Category Archives: Trucking Life

Dockworkers and my first high priority load

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I learned a lot about dockworkers with my first high priority load when I started work for a Grand Rapids Michigan based expeditor showed me a valuable lesson for dock workers who have their schedule.

I was called by dispatch about picking up a load of automotive parts just west of Detroit for delivery to an automotive assembly plant on the south side of Chicago. At the time I was driving a tandem axle straight truck with a 26′ box. I left my house, drove the leasing company’s yard where the truck was parked (in Kalamazoo MI) and headed east on I-94. I was about an hour from the pickup point when dispatch called me on the cellphone and asked my schedule. The broker had called in and said if we could not pick up and deliver by 6pm to abort the load. After talking with the dispatcher it was determined that I should be able to make it, so I continued on.

I arrived at the shipper and checked in. It was then that I found out the load was not near as important to these people as it was to the people in Chicago. (This attitude, by the way, raised it’s head numerous times in my short driving career.) I finally was loaded with about 12 crates of either starters or alternators (I forget which) and headed back west toward Chicago.

I drove steadily, made only one short rest room stop, and made it to the consignee with about 45 minutes to spare. Would have been a hour sooner but again the people loading the truck was less concerned about my schedule then I was.

When I arrived, I learned more of the story about the shipment. This particular component was in such short supply that if I had not delivered it – they would have to idle the assembly line and send 1 boat load of workers home. After checking in with the gate, they directed me to the docks that I would unload at. Once there, I asked the forklift operator which dock spot he wanted me and then I spotted the truck as requested. I then waited patiently while he scratched off several Illinois lottery tickets before he finally pulled the pallet off my truck and moved it directly to the assembly line (it was some distance in the plant but I could see he placed the pallet right next to workers on the line.)

He then came back and unloaded the rest of my load and took them a different direction to where I assume was the warehouse storage.

About one and half hours after I checked in, I was finally able to check out. I guess the moral or the story is that the load is only hot before and after you pick it up and before you arrive at the consignee. Once you are there, the receiver is less concerned about it because they now know where it is – even if it is still on your truck.

I have always wondered if this dockworker would have ever unloaded me if he had hit the lottery.

 

International Registration Plan (IRP)

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International Registration Plan

The International Registration Plan (IRP) is a cooperative reciprocity registration agreement between the 48 contiguous United States and the Canadian Provinces. Unlike automobiles, each state in which a commercial truck [or trailer] is operated, the states want the truck registered with them which included paying appropriate taxes and receiving a license plate. However, that could require a truck to display 50 or more license plates depending on where the company operates. And this would be for every truck power unit and trailer in their fleet.

Enter the International Registration Plan.  IRP’s fundamental principle is to promote and encourage the fullest possible use of the highway system. This is accomplished by encouraging and enabling trucking companies to efficiently and easily handle freight in multiple states, thus providing economic activities.

Rather then the motor carrier contacting each state registering their trucks, individually, where they operate, a base ‘Apportioned’ tag is obtained from the company’s home state. The company then uses the IRP to selectively register the truck in all states/territories where it will be operated. The IRP then apportions the truck’s registration fees to each of the accepted states. You can check the IRP’s website for specifics on the mechanics of this. Now rather then a boat load of paperwork and license plates, the truck has one plate and the driver carries a card with the states of authorization to operate in the cab. In the event of traffic stop by a police officer, the driver hands, among other things, the base plate registration and the IRP ID card. This allows the officer to know the truck is authorized to operate in that state.

As the more states a truck is authorized to operate in the costs go up, some companies will only ‘register’ the truck in a few states – those states the truck is likely to operate in. If a company only operates in the Pacific Time Zone States, it would not be prudent or cost effective or paperwork logical to also authorize 50 trucks with trailers to operate along the Eastern Seaboard.

