Well I have been wanting to do this for some time now and I have a lap top to do so now. This is my little segment on where my job takes me. I will also be open for questions about trucks and the trucking industry so feel free to ask anything you want. I have been driving truck for about 2 and a half years now and have been Over The Road (OTR) For about a year and half now. I have driven for Swift, Werner, and Now JB Hunt. I also owned my own truck for about 4 months of the time and have a broad base in the trucking industry and a good knowlege of how it works now. I just got done with a load from Denver to Des Moines Iowa and it was for the United States Postal Service. The Trip took about 11 driving hours and covered 4 States, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa. I picked up the load three days ago and spent two days at home. I traveled I-70 To home then On to Colby Kansas where i got onto US-24 then to US 83 to KS 383. I then got onto US-183 where I took it to I-80 to Des Moines. After the Drive that took all night I will spend the next ten hours here at the Flying J truck stop at exit 125 on I-35/80 where I will Sleep and await my next load assignement, at this time i still dont know where i will be going. Most likely I will be headed on east as they have been running me on the east coast and down south most of the times I have been out with this company. A little info about my truck, Its a Freightliner Century Class with a 14 liter 430 Hp Detroit 60 Serious which makes about 1800 fl/lbs of torque. Transmission is a 10 speed Eaton Fuller which shifts much like a 5 speed but has a switch were i have to go through those five gears twice. reverse is twards me and foward instead of like a car where its away and back. The Truck and trailer messure about 70 ft in length and a hight of 13'6". Empty weight is about 35,000 lbs with a weight limit of 80,000 lbs fully loaded. Fuel Cap is at 200 Gallons in two 100 gallon tanks, Fuel milage is between 5.5 Mpg and 8.5 depending on load and route. A small note is that JB Hunt has the Speed of the Trucks Governed at between 62 and 67 mph and owner operators can do up to 74 mph, my truck can go 64 and if i get a good roll on a hill it will go as fast as I dare 90 mph is about the fastest I have ever pushed a truck myself and its to fast so I preferr the speed in which state I am in with the Exception of a few which seem to be stuck on 55 mph for trucks.
On another note i so far have dodged two major Hurricanes and ran head long into a tropical storm. I got lucky durring Katrina last year as i ran from Las Angles to Baton Rouge Then got a run from Baton Rouge to Lakeland Florida that week. I was rerouted to Jacksonville when Katrina hit and i just caught the outer bands from it when i got into Florida. I went along I 10 just a day before it hit and had been in all the cities that had been hit. So far I havent returned to see what it looks like now. The Second storm I ran from was Rita and i was in Houston when they started the evacuation out of there. It took me 11 hours the first day just to get 20 miles. and the second day it took 8 hours to get the rest of the way to Dallas. Needless the next day I lost my job with Werner and lost my truck as I had lost my nerve and temper and drove my truck through a gate at one of there customers however there guard was on a power trip that day and seemed to have targeted me for some oddball reason. Drivers dont get treated well at some places. Just this year I had a run to Wellmington NC and it was to arrive Sep 1 at midnight. Needless to say sams club had to wait 12 hours before I could get into town as the way in was flooded. I made it within 15 miles of the sams club there and had to turn around, the wind wasnt that bad but the flooding was. well I am headed in for some breakfast will be back later Well If any one has any questions feel free to ask I am very willing to share what i have been through
------------------ Don Pottorff www.vmf323.com Maroon 88 GT Red 88 2M4 Silver 86 2M4 Red 85 GT 1:18 Scale
Well it looks like I will be headed to Maryland next as i was saying they like to run me on the east coast alot in this company. Most of our west coast freight is brought out on rail anways. all I can say is I dont miss running into Las Angles. Its just that sometimes that I have been there it has taken me about 9 hours to get across it. I can litterly go through a pack of smokes just driving across L A. However there were times I have been there that it was like i was the only one there but that was rare. I would have to say my favorite place to run is down south in the southern states.
