Question for/about truckers.

[wash11]

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.

 

[SOD]

Like you, used to drive. Heavy duty tow rigs. For the most part they aren't "professional" drivers anymore. Far from it. Read into that as you want.

 

[Singleton]

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

 

[EmpirE231]

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

 

[FCT]

You’re 100% spot on. It’s sad what the industry is today as a whole. Obviously there are still good ole boys on the road like myself, @welldigger00 and others here. There is absolutely no common curtesy these days between truckers for the most part. Nobody moves over for vehicles on the side of the road even when it’s an officer with someone pulled over. Nobody lets you over when you have a blinker on, the drag racing pisses me off too and Nobody runs a CB anymore accept the few of us good ole boys left and you can usually spot us from a mile away. I believe the biggest change in the industry is all the foreigners trucking now and all these big mega carriers just putting any ass behind the wheel that will sit in the seat for Pennie’s. E Logs I believe are a problem as well and part of the reason for so many tired drivers. It truly forces these guys to drive when before you could easily pull over and take a cat nap. Also the amount of trash and piss bottles everywhere these days is absolutely disgusting. I’m glad I’m local and don’t have to live on the road with these animals that’s for sure. I don’t even like to tell people I’m a trucker because they associate me with all that shit

 

[NicPaus]

I heard Uber and lyft killed the taxi business. And they shifted positions to driving big rigs.

Going up chiriaco is the worst. Wait until you are almost passing and they change lanes in front of you. When they had all the time in the world to pass before seeing you in there rear view. Drives me nuts!

 

[pwerwagn]

Smart phones? (It's not hard to look up and see them clearly staring at a phone as you pass)

I have to imagine this is a huge reason for it. I drive I40 a ton and every single time someone is driving like an Ahole in a truck, when I pass them they are staring at the phone.

 

[wallnutz]

FCT is spot on. Plus they don't issue tickets to truckers in the west anymore. Just spent three days in Nebraska on interstate 76 back and forth and noticed the truckers stay in the right lane except to pass, and when they passed it wasn't the 1/2 mile an hour faster than the other truck. It was so noticeable I asked about it. Trucks actually get pulled over and issued tickets. On our way back to Denver, we noticed a couple of truckers pulled over. One had a trooper that was there and a DOT enforcement truck was just pulling up. Guarantee they start pulling trucks over out here again and shit changes fast.

 

[HNL2LHC]

Car drivers do not help matters either. The ones that don’t fill the gaps that the truck pull into drive me crazy.

 

[Nordie]

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?

 

[FCT]

And to add to the accident side of things people have zero common sense. For example: When I was still driving semis for the Race Teams the road would literally be ice and snow and these trucks would be passing me like I’m sitting still and still following each others tailgate. They would talk shit like “Learn how to drive that fancy rig or go back to California” a few miles up the road you would literally just see a fucking dog pile of trucks idiots.


Good times back then

 

[Tooms22]

I agree. My trips to and from Havasu happen between 8-12am on Thursday nights and 7-12am on Monday nights.

These bastards can see my headlights coming from miles away. But 50-75 yards away from passing them, they dart over and take their time passing the only other vehicle within a half mile of us.

More than a couple of times, I've overridden the adaptive cruise control and kept going 80+. It's been successful maybe twice in getting them to hurry back into the slow lane and wait to pass after me.

 

[rivermobster]

In So Cal, they think RH three lanes belong to them now.

Professional drivers? Not so much.

 

[185EZ]

And that's why we take the Rt66 back way to Williams. 20 miles longer but don't deal with most of hwy 40 crap
But paybacks are hell.
After I finally get past the one that cut in front of me, I wait for the hill coming up and slow that fckr down and he's pounding on the dash and downshifting trying get his momentum back lol
F em

 

[DLow]

I drive semis occasionally and passenger cars DGAF about a truck’s turn signals. Trying to get a 70’ semi over a lane is sometimes impossible. I think it is everyone on the road, in general. Nobody really gives a shit anymore. There are also a lot of truck drivers that have their heads buried so far it’s amazing.

