Question for/about truckers.

[Cdog]

That about covers it, yes.

Have you ever seen the "Doctor's Office" in a truck stop? How'd that guy get a license is what you should ask

I saw a driver today. I could hear the crocs he was wearing cry for help between steps.

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

I logged a lot of miles last summer all over the west and mid-west. Every single on / off ramp is littered with trash, piss bottles and God only knows what else. It's absolutely disgusting. I think what will eventually will happen is law enforcement will start kicking you off the ramps if you are parked there which will suck because when I get tired, they are a great place to catch a quick cat nap without having to go too far off the highway to find parking somewhere.

 

[napanutt]

I did notice the farther east we drove in our motorhome to NH the more people actually move over when vehicles etc were on the right shoulder.

 

[cofooter]

I logged a lot of miles last summer all over the west and mid-west. Every single on / off ramp is littered with trash, piss bottles and God only knows what else. It's absolutely disgusting. I think what will eventually will happen is law enforcement will start kicking you off the ramps if you are parked there which will suck because when I get tired, they are a great place to catch a quick cat nap without having to go too far off the highway to find parking somewhere.

It's disgusting, they just litter like they do back home, never used to see that..........

 

[Cdog]

I logged a lot of miles last summer all over the west and mid-west. Every single on / off ramp is littered with trash, piss bottles and God only knows what else. It's absolutely disgusting. I think what will eventually will happen is law enforcement will start kicking you off the ramps if you are parked there which will suck because when I get tired, they are a great place to catch a quick cat nap without having to go too far off the highway to find parking somewhere.

Charging stations coming soon to a road side near you

 

[hallett21]

E logs

They are stupid IMHO. All logs are.

You can drive 11 hours per day then you must stop for 10 hours. Can’t move!! Yes there are exceptions but lets just look at basics. (Most big companies say FU no exceptions). During the 11 hours you must stop in the first 8 to take a 30 min break (stupid if you are a real driver. Kills your momentum of the day). Then you can finish your drive time.

You can only be logged in (working) 14 hours per day. So if you drive from fontana to san diego (4 hours) and sit at a loading dock for 9 hours (very common because shippers dont give a flying fuck) then you have 1 hour to find a (legal….good luck) parking spot To sit for 10 hours to reset clock.

The elog is plugged into your trucks computer. The minute you move over 4 mph it puts you in drive mode. So u cant just run with it off. You can but DOT will fine you if caught.

Then there is the work week rule. I run off a 70 hour week. I dont work weekends so its no big deal. But if you are in butthole arkansas and run out of hours you sit there for 34 hours to reset the clock.

This is basic run down. But you can see why people are racing against the elog to get there. Smart ones/ old timers know how to get around things (me).

The old way of logging time was done on paper. Ez breezy. Just run 2-3 books and hide em.

Here is my current log. Im done today but i used up all my time. In the morning I will have a fresh day because I will roll out 12 hours from now
View attachment 1242069 Here is what a new day looks like

View attachment 1242070

Appreciate the break down

What’s the logic on the break at 8 hours?

We’re you always technically limited to 11 hours?

How does the clock reset for team drivers?

 

[Joker]

I think most people, across the board just DGAF anymore. Its the decay of a "civil" society and things were just exacerbated since covid.

You are 100% correct. We’re now a 3rd world country and there’s no correction available. I would hate to be young.

 

[Rvrluvr]

Appreciate the break down

What’s the logic on the break at 8 hours?

We’re you always technically limited to 11 hours?

How does the clock reset for team drivers?

Break at 8? No idea. It sux tho. I hate sitting idle. I like to get my fuel & snacks and roll. Watching a clock tick sux. If you move even one second too soon it starts the 30 min over. Same with the 10 hours

11 hours? If I remember it was 10. Been awhile. I was local (150 mile radius) for 25 years so It’s hard to remember. Diff set of rules for local drivers.

