LET NEWBIES LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES

[Admin]

TELL US ABOUT YOUR MISTAKES YOU MADE, AS A NEWBIE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENT AS YOU LOOK BACK.

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[Maverick]

Here's just a few of the mistakes that I made:

Followed the directions that were given to me by the new receptionist and did'nt ask to speak to the person in charge of receiving. :wtf: Not a truck friendly route to say the least!!

I've made the mistake of assuming instead of asking for more specific information so that everyone was clearly on the same page! :wacko:

One of the most important lessons I have learned is to never become over confident. It's good to be confident but just a little over confidence can get you into trouble and even get you killed. For example: Taking an exit ramp, even just a little too fast! Result: You apply brakes, load shifts, weight transfers momentum and the rest can virtually be history! :yikes:

Always fight the urge to be in a hurry!! Rushing around to complete any job or task is just asking for trouble. The small amount of time that you may or may not save is not worth the ticket, the freight damage claim, or even the possible injury that trying to hurry may cause!! ;)

Be safe out there and don't take chances with your life or your career! :cheers:

[daytrader]

Don't belive the federal marshal stories.

[Big_Dave]

Maverick hit the 2 biggest things to keep you out of trouble on the road.

Slow down and pay attention to what you're doing and always ask for the receiving or shipping manager.

I go 1 step further. I have a micro cassette recorder mounted next to the external speaker for my cell phone. I record all directions into a place and I also record any conversation with a customer if I find out they have an 'attitude'.

Doing so has cut my 'missed turns' down to almost ZERO and recording conversations has saved my butt a few times as well. :cool:

[JSontag]

This topic is going to be really helpful for the newbies......I think I´ll write it all down on paper! :cheers:

[scubadiver]

was not thinking there isn't any long and steep mtn's east of the Miss. That is till Black Mtn. cure me of that. It was foggy, nighttime, and I was tired. I was REAL LUCKY or someone was watching over me. I thankfully didn't lose my brakes,but that taught me a valuable lesson. Don't get overconfident or drive fagtiued.

[scubadiver]

sorry about posting again on overconfidence, which brings attention to another part of your post PAY ATTENTION. Like Dave said these are the two of the biggest mistakes all drivers have made and those have survived and I do literally mean survive learned from them. The third is driving fatigued , if you do one of these three long enough you WILL NOT BE A OLDTIMER and sometimes once is too many times. Duh thought of this after posting, don't be afraid of asking questions. The dumdest one is the one that isn't asked.

[LugNut]

I have got myself in the worse trouble and the absolute worse situations when I was in a hurry, feeling rushed or even slightly paniced and frustrated. You can not make a sound decision when you are in those states of mind. I have made the wrong turn, almost became stuck and ready to just dump the truck because I did not stop and take the needed time to settle down and figure out exactly what to do. If you are getting a feeling frutration and becoming rushed it's time to stop some where and take a few minutes to regather. Even if you are late. A poor decision made under poor circumstances can and often will make you even later than if you had stopped. I know that from experience.

Another biggie is to double check those trailers and product when you are picking up and especially when you are dropping and hooking. It is very easy to get a trailer number crossed or to simply grab the wrong one going in a completely different direction. Cross reference your dispatch numbers to your trailer number and Bill of Lading. make double sure it is your load before hooking up and heading out. It will save you alot of time and hassle doing it evey time you load. The same with Live loads. Know what is being put on and where it is going. Make sure every thing matches your dispatch. I have seen two compamies put out a missing trailer call on the QC suggesting it was stolen and for drivers to keep an eye out for it. It is usually just a short time and the trailer was found. The driver picked up the wrong one and went the wrong direction. Lots of time wasted.