The draw back for not registering every truck and/or trailer in every state is if the company is offered an opportunity to haul a load to one of the unauthorized states. The company can turn down the work, which may mean it would not be offered such loads in the future. Or the company can accept the load, but the truck could be ticketed and seized if caught driving without proper permits for every state along the route. This is another advantage of the International Registration Plan. The ability to obtain temporarily permits for those states to legally operate.

It must be noted that there are two types of permits that will need to be obtained, if necessary. The registration via the International Registration Plan, and the fuel tax permits via International Fuel Tax Association (IFTA).

A company can file and maintain their own permits, but like everything, there are costs both direct (membership fees) and indirect (manpower, training) to handle permits. This can be especially expensive in smaller companies. There are numerous companies that provide permit services. These companies can generally handle both IRP and IFTA permits as needed. However, temporary permits are much more expensive if used extensively over full year permits. A company would be much wiser to obtain all permits that they may need for the entire year. Another problem with temporary permits is that there can be delays in obtaining them for those last minute loads, risking missing deadlines.

This is only a brief overview of the IRP system and is designed to alert the truck driver to the fact that the International Registration Plan is something they need to be aware of with regards to their truck’s paperwork.

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.

Truck Driving Schools and Training

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Truck Driving Schools and Training

There are two (main) ways to get in to trucking, unless you personally know the owner or major player in a company. (1) Truck Driving Schools and (2) Company provided training.

Non-affiliated Truck Driving Schools
There are numerous truck driver training schools scattered around the United States. There are two sub-classes of truck driving schools – those operated as a part of a community college or other adult education sponsored training and independent For-Profit schools. The classes offered thru college or workforce education programs are generally cheaper then State Licensed For-Profit post secondary education centers. However, where you attend most likely will be affected by where you live and how much freedom to travel you have. If you have to pay for room and board also and your finances do not permit you to live apart for the (typical) 5 weeks of training, you may have to opt for a school with in driving distance to home.

While not exactly cheap to attend a truck driving school, the investment in time and money is minimum considering the cost of attending a 2 or 4 year college training program and with in weeks of starting school, you can be on the job and earning a paycheck. Starting income for a 1st year Over The Road (OTR) truck driver is easily $35,000 a year and depending on your exact employer and how hard you work, could be more. Most companies offer employee benefits, some starting only a few months after you first jump behind the wheel and haul your first load.

Some Truck Driver schools are accredited by the Veterans Administration (VA) to offer training to US Armed Forces veterans with the VA picking up all or a portion of the tuition costs. If you plan to request payment thru VA, check with the VA not just the school that the school is approved by the VA.

Different training schedules may available at different schools. Some offer a 8-5, 5 day a week program which are basically full time. While others may have weekends and limited nights during the week for students who must continue to work a job while training for a new career. Obviously the full time schools are completed much quicker, but if you have ot keep working to support a family or pay bills, the part time training may be a viable option.

While you will normally have to pay for your training up front, many trucking companies will reimburse you for your tuition costs (but not living or commuting expenses) if you hire on with them and stay a minimum amount of time, commonly 1 year but it does vary. Not all companies offer this so pay close attention to which companies do and which do not and more importantly the conditions you have to complete to qualify for payment. See Your First Trucking Job for a more detailed discussion on reimbursement of training costs.

When selecting a Truck Driving school, especially if you have several to pick from, you should pay attention the variety, the age and the condition of trucks and equipment you will be training in.

Trucking Company Provided Training
Some larger trucking companies, because of a continuous shortage of qualified drivers, have established their own drivers schools. The key advantage to selecting one of these programs is that there is no out of pocket costs for tuition and supplies as the company is providing them for you. Some will even pay a minimum salary while you are in school. (Some do, some don’t – check carefully.) The downside to this arrangement is that you agree to work for the company for the first year or more and if you fail to do it, as based on your specific contract, you will have to repay the company some or all of the costs to train you. And the company determines how much your training was worth, not you nor is it necessarily based on nearby independent schools. The other problem with not staying with company is that you may be establishing a record of undependability. See Your First Trucking Job for a more comments about jumping company to company.