Team has same rules. But while one drives the other is logged in as sleeper so his/her time is resetting. Truck never technically stops for long periods of time


As far as all the trash & piss bottles. Don’t step on any plastic bags you see. It’s a real PIA when I let my little pug out to do her biz
Again. You tube driving in foreign countries, it explains that too. Ever look over the wall in Mexico? Trash everywhere! Middle eastern countries are no better.

 

[pronstar]

Lack of drivers means they’ll put anyone with a heartbeat behind the wheel.

Clean owner operated trucks have much better road-manners than corporate rigs, methinks.

 

[monkeyswrench]

Lack of drivers means they’ll put anyone with a heartbeat behind the wheel.

Clean owner operated trucks have much better road-manners than corporate rigs, methinks.

Well, how do people treat rental cars? Totally different animal when the driver is footing the bill on a 150k+ truck that may be their home as well as pride and joy. On a smaller scale, seen guys with drivers that don't even do a walk-around, just fire it up and beat the hell out of it, and the guy paying the bill doesn't know any better. Just hired a guy with a CDL

 

[welldigger00]

Rule of thumb for the four wheelers. If the truck you see is a Pete, or Kenny long nose flat top, running lowbed, landoll, or flatbed, the driver speaks English, and usually is courteous.

 

[FlyByWire]

Rule of thumb for the four wheelers. If the truck you see is a Pete, or Kenny long nose flat top, running lowbed, landoll, or flatbed, the driver speaks English, and usually is courteous.

Or hauling livestock

But, can confirm.

 

[Cdog]

Well, how do people treat rental cars? Totally different animal when the driver is footing the bill on a 150k+ truck that may be their home as well as pride and joy. On a smaller scale, seen guys with drivers that don't even do a walk-around, just fire it up and beat the hell out of it, and the guy paying the bill doesn't know any better. Just hired a guy with a CDL

The plastic truck drivers.

 

[Rvrluvr]

Rule of thumb for the four wheelers. If the truck you see is a Pete, or Kenny long nose flat top, running lowbed, landoll, or flatbed, the driver speaks English, and usually is courteous.

Damn!!!…..no love for us peasant dump trucks?

 

[welldigger00]

oh shit! My bad, and the dirt guys too. Same rules apply though

 

[c_land]

Swift is a customer of mine.
The shit you hear about driving teams is insane

I’ve heard swift stands for a few things according to truckers:

Stevie Wonder Institute for Truckers
Sure Wish I Finished Training
Stop Whining I'm Fucking Trying
So what I failed twice
Sure We're Insured For That
Slow Wagon In Fast Traffic
Sure Wish i had A Faster Truck



Or backwards (and my favorite)

Two Fags Ina White Semi

 

[hallett21]

Damn!!!…..no love for us peasant dump trucks?

View attachment 1242174

What happened to that gun metal grey one you built?

 

[FCT]

Go on you tube. Watch videos of india truck drivers. Also Jamaican,

It will answer all your ??’s

I blame automatic trucks. 99% of you on this forum could not jump in to my truck and drive it you wouldn’t even know how to change gears it’s not like a car.

Most new trucks are automatics. 99% of company trucks are automatics. They’re so easy to drive when you go through truck driving school in an automatic you get a restricted license which means you cannot drive a manual truck. Anybody could jump into an automatic truck and drive it it’s basically just like a car just 70 feet long that’s why you see a bunch of trucks wrapped around poles, bridges, cars, gas pumps, etc..

Then you have the ease of getting into trucking 5000 bucks in two weeks. You got a drivers license and you’re put out on the road. Most people that do it can’t stand the job. You work 18 to 20 hours a day. Sleep for a couple hours go right back to work. You’re never home. You have no time to yourself. It’s go-go go. So they get to the point where they don’t care.

Just look around you. Sit at a gas station and drink a soda for five minutes. Watch the people come in and out the door go to gas pumps how they do things so different now put those people in a truck. It’s just like anything else it’s all going to shit.

35 years I’ve been doing this. I’m done. I stopped buying new equipment. And I’m looking for my way out.