Not to sound long wnded but one other thing that is very easy to do but can get you in alot of trouble. When you are unloading there are times a product is wrong, not up to specifications (food) or otherwise rejected. For your own sake do not assume you can keep it or do what you want with it. Even if it is a repeated problem and you have had it rejected more than once always contact dispatch and tell them exactly what where and when. Many companies have a canned message that you can send informing the company of losses, shortage and rejected product. Use it evey time. One company I drove for had a driver take one box of candy that was rejected. It was rejected for the sole purpose of seeing what the driver would do with it. He kept the product. His home was near the drop and the driver toook it to his home and took it inside. It was reported as a theft and right or wrong the driver was terminated and faced criminal action. Nothing that you did not buy or already own outright is yours until you are told it is yours. Often companies may tell you to simply throw it away. A problem in itself at times. If they tell you that do what you want with it. Don't assume, let them tell you.

[scubadiver]

had something simialar happen to me. Did a live load in the Baltimore area and the people gave me the wrong paperwork. :yikes: :yikes: Fornateualy the driver that got my paperwork worked for the same company and was going the same general direction we met at the fuel stop in Breezewood,Pa. That taught me to double check my paperwork. Another thing scale your load when its above a certain weight especially if your coming to California. I p/u a load in Lima Oh. going to Fairfeild Ca and to avoid the Turnpike decided to go I 70. The trailer didn't feel right and I stopped at the T/A near Dayton. 39k on the rear tandems and I was :angry: Spent a day and a half getting it reloaded and still had to take the turnpike. .

[daytrader]

Make sure the trailer you are picking up is loaded if it is a drop and hook.


Also, make sure you picked up the load that gose from the left coast to the right coast.

Nothing like getting to a rec with a empty trailer.

[USAF_2T2]

Don't belive the federal marshal stories.

They aren't true? I believe everyone I hear, but I'm not a trucker anymore. :harhar: :harhar:


One mistake I made was hitting a bridge in Elyria, Ohio. I was off the truck route and hit a steel black bridge with 76000 pounds of truck, trailer and load. I peeled the top of the trailer back and it split in the middle. I thought I had all my bases covered by stopping and finding where I was per DeLorme GPS and realized I missed my turn.

Needless to say I was the third person in the month of December of 2003 to hit that bridge that was neither posted prior or posted on the bridge. It just said 13 on it. Lesson learned I guess. But I was used to pulling frameless dumps that never hit anything in Chicago so bridges were not anything I really paid attention to. I did after that though.

To sum it all up ATTENTION TO DETAIL was not followed on my part and I paid for it.

[Chiefwhatdahey]

I says: "Boss the frame on this dump trailer is cracking"

Boss Says: "go slow be careful"

Two days later I flipped tractor trailer on its side on flat level ground (wind pushed cracked frame trailer over)

Boss says: "That was your fault driver"

I says: "yep, my fault, it'll never happen again boss"

Moral: Nobody tells me to do anything foolish or hazardous anymore

[Big_Dave]

There ain't enough bandwidth available for me to post all my screw ups. :yikes: :rofl: Serious! :yikes: :wtf:

I've topped a trailer in Chicago. :yikes: :wacko:

But, the one that sticks out as a 'yeah, you screwed up big time' to me is............

I had unloaded in the Los Angeles Metro area and went over to Long Beach for my reload.

After checking in and waiting an hour, a guy wearing a tie walks up to me and says, "You're gonna be mad, but your load is still at the dock. It hasn't been brought here yet." :wtf:

I got mad, called dispatch. They 'smoothed things over' with me by paying me $150 to hang out overnight and then reload in the morning. :cool:

I asked the shipper permission to drop my trailer there so I could go grab a shower. Permission granted, so off I went. :cool:

I got back early the next morning and hooked up to my trailer. Did the 'tug test' and then checked in.

Was told to put 'er in a different door, so I did...........after doing ANOTHER tug test.

After getting loaded, I put some straps in, pulled out, shut the doors and went inside for my paperwork. When I got back to my truck, I did 1 MORE tug test.

