OS&D

I don't get on here as much as I'd like, due to sometimes feeling wiped out after my shift, and needing to shower, cook, clean up, etc.

I'm with the others about this site's effect on my new career. I don't think you can really see what it's like until you try it, but if I didn't know to expect any of the inner workings about it that I learned here, I probably would've instantly lost my damn mind! I don't have much to offer yet but I try to answer questions about what I have experienced so far, and ask questions when something's not clicking, or how to improve.

I do recognize the value of these posts in the conversations created. I just think the approach Bruce takes is unnecessarily awkward by making himself look like he is wandering around the country in a truck and lost half the time.

Has any of the long-timers here noticed that engagement in the forum has been way down over the past few months? Traffic is still high. Applications are still coming in strong. Tons of people are using the High Road.

But the forum is dead. DEAD.

Why is that? It's obvious to me. I've been trying to tell everyone to be more friendly and welcoming, but the only thing this group seems to do anymore is find reasons to complain, blame, and criticize every question or statement made.

So why the hell would anyone come to this forum to get advice when people are just going to criticize you or give you two-word responses? They don't.

I think it's time to shake things up around here.

I’ve definitely noticed that recently and I really don’t know why. The site is looking better than ever and we’ve got a good group of people on the forum. Maybe those of us with experience need to pipe up a bit more often and share things from our day to help keep it interesting instead of only responding to questions? I would imagine that would be useful info for those looking into trucking and interesting to the less experienced drivers in the forum to give them a better idea of what to look forward to as they continue to gain experience.

I’ve also noticed that several of the experienced drivers on here haul specialty freight, myself included, and we tend to spend very little time actually sharing what we do. If I were new to trucking again I know I’d be fascinated to read about fuel hauling, flatbed, dry bulk and liquid tanker, heavy equipment hauling and oversize, doubles/triples, Hazmat , cattle hauling and general agriculture, food service, line haul vs P&D , etc.

I’m only speaking for myself here but I think the reason I don’t comment much is a combo of just having more of a work/life balance than I did when I was otr and just not being intrigued by the majority of posts most days. We have a good variety of different driving jobs represented through several of the active members here but OTR reefer and dry van is vastly over represented in the posts on this site. Again only speaking for myself, once I started doing different types of driving jobs a couple years ago I mostly lost my interest in pulling a box otr and don’t really see myself doing it again unless I have to. I’m not saying this so much as a complaint as a suggestion that maybe those of us who do different things should post more to give the site more variety. Nothing wrong with OTR reefer and dry van but some other posts mixed in with those could be helpful.

For me, when half of the first page of topics is about drug testing, it's hard to have any interest in the site.

For me, when half of the first page of topics is about drug testing, it's hard to have any interest in the site.

Good point. Exactly why we need more topics that are educational and about success stories. All of us have things we have learned, sometimes the hard way, that we can share.

And questions, no matter how minor, are always interesting to see what gets posted.

For the more experienced drivers who'd want to, I think it could be a huge help if you mention anything that tripped you up in the day (rather, would have tripped you up but you knew how to handle it) because what is simple for you now is something us new drivers might not have encountered yet.

For example, two things I ran into today:

A trailer door not closing. I know now to get on more level ground, and to whack it with a hammer if it's still not lining up right.

The tandems not sliding. The pins were retracted, it looked like it should have worked. But I had to place wood boards by the tires to stop them from moving, then the tandems slid. My trainer told me to try that last week when I encountered the same problem, then for the first time, and called him for guidance.

If there's more solutions to those and other things that can speed up my process, I'd love to read them and think many others would too.

For the more experienced drivers who'd want to, I think it could be a huge help if you mention anything that tripped you up in the day (rather, would have tripped you up but you knew how to handle it) because what is simple for you now is something us new drivers might not have encountered yet.

For example, two things I ran into today:

A trailer door not closing. I know now to get on more level ground, and to whack it with a hammer if it's still not lining up right.

The tandems not sliding. The pins were retracted, it looked like it should have worked. But I had to place wood boards by the tires to stop them from moving, then the tandems slid. My trainer told me to try that last week when I encountered the same problem, then for the first time, and called him for guidance.

If there's more solutions to those and other things that can speed up my process, I'd love to read them and think many others would too.

Hell yeah that’s exactly what I’m talking about. It really doesn’t even take very long…a few years maybe…before we don’t even think about half these things anymore but when I was newer it was so helpful to me to get tips from more experienced folks. I still try to pick up whatever I can from other drivers and the mechanics and it’s amazing what you can learn from other people

This is starting to make me snarky. I had to restrain myself from replying to them anymore, because it is one of those topics that make me angry.

For me, when half of the first page of topics is about drug testing, it's hard to have any interest in the site.

Bruce's approach is none of your concern. He asks a genuine question in a genuine way, and his topics spark beneficial conversations.

Your approach however is always simply to criticize someone or something in an effort to boost your own self-perceived sense of worth. Your replies spark negativity.

You are not the same.

Good to hear from you again, Turtle. I hope you are doing well. Take care of yourself.

Bruce's approach is none of your concern. He asks a genuine question in a genuine way, and his topics spark beneficial conversations.

Your approach however is always simply to criticize someone or something in an effort to boost your own self-perceived sense of worth. Your replies spark negativity.

You are not the same.

Good to hear from you again, Turtle. I hope you are doing well. Take care of yourself.

Ryan, how can you be any more obtuse? Really, this is your reply to what Turtle said?

Bumping this. In reference to Turtles rebuke of Ryan? Totally true. I agree 100%.

To my fellow moderators… delete Ryans nonsense. Anything antagonistic and insulting, delete it. Ryan cannot be reasoned with, don’t try. It only encourages another hundred words of useless information. Delete his BS.

You all know what is right and wrong. Brett gave you moderation rights for a reason. Use them wisely.

Bruce's approach is none of your concern. He asks a genuine question in a genuine way, and his topics spark beneficial conversations.

Your approach however is always simply to criticize someone or something in an effort to boost your own self-perceived sense of worth. Your replies spark negativity.

You are not the same.