 

[Todd Mohr]

Car drivers do not help matters either. The ones that don’t fill the gaps that the truck pull into drive me crazy.

You are a fast lane driver or you are not, letting a slow truck in is just stupid.

 

[cofooter]

Have you ever pulled into a full service truck stop in the middle of the night and seen some of these truckers milling around? Id be hard pressed to trust some of them in a car much less a loaded semi-truck. A lot of them don't even speak english.......

 

[QC22]

Computer controlled speed governors that make it harder to pass.

While I agree that common courtesy is a big problem with all types of drivers these days, speed control is a big part of the issue with trucks passing each other. It's pretty easy to determine this on the flats. Uphill could be simply horsepower that limits speed, but a .5 MPH pass on flat terrain indicates speed control to me.

 

[TimeBandit]

I was just talking to a friend about this the other day you can no longer time how fast trucks are going to pass them. ever since covid the speeds are higher and all rules are out the window.

 

[bowtiejunkie]

Look in the cab. You’ll find the answer.

The good professional truckers are still out there, but small in numbers. The ones who care. The ones who you’d feel safe having them help your wife or kid on the side of the road. I’ll bet 99% have told their kids and nephews/nieces not to enter the business. All of the truckers in our family said avoid the business. Only have a cousin still trucking - locally.

 

[hallett21]

I’ve seen a few news spots and TV Show host’s clips on trucking recently.

It seems like the biggest issue is that the new labor pool is willing to work for nothing. Read that however you want.

This is also coupled with the predatory lending of some of the bigger companies. Lease to own type deals with high interest rates and no credit check. Apparently some of these guys end up owing the company money at the end of the month. Which is pretty screwy that the company can effectively finance their trucks off of an “employee”.

The E logs from my understanding are causing a lot of potentially dangerous situations. Not allowing truckers to pull over for a few hours (because it effects their daily driving time). And some of the big companies dispatchers getting argumentative and pissed at guys saying they are pulling over because they are tired.

I don’t quite understand why an E Log cannot just limit the amount of time a Truck is driving at say 25mph or faster. I heard some of the drivers need to stay under 3mph in a parking lot to avoid triggering an issue?

 

[28Eliminator]

I heard Uber and lyft killed the taxi business. And they shifted positions to driving big rigs.

Going up chiriaco is the worst. Wait until you are almost passing and they change lanes in front of you. When they had all the time in the world to pass before seeing you in there rear view. Drives me nuts!

EXACTLY!!!!

Going up Chiriaco has gotten ridiculous. My wife cringes every time we head to the river because of the asshole truck drivers.

 

[Yldboyz]

I noticed this a while ago, there was that handful of truckers that had no clue how to drive and just get from point A to point B. Nowadays I look out for every truck truck I'm encountering, I don't want that last minute lane change and then my front end gets clipped...

 

[evantwheeler]

These bastards can see my headlights coming from miles away. But 50-75 yards away from passing them, they dart over and take their time passing the only other vehicle within a half mile of us.

More than a couple of times, I've overridden the adaptive cruise control and kept going 80+. It's been successful maybe twice in getting them to hurry back into the slow lane and wait to pass after me.

The solution to this fuckery is once they return to their lane, pass them and then slow right the fuck down in front of them. Bonus points if they're on the hill and it destroys their momentum. I have respect for truckers that have respect for the road and the flow of traffic, I will almost always give way to a turn signal and give a hi-beam flash that they're in the clear. The behavior you describe is not that of the professional truckers on this site, its the "other truckers" alluded to in many posts.

 

[Ziggy]

Car drivers do not help matters either. The ones that don’t fill the gaps that the truck pull into drive me crazy.

