Category Archives: Safety

Truck Driving – Solitude or Solace

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Truck Driving – Solitude or Solace

Life as a truck driver can be one of long times by yourself. Local delivery drivers will often have much more interaction with customers and even company dock workers. However, most new drivers will not be working locally. They will be at best regionally and most likely Over the Road (OTR).

The result is that you will be spending a lot a time alone. Some people become truck drivers because of they crave this loneliness. Some are tired of the rat race of office politics or the being just a number of factor working. Some people are natural introverts and being alone is no big deal.

Every person deals with the alone time differently. Some people do not realize how lonely driving a truck can be. They think that they are going to enjoy it, yet all their employment thus far has been part of a team. A truck driver is part of a team – but they are operating as independent team member. The truck driver has to be a self motivated and self starting person by nature or must be able to learn these skills and traits.

The ability to handle and deal with the Solitude or Solace of being a trucker, especially an Over The Road driver gone from family for weeks at a time, can seriously affect your health. A long haul (1,000 mile average) driver who literally will spend 90% of their time locked in their truck cab is about like being a prisoner in solitude. The driver will have dock interaction picking up the load, getting fuel and maybe stopping to eat and then when they deliver the load. The rest of the time, it is just them. That is a lot of alone time.

This solitude, unless accepted and even appreciated, can also affect the safety of the driver and the rest of the traveling public. Solitude can be very tiring. And a tired truck driver is a dangerous truck driver. The sudden increase in Solitude that a person that had previously had a daily interactive family life and was part of an office or business environment with numerous co-workers could be more then some drivers can stand. One of the ways to deal with this sudden shift in social interactions would be to be part of a team driving. Most new drivers will spend several months as a trainee driver anyway where they will be working with an experienced trucker to learn their job. It may be necessary or at least recommended for some new drivers to seek opportunities as a team driver member even after completing any training requirements.

On the other hand, there are many people that the change from an interactive life style to one of solitude as a truck driver is actually a blessing. It may just what they need to achieve the mental state they relish. Being alone does not mean being lonely – it just means you are comfortable without the need for external reinforcements.

Being a truck driver, especially a new one working over the road, is a different lifestyle then most people are use to living. It can be one of Solitude or it can be a life of Solace.

Happy trucking, John

Mid-America Trucking Show – March 27 – 29, 2014

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The Mid-America Trucking Show, at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, KY., is more than a trade show.

As the annual forum for the heavy-duty trucking industry, attendees will have the opportunities for face-to-face interaction between industry representatives and trucking professionals.

Exhibitors will obtain marketing that can effectively introduce new services or products, increase brand awareness, promote products and connect with suppliers, customers, and prospects. Those in the trucking industry can research products and services, meeting with representatives and interview potential vendors and contractors.

MATS is where the industry comes together, where attendees network with Fortune 500 companies, where media outlets from around the world go to report on the business of trucking, and where trucking business gets done.

Mid-America Trucking Show – schedule

Thursday, March 27 VIP Session: 10AM – 1PM | General Admission: 1PM – 6PM

Friday, March 28 General Admission: 10AM – 6PM

Saturday, March 29 General Admission: 9AM – 4PM

Mid-America Trucking Show – Location

Kentucky Exposition Center
937 Phillips Lane
Louisville, KY 40209

Parking will be available for autos, RVs, and even Semi-Trucks with trailers.

Seminars may include: (Schedule subject to change)

  • CMV Inspection 101
  • Sleep Apnea-No Rule Rule on Sleep Apnea
  • Accounting/Finance
  • Big Time Training on a Small Budget
  • Increasing Tire Life and Ride Control
  • Pre-Trip Inspection
  • FMCSA Hot Topics

More information at http://truckingshow.com/

Your 1st Trucking Job

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Your 1st Trucking Job

Once you have your Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), you will start looking for your first truck driving position. While it is possible to work an entire career for one company, most drivers will change jobs at least a couple of times. This is not a reflection of the drivers and their loyalty but a combination of numerous factors.

A key reasons drivers will change jobs, especially very early in their career is a lot of the best companies  for will not hire new/rookie drivers. Also, many desired jobs (daily work, home nightly) are very competitive with a lot of drivers applying. With a lot of drivers to pick from, companies will [generally[ hire the best they can, often the more experienced drivers.

When you start looking at truck stop magazines or online for truck driving openings, you will see 3 common statements. They may be worded differently but they will say something such as:

  1. Students Encouraged (so new drivers are okay)
  2. 1 Year Experience required (Unless you can prove 1 solid year of OTR, do not apply. Even 6 months will generally not be sufficient.)
  3. 2 or More years required (Again, they are looking for someone that will require little to no training and those will sell then the sufficient experience will not be considered.)

