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2006-04-20T04:44:00.000-07:00

Diesel and Gasoline Prices - UmUmUm!

2006-04-20T04:03:00.000-07:00

Diesel and Gasoline Prices:

We know that everyone is aware of the rapidly rising prices of Diesel and Gasoline. This is completely outrageous!!!

All of the big Oil Boys have been claiming huge profit margins. Bragging about how good their profits are, while everyone else suffers. It is absurd that our Government does nothing. This is pure price gouging.

I don't care what the price of a barrel of crude is. The Oil Boys will claim even more profit.

Anyone who drives a car or pick-up, don't feel bad. You get way more miles per gallon on your gasoline and/or diesel, then Big Trucks do!!!

Big Trucks only get maybe 5 to 7.5 miles per gallon of Diesel. Can you imagine pulling up at the pump, and pumping $500 to $600 of Diesel Fuel every day? Our Trucks are all Team Operated Trucks. That means that when one Driver quits Driving for a break, the other Driver takes the wheel. Team Trucks are known to easily double the miles in a day because of having two Drivers.

Solo Driven Trucks usually will burn anywhere from $250 to $300 of Diesel Fuel every day.

Well, a friend of mine has been doing some experimenting with a product that is reportedly producing more miles per gallon of Gasoline in cars. There is a Link to her website on the right side of this blog. You will have to scroll a ways in order to get to it.

The name on the Link: Cut Fuel costs!

We have not tried it yet. We do intend to try it. However, we will experiment with it in our cars and pick-ups first. If everything goes okay, we may decide to try it with our Big Trucks.

Take a look at the Link. We do not make any money endorsing this product. We also do not guarantee the product. But we are willing to share this Link with you. Hopefully, it may save you some dollars in Gasoline.

If you do try it, and it works for you; you may want to spread the word to others.

Do you know the sad part? If all of the Trucking Companies would stick together and shut down for just two days, someone would get the message quick. And something would be done about it. However, we can tell you this: No one sticks together in this industry, and the Government knows this. Therefore, it is sad to say that you will not be able to depend on the Trucking Industry to act on this matter!

One thing is for sure though, if it keeps going like it is; it is going to force more Trucking Companies out of business. That means the price of freight to be moved will go up, the price of everything that we haul will go up, but the wages of the consumer will not compensate for the difference. Eventually, we do anticipate the Citizens of this Country to start raising H-E-L-L!!!

Until then, expect more of the same. Dig deeper in your pockets, if you have not already dug a hole in them!!! We will just Keep on Trucking!

Commercial Drivers License

2006-04-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS!!! You have worked hard, and earned your Commercial Drivers License!

We know that you are very proud of it. Now, the main thing that you MUST do: is protect it.

No matter what you are driving, whether it is your car, motorcycle, pick-up, four wheeler, scooter, or your boat; your CDL is at stake. Any traffic violations will affect your CDL. If you develop a negative Motor Vehicle Driving Record, you may not keep the job you have, you may not get the jobs that you want, or you may not have any Drivers License at all.

Don't come out here on the road and try to act like some rambo. Nobody, but you and your loved ones, care about you having a CDL and Driving a Truck. You are now just another Truck Driver, just like us! But you will be held accountable for everything that we are held accountable for.

Be careful. Drive sensible. Don't try to show-off. Always expect the worse, hope for the best, and thank God that you did.

In other words, when approaching a possible dangerous situation, you should exercise extreme caution. Expect a car or another truck to do the worst thing, and hope that they don't. Then thank God that you used caution.

Remember: it only takes a split second for something bad to happen, but you can never undo it.

Ask questions when you don't know something. But then, use your best judgment to determine if the answer seemed right. If you have any doubts, ask someone else. Take your time, and learn about the profession you are in.

Don't try to tell everyone everything, we have enough of that already. Remember an old saying: an empty wagon makes a lot of noise. Don't be an empty wagon.

You will earn more respect from other Drivers by asking questions, and acting like you are using your (good) common sense.

Drivers that have been out here for thirty years, will quickly tell you that they are still learning things everyday! There is no way that you know everything, and especially, since you are just getting out here!!!

Those same Drivers will tell you: the day that you think you know it all, is the day that you need to quit Driving and go home!