Many programs operated by trucking companies are completed much faster then independent programs. Since most over the road truck drivers, especially in the beginning, will work in three week stints, basically 7 days a week for three weeks. These companies will also train their employees with the same mindset as opposed to the 8-5, 5 day theory that many full time schools will utilize. Since you are training in the class room and on the (drivers practice) range and also some on the road, you will complete the required minimums must faster then just working 5 out of 7 days. You can also expect to actually haul freight for the company sometime during the training.

Minimum Training Required Different states have different minimum training requirements, and there not going to be researched here as they are subject to change way to often. Some times require a specific number of hours in a class room environment and a designated amount of time practicing specific maneuvers and actual road time. Others, not so much, you have to pass a written test to be issued your Temporary Instruction Permit and then later you have to pass another written test and then a Skills test by an authorized (by the state) tester, and you get your Commercial Drivers License. Check specifically what the rules are for your state. If you live near a state line with another state, taking a class in the other state may not qualify you for a license in the state where you live.

Medical requirements While you are researching, check the specific requirements regarding your medical certificates. Again, different states have different – and very specific – requirements and methods to obtain a medical certificate authorizing you to drive an 80,000 lb monster down the road.

Going to a certified and accredited Truck Driver Training School is an excellent, fast and efficient way to become a professional truck driver.

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.

 

Surviving the politics of being a truck driver

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You have to understand the politics of being a truck driver

Ok, you have Truck Driver Training School. You have your Commercial Drivers License (CDL). You are ready to start your first job. However, like all schooling, you still have a lot to learn. And Politics is one of the areas you will need to master.

 

And before you think about Republicans and Democrats. Nope – I am talking about the people who will make your life miserable if you don’t play their games. Now before you take this negatively – it is really no different then any job you have ever had. You may not realize who they are until it is too late.

 

Here are some of the people you should learn to be nice to.

  1. Dispatcher. I can guarantee that your new employee packet will state that dispatch personnel are your immediate supervisors. As such, like all employment – you are required to treat them accordingly. Makes sense, but I am going to take it a step farther. Dispatchers are often under a lot of unseen pressure. They routinely will have all loads covered and everything will be going smooth when problems will arise. Some of the things that could be a major fire for them are (1) a key customer calling with several hot/unplanned loads, (2) trucks breaking down after already loading important freight that now needs a replacement truck, (3) another driver having a family emergency and now dispatch cover the work. The point is, when dispatch calls and says there is a change of plans – rather then rant and rave, joyfully respond that you will do everything that you can to make their life better. And here is the thing to realize – dispatchers are the people who decide who gets which (better) loads. The company may have a seniority system for assignments – but there is no system that could not be tweaked by the person at the keyboard. Be nice to dispatchers and they will be nice to you.
  2. Dockworkers. Expect these people to be arrogant with you. You should remember that these people are stuck on the dock all day. They are being hassled by their bosses to load/unload faster, move stuff around, and all the normal on the job (political) stuff. When they are driving to and from work – they have to deal with traffic. When they get home – the spouse and kids will raise their blood pressure. As a result – in their effort to feel, shall we say, superior to someone, anyone – you are it. They will berate you, talk down to you, sit on their forklift or behind their desk and look down on you. You are not important and the freight you are hauling is not important. They are important. And if you don’t realize this – piss them off just see how long you will be sitting there. And, hint – if you notice they only load (or unload) part of your load and then go to do something “more important”, you screwed up somewhere. They just showed you how much power they have by wasting your time.
  3. Other Drivers – You may think we are all equal, and you may be. But when another driver needs a favor, do it for them. Even if they don’t ask for help, if you see someone working on something and you have free time and can assist, walk over and offer. Just like every job you have ever had – someday you will need something and your reputation as a team player may be the deciding factor in how you are treated.
  4. Maintenance personnel. I will explain this one with a story from a family member. He turned his truck in for scheduled maintenance. Now, in the past, he was mouthy with the maintenance supervisor. (He actually had stated in so many words that he was a DRIVER this guy was just a mechanic.) So for several hours he kept looking for his truck in the area where they parked units after service. No truck. No truck meant that he could not go back on the board to get a load and make money. And since he was on duty, he was also burning hours. After about 6 hours, he finally found his unit parked around the corner near units the company was decommissioning for sale. When he relayed the story, I am certain he still had not learned the lesson that by talking down to maintenance, they had intentionally cost him time and money. Be nice to the people that fix your truck. Donuts may not hurt either.
  5. Payroll. Sounds simple enough, but often is not. If the person that handles your paperwork wants it a certain way – do it, even if you think it is stupid. Do everything in your power to do things exactly like they want.
  6. Training/Compliance. Again – it makes sense, but at the same time – I will reinforce it. Want to lose a day sitting in the office watching videos? Easy, just ignore any request from training. If they want you to watch a 4 hour video on, for example, HazMat – watch it. They may have a requirement that a certain number of drivers see the training. If you make it harder on them – they might just have dispatch pull you off the board so that you can watch an 8 hour video on Hours of Service and then the next day, watch the HazMat video anyway. Or maybe you don’t like something about how they want your logs completed because you know a better way. It don’t matter what you think you know. Don’t matter what you learned in school. What matters is what the person behind the desk wants.