You can always down apply. A driver with 20 years experience may at a company that will hire students, but not the other way around.

Companies will set these requirements based their ability or desire to train drivers. Regardless of your opinion of your driving skills and the fact that you completed a CDL Training course, you have a lot to learn about real world of trucking. Such as planning routes; handling changing traffic conditions; the proper paperwork/records; planning fuel stops; understanding different dock procedures and dealing with shipping and receiving clerks. And that is just the start.

Where ever you get your first driver’s job, you will be expected to work with a Driver’s Trainer in a team driving pairing for anywhere from two (2) to (6) months. Again, like it or not – but it will happen. The school taught you how to pass the tests – experience will teach you reality.

When selecting your first position (shall we not call it a job), you need to consider numerous factors. While clearly limited by your lack of experience, you will have fewer choices. However, that does not mean you have to settle for what is offered. Every person is different and every person has different desires. Plus where you live may offer opportunities now available everywhere.

Just a few of the things you will want to think about (and this is not inclusive)

  • Tuition Reimbursement. Some companies may offer to pay your school Tuition. Not all companies do. If this is important be sure to ask, even if not included in a company’s advertisement. If you do start with a company that pays your school costs, know the terms and make sure you can accept them. Most likely you have to agree to work their a minimum amount of time, often at least 1 year.  And generally they will not pay it all up front. They may pay it prorated over a year or more, or they might not pay any of it until the end of the year as a lump sum.
  • Where you will be working. Even companies that will hire new drivers may have weekly home time, while others you can expect to be OTR 25 out of 30 days. If you are single and want to make the maximum money – a lot of road time may be best for you. You may be driving coast to coast and border to border. Family demands may require you to spend more time with in a few states and home more often.
  • What you will be doing. Do you want to spend more time driving, you might look for a company that does more long hauls. It may pay less per mile, but you book more miles. Maybe you enjoy shorter runs, which means more time in and out of docks. Higher per mile pay but few daily miles on average. Do you hate sitting around waiting to unload? Some companies do most of their freight drop and hook – you back in to the specific dock, unhook the trailer and then hook to a different trailer and take off again. Sometimes the trailers may be dropped and/or picked up from a drop lot. Do you like a challenge – flat bed cargo may be for you. See Your Future Truck Driving Job part 2 for more info on types of trailers and cargo.
  • Rider Policy. Some companies do not allow any riders at any time under any circumstances. Others will allow your spouse or a child (16+) to ride with you under limited circumstances. Some are more generous then others. Under all circumstances, Federal Law and Insurance Requirements will demand that all ‘guests’ in your truck must be preapproved by the company. Pets may or may not  be allowed. If either of these are important, ask before you even waste your time setting up an interview.
  • Age of Equipment. Not much else to be said, but if other factors are equal, why drive a 10 YO rattle trap when you can pilot a new rig. Note,new trucks go to senior drivers, so you will get a hand-me-down.

Again, this is only a few of the things you will want to consider before you start you first career building position. But you will want to research because if you start at one company and leave after only a few months, you may find it harder to get a new position because the new company will be afraid to take a risk on you. And if you trade positions every year, again, companies may be afraid to hire you. No position is perfect, select one that is close your desires.

One simple way, after you have narrowed your selection of possible companies to work for would be go to any busy truck stop and approach drivers with your target companies in the fuel island or restaurant (never bang on the door of a truck) and ask this question “Knowing what you know now about [company name], would you hire on with them again?” You will get an answer real quick about the good, the bad and the important about the company.

Happy Trucking and welcome to your new career.

Safety Inspections – The Right and Wrong Ways

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Safety Inspections – The Right and Wrong Ways

Many truck drivers treat safety inspections as either not important or optional. However a professional truck driver understands that proper equipment operations is paramount to the truck being operated on the highways and not place the driver, the traveling public and the cargo at risk. Being a responsible truck driver means that the driver will pick up the designed cargo at the appointed time and deliver it where it is suppose to be when it is suppose to be there and in the condition it is suppose to be in. This can not happen if the there is an accident or a breakdown on the side of the road.

As the root of being able to do his/her job properly and not endanger other uses of the highway or even people living and working along side the route being traveled, the driver should ensure that the truck and trailer is in proper condition.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) mandates that drivers complete a detailed daily safety inspection, indication the inspection on company designated forms and that records of such inspections be maintained by the company for review if necessary.

