrong. I will never say anything I don't believe to be true. And I will never say I'm sorry if I'm not.

I am a Class B driver who drives a few times per year. I have a full-time profession in another business. But, I am curious - nearly all of the CDL trucks available for rent now are equipped with automatic transmissions. I recently had a conversation with a driver who was delivering a load to a company I consult for, and he mentioned as how the truck fleets for shipping companies are switching over to automatics - that virtually the only way to get a tractor with a manual is by special order. He told me his own truck (a Volvo, if I remember correctly) had a 10-speed Allison automatic. Does anyone here have a preference one way or the other - manual over automatic or vice versa?

I'm currently driving a Ryder Freightliner M2 106. When I drain the air tank at the end of a shift, only one air gauge is going to "0" - the other one shows a tank fully charged. I cannot find but one tank, but I'm told this particular truck has an "air dryer" which filters out water, etc., from the air so that only air is pumped into the air tank. If so, where is it, what does it look like, and is it supposed to be drained the same as the tank?