You'd be surprised at how many people have great fear driving next to semi's. Watch closely, they'll hesitate for a bit, like watching for the O-line to open a hole, then bail past the truck and quickly get back over. Comical.

 

[Todd Mohr]

As much as I hate being held up the trucks, I would never try to get in their way or slow them down. Two wrongs don't make it right, however I am often being told I'm #1 often when my horn is blasting the whole time the pass takes.

 

[Rvrluvr]

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.

 

[Rvrluvr]

Anyone of you wanna ride in the truck for a day come to Texas I’ll take you around. It’ll blow your mind how stupid people are.

 

[pixrthis]

Have you ever pulled into a full service truck stop in the middle of the night and seen some of these truckers milling around? Id be hard pressed to trust some of them in a car much less a loaded semi-truck. A lot of them don't even speak english.......

Lots of them drive in pajamas, no professionalism or pride at all.

 

[FlyByWire]

I used to drive over the road myself in my past life…

Now I get to see it from an entirely, uh… different side of things.

The industry has changed, big time. It used to be that the trucker hat was the official headwear of the truck driver in America… it is no longer.

Without going too much further into it… it’s MY opinion that what’s killed the industry boils down to one thing; cheap freight.

I could tell you some stories that would both make you puke, and make your blood boil.

That being said, there’s still plenty of good courteous PROFESSIONAL drivers on the road.

 

[Rvrluvr]

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

Here is what a new day looks like

 

[DrunkenSailor]

The roads in the southwest are absolute dog shit after this past winter. The right lane on 5 is the surface of the moon. 40 east past Kingman is a minefield in both lanes. I don't blame a the truckers for erratic driving with the roads the way they are. As long as no one parks in the left lane truck or car I'll be happy.

 

[Rvrluvr]

One last thing

Tip of the day. Travel at night. These candy ass newbies need their sleepy night night time. Roads are perfect for rollin hard from 10pm to 4am

 

[Desert Whaler]

Does anyone remember 'drafting' the big semi's ???
My Dad would do that shit when I was a little shaver.
Wouldn't dare think of doing it now.

 

[RVR SWPR]

And that's why we take the Rt66 back way to Williams. 20 miles longer but don't deal with most of hwy 40 crap
But paybacks are hell.
After I finally get past the one that cut in front of me, I wait for the hill coming up and slow that fckr down and he's pounding on the dash and downshifting trying get his momentum back lol
F em

All you guys on the 40 coming East out of Barstow,especially after you clear Ludlow. Truckers communicating with each other all night,be careful the truck a few miles ahead could have your plate #. Truckers are bored to death out there,hard telling what amuses some of these guys.

 

[beerrun]

I have been driving for 34 yrs and I have said for at least 20yrs that I drive a truck for a living but I'm not a trucker never wanted to be associated with those guys

 

[cofooter]

Does anyone remember 'drafting' the big semi's ???
My Dad would do that shit when I was a little shaver.
Wouldn't dare think of doing it now.

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!!!!

 

[welldigger00]

I think my fellow gear jammers on here nailed it. The biggest thing is the cheap freight, and Mega carriers hiring third world employees that when they make a $1000 for the week, it’s enough to live like a king where they come from.

 

[OLDRAAT]

Does anyone remember 'drafting' the big semi's ???
My Dad would do that shit when I was a little shaver.
Wouldn't dare think of doing it now.

I did it with a Pantera. Not bad, but that's when Nixon's speed limits were still 55. I finally got bored and let 'er rip.

 

[FCT]

Look in the cab. You’ll find the answer.

The good professional truckers are still out there, but small in numbers. The ones who care. The ones who you’d feel safe having them help your wife or kid on the side of the road. I’ll bet 99% have told their kids and nephews/nieces not to enter the business. All of the truckers in our family said avoid the business. Only have a cousin still trucking - locally.