Long before the federal requirements were in place, truck drivers would do inspections – however, different drivers always had their own standards of what was necessary. Some would check the oil and radiator water level, turn on all lights and walk around the rig checking that lights worked. Many would ‘kick the tires’ to see if any were flat. Some used a tire thumper. In reality, this kind of inspection is deficient at best and ineffective in detecting many hazardous conditions.

The use of a form or check list is the only way to insure that you do not miss anything. Just a few of the key inspections a professional truck driver will repeatedly and consistently perform:

Low Air Pressure Alarms If t.he truck has been parked and all air has bleed from the system, then the driver will be able to determine that the low air pressure alarm is working. However, if for some reason (any reason) the system has normal operating pressure in the system, the driver should, with the parking brakes set and the engine OFF, repeatedly pump the brakes to use up the air in the tanks until the low air pressure light/buzzer go into alarm. Seems stupid? Well, going down the road at 75 miles per hour and discovering you do not have enough air pressure is a bad time to find out the warning system was not functioning properly.
Kicking Tires / Tire Thumper. Ninety nine out of 100 drivers will not admit this, but there is really only one way yo know if your tires are at the proper air pressure – a tire gauge. Is it convenient to check 18 tires for the right pressure, especially at 5 in the morning when it is cold and raining? NO. But thumping or kicking a tire will only tell you (at best) that the tire is not flat. It will not tell you it only has 70 lbs of air when it should have 110lbs. A low tire is a major safety threat. When a tire is lower then optimum air pressure, the sideways will excessively flex when operating at highway speeds. This sidewall flexing will cause a temperature buildup inside the tire. As the temperatures increase the tire is much more likely to separate the tread section from the tire body. The result is that now there are large pieces of flying tire on the road way which could strike another car/truck or leaves the ‘alligator’ in the middle of the highway which other drivers will now have to avoid. Also, since this will result in a flat tire on the truck or trailer, this could cause the load to shift causing a catastrophic accident. At the minimum, tire air pressure should be checked every few days and never less then once a week – convenient or not. Tire tread condition should also be checked each day looking for any deterioration or signs the tire may be breaking down.

Lights: Among the easiest and yet one of the most important safety checks. The FMCSA actually specifies that all lights affixed to the outside of every truck and trailer must be operational. This includes not only the obvious headlights, brake lights and turn signals – but also all forward and rear marker lights. These are easily checked by simply turning on all lights including Hazard Flashers and then walking around the truck and looking. While a technically proper check would best involve two people – one in the cab and one outside, it is sufficiently possible for a single driver to do this. And while we are on the subject, you even notice the guys with dozens and dozens of lights on their trucks to light them up like a Christmas Tree? The regulations, as stated, are that all lights must be operational at all times – not just the factor lights. Therefore, before you decorate your truck, realize that if there is a problem and one or more of these extra lights are burnt out that you can be ticketed for the offense.

Air Lines and Light Connectors: It is not enough to think these are properly attached and in good shape. You really must take the time to reach out and touch them. Check that they have not vibrated loose and are not suffering from and damages. Both the tractor’s and the trailer’s glad hands should be inspected. Insure the electrical/light connector is properly seated in place.

Under the Hood. Yes, you should check the fluid levels, but also take a few minutes with a flashlight to check belts and hoses. Assuming the engine is off, check belts for proper tension and look for any cracking or other defects. Hoses should not be leaking or have signs of bulges or infiltrations. Even in daylight a flashlight will help you spot things that may be in the shade of the cab, hood or other engine components. Look under the engine area for signs of leaks.

General Structure. While under the hood and as you walk around the entire unit, repeatedly check the frame and other major structural components for any damages. This will require stooping and twisting – but there is only one way to know.

Fifth Wheel Lock: Each and every time you hook to a new trailer and at least once a day, you should make a habit of checking the lock release to insure it is still locked and go under the trailer to visually check that the king pen lock is in place. The “pull test” is nice, but double checking is professional.

Maybe you pull the same trailer every day or drop and hook a numerous times per day – it is your duty as a professional truck driver to always inspect each trailer you are hooked to before you take it on to the highways and byways. Safety inspections will in the long run improve the possibility that you will be able to deliver your load on time and return to your family at home.

 

Drivers Daily Paperwork

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Drivers Daily Paperwork

Trucking today is as much about paperwork as it is about shifting gears. In the olden days, every driver carried a log book to record their daily break down of hours: off duty, sleeper berth, driving and on duty not driving. [Okay, some drivers carried two or three log books, but that is discussed elsewhere.]

There are three primary documents a driver will maintain: Their Hours of Service log book, their Daily Mileage or Trip Log and their records of safety inspections.