Packin' Up For the Training Truck

2006-04-18T22:42:00.000-07:00

Truck Driving School completion equates to you will probably have put in several Truck Driving Job applications. You should hear from them soon, if you have not already heard from them.

Once you decide which Trucking Company that you are going with, you will probably go for Orientation Class. I spoke of this in an earlier post. Orientation Class will probably last for a week.

Once you are through Orientation Class, you will be assigned to a Truck with a Trainer. You may have to be with that trainer anywhere from two weeks, up until six weeks. This will depend on the trainer reporting to the Trucking Company on your ability to be assigned to your own Truck. I spoke of this in an earlier post also.

Don't be in a great big hurry to get assigned to your own truck. This training period is VERY IMPORTANT!!! You need to learn as much as possible. That trainer can provide you with a lot of good information and experience.

You also need to try to get along with your trainer. Don't make it any harder on yourself than you have to. However, if you see that your trainer and you cannot make it work, then you may have to request another trainer.

I'm sure that if the company has another trainer available, that they may change you to another trainer. However, this can prolong your being with a trainer a little longer.

Like we said, try to make the first one work.

When you are confined to as small an area as the cab of a truck, it can get awfully hard to get along with someone, which is a complete opposite from you, for that length of time.

When you go to the Truck Driving School, you need to pack one weeks worth of clothing. You will probably be assigned to a Truck with a trainer as soon as Orientation Class is completed. Make sure that you keep up with your personal cleanliness, otherwise, your trainer may not want you with them very long.

Now there has been cases where the trainer did not keep up their personal cleanliness. If that is the case, you definitely need to be switched to another trainer, as quickly as possible.

Smoking cigerettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, or any other form of tobacco, may be alright once you are in your own truck. But as long as you are with your trainer, you will have to abide by their desires if they don't want you to smoke or chew tobacco.

As we said, take at least one week of clothing and personal items: such as, toothbrush, toothpaste, deoderant, razors, shampoo, cream rinse, hair dryer, comb or brush, and anything else that you may need depending on your gender.

However, please remember that you don't have a whole lot of room, so refrain from taking too much.

Make sure that the clothes that you take are clean and decent. Most of all, make sure that the clothes are comfortable. Don't take clothes that you cannot afford to get damaged. There is one thing that you need to learn right now, you may end up getting grease on them.

Your appearance is important because you have to deal with a lot of people: your trucking company, other drivers, shippers, receivers, and any other people that you cross paths with. Remember that you are out there representing your Trucking company.

If you are a female student, you may have to wait for a female trainer to become available. If you want to get moving quickly, you could possibly request to go quicker, even if it is with a make trainer. However, there are obvious problems that could develop. So give this a lot of thought.

Congratulations upon your graduation from Truck Driving School!!!

Commercial Drivers License Endorsements

2006-04-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

Commercial Drivers License is on the way now!

Once you complete the course of the Truck Driving School, they will probably take you (in a Truck) to take your tests required for a Commercial Drivers License.

You will first take your written exams. While doing so, you will have the option to take the written test for a Hazardous Materials Endorsement. It will probably cost you a little more money for that test. It will not be required, but you may want to take that test also.

Once you get into Trucking, you may determine that is not something that you want to do.

There has been some recent changes in the laws regarding HazMat. We used to carry that endorsement, but discontinued it due to the changes.

We will let you determine that.

There will be a written test for the Doubles and Triples Endorsement. That means that you would be qualified to pull two or three trailers, instead of one. There will also be a written test for the Tanker Endorsement. Since you do not know what you may want to do in the future, we suggest taking the test for Doubles and Triples, and also, for Tanker.

You take the written test for Doubles and Triples, and also Tanker, one time. Once you have those endorsements, you will not be tested for them again. Those endorsements will automatically be on your license, whenever you renew them.

HazMat requires that you get re-tested every two years. Therefore, halfway through the four year License, you will be required to go back for re-testing in two years.

You may wonder why take the test for Tanker, if you don't take the HazMat test. Well, some Tankers haul: milk, orange juice, and other non-HazMat loads.

Just because you take the HazMat test, does not mean that you will always carry things that are deadly. No, even things like lipstick may require HazMat. But if you go to work for a company with a HazMat Endorsement, don't be shocked by anything that they require you to haul. It could be anything from lipstick, to something that is Deadly Poison.

