My Qualcomm Sucks.

Zonar's sales video

Wow.

Here is how an honest conversation would go on you first day at a company that uses this:

Hi and welcome to blah trucking! We here at blah trucking do not trust you a d*** bit so here is your log in info and keep in mind, we are going to micro manage the h*** out of you! We are a dysfunctional family here at blah trucking and place a high value on our bottom line and you are just meat in a seat pushing buttons and holding a wheel, which can be done by anyone. Stay or don`t, we just don`t care!

My response:

I`m kidding. I actually like that it can be removed from the dock without wires, easier to run over it that way...Oops, did it again.

I think like most changes, this is no big deal at all. Fast forward to 2:15 on this video and you'll see how it works.

So its going to replace the Qualcomm and by the looks of it might take the pre trip inspection out of the cdl test lol..... I know it won't but one can only hope

So its going to replace the Qualcomm and by the looks of it might take the pre trip inspection out of the cdl test lol..... I know it won't but one can only hope

If the state still tests us on pre-75 trailer brakes why should you think the pre-trip will be removed!! We'll always be tested on pre-trip because ultimately we'll always be responsible for running a safe vehicle -- just sayin'!

So its going to replace the Qualcomm and by the looks of it might take the pre trip inspection out of the cdl test lol..... I know it won't but one can only hope

If the state still tests us on pre-75 trailer brakes why should you think the pre-trip will be removed!! We'll always be tested on pre-trip because ultimately we'll always be responsible for running a safe vehicle -- just sayin'!

If you watch that video every spot has a sensor and when you scan that sensor it tells you what to look at and what to look for and I'm sure if you don't do it like they want you to it won't allow you to drive

Zonar's sales video

Wow.

Here is how an honest conversation would go on you first day at a company that uses this:

Hi and welcome to blah trucking! We here at blah trucking do not trust you a d*** bit so here is your log in info and keep in mind, we are going to micro manage the h*** out of you! We are a dysfunctional family here at blah trucking and place a high value on our bottom line and you are just meat in a seat pushing buttons and holding a wheel, which can be done by anyone. Stay or don`t, we just don`t care!

My response:

I`m kidding. I actually like that it can be removed from the dock without wires, easier to run over it that way...Oops, did it again.

This is exactly right. I went to CDL school to learn thorough pre and post trips, and the basics of the truck. Then I learned more with a trainer, and now solo. But Zonar believes you to be pre-CDL-school status... for the rest of your truck driving career. On top of it you get monitored if you're a good driver based on subjective company ideas of what a good driver is. Stuff like this doesn't get built by truck drivers, it gets built by business men.

"When a threshold is exceeded, the [driver gets a slap on the hand]." Zonar: The boss breathing down your neck. (And that was one of the reasons you became a truck driver, to avoid that) -_-

Yeah, but you guys should try running a trucking company sometime and see what it's like dealing with a huge number of drivers. Heck, my friend works at a small company with only 50 trucks. Just this morning they had to pull a truck out of the river because the guy stayed home too long, tried running all night to make a delivery, fell asleep, and went into the river. Nobody was hurt, fortunately. But that's a tiny company and they have people getting hit by trains, driving into rivers, getting stuck on no truck routes they were told to stay off of, and all kinds of garbage. Imagine running a company with thousands of trucks and many of the drivers are new to the industry.

Yeah, but you guys should try running a trucking company sometime and see what it's like dealing with a huge number of drivers. Heck, my friend works at a small company with only 50 trucks. Just this morning they had to pull a truck out of the river because the guy stayed home too long, tried running all night to make a delivery, fell asleep, and went into the river. Nobody was hurt, fortunately. But that's a tiny company and they have people getting hit by trains, driving into rivers, getting stuck on no truck routes they were told to stay off of, and all kinds of garbage. Imagine running a company with thousands of trucks and many of the drivers are new to the industry.

Oh man. Good drivers hard to find around there?

I personally do not care what they come out with as it pertains to technology. If it goes too far for me, I move on. That will be my personal decision and the company has every right to put whatever they want in their trucks even if it will remove the very reason many folks love this lifestyle.

In the little time I have been doing this I have talked to many "old school" truckers who still try to keep the traditions and "how to`s" alive. It will be a sad day when I drive for hundreds of miles and don`t see the long nose trucks on the roads. Heck, I am in a 2015 and am still in awe when I pass (more like, get passed by) one of those decked out beauties.

Oh well, technology will keep going and so will the hand greasing lobbyists and politicians who seem to enjoy killing a great industry.

Oh man. Good drivers hard to find around there?

Good drivers are hard to find everywhere.

One time I was talking with another driver and he told me, "Throughout my childhood my dad always owned about 5 or 6 trucks. He told me not one time in all his years owning those trucks did he have a good driver in every one of them."

My friend who works at the company with about 50-60 trucks - every single week just about they have a rollover, or someone gets hit by a train, or someone gets stuck on the railroad tracks on a restricted route they were specifically told to stay off of, or like yesterday when a driver stayed home as long as possible, tried driving all night to make the delivery, fell asleep at the wheel, and drove into the river.

Now when I say "attitude is everything" and being kind will get you far in this industry, here's why.....

That "river guy" (who was unhurt by the way) - he was quite a ways from home and even though he was going to be fired they were going to put him in a hotel for the night until another driver could pick him up in the morning and bring him home. Now keep in mind he had only been with the company for four months and just drove a $150,000 worth of equipment and 45,000 pounds of dog food into the river. Well the dude went off on my friend and started screaming that the tow truck driver should be allowed to bring him home immediately - about 200 miles. Well my friend told him he's crazy. They're not paying a 200 mile tow bill so he can come home 12 hours earlier. So the guy started cussin' and called my friend a bunch of names, said he ain't stayin in a d*mn hotel room and that his wife will come get him, and hung up on my friend. Ten minutes later he calls back and says, "My wife won't come get me so I'll take the motel room." Well unfortunately he burned that bridge too because the hotel room was cancelled.