Hours of Service (HOS) Log Book. Those same designed log books are still being used after 60 or 70 years with minimal changes in the format. There have been changes to the running total of hours calculations and most importantly to how the hours have to be logged. But the premise of the 4 rows to show the four classifications of activities has remained unchanged.

However, the growing government involvement in trucking as well as other management factors, has generated other levels of paperwork.

Daily Safety Equipment Inspections. One of the daily requirements now is a daily (safety) truck inspection form. Forty years ago, before taking starting his day, a driver would check that all the tires were inflated (normally the kick or thump test – which is completely insufficient), a walk around checking lights and a quick peak under the hood. Now the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires not only a detailed inspection of the truck/trailer, but that it must be logged and copies maintained in the company’s safety or maintenance departments. These inspections require checking not only the tires & lights, but verifying the conditions of wheels, tire treads, airline and electrical connections, working windshield wipers, proper functions of warning lights and indicators, hoses & belts and many more equipment issues. While the original inspections were utilized by the companies to track maintenance issues, the FMCSA now views the inspections as a papertail to the unit being properly maintained and the driver assuring that the equipment is not being out with the motoring public with known mechanical and safety issues.

Daily Mileage or Trip Logs. Among the biggest changes in truck driver’s paperwork since paperwork began are the daily trip logs. Every state has always funded highway construction and maintenance with fuel taxes collected at the pump on gasoline and diesel fuel. The theory was that the roads would be funded by the vehicles driving over them as they drive they have to buy fuel which puts the money back into the state’s highway fund. This worked for cars/trucks/buses that operated exclusively with in one state. However, when trucks operate in multi-state operations, they might buy fuel in one state but drive thru several others. The state where the fuel was purchases collected the fuel taxes, but the truck used the highways in other states. As different states passed different tax rates, it could cause the fuel in adjacent states to very substantially which would result in truckers filling up in the cheaper states.

The solution: The International Fuel Tax Association or IFTA. Discussed in detail elsewhere, the IFTA is a member organization that allows for the equalization, of redistribution of the fuel taxes to the states where the mileage was driven regardless of where the fuel was purchased. Naturally, in order to achieve this solution of having taxes paid in each state accordingly, you guessed it – paperwork in the form of daily trip or mileage log. Some larger companies with satellite tracking systems hay have this automated and many companies developed their own forms – so exact information on completing the paperwork will be provided by the companies safety or compliance department.

However, in over view, it is necessary for the driver of the truck to record the truck’s mileage each time they cross a state or enter /exit a toll road. The company then on a quarterly basis will calculate the total miles driven in each state (or Canadian Territory) and then submit the information. It may be necessary for the company to pay additional fuel taxes if, for example, the majority of the fuel was purchased in a lower tax rate state but a lot of miles where driven in higher tax rate states. It is even possible for a refund if the reverse was common. In an ideal world, it will balance out and little to no additional taxes will apply. The IFTA is discussed in more detail in another posting.

Seventy years ago, the job of a truck driver was much harder because of the equipment that was available then as compared to today’s comfort cabs. However, with the invention of paperwork – the job of a truck driver is now much more complex with Hours of Service log books, daily safety inspections and daily mileage or trip reports.

 

Hours of Service (HOS) Overview

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Hours of Service for truck drivers

The Hours of Service regulations for commercial truck drivers was originally in implemented in 1938. The regulations have been regularly tweaked but have had major revisions in 1939, 1962, 2003 and 2011. The HOS specifies such things as the number of hours a driver may drive without both short and long term breaks, how many hours drivers can do other work such as load and unload, paperwork, truck maintenance and other support services.

In general, all drivers of vehicles of vehicles with a combined Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 10,001 pounds or more or hauling cargo requiring HazMat placards are required to comply with HOS regulations. Local delivery drivers, while still subject to driving/duty hours requirements, may be exempt from maintaining log books (if their employer uses time clocks or other methods to monitor their activities. There are also other exemptions for select industries, certain weather events or during certain peak business days for some drivers.

The purpose and enforcement of HOS rules are strictly safety based. Contrary to comments over coffee at the local truck stop that the rules are to prevent drivers from earning money – research has repeatedly proven that the longer a driver is working the more likely they are to be involved in an accident. And the risk increases greatly the longer the driver is on duty.

