China Romance
General Discussion and Useful Links => The Campfire => Topic started by: Martin on July 21, 2010, 07:13:41 am
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I know over the past long while that we have had this group, there have been a number of truckers that have joined our ranks. I wanted to set up a place for those of us that run the roads...no matter what country you are in...to talk about this different issues that face us. Whether it be economy, dispatchers, your girlfriend/wife, and everything else in between, I want to hear what you are thinking.
Don't we have someone here from Australia that runs a road train? Would love to hear stories of that!
Lets stick with truckers on this channel. If you are in another industry, you will have to change the channel on the CB.
To get this started, I run expedited freight...LTL mostly across Canada. I run team, which can be pretty tiring at times. But I have a flexible schedule, so this works for now.
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I had a "Tonka Toy Truck" as a kid ... does that count ? I used to run a load of marbles across the livingroom floor. I also had to drive while looking out for giant Sasquatches that were bigger than my truck ... [ cat ].
FYI ... Martin doesn't drive trucks for a living ... He talks non-stop 24/7 on his phone 'as a living' while steering with his knees.
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Martin,
Took the training last year to get my AZ licence. Passed my road test, only failed not using my mirrors enough, backing up and not going fast enough on the expressway. (98 KPH in a 100 KPH zone) I did not back up close enough to the other truck beside me for her liking. There was someone there and I was not going to take a chance of running them over. I am not quite ready to get the job yet but will be shortly. I have had several job offers to drive but I want to take a little time for myself first.
Dave C
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If you get your AZ, talk to me about which companies you are thinking about. On the road, we hear who is good, and who you should run away from. Most companies are good, but there are a couple that will leave you more than a little frustrated.
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Martin,
I guess that I did not make it clear, I do have my AZ licence now. I will be talking to you sometime in the future about it though. I am not ready to start a new job yet. I want to find a chinese woman for my wife first. I don't want to start a job and then say to the employer "I need a month off to go meet a girl in china". It doesn't make me look good, and no comments about this statement please. On a different note I have a picture for you. I don't know if you have seen one of these double 53 footer b-trains. I saw my first one just a couple days ago and took a picture.
Dave C
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Mostly run midwest region now, mixed JIT loads, a bit of LTL, still looking for a chinese girl to train me haha
Been at it going 5 years now. New federal regs got everyone frieked out. Gonna be out 14 weeks next haul then off to China again ^^
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Jadams...what new regs? I didn't realize they were changing things in the USA again.
Bee...they have been running this doubles in the Prairies for years, but I see them now on the 401. Basically, its a turnpike double is I think the name for them.
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I've done rocky double tankers before was a lot of fun ^^
New US regs CSA 2010 stuff, http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov/about/csa_how.aspx (http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov/about/csa_how.aspx)
Its going to be bloody difficult, especially the new health regulations, The approximate loss of drivers because of the heath regulations alone is estimated at 65%, as for the other regulations they already know of 200k drivers that will lose their ability to drive. Either medical or licsense.
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Ha, not everything is bigger and better in Texas as they say , we have B- doubles coming out our ears over here and now even B- Triples , and I am stuffed as to how they even think about backing with 3 low loader trailers , regards Robert .
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We were told about them in class last year. These were the first ones I had ever seen on the road. I had been watching for them too. I did not know they were like this in the praries Martin.
Dave C
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Robert,
you dont back up doubles or triples you just stay straight until you drop one or two then you can back up.
which is why you dont see them in truckstops unless they are parked along the curbing somewere.
just from my experience driving truck
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Question now. Can they haul 160,000 pounds? I know the limit for a truck with a trailer is 80,000 pounds so I just think the weight would be double right?
Dave C
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Dave,
you do need a trip permit for these and i believe normally it is 105,000 for weight unless of course
your carrying heavy equipment which requires a 1 time permit for the size and weight along with the
pilot cars.
not sure though as i just had my truck and trailer and didnt pay to much attention to the rules for this
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First off, the 80K weight limit is American, and not Canadian. And hauling 160K..I would guess a special permit on a truck with a lot of axels.
A lot of rules are different If you run north of the border. Weights and HOS are both different.
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This is all very interesting. I have been considering going from a CDL B to a CDL A and going over the road since all my children are grown.
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What is a CDL A versus CDL B?
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an A you can drive anything a B is just for cars
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B is for straight truck.With air brakes up to three axles. Dump truck pumper truck,School bus all fall under the B license.For the school bus.I think you need a couple of other endorsements.Shaun would know about that.
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Incorrect Ted. A CDL B can drive a straight truck with air brakes. Also they carry passengers 16 or more where a regular license can only carry up to 15 passengers. But a CDL B can't drive with placards and anything that has more than 10 wheels which excludes tractor trailers.
Backing up and mirror usage is different too. I just need to study up on the placards and backing I think.
Peggy said if I can make a lot more money, go for it. I'll at least investigate. The rule changes that JAdams is talking about affects school buses too. The biggie is talking on a cell phone. If you are caught you can lose your endorsements permanently. That include blue tooth for bus drivers.
I just took my yearly physical today and a hearing test was new this year. They checked both ears. I passed everything but the doctor said I needed to loose the Hawaiian shirts. Hehe. Really he said that many of the people they are seeing will fail next year and loose their license because oh health and the lack of taking care of themselves. He told me I wouldn't have any problems passing it.
Max you snuck in while I was writing. Yes you need a P and a S endorsement. P for passenger and S for safety; railroad tracks mainly.