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03:17 PM
kwagner Member
Posts: 4257 From: Pittsburgh, PA Registered: Apr 2005
Thanks for the look into a different perspective. When I was a kid I thought it would be cool to be a trucker Now that I'm older I know I couldn't handle the job. I am glad there are those that can, without them our economy would grind to a halt pretty quick.
Someone once told me that Trucking isnt just a job, Its a life style. It is hard to live this life as I am away from home from two weeks to a month at a time and i only get a few days at home. You are right the nations economy rolls on 18 wheels. When the economy takes a turn we are the first to see it as freight slows down. We are in such a time now where the economy is slowing down as we do alot of sitting around. A month before Christmas things should pick up again and wont cool down till Feb. I personaly have been doing about 10,000 miles a month which isnt bad but i have seen as many as 16,000 miles in a month, however it does have alot to do with the company I am driving for now as well. Pay is by the mile as I make about .37 cents a mile and this company pays as high as .45 cents a mile and on a good day i can drive about 600 miles
We are alloud to drive 11 hours in a 14 hour time frame then we have to do a 10 hour break after that ten hours is up. I personaly like to take a little more then the ten hours break so I can get a few other things done. Living in the truck isnt that bad now that they have started making the cab and sleeper larger, this truck i drive the sleeper and cab are one piece and i can stand in here unlike older trucks. This truck is more like a RV then anything. The only thing i dont like is that I dont get to see the Tourist attractions along the way. Trucks are not alloud in alot of places and sometimes I wouldnt want to drive one there anyway. Low overpasses tight places and other things are a major obstical that we face. however we have a map that tells us where all those places are and know how to avoid them, however there are a few drivers that should never have been alloud to drive a truck as they cant even read the map. Driving a truck can be as easy or as hard as the driver chooses to make it for him or herself. I however dont wish to say I am a better driver then others as i have had my mistakes and even resent ones. Just a few months ago i was in Texas and had got lost. I ended up pulling into a gas station and got directions there. However when i went to leave my trailer caught a Ford Pickup and tore it up preatty bad. Lucky no one was in it but I didnt even feel it when i caught it. I had found out about it later when I was unloading at the reciver there. Its a job one cant be to carefull at and things will still happin. One thing that gets my attention is howmany accedents there are in this country, I heard a figure that 40,000 people loose there lives on the highways every year here in the US and I wish it wasnt so. I have seen some bad wrecks myself, one in Chicago that had 5 fatalities and it could have been prevented if everyone would have slowed down before they got into the construction zone there on I-80. What got me was I hade just been there a few hours before the wreck happined and on my return I found that bad wreck and had seen things that i didnt want to see. Alot of wrecks are caused by people just following to close to eachother. With the big truck I try to maintain a 6 to 7 second following distance which at 60 mph is roughly a quarter of a mile cars should follow at about 4 seconds. Of course I went through the Smith System Defencive driving course and have learned to drive more carefully, I just wish that system was taught at high schools.
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06:28 PM
Scott-Wa Member
Posts: 5392 From: Tacoma, WA, USA Registered: Mar 2002
With the big truck I try to maintain a 6 to 7 second following distance which at 60 mph is roughly a quarter of a mile cars should follow at about 4 seconds. Of course I went through the Smith System Defencive driving course and have learned to drive more carefully, I just wish that system was taught at high schools.
Trucking is a tough job, dealing with all the idiots on the road and making sure your not one of them...
BTW... try your math again... 60mph is a mile a minute, so a 1/4 mile following distance would be 15 seconds. 6 to 7 seconds is a lot of room at a bit under an 1/8th mile. Most car recommendations I've seen are for 3 seconds following distance, around here it would be really difficult to get anywhere near your 6-7 seconds, traffic would just constantly fill in as they went around you and used that big hole to drive even more like idiots.
