How Do You Keep In Touch With Family Members While On The Road?

Just so you know the definition Of distracted drving concerning cell phone.....if you have to touch the phone at all....that means ANY part of the phone regardless if you have bluetooth or not it's considered distracted driving and will cost up to $2750 fine and a $11000 fine for your compqny. Yes they give the drive AND the company the fines.

You may have known this Chief but this is mainly for those that did not know.

Touching the phone means any part. If you touch it to bring it out of sleep mode it's illegal. If you just look at a text even though it's still in the phone holder on the dash.....big fine. If an officer sees your hand go near it he will assume you touched it and he will get you.

Just so you know the definition Of distracted drving concerning cell phone.....if you have to touch the phone at all....that means ANY part of the phone regardless if you have bluetooth or not it's considered distracted driving and will cost up to $2750 fine and a $11000 fine for your compqny. Yes they give the drive AND the company the fines.

You may have known this Chief but this is mainly for those that did not know.

Touching the phone means any part. If you touch it to bring it out of sleep mode it's illegal. If you just look at a text even though it's still in the phone holder on the dash.....big fine. If an officer sees your hand go near it he will assume you touched it and he will get you.

Hopefully everyone in the industry by now knows there are severe restrictions on mobile phone use by commercial drivers. Not to come off as argumentative, but for the benefit of all others on this website, what you are stating Guyjax, is not technically correct. FMCSA's website lists the conditions under which a CMV driver may use a mobile phone: 1) it is located in such a way the driver can use it while properly restrained 2) the driver uses an earpiece or speaker function 3) the driver uses voice activated or one button touch features to initiate, answer, or terminate a call

As for texting, it is defined as MANUALLY entering alphanumeric text into or reading text from a phone.

So, touching a phone while driving is not forbidden, just severely restricted (one touch allowed). By using the setup I have I can actually do way more with my phone than is allowed by law. I choose not to. Truth be known, I dislike talking on the phone while driving and usually wait until I'm stopped somewhere to do my business.

Again, I didn't respond to this to be argumentative. I feel it's important for drivers (and potential to-be drivers) to truly understand exactly what the laws and regulations governing this industry are.

But I digress from all of that. Using a phone in any capacity, while driving ANY vehicle is extremely distracting and should be highly discouraged.

I, personally cannot talk on the phone and drive...not my car, not a big truck, not my motorcycle...I can multitask like a big dog on the computer, in the kitchen,..but driving and talking on the phone...nope...its gonna wait til I stop...I just can't do it...it distracts me..

Just so you know the definition Of distracted drving concerning cell phone.....if you have to touch the phone at all....that means ANY part of the phone regardless if you have bluetooth or not it's considered distracted driving and will cost up to $2750 fine and a $11000 fine for your compqny. Yes they give the drive AND the company the fines.

You may have known this Chief but this is mainly for those that did not know.

Touching the phone means any part. If you touch it to bring it out of sleep mode it's illegal. If you just look at a text even though it's still in the phone holder on the dash.....big fine. If an officer sees your hand go near it he will assume you touched it and he will get you.

Hopefully everyone in the industry by now knows there are severe restrictions on mobile phone use by commercial drivers. Not to come off as argumentative, but for the benefit of all others on this website, what you are stating Guyjax, is not technically correct. FMCSA's website lists the conditions under which a CMV driver may use a mobile phone: 1) it is located in such a way the driver can use it while properly restrained 2) the driver uses an earpiece or speaker function 3) the driver uses voice activated or one button touch features to initiate, answer, or terminate a call

As for texting, it is defined as MANUALLY entering alphanumeric text into or reading text from a phone.

So, touching a phone while driving is not forbidden, just severely restricted (one touch allowed). By using the setup I have I can actually do way more with my phone than is allowed by law. I choose not to. Truth be known, I dislike talking on the phone while driving and usually wait until I'm stopped somewhere to do my business.

Again, I didn't respond to this to be argumentative. I feel it's important for drivers (and potential to-be drivers) to truly understand exactly what the laws and regulations governing this industry are.

But I digress from all of that. Using a phone in any capacity, while driving ANY vehicle is extremely distracting and should be highly discouraged.