Funny story. Awhile back I was on the 60 headed up to Prescott in my Semi and I see a lady with her two little girls on the side of the road with there horse trailer so I stop because nobody is out there and ask if she need any help or if she was ok. She was waiting on someone bringing her a spare to help. I ask her if she would like me to stay until they showed up and I would even just stay in my truck to make sure they are safe.

Her “ No thanks Sir I have my gun and extra magazines we will be ok”

She did take water I offered her though for her and the girls.


I just laughed and told her good for her and have a nice day she probably thought I was bad news bears or something.

 

[chadzilla]

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 lik

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

Wow, Tim, I met you years ago in Havasu through my father inlaw, Terry Mumford! I do believe you bought his Pete when he got out of trucking! Hope all is well with you and your family!

 

[77charger]

Most of todays truckers are a whole new breed. They don’t care about you going faster they seem to hate that.

The Pepe and Pedro drag race is furiating the pull out up a hill when you come up on them is worse they pretty much see you coming in mirror watching and waiting for you to close in and bam they pull out

I use to give alot of courtesy to truckers on the roads but just can’t do it anymore. Some I will but would most likely be an owner operated type vs a corporate like swift. I drive Phx to oc often and once you cross into ca it’s bad. Az not as much due to higher speed limit

 

[77charger]

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!!!!

Done it too when I had a cabover coming from Blythe. Strong headwind I pulled up close maintained speeds easily. I was pulling boat and truck was slow as is.

I kept at 60 easy but I drifted back once and was not that easy to catch back up. Once the down hill I moved on by gave him a thumbs up as a thanks.

 

[Flatsix66]

The interstate trucker business is temporary. AI and self driving trucks will take over. Once they prove that the liability is a better equation for autonomous crazy long haul trucker is done. Fuck, AI is going to take over most aspects of supply chain transportation. Won’t take long.

 

[2Driver]

We took the 10 to Odessa Tx a few months back. It’s been awhile since I took a long road trip and holy shit was I surprised. After wanting to pull a couple over lol I figured this is just how it’s become now and drove accordingly.

The other thing is the trash left around the rest stops. On I10 there are pullout areas for resting, just a parking area with a dumpster. The amount of trash on the ground and plastic trash embedded into the barbed wire fence looked like a Mexican slum.

 

[monkeyswrench]

E-Logs and automatics...
Idiots that can drive a golf cart can get a license and be "professional drivers" now. Even running doing car shows, I had to figure out the art of creative writing for log books. I never did anything unsafe, but DOT limitations and show schedules did not agree with one another. Point is, you had to be sharp enough to do basic algebra, and keep everything realistic.
The automatics took away any skill needed to drive, and the trucks with autos seem to be neutered. I drove a Freightliner Cascadia a couple years back, had never driven a modern truck, or an automatic. Gutless pile of parts, but I'm sure it was better for the environment.

 

[Cdog]

One last thing

Tip of the day. Travel at night. These candy ass newbies need their sleepy night night time. Roads are perfect for rollin hard from 10pm to 4am

I prefer to tow my TH at night too. Less fools on the road.

 

[Flatsix66]

E-Logs and automatics...
Idiots that can drive a golf cart can get a license and be "professional drivers" now. Even running doing car shows, I had to figure out the art of creative writing for log books. I never did anything unsafe, but DOT limitations and show schedules did not agree with one another. Point is, you had to be sharp enough to do basic algebra, and keep everything realistic.
The automatics took away any skill needed to drive, and the trucks with autos seem to be neutered. I drove a Freightliner Cascadia a couple years back, had never driven a modern truck, or an automatic. Gutless pile of parts, but I'm sure it was better for the environment.

So basically anyone that can drive a Canam, speed or Polaris can drive a truck. We are all going to die! 5 up one down.

 

[Cdog]

I don’t know how some of these guys pass the DOT physical

 

[monkeyswrench]

So basically anyone that can drive a Canam, speed or Polaris can drive a truck. We are all going to die! 5 up one down.

That about covers it, yes.

I don’t know how some of these guys pass the DOT physical

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