Your right it is hard to maintain that following distance. Its a point that we disscuss with the company alot but they seem to think that this is a perfect world and that the system works. when a wreck happens they always find way at these companys to pin blame on the driver even when he has been resoulved of all blame by law. Most accedents that trucks get into though are backing into fixed objects. Backing is the single most cause of accedents in the industry. there is so much that a driver has to watch when backing and when we have to turn to back in it creates a large blind spot that we cant see, Just because we have larger mirrors dosnt mean that we can see better. I almost ran over a car that was next to me on the left side and its because she was in my blindspot, which by the way is next to the drive wheels on the left side of the truck. My dad hit a car that was in front of him and he couldnt see her. there is a large blind spot infront of the grill that most people dont know about that you can litterly fit a car into right in front of a truck. He said that when he felt the car hit his front bumper that he thought it was a rear end slipping and he stepped on the trottle he ended up pushing that car for some distance before he knew she was there. Lucky for her it didnt damage her car much but she never did make an attempt to stop after the fact, maby she thought my dad was trying to run her off the road and was unaware he couldnt see her.
Well after going to Webster City Iowa to load last night and taking a good nap early this morning i got back on the road and have gone thru Illinois, I am sitting at the Pilot on exit 22 on I 80 in Indiana and will be headed east some more tonight. I think i will be shutting down at one of the service plazas in Ohio if i decide to drive that far tonight. Atleast the Chicago area wasnt bad today, normaly it takes half the day to get past it. Its where i saw the worst wreck that i have ever seen and it was about a year and a half ago there were the big hole is for those who live there, Its a big open pit mine that is next to I 80 just south of Chicago. Well I have to make this one short as I need to get back on the road and get some miles done tonight.
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08:54 PM
88 Formula Member
Posts: 608 From: Baden, PA USA Registered: Aug 2003
Interesting blog's so far. We drivers see things that are not noticed by the 4-wheel'ers in there rush to get somewhere. I've been out there for 8 years sofar. On the way to Mass. for a Monday delivery.
Just a few months ago i was in Texas and had got lost. I ended up pulling into a gas station and got directions there.
I got the Microsoft streets and trips, comes with the GPS unit and runs throught your laptop, I found it invaluable for finding out of the way spots. It also updates for construction, and you dont have to be online to use it. I got mine for 99 bucks, but I have heard rumors of it being out there for alot less at times.
Nice thread.
Brad
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03:44 AM
1fastcaddy Member
Posts: 618 From: Hays, Kansas Registered: Oct 2004
My dad has been driving for 25 years and is/was an otr driver. He used to work for M Brenger sp? then SMX now PAUL trans out of Ok city. I rode with him from soon after birth to kindergarten and summers after that. I can sleep through everything and in any condition because of it. Kinda good and bad deal. later
------------------ 1985 GT Fastback ;) Low Original Miles at 39,006!!!
I got the Microsoft streets and trips, comes with the GPS unit and runs throught your laptop, I found it invaluable for finding out of the way spots. It also updates for construction, and you dont have to be online to use it. I got mine for 99 bucks, but I have heard rumors of it being out there for alot less at times.
Nice thread.
Brad
The company is using Maptuit which is designed more for trucks in mind. The problem with most programs are that they dont take in factor of Low over passes truck routes and other things. What makes that worse is I have the Hazardus materials endoursment on my cdl and I have to know the routes that i can use for that as well. In a perfect world everything would have signs that say before we get there if we could use that road or not, I heard of a Driver getting a 13,000 dollar fine in PA for using the wrong road and his situation was like mine where he was lost. I normally dont get lost however there are alot of times I sure feel like it.
I am glad there are others here that know the trucking industry and share that with us.
If you're taking I-80 through PA there's a good truckstop in Emlenton, it's around mile 30, used to be Exit 5. Great breakfasts.
Exit 35 according to the pocket truckstop handbook would it be the Phoenix Auto Truck Stop that it has listed? nice to know some opinions before I get there. Sorry about it thought I got onto I76 in Ohio and took it to I70 through Maryland. I am now at Perryville MD and will be here at the Pilot Truckstop Till the morning when I go del to General Electric, I am hauling washing and dryer componets to them from Iowa. It was a rather good drive till i got into Maryland, traffic was rather heavy for a Sunday. There was a Rollover on the I83 South ramp off of the 695 loop on the north end of Baltimore, BTW the Broncos are going to win the game I dont know where I will be going next and will find that out after I unload.
