Truck Stops And Old Time Trucking

I'm not being suprised at your ability to reach such speeds, but the fact that you decided to go that fast anyways.

It is my intention for anyone and everyone to tell fellow drivers their experiences with truckstops and driving in general. Not boring but just to show some differences with the real world of today. Some will be funny, some sad, some true and others not so true. So what, let's have some fun.

Hello HH …. just signed up … I'm a retired driver that started in '77 and retired in 2015, so paper logbooks and Mom & Pop truck stops are fond memories. When you mentioned plywood across the seats, it brought back many a memory trying to get a piece to clear the twin-sticks in my old Jimmy. I can remember the day we finally mounted an A/C unit on the roof …. I thought I was in heaven, even though it froze up every 15 miles and you had to run windows down for 5. :lol: What a great time to be a trucker … a lot of freedom and comradery out on the road. I was always a "regional OTR driver" here in the Midwest (Kansas City, Wichita, Dodge City, Des Moines, Omaha, Tulsa, Springfield, Springdale, etc.) , so was never out much more than three days and then back home. Always a company driver so I left the big worries up to the owners. Fond memories of truckstops in Dodge City, KS (Gunsmoke), Lamar, MO (Lamarti's), and the T/A in Des Moines, IA (Urbandale). Also had some good "private parking" spots at several customers that allowed me to walk to little local eateries like MaidRite, NuWay, Braums, along with the usual fast-food joints. Always enjoyed trucking, even back when we had to change our own flat tires (we carried spares on a belly rack), did our own maintenance in the company shop, and slept in the cab with the windows down on nice cool evenings. I guess I didn't realize this was a forum for new truckers??? …. they'll probably run me off !! Talk at ya later …. keep the shiny side up!

I'm not being suprised at your ability to reach such speeds, but the fact that you decided to go that fast anyways.

Well; when you're 16 years old you aren't real smart at least I wasn't but I'd not even try that today even if I had that same truck

JD

Chickenman, You seem to go back as far as me. You are correct for us old timers to say that they were the good old days. There are many reasons to say otherwise but I would prefer them to today's problems like HOS , DEF, more traffic, less choice in sit down eateries and lack of available parking. I used to carry a rope hammock and during breaks in the summer I would sling it under the trailer, take off my boots and catch a cool nap in the breeze without the worry of being bothered. My "plywood mattress" was cut to fit around the twin sticks in my Mack so we could idle when it was cold, forget power steering or A/C because we ran with the vent windows wide open and if you had an "R" model the roof vent too. The bugs were hell though. Paper logs ruled and were easy to keep compliant as per say. I always appreciate any and all replies on this subject so keep driving, be safe and happy.

I seldom like parking at a truck stop, unless I thought I might need their toilets for some reason but a rest area is less noisy and the cops will likely come check on it periodically to run off the riff-raff. The toilet emergencies usually happened only when I ate from truck stops anyway. I prefer to get groceries from a Walmart and keep a few gallons of water on hand. Think "primitive camping" in a truck with the added benefit of a radio and climate control. Okay, call it "glamping" but with only the bare essentials to get down the road. I like using rest areas and turnouts for getting some sleep, especially when pulling doubles. Sleeping at shippers and receivers is also really nice because they usually have security of some kind or are far enough away from urban centers to not have the issue of trouble-makers. Also, I can seldom think of something more frustrating when you have a set of doubles and you pull in needing a parking spot in the area marked "Doubles/Triples Only!" and the spots of full of dry vans and straight trucks, and your ELD says "4 minutes remaining". You don't have those issues when you figure out how to locate a turnout, rest area, or something else that is decent enough to stop for your rest break. The trick is to make yourself self-reliant in the sense that a truck stop becomes nothing more than a place to fuel at and maybe get some incidental supplies if necessary. The mention of using the showers midday is spot-on. You will nearly always be able to knock out a quick shower midday and keep on rolling. It's pretty nice.

Dustan J, Thanks for sharing your opinion about truck stops. Using rest areas are an alternative for parking and like you said if you are equipped for "glamping" it works. A lot of states recently have been enforcing time limits for parking in rest areas and erecting time limit signs to keep anyone from parking overnight. It isn't fair or right but they do it anyway regardless of Federal HOS rules or not. Just another way to raise revenues at truckers expense. I have also driven OTR in a daycab which required me to take breaks either at a truck stop or a place for lunch and then use a motel which saved me from parking at a truck stop. Safer for any damage, didn't pay for parking, free shower and a good bed with a tv. It also allowed for less weight of the truck which if needed more freight equaled more revenue. To each his own as they say.