I turned left out the gate onto Sepulveda Blvd, drove approximately 1 mile down to Avalon and turned right. As I grabbed 4th gear, I felt one hell of a 'bump' and then all kinds of associated scraping, grinding and banging........as my tractor is bouncing like crazy. :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:

I looked in the mirror and seen that my trailer was not moving as fast as my truck was...... :yikes: :wtf:

I hit the brakes and BAM! My trailer hit the ground! :yikes:

There I was.........blocking all n/b traffic on a busy 4 lane divided road. :yikes:

Somehow, traffic was able to squeeze past my trailer so things weren't too bad as I started cranking down the landing gear (w/ 40K lbs. in the box).

About 30 minutes later, I hear this 'Ahem' behind me. :wtf: It was a Los Angeles County Deputy. :yikes:

He asked for my CDL and while he ran it, I continued to crank down my landing gear.

I got it up high enough to get my truck under it again about the time he came back up to me with my license.

Since there was no damage to public property, no ticket was issued. :cool:

I hooked back up and then crawled underneath to physically see that the jaws were locked on the kingpin. They were. :cool:

The GOOD PART of this ordeal was...........it happened BEFORE I got up on 'the 405'. :yikes:

IF this would've happened 1 mile later, there would've been one hell of a mess out on the 405. :yikes:

Since then, EVERY TIME I hook up to a trailer, I crawl underneath and check the jaw position!

Now, I did 3 tug tests and the dang trailer STILL came unhooked! Who woulda thought that would happen?

Needless to say, I replaced my 5th wheel as soon as I got back home.

[magicman]

My example is going to sound VERY sexist, but I assure you it's not meant to be. :bop: :bop: :bop:

My newest rule is simply this: DO NOT take directions from the receptionist unless she can give you landmarks to go by. The ones I find to be closest to being correct are the ones that use shopping centers and WalMarts as landmarks. Don't laugh, I'm as serious as a heart attack.
:jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop:
Famous last words coming out of the receptionist's mouth after you darned near get pinned under a low underpass: " I don't understand why you can't get here that way. I drive to work ervery day that way and I'm here on time every day." :wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

[Big_Dave]

Take Magicman's advice to heart!!!!

I once got directions from the receiving clerk at a Menards store in the Chicago Metro area.

They were, "Get off at this exit, turn left and go 3 miles, turn right and go 2 blocks. We're on the right."

Suffice to say, I found a low overpass. :yikes: :yikes: :yikes: I didn't hit it, but when I called back and asked for her, she told me that she sleeps while her boyfriend drives her to work every morning. :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:

She had NO IDEA how to get to work!!! :wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

Anyone can ask me, at any given time, where I'm at and I can tell them where I am within 1 mile.

That ain't bad considering I go all over the 'lower 48' minus the N.E. 10. :harhar: ;)

[daytrader]

My own wife tries not to take directions for a lady on the phone, unless she sounds like she is veru used to giving them.

Nothing like. "Were are you now"? Why dose it matter? I asked for directions from I 95. I am in Texas.

Then they do the play around. Well let me see. You should do this. Are you familiar with the area? Do you know were the tropical snow is?

No I will be going north on I 95.

When are you delivering. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Take this exit. Hum lets see go down to lets see the first light is magan. The second light is ted street. The 3rd no you should take the 5th light street it is longer but easier. on and on. Ok you will mnake a left. then go to the Arby's and make a left. then you will . No wait. Go this way. It is how I come to work. Get off at this exit and make a right. We are the second place on the left.

I call for shipping and rec. I ask them for directions. If they sound unclear. I inform them I have a 70 foot long truck that is 13'6" high if they could please find some one that knows the truck way in.

[Foxfire]

It really hurts me to say this, but I won't take directions from a woman either. One told me in Birmingham, Al. one time, and I quote..........."We have big trucks come in this way all day long." They sure did! Big DUMP trucks! You had to go under what they call a viaduct ( it was a bridge like overpass). I looked at the street and made a couple of turns and got to the back gate and delivered those dump bodies very easy.