My dad has been driving for 25 years and is/was an otr driver. He used to work for M Brenger sp? then SMX now PAUL trans out of Ok city. I rode with him from soon after birth to kindergarten and summers after that. I can sleep through everything and in any condition because of it. Kinda good and bad deal. later
Ya I know the feeling, When I get home I have problems sleeping because its not loud enough. The Silance is deafning. Now that it is in the fall I can keep the truck off at night and Its a little better. I personaly would rather not to have to run the truck at night but in the summer we fry in these trucks if we dont. However on that note alot of places are passing laws that we cant run the trucks at night due to noise. I cant figure it, If we were to leave a dog in the car without airconditioning we would be thrown in jail but a Truck driver must suffer. Its just one of the many issues that we face where ever we go.
I too started out riding with my dad and he just retired due to a wreck where he turned a cattle truck over and almost lost his life, He had been driving for 30 years and it can happin to the best, I aways thought my dad was the best driver I ever met and it happined to him.
Well after I get my next load it will be to Johnstown PA to unload. Plastic bottles will be the load which I will be picking up in this area were I am in Maryland.
Well For an update, After I shut down in Breezewood PA I Delivored the Load of 20 oz bottles to Pepsi in Johnstown PA. I then went through Pittsburg to Monica PA and picked up a Hazmat load and took it down through Richmond VA to Butler NC. I spent the night Near Burlington NC and then Picked up the next load at Greensboro and took it to Kingsport TN which is near Bristol, I then went down to Newport TN and picked up a load at Conagra and stayed overnight at Newport. I then made my way up here to Lebanon IN and Droped the load here near the Flying J. I will be spending the night here at Lebanon as I am almost out of my 70 hours in the last seven days. On the way here I saw a Yellow Fiero that was broke down on I 275 just south of Cincinnati Oh, I also seen an 85 GT or SE going East on I-75 Just south of Indianapolis. Its been a long week and I have gone about 2800 Miles. One week and I will be home again I was just wondering whos Fiero's Those were anyone here on PFF?
BTW I forgot to state in my earler posts that in the last year I have been to most of the lower 48 states in a truck now. The Only states that I havent been to yet are as follows Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, New Jersey, Hawaii, and Alaska. The last two I will never get to in the Truck and the others because I really dont Like going there in the truck, Some places are just to hard to go in a truck and its a wonder if i even go to some areas in PA. Pittsburg is one of the places I dont like to go due to the narrow streets scare the hell out of me. You all may wonder why I would be scared of nerrow streets and not the Steep grades, well Confined spaces are hard to get out of and Can lead to alot of complications, Steep grades you can only make that mistake once and you never have to worry about it after again, with 40 tons behind me it would be quick and painless.
BTW here is the Lyrics to one of my Favorite songs about trucking. its called Wolf Creek Pass by CW, McCall. http://www.narrowgauge.org/4x4/cw_pages/lyrics/wcp/wcp.html and Yes I drove the Truck there. I have a picture from the up hill side that I will post when I can get to a Walmart to make a CD I also have a few nice pictrues of my truck that I owned up at the Dallas on Monarch Pass at 11,000 feet above sea level
[This message has been edited by 88_Fiero_2M4 (edited 10-13-2006).]
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07:13 PM
htexans1 Member
Posts: 9110 From: Clear Lake City/Houston TX Registered: Sep 2001
I love your posts about trucking around the country. I had considered trucking but went into the Military instead. Thanks for the informative info about trucking! S. Williams
Mabye if you get a chance, post picts of some of your trips more interesting scenery. ------------------ 1988 Fiero Formula T-tops CJB 143 of 1252 "factory T-top cars"
[This message has been edited by htexans1 (edited 10-13-2006).]