If you don't have HazMat, the Trucking Company cannot demand you to haul anything HazMat. That would be illegal. Some companies require HazMat, but there are many companies that do not.

After you have successfully passed your written tests, there will be an Examiner to take you out on your Road Test. They merely want to see that you can basicly handle the truck.

First, you will be asked to go through a Pre-Trip Inspection. Next, they will get in the truck for you to be tested on your road skills. When you get in the truck, put your seastbelt on (and make sure that the Tester does also), use your turn signals, drive with both hands on the wheel, and make sure that you check your mirrors before making any lane changes or turns. When you get back to the testing location, they will ask you to demonstrate that you can back up into a parking spot.

When you go for testing, if you want a Motor Cycle or Boating Endorsement, make sure that you tell them. This will save you from having to add them later. A Commercial Drivers License costs more than a regular License, and you don't want to have to keep adding Endorsements that you should have gotten at the time you actually applied for your Commercial Drivers License.

Safe Trucking

2006-04-17T16:20:00.000-07:00

Safe Trucking is absolutely essential!

No matter what anyone tells you, Driver Safety is your main objective!!!

Once you have obtained your Commercial Drivers License and gotten a job as a Truck Driver, you will be the sole person responsible for the safe movement of that Truck.

Just imagine, you are weighing approximately 32,000 pounds empty and 80,000 pounds loaded. That is a lot of weight!!!

Believe us, it will not be easy to stop that truck on short notice. It doesn't matter how good your brakes are or how good your reflexes are, there will come a time when you will have to stop that truck on quick notice. You will then understand how crucial it is to be at your very best.

If you are sleepy or sick, it will affect your ability to re-act as quickly as you would if you were at your very best.

You know more about your state of being better than anyone else. Do not let anyone apply so much pressure upon you that you do something stupid!

For example, you are told that this load must deliver at 4:30 A.M. You know that you are sleepy, but you listen to the demand for the load to be delivered. You continue to drive. Now there is an accident. God forbid, you end up killing someone.

You will never be able to bring that person back. You will never be able to replace the loss that the persons' loved ones must face.

It will probably affect you the rest of your life. After something like that, you probably will never want to drive again.

Furthermore, you are personally liable for things that happen while driving your Truck. You do assume liability for negligent acts on your part. Everything that you own could be at stake, as well as, your future earnings. You could also be charged Criminally for acts that are negligent.

You know what you should have done, but you tried to please someone else. That person probably goes home from work every night while you are driving throughout the night. If that person is sick, he calls in to take the day off; you try to doctor on yourself while driving a Truck down the road, at 70 miles per hour, that weighs 80,000 pounds.

If you are sick, you may need to get medical care at a medical facility. If you know that you are sleepy, stop and take a NAP!!! If they need that load at 4:30 A.M., then at 7:30 A.M., they will need it even more.

If it means that you lose your job, so what. You can get another Job Driving a Truck before you have time to take your belongings out of the other Truck.

Stay safe, and you will be able to: KEEP ON TRUCKIN'!!!

Local Hauling vs. Long Haul Trucking

2006-04-17T13:49:00.000-07:00

Trucking will give you a whole lot of choices to make. We will try to give you as much info as possible. When you cross paths with something that may not have been discussed here, then you will have to play it by ear. In other words, some things you will have to experience on your own.

Have It Your Way, or So You Think . . .

One of the first decisions that you will make is: whether to haul locally or to be a long haul trucker, also referred to as an: Over The Road Driver.

If you decide that you would like to haul locally, you can expect long hours and not as much pay. Local hauling companies realize that you want to be home more often, and they will make you work hard, for less money.

If you have a family at home that needs your presence on a regular basis, this may be your best option. If you are not willing to give up a major portion of your life, then this will be your only option.

If you decide that you would like to drive over the road, you may be gone anywhere from a week, up to six months. You are paid considerably more, but you definitely deserve it for having dedicated your life to being away from home and your loved ones.

This will be your decision. Think about what you are willing to give up: Home Time vs. Money.

Now, being home every night doesn't mean 9 to 5 hours. It usually means, long-hard hours.

When we drove locally, we would leave the house by 3:00 - 4:00 A.M., and get home by 10:00 - 11:00 P.M.

Now, we drive: Over The Road. The longest we have been out was two weeks, and that was our choice. Some companies don't let you make that choice.