 

In ending, it is really just common sense. Be nice to everyone you deal with. Although trucking can be fun because of the time you are basically on your own – you must still play the games of working well with others.

It is not hard, but you must lease the art of surviving the politics of being a truck driver.

Eating on the road

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 What you will be Eating on the road

Diet on the road for truck drivers is challenging. In the old days, while far fewer truck stops were available to select from – those that did exist generally operated full service restaurants. There were obviously diners at both ends of the spectrum – really good food and really good service, to the bottom of neither good food or good service. During your trucking career, you will be eating on the road a lot.

The growth of fast food in the America economy has crawled it’s way into trucking and traveling industries. As a result, not only do fast food purveyors dot many freeway intersections, they are not the primary food source food in many truck stops, they are the only source of nutrition.

While there is growing pressure for fast food outlets to provide more healthy servings, there is still going to be a gap between having eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast or two bacon & egg biscuits. A sit down and order from a menu restaurant will always have more options then an order by the number menu on the wall. The larger your selection to option from, the better you can pick food that will satisfy you and provide you with the energy and refreshment to keep you healthy and capable of doing your job. Clearly, the less selection, the more you are settling for something to eat.

The cost of Eating on the road.

Eating in restaurants are seldom cheap, however, when the restaurant has a captive audience then it often becomes even less value in your food purchase. This can be a factor of the cost of doing business in the the location or it could be a simple factor of the restaurant owner realizing you have limited options. In the case of the cost of doing business, rent is often a large operating factor. (Think about airports or large shopping malls where there is high demand for space.) The demand for space at or convenient to major freeway intersections, greatly drives of the cost of buying and developing the land. This means that the businesses located at this locations must either move customers or charge the customers more for services – or both. The result is that while easy to get to while traveling, you are more likely to see more crowds and slower service or higher prices.

Unfortunately many truck stops now view the restaurant as more then just a source of income, they view it as a guaranteed revenue. They achieve that by leasing out the space as opposed to operating them. Operating a truck stop, means the manager must be aware of competition from new or existing businesses, be concerned with maintaining inventory to sell yet not stocking stuff that won’t sell and thus losing money on it. Hiring, training and maintaining a staff is always a major issue. When a truck stop operator opts to off-load some portions of these responsibilities, the restaurant is generally one of the easiest to do. And by owning or contracting with a franchised fast food, they gain the national advertising and the simplification of management.