I have lots of pictures that I am going to share when I get them loaded onto this computer. I have some from the long bridge on I-10 in Near Baton Rouge LA over the swamp, some in Mississippi, Pictures of the Columbia river gourge in Oregon and Montana, I would really like to have them on here now but will have to wait. Alot of them have the hood of the truck in view as alot of them I took while I was moving, so you will get the drivers prespective.
I wish I had the camera when I was running I-10 just before Katrina hit. I when i was in Alabama I was crossing the bay where the USS Alabama was and the Sky was grey from the approching hurricane and then the Alabama came into site out of the haze, it was the most awsome site I have ever seen, A driver remarked On the CB that the USS Alabama would be the safest place to be on the coast when Katrina hit. If only he knew how right he was at the time.
Well as promised here are some pictures of my truck that i was buying from Werner. and some of the scenery I get to see. here I was waiting in some construction on Wolf Creek Pass on US 160 going west on the up hill side.
Here I was on Monarch pass on US 50 and that is the Dallas in the background.
Here I was backed to the Dock at an Office Max in Dallas unloading there
one of the times that I saw a Fiero and I dont remember where I was when I took this picture
Here is what I called a Smashed Pumpkin, A pumpkin is truck lingo for a Schnider truck as they are a big orenge Truck and we call there yards a Pumpkin Patch. However dont tell a Schnider driver that because it makes them mad This was taken on I90 in Montana going into a Construction zone just past Butte Montana
Here is another picture of the Dallas on Monarch Pass in Centeral Colorado. I love my home state lots to see
Here I was Running the Columbia River Gorge headed twards Portland Oregon Just one of my favorite places to run
Here is a Picture of the truck I am driving now for JB hunt. I am sitting in our yard in Indianapolis IN just off the 465 Loop on the north side of town.
For those who like engines here is the picture of the Big green Beast the Detroit 60. Its a 14 liter Inline 6, It makes 430 hp and about 1200 Ft lbs of touque. That under the Air Cleaner for those who dont know is the turbo and it feeds air to the Charge air cooler infront of the Radiator then thru the pipe on the left side into the intake. Injectors for fuel on these cost about 500 a piece and are computerized.
[This message has been edited by 88_Fiero_2M4 (edited 10-15-2006).]
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04:49 PM
WrenchingPilot Member
Posts: 268 From: Virginia, USA Registered: Jul 2005
You posted earlier that you run the engine at night to run AC when its hot so you can sleep. How much fuel does your truck burn just idling for 10 hours?
------------------ 86 Fiero 2.5L, 5spd. 00 Ford Focus 2.0L 5spd 66 Chevrolet C10 250 cid, Powerglide
Of course I dont only use it for that, I run a Power Inverter in the truck to recharge Computer batterys, cell phone, Run my TV and Playstation 2, I also have a refridgerator plugged and I also cook with a oven that plugs into a sigerette lighter, These trucks come with about 5 differant Lighter plugs to plug things into and it requires the batterys to be charged up all the time. On my own truck I was going to get a Fully intergrated Generator Engine mounted on the truck so I wouldnt need to run the engine. It would have cut my Fuel usage to about 1 gallon in 10 hours. However I didnt have the $7000 for the generator. I am looking at getting a membership to Idol Are at the truckstops but not all have it and I dont like the idea of haveing to back out of a parking spot, the rule of thumb is to back in and pull out, Backing out of a parking space in a truck is not only very hard to do but Dangrouse as you cant see around the other trucks parked next to you. I have heard of cases where drivers have been killed by someone backing out of a parking spot and wasnt visable to the driver backing. Now that I am not driving my own truck that is up to the company I drive for and they arent going to do it any other way any time soon. $7000 Times the 12000 trucks that they own is just to much.
Oh btw If you all think your tax burdon is high, You should try owning a truck. First off I was paying A Highway use tax. I had to pay fuel taxes to each state that I got fuel in, I had to pay a Heavy vechichle use tax. I had to pay a Federal fuel tax called IFTA. then Tags. If the rest of the country was to pay what truck owners had to pay I think things would change in goverment. BTW here is a good site for info on our issues if anyone is interested. OOIDA is open to anyone who wants to join and they have alot of good info on each state and what highway bills and engergy bills congress is looking at, Alot of things that just dosnt affect just trucking, but anyone who uses the highways.