I truly believe if you cannot pass the test in a manual, you should not be given a class A license. Manual trucks make you learn how to DRIVE a truck.



@FlyByWire if we get pulled over in your neck of the woods, do we just say fly by wire from RDP is our buddy?

 

[Rvrluvr]

Lol that was 3 trucks ago. I moved to Texas 3 years ago. My life has changed completely. I havn’t hauled sand & gravel for a couple years. Mostly scrap, cattle feed, glass, fertalizer all over the country

What happened to that gun metal grey one you built?

 

[CarolynandBob]

I USE to have no problem with truckers. I believe I even defended them here years ago. When full timing we were courteous to truckers and they were courteous back. Talked with a lot of them at truck stops. Had multiple offers of help when I had a hitch problem.

We have seen slide in the trucking industry as well as personal vehicles. Last summer when we went from TN to El Paso and back, we were both pissed at the truckers. Multiple times we saw them cut people off when the cars were right next to them. Cars having to slow down rapidly because of it. Made me start speeding past them while passing.

Then when we went back to FL last fall. Had one put me on the shoulder as they decided they wanted my lane. while I was in it. Wife and I agreed we are done with driving back and forth to FL. When we go in the fall we will drive, but coming back to TN in spring we will fly. I hate flying, but the pain is much shorter than driving.

When we go to Michigan this summer we are taking mostly back roads. Can fly there as we are spending 2-1/2 weeks traveling around the state seeing friends.

 

[welldigger00]

As stated, it’s not just truckers. The four wheelers that can’t mega onto the freeway. It’s more than that though. It’s everyone, everywhere, in all aspects of life now. Have you noticed how when you get out of an elevator, the people waiting outside just barge in now, without waiting for the occupants inside to exit first? Or same thing going through a doorway in a restaurant ? It’s society now. No one cares about anything other than themselves.

 

[boatnam2]

My Mom always wanted to be a trucker, she pulled un in front of my house one day in a 18 wheeler, i couldn't believe it, she was sixty when she started. She just about every state in her 5 year run. The 3-5 times one swerves in front of me on way to river, i figure they are tired and nodding off, but as i pass by i see they are just texting like everyone else.

 

[brgrcru]

Oh for fucks sake !

 

[DLC]

Driving out to Havasu last night I saw a nice Diesel pusher coach off in the bush, like WAY off in the Bush about 100 + yards!

I’m sure the dog had to change its shorts on that one! Wonder how that happened….

This was on the 10 east bound

 

[FCT]

Driving out to Havasu last night I saw a nice Diesel pusher coach off in the bush, like WAY off in the Bush about 100 + yards!

I’m sure the dog had to change its shorts on that one! Wonder how that happened….

This was on the 10 east bound

I had a steer tire blow going about 65 when my truck was brand new and it took me for a ride off into the desert off the 14 in Lancaster. Not saying that’s what happened but it does happen and not a damn thing you can do.

 

[monkeyswrench]

Driving out to Havasu last night I saw a nice Diesel pusher coach off in the bush, like WAY off in the Bush about 100 + yards!

I’m sure the dog had to change its shorts on that one! Wonder how that happened….

This was on the 10 east bound

2 years ago I was headed to the river. I40, out buy Jolly Rd west of Seligman. A nice diesel pusher decided to make a U-turn, across the 100-200 foot median. He made it almost exactly half way. The tow bill had to be massive...and I'm sure his wife could be heard for miles.

 

[DLC]

It looked to be a SWEET rig and it was late 9-10 pm, all dark out there!

I hope everyone was OK CHP on site and and a BIG Ol tow truck

 

[mjc]

I was recently pulling a big camper with my little V8 and drafted them for 100's of miles in the slow lane. Helps a lot!!!!

I have done it with my parents motorhome, I knew I was close enough when the windshield wipers lifted off the windshield.

 

[Kachina26]

Just saw this in the FB thread. Seems appropriate here.

