Comments By Pacific Pearl

Only 10% of the cringe was from the, "Fast, easy money driving team" part. The rest was from the usual blowhards. I will NEVER work for Marten.

Looking through the employment ads TODAY in Ft. Worth here's what caught my eye:

FedEx Ground Team driving at 80 cpm. You will get regular miles and a chance to sub for other drivers out sick or on vacation.

YRC Freight Teamster solo gig. FREE healthcare for YOU and your family. You start on the extra board until you can bid on a regular route but you'll be getting regular raises and make more money as you work your way up the seniority food chain. Almost 40% owned by Uncle Sam.

Mobile Refueling Looks suspiciously like ads that are popping up in my area (PNW). Who needs mobile refueling? AMAZON! You drive a small fuel truck to an Amazon DC and refuel Amazon delivery vans at night. Usually work less than 40 hours a week. How do you make any money doing that? The companies pay a guaranteed minimum of 80 hours a week, unless you work more than 80 then you get overtime. I know drivers doing that in Kent and Salem and they both love it (different companies but same deal). Apply, don't mention Amazon or the minimum until they mention it first.

Good luck!

Your, "psssh" may vary but based on your description it sounds like a release valve releasing air once the air tanks are at full pressure. This is normal.

No adapter exists because the cheapest, easiest solution is just to change the plug. I've done it in a Freightliner with a missing plug, took about 10 minutes to put on the heat-shrink tubing, twist the wires, solder the wires, shrink the tubing with a heat gun. GOOD TO GO.

The part you need.

If you can't figure it out a c.b. shop or even a TA should be able to hook you up for <$100.

A temporary solution is to buy a plug that powers your c.b. from a cigarette lighter plug.

Awkward substitute.

A LOT of cringe here.

If your sole reason for wanting to drive team is the higher cpm rate - DON'T DO IT!!! There's easier ways to make money in this industry. Team driving has its own perils:

1) You're trusting that driver WITH YOUR LIFE! I teamed with a driver who hit a truck parked on the side of road in west Texas. Drug the other truck about 50 feet. Totaled our trailer. Spent 2 weeks in a 1 star hotel in Sheffield, Texas while our truck was repaired.

2) You're trusting that driver with your INCOME. If he calls gets sick, wants home time, quits or gets fired (see #1) then you're not earning. Even if the company will put you to work shuffling trailers or something it's at a reduced rate of pay.

3) Even if you and the other driver can work together you have the same ups and downs you would as a solo driver. Waiting at a truck stop for your next load, camper loads, hunting for empties.

Driving LTL as a team is a solid gig. While your dedicated gig didn't work out there are other dedicated gigs that pay well with or without a team. Give me your closest city and I'll give you some options.

We haven't reached the point where the onboard AI will alert you that the AE-35 unit will go to 100% failure within 72 hours (yet). Your Freightliner will let you view faults (error codes) as others have noted. Your carrier's service department may have your truck configured to read your truck's codes while you're on the road. I once got a check engine light and when I pulled over and called CRST's service department they put me on hold for a few minutes and then informed me that it was a faulty sensor and to proceed with my delivery. They just added it to the list of things they would take care of on my next PM.

Most of the time when my truck's dash lights up like a Christmas tree it's just a sensor or emissions issue. NEVER ignore a dash light but use your best judgement about where and when to deal with it. I'll jump on a dash light much more quickly if I'm in west Texas in the summer (hours away from help, 130 degree temps, spotty cell coverage and nothing but rattlesnakes to keep me company) than I would between Portland, OR and Salem, OR (six truck stops in 35 miles, lows above freezing and 100% cell phone coverage).

Before proceeding with a CE light:

Consider your truck. Is there a history of one type of problem? Your truck's mileage - over 50,000 miles is more serious than under 5,000 because there are more things that will break the more miles you turn.

Where are you at vs. where you are going. Will proceeding on your trip put you further away from a terminal, a truck stop or some place that can help you or closer? What are the relative risks? Temperature, cell phone coverage, traffic, weather or road conditions should all be considered.

Take a look. Pop the hood and do an extended truck inspection to look for clues about the problem. If you don't see anything too critical (leaking radiator fluid, broken fan belt, smoke or fire) you can at least be more confident if you decide to proceed.

The new law is as of February 7, 2022 you must take a written test and take a training class to get your hazmat endorsement.

If drivers had their CDL before February 7, 2022 they are not required to take the training class.

Half right. Per the FMCSA website:

"The ELDT regulations are not retroactive; individuals who were issued a CDL or an S, P, or H endorsement prior to February 7, 2022 are not required to complete training for the respective CDL or endorsement."

This means if a driver had a hazmat endorsement before 7 Feb 2022 they don't need the training. If they are getting their first hazmat endorsement (even if they've had their CDL prior to 7 Feb 2022) they need the class.

I don't really understand why one can't take the written test unless they have a class. I mean if they pass the written test doesn't that say they know the material?

Knowing the material isn't what this is about. Per usual, it's in the name of, safety". Trucking schools lobbied (made campaign contributions to politicians) to make it a requirement. In turn, they get to charge for additional training. Better test scores or safety are less important that repaying their, "investment".

Contracts give the shipper a guaranteed price for the term of the contract. This is a good thing if rates are rising or there is uncertainty about what freight rates will do in the next few months. With rates dropping and going lower for the foreseeable future there's no benefit to shippers in locking in a rate.

Rules vary by carrier. You can generally park your truck anyplace where it's safe and legal to do so. Some carriers require your truck to be parked in a locked yard with a fence or wall. I usually just parked at a local truck stop when I was OTR. Some drivers cut deals with the management of big box stores (Walmart, Lowes, etc.) for parking if there are no truck stops nearby. Some drivers will even rent a parking space near their home, but that's generally to meet the locked yard requirement.

1. While driving in winter weather is a challenge, it's much more difficult when the other motorists on the road aren't used to driving in ice and snow. While road conditions are worse in Wyoming in winter it's easier to drive there than in Mexico's Gay District where the other motorists aren't used to it. They are far more likely to make bad choices and either hit you or lose control as they pass the truck causing you to hit them. The impatience, lack of concern for or consideration of others and infinite sense of entitlement their residents are famous for compounds the problem.

2. Some drivers will put up with driver facing cameras, I won't. Employers are picky about hiring - wanting drivers with years of experience driving a CMV with no tickets/accidents or incidents then when they find one instead of valuing that driver's judgement and history of making good choices behind the wheel they treat them like a trainee who just got their driver's license and can't be trusted. In the same way Mr. Hand thought EVERYONE was on drugs they think ALL DRIVERS use their cell phones while driving. Doesn't matter if you keep your phone stored in a locked bag or use a flip phone or don't have a phone the MUST watch you 24/7 to make sure you're not using your phone. They'll swear it's only a minor inconvenience and necessary for safety but insist it's out of the question if you ask to install cameras in their office and bedroom. Funny how that works.

The hot new thing in the PNW is, "mobile refueling". Not sure if other areas are doing it yet. You drive a small tanker - 2,000 gallons with 2 axles - to a nearby Amazon DC and refuel the Amazon delivery vans at night while they're parked. I know two drivers who started this recently and they're very happy.

Booster

Diesel Direct

Mobile Force Refueling

Shell