Chief I was not stating what the fmcsa says because what you posted was correct. I was referring to what the officer can and will do. Ya see he can't see exactly what you are doing except touching the phone. In his perception you are distracted therefore getting a ticket. You really won't be able to argue with with about it. Distracted driving is not just texting and driving it also includes looking else where into the cab of your truck instead off out the window where you should be looking and that is what he will get ya on. The words Distracted Driving is an umbrella term to cover everything.

So while the law is very specific on cell phone use while driving it in no ways controls the officers perspective and judgment call and that is what the judge will go by also.

Just so you know the definition Of distracted drving concerning cell phone.....if you have to touch the phone at all....that means ANY part of the phone regardless if you have bluetooth or not it's considered distracted driving and will cost up to $2750 fine and a $11000 fine for your compqny. Yes they give the drive AND the company the fines.

You may have known this Chief but this is mainly for those that did not know.

Touching the phone means any part. If you touch it to bring it out of sleep mode it's illegal. If you just look at a text even though it's still in the phone holder on the dash.....big fine. If an officer sees your hand go near it he will assume you touched it and he will get you.

Hopefully everyone in the industry by now knows there are severe restrictions on mobile phone use by commercial drivers. Not to come off as argumentative, but for the benefit of all others on this website, what you are stating Guyjax, is not technically correct. FMCSA's website lists the conditions under which a CMV driver may use a mobile phone: 1) it is located in such a way the driver can use it while properly restrained 2) the driver uses an earpiece or speaker function 3) the driver uses voice activated or one button touch features to initiate, answer, or terminate a call

As for texting, it is defined as MANUALLY entering alphanumeric text into or reading text from a phone.

So, touching a phone while driving is not forbidden, just severely restricted (one touch allowed). By using the setup I have I can actually do way more with my phone than is allowed by law. I choose not to. Truth be known, I dislike talking on the phone while driving and usually wait until I'm stopped somewhere to do my business.

Again, I didn't respond to this to be argumentative. I feel it's important for drivers (and potential to-be drivers) to truly understand exactly what the laws and regulations governing this industry are.

But I digress from all of that. Using a phone in any capacity, while driving ANY vehicle is extremely distracting and should be highly discouraged.

Chief I was not stating what the fmcsa says because what you posted was correct. I was referring to what the officer can and will do. Ya see he can't see exactly what you are doing except touching the phone. In his perception you are distracted therefore getting a ticket. You really won't be able to argue with with about it. Distracted driving is not just texting and driving it also includes looking else where into the cab of your truck instead off out the window where you should be looking and that is what he will get ya on. The words Distracted Driving is an umbrella term to cover everything.

So while the law is very specific on cell phone use while driving it in no ways controls the officers perspective and judgment call and that is what the judge will go by also.

I understand your perspective Guyjax and agree with most of your points. I wonder how many truck drivers have been given unwarranted tickets for distracted driving? I know there are those out there that deserve them, I have seen it as I know you have. I would think LEOs are pretty selective in issuing distracted driving citations in the gray area.

That's just it. It's a large grey area covering a lot of little things. LEOs are taught to use judgment calls and their discretion when entering a grey area. Some are pretty hard nosed and there is no grey area. It's black and white. No in between. And for others it depends on how their day is going as to weather or not the choose to be lenient.

I know most cops are good people and they can have bad days also. They are often under paid and over worked. Here is the deal. Distracted Driving is such a hot button topic right now that most are under pressure to make sure there are no more people killed by it. And if that means getting a few people who they thought were distracted driving versus letting everyone go cause they were not 100% sure then they are going to be wrong sometimes. It happens.

Hi folks, I'm new here,

Many, many years ago on a planet much like this one I drove trucks for a living. Actually it was Europe, every country you delivered to required some coins or a phone card from that region and then off to find a pay phone. Delivery points never let you use their phones unless you had been there a few times and they liked you.

Sometimes it took hours for dispatch to get your reload details in order even though your delivery time was pre-arranged. I would have given anything back then for affordable cell phones that could communicate across continents, and Skype! Wow, talking to my wife for more than once a week, and seeing her face more than once every two months....what a concept.

On the plus side there was a lot more freedom then with drivers expected to deal with any and all problems on the road, but technology has come on in leaps and bounds to help the job, and more importantly, the driver and his family.