[allikat]

Words to watch out for:

We get bigger than that in here all the time...
Can you just...?
While you are in...
Could you...?
Since you had an early finish yesterday you must have time to...

These, and any other similar phrases should get you on your guard...

[Jimbo]

To second DayTrader's comment, when a driver's story includes the words "I called the Federal Marshals" you can write that story off as a fairy tale.

Federal Marshals escort prisoners to and from court and jail.

Federal Marshals guard people in the witness protection program.

Federal Marshals hunt down fugitives that have escaped jail.

Federal Marshals DO NOT:

Gives a rat's behind is the guy at the scale house insulted your wife's cooking.

Care if your dispatcher wants you to drive more hours than are allowed.

Come to your rescue if a State Trooper calls you a bad name, or hurts your itty bitty feelings.

Drivers who tell stories about getting the Feds involved in their problems are just plain liars, and hope you are as stupid as they are, so you'll believe their story.

Just like the half-wits that start telling stories about being "a sniper" in the armed forces. Funny how you never hear these guys bragging about being a cook, or a driver. No....they all went out to be a sniper. Ask them questions about how far to lead a man running at 300 yards, and their story starts to fall apart.

When you hear a driver feeding these lines of garbage out for all to hear, politely decline to take part in the conversation. There are better ways to spend what little free time you have on the road, than listening to fairy tales.

[Jimbo]

I've been driving for a lot of years, and made a lot of mistakes, but my worst one was when I had been driving about 6 months. I had a load going to Maine, but took forever to get loaded. By the time I was loaded, I was very tired, but the load "Had to get there", so i drove on.

To make a long story short, I wrecked pretty badly, and would have killed someone if the car I hit had anyone in it. I thank GOD every single day that I didn't hurt anyone that day. And the best part of that lesson was: the load didn't get there after all, and the world as we know it didn't stop spinning. So looking back at it now, I took a chance, and nearly succeeded at killing myself, and could have killed other people too, all for a load that got there the next day just fine.

I don't care what you are hauling, it's not worth driving tired. Get a short nap of an hour or so, and see how you feel. If you are still tired, call your dispatcher and tell them you are sick. Better to admit to being unable to drive, than to teach your truck to roll over and play dead. I made the mistake because i was a new, very stupid driver. Sure, it made me a better driver later on, but was a very expensive lesson to learn. Take the easier path, and learn from my mistake, instead of trying it out yourself.

[DrivingZiggy]

I once called the U. S. Marshall's office in my home town. Yup. I really did. I wanted to find the actual law that made it illegal for us truckers to carry guns.

They referred me to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. They never heard of such a law.

I called 2 different DOT branches. They had never heard of such a law.

But I had heard it so many times I just could not believe what I was hearing. So I jumped into my car and headed for the local weigh station.

Same story. No such law. You just have to make sure you conform to the law of whatever state you're in. I can provide a link to a site that sells a booklet that covers the laws in the different states if it would be allowed for me to post it...

[daytrader]

The state laws cover guns. Each state diff laws. No federal cover all, well there is but it is a min. The states all have higher laws that go over the federal laws.

Stun guns are the same way. Stun guns are illigale in two states I know of. Others require a permit to not only have but own.

The good old boat flare looks good, just make sure it is not considered a hidden deadly weapon. Having it for incase you need it to alert others to your location is one thing. Having it as a defence item is a whole differant area.

[daytrader]

ALWAYS TRIPPLE CHECK THE HOOK UP!.

The simple tug test is good and quick, do it a few times.

Nothing like doing a tug test. Then on your way out the yard the dang old trailer jumps OFF of the fith wheel once you hit a dip. Then you get to sweat as you crank real fast in low range to get it up to hook up quick. You sure do not want to be seen making this mistake.