Hours of Service ~ A Driver’s Guide ~ Driver Handbook (Hours of Service)

Hours of Service are divided into 4 classes of activities:

  • Off Duty: No duties or obligations
  • Sleep Berth: Resting in truck sleeper area
  • Driving: In the driver’s seat and operating the truck
  • On Duty, Not Driving: All official duties not driving

HOS activities can be recorded either with a paper log book or electronically using an Electronic On Board Recorder. Either way, the driver is responsible for accurately recording their duty status. Violations of HOS rules by drivers can result in drivers being fined or being placed out of service (truck and loads now parked and delayed). Companies can also be fined or have other actions taken against for them repeated HOS violations by their employees. One action that can be taken against companies with chronic violations is the requirement that the company install Electronic On Board Recorders in their trucks. Another factor affecting truck drivers is that if they get too many moving violations (traffic tickets), they can have their license suspended by their state’s licensing agency – which would mean they would also lose their job.

The goal of Hours of Service rules

In general, HOS regulations state that drivers must log all time as either Driving or On Duty if they are doing any form of work or if they have any obligations. Drivers may not log time spent waiting to load or unload as Off Duty unless they are actually free to leave the truck and have no responsibilities to be present.

Current HOS rules also state that a driver must get at least a 30 minute break after 8 or less hours of driving. And, the driver is entitled to 8 hours of consecutive hours of rest (either off duty or in sleeper) before beginning a new “day” of up to 11 hours of driving. Also, the driver may not drive (at all) if they have accumulated more then 11 hours of driving or 14 hours of all work activities until they have taken the required rest times and time off duty.

Your compliance with Hours of Service regulations will be followed carefully – so play by the rules and have a safe trip.

Electronic On Board Recording – EOBR

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Electronic On Board Recording devices are used by some trucking companies to track Hours of Service (HOS) compliance by drivers. These devices have been around for many years in different forms. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA, a division of the Department of Transportation), has previously tried to require all trucking companies to install the equipment in all trucks used in interstate commerce. At this time, the FMCSA is restricted to requiring the equipment only when the carrier (or sometimes the driver) is repeatedly found in violation of the HOS rules. However, there will always be career bureaucrats in the government that will try to impose their big brother will on the public.

The theory and the justification of the use of EOBR systems is to insure that the driver(s) are getting the required (by law and common sense) rest necessary to safely operate trucks. HOS laws require 30 minute breaks at least every 8 hours, limit the number of hours of driving without breaks, limit the number of work hours total before a rest break of 8 or more hours, and the maximum number of hours/work during a typical week without substantial time off duty.

Cheating an Electronic On Board Recording system

Although the Electronic On Board Recording can track the truck if it is moving or stopped, most systems can not (automatically) detect the difference between if the driver is on lunch break in a restaurant or is sitting in the office doing paperwork. A driver that is a chronic abuser of HOS regulations will still be able to tweak their activities – but it will be far more restricted then just using a paper log book. Since the system will record when the truck is moving, it will be impossible for the driver to record time not driving when in fact they are. However, the driver could still manipulate some activities such as recording sleeper berth when they are in fact doing other chores such as truck maintenance. An example of HOS cheating with EORB is, although the HOS rules require that a driver may only start a new day of driving (driving up to 11 hours in the first 14 hours of going on-duty) after 10 consecutive hours of off-duty time (no work). But if the driver parks the truck and manually puts the EOBR in a duty status of “off-duty” for 10 hours, while the driver actually performs work and is, in fact, “on-duty” for part or all of those 10 hours. The EOBR would report the driver is permitted by the rules to start a new period of 11 hours of driving, when in fact, the driver would be in violation of the HOS rules the moment the driver begins driving the truck. The value of the EORB depends 100% on who you talk to.

 

Anti-truck groups and proponents of big brother control advocate a system that tracks driver activity to the point that it (the system) knows if the driver is even in the cab, sitting in the driver’s seat, in the bunk, etc. Some trucking companies likely would like this level of control also as they want to milk every possible of driving minute from their employees. Many truck drivers (and their company’s owners) would like to eliminate all use of EOBR system as it is an intrusion into their freedom. Some people became truck drivers to get away from the BOS (boss over shoulder) syndrome. However, EOBR have greatly increased HOS compliance, especially by habitual offenders such as drivers that carried multiple log books in an attempt to completely bypass the safety goals of HOS rest requirements.

Electronic On Board Recording devices are here to stay for the trucking industry. Rather then just complaining about them as a problem, truck drivers and trucking companies need to learn to get maximum value from the systems. EOBR systems can greatly increase driver utilization by allowing the drivers to actually get their maximum number of hours being productive. In cases where drivers are also repeatedly detained at docks waiting to load or unload, this information can be documented and the shipper billed for the delays, or at least pick up delivery schedules can be adjusted to reduce wasted time and resources.

At this time, there are no GPS or smart phone apps that qualify as an Electronic On Board Recording system, although some EOBRs contain GPS like features.