Comments By Sharon Carter

The company I work for has been using some of our drivers to run trailers for Walmart.. Walmart gave each driver a 15 minute video, a handbook, and explained when dropping a loaded trailer at the store in order to pick up an empty make sure you bang on the sides and check to make sure the dock plate isn't attached before hooking.. Five drivers have been dismissed from Walmart for pulling out of docks with those silver rollers inside... Walmart never explained this to our drivers... only hit the sides to make sure no one is inside and the dockplate isn't attached..pull up and make sure it's mt...then lock the door... honestly, I just don't know what to say when drivers who are not accustomed to this type of work are thrown into a situation, trained at the bare minimum, mess up and then thrown out...

Thank you...my dispatch told me yesterday i wouldn't get in trouble...now he is turning it on me saying because of my attitude..i have to sit..and wait for them to send someone to get the load....no layover pay...i have done nothing wrong...

...my dispatch didn't like my concern and said he could just have me turn in my truck...i am so saddened to be treated like this..i am a great employee...

If a dispatcher is forcing me to run, or to turn in my truck and quit...my next call would be to the safety department. But, that's just me.

Make sure you document all conversations you have with anyone about this. Based on what you're saying, it sounds like your dispatcher may need to have a "Come to Jesus" meeting with Safety...unless the whole company could care less.

I am overweight..the catscale is: 11460 34840 33800 80100..i have less than 1/2 tank of fuel and more than 700 miles to go...the shipper cannot take off only unload completely...my dispatch is mad at me because i won't roll...they won't cover the overload ticket...there is an open scale house either side of me...now i am being punished..and told that i will have to wait for them to send another driver to take my load...i don't want to drive illegal..never had this issue before...not sure what to do...my dispatch didn't like my concern and said he could just have me turn in my truck...i am so saddened to be treated like this..i am a great employee...

Thank you. I picked up a load that is heavier than any load I've ever carried before and of course in the area of Vermont I picked up at there isn't a scale around anywhere.... Just concerned about my load....I don't want an overload ticket but some of these areas are just vacant of scales...and yes I will definitely do that next time I'm empty... And I will check out the information tools

Sharon, the math is fairly simple. The next time you have an empty trailer go fill your fuel tanks and weigh your truck and trailer together. For our example let's just say it weighs 35,000 pounds.

Okay here's the math:

80,000 - 35,000 = 45,000

That tells you that you can't put over 45,000 pounds in the trailer.

We've got some excellent teaching tools about weights and balances in our High Road CDL Training Program. You really should go through that section. It will help you earn a lot more money out here by not wasting time on getting your loads balanced.

I pull a 53-foot dry van trailer... I know the total weight cannot be more than 80,000 lb. But, when going to the shipper and I look at their weight on the paperwork how do I know if it's going to be over? What is the maximum total weight on the paperwork that will keep me legal. Thank you.

Thank you..

I use a Coleman 12V cooler. I've had four so far since these don't last forever. Keeps everything cold when in use. I tie mine in the passenger seat, around the seat back with parachute cord. It's never come out of the seat.

Shop around for when these go on sale, as I've seen prices from $89 - $139. Don't waste points unnecessarily.

Thank you.... 12 volt cooler for sure

Get a "stick" style. The truck stop will have the correct range (goes up to 150 psi). Also, the end will have two valve fittings. Ge tthe one witht eh fittings "bent" to each other. The "straight" fittings seem to be hard to push onto the tire.

When you say "cooler" are you thinking of a picnic cooler for ice or a 12voild\t one? I had a Coleman 12v cooler from Walmart. The cooler worked but the fan kept stopping. I finally got a supply of fuses to replace. I don't know the quality of the 12 volt coolers at truck stops, but they re there!

My points are building up at the pilot / flying j... Would like to purchase a tire gauge and a cooler..any suggestions...there are many different tire gauges to choose from and honestly I'm not sure where to begin

I am driving a 2018 international automatic. it seems when I am hauling heavy loads I can only put in around 40 to 50 gallons of fuel in at a time to stay legal. my fifth wheel is set two pins from the front and I was thinking if I moved it at least one more that might give me more flexibility with the fuel. now do I actually drive my tractor forward or backwards or is it just like adjusting the drive and the trailer axle? Thank you very much.

Thank you...I am doing dry van. I am happy to be back in the driver's seat. I am originally from North Carolina....my grown kids still live in Ohio ..

Congrats, Sharon. Takes a heckuva woman to do this; that's awesome!! Are you going flatbed side? Just curious. I'm here in Ohio, I can shout out to your kids when I ride with my hubby, LoL~! :) (Are you originally from here?)

Best wishes all around; fellow female.

Anne