A trend that we have noticed over the last few years, has been to get Drivers home more often in an attempt to retain Drivers. There has been such a high turn-over rate of drivers, that more Trucking Companies are trying to cater more to the desires of the Drivers.

If you are prepared to go further, let's talk about Truck Driving Schools!

2006-04-16T12:57:00.000-07:00

Trucking may be an option for you.

If we have not completely scared you to death, then you may want to go a step further. Do some research in your local area about different Truck Driving Schools. Make sure that you ask them as many questions as possible.

We are going to include a few questions for you, make sure that you add any other questions that you would like to ask.

1.) Give them your age, and see if your age fits within the guidelines to obtain a Commercial Drivers License.

2.) Inform them of your health status. (If you have "some" health problems, you may not qualify for a Commercial Drivers License.)

3.) Ask them if these particular health problems would prevent you from obtaining a Commercial Drivers License.

4.) Inform them of your current Motor Vehicle Driving Record. You can obtain this from the Motor Vehicle Records in your state.

5.) Ask them if this record would be any problem for you to get into their Truck Driving School, to obtain your Commercial Drivers Livense, or to get a good job with a Trucking Company. (If you have an unacceptable Driving Record, you will have problems getting into the Truck Driving School, getting your Commercial Drivers License, and getting a good job with a Trucking Company.)

6.) Ask them how long their course is.

The minimum should be two weeks. However, we can tell you from experience, that even two weeks is not long enough. There is so much to learn about trucking. However, the school that we went to was two weeks.

When we came out of there, and actually went to work at a Trucking Company, we really began to realize how much we did not know. We really didn't know much of anything. That was when our real education into Trucking began!

7.) Ask them how much "actual driving time" you will get.

It would be nice to get at least one hour actual driving time per day, as the minimum.

8.) Ask them if they will teach the current Logging Regulations, as put forth by the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration.

9.) Ask them if they teach Map Navigation.

There are so many Drivers (mostly newer ones, some older ones) that apparently cannot read a map. Either that, or they don't own one. It is nice to know where you are going, and how to get there. It gets tiresome with so many Drivers asking for directions. However, there will be times when you need local information for getting to your actual delivery point. By all means, do not hesitate to ask for local info on the C.B. Radio. Usually, someone will respond rather quickly.

When you do ask, try to have the actual address available to tell them where you have to get to. Try to have a pen and paper ready to write directions. Read them back to the person whom responded to you.

Another good idea, it would be nice for you to call the place that you have to deliver to, and get the directions from them.

But any decent school should teach Map Navigation for general routes, to get from Point A to Point B.

10.)Ask them if you have trouble passing your written exam or driving test for your Commercial Drivers License, if they will further assist you in becoming qualified.

Some students go through the school, then cannot pass the written test, the road test, or both. So now what do you do? They must guarantee they will be able to get a Commercial Drivers License in your hands. Otherwise, you better look for another school.

11.)Ask them if they actually assist you in getting your Commercial Drivers License as part of their curriculum.

You will have to drive a truck with an actual "Tester" from the state testing facility where you obtain your Commercial Drivers License.

12.)Ask them for their License to see if they are a "qualified" Truck Driving School.

13.)Ask them for the total amount of tuition.

14.)Ask them if there any other charges that you need to be made aware of.

15.)Ask if they provide tuition financing.

Please Note: Don't let them sell you on a Trucking Company will pay your tuition back program! If this is the only way that you want to get your money back, you may be in for a big let-down. Unless, you stay with that Trucking Company for a pre-determined amount of time, you may not get all of your tuition back.

Although you may get a job with a Trucking Company that offers to re-pay your tuition, you may decide that you don't want to stay with that company. You will not be the first person that has done that. But once you leave, you will not get the rest of your tuition back. The next company that you hire on with, will probably not even consider re-payment of tuition.

16.)Ask if they assist students with job placement upon graduation.

17.)Ask if they guarantee job placement.

If they don't guarantee job placement, that means that you will be responsible for doing this on your own. We will post, in a later post, about how to locate Truck Driving Jobs. It is not hard, but you must put forth a little effort.

18.)If the Truck Driving School is located very far from where you live, you need to also ask: if the Truck Driving School has living facilities. If they don't, then may be required to stay in a motel.

This will give you a start. As we said earlier, add any questions that you can think of to ensure that you feel comfortable with your decision of which Truck Driving School you will attend.