Enjoyed the pictures. I've always loved road trips, but don't get to take too many. We live in a beautiful country and don't get to appreciate it enough.
A Run down The western side of the Cascades in Oregon headed to Eugene on State Highway 58
Headed south down I 59 in Mississippi.
Going East on I- 10 In Louisiana a few just days before Katrina hit
Sorry for all the bugs on the window in this as trucks are up higher and get hit more by bugs. But this is the Snake river on I 90, Sorry I dont remember what state I was in but its up by Washington Idaho, or Montana area
Another shot from Oregon near Kalamath Lake on Cascades crossing.
Wanted a faster way to unload my trailer, lol Just kidding I was hauling Alfalfa pellets and was unloading in Los Angles near the docks. This was to be shipped to Japan and that is the only way to unload that kind of load
Ok a little update on where I am now. On saturday I took my empty trailer that I picked up in Lebanon to Cincinnati were I managed to get lost and ended up in downtown. I finaly found I 71 again and droped the empty at Keebler Cookies and then Bobtailed (that is drove without a trailer) Back to Indianapolis where i spent the rest of the day looking for an empty, I had no luck at that so I shut down at the JB Hunt indy yard. I did a 34 hour restart there so that I gained my 70 hours back. I then went down to Seymour IN where I picked up a load for the US Mail and I brought it up here to Boilingbrook IL. I droped the Trailer and got an empty then headed to the Hunt Yard here in Chicago. I will be here for atleast a day as I need to go through some of the companys Training and Safty Breifings in the morning. Then it looks like I will be headed back To my Home for a few days off there. I have been out for almost two weeks and am looking foward to being home again.
Well I picked up a load in Chicago and took it over to Cider Rapids IA this morning then ran over on US 30 to Marchalltown IA and picked up a load at the Lennox plant bound for Arizona. I however will be dropping it in our Denver yard and going home, My truck will stay for a B Service, which consists of changing the oil. Air, Fuel, and Oil filters, Greese and lube the chassies and other repairs that may turn up durring the inspection. BTW I spotted a Black Fiero coupe for sale on US 30 just east of Cider Rapids, It looked like it needed some paint but I didnt have a chance to look at it as I was in a hurry to get my next load picked up.
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12:15 AM
$Rich$ Member
Posts: 14575 From: Sioux Falls SD Registered: Dec 2002
im in the shipping industry aswell, but im on the other end of it, i run the shipping anr receiving dept for my work, most all of our stuff is steel chain and wire rope, its obviously heavy, but the nice thing is i rarley have to deal with broken or damaged stuff i ship alot of pallets full but never an entire load
keep the pics comming, do you ever get up this way?
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12:43 AM
sostock Member
Posts: 5907 From: Grain Valley, MO Registered: May 2005
those trl dumpsters are a trip. i remember the first time i saw one here in downtown KC at the folgers plant. it was a load of coffee beans. i don't know what was crazier the sight of the trl up in the air or the rich aroma of the beans.
we ship a lot of potatoes like that. load it full and dump em out.