A lot of truck drivers are now discovering the value and convenience of pulling into a large grocery stores (or sometimes even small groceries) and visiting their service deli’s. While not all offer made to order sandwiches, many do have premade salads, sandwiches or other selections that can be eaten cold or (if the truck has a microwave) warmed up. In order to get more value for their dollars, many drivers, since so many newer trucks have mini-refrigerators, are buying a selection of lunch meats, bread and other condiments as well as ‘TV dinners’ and preparing meals in the truck. This is not only economical it can be very much more nutritional as you are selecting the food you like and prefer. Many drivers still enjoy at least one meal a day in some form of diner/coffee shop/restaurant venue simply because of the personal interrelations, as truck driving can be a lonely at times lifestyle.

Regardless of your personal options for obtaining food and refreshments while on the road, it is important to consider the cost value you are receiving and also the nutritional value. Proper nutrition is important to maintaining your health and well being and a sick truck driver is not an effect truck driver.

Sometimes it will be truck stop dinners, other times full service and family diners near by, and then of course fast food of many flavors. You will also likely visit a grocery store and buy simple fixings. Regardless of the source – learn to enjoy your meals while eating on the road.

Why use a lease for a commercial truck?

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Pros and Cons of a lease for a Commercial Truck

Ok, you have been driving a commercial truck for a couple of years and you like being a professional truck driver. But maybe you want a little more authority on operating the truck. Maybe you are tired of sharing the truck with other drivers in a slip-seat arrangement. Maybe you just want to drive newer equipment then the company is assigning you. Maybe it is a pride of ownership issue or you think that you can make more money then just being a driver.

Being an Owner/Operator is not for everyone but for many it is the way to go. Regardless of your reasons, you now have to decide: Lease or Purchase (with a loan).

With a lease – as compared to a loan to purchase, you generally have a lower (or even no) down payment, your payments will be lower; the leasing company normally assumes a portion of the maintenance and repairs (unless caused by your actions or in actions); you have greater flexibility to upgrade to newer, nicer, different equipment; and at the end of the lease, you can walk away with no additional requirements.

How To Start a Trucking Company – Your Step-By-Step Guide To Starting a Trucking Company

However, with a lease, the equipment is still owned by the leasing company and you are accountable to them for insuring that the truck is maintained (both preventative and demand); you can not make modifications or changes and you might have a limit on where you can take the truck (only certain states, no Canada, etc.). Many leases include the option to purchase the equipment at the end of the lease period – typically 3 to 5 years, but could be any time frame – however, the total cost of the purchase of unit may be total greater then if you just obtained a loan.

Advantage of a lease for a commercial truck

One hidden advantage of leasing is that you get to drive the unit before you are stuck with it. Sort of like renting cars to get a feel for how much you like a specific model before going to a dealer to purchase one.

You may be required to obtain and pay for special insurance under your lease agreement. The company that you are going to haul freight for might provide insurance, however your lease might require that the insurance on the unit is in your name. This could cost you extra money. It is important to carefully review all fine print to understand your obligations.

Another issue is that when you purchase the truck, you are making an investment in equipment and that equipment is now an asset. When you lease, the lease is an obligation, which is could be a negative affect on your overall financial balance sheet.

Like all decisions you will have to make in your truck driving career, you have to carefully balance the pluses and minuses of each situation. There are long term and short term advantages and disadvantages to leasing and to purchase loans. Don’t let the complexities of leases or purchases keep you out of the game. There are as many advantages as disadvantages to being an owner/operator.

Many dealers have the the option for you to finance your tractor and trailer right on location. This may allow you to pick out your truck and drive it home the that day. However, you do not have to get financing from the dealer, in fact you may not want to do it as you may end up paying a higher price in the long run. The dealer’s leasing company may give you the best deal they have – but it may not be the best deal for you. If you already have an established banking relationship with a local bank or credit union, discuss your plans with a loan officer and see what they can offer you. Your relationship with them might get you a much better deal in the long run.

Shop carefully when you shop for a lease for a commercial truck.

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.