It dose happen. Just man makes you feel real silly. After many years of trucking being able to blind side in my sleep. Yet I drop the damn trailer with out meaning too. Talk about a newbie mistake. It happens.

It also makes you look good if you get out and really look at the fith wheel. Like it messed up. Then you even inspect the king pin. No one will say anything. Yet we know you are trying to cover your azz.

It happens. Make sure it dosn't happen to you. Even after MANY years of driving.

[daytrader]

Do not get comfortable. Every day, truck and trailer is a new challenge.

Just because you have 7 years experiance dosn't mean jake. 20 years means you have seen alot yet still have the exact same problems a guy on his first day can have. Do not forget the small things. You can start to take the small stuff for granted.

Like when a tractor protection valve is supposed to pop out.

When they pop out at 100 psi it is not cool on a hill. When they do not pop out at all, it is kinda cool, untill you need it to pop out.

[Jimbo]

DrivingZiggy, I got stopped once in PA., running along I-80. I had come out of Philly, and was headed to Grove City, PA. After I was done at Grove City, I was to come back to Mapleton, PA., and load sand for Philly.

The friendly D.O.T. officer asked me if I had any firearms on me. I told him that I was legal to carry firearms in PA., and since my trip for the entire day was within the PA limits, I was legal if I did have any. He went back to his van with my paperwork in hand.

About 10 minutes later, a marked State Police cruiser came up behind the van. The trooper asked me if I had any guns on me, and I told him that I did. I handed him my permit, and he went to his car.

The trooper came back in a minute or two, and handed my permit back to me. Told me to have a safe day. The D.O.T. idiot came up, freaking out! He starts screaming (yes, screaming) to the trooper that my truck was a federally licensed vehicle, and that I couldn't carry a gun in it. The trooper said that the permit covered me while in the State of PA., so no law was broken. The DOT goof seemed really steamed, but the trooper told me I could leave.

As far as that experience goes, there is no law saying that you can't carry a gun in your truck. If you are in a state that prohibits carrying a gun, you must obey that state's laws.

[Big_Dave]

Wanna know more about the U.S. Marshal's Service?

Click here. ~~~> http://www.usdoj.gov/marshals

The U.S. Marshals have NOTHING to do with trucking UNLESS there's a missle or something to be moved. :p

From the 'Special Operations Group' of the Marshal's Service....
Specially trained deputy marshals provide security and law enforcement assistance to the Department of Defense and the U.S. Air Force when Minuteman and cruise missiles are moved between military facilities.
Read more here.........The U.S. Marshal Service Job Description (http://www.usmarshals.gov/duties/index.html)

So........there is NO WAY IN HELL that the U.S. Marshal's are gonna bail your butt out of a pissin' contest with a shipper or receiver! :D

[DrivingZiggy]

The McClure-Volkmer Act prohibits states from prohibiting individuals from carrying firearms "through" their states provided it is otherwise legal for the person to do so. However, they may dictate how you will carry it.

For instance, upon entering certain states, I must unload my gun and place it in a locked case and store it under the bunk. But as long as I'm just going through the state, they cannot prohibit me from bringing my gun.

[ladydreamcatcher]

Jim i sure wish i could have talked to you this past Friday....I,also got lost ,being i am a new driver of 8 days.i also did a stupid thing..I was suppose to deliver a load in Norfolk Va..I got lost and wound up in Suffolk..I wasn't thinking right and pulled over in a place that was private property..When i left,i hit the pole not knowing it..Now i am suspended,depending the out come of this ticket..They charged me with reckless driving /on private property..Catching a dream to become a truck driver has become a nightmare for me...I just hope i can get these charges lowered :yikes:

[truckermanitoba]

well hope you can still follow your dream, at least no one got hurt.