Now, if you look in some of the Trucking Publications or Trucking Company Advertisements, you will see that some companies will actual train you on the job. Since we did not go that direction when we started, we will not be able to offer you much advise there.

Let's go Trucking!

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday

2006-04-15T19:41:00.000-07:00

Trucking does not stop, but there will be no post tomorrow in respect for our Lord. We Pray that each of you will have safe and happy Easter.

If you are traveling, please be careful. There will be many accidents that will happen. We Pray that our words may remind you of how dangerous the roads can be.

We also want to let those who are thinking of becoming a Truck Driver, or if some of you are already Truck Drivers, that there will be many Trucks still out on the road.

No matter what holiday it is, there will be Trucks on the road. The job goes on. Someone has to do it. For if the day comes that all trucks were to stop, some one some place will be in desperate need for something that was supposed to have been delivered.

We will leave out tomorrow afternoon. We'll be heading for Tulsa, OK. We actually live in Alabama. Our load must be delivered sometime Monday.

God Bless all of you! Keep On Trucking!

Trucking, A Very Touching Video! - Part 2

2006-04-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

Trucking could make you regret the day that you got involved with Trucks!

A Truck Driver slowly came out of anesthesia. The Driver was not fully comprehending what was going on, where he was at, or what had happened. He merely realized that he was in a hospital room. What dumb-founded him, the nurse that came into his room, looked at him as if he were a piece of no good dirt. He could not figure out why she was treating him like that.

As he laid there, he tried to think of the last thing he was doing prior to waking up in the hospital. He knew that he drove a Truck . . . Oh NO!!! There must have been an accident. Then he thought about the little blond-haired, brown-eyed boy. He started to panic.

About that time, another nurse came in.

He looked at her. She asked him, do you know what happened. He told her that he wasn't really sure. He told her about how the other nurse looked at him. This nurse quickly apologized for her behavior.

There was an accident. You hit a car from behind. There was a woman and her child in the car. The little boy . . . was killed!

It felt like a knife had just stabbed him through his heart. He broke into tears. I'm so sorry, I tried everything that I could do. I did the best that I could do, but that wasn't good enough. How is his mother?

She is alive, said the nurse. But she is awfully upset right now. They have her heavily sedated.

Every year after that, the Truck Driver went to the cemetary where the little boy was buried. Every year he would always take flowers and a big bunch of baloons.

The Truck Driver quit driving. He could never face the thought of killing anyone else. The accident affected him the rest of his life.

Years later, he went to the cemetary, just as he did every year. This time he noticed a woman standing off at a distance, watching him. She slowly walked over to him. He broke down as he told her of this horrible accident that happened years ago.

The lady just listened, as this broken man cried to her, as he told about the awful accident.

Then the lady laid her hand on his shoulder. She told him that she knew all about the accident. She told him that the boy was her son.

The Driver told her how sorry he was, and that the`accident ended his career. He told her that he could no longer stand the thought of possibly killing anyone else. He told her that every year, since the accident, he always comes here with flowers and baloons.

The lady told him, I know, I have watched you every year. I am the boys mother.

Can you even begin to imagine how that Truck Driver felt? How do you think you would feel if you had killed the little boy?

Whether you drive a truck or not, this story should make you think about being a little more careful the next time that you get in any vehicle to drive. It only takes a split second for something so horrible to happen, just as this accident happened.

Remember this one thing, once something likes this happens, there is no undoing it ( and probably no more Truck Driver) !

Trucking, A Very Touching Video! - Part 1

2006-04-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

Trucking video Part 1:

When we graduated from a Truck Driving School, we put in Truck Driver applications with several different Trucking Companies. We finally decided upon the company which we would embark our first Truck Driver Job.

They sent us a bus ticket, and we left for the next Orientation Class which was scheduled. This was going to be a full week of Orientation Classes.

They had classes for learning more about Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Regulations, that particular Trucking Companies policies, safety class, Driver Qualification Road Test, physical exams, drug tests, and etc.

In the safety class, they would ususally show one video every day. There was one video that continues to re-play in our mind.

This well-experienced Truck Driver was driving his Truck down the road. He saw a car approaching from behind. The car passed him, and came back over safely in front of him.

The driver of the car was a woman. She had a little boy in the back seat. When she came back over in front of him, the little boy looked up at the Truck Driver and waved.