 

[The Prisoner]

It's not just the truckers, it's other idiots on the road too...I was on the 215 in Vegas yesterday and had my cruise set at 72, I jump in the fast lane to pass another truck and as soon as I get next to him the asshat speeds up. My cruise is on so I know it's not me. I hammered down and passed him at 80ish, set cruise back to 72 and watched him dissappear in the mirror. Why the fuck do people speed up when they're getting passed?

I always think of this when I hammer down. Bye Bye Baby!

 

[hallett21]

I mean sweet Jesus that’s slick.

2024 PETERBILT 389X For Sale in Shreveport, Louisiana

2024 PETERBILT 389X For Sale in Shreveport, Louisiana at TruckPaper.com

www.truckpaper.com

 

[D19]

I was leaving Havasu on the 40 (still in AZ) on Monday and saw a Trucker cut off a CHP. Almost ran him off the road! Figured the CHP would find a reason to pull him over once he crossed the state line. The trucker exited the next exit before CA. I bet he did that to wait out the cop.

Truckers are seriously so annoying and dangerous now. They didn't used to be.

I don't understand how they get away with driving in whatever lane they want now. Or how they will abruptly cut off vehicles in the left lane to get over for a parked truck on the shoulder. Isn't that more dangerous? Just stay in the lane if there are vehicles to your left.

Can't the stand the idiotic responses from people who say "If you don't like truckers, don't buy stuff". That's not the point. Just because they deliver goods doesn;t give them the right to drive like a-holes.

It's become a bunch of Taxi drivers who now drive trucks. If you see tassels hanging from the mirrors or a mural of some Indian prophet on the rear, take caution!

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

I've seen more truckers that are not exactly from the US than in past years. I think these refugees come over and get a Commerical license and drive like they did in their previous countries.

 

[EmpirE231]

the bad truck drivers are annoying when I'm in a regular car / truck.... but lord have mercy when I'm in the motorhome with trailer in tow.

 

[Orange Juice]

When did things change?

I spent 25 years on the road in medium duty trucks, logging hundreds and hundreds of thousands of miles and still spend quite a bit of time on the Interstates hauling steers, feed or finished beef. There is a HUGE difference between truckers today and truckers of yesteryear.
I've lost count of the times I've been overtaking truck traffic by 20+ mph only to have one dart to the left so he can spend the next 10 minutes trying to pass one truck. Livestock and brake checks are a bad combo. It's not just cars, I see them do this to other professional drivers.
Camping in the left lane seems to be the normal now, requiring passing on the right just to do the speed limit.
Disabled vehicle on the side of the road? It's common for me to watch them not even make an attempt to pull over.
Trucks swapping half a lane with no apparent reason.
It used to be rare and a little exciting to come up on a semi-truck crash and marvel at the carnage. Now, I'll drive by a handful every week and don't even look twice.

Did more regulations like e-logs make it harder to earn a living so it's every man for himself to squeeze the most miles in a shift? Computer controlled speed governors that make it harder to pass. Smart phones? (It's not hard to look up and see them clearly staring at a phone as you pass) Do we just suck as a society these days so it's the new normal?

Or is this just the reality of the number of commercial trucks on the roads these days compared to 35 years ago?

I'm not starting a trucker bashing thread, we all have come across these issues. And I have seen just as many jackass passenger vehicle drivers doing stupid shit. As a guy that has logged thousands of miles these last weeks, I've had plenty of time to sit and think about this stuff and would love to hear from the company owners, or professional drivers, shippers and even insurance people from that industry that might be on here to better understand a different perspective.

It’s a mess out there on our highways. Most of it comes from adaptive cruise control being used in the left lane, pushing the passing lane into the right lane. It’s almost similar to a two lane road. It probably is pissing off a few Truckers, so they protest for 5-15 minutes in the left lane Blocking traffic, next to a Prius in the right.

 

[Cdog]

I mean sweet Jesus that’s slick.