Here's another one - same company, last week.....

One of their drivers that has been there for several years regularly picks up and delivers at a place right down the road from his house. Works out great because he gets home a lot and gets good miles. The other day he shows up 10 minutes late for his appointment and finds that the company put another driver in his spot. This dude goes off on the shipping clerk, throws his logbook at the shipping window in front of her, and screams and cusses until security hauls him out of the place. He gets banned for life from the place. He was the one who was late but somehow that didn't factor into his decision making or his behavior. Instead he goes berserk and fortunately he only gets banned from the place. He should have been taken away in cuffs and fired on the spot. Instead, because this stuff happens so often in trucking, my friend is going to make him go through anger management classes and write an apology letter to that company if he wants to keep his job.

THAT is the reality you deal with when trying to manage a company of truck drivers. I mean, the "river dude" just started there, screws up, destroys a bunch of equipment, destroys an entire load of freight, and then screams and cusses out the office personnel after being fired because they won't accommodate him they way he feels he should be accommodated for whatever reason. The other dude, late for his appointment, decides to start screaming, cussin, and throwing things at people because he has to wait for one other truck to be loaded in front of him.

And this company only has 50 trucks and most of them are experienced drivers. Imagine what it's like at companies with thousands of trucks!!

There always has been and always will be a tremendous shortage of "top tier" drivers out there because very few people have the ability, the personality, and the dedication it takes to do this job at a high level. Any knucklehead can drive 2,200 miles a week on a run from Florida to Texas. But the drivers that can turn 2,800+ miles per week safely in all terrain, weather, and road conditions year in and year out while acting like true professionals are very rare indeed.

Anyone who thinks drivers should be trusted and left alone to do their job has never tried managing a group of drivers. There isn't a profession in the world that would tolerate the utter lack of decency and professionalism that so many drivers in this industry display. It's sad and sickening at the same time. That's why I preach attitude and professionalism all the time....because it's sorely lacking.

Oh man. Good drivers hard to find around there?

Good drivers are hard to find everywhere.

One time I was talking with another driver and he told me, "Throughout my childhood my dad always owned about 5 or 6 trucks. He told me not one time in all his years owning those trucks did he have a good driver in every one of them."

My friend who works at the company with about 50-60 trucks - every single week just about they have a rollover, or someone gets hit by a train, or someone gets stuck on the railroad tracks on a restricted route they were specifically told to stay off of, or like yesterday when a driver stayed home as long as possible, tried driving all night to make the delivery, fell asleep at the wheel, and drove into the river.

Now when I say "attitude is everything" and being kind will get you far in this industry, here's why.....

That "river guy" (who was unhurt by the way) - he was quite a ways from home and even though he was going to be fired they were going to put him in a hotel for the night until another driver could pick him up in the morning and bring him home. Now keep in mind he had only been with the company for four months and just drove a $150,000 worth of equipment and 45,000 pounds of dog food into the river. Well the dude went off on my friend and started screaming that the tow truck driver should be allowed to bring him home immediately - about 200 miles. Well my friend told him he's crazy. They're not paying a 200 mile tow bill so he can come home 12 hours earlier. So the guy started cussin' and called my friend a bunch of names, said he ain't stayin in a d*mn hotel room and that his wife will come get him, and hung up on my friend. Ten minutes later he calls back and says, "My wife won't come get me so I'll take the motel room." Well unfortunately he burned that bridge too because the hotel room was cancelled.

Here's another one - same company, last week.....

One of their drivers that has been there for several years regularly picks up and delivers at a place right down the road from his house. Works out great because he gets home a lot and gets good miles. The other day he shows up 10 minutes late for his appointment and finds that the company put another driver in his spot. This dude goes off on the shipping clerk, throws his logbook at the shipping window in front of her, and screams and cusses until security hauls him out of the place. He gets banned for life from the place. He was the one who was late but somehow that didn't factor into his decision making or his behavior. Instead he goes berserk and fortunately he only gets banned from the place. He should have been taken away in cuffs and fired on the spot. Instead, because this stuff happens so often in trucking, my friend is going to make him go through anger management classes and write an apology letter to that company if he wants to keep his job.

THAT is the reality you deal with when trying to manage a company of truck drivers. I mean, the "river dude" just started there, screws up, destroys a bunch of equipment, destroys an entire load of freight, and then screams and cusses out the office personnel after being fired because they won't accommodate him they way he feels he should be accommodated for whatever reason. The other dude, late for his appointment, decides to start screaming, cussin, and throwing things at people because he has to wait for one other truck to be loaded in front of him.

And this company only has 50 trucks and most of them are experienced drivers. Imagine what it's like at companies with thousands of trucks!!

There always has been and always will be a tremendous shortage of "top tier" drivers out there because very few people have the ability, the personality, and the dedication it takes to do this job at a high level. Any knucklehead can drive 2,200 miles a week on a run from Florida to Texas. But the drivers that can turn 2,800+ miles per week safely in all terrain, weather, and road conditions year in and year out while acting like true professionals are very rare indeed.

Anyone who thinks drivers should be trusted and left alone to do their job has never tried managing a group of drivers. There isn't a profession in the world that would tolerate the utter lack of decency and professionalism that so many drivers in this industry display. It's sad and sickening at the same time. That's why I preach attitude and professionalism all the time....because it's sorely lacking.

Well, take owning a trucking company off of my list! That is insane. I have heard of some temper tantrums with the company I`m with, but, nothing like that. This gives credence to the good attitude practice, which I continue to see the benefits of. I can definitely see where these major companies feel the need to spy on their peeps.