It seemed as if the little boy smiled at him with his whole body. The little boy was a cute little fellow. He had blond hair and large brown eyes.

The Truck Driver smiled, and waved back at the boy.

Further down the road, an on-coming school bus (loaded with children) was about to have a head-on collision with the car that had passed him. The lady in the car just locked it up, and came to a complete stop right in front of the Truck Driver.

Well, the school bus managed to recuperate from the head-on collision, but the lady was very shook-up. There were also three little children playing along the right side of the road. They didn't even seem to notice what was going on.

Now, you have to realize that all of this happened in a split moment, with no warning.

The Truck Driver had only three choices: the bus loaded full of children, the three innocent little children playing along the right side of the road, or the lady in the car, with the blond-haired, big brown-eyed little boy, that had just waved at him.

What a decision to have to make! Think for a moment about what you might would have done.

Truck Drivers have to make split-second decisions that may involve a whole lot more, thsn you think.

Is the truck loaded with some kind of Hazardous Material, that could virtually kill people within so many miles, maybe with a load of cows (or some other animal), possibly loaded with some type of heavy equipment, steel, lumber, logs, or Heaven only knows what else!

This was only part of the story portrayed in the video. We'll post the rest of it a little later today.

Just remember, that a Truck Driver may have to make a life and death decision at any moment, without any notice. This is a decision that you will either live or die by. This is a decision that you must make instantly, but it will affect your life (and the lives of many other people) for the rest of their life!

(continued: Part 2 - Trucking video)

Trucks From The Childs' Eye

2006-04-14T09:54:00.000-07:00

Trucks draw the attention of young and old, but especially, the attention of children! Every Truck Driver seems to thrive on a child requesting them to blow their horn!

That one bit of glory provided to us through the innocent eyes of a child, made us go out and even buy a Train Horn to blow for the children!!! It thrills us to no end to blow the horn and watch the child's face lite up for that brief moment as our lives crossed paths.

We have seen real young children raise their heads to look at the Truck as we drove by. But it's not just the little kids, no, there are also a lot of big kids that want to hear that sound, also.

When someone asks a Truck Driver to blow his horn, that Driver usually tells the other Drivers on the C.B. Radio to get ready to: BLOW YOUR HORN!!!

Just to let everyone know: it probably thrills us even more than it does the one requesting us to blow the horn in our trucks!

Truckers' Confession

2006-04-13T18:59:00.000-07:00

Trucking has a whole lot of problems! Before someone gets the wrong impression, we are not anti-government!

Our forefathers came together to create a more peaceful society. We agreed to become a Sovereign Nation. We chose to elect Officials that would make laws and keep laws enforced. Without laws to govern our society, it would be a complete nightmare.

There are many good laws, and there are many good laws to be created in order to better represent the desires of our Citizens. However, there are many laws that need to be either removed from the books, or revised to make them appropriate to enable a safer environment for all.

Many times we have been in a Truck Stop parking lot. Some "supposed to be" Truck Driver has came through the parking lot entirely too fast. At any time, a child, an elderly person, a handicapped person, another unsuspecting Truck Driver, or a pet may walk out from beyond the Truck Drivers' field of vision. If he is going too fast, there is no way that he can stop. We often wonder how he would feel if he ended up killing some innocent victim. We Pray that never happens!

This should be stopped at all costs! (And not just in Truck Stops, but in Cities, too.)

It seems that the slowest trucks out on the road tend to drive the fastest in cities or parking lots, when he should be driving slow.

Believe me, there are a whole lot of Truck Drivers that should not even be allowed behind the steering wheel of a Truck.

Every person that exists has someone that cares about them. They don't want to see some irresponsible idiot kill or mame their loved one.

Always, exercise extreme caution and safety!

When you see any apparent danger, slow down, be cautious, stop, or whatever is neccessary in order to prevent an accident that was completely unneccessary (whether it is in your car or your Truck)!

All Federally Funded Roadways Are TOLL ROADS For Trucks!

2006-04-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

Trucks pay a whole lot more taxes than you think!

Every Heavy Duty Commercial Motor Vehicle that you see on the road, must pay $550.00 per year, prior to being able to buy our Tag. This is called: Federal Highway Use Tax.

That's right - we pay to drive on the Highways!