2024 PETERBILT 389X For Sale in Shreveport, Louisiana

2024 PETERBILT 389X For Sale in Shreveport, Louisiana at TruckPaper.com

www.truckpaper.com

 

[monkeyswrench]

When I was moving here, I made a bunch of trips in a 1ton towing a 38ft race hauler. One trip I'd left early afternoon, decided to "draft" behind the faster semis...
The lost time was indeed repaid. My Ram averaged 20 and change hauling! It was miserable as fuk, and I'd never do it again, but it was a hell of a science experiment

 

[bowtiejunkie]

E logs

They are stupid IMHO. All logs are.

You can drive 11 hours per day then you must stop for 10 hours. Can’t move!! Yes there are exceptions but lets just look at basics. (Most big companies say FU no exceptions). During the 11 hours you must stop in the first 8 to take a 30 min break (stupid if you are a real driver. Kills your momentum of the day). Then you can finish your drive time.

You can only be logged in (working) 14 hours per day. So if you drive from fontana to san diego (4 hours) and sit at a loading dock for 9 hours (very common because shippers dont give a flying fuck) then you have 1 hour to find a (legal….good luck) parking spot To sit for 10 hours to reset clock.

The elog is plugged into your trucks computer. The minute you move over 4 mph it puts you in drive mode. So u cant just run with it off. You can but DOT will fine you if caught.

Then there is the work week rule. I run off a 70 hour week. I dont work weekends so its no big deal. But if you are in butthole arkansas and run out of hours you sit there for 34 hours to reset the clock.

This is basic run down. But you can see why people are racing against the elog to get there. Smart ones/ old timers know how to get around things (me).

The old way of logging time was done on paper. Ez breezy. Just run 2-3 books and hide em.

Here is my current log. Im done today but i used up have a fresh day because I will roll out 12

I mean sweet Jesus that’s slick.

2024 PETERBILT 389X For Sale in Shreveport, Louisiana

2024 PETERBILT 389X For Sale in Shreveport, Louisiana at TruckPaper.com

www.truckpaper.com

$291k! I thought they were hitting $200k for the tractor. Now at $300k? How does a new driver make money buying that? Nice rig though!

 

[Cdog]

$291k! I thought they were hitting $200k for the tractor. Now at $300k? How does a new driver make money buying that? Nice rig though!

The X is limited edition last year available & Peterbilt is on allocation so unless you ordered it last year or get lucky to snag a fall out order it’s unobtainian.

 

[brgrcru]

Keep trucking, mother truckers !
20% rule in everything. Drivers , river , Glamis ,
Etc . Are complete idiots
70% are lunatics
10% of us are perfect

 

[chadzilla]

Lol that was 3 trucks ago. I moved to Texas 3 years ago. My life has changed completely. I havn’t hauled sand & gravel for a couple years. Mostly scrap, cattle feed, glass, fertalizer all over the country

Tim, I met you many years ago thru my father inlaw, Terry Mumford. I do mbelieve you bought his old Pete when he retired! Hope all is well with you and your family!

 

[callbob]

Started driving trucks when I turned 21. 2 old gmc cab overs no sleepers. They were called 2 man telephone booths lol. My best friends Dad has some old trucks and we learned everything from the ground up. Brakes oil changes, how to tie down loads, everything
Led me to buy my own Freightliner cabover in a couple of years and 3 more after that. If you couldn’t run at least 2 log books and bounce bennies off the windshield, you would never make money. 10 hours? Bwahahaha. 10 speed, 13, 15 speed, 2 sticks that was trucking back in the day. For the old guys, kids today wouldn’t know this stuff. This is back in the 70’s 80’s when life was good

 

[Rvrluvr]

Tim, I met you many years ago thru my father inlaw, Terry Mumford. I do mbelieve you bought his old Pete when he retired! Hope all is well with you and your family!

Holy shit. Yes I remember. Loved running with Terry. He taught me a lot. I think about him all the time. Arnt you married to his daughter? The name escapes me…chrissy. Maybe Melony?

