Coming Back After 20 Years.

Topic 10415 | Page 1

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Bad Bob's Comment
member avatar

Hello Truckers:

Around 20 years ago I got out of the truck driving industry and have missed it every since. I am now considering going back into driving and would need to re-gain my CDL. What I'd like to ask is how has the industry and generally the job of the over the road truck driver changed in the last 20 years. I know there's differences from company to company and what you're hauling so general answers will be helpful. Thanks in advance.

Bob

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

Over The Road:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

Old School's Comment
member avatar

Hello Bob, and welcome aboard!

The truth is that little has changed - I'll hit the high lights for you though.

* The trucks are nicer, and most of the companies keep you in a fairly new truck - many of the companies will sell off their trucks before they get to the 500,000 mile mark.

* The HOS rules have changed a bit.

* The major difference you will encounter is dealing with electronic logs - creative writing is no longer an option on your logs.

Even the pay has not changed all that much - you may get more cents per mile now, but adjusted for inflation your buying power is probably less than it was twenty years ago.

Electronic Logs:

Electronic Onboard Recorder

Electronic Logbook

A device which records the amount of time a vehicle has been driven. If the vehicle is not being driven, the operator will manually input whether or not he/she is on duty or not.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Errol V.'s Comment
member avatar

Hello Truckers:

Around 20 years ago I got out of the truck driving industry and have missed it every since. I am now considering going back into driving and would need to re-gain my CDL.
What I'd like to ask is how has the industry and generally the job of the over the road truck driver changed in the last 20 years. I know there's differences from company to company and what you're hauling so general answers will be helpful. Thanks in advance.

Bob

Think like this: SAE wrench ("5/8", "9/16") and metric wrench (13mm, 17mm) They are much alike, maybe even a good fit once in a while, but overall, they don't work together.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) took over from the ICC in 2000. Now nearly everything's different. (Except shifting, and most carriers are moving to automatics, so there!) Dispatches come to your on-board message center (Qualcomm), paper logs are history (it's on the Qualcomm), scale houses are almost automatic - good thing is trucks may have a Pre-pass unit, and you can wave to the nice policeman as you cruise by.

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

Over The Road:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

Qualcomm:

Omnitracs (a.k.a. Qualcomm) is a satellite-based messaging system with built-in GPS capabilities built by Qualcomm. It has a small computer screen and keyboard and is tied into the truck’s computer. It allows trucking companies to track where the driver is at, monitor the truck, and send and receive messages with the driver – similar to email.

CSA:

Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)

The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle

FMCSA:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

The FMCSA was established within the Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000. Their primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries.

What Does The FMCSA Do?

  • Commercial Drivers' Licenses
  • Data and Analysis
  • Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement
  • Research and Technology
  • Safety Assistance
  • Support and Information Sharing

Dm:

Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager

The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.

Fm:

Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager

The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
Bad Bob's Comment
member avatar

Thanks for the info guys. This makes it seem even better than I thought. I was never one of those who wanted to drive all night long, then all day, then all night again. I do believe it is better to be alive to spend the money you make. Pay has slipped in every industry. We've been in property management and we're barely making it. The pay has dipped so much in the industry that retirement will never be possible. If I could make near to what I was making before then at about 65 or 67 I'll be able to stop and take it easy. We don't need a mansion just a decent roof over our heads in a reasonably peaceful neighborhood. Trucking does seem to be a very good option. We're still about a year away from being able to make the change but it does make more sense every day. Thanks again.

Bob

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Errol V.'s Comment
member avatar
We're still about a year away from being able to make the change but it does make more sense every day.

Don't forget the Trucking Truth system to brush up on your CDL written test: High Road Training Program. If you're not going into it now, bookmark it for when you're ready. And bookmark Trucking Truth, too!

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
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