However, in many areas of this Country, they now have restricted lanes, which Trucks are not allowed to drive in. We pay to use the Highways, but are not entitled to use certain lanes. But those whom do not pay the Highway Use Tax, can use any lane that they want to.

Now I can understand some reasoning for this. I'm not completely ignorant!

Some Trucks, just like cars, don't know when to get over once they have passed another vehicle. There used to be signs all across this Country that read: Slower Traffic Use Right Lane, and that Law was enforced.

At one time, most Trucks were slow. Now, however, many trucks will out-run a car or pick-up. Therefore, the Law Makers cannot use that as the reasoning behind that Law.

We have what is called a Flatbed Trailer. Many times we haul what is considered an "Over-Size Load."

When we drive through a Restricted Lane area, usually, they restrict the Trucks to the right lane. Whoever, came up with that Law must always get out of bed on the Wrong-Side!

Picture this: you are driving your Big Truck down the road with an "Over-Width Load." You are restricted to stay in the right lane, or the two furthest right lanes. Now you are approaching the entrance ramp at an exit. (That is the side where traffic is "SUPPOSED" to Merge in with the already existing highway traffic, but they are to Yield the Right-of-Way.)

Your load extends past the "normal" width of a Truck. You have signs, flags, and lights indicating caution. Here comes some driver that is not paying attention, not merging into traffic, and certainly, not yielding the Right-of-Way to the existing highway traffic.

You, as the Driver of the Truck, are restricted to the right lane. You cannot, legally, move over. But the oncoming motorist does not seem to be prepared to deal with the apparent danger that exists with you being Over-Width.

Now what do you do? Do you try to hold your lane because it is the legally right thing to do? Or do you illegally move into the other lane?

Even if you are restricted to the two right lanes, when you are pulling an Over-Width Load, it is even more dangerous to move into the second lane. Now you have danger on both sides of the Truck.

If the Law Makers want to restrict the Trucks to certain lanes in certain areas, then they need to restrict us to the left lane, or two left lanes. Even going another step, they ought to allow for us to "legally" use any lane when there is an apparent danger looming upon us.

You will have many choices to make, that will possibly involve Life and Death, while driving your Truck.

Where O Where Do I Park This Thing called a Truck?

2006-04-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

Truck = Something big and hard to find a parking place for!

Federal Regulations? Trucking is HIGHLY regulated by the Federal Government, State Government, and many other Governmental Agencies. They have regulations telling us how many hours that we are to spend in the sleeper of our Truck. They claim that we are not safe to drive if we do not get their regulated hours in the sleeper birth. And we must spend those hours in the sleeper, whether sleeping or not.

Now the next question that a Truck Driver will be confronted with is: where are we going to be at when that regulated sleeper birth time comes? Will there be a place to park before we run out of time? Is it even a safe place to park when we finally find a place to park this Truck?

You know what amazes us? AN EXAMPLE: A waitress stays up half the night. Then she goes to work. Then she has to work a double-shift. Then she gets in a car and drives home (or where ever). Her hours of being in a sleeper birth are not regulated. She can get in the car, and is considered legally eligible to drive.

Now the problem comes to our mind: she is not even a "Professional Driver!" She may drive 10 - 12,000 miles per year. Truck Drivers drive 10 - 12,000 milles per month. Our experience in Driving ought to enable us to determine how many hours that our bodies require us to spend in the sleeper birth.

Now we're merely using waitresses in our example. Every person that gets behind the steering wheel of a motorized vehicle can cause just as much trouble as anyone else on the road that has not had enough sleep.

There have been times when the driver of a car or a pick-up has hit another vehicle because they fell asleep at the wheel.

As a matter of fact, a couple of months ago, we were going Eastbound on I-10 in Florida at about 9 or 10 o'clock at night. We were moving, at least as much as the maximum speed limit, for the area was that this incident happened in.

We were driving along, and all of a sudden - wham!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We were not sure exactly what happened. Then when we looked in our mirrors, we could see that a vehicle was pulling off on the shoulder of the road.

When we pulled over, we got out, and walked back towards that vehicle. The driver walked up to meet us. He apologized, and said that he had just went to sleep! He was driving a pick-up.

It is kind of ironic that someone whom is not regulated by the Government to sleep a certain amount of hours in order to drive, hits us, whom are regulated to spend so many hours sleeping.

