Comments By Wild-Bill

Good luck. What terminal are you training at?

I thought I’d jump in and clarify Roehl’s address to address pay. We used to be paid for city center to city center, which I believe is how most companies calculate their mileage. We’re now paid address to address which more accurately represents the miles driven. We are still paid for all miles loaded or empty. If I drove 400 miles empty got loaded and another 750 loaded miles to the consignee. My pay for that run would be; my CPM x 1150 miles.

In the old city to city plan I would frequently drive more miles than what was listed for the job -like north side of Chicago to south side of Indy. Now the miles I’m paid are nearly identical to what my Co-pilot navigation shows for the route. It might occasionally be off by a few miles here or there from avoiding a toll road or something, but honestly not more than a few miles.

We’re still also compensated for detention, short haul, layover and all the other small things that help smooth out the occasional bad load.

Hope that all makes sense.

I had the same thing early on. Mine seemed to be right on my tailbone. Try all the other suggestions as that’ll help. A little Tylenol when it gets bad can’t hurt either. For me it just took a couple months and it eventually just went away. Now I have no problems with a long day in the saddle.

Funny thing, this week I’m in a classroom setting and those regular chairs are killing me.

Harder- waiting for load / unload Easier - long 14 hr days.

Classic

OS, I got to see Zig speak in person many years ago, it was an absolutely amazing experience. He is by far the most dynamic, engaging and entertaining speaker I’ve ever seen in my life. And I’ve seen a lot of them.

Donald, are you getting a bunch of video coaching events sent to you or are you just worried about it? I’ve been driving for Roehl for 6 months. My first month solo I had a few videos sent to me for various things. Now I almost never get them. Like Old School said they made me a better driver.

Following are some of the common things that will trigger the camera and how to avoid them. If you drive with the safe seven you were taught in GYCDL, you’ll virtually eliminate the videos.

Slow down & stay back- When the warning light comes on saying you’re too close. You need to get your following distance back. Just back off a bit and you’ll be fine.

Know Whats Happening- come to a full stop at all stop signs, watch for stale green lights.

Expect the expected, Yield to others and reduce the risk- hard brakes are most often a result of either not being aware (see above) or being too aggressive. Expect everyone around you to exhibit the worst possible driving behavior and react accordingly. That driver you see coming up on you fast will cut you off to get to the exit your approaching. Expect it and let it happen. Fight it and you’ll end up with a video sent to you.

Prepare to drive- Have your snacks, drinks, sunglasses, smokes and whatever else you need ready to go. Reaching around the cabin will cause a lane departure. Also, knowing your route and stopping points will help prevent hard brakes, stability alerts and all sorts of other bad things from last minute lane changes.

Hope that helps. If you are getting specific coaching events let us know and we can help. As I mentioned, as you get better the videos will go away. I honestly thing they’re not sent as a bad thing but as a way to help be a safer professional driver.

I haven’t read your other post about safety but it’s now on my list of things to do. Should be entertaining.

I’m just curious, you say you’re concerned about the mess a can of wasp spray will make, but, your post talks about a chainsaw to take off limbs or someone’s head. Aren’t you a bit concerned at all about the mess of cleaning up severed limbs and the resultant blood spatter?

If you’re that worried, run a ratchet strap between the door handles at night, no one is getting in past that. But, as others have said. There are many, many, many more things to concern yourself about than having some random person enter your truck while you’re sleeping.

I’m sure other companies have the same thing but for us, a call or PC message are the same thing. Every call is recorded and voice to text transcribed and filed the same way messages are.

I was talking with my FM the other day and during the conversation she said something about sometime when we’re not on a recorded line I can tell you about that.

So, they know anything they say or write is recorded for posterity. As others have said. There’s more to this drivers story. No one is going to put themselves on the line verbally or in writing to tell a driver to violate HOS rules.

Sounds like we’ll miss each other. I’m leaving Peoria around 5. Thanks for the warning on construction. Seems like every city and town in America is torn up right now.