[Foxfire]

Brenda, just remember what I told you.... take control! You are the one who holds the reins. Yes, you hit a pole.... but you also told the company that you didn't think you were ready to run solo and you have that backed up on your Quaalcom. Just ride out the storm and above all do NOT quit that company until you have all of it taken care of. Also, you need to let go of the stress. It is just a stumbling block and you will overcome it. One day you will look back and laugh at it.

[Skip Shift]

A lesson I think we all learn is how to be humble in union shops.

I was picking up a load of paper at Champion near Muscle Shoals Al. for a 8am loading time. I arrive at 7:30am all fresh and a full compliment of hours to bust wind to the house soon as I shut the doors.

Now understand it's Thursday morning and the load delivers in Pa. Monday morning, this load, by design, is to get me home for the weeknd and I'm sitting in the cab waiting for my door, I start doing the logistics and by my math I have a rare chance to get some serious quality FRIDAY home time - oh the joys - please load me fast Champion PLEASE !! I say to myself.

By 10:00am no door assignment yet, so I inquire politely on the CB. Mistake number 1 - *sigh* - I noticed no one even remotely uttered one word on the CB other than door assigments and thank you's. My bad ok, it should've been a "tell" to me this wasn't the way to handle an inquiry. we proceed to 3:00pm and of course by this time I'm jacked, no, I'm super jacked.

A call comes over the radio "Load # 33412, door 2. My reply is "ok, soon as I finish making this sandwich - thank you"

5 seconds later: "Load #33416, door 2 please"

I think you see what happened here don't ya?

Now we proceed to FRIDAY MORNING !!!! still no door. of course,I'm skipping the all the phone calls to dipatch - and there were many - because they really have no value to the story other than dispatch knows they're helpless in union shops and the pay on the load is too good to ruffle feathers over a "disorderly" driver as Champion so-called labelled me in one call my dispatch had the balls to make over this abuse.

3:00 pm Friday afternoon: same voice as yesterday calls out Load #33412, are you done making sandwiches yet?"

I replied, "yes sir I am"

"door 2 please"

"thank you"

I got home Saturday afternoon. *sigh* From that day on, I learned that union shops suck and you can't do a thing about how they treat you. ever.

[Big_Dave]

From that day on, I learned that union shops suck and you can't do a thing about how they treat you. ever.
Well, that's kinda true.

I take it that you're a company driver?

If you are, I hope that your company nailed the shipper for demurrage charges. To sit for 24 hours (or more as it sounds in your case), is 100% pure BS!

I've left places after sitting there for 4 hours waiting to get loaded. Of course, my truck, company trailer, but that doesn't mean that I gotta take it in the shorts because some clown in a management position at a shipper is an azzhat.

If they're willing to pat $75 an hour for me to sit and wait, then I will. If they refuse to pay, they can KMA........I'm outta there and off to another pick up or enroute home. :D

[Skip Shift]

Yessiree Big Dave, that would be the case, I was a company driver.

If I recall correctly - and this load was about 10 years ago - it paid an outrageous rate like 2.40 a mile to the Lewisburg Fedral Prison (all computer paper thru a gov't contract) and me being a cents per mile guy, I had no additional interest other than detention time which by the way I received a small amount as the company played physcologicial poker with me that this "musta been my fault" and the detention was paid out of pocket by the company, not Champion. had I had your option to pull out, trust me, I would have.

never will 40 bucks make up for the 36 hours I lost that weekend with my family, all because of union abuse.

[MysticTrucker]

As a newbie about to start training soon, I can appreciate this particular subject matter. I wonder if we can somehow finagle a means for the experienced drivers here to collaborate on a checklist. First we will have to find the headings, like Dispatch Checklist, Hooking/Dropping Checklist, DOT Checklist, etc. Then particular steps can be added. The end product could be a good document for newbies to take with them on the road and stick to until it becomes rote. This way, all the mistakes of the experienced drivers would be there to benefit the new ones. But how can this be done in this message board format?