Terry’s old truck after I rebuilt it Still on tbe road out here in TX Another inmate owns it now

Please say Hello to Terry & Michelle.

 

[Rvrluvr]

Started driving trucks when I turned 21. 2 old gmc cab overs no sleepers. They were called 2 man telephone booths lol. My best friends Dad has some old trucks and we learned everything from the ground up. Brakes oil changes, how to tie down loads, everything
Led me to buy my own Freightliner cabover in a couple of years and 3 more after that. If you couldn’t run at least 2 log books and bounce bennies off the windshield, you would never make money. 10 hours? Bwahahaha. 10 speed, 13, 15 speed, 2 sticks that was trucking back in the day. For the old guys, kids today wouldn’t know this stuff. This is back in the 70’s 80’s when life was good

I still have a cab over. Fun to play with. Ran it daily cross country last year. Killed my back. Lol so I parked it. Probly gonna rebuild it someday

 

[hallett21]

With modern day transmissions is there a reason some of you stick with manuals? Other than because you can?

I have to imagine technology like “tip tronic” etc exists in big equipment the same way it does in a BMW or pick up.

 

[monkeyswrench]

With modern day transmissions is there a reason some of you stick with manuals? Other than because you can?

I have to imagine technology like “tip tronic” etc exists in big equipment the same way it does in a BMW or pick up.

The only "autos" I've driven have either been 90's daycab/city trucks, or the one new Cascadia. The new Cascadia was programmed I believe for fuel efficiency. It had very strict parameters as to RPM and gearing. In town, it shifted three times crossing an intersection, bobtailing. Converting one to a heavy RV would be fine, but not having the ability to hold gears slightly longer makes for slow going up hills.

Any of the pro drivers seen a twin stick conversion on an 18spd? Don't know how it works, but looks cool...and you still have a modern box.

 

[riverroyal]

Wheres Jimmy Hoffa when you need him.

Good life long friend has transported high dollar cars his entire life. He sold his rig that was crazy motorhome cab style. Couldn't take it anymore. That profession is gone. There's no money to be made.
He stopped coming to cal 10 years ago. Impossible to be profitable he told me.

So...the 'professional' career drivers are gone basically. California is left with just above minimum wage clowns.

I will not be in a lane next to one if I'm not passing with a clear path in front. I speed up. Get by asap.

The vegas to st george section of 15 is scary.
Indio to blythe sucks

 

[77charger]

I was leaving Havasu on the 40 (still in AZ) on Monday and saw a Trucker cut off a CHP. Almost ran him off the road! Figured the CHP would find a reason to pull him over once he crossed the state line. The trucker exited the next exit before CA. I bet he did that to wait out the cop.

Truckers are seriously so annoying and dangerous now. They didn't used to be.

I don't understand how they get away with driving in whatever lane they want now. Or how they will abruptly cut off vehicles in the left lane to get over for a parked truck on the shoulder. Isn't that more dangerous? Just stay in the lane if there are vehicles to your left.

The move over for parked truck is move over law in az. Seen dps pull people over for this. If you can’t move over you are to slow below speed limit

Most just move over til pass and get back over.

 

[FCT]

Keep trucking, mother truckers !
20% rule in everything. Drivers , river , Glamis ,
Etc . Are complete idiots
70% are lunatics
10% of us are perfect View attachment 1242432

That yours? Nice truck

 

[rrrr]

Rule of thumb for the four wheelers. If the truck you see is a Pete, or Kenny long nose flat top, running lowbed, landoll, or flatbed, the driver speaks English, and usually is courteous.

Yesterday I passed a late model Pete 389 pulling a Cat D6 on a new red drop neck lowboy with a hydraulic third axle and chrome wheels.

The truck was cream with red full fenders all around, had a drop axle, chrome visor, wheels, and tanks. It also had an aux tank mounted on the rails behind the sleeper, and the driver's name, Kenny Driscoll, was on the tank in large red vinyl cursive lettering.

The big Pete was effing spotless. It looked like the rig had just left a truck rodeo.