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12:55 AM
DtheC Member
Posts: 3395 From: Newton Iowa, USA Registered: Sep 2005
I used to Geophysics work, drove a C60 straight truck with a doghouse. I used to carry radioactive materials, and or explosives, for most of my work. We had hazmat warning signs on all 4 sides. A C 60 is small enough to park at most restaurants, though it was kinda hard finding a big enough parking spot. Funny but after I was done eating, there wasn't a car parked anywhere near the truck. I always wondered what would happen if I wore a full hazmat NBC ( bunny) suit into a restaurant. LOL/JK
------------------ Ol' Paint, 88 Base coupe auto. Turning white on top, like owner. Leaks a little, like owner. Doesn't smoke, unlike owner
I am now in Wichita and brought in a load of beer from Ft Collins Colorado. I had about 1000 cases of Bud light and Busch light. Its weight was about 44000 lbs. About if I get to South Dakota, I have been there a few times but not much. South and North Dakota seem to be out of the way for many of my trips. they were among the last of the 48 that I got to since I have been otr. Well I will be headed out in the morning, Will tell you all about it when I get it done. hope to see you all on the road and have a good night
I used to Geophysics work, drove a C60 straight truck with a doghouse. I used to carry radioactive materials, and or explosives, for most of my work. We had hazmat warning signs on all 4 sides. A C 60 is small enough to park at most restaurants, though it was kinda hard finding a big enough parking spot. Funny but after I was done eating, there wasn't a car parked anywhere near the truck. I always wondered what would happen if I wore a full hazmat NBC ( bunny) suit into a restaurant. LOL/JK
Humm thats what I call Nitro Express, Explosives and some flammable gas, I guess could be what I consider to be in that class. BTW there was a song Called Nitro Express. I keep hearing about a group of truck drivers that run whats called the Ghost fleet, they got that name because instead of plakards they have a string of Small Ghosts in there right window so DOT knows to leave them alone. This is just a rumor that I have heard about but I hear about them everywhere I go. The more ghosts they have in the window the more dangours there cargo is. I would imagine that there cargo is strickly goverment loads. The rumor goes that they are apart of one of these big companys but they are unmarked trucks. BTW they turned my truck back down to 63 mph, I dont know why but they have turned the entire fleet back to that speed agian.
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02:42 AM
Intel Member
Posts: 752 From: Helsingborg, Sweden Registered: May 2002
Man I really like those pics. The view from your "office" is amazing. I've only been to USA two times and didn't have time to travel around. First time in Detroit and the second time I was in Redmond, WA. Those trucks are awesome! Over here they are far from that big, only regular Scanias, Renault and a few Mercedes.
I'm planning a roadtrip across USA in 2007 with a few friends, some people say you haven't seen anyting if you didn't travel from coast to coast. While I'm there I'll try to find a Buick GNX to ship home and a few misc Fiero parts
Keep up the good work, I really enjoy this thread.
Man I really like those pics. The view from your "office" is amazing. I've only been to USA two times and didn't have time to travel around. First time in Detroit and the second time I was in Redmond, WA. Those trucks are awesome! Over here they are far from that big, only regular Scanias, Renault and a few Mercedes.
I'm planning a roadtrip across USA in 2007 with a few friends, some people say you haven't seen anyting if you didn't travel from coast to coast. While I'm there I'll try to find a Buick GNX to ship home and a few misc Fiero parts
Keep up the good work, I really enjoy this thread.
Ya the View is great, Its good to be able to see over the rest of the traffic when your in a Traffic jam, the other help is having a CB to be able to ask whats going on and know what lane is closed in advance. most people dont realise that we do talk to each other all the time. I kinda forgot that this is an international site so its my bad. I know that you in Europe have alot of differant operating laws then we do as well. A driver here can drive for up to 11 hours a day within a 14 hour in 24 hours and we have up to 70 hours in 7 days that we can drive. its kinda confusing untill you see it at work. Like today I drove 10 and a quarter hours and went just over 600 miles, From just East of Louisville KY to Just west of Little Rock AR. I got to see 4 states KY, TN, MO, and AR. However its been raining and windy all day and I am glad to be sitting in this truck stop after what has been a long day. My Best run was when I was in a team that is me and another driver running the same truck. We ran from Los Angles to Chicago then over to Washington DC in 2 days, A trip that spaned over 3000 miles. My personal Best was from Los Angles to Jacksonville Fl in 3.5 days and I just barly missed getting Hit by Hurricane Katrina. In the last 3 years I have logged over 300,000 Miles. As for the size of trucks the largest here with some special cargo have trailers that mesure over 80 feet in lenth which my truck and trailer mesure about 70 feet. Some places let drivers pull twin 48 foot trailers however I dont have doubles or triples endourcement on my CDL so I am limited to one trailer. I have however at one time pulled a 57 foot trailer but the ones you see in my pictures are 53 foot.