Roger

[nitestar]

Directions. these can be a nightmare or a blessing.
If I get good directions and I have no problems getting to the customer.
I try to find the person that gave me the directions.
If I do I thank them and in a nice way give a few pointers to them. if needed. . I work hard not to crack their fragil composure. Just tips like how far from the light to hy way 1333 and how from from the interstate ramp to the light.
Never have failed to improve the directions. I suggested at one customer to print a copy of directions from each direction. N.S .E .W. or from each of the interstates . This they did because it is not the same person that gives them on every call. Worked out great,

I try to cover my butt with out making the person giving the directions a feeling of being stupid.

Things to remember in asking for directions

How far from the exit is the light I turn right on? Name of street please
How far to the RR tracks?
How far is it to the stop sign I turn left at? Name of street please.
How far is it to your plant from the stop sign? Is there a special gate to use . ? ( 1st gate - 2nd etc)
These distances will keep you on target. You know that if they said 3 blocks and you have gone 8 you better stop and call again.

I do not except directions that say go about 15 minutes and we will be on the left. Can't miss us , you will see the big blue building on the left.
If your looking for a power plant these are acceptable

At night you don't see a blue building on the left. They are all black in the dark.
15 minutes is based on their speed and their concept of time. Don't except it.

Now to make this simple

When you get directions and they work. KEEP THEM and put them in a note book. You may be going back in a year and I bet your memory will not remember every part of the directions.
If you think you should put a landmark in or make a note . Turn wide , flag pole on corner. or cars park close to corner. do right away.

such as
When you see Arbys on left you will be 3 blocks from Even street.

Hope all this helps some one and makes trucking not so hard for you.

[Big_Dave]

When I get directions from a customer, I always try to remember to ask them for a good landmark just before each turn.

[ric5445]

Big Dave hit it on the head with the tug test. I did the same thing. Backed under the loaded trailer, heard the clank, felt the sudden stop from hitting it. The king pin release had popped in, did my pull test twice...Finished hooking up, pulled out. Felt a jolt and looked back. The trauler was sitting on the frame of the tractor. Good thing was I was still in customers yard, but with 42000 I couldn't crank it up like Big Dave so I had to have a wrecker come pick it up so I could crank the legs back down. Trust me I have never hooked since then with out looking under at the jaws to make sure they have closed completely. Imbarrassing but at least no one was hurt.

[LSMR]

First of all I would like to thank all of the experienced drivers for their comments and advice given to new drivers.I'm sure it will save all of us a lot of headaches.

I have been in the trucking industry for almost 25 years.10 years of that were spent with a well known truck leasing company.During my employment there I worked as a fuel island attendant,mechanic,shift foreman,supervisor and as service manager.One thing that always amazed me that everytime a truck was broke down it was loaded with a priority load that just had to get to it's destination or there would be big trouble.I never understood how fast food,washers & dryers,televisions and a host of other non essenstial items could possibly be considered a priotity.With this said my advice for new drivers is to remember this:

Most of us are not hauling medicine for sick children.The world will not collaspe if the big fast food chain (or whatever)gets their load a little late.You as a driver are responsible for the load you're hauling and the safety of you and those around you.No matter what you're boss or dispatcher tells you if something happens because of your actions you will be held accountable.The people who pushed you will not be around to help you.

[SteelCityNomad]

never will 40 bucks make up for the 36 hours I lost that weekend with my family, all because of union abuse.

:yikes: :yikes:

As a company driver, after they offered a door, and then took it away they would of seen the "shiney hiney" of my wagon heading out the gate.

What you are calling "union abuse" is really "Company Abuse", and if they decided we needed to make a change . Well a change would be made. I won't work for a company that doesn't back me and whats good for me and my family.

Over the years I have loaded in many a union and non-union facility, and I have encountered some problems along the way, the only constant is how I handled them. :cheers:

[SteelCityNomad]

Most of us are not hauling medicine for sick children.The world will not collaspe if the big fast food chain (or whatever)gets their load a little late.You as a driver are responsible for the load you're hauling and the safety of you and those around you.No matter what you're boss or dispatcher tells you if something happens because of your actions you will be held accountable.The people who pushed you will not be around to help you.