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Ok, the only weight limit I could remember from class was the American limit. (truthfully speaking I could not remember if it was the Canadian or American one) I will have to look this up in my class books I guess. But back to my question about weight, what you are saying is that the weight limit does not change then, right? As I talk about this I am remembering the instructor talking about the weight limits now... ???
Dave C
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Dave
The weight calculations varry per state, but federally its 12k steers, then 17k per tandem, up north you see a lot of trucks with multiple axle trailers, most i have seen was on a steel ore / salt trailer at 12 with his tag axle on his truck 16 total axle, there is also a difference for the weight based on the tires if it is a tag axle that is hydrolic/phneumatic, or if its a set of dual tandems. Then there are differences in states such as OK or LA that the state highway systems are authorized at heavier axle weights. Then california has a different weight calculation for spread axle depending on haul type or trailer type, on their dual bias tire trailers can haul up to 105k if permitted within the state.
In Oklahoma, you can operate a class B vaccum truck with 6 axle, but you might as well have class A certification.
shaun
as for the new health regulations, the 2 that has the industry going out of its mind is BMI, body mass index, and blood sugar, there is also a 3rd test that has not been highlighted much as a failure point is blood in urine. Hearing test has always been accepted as you can hear a forced whisper. I watched 3 drivers fail the blood in urine test a few days ago at the yard, after having set over 20 hours in a bus and not rehydrating it can happen.
Also the new points system is a failure in my opinion, and is hyper critical, everything including if you have a tail light out now goes both against the individual driver rating and the company rating. Including accidents, even if you are not at fault, eg. someone rear ends you, or backs into your CMV it will count as points against you as the driver, and points against your company.
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There is a truck show in Fergus Ontario this weekend. I went there and here are some pictures from it. I did not get many pictures because the weather was not cooperating but here is some of what I have.
Dave C
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Shaun,
not in Calif. class A anything
class B cars and buses and limo's
class C cars only
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IOWA 80 truck stop is a really interesting place to stop when out on the highways some nice rigs there
i always made a point to stopover there for 10 hours when i was driving. good museum to
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Ted,
I have been to that truck stop twice. It is a big truck stop. I loved looking at all the trucks there. Huge shop too. And some good food!
Dave C
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I go through Iowa 80 truck stop bout 6 times a month, I like the eating across the street better, great place to pick up bling for my trucks though >< Must HAVE SHINEY THINGS! Had to nix the all chrome steering wheel, burned the hell outta my hands one day setting in the sun ><
Anyone else ever stop on Mount Eagle in TN decent place to eat.
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been there also who do you drive for Jadams?? just curious
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At the moment I drive for K&B, I have two other trucks leased onto a grain operation in Kansas and Oklahoma.
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I must have done it all backwards.
I drove several years, Started as a kid hauling Hay for my Dad.
Wanted to see the country so went over the road for several years. I was single had no real responibility. Stayed living at home even, since I was only there 3 or 4 days a month. Gave dad a few hundred a month help out him and Mom.
Found a girlfriend got married ran local a few years. Then finally gave it all up.
I must say, I do not miss it in the least. A time in my life I will never forget. If I had it to do over. I would change nothing. But I had my fill. a couple million miles is enough for anyone.
Besides Lost the CDL a few years ago. Can't pass the physical anymore. So the took it. I can drive the car and my bike and my boat thats all I need.
I do remember when the big switch to the CDL was made, I was so happy I already had Class 1. The guys just starting had a terrible time with it.
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after retiring the first time i got bored and when i owned 2 travel plazas i always wanted to drive the open road
and see the country and make a little money. so i bought a new truck and signed on with central to haul refrigerated
with leasing their trailer. wow for 18 months i had fun and saw many beautiful things and met some really great people.
from owning a couple travel plazas i didnt have that perception that many do of truck drivers and i will tell you what
they are for the most part 85% really good people. i am glad i did that but of course i had to sell the truck and come live
in China or otherwise i would probably still be driving. the per cent of the load was good and i had a lot of freedom if i
wanted to get a hotel room rent a car and enjoy the area i was in.
as they say WORK TO LIVE NOT LIVE TO WORK
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Isn't the Iowa 80 the biggest truck stop in the world?
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yes it is the largest in the world started as a very small gas station many many years ago. the owner died and his
wife still comes every xmas and gives the employees their xmas bonuses. its the only time of the year she makes it there
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An online local paper has a photo archive of accidents (mostly with trucks) just thought it would have an interest here. Just goes to show the times I posted about the daily fatal accidents. These photos are just South Florida. (Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami).
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-i95dangers,0,4601665.photogallery (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-i95dangers,0,4601665.photogallery)
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I'm not a pro trucker, as in doing it for the daily bread to keep body and soul together, But I'm used to longhaul and shorthaul missions.
Part of living on a farm means a lot of carting livestock around, in fact this afternoon I'm off to go pick up another load of calves from the saleyard for the farm again. While working as a salesman I'd act as liason between our office and the satellite office 600 Km away and would make runs down and back with samples and supplies for the offices when it was so much it wasn't convenient to pack it all and pay courier fees.
Life on the road can be fun, I'm a fan of road trips as a form of holiday :D throw a mattress and a gas stove in the back of the SUV and head off for a while :D
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Isn't the Iowa 80 the biggest truck stop in the world?
As Ted said it is the biggest truck stop in the world. When I was there a couple years ago for a meal I read about all the things they offer. I was impressed with all they offered. I have pictures somewhere. I will have to find them and post them.
Dave C