I cant find a good place to recommend for your trip here as there are many good places to see, Virginia is one of my personal favorite states to go to as the Shenandoah Valley is a wonderful place to see. Kentucky is also a great state to see as its got some of the best scenery of all. Northern California up around Mount Shasta is also a good place to see as the Volcano dominates the scenery, and not to forget my home state of Colorado which half of which is mountians and boasts the tallest mountians in the lower 48.(However of the 50 states Alaska has the tallest.) The best way to expirance the Colorado mountians is to start at the small town of First View and head to Colorado Springs. You can see Pikes Peak from First View and its still a 150 mile drive to the Peak, However Mount Elbert is taller by about 1000 feet.
Well Hello from Little Rock. From Wichita KS I got a Hazmat load consisting of three pallets of small Colman propane bottles. I got to exit 188 in Missouri and nearly had a head on collision with another truck whos driver seemd not to have his head screwed on right. he was headed West bound on the east bound get off ramp and being at night I met headlights at the bottom of the ramp and almost had to take the ditch to miss him, Not good since I had all that propane in the trailer, could have gotten really ugly and would have made CNN. The load was bound for VA and PA to two differant Target distubrution centers however I ended up not having enough time to make the del, I dropped it in the Louisville yard where another driver took it the rest of the way. I spent the next day doing some more training on the computer and then did some local Trailer moves, I then picked up this load and am headed for Texas. I will also be adding a small segment to all my messages some safty hints to driving around trucks safely as some people are eather afraid of trucks or due to the lack of info in the books that are given for the normal license are just not included for some unknown reason.
Safty tip. Dont stay next to a truck to long. There are very large Blind spots next to any Semi and I will talk about them here. First Spot is directly behind the truck. Due to the lenth of my Trailer I cant see anything to about 300 feet or about a Football field lenth behind me. I dont have a camera mounted there so I dont see you, If you see me weave back and forth its not because I am a bad driver. Its that I am seeing what is behind my trailer, I dont like you being there as I cant tell what your doing. and your lights at night blind me as I am higher up and most lights are somewhat brighter at a higher level. The next blind spot is to my left at my Tractor wheels and on to the left. if your there to long I assume your nolonger there and you may get run over if I dont notice your there. even though I have convex mirrors that cover these areas sometimes what is visable in them may not be clear to me and I dont have time to really check them well enough. Third is on the right from my front finder to my right side drive wheels. You can hid next to me on my right side and I cant see you. Again the convex mirrors that are farther from me distort my view of that area so much that I cant sometimes tell what is next to me or if something is really there or not. Forth believe it or not is right in front of my truck. Yes in trucks like my Classic Freightliner in the first picture you can hid an entire car infront of me and I cant see it. My dad had a car pull infront of him and he didnt see her. She pulled in from the right and he ended up pushing her down the road for a few hundred yards. Lucky there was no damage to eather and the lady didnt even stop, Maby she thougth he did it out of road rage and was scared to stop. however he didnt do it intentionaly. So when near a truck dont stay to long, get past it, even if you have to speed to do so. your alloud 15 mph over the speed limit to pass. that was varified by my uncle who was a cop for a few years. and please for my sake dont pull in front so soon. give me some space because from a truck it seems like all the cars out there are cutting me off. it may be fine distance to another car but some times i cant even see your rear bumper when you get back infront of me. Besides if you lose it infront of me I will not be able to slow fast enought and will run over the top of your car before I can stop. Trucks take about 5 times the distance to stop compared to your car. and with an empty trailer that distance is even farther, why you may ask. Trucks are designed to have a load on, so the brakes are set up to have a load, when without a load my wheels lock up really easy. Locked up wheels on my truck try to pass the ones that are not. hence a Jackknife is not to far away. I Had my trailer do that onece. it started to slide out and if I didnt catch it right away it would have been to late, the point of no return for a jackknife is just 15 deg.
Now that I'm older I know I couldn't handle the job. I am glad there are those that can, without them our economy would grind to a halt pretty quick.