Some good advice, when the prevebial "sheet hits the fan" it's the driver standing there ALONE.

That is why drivers need to understand that being on time STARTS with proper time management.

And that means knowing if you can make the load legally from the start, and communicating that information to dispatch BEFORE you accept the Dispatch.

The rules of thumb that I have always used when figuring time required to move a load is:
50mph average for all miles
1 hour extra "built in" for every 400 miles traveled
1/2 hour "built in" per fuel stop
1 hour "built in" for a break every 400 miles traveled

Applying this to a trip from my Home to Chicago: (543 miles)

approx 11 hours drive time
1 1/4 hours build in for distance
1/2 hour for fuel
1 hour for a break.

13 3/4 hours total to make a 543 mile trip. :yikes:

Now I can tell you I have made this trip in as little as 9 1/2 hours, more times than not actually, but I still allow for 13 hours+ to make the trip, when saying yes, or no, to dispatch.(or leaving the house after hometime)

[Mr. McFeely]

I actually got DARNED LUCKY with my biggest mistake. Arrived at a shipper in Canada (not that it makes a difference, but maybe... I was on :cloud9: at the idea of being out of the country for the first time in my life, and diggin' the scenery). The place looked closed. The shipping office door was at the top of a small hill and the parking lot/driveway crested right at the doorway. So, I stop the truck and look for signs of life. I was right on time, so I figured it must be the evening shift and they shut the doors or something. I walked inside to a big warehouse. All the lights were on, but nobody was around. I spent about 5 minutes walking from one end of the place to the other, hollering out if anyone was there. Finally saw a guy in an office who told me the guy I needed to speak with was on break. He told me to just wait in my truck and check back later.

I climbed back into the cab, checked the time, and was going to move the truck to a parking spot away from the driveway, when I noticed that I HAD NOT APPLIED THE BRAKES when I left the truck!! Not the tractor, not the trailer... NOTHING!! The unit had been perfectly balanced on the crest of that hill for at least 5 minutes, with the tractor aimed downward on one side and the trailer on the other, holding the unit in equilibrium. I was d@mned lucky the truck did not roll away into a building, the street, a pedestrian, or over me!

You can bet that was the ONLY time I ever let that happen! The thought that I had been given such an amazing second chance, after having been so careless, was enough to put the fear of God into me. PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ARE DOING!

[LSMR]

You're one lucky driver Mr.Mcfeely.Glad nothing happened. :)

[daytrader]

Driverziggy, You need to do some research. Some states REQUIRE a 48 hour min reqistraion to MOVE fire arm unless it is in transport on a ladden way bill as a new cased fire arm.

Take your gun to New York. Your Foid card is for your state. Your 11 state reg is for those 11 states. The national guard creation has screwed most of our gun rights. There are amendments to admentdments. They have been made. there are over 788 for fire arms and personal wel-fair.

As for keeping a gun in a truck. No law I can find but local (city) and state laws. Some cities even consider a base ball bat a weapon. Its your job as a driver to know the laws of each area you travel to and thru.

[dominopizzadrvr]

Call ahead for directions,if you take a load to Atlanta, don't wait til you get to I-285 to start looking around at how to get to the place,call the day before you get there and it's been said before, don't ask the receptionist either. Most directions have been solved with the advent of the Qualcom,but if you do it old school get a street name and a landmark. When coming off the intertate and they say go left, find out what direction that is (north,south,east,west) sure it was left but the last guy came in from the other way.



Parking, if at all possible avoid everybody else,after all you can't take off your own hood and bumper.


Backing, don't be embarrassed to get out and look or ask for help spotting you,most of the time all you have to do is ask and somebody will help you, even the old guys...