Profile For Joseph I.

I live just south of Clear Lake, IA so drive some of the same roads as you. It would have to be impassible ahead for me to want to pull over to the shoulder. I feel there is to much danger of being hit from behind or getting in a situation where you are stuck and need a tow. In Iowa at least if you need a place to park you are not usually to far from someplace a lot safer than the shoulder.

I agree technically you are on duty. If it was me and needed the ours later in the day for driving I would go off duty after the first 30 minutes until ready to drive again. Also depending how far from where you pick truck up and where you load if it is 3 hours away you can get your 30 minute break out of the way anyway.

I can lock the differential and that helps some also have dumped the air and did the opposite, both helped some but still mostly just one live axle and super singles empty on ice is about as worthless as it gets. The boss has a pallet of chicken scratch, which is heavier and bigger than sand, that he said helps some also he said grab a bag and leave it in the truck in the winter. My biggest problem is most of our trucks go south on Monday and back on Friday so they are not in the weather as much. I got 2 kids in high school yet so do not have to be home every night but I operate more throughout IA, MN and WI picking and delivering what is brought back from Laredo during the week.

I drive a newer Cascadia with super singles and only one live axle. I work mostly in the upper Midwest and have troubles with getting stuck in icy conditions especially in yards when empty. What are some solutions or hacks guys use to help in those conditions? I was stuck on virtually flat ice in a truck stop yesterday and needed to let the truck sit till tires basically cooled to the point of freezing to ice to get going again.

I have one question. What is a "second chance" company? I really have no idea what type of company that is referring to.

Just to add something to the conversation. I drove a New Volvo for 2 weeks, the dealership is trying to get us to buy them for our fleet and it had a TomTom in it. It worked very well and I liked the way the user interfaced worked. I do not have a Rand and used a Garmin for a week a while back and like the TomTom a little better.

I have tried a few and never really cared for how they work. It can be a pain getting them to goto the route I want. I personally do best with google maps and the RandMcNally for bridge clearance and non truck routes.

My biggest problem with going back to paper while on the road with an ELD malfunction is the DOT requires previous 8 days when running paper and if ELD quits where do you get previous 8 days until you get back to office, I had that problem last week for 2 days.

As far as finding easier parking spots, if that is the concern, I find of coarse earlier is always better. But the No. 1 thing for me is if I am late and know the big national truck stops with the best "amenities" are going to be full up, at least through the middle of the country the small stops a only a few spots are almost always easiest to find a spot.

More info please. What is the question?

The GPS with my ZONAR in the truck is OK. I still like google maps for seeing where entrances are and it is more complete list of addresses. I was in a new Volvo for a week, it was a loaner from a company that is trying to sell our company trucks, that had a TOMTOM which I had never been around that worked really well. Garmin and RM are always going to be at the top of most guys lists of what to use.

I am sure that is just a spreadsheet he made himself. Your computer will probably have a spreadsheet program on it you can use, if not you can download the latest version of LibreOffice, it is free and at least for me as good or better than the ones you pay for.

You have it correct 4/32" for the steers and 2/32" for the others. No steel or cords can be showing. As for flat spots I guess that would be up to the DOT guy and his mood that day. If we had tires that had a flat spot I would want them on the trailer not the truck.

In Iowa you can take them all at once and then come back and retake only the ones you failed until you get them all passed. I imagine every state may be a little different.

Those are all still shorts weather for this Iowa boy. I like seeing how the boys down in southern Texas dress when it is below 55 degrees, you would think they were getting ready to go snowmobiling.

The thing I always liked about Canada was all the long 2 lane roads I traveled still had another whole lane paved right beside them. They were basically 4 lane roads while only using 2.

If I am live unloading I much prefer stores to DC's. With a DC you might be unloaded in 45 minutes or it might be an all day affair and they are not great at giving you a straight answer on when it will be done. At a store they usually will unload you pretty fast as they need the dock cleared out also where a DC has lots of docks just sitting. I spent 12 hours at a Target DC in Minneapolis 2 days ago and then went 12 miles to get loaded for trip home and was in and out of the lot in 40 minutes.

I assume you mean welding done to the frame after manufacturing. The answer is yes welding can be done but should not be attempted by weekend mechanics. The frame can be welded on in specific directions and in certain areas.

I assume you mean for running your inverter and electric heat or A/C. They will weaken over time and you will see the length of time they hold enough AMPs lessen to the point you need to restart truck to charge after about 24-36 months of use. Again that depends on how hard they are used.

Until a year ago I farmed all my life, for over 30 years. Every so often when prices were tough or for no reason the thought would come up that if farmers would organize and strike they could get about anything they wanted because it is they food supply. The problem is and it is the reason that I enjoyed and still enjoy the farming culture is that you are independent and not part of a giant organization that would set limits on what you can and cannot raise or what you can sell it for.