Some things just don't make sense to us. We just don't quite get it.

Now another problem: certain jurisdictions of this Country have laws that say that we cannot idle our Trucks. We are required by Federal Regulations to be in the sleeper birth after so many hour of being on-duty, whether it is Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall. At a certain time of the year, it is COLD! At another certain time of the year, it is HOT!

However, if we are required to spend time in the sleeper, we ought to be entitled to have the warmth of the heater, when it is COLD! And we ought to be entitled to have the coolness of the air conditioner, when it is HOT!

Even animals have laws that protect them from being left in an unheated vehicle, when it is COLD! And animals have laws that protect them from being left in an uncooled vehicle, when it is HOT! Are we not considered to be greater than an animal?

According to our Bible it states: man was given dominion over every animal. But yet and all, the animal is protected by those who put inhumane regulations against us - Truck Drivers.

So you want to be a Truck Driver? You may want to think this thing through again! At least keep up with this Blog before you jump off the deep end!!!

Until the next time the Truck stops . . . !

Good vs. Bad Side of Trucking

2006-04-13T00:18:00.000-07:00

Truck Driving has many problems associated with it. As we told you in our last post, we are going to tell you about some of the problems. So, here goes . . .

Oh yeah, you can make a lot of money, you can see a lot of places, and you can always get a job Driving Trucks!

However, the money that you make is Hard-Earned Money. It is also taxed. And the tax rate is usually high because of the amount of money you earn will probably put you in a higher tax bracket. Which if you are making a pretty good income, what's wrong with paying the taxes due on it? After all, we know that you are a good Citizen of the USA, and you know that it takes money to run this great big ole' Country. Of course, there is also nothing wrong with taking advantage of every Tax Law that is provided for your benefit, if you can find out about the tax advantage.

Yeah, you can see a lot of places, but you will hardly have time to stop to see very many of the Tourists' Sites that you will pass by. You normally, just won't have the time to stop driving your "Big Truck." If you do have time to stop, you will probably have a hard time trying to find a place to park your Truck that would be anywhere near where you want to go.

Yes, you can always get a job Driving a Truck, but sometimes a Trucking Company will promise you the World on a Platter. Instead, that platter has a great big hole in it, and usually those promises won't stay on the platter that they were given to you on!

When you jump from one Trucking Company to the next, you will also create a bad employment history. So if you start out with one Trucking Company, try to be very careful about whom to be employed by. Ask a lot of questions. Get the best deal that you can get.

In one of our next posts, we will offer you some questions to consider asking your prospective Trucking Company Employer.

We would also like to point out, there are a whole lot more problems with the Trucking Industry. Later today, we'll post some more problems associated with the career of Truck Driving. Until then, it's 02:38 A.M., and we got to KEEP ON TRUCKING'!!!

So You want to be a Truck Driver!

2006-04-12T10:33:00.000-07:00

Truck Driver! Is that what you want to be? Well, you are going to be in for the Ride of Your Life!!! Let us see if we can provide you with the knowledge that you will need in order to be successful in your new career.

Take a look at almost any Classified Ads. Truck Driver Jobs predominate the available job listings. Yes, there are a lot of jobs available.

Have you ever wondered why? The job description of Truck Driver never really explains much about the actual job. Mainly the ads speak of the amount of money that you can make, without any further details.

You can read any book about Truck Driving, read any ad from a Trucking Driving School or a Trucking Company. They will tell you about the glorious job of being a Truck Driver; how easy it is to become a Truck Driver, how much money you can make, all of the places that you can see, and how often they will get you home.

Do they ever tell you about the negative side of Trucking? No, because if they did, few people would ever try to enter the field of Truck Driving. It would probably make it very hard to recruit any Truck Driving Students to the Truck Driving School, or any Truck Drivers to apply for the job description of being a Truck Driver for that Trucking Company.

It really takes a Truck Driver to tell you about the world of being a Truck Driver.

We are Truck Drivers, and we own a Trucking Company. No, we are not here to recruit any Truck Drivers. We have created this Blog in order to make the prospective Truck Driver aware of what it is that he is about to get involved with.

With that information, you can be better prepared to endure the transition into becoming a Truck Driver, or to leave it alone and try to get into some other profession.

In our next posting, we will point out some of the bad points and some of the good points